Page 31 of Toxic Apple Turnovers

Chrissy looks my way. “The Egyptian Room. She’s a teacher. If you see her, tell her to call me sometime. I miss her.” He takes off in a rush, and Owlbert follows along with him.

“There’s that,” I say.

Everett begins navigating us through the crowd. “Noah is by the door. It looks as if he’s leaving.”

No sooner do we get there than Noah and Ivy are already moving through the parking lot.

“Noah!” I call out, running into the brisk air to catch up with him. “Not even a goodbye?” I’m only partially teasing.

His dimples press in, no smile as he looks past me to Everett. “I’m headed down to Ashford. I’ll let you know the details as they arise. Something’s come up.”

“Wait,” I say, glancing back to Everett, confused. “What details? What’s this about?” I gasp as I look to Noah. “This is about the thieves, isn’t it? Noah, please—I want to be a part of this. The dead said they would help me.”

The muscles in Noah’s jaw pop with tension. “Lottie, this isn’t for you. I don’t care what the dead say. I’ve got this handled, and I’m imploring you to stay out of my investigation.”

“Again with this?” I’m stunned at the words that just came from his mouth. “This is my investigation, too.”

“No, Lottie, it’s not. This ismyinvestigation. You need to back down and let the professionals handle this because it’s not a game. People are in a lot of danger. You cannot put yourself in the middle of it.”

A breath hitches in my throat. “Noah, I have never treated an investigation like a game. I can do this. I can help you track them down. I’m the best there is.” I cringe internally at how horrific that sounded. I’ve never been one to toot my own horn.

Noah glances back at Everett. “Forget it, Lottie. You are too important to me, and I will not be a willing participant in anything that might put you in harm’s way. Everett”—he glowers at him a moment before taking off—“I’ll talk to you later.”

“Talk to who? Everett?” I turn his way, panting and angry. “You’re in agreement with him, aren’t you? Neither of you wants me to be a part of this.”

Noah’s truck cruises by with Ivy in the passenger’s seat. He slows a moment to roll down his window.

“I’m sorry, Lottie. I just want to keep you safe. Stay away from this. I mean it.”

I suck in a breath. “You stay away from my investigation, Noah,” I growl at him. “Both Amanda and the thieves belong to me. I’m going to bring justice to both of those cases, and you’ll be sorry you ever shunned me.”

I glance back to Everett. “You, too.”

I take off for my car.

How dare they team up against me.

How dare they underestimate me.

Amanda’s killer is going down. And as soon as I talk to the dead, the thieves’ days are numbered.

I don’t need Noah or Everett.

I head home feeling so very alone.

Chapter 11

The next morning, as I step into the Cutie Pie Bakery and Cakery ready and willing to bake up enough apple turnovers to feed the free world, I’m met with one of the sweetest ghosts on the planet—and I suspect the nethersphere, too.

“Nell Sawyer!” I pull her into a tight embrace. “You are a sight for sore eyes.” I take her in with her silver glowing hair, her wrinkles, her wide grin and knowing eyes. “How I’ve missed you!”

“Tell me everything. Start with the juicy bits, would you? What about those men?”

“Noah basically told me to stay out of the investigation—specifically with those thieves who were responsible for the bank heist. Then I told him to stay out ofmyinvestigation, and that I was the best and didn’t really need him. It got pretty ugly.”

“Oh dear. Then what?”

“Then I pretty much turned on Everett, too, and I left. Everett texted as soon as I got home with just one word,Lemon. But strangely enough, I could feel the emotion behind it. And, of course, Noah texted, too, asking if we could get together today and have coffee.”