Eggnog Trifle Trouble (Murder in the Mix #28) - Addison Moore Page 0,60
made aware of it.” I spouted off so many inadvertent fibs in that little ditty, I lost count. But then, who the heck cares? If you take enough U-turns in that conversation, the fibs are mostly true.
Chris shrugs. “Gloria, God rest her soul, was a bit of a drama mama. She needed to be in control of all things, but the thing she didn’t realize was that an organization like the Christmas Angels had a lot of moving parts and we relied on many different people. It’s a volunteer effort and I hate to say it, but she chased off a lot of good people, too.”
“She didn’t chase off Elodie Frost.” I try throwing her under the bus first. Here’s hoping Chris is in on her secret.
A dull laugh bounces through his chest. “She wouldn’t. You ever hear that saying, keep your friends close and your enemies closer? Elodie had some dirt on Gloria. I don’t know who was driving that crazy train, but those last few weeks they were really going at it. I happened to be coming around the corner one day when I heard them bickering about it. Something to do with Gloria’s ex and the time she lived in Colorado. Gloria was trying to shake Elodie down for money. From the feel of the conversation—or argument if you want to get technical—I think maybe Elodie owed Gloria some serious cash.”
“So Elodie knows something about Gloria’s past and Elodie owed her money,” I muse to myself as I try to keep track.
“That’s right.” He shakes his head. “But I don’t think she killed Gloria.”
“Did you and Gloria get along?”
Kringle groans and slaps his palm over his forehead. “You were doing good, kid. But you hit a little too close to home with that one. You knew I was kidding when I said ask him if he was the killer, right? Right?” His little tail lashes side to side and I offer a guilty shrug his way.
Chris belts out a hearty laugh. “I’ll be honest, the woman wasn’t the easiest to work with. But I didn’t pull the trigger. I don’t even have access to a weapon like that. You’d think with the tough gun restriction laws these days, the sheriff’s department would have no problem in tracking down the killer.”
Kringle makes an odd choking sound as he shakes his fists to the sky. “Why didn’t we think of that?”
“I’m sure the sheriff’s department is on it.” And covering for the killer, too.
I shoot Noah a quick glance, and a thought comes to me.
“What about her boyfriend?” I ask. “He played Santa that night, right? I’m no relationship expert, but boy, she looked pretty angry with him.”
He chuckles again. “Gloria was always angry with Ebenezer. I think that’s why he was stepping out on her. Poor guy was so afraid of her wrath, he was terrified to leave her. I asked him about it once, and he said something about not wanting to end up like the last guy.”
“The ex in Colorado?” Huh. Maybe it’s the ex in Colorado I should be speaking with. “Any idea what his name was?”
He shakes his head. “I prodded Ebenezer about it and he took off in an angry rant. He warned me to stay away from unbalanced women. And that was the end of that.” He blows out a breath. “Candy Brighton took over as acting chair of the Christmas Angels, and she’s doing a great job. There’s another event coming up at the Evergreen Manor in a couple of days. You should come.”
“I wouldn’t miss it. So no other drama with Gloria that you can remember?”
He snaps his fingers mid-air. “There was one more thing.” He cringes.
“Here it comes!” Kringle does a little backflip in the air, leaving a trail of red and green stars in his wake. “This is going to be a doozy.”
Chris scratches the back of his neck. “There’s a woman by the name of Suze.”
Both Kringle and I straighten at the mention of the—well, let’s call a spade a spade—battle-axe.
Kringle shakes his head. “I hate to break it to your boyfriend, Lottie, but his mother is a cold-hearted killer. On a bright note, I know exactly what he can get her for Christmas—a pair of shiny silver bracelets.”
I nod. And an orange jumpsuit to go along with them.
“What about her?” I lean in with a twinge of fear in my voice.
“Just before the unveiling of that painting, Suze and Gloria went at it. I heard Gloria