Page 28 of Wedding Cake Carnage
“What about the last name? It’s the last name of the woman who died. She was the mother of his child. And the stalker last month? And the roses and the note?”
“Yes, but James is a common last name, and we’re connecting an awful lot of dots. At best, I might be allowed to head over with a cruiser and ask the resident a few questions. It still may very well lead to Everett.”
I glare at Noah for a good long while. While I can appreciate his need to submit to procedural orders, I am not amused at how reckless he’s being with Everett’s well-being.
“Darn right, it will lead to Everett,” I say, bolting up in the other direction and making a beeline for my bedroom. I pick up the small Glock Noah and Everett bought me a couple months ago and shove it into my purse as I head for the door.
“Lottie, wait.” Noah barricades the exit with this body. “You cannot run off half-cocked. It’s dangerous. You can get yourself killed.”
Both Pancake and Waffles crane their necks over the arm of the sofa as if they were watching the show.
I close my eyes for a moment. “Beasty,” I growl, and just like that, a spray of iridescent light fills my living room as the gentle oversized cat takes shape. “I’m headed to the cabin. Grab Lea and meet me there.” The aura of a light goes out as efficiently as turning off a switch and my eyes meet with Noah’s once again. “Step back. I have a gun and I am going to use it—several times this evening if need be.”
“Lottie, I work for the Ashford Sheriff’s Department. I can’t go breaking the law. And I highly recommend you don’t shoot me.”
I tip my head to the side as I suck my lips in hard to keep from crying.
“If I were missing and you thought it was me up in that cabin”—my chest bucks with emotion—“would you follow procedure? Would you lethourspass? Would you have turned the truck around this afternoon?”
“This is different. Everett is built like a football player. He’s strong.”
“Not if he’s dead.” I shove Noah out of the way and bolt for my car.
“Lottie, wait!” he riots as he hurdles over the hood of my car and slides down in front of me. His chest palpitates wildly with his panting. His serious eyes bear hard into mine. “We’ll take my truck.”
A pang of guilt hits me as wide as the sea. “Noah, you can’t risk your career.”
“I can risk anything I want for you—and for Everett.” His left dimple digs in deep as he ticks his head to the street. “Let’s do this.”
And we do.
* * *
A thousand thoughtssail through my mind on our way to Hollyhock.
What if I end up getting killed?
What if Noah gets killed?
What if Everett truly is already dead?
Should I text my mother and tell her I love her?
Send a group text to my mother and sisters?
Preemptively bequeath the bakery to Keelie?
And my cats! My sweet, precious cats. They can’t lose me. Waffles already lost Nell. After all, it was Nell who bequeathed Waffles to me. Nell who was here haunting Honey Hollow just last month—who happened to have a very ominous warning about Everett’s future—something about a casket and an altered future. Wait. Or was it Carlotta who mentioned the casket?
“Dear God, I can’t think straight,” I bleat as Noah gets off the highway and we head straight for Pine Brook Road.
“Lottie, you’re going to have your weapon drawn. You will most certainly be thinking straight. Collect yourself. Take a deep breath. Remember, it’s imperative to stay calm for Everett’s sake.”
“You’re right.” I take in a quick breath and nearly pass out. “So, what’s the plan?”
“The plan is we park down the road, sneak up on the cabin, and search for signs of life. You’ll stay five feet behind me at all times.”
“That means you head into danger first. This doesn’t please me, Noah.”