Page 24 of Wedding Cake Carnage

Beasty bounces right through the wall as if it were a hoop at the circus.

“That went well,” I say as we head over to the canopy, hungry for a foot of shade. “Beasty, can you follow that driver?”

He lets out a furious roar. “I’m only able to appear where I’m needed, or within the realm of your presence. I’m sorry, Lottie. Lea and I have already tried.”

“Shoot. I’m so frustrated I could blow a hole through Nico’s window myself.”

“You don’t have to.” Noah nods down the street. “We haven’t hit Wicked Wok yet.”

Noah, Beasty, and I hustle our way over and this time I do the talking, sweet and sugarcoated just like one of my snickerdoodle cookies that sells out before they ever get a chance to cool.

The young girl at the counter stops chewing her gum long enough to process what I’m saying. She has her hair in a messy bun and a pair of earbuds dangling from her neck.

“So you think that your boyfriend is cheating on you with some girl out in Hollyhock and you want to know her name?” Her mouth hangs open at the thought of my slightly unbelievable story.

“That’s right. I just want to confront him, you know? Just tell him, I know you’re having Kung Pao chicken, beef with broccoli, and two orders of cream cheese wontons with so and so.”

A woodpecker-like laugh bubbles from her. “Hey, you really know their order.”

“You bet I do.” I feign the look of sudden grief. “It was once our order, too.” True as God. And in all reality, I didn’t have to fake an ounce of grief.

She narrows her gaze at Noah as if she were suddenly filled with suspicion. God knows what she would think if she could see Beasty. Thank God for poltergeist-based mercies.

“Who’s this guy?”

“Oh, he’s—my brother.”

Brother?

Heck, even the look on Noah’s face echoes the sentiment.

“Oh, I see.” She averts her eyes. “Yeah, my brother would totally tag along. He’d probably tear the guy from limb to limb, too.” She flips the page on the weekly calendar in front of her and runs her finger down the page until it stops. “Hailey.”

“Hailey.” I elongate her name as I nod to Noah.

“Knew it.” He scoffs, playing along brilliantly. “She’s still on Willow, right?” He looks to the girl nonchalantly.

“Nope. Pine Brook.”

I lean in and she slams the calendar shut.

“Sorry.” She shrugs. “It’s against our policy to give out addresses.”

“Oh, I don’t need it.” I wrinkle my nose because I totally do. “I know exactly where Hailey lives. She thinks she’s everything because she has such a nice place.” I shudder.

“Right.” The girl rolls her eyes. “Nice if you’re a woodland creature.”

A small crowd comes in and the girl gets right to seating them.

Noah and I hustle back out into the sizzling day.

“Hailey? That has to be her name,” I say pleadingly as if demanding he confirm my theory.

“Maybe. How about this? I’ll hang out in front of the bakery in my truck, and when I see them ready to leave I’ll tail ’em.”

“Not without me.”

Beasty hops out of the front window and I take up Noah’s hand.