Page 25 of Macaron Massacre
One thing is for sure. I’m not letting a single bullet get near Everett. Unless, of course, whatever Nell knows is something far worse than that.
Chapter 10
Fallbrook.
That’s exactly where Everett has whisked us off to. I tell Everett all about my meeting of the minds with Trisha Lawrence yesterday and finish up just as we’re pulling into the parking lot of the Fallbrook Country Club. Due the gag order he imposed in his chambers, we never did get a chance to catch up.
“Louie the Lion?” Everett kills the engine and shifts his stern gaze my way. “No way are you going in that direction. He’s a notorious mob leader. I’ve seen his buddies in my courtroom more than I care to count.”
“A mob leader? What in the world would Claret Dallas be doing with a mob leader? You have to figure she’s not dating him. There’s no way Rich Dallas would approve of a mob leader, considering he cut Dawn out of his life over a construction worker.”
A low rumble comes from his chest, something just this side of a laugh.
“I have a feeling the construction worker is a deeper well than you think. And I have a sneaking suspicion that Rich didn’t quite know about Claret’s affiliation with the underworld.”
“Ooh. Underworld. Why do I like where this is going?”
“Because you’re secretly an adrenaline junkie.” His cheek rises on one side. “And that’s exactly why you’re with me. You ready to get your heart pumping to unsafe levels?”
“Please tell me we’re not skydiving. I draw a very hard line at jumping out of a perfectly good plane.”
“Nope. I was thinking about that shower you promised me later.” He ticks his head toward the country club. “For now, we have to endure my mother and her friends for the better part of an hour.”
We get out and start making our way toward the clubhouse when a thought comes to me.
“Oh, I saw that woman again! The mystery woman who came looking for you the day of the murder. She was outside my bakery yesterday.”
Everett shoots a glance into the woods across the street as he tries to process this. “Did she go in?”
“No. She was sort of watching me. Honestly, I think she was looking for you.”
Everett stops cold and pulls me in. “Listen to me, Lemon. The next time you see her, call the police. I have a bad feeling about this, and my bad feelings never lie.”
That conversation regarding Everett’s future being altered comes to mind.
“Wow, what if she is a stalker?” My breathing becomes erratic at the thought. “I bet she’s a lunatic. She could be coming for you with a gun!” I knew Noah wouldn’t have it in him to blow a hole through Everett.
“Yes, she might have a gun.” He closes his eyes a moment and sighs. “And that’s exactly why you need to have your gun with you at all times.”
“What? Is that even legal? I mean, don’t I need a permit or approval from the state?”
“You don’t need it in Vermont. The only places you’re not allowed to bring your weapon are school grounds of any kind, the courthouse, any federal building and that includes the post office. You need to carry it, Lemon. Put it in your purse and take it wherever you go.”
“Everett.” I inch back to get a better look at him, and the morning sun pierces his eyes, igniting them like brilliant blue flames. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t do that.”
His lips pull down as if he didn’t know what to do with me. “Fine. We’ll deal with this another way.”
The Fallbrook Country Club sits on rambling acreage that happens to be populated with the most elegant looking humans known to man. I hate to sound like this, but the people here really do look a touch better than the rest—and I mean that in the worst way possible. Snobs, all of them, I tell you—snobs. I don’t care how well kempt they are. I can’t shake the feeling they’re all looking down their noses at me.
Everett took me inside to the boutique and outfitted me with yoga pants and a tank top, so I have some idea of what our little adventure will be comprised of.
We head outside, and the smell of farm animals lights up my senses. I glance around until I find an entire field of goats grazing away in the pasture to our right.
“Aw!” I coo. “Would you look at that? It’s nice to see that the country club is cutting back its carbon footprint by calling in the cloven-hooved forces. I used to love it when they came to graze back the fields near our house growing up.
A stunning older woman with a shock of black hair, sparkling ocean blue eyes, the exact shade as this handsome devil by my side, materializes beside us.
“Eliza!” I wrap my arms around his mother, and she welcomes me with a hearty embrace right back.