Page 33 of Toxic Apple Turnovers
“I guess I’d better be there.”
Carlotta gets a glazed look in her eyes. “We’re all going to be there, Lottie, and we’re all going to cheer when my greedy brother eats crow.”
I sigh. “Please don’t let this drive a wedge between you. Even if the judge doesn’t dismantle the will, I’ll certainly give everything I gain right back to the three of you.”
“Don’t you dare!” both Carlotta and Nell shout in unison.
Keelie wraps her arms around her body and shudders.
“Fine,” I say. We’ll cross that burned bridge when we come to it.
Mom, Carlotta, and Becca put in an order and take a seat.
Keelie is about to take off, and I catch her by the elbow.
“What are you doing tonight?” I ask, hopeful that her calendar is clear.
A devilish gleam comes to her eyes as she swoops in close. “You tell me, Lottie Lemon. I hope there’s a good time involved because I’ve been itching to cut loose.”
“You bet there is. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“Great!” she sings as she takes off.
“Don’t you want to know where we’re going?”
“I don’t care! As long as I’m with you, I know we’re in for a good time!”
It will be a time, all right.
I glance back to find Nell seated at the table with her daughters and my mother. If I didn’t know better, it looks as if she’s still among the living.
The crowd has settled, so I ask Lily to man the fort for a moment. I head to the back and steal a moment to huddle in my office as I run a search on my phone, looking for a chain of robberies, thefts, or home invasions all over the country. And what I find is staggering similarities to the events in Honey Hollow regarding the home robberies and the bank heist. Similar events happened in Florida just eight weeks ago, South Carolina seven weeks ago, Virginia six weeks ago, Pennsylvania four weeks ago, and New York three weeks ago. The bank robbery consisted of six gunmen, each in masks. The masks are always different—clowns, monsters,animals.
Son of a gun.
Six sons of guns.
Nell was right. With a little elbow grease, I could easily catch up with Noah.
And catch up I did.
According to Nell, they’re still in town. That means there’s still time to catch them. I wonder where they’ll strike next?
I wonder…
* * *
The Egyptian Roomis on the border of Leeds and Ashford, and since I’m not crazy about the dicey proximity to the aforementioned sleazy town, I’ve asked Meg to tag along. She didn’t spend the last few years on the Las Vegas wrestling circuit without a few moves to show for it. She can headlock with the best of them. Besides, I’m down one Glock at the moment. Boy, how I miss Ethel. And here she didn’t even have a name while she was with me.
The Egyptian Room is a restaurant up front and a belly dancing studio in the rear.
Meg shakes her head as we’re led toward our belly dancing nirvana by a woman in silk pink and gold pajamas.
“Business in the front, party in the back.” My sister shoots me a sly eye. “Do your boyfriends know you’re on the loose tonight?”
Keelie snickers. “Please, Lottie’s on their radar. Not only that, but Noah told her he’s got a tracking device on her car. I wouldn’t be surprised if we bumped into them to—”
She stops mid-sentence, and every part of me freezes when I see it myself.