Page 6 of Bobbing for Bodies
“Dude.” Tanner gently removes Forest’s hold on my sister, and my heart breaks for my sister’s one true love. That would be Forest, by the way. “I’m taking her home.” He does that annoying hair flip thing three times in a row, and I’m starting to think it’s a tic. “And I’ll stay with her all night long.”
“No thank you,” I’m quick to interject, and my sister makes wild eyes at me as if to say thank you herself. “I’ll be home as soon as I can, and I’ll take over from there.”
The three of them say a quick goodnight as Lainey and Tanner take off in one direction and poor Forest in the other.
Everett gives my shoulder a quick squeeze. “Are you okay? Did you see anyone taking off when you came out here?”
Noah’s chest puffs up on cue. “I already asked her that. What did you see, Lottie? Did you hear anything?”
“No.” I shake my head, bewildered. “I mean, he was shot, right? I certainly didn’t hear a gunshot.”
Noah nods. “They most likely used a silencer. Did you see anything at all? Anything?”
“No, I mean, yes. I was just following that sq—” My fingers land hard over my lips, and I shoot a quick look to Everett.
“Detective Fox,” Captain Turner shouts as he motions him over.
Noah looks from me to Everett. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”
Everett wastes no time leaning in. “You were going to say squirrel, Lemon. Don’t deny it. We may not be in a courtroom, but I don’t think it would be beneficial for you to perjure yourself in my presence regardless.”
“Please.” I avert my gaze a moment. “I would never lie to you—willingly.” I wince as that last part comes out. “Besides, it’s not important. What’s important is that they catch whoever did this. And I can promise you, Essex Everett Baxter, that it was not me,” I hiss out that last part, and to my surprise a tiny smile twitches on his lips. “What?” It comes out annoyed, as has been my go-to emotion with him in the not-so-distant past.
He straightens a bit, and his jaw squares out, making him look irritatingly far more handsome than ever is fair. Which reminds me—I know firsthand they label his java cupMr. Sexydown at the coffee shop next to the courthouse. “You’re not telling the truth.”
A breath hitches in my throat. “How dare you insinuate that I’m a liar.”
He leans in with those serious eyes. “I never called you such thing. I just so happen to be very good at reading people—and I have my ways of getting information out of just about anyone. It’s my gift.” His brows twitch. “You saw that squirrel again, didn’t you?”
My hand clamps over my mouth, and I hop back a step in the event I need to bolt from this human lie detector machine. There’s no way I’m telling Everett about my gift—or curse as it were. And at this point, I think it’s a little too late to convince him that there was a real squirrel in question. The best thing to do is drop it.
Noah heads over and wraps his arms around me, dotting a gentle kiss over my forehead, and I take in his spiced cologne, allowing myself to relax over his rock-hard chest. I’m so exhausted from everything that’s transpired tonight—this entire last week. The nonstop baking alone is enough to make anyone delusional. I’m hoping I’ll wake up tomorrow morning to find my sweet cat Pancake curled up in my arms, and this will have all been one long nightmare.
Noah gently lifts my chin with his finger. “Captain Turner wants us to speak with him.”
No sooner do I look over than Jack, Captain Turner as he’s known to everyone else, is upon us. Jack is Keelie’s dad, and since I’ve grown up with him as a second father, I’ve only ever called him by his proper name. Next to him stands a tall woman in a dark pantsuit. Long amber hair parted straight down the middle hangs over her shoulders. Her face is pale and offset morbidly by dark crimson lipstick. On anyone else it would look like a disaster, but she looks every bit the supermodel and pulls it off effortlessly.
Jack nods to me. “Lottie, this is Detective Ivy Fairbanks. She’ll be asking you a few questions.” Someone calls for him from behind, and he gives a quick bow. “I’ll be right over here if you need me.”
“Detective Fairbanks.” Noah extends his hand, and she glares at it as if it were a rodent. Noah drops his hand. “My name is Noah Fox. I’m a private investigator myself, licensed in the state of Vermont.”
She gives him a quick once-over. “Did you find the body?”
Noah turns to me. “No, actually—”
“Then you’re dismissed.” She tips her nose toward Everett and me. “Which one of you found the body?”
I clear my throat. “That would be me. And if you don’t mind, I’d prefer we address him by his name, Hunter.” My gut wrenches just hearing his name sail from my lips. “He was my friend.”
“Very well.” She pulls out a notebook, looking perennially bored. “What happened?”
I quickly relay the chain of events, sans any mention of Hunter’s pet squirrel. For a moment, I wonder what Hunter had named him. He was so cute and fluffy. It was obvious anyone could have fallen in love with the tiny creature. I bet it was something cute and clever like Acorn. Hunter always did have a soft heart.
“So, that’s it?” She blinks up at me with those dark coffee-colored eyes, and a chill runs through me. Sure, she’s beautiful, but she’s equally as intimidating, and it has nothing to do with her beauty.
“That’s it.”
“You were just coming out for some air?” She glowers over at me. “With a bakery full of people and six batches of cookies in the oven? Hmm.” Her lips crimp into something that looks like a smile while she simultaneously stares me down. It’s an unnerving feat, and coming from her, it feels like a mental interrogation. “I’ll be speaking to you again soon. Hopefully, something else will come to mind.”