Page 11 of Wedding Cake Carnage
“Featherby?” Aspen gawks. “You’re not related to Landon by chance?”
“That’s my baby sister.”
“And one of my closest friends!”
Great. Cormack and my new sisters are getting along just fine. I can’t help but note my own sisters—the originals—are no-shows to this unwanted family reunion.
“So, Lottie”—Finn leans in—“what happened to this judge you were seeing? One minute he’s fine, and the next he disappears into thin air?”
Noah rattles off all the details as quickly as he can, and I’m thankful for it. If I start in on Everett, I might just lose it. This entire night is proving to be emotionally exhausting.
Mom jumps in her seat. “Oh, Lottie! Tell them about the latest body you found.”
Kelleth’s mouth rounds out in horror. “Latest?”
I suck in a quick breath just as Lainey and Meg stroll in.
“What did we miss?” Meg shouts as she and Lainey head for the buffet.
Mom nods her way. “Lottie was just about to tell them about the corpse she found.”
Lainey whimpers into her shoulder and I want to drop into a hole. Poor Lainey shouldn’t be here. She shouldn’t be anywhere near me.
Meg rocks back on her heels. “Lottie finds a stiff about once a month. So all of you new siblings had better watch your back.” She gives a cheeky wink, but no one seems all that amused.
In fact, Kelleth looks as if she’s hyperventilating and Aspen is searching for the nearest exit.
“I’m not a killer,” I say in the event they took a mental leap and went there. “In fact, I often bring killers to justice.”
“Every single time.” Noah is back to toasting me again.
Kelleth looks to her father. “Daddy, we’ve just been threatened. I no longer feel safe in her presence. You said so yourself. She’s a magnet for trouble just like her mother.”
Both Mom and I suck in a sharp breath.
“I meant Carlotta.” Mayor Nash tosses up his hands.
Chrissy groans. “Oh, Harry. You always were an expert at putting your foot in your mouth.”
“Nobody calls either of my mothers trouble,” I howl. Without thinking, I pick up my water and splash it in his face. The room goes silent, save for a fearful roar, and something quickens me to turn back to the entry of the room, only to find that behemoth white tiger making his ghostly appearance. He slinks on in and hops onto the table in one lithe move, trotting across the surface, causing the dishes to rattle, glasses to topple over—and, oh my God—utter chaos breaks out.
Kelleth and Aspen grab their purses and run screaming for the door.
“She’s a witch, Daddy!” Kelleth screams from the other side of the room. “Get out while you can. We’ve angered her—and now all of Honey Hollow is quaking!”
Mayor Nash wipes his face down and offers an amicable smile my way. “I believe that was uncalled for—onmypart. I owe you and both of your mothers an apology.” He stands and my mother does her best to mop up the water beading down his suit.
“Oh, Harry, I’m so sorry,” she pants as she does her best to clean him up.
“Don’t apologize, Mother. Carlotta told me all about how he’s berated her the entire time she’s been back in town.” I lean in hard his way. “How dare you imply she amounted to a loser. I did the math, and you were married to Chrissy when you conceived me!”
Kelleth and Aspen gasp from the door.
Mom shoots me with her crazy eyes. “That’s enough, Lottie.”
“Oh, it is enough.” This dinner is enough. I glance to the tiger, who paused long enough to look my way as if taking in the scene. His lips curl up on the sides as he dismounts from the table, causing the back end to lift a good foot.
More screams ensue, and just about everyone is headed for the door.