33. Lottie
LOTTIE
T he air in the conservatory seems to grow strangled and thick as my eyes follow the women across from me.
Carlotta and Shelly Everly are assisting Charlie and her staff as they set out a mile’s worth of appetizers for the guests to nosh on after the wedding.
My sister leads her staff back out into the cold, but Carlotta, Sweetheart, and Shelly remain, nibbling on a tray of bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with warm goat cheese. I’m all too familiar with my sister’s appetizers, but that one just so happens to be one of my all-time faves, and right about now, the twins are craving ten or twelve.
I speed over and snap up a handful, popping one into my mouth because, obviously, the babies come first, justice comes second.
“Holy candied piglet bellies,” Carlotta grunts as she munches on a handful herself.
“Would you quit hoggin’ the hog?” Sweetheart dives in and laps up a few for herself. “Ooh, these are delightful. Sweet and savory is a heavenly combination. Ask me how I know.”
Carlotta shakes her head. “I don’t know what’s happening here, but I’ve never tasted anything so delicious in all my life.” She shrugs my way. “Sorry, Lot.”
“It’s the rosemary honey glaze over the bacon that gives them that perfect sweet crunch,” I say.
“She’s right,” Shelly agrees, popping another one into her mouth and moaning. “I think I’m going to have to drop by the Honey Pot Diner next week and do a write-up on these honey-glazed marvels. Of course, you’ll come with me, Carlotta.” She pats her lips as she swallows. “Those were a divine savory treat. But you know, Carlotta, you can have a savory favorite as well as something sweet. I still stand by what I said about your baked goods, Lottie. They’re just the best of the best.”
“Why, thank you,” I say, filling with warmth at the stroke of my ego. And then I frown just as fast.
Can I really accuse someone of murder who is so enamored with my sweet treats?
She leans my way. “And I really like how you stepped up your game with those conversation heart cookies.” She gives a husky laugh.
“Suze,” I hiss under my breath and then glare at the naughty nexus of the naughty problem herself—Carlotta.
I step back and examine Shelly Everly again. She sure is easy to get along with. And she’s so friendly. She’s certainly a character with her purple hair, purple clothes, and oversized black-framed glasses that take up half her face. But is she a killer?
And if she was, why choose a crossbow?
I gasp as a revelation hits me. Maybe she didn’t mess up the details of Venus’ legal troubles with Romeo. Maybe she made them up to throw the authorities off the trail?
And then just like that, my blood begins to boil.
Nobody takes me for a fool.
Sweetheart zooms over. “What’s happening, Lottie? You’ve gone red as a beet and you’ve got the devil in your eyes to boot.”
Carlotta turns my way. “We’d better find Mr. Sexy. I think she’s having a lust flash. It’s sort of like a hot flash but tailor-made to Lot. She and Sexy need to find a dark corner and fast, or she’s going to blow.”
“Would you stop,” I snap her way. “Shelly, I need to ask you something.”
“Anything,” she says with a laugh. “You ladies are a riot.”
“The night of the Heartstrings and Sweet Things Spectacular, you didn’t say anything when Juliette threw out the invite to head to any of their stores and enjoy all the treats you wanted. That’s because it was the last place you wanted to be, isn’t it?”
She inches back a notch. “Pardon?”
I nod her way. “And you winced when Juliette said that she and Romeo were so proud of the empire they built together.”
Her eyes round out, and any trace of a smile glides off her face.
“Go on, Lottie.” Sweetheart zips around us in a circle and leaves a trail of tiny pink stars in her wake.
Honestly, it looks so very festive and just right for the joyous occasion about to take place in this very room. Unlike the occasion happening now.
I go on. “Carlotta mentioned that the day she went with you to Venus’ shop, you enjoyed some cinnamon spice treats that you said reminded you of a long-lost romance. She said you had tears in your eyes. That romance was with Romeo, wasn’t it?”
“ Aww , Lot.” Carlotta kicks the ground. “Don’t tell me you’re circling around Shelly, the one who feeds my belly. You know we’re practically sisters by now. She and I not only have the same taste in food, but we’ve got the same taste in men. I’m working on getting her a ball and chain of her own.”
Shelly holds a hand up to Carlotta but doesn’t take her stony gaze off me.
“No, go on, Lottie.” She nods. “I want to see where you’re headed with this.”
“Fine.” I blow out a breath. “You told me that there was a lawsuit against Venus concerning her branding. I did a little digging and there was no such thing. But there is a pending lawsuit that concerns you.”
Okay, so I didn’t do much digging, and there might be more than a little conjecture at play, but that’s not the point.
Sweetheart gasps. “You really are good, Lottie. And I’m glad about it, too. Because, to tell the truth, I don’t really care to help out with the case. I wasn’t so hot on Romeo and Juliette to begin with, so what do I care if their killer runs loose? I mean, getting back to Paradise would be nice, but I’ve got my friends at the dog park here. And I’ve got Thirteen in the wings, too. Not to mention all the food. I’m really not doing too bad for myself when you think about it.”
“You worked with Romeo for three years before Juliette came on board,” I say to Shelly. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but you helped build that company, not Juliette.”
“That’s true,” she says with a rigid jawline. “I built that company side by side with Romildo. We were going to get married. We had everything going for us until one day he called it quits—the two of us, not the company. Apparently, his old high school sweetheart came sniffing around again, and he caved like butter on a hot New York sidewalk. And then he just threw me out—like garbage.” Her eyes turn glassy, and she does her best to blink the tears away.
“You set Venus up to look like the killer,” I say with a note of sadness in my tone because my heart truly breaks for everyone involved. “It was you who shot Romeo and Juliette with the crossbow.” I shake my head. “Earlier this evening, you told Everett and me that you were keeping fit with new hobbies. Archery is one of them, isn’t it?”
She closes her eyes, then opens them with a flash, and gone is any trace of remorse or kindness.
Instead, there’s a cold-hearted fire.