Page 35 of Donut Disaster

“I’d do anything to ensure your happiness, Lemon. You are priority number one.”

I bite down hard on my lower lip to keep from crying. “I couldn’t possibly love you more if I tried.” I give his tie a quick tug. “Well, maybe possibly if Itry.” My brows bounce, and he nods with approval.

“Swing by my place later tonight and I’ll let you try all night long.” He closes his eyes a moment. “On second thought, let’s hunt down that killer before I renege on anything I might have said earlier.”

Everett and I plop down at Cassie’s table, and we feign surprise as soon as she looks up.

“Cassie?” I inch my head back as if she were the last person I expected to be here. “Is that you? You don’t have a twin, do you?” I give a little wink hoping she’ll gobble up the lame performance I just offered up on a silver platter.

She exhales hard. “What a surprise. You’re here for the benefit. I should have known what I was signing up for.” She cranes her neck toward the crowd to our left. “Dr. Drake is here somewhere. I saw him sucking back whiskey like it was water. Now there’s a chief of surgery for you.”

“Oh, right.” I wince at Everett. “Do you think he’ll get the position now that Morgan isn’t here?”

Everett shakes his head. “I don’t know. But Morgan did make it sound as if it was just between the two of them. Colin seemed like a nice enough guy.” He shoots his gaze to Cassie.

“I guess.” She deals us in, and we both take another hit and go over. “But can you ever really know someone? I mean, sure he looks like a nice guy on the outside, but deep down—nobody really knows what’s lurking.”

“Maybe. I guess everyone has a secret they’d rather not share with the world.” I shrug over at her, and her eyes hook to mine a second too long. I’d better not press too hard or she’ll catch up and clam up for good.

“Oh, he’s got secrets.” She laughs as she collects the cards. “He’s got them up to his eyeballs. They both did.”

“Morgan?” Everett straightens as if this were the first he was hearing about it.

“Yup. He was the worst, but now that he’s gone those secrets are forever gone, too. You know what they say—two can keep a secret if one of them is dead.”

Everett and I exchange a quick glance.

Cookie hops right up on the table, and the cards blow back as if a gust of wind just hit them.

A few months ago, the dead started having an effect in the material world, i.e., moving objects—that is, if they will them to. I’ll admit, it’s not the best way my gifts have manifested themselves.

“What was that?” She scraps the cards and we start over.

I spot Dr. Drake by the bar speaking to a couple of men. He looks tall, gaunt, and haunted, his usual appeal, but that doesn’t seem to stop a bevy of beauties from batting their lashes his way.

“Count me out of the next round. I think I need a drink. Can I get either of you anything? Everett, whiskey? Cassie, something fruity? I can make it a virgin if you like?”

They both politely pass and I take off.

Noah bumps into me. “Hey, beautiful.” He’s so painfully handsome tonight it’s hard to look at him. It doesn’t feel safe being around Noah now that his divorce is final. He points to the dance floor where Keelie and Bear are cheek to cheek, moving to the rhythm of a slow song. “Are you up for busting a move?”

“I’d love to, but I’ll take a rain check. Dr. Drake is practically calling to me like a siren.” A whirl of light darts in that direction. “In fact, Cookie just beat me there. Everett is with Cassie.” I glance back.

“And that’s exactly where you’ll find me. Good luck.”

My feet scurry along as fast as my heels will allow.

Dr. Drake hits the crescendo of the story he’s telling, and the men stand rapt at attention, laughing themselves into oblivion before their small crowd disperses.

Cookie barks my way and hitches his head as if beckoning me to hurry.

Here goes nothing. I pretend to stumble and land right over Dr. Drake as he does his best to keep me from falling. The drink wobbles in his hand, and a splash of amber liquor lands on my dress.

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” I’m quick to grab a napkin and dab the liquid off me.

“I’m the one who should apologize.” He quickly retrieves several more napkins, far more than necessary. “You came at me like a bullet.” He chuckles at the thought. “But then, most women do.”

He’s so full of himself he doesn’t even know how grim that bullet remark sounded considering the circumstances. But it’s clear he doesn’t recognize me.