12. Lottie
LOTTIE
“ W e were acquaintances in the business world,” Venus Finnegan tells me about her relationship with the deceased couple as we sit in the café of my bakery.
“Poor Romeo and Juliette.” She cringes as she leans my way. “And is it bad that I always want to giggle when I say their names? I mean, obviously, it’s distasteful.” She blows out a breath. “I’m sorry, Lottie. I’ve been known to get weird in situations like this. I don’t handle death well. My mother died when I was young and my father took off before that. I was raised by my sweet grandmother.”
“I’m so sorry for your loss—both of them,” I say with a hand pressed to my chest. “But it sounds like you had a wonderful grandmother. I can certainly relate to that. My Grandma Nell was one of the best.”
“That’s how I feel,” she says with an expression that looks heartfelt. “Anyway, Sean—that’s my husband—he told me that Noah was on the case, and that Noah has a very good track record of putting a killer where they truly belong.” Her lips invert for a moment as she casts a quick glance out the window.
“That’s not what I heard,” Sweetheart says with a bark. “According to Carlotta, Noah’s track record has more to do with not catching a killer than it does anything else. She says you’re the killer-catching pro around here, Lottie.”
I glance over at Carlotta as she happily plows her way through a batch of heart-shaped donuts with Bavarian cream filling. If I didn’t know better, I’d say Carlotta was proud of me. Either that or the thought of me sending killers behind bars has scared her straight from committing a homicide herself. Probably the latter.
One of the twins gives me a sharp kick and I take another bite out of my dreamy, creamy éclair posthaste. They really do enjoy their desserts.
“Yes, Noah is definitely on the case,” I tell her but stop shy of guaranteeing he’ll solve it anytime soon. “Venus, what do you know about Romeo and Juliette? Why would anyone want them dead?”
“Maybe no one wanted them dead in particular.” She shrugs. “Maybe there’s just a madman out there running loose with a bow and arrow? I mean, it takes all kinds these days. It could have been teenagers for all we know.”
Sweetheart lets out a soft woof. “Me thinks she protests too much. Lock her up, Lottie. But don’t throw away the key just yet. There are still desserts to be had and boys to be bad.”
Good grief, she’s Carlotta’s twin with paws.
“I guess that could be true,” I say to Venus while trying to keep from frowning. “Do you know of any discourse they may have had with anyone? Personal or business-related?”
She closes her eyes a moment too long and I’m starting to get a very dark feeling.
“We really got along well.” She bites down on her lip for a moment. “But I know they were locking horns with several people regarding their business. I think there was some tension brewing between them and a man by the name of Caudwell Belding. I heard something about him circling them for money.”
“Circling them?” I tip my head as I consider this. Wait a minute. Caudwell was the man I met last night with Everett. His old friend from the courthouse. Another thought hits me. “That’s the same man that Romeo and Juliette were going to speak with after they left us.”
“That’s right.” She snaps her fingers as her eyes grow wide with what looks like delight. She seems more than a little overeager that I shared that information. “So I guess he might be the last person to have spoken to the couple while they were still alive. I think Noah should definitely speak to him.”
“I’m sure he will.”
“And so will we,” Sweetheart growls and I give a quick nod.
“Do you have any idea where Noah can find him?” I ask, playing fast and loose with Noah’s name as I move on to a heart-shaped tart.
“No, actually. He’s so busy, he’s sort of a moving target. But you know who might be able to help is Shelly Everly. She’s the woman with the maroon hair.” She runs her fingers over her own tresses as if to exemplify the point.
“I remember. And where can I find her? I mean Noah, where can Noah find her.”
“She’s easy.” Venus is back to darting her gaze out the window. “She’ll be at my café out in Hollyhock tomorrow afternoon on the button. I’m hoping she’ll give me a good review. I feel like I just need that one thing to magically push me to the top.”
Sweetheart swings her furry little head my way. “You’ve got murder on your side, Lottie. You know what they say, fortune favors those with connections to the Grim Reaper.”
I frown her way. I’m not sure how it’s happened, but clearly Carlotta’s spirit is embedded in that dog.
Venus’ phone vibrates on the table, and she glances down, an apologetic look crossing her face. “Oh no, it’s my daughter. I forgot to pack her lunch again. Some days I’m just hopeless at this whole mothering thing.”
“I so get you,” I say, placing a hand over my blooming belly. “And some days it feels like all days.”
We share a quick laugh as she waves as she heads for the exit.
Carlotta bounces over a second too late and looks at the woman just as she reaches for the door. “Where’s the fire?” Carlotta calls out. “Bet it’s the fault of the kid who was born with a warning label, isn’t it?”
“ Carlotta ,” I gasp, mortified, but Venus is long gone, thank goodness.
Charlie heads this way and sidles up next to me. Charlie and I share the same everything, from faces, to hair, to shoe size. We’re basically twins minus one year. Although poor Charlie was actually raised by Carlotta herself. She would have done better with wolves.
Lyla Nell is happily perched at a nearby table with my mother and is having a grand old time nibbling on a pink éclair the size of her arm.
“You can’t give these homicides a rest for a single month, can you, Lot?” Charlie says as she gives my belly a rub.
“Of course, she can’t, Cha Cha.” Carlotta belts out a laugh. “And if I were you, I wouldn’t go rubbing Lot Lot’s belly either. That’s not good luck you’re picking up.”
“Oh, hush,” Charlie teases before looking back at me. “Lottie, if these corpses keep piling up, you’ll be tracking down suspects in the delivery room.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Carlotta chimes in. “When Little Yippy was born, the killer was caught, and Lot Lot squatted down in front of everyone at the B&B and pushed the little squirt right out.”
Charlie starts to laugh, but the phone in her hand cuts short her glee. She glances at the screen and grimaces.
“Duty calls?” I tease, relatively certain of the answer. Both Charlie and I are all too familiar with how all-consuming it can be to run an eatery.
“I’ll say,” she moans. “I’ve got fifty orders on track to be delivered on Valentine’s Day to every corner of Honey Hollow. And this makes fifty-one. I’ll be back.” She takes off and I cast another glance at the door.
“Venus seems to think that Everett’s old friend was having a disagreement with the unlucky couple as of late. I may not have the details of that disagreement right now, but I will shortly. Just like this case is going to be solved shortly.”
Carlotta nods. “And Noah Fox won’t be anywhere near ground zero when it’s done.”
“History can be a cruel mistress,” I say. “And when it comes to the killer, so can I.”