23. Lottie
LOTTIE
I t’s here.
The evening before the big day, and as much as I’d love to help my mother with whatever it is she might need assistance with, she’s all but banned my sisters and me from the wedding venue until tomorrow afternoon.
I believe the words restraining order were tossed around loosely.
And since both Meg and Sam opted out of a rehearsal, or a rehearsal dinner, there’s nothing to do but twiddle our thumbs until the big event.
Except for me, that is.
With a killer still on the loose, I’m not twiddling anything.
While I was at the bakery today, I had Carlotta, Lily, Effie, and Suze put their noses to the investigative grindstone to help me track down Caudwell Belding’s whereabouts.
And wouldn’t you know it, it was Suze who came through for me. She called his secretary and told the woman that she had a singing telegram for Mr. Belding that needed to be received this evening. And after some hemming and hawing, his secretary sold the farm.
Caudwell had already left for dinner, but he would be heading to a casino in Leeds right after. Apparently, it’s what he does to relax.
And according to Shelly Everly, it’s also what he does to dismantle his would-be fortune, too.
Lainey offered to babysit for me, so I dropped Lyla Nell at her place on my way home from work. And I managed to talk both Everett and Noah into coming along with me, but only because Keelie had a parent-teacher meeting at Little Bear’s preschool or she so would have come with.
Everett and I drove in together since he was already home, but Noah agreed to meet us there as he came home from work.
And here we are—no, really, here we are as Noah, Everett, and I step into Red Satin Gentlemen’s Club with its red walls, red carpet, and red-hot nude girls. Well, mostly nude. The music is so loud that the walls are thumping, body parts are jumping, and dollars are flying around like confetti.
Noah and Everett quickly shuttle me through the red-hot madness and to the back, where under this dicey place sits yet another dicey place—the one and only full-fledged illegal gambling casino in Leeds.
The entire place is run by an infamous mobster, Jimmy Canelli, and lucky for us, the three of us just so happen to be on good terms with Jimmy. But then, we’ve also been the target of his ire before, too. It’s a twisted relationship.
The heavy scent of hard liquor, smoke, and desperation to win big hits me the moment we step inside.
It’s always the same in here—dim lights glowing over green felt tables, flashing slot machines that wink and blink at you, and a chorus of groans that lets me know Lady Luck is rather elusive tonight.
The air is thick with the unmistakable odor of cigarettes, mingled with cologne, and it’s so overpowering, it could clear out a room—but apparently, not this one. And, if I’m not mistaken, I’m picking up an olfactory backbeat of popcorn, too. Odd. But you can bet your last casino chip that the twins want in on some of that delicious cornfed action.
We’re not two steps inside when we spot a banner tacked up behind the bar that reads, One night only—Unlucky at the tables doesn’t mean you need to be unlucky in love! Welcome to the Pucker Up Hookup Party Tonight!
The banner is complete with pink neon hearts flashing all around it in case anyone missed the point.
“Huh,” I say as the three of us stare at it a second too long. “I’ve been here plenty of times, but that looks new.”
We move our way through the crowd, and it is rather packed here tonight. But it is Friday night, and let’s face it, there’s not a whole lot going on in Vermont in general.
As we sidestep our way through the thick of the bodies, I can’t help but notice a few of the older gentlemen ogling me. And oddly enough, a few of the younger ones, too. And is it my imagination, or have a few of them been giving me the look ?
That can’t be right. I’m the size of this gentlemen’s club, not to mention flanked by two of the best-looking men in all of North America. There’s no way those men are hitting on me.
No sooner do I have the thought than a man somewhere in his thirties waggles his brows at me before striding right by us.
“Oh my word.” My mouth falls open as I watch him walk away and he winks at me as he watches me, too. “Oh wow.” I grip my belly as we move through the crowd.
“What’s the matter, Lot?” Noah scoots in close.
“Lemon?” Everett’s eyes widen. “Is it the babies? Is it time?”
