Page 9 of Donut Disaster

“I’m sorry,” I say. “Did you say you guess it’s over?”

“Yup.” He reels Jessica Nicole in, and suddenly the mood between the two of them lightens. “I guess I don’t have to worry about bumping into him anymore now, do I?” He frowns at Everett. “We’ll catch up some time, man. I gotta go and clear my head. I need to find a way to contact my mother. She’s in Europe visiting relatives. Nice meeting you, Lottie.”

Jessica Nicole lifts a hand my way. “Byee.” She elongates the word as if she were trying to be cute. But it’s anything but that. More like nails on a chalkboard and oh so odd after the news they were just handed.

We watch as they take off up the hill, bouncing in their stride as if they were excited, bubbling with conversation as if the night finally showed some promise.

“Would you look at that?” I shake my head incredulously. “I’m guessing Jeremy didn’t get along with his brother.”

“Not for as long as I can remember. Jeremy was always the black sheep of the Dawson clan. And now he’s all that’s left of it.”

“Huh. Do you think he’s capable of killing his brother?”

“I don’t know, but his girlfriend didn’t look so innocent herself.”

The arguing down at the waterline increases, and Everett and I turn to find Cassie and Anika rioting over one another in a verbal assault that could rival the fireworks display we were just treated to.

“Let me take care of this,” I say, taking off down the sand.

“Lemon,” Everett says it like a reprimand, but I refuse to listen.

Once these women know there’s nothing to war over anymore, they can both get to the business of grieving poor Dr. Dawson.

“Excuse me,” I say as I make my way over. But the girls don’t look up.

Cassie shoves Anika hard in the chest and her short hair flies violently against her face.

“Hey, hey”—I say, diving in between them—“stop it!” I cry out. “Something terrible has happened.”

“Darn right.” Cassie doesn’t take her eyes off Anika. “And it’s about to happen again.” She draws her arm back as if to deck the girl, but I step in front of her fist and it lands square over my left eye.

“Oh!” I cry out as I double over.

Everett breaks up the fight before it could properly begin as he makes his way over to me.

“Enough,” he riots as he pulls me from their midst and lands a kiss to my forehead. “Geez. You okay?” He gently lifts my chin and winces as he inspects the damage. “We’d better get some ice.” He turns to the girls. “There’s been a murder tonight. Morgan Dawson is dead. Don’t go anywhere. The Ashford Homicide Division is waiting to question you both.”

Nice touch.

Anika’s mouth falls open, and her eyes widen as far as her sockets will allow. Cassie tips her head back and smiles.

“There now.” She nods to herself as if to saynow neither of us can have him. Her lips curl at the edges as she looks my way. “I’m sorry about the left hook. I think I need something to drink.” She stalks off, leaving Anika to sway on her feet and sit hard in the sand.

Everett and I do our best to comfort the girl, but she assures us she’s fine and strangely enough she looks it.

Everett and I head back to the picnic tables and watch as the deputies question those in the vicinity. But so many people have already slipped away.

It makes me wonder if the killer has already slipped away, too.

Chapter 4

Maple Leaf Drive is exactly two blocks east of Country Cottage Road.

Country Cottage Road just so happens to be where Everett, Noah, and I live. Not together, of course. Noah lived on the street first. Last fall, while I was in desperate need of housing, and also dating Noah at the time, I thought it was a great idea to rent a house across the street from his adorable little cabin.

Coincidentally, Everett thought it was a great idea to purchase the house right next to mine, and that is exactly how the three of us came to be neighbors, among the other intermeshed things we’ve become.

In fact, I’m not sure what we’ve become. As much as I hate to say it, things were a lot simpler when Britney was denying Noah his divorce. And, ironically, this month marks the fact Noah and I have been apart for exactly how long we were together.