Page 42 of Toxic Apple Turnovers
Slater comes over and mops up the bar between us. “Not well, but thank you for asking. Mandy and I might not have been as close as I would have liked in the end, but I still miss her fiercely.” His lips turn down hard. “Life changes on a dime. You have to really appreciate those around you, because you never know when they might be gone.”
“I feel those words right down to my weary bones,” I say, curling my glass in my hand. “My dad died way back when, and that grief still lives with me today. I’d do anything to have another day with him.”
He glances to the wall as if he were looking right through it. “I get it. The thing with Mandy is, it wasn’t her time. Someone did this to her.”
“Do you have any idea who would want to do something like this?”
“Me,” he says it flatly, and I startle to attention. The conversation—or argument—to my right between Everett and Meghan stilts for a moment as well. “It’s true.” He pulls a bottle out and starts flipping it before putting it back. “I had enough rage in me—I said I could have done it, but I didn’t mean it. It’s the kind of thing you say when you’re a kid with no real malice behind it. Yes, I was angry, but I wouldn’t have killed my sister.” His voice cracks. “My parents hadn’t made up a formal will yet. They were in the middle of it. Who could blame them? They were young. But they did put Mandy’s name on their bank accounts. In the event anything happened, we could access their funds. Mandy was the oldest, and in their eyes the most responsible. Hazel and I were just kids at the time, so it made sense. And even though Mandy claimed to love both Hazel and me, she decided she knew how to spend their money best. She didn’t see the need to share. She said she’d invest in something for the three of us.”
“What did she invest in?”
“Herself. That company she swiped from Janelle. But then, that’s how Mandy got ahead in every aspect of life—taking what wasn’t hers.”
So I’ve heard.
“Did Amanda have any enemies that you’re aware of?”
“You mean, did she have any friends that I’m aware of?” He cocks his head thoughtfully to the side. “You know, come to think of it, she did mention some preacher she was getting close to. We were hit-and-miss with conversations these last few months, but she’d ring me up and we’d chat a bit. She wasn’t going to budge on the money, but she wanted to maintain ties. Mandy always did want to have her cake and eat it, too.”
Meghan moans to life. “I never did get that expression. Everyone who has a cake wants to eat it. What the heck is wrong with someone who has a cake and doesn’t want to eat it? It’s a common courtesy to the cake.” Another angry groan comes from her. “Speaking of which, what does a girl have to do to get a little cake around here?” She pounds the bar three times fast.
“All right, cake girl.” Everett plucks her out of her seat. “Lemon, I’m going to have to take her home. There’s no way I can leave her here in this state.”
“Please, don’t worry about me. I’m sure Noah and Cormack will give me a ride back.”
“Okay.” He comes over and lands a searing kiss to my cheek. “Don’t stay out too late. The freaks come out at night as evidenced.” He points hard to his sister, and she swats him as he navigates her out of the bar.
Slater clicks his tongue at her. “She’s a good one. Doesn’t know her limit, though. She reminds me a lot of Mandy. She had it good with that billionaire. But, rumor has it, she gave him the boot.”
“What? I mean, she mentioned to me they were on the rocks. I had no idea about the boot thing.” Okay, so she didn’t tell me directly. Pastor Gaines mentioned they were on the rocks.
He frowns at the ceiling. “Maybe she didn’t give him the boot quite yet, but she mentioned something about trouble with a man she was with and that she was going to take care of him. Something about turning evidence over to the police.”
That’s the second time I’m hearing this. Janelle said the very same thing.
Someone calls him from the other end of the bar and he excuses himself politely.
I head deeper into the establishment just in time to hear Alex making all the women in the room swoon as he belts out a love song while Cormack rocks her body against Noah’s side.
Noah glances my way before doing a double take and heading over, sans the barnacle doing her best to adhere to him.
“May I have this dance?”
“Does it come with six counseling sessions and a blonde?”
His brows dip as he swallows a laugh. “Come here.” He takes me in his arms, and our bodies move to the soothing rhythm of his brother’s voice.
“Did you get anywhere with Slater?”
“No.”
“You will. Who’s next on the list?”
“I think I’ll revisit Pastor Gaines.”
“Perfect. I’ll go with you. We’ll ask him to marry us.”
A laugh bubbles from my throat.