“No, not that. I think maybe my dress is a bit too fitted tonight,” I say as a guy in a tacky pinstripe suit also waggles his brows my way and I gasp again. “There goes another one. I think the men here are actually hitting on me.”
Noah tips his head back and glares at the crowd. “Don’t worry, Lot. I’ve got my weapon.”
Everett nods. “I’ve got mine, too. Between the two of us, we should be able to put a stop to it.”
“ Aww , that might be a violent way to show your affection, but nonetheless, I appreciate the sentiment,” I coo, pulling them both close. “But nevertheless, keep your bullets to yourself.”
As fate would have it, I’ve got a weapon, too—my dear old Glock, Ethel. And since Everett has a matching one, we’ve named his Fred. But as for Noah’s sidearm well, the jury is still out on its nickname.
We push our way through the crowd, and to our right I spot not one but two familiar faces. Carlotta and her newfound bestie, Shelly Everly. And to my surprise, Sweetheart, the cute ghostly pooch, is floating right alongside them, too.
Both Carlotta and Shelly look dressed to kill in little red numbers. I’m not sure if they matched on purpose, but in truth that hue makes them look like a couple of devils running around the place. It’s true in Carlotta’s case, anyway.
Carlotta waves us over with her big cat-who-ate-the-canary grin. Or maybe it’s her cat-who-lost-a-lot-of-your-money grin. Carlotta doesn’t have any of her own to lose.
“Fancy meeting the three of you here tonight.” She laughs. “Shelly and I are hitting up the singles scene.” She gives me a cheeky wink. “Don’t worry, Lot. I’m just playing the part of her wing-woman tonight. It turns out, Jimmy’s little casino is a big hit with those looking to mate and date.”
“Well, that explains it,” I say, looking at Everett and Noah. “And it explains the sign, too.” I nod to Carlotta and Shelly. “All kinds of men have been hitting on me from the second I walked in—if you can believe it.”
“Hitting on you ?” Shelly looks gobsmacked and a little off-put.
“Shocking, I know,” I say, rubbing my belly.
“Not shocking at all,” Carlotta is quick to come to my defense. “Lot Lot gets her man magnet mojo from yours truly.” She hitches a thumb at her chest. “It’s the curse we Sawyer women bear.” She pulls back her chest as if her boobs were needed to make the point. “Just look at those two studs.” She nods to Noah and Everett who are each very kindly steadying me by the arms. “Why, they can’t keep their hands off of her. And you should see the sexy shenanigans that take place behind closed doors.”
“Not true,” I’m quick to tell the poor woman.
“I’ll vouch for that,” Noah says.
“And I certainly will not.” Everett winks my way. “At least not between the two of us.”
Noah reaches for his gun and I shake my head at him before reverting to Carlotta and her friend.
Shelly looks sassy in her red-clad dress with matching tights and shoes. Honestly, it’s a lot, but then I suppose she needs to stand out this evening. Unfortunately with Carlotta dressed in the exact same way, she’s not standing out for the reasons she intended.
“I can’t blame those men for hitting on you,” Shelly says to me. “You’re obviously a gorgeous woman, Lottie. And I am nothing like you. Good thing I have Carlotta here tonight. She’s quite the wing-woman.” Shelly laughs as she says it. “She’s even got an invisible dog who sounds just as sassy as she is! I’ve never met anyone so hilarious before.” She slaps her knee as if she means it, and I can’t help but wince a little because there is zero humor involved.
A group of older gentlemen struts past us, and Carlotta gives a wolf whistle in their direction.
“We’d better run,” she says, hooking her arm through Shelly’s. “I think those guys need a little convincing that their luck’s about to change—in more ways than one.” She winks before dragging Shelly along with her.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” I call after them.
“ Wahoo ,” Carlotta cries out. “Everything is on the table.”
Sweetheart gives a ghostly woof. “From what I hear, that’s not much of a restriction, Lot Lot,” she teases before trotting off after them.
I shrug because she’s probably right.
Noah, Everett, and I get right back to the mission at hand. And wouldn’t you know it, we spot our target almost immediately.
Perhaps Lady Luck is on our side after all.