Page 38 of Poison Apple Crisp

“My future?” I ask, almost amused.

“Our future.” His lips curve a notch. “As in you and me living together as a family. I’m thinking I should buy the house next door.”

“You already own the house next door.” I shake my head. “I don’t get it.”

“The rental on the other side of you,” he says. “My house is large, but it could be bigger. I’m thinking of knocking that place down and starting from scratch. You could design it just the way you like. And we’ll tack on extra rooms, big ones. We’ll make it ours.”

Noah nods. “You don’t want to lease forever. And Everett’s stairwell is a death trap.”

I blink back. “That’s an interesting line of thought, but that house isn’t for sale, is it?”

“It’s for sale or lease,” Everett points out.

My mouth falls open. “But Carlotta just put in an application to lease it.”

Noah shrugs. “She could theoretically stay here.”

Before I can comprehend any of it, the door bursts open and in walks Carlotta with Evie.

Evie shrieks. “Eww! Why are the two of you touching her feet?” She staggers over. “Mom? Should I be filming this?”

“What?” I shriek at the thought. “No!”

Carlotta nods her way. “Get the camera rolling, kid. We can use this to blackmail all three of ’em later.” A husky laugh runs through her. “I knew there was more to this happy trio than meets the eye. I bet if we didn’t bust in when we did, they’d be massaging much more interesting places.”

“Stop,” I say. It’s times like this I wish I had trained Pancake and Waffles to attack. “I had a foot cramp and they’re helping me out. We were just talking about the empty house next door.” I look to Carlotta. “Did you ever get your application in?”

“Nope.” Carlotta sits down next to me and takes off her sneakers and socks before thumping her feet on the coffee table between Noah and Everett. Carlotta’s feet look like the underbelly of a fish and smell like vinegar. “It turns out, it’s already been leased.”

Evie nods. “The moving truck just left two hours ago. I guess we’ll be meeting our new neighbors soon.”

Everett shrugs it off. “Don’t worry, Lemon. We’ll think of something.”

“I’ve got an idea.” Carlotta lands a foot on Noah’s thigh. “Come on, Foxy. Let’s see whatcha got.”

Noah and Everett end my impromptu foot rub rather abruptly, and Evie speeds out of the house right along with them.

“Why are my eyes watering?” she wails all the way home. “Tell Carlotta she needs a foot transplant!”

Noah says goodnight as he heads down the porch before pausing.

“Lottie? Did Alyssa happen to mention anything about that book that was stolen from you?”

“No,” I say, surprised that he even brought it up. “Why?”

“Because we received an anonymous tip today that she might be the one that took it.”

Everett leans his head to the side. “Interesting—especially considering what she told Lemon. Her story somewhat mirrors that of Desmond Meadows’.”

“Yeah,” I say, thinking about it. “I guess it does.”

Everett nods over to Noah. “So what was in the envelope?”

“Forensics just dusted it for prints. I’ll be cleared to open it in the lab soon. You never know what we could find—clothing fibers, hair, a confession.”

“I guess I’ll see yousoon,” I say. “There’s no way I’m going to miss that.”

He nods. “I figured so.”