Page 3 of Wedding Cake Carnage

“A little friendly competition, huh? I like that.” I’m about to introduce myself, but the redhead has already navigated Jana into the crowd.

Pierce and Jackie wander off to the next booth, and I watch as they lean in close as if they were having a private conversation of their own.

“He seems like a good man,” I say to Keelie and Lily. “And I’m glad about it, too. Jana deserves the very best.”

Noah steps up and opens his mouth as if he’s about to say something before he does a double take at the table and nearly jumps over Lily as he retrieves another slice of cake.

He glances around quickly as if he were shaken.

“Whoa,” I say, pulling him in. “It looks like someone likes the chocolate fudge.”

Noah yanks his plate back as if he were afraid I was about to cram my face into it and devour it. “I’ll be right back, Lottie. Promise me you’ll stay right here.” Noah hurdles over the ice chest next to me as he dives into the crowd.

“What in the heck was that about?”

Lily bumps her shoulder to mine. “I don’t know, but rumor has it, Detective Fox has been spending the night at your place.”

Keelie nearly gags as she plucks the fork from her mouth. “Lottie Lemon! Why do you always keep the juicy details away from me?”

“That’s because they’re not juicy,” I say, handing her another slice of raspberry vanilla cake. “Noah has been sleeping on the couch. He doesn’t like the fact that whoever took Everett knows where I work and live. I can assure you, it’s been perfectly platonic.” It has. Noah has been picking up a pizza from Mangias every night and we talk about how we might go about finding Everett. And when there’s a bump in the night, I don’t worry about it because I know Noah sleeps with one eye open and a finger on the trigger of his gun. I’m sure Everett would appreciate knowing that I felt safe at night. “Hey, Keelie? Would you please go get another raspberry vanilla cake out of the van? The box should be marked,” I say, giving her the keys, and she’s quick to take off.

A man in a suit walks by the booth with a couple of miniature poodles on a leash. There’s a sign sandwiched over his chest that readsrent a lovable fur creature to walk your rings down the aisle in style.

“What do you think of that?” Lily shudders as if it didn’t sit well with her.

“I think it’s adorable. In fact, if I could train Pancake or Waffles to do something like that, I think it’d make my whole wedding.” Pancake and Waffles are my adorable Himalayan cats. Both have cream-colored fur, a rust-tipped tail, and eyes of the bluest sky. “I can see why people would want to have a lovable pet at the ceremony. It would add levity and make everybody relax a bit. I know I would. But that tiger.” I shake my head in dismay. “That beast was at least six feet long.”

Lily bubbles with laughter. “Lottie, that was a Saint Bernard. They’ve been walking an entire cast of creatures past us for the last hour.” Her expression dims quickly. “I just knew when Essex went missing, it would mess horribly with your mind.”

Naomi trots up on a pair of heels that qualify as stilts. Naomi Sawyer is Keelie’s twin sister, my cousin by proxy. She’s a brunette stunner with a mean streak wider than any human measurement allows. Her hatred for me started in high school, which just goes to prove she can hold a grudge longer and stronger than most people are capable of. She’s actually here manning a booth of her own today. The Evergreen Manor in Honey Hollow happens to be a premier wedding reception venue, and it just so happens to be where Lainey is having her big shindig after the ceremony.

“Please.” Naomi yanks Everett’s picture forward. “He’s not missing. He left town just to get away from you.” Her eyes flit to mine accusingly. “He’s probably in Hawaii with a Mai Tai in his hand. Face it, Lottie. You smothered the man right onto the next available flight out of Vermont.”

“Not true,” I grit through my teeth. I’m about to let into her for being so crass when that white furry beast strides by again and every muscle in my body freezes. Keelie was wrong. That’s no domestic animal. It’s indeed a tiger.

The enormous creature pauses and turns its magnificent face my way. Its eyes are slate blue. Pale gray stripes run through its fur. A thunderous roar escapes it—more of a cross between a roar and a yawn—but the sound was perfectly ferocious.

“Lily, that’s no Saint Bernard.” My heart ratchets up into my throat, and I can hear it pulse right through my ears.

“What are you talking about?” Lily waves me off as she and Naomi start in on a conversation of their own.

The beast moves in a few steps and vocalizes as if its paying job was to put the fear of God into me. And by the way, mission accomplished.

“Oh my goodness,” I hiss as I note it’s not leashed, and not a soul seems to mind its menacing presence. “Somebody help.” It comes out weak as the beast lands a thick heavy paw onto the table with a thud. It tips its nose toward the chocolate fudge cake and starts licking away, but the cake doesn’t seem to dissipate. I’m pretty sure chocolate isn’t good for cats in general, but I’m not about to argue with it about its diet. However, I can’t help but note it’s not really getting anywhere with the task at hand.

Oh. My. God.

It looks up, and I’d bet my soul its lips just curled into a smile.

“You’re one of them, aren’t you?” I whisper mostly to myself.

Its paw sinks right through the table as it proceeds to stride through the furniture as if it weren’t even there. It walks right through my body before slinking down the hall just as Keelie comes up.

“Oh, wow.” I stagger for a minute as I struggle to catch my breath.

“Lottie? Are you okay?” Keelie does her best to hold me up as she asks.

“I’m fine. But somebody here is not.” I give a quick look around.