Eggnog Trifle Trouble (Murder in the Mix #28) - Addison Moore Page 0,26

tip of her nose with her finger. “Ah! We’ll do a noose goose to settle the matter.”

“Oh no.” I shake my head frenetically. “I don’t think there’s any reason to get a noose involved.” But before I can protest any further, Serena has produced a full-blown rope twisted in the nefarious position and has it dangling over my belly like an oxygen-depriving threat.

“Man of the badge, or man of the gavel!” Serena shouts. “The paternity of this child, we shall unravel!” Her voice echoes through the room, and all four ghosts that take up supernatural space in this B&B are suddenly hovering over my head. I give a little wave to Winslow since I didn’t have a chance to say hello to him yet and he offers a somewhat mournful smile back.

“What in the fresh heck!” Carlotta dances over while doing an odd little jig, trying to balance the tote bag weighing down her shoulder. “Free candles to all card-carrying magic mavens. Just don’t kill my Lot Lot!” She dumps her bag, and almost every woman here swoops on over.

“I’m fine, Carlotta,” I say as she helps me off the table.

“In that case—all candles fifteen percent off!” She tucks her head close to mine. “It sounds like fifty, and at this time of the year people are desperate for a steep discount.”

I land back on my feet as Suze surges her way through the crowd until she crops up next to me.

“Don’t stop now, Serena.” She practically shakes the woman. “I need to know whose baby she’s carrying.”

Elodie leans in and looks deep into my eyes. Her own eyes are a strange combination of amber with yellow glowing specks. I’ve never seen anything like them.

“It’s the man of the gavel.” Elodie offers a somewhat prideful smile my way.

Serena grunts as she, too, looks deep into my eyes. “You’re wrong again. The girl child belongs to the man of the badge. And you need more iron in your diet, Lottie.”

She takes off for the refreshment table, and Suze stalks off after her—wanting a refund on her presumed grandchild, I’m guessing.

“Wait!” I call after Serena. I still need to ask if she’s a beguiler. If anyone in this room is a beguiler, I’m betting it’s her. It’s not the entire lot of them, is it?

Mom hops over. “Lottie, the women just love your eggnog trifle. Double my order for the craft fair,” she says as she skips over to the candle bonanza, and Carlotta joins her to do the requisite cash grab.

“Elodie, I’m sorry about your loss.” I shrug because I really didn’t know how to segue into this one.

“Ooh!” Kringle hops from my shoulder to the top of Elodie’s head. “We’ve got a live one, haven’t we, Lottie? Shall I pluck an eye out so she’ll tell us the truth?” A knife-sharp claw erupts from his tiny paw and I quickly shake my head his way. Why do I get the feeling he’s auditioning for the part of the Grim Reaper? Hey? Maybe Kringle killed Gloria Abner?

Elodie sighs. “I know it’s a very sad thing. And to think our own Suze pulled the trigger.”

My lips part. I’m unsure of what to say next. “Allegedly. Did you know of a feud they had?” Not the direction I should be headed in, but I’ll admit, it feels right.

Elodie lifts her chin and her exotic beauty shines through. “Gloria was a piece of work. I’m sure she had a beef with Suze over something.”

“Did you have a beef with her?” For some reason, just the word beef sends a wave of nausea pulsing through me.

Not now, not now.

I clench my fists so hard, my fingernails press into my flesh. And oddly, it curbs the urge to upchuck my cookies.

Elodie blows out a breath. “Gloria and I used to work together back before she retired—at Aunt May’s Chocolatiers.”

“Sounds like a delicious job.”

Her lips flicker into the hint of a smile. “It was once she left. Gloria had secrets and, well, let’s just say I had a few myself.” She cranes her neck over at the Carlotta-sponsored chaos taking place. “Oh, I have to go. I just have to get my hand on a half a dozen of those three wicks. I’m a sucker for a good deal.”

“Wait!” I step in front of her and nearly get run over in the process. “Who do you think could have done this to Gloria? Outside of Suze, of course.”

I give Suze the side-eye from across the room. There