Pecan Pie Predicament (Murder in the Mix #27) - Addison Moore Page 0,23

to sidestep to the right and left, I can’t seem to get through the human obstacle course.

Carlotta and Mayor Nash push their tushes in my direction until they’re bopping right in front of me.

“The two of you are a match made in Senior Hustle heaven,” I shout up over the music. “But then, Chee Chee is easier to land than a fly with honey.”

“No sirree.” Mayor Nash shakes his head. “This one is playing hard to get. Apparently, I’ve got some competition, a young bodybuilder by the name of Barry.”

“That’s right, Hot Shot,” Carlotta grouses to Mayor Nash. “If you want a piece of this eye candy, you’re going to have to step up your game of prisoner pursuit, or I’ll be taking a bite out of some beefcake tonight.”

I shake my head at my doppelgänger. “At least you’re committed to the cause,” I say. “Good luck, Mayor Nash. The competition is stiffer than you think.” As in a genuine stiff. “I might need some luck, too, in excavating my husband from that tangle of bodies around him.”

“I say give Sexy his moment of glory and dance with us, Lot Lot.” Carlotta pulls me over, and before I know it, I’m swaying to the beat with the two of them. “Put some boot in your scoot,” Carlotta says, kicking up her heels and imploring me to do the same.

Mayor Nash chuckles. “Go easy on her, Chee Chee. She’s dancing for two, you know.”

“You got that right. But more to the point, I’m eating fried butter for two. Or at least I will be. Fried butter or bust,” I say, trying to break free from the happy hopping crowd just as a body steps in front of me. It’s a green-eyed, dark-haired, handsome man who happens to wield a state-issued weapon. “Noah!” I give him a quick embrace as we begin to dance to the energetic song. “How did it go with forensics?”

He gives a quick glance around before leaning in. “Your pie was explosively delicious. That slice of pecan pie was laced with toxic levels of TNT.”

“Are you saying my recipe killed her? Or was dynamite somehow involved?”

Nothing would surprise me anymore.

“Neither.” Noah lands his lips next to my ear. “TNT is a street term for fentanyl. Someone knew exactly what they were doing. Hannah’s heart stopped after just a few bites. They wanted her dead. There’s no mistake about it. We checked the bakery, and there was no other sign of the toxin. This was an outside job.”

I pause from all movement just as Everett lands in front of me.

“Mind if I join in?” He steps in close, and soon the three of us are moving to the beat.

“How’s old home week going?” I tease, and Everett closes his eyes as a wry laugh vibrates through his chest.

“It’s pretty great to see so much rehabilitation taking place,” he admits. “It confirms what I’ve always believed, anyone can change their life for the better. And you want to know something? Every single one of those people thanked me for their sentences. Of course, they were pretty thankful they were able to get out on early release, too, but they all said the same thing—they needed it.”

“You’re a real hero, Everett,” I tell him as I raise my voice above the music a notch. “You have good instincts and you give sound judgments, as evidenced by the fact you sided with me all those years ago when I landed in your courtroom.”

Noah shakes his head. “You know, had the Simonson sisters never sued you, Lot, we’d be here alone.”

He has a point. I did meet Noah later that day, and after a rather bumpy introduction we hit it off.

I nod his way. “And if we never met, you would have had to solve all of those homicide cases without me.”

Everett slits a glance to his old stepbrother. “If that were the case, you’d be slinging hash at some diner back in Hollyhock. With your shoddy record of tracking down killers, you would have been forced into early retirement.”

“You’re probably right,” Noah grunts. “But I was already living in Honey Hollow at the time. I’d like to think I’d be slinging hash at the Honey Pot.” He sheds a dimpled grin my way. “Face it, Lottie. We were inevitable.”

Everett wraps his arms around my waist and swings me around. “We were inevitable, Lemon.” His lips twitch with a hint of a devilish smile.

Nell did say both Noah and Everett were my soulmates.