16. Lottie
LOTTIE
N oah, Lyla Nell, and I just wandered into a wonderland of sweet treats, here at Cupid’s Sweet Concoctions, and Venus just offered to comp all the cake we wanted so that we could overindulge to our hearts’ content. Okay, so it wasn’t quite what she said.
I take another bite of my Cupid’s own chocolate love potion cake and moan twice as hard as I did the first time.
I must pause to inform you that this isn’t just any chocolate cake that I’ve have the pleasure to nosh on. It’s a three-layer French chocolate cake with Belgian ganache along with chocolate malt cream filling—and have I mentioned the mountain of hot chocolate ganache smothered on top? Absolute perfection.
Noah shakes his head my way. “That cake looks like it could fix just about anything in life.”
“It’s about to fix mine and I’m well into the afterlife,” Sweetheart says, taking a quick bite from the opposite end that I’ve started on and I move my fork over quickly so as not to spook Venus.
Although let’s face it, with the size and girth of these babies inside of me, it won’t shock anyone if I make every cake in this place up and disappear.
“Oh wow. Good choice, Lot Lot,” Sweetheart says with a soft woof as she devours half of my confection—and I the other. “You’re a woman after my own taste buds.”
Venus grimaces slightly before pointing to one of her staff members and then to my dish as if to say, bring another slice to the pregnant woman, stat . “You just keep enjoying it, Lottie. Another one is on its way.”
“Thank you.” I wince a little because I did not see this coming when I walked in. But once I took a gander at the place, I sort of knew it was inevitable. I take the final bite of my cake and moan once again. “Oh my stars! This cake has changed my life,” I murmur with a mouthful.
Venus laughs. “It’s the salt that gives it that lift,” she says as another slice of Cupid’s own chocolate love potion cake is set down before me. I’m certainly not going to turn it down.
“I’m a big believer in salt, despite my sweet tooth,” Venus goes on. “Specialty salts, in particular. I’m not afraid to use them in my savory cooking at home either.”
“We use pink Himalayan salt in our kitchen,” I add, my eyes still rolling back in pure chocolate bliss.
Venus nods approvingly. “You should try Celtic salt sometime. It’s higher in calcium and magnesium and adds a subtle depth to the flavor.”
“Oh, that sounds incredible,” I say, making a mental note. Lyla Nell is too absorbed in her cookie to add much, but she gives me a powdered sugar-smeared smile that says she’s more than satisfied.
Venus turns to Noah with a sweet smile of her own. “Sean speaks so highly of you. I think he’s grateful to know there’s someone with integrity he can rely on at the precinct.”
Noah tips his head her way. “That’s very kind of him to say. He’s a good guy. And a great parent from what I can see.”
“He certainly is.” She laughs. “And so are you by the looks of it.” She nods to Lyla Nell. “And now the two of you will have your hands full all over again.” She nods to my belly before cringing again. “I’m sorry. Did I get that right?”
“Right enough.” Noah laughs. “Parenting is an adventure, isn’t it? One moment you think you have everything under control, and the next you’re expecting twins.”
I shoot him a look for further confusing an already confusing situation and he winces my way. It’s clear he got the message. I hope.
Noah leans her way. “Venus, I don’t suppose you’ve remembered anything more about Romeo and Juliette that might help us?”
“Now we’re getting somewhere,” Sweetheart says as she licks up the last crumbs of the second slice of Cupid’s own chocolate love potion cake, and miraculously a third slice appears in its place.
Good grief, I’m going to cost this poor woman a fortune. But judging by the eager crowd bustling toward the registers, she can afford it.
Venus shifts a little in her seat, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think she was uneasy. And well, let’s be honest. Who wants to talk about the dead when there’s so much chocolate ganache for the living?
“I’m pretty sure I can’t help.” She wrinkles her nose. “I mean, whoever did that to them, well, it seems they had a clear vendetta. “But I did have a thought after I spoke with you, Lottie. Shelly—Shelly Everly, the one Carlotta is working with?” She nods my way. “She used to work for Romeo when the company was just starting out. That’s before he brought on Juliette. Anyway, Romeo had his own way of dealing with people, and if I remember, Shelly acted as sort of a fixer for him. That’s before she left and started a whole other career.”
“A food critic,” Noah says, staring at her in a daze as if he’s taking it all in. “That’s great information, Venus. Thank you. I guess I really do need to speak with Shelly as soon as I can track her down. Is there anything else you can think of that might help with the case?”
“Let me see…” She drums her fingers over the table. “Oh yes, like I mentioned to Lottie, there’s Caudwell Belding. He’s the CEO of Baker’s Best Brand. Well, I just remembered that I overheard them at a competition up in Burlington talking about finances, something about a new venture, I think. Maybe they were going into business together? I’m sorry, I didn’t pick up enough of the conversation to tell you what it was about.”
A flood of patrons walks through the door and hijacks her attention.
“Well”—Venus says with a sigh as she straightens that chef’s hat of hers—“I’d better get back to helping with the customers.” She gives Lyla Nell’s hand a squeeze before getting up. “If you’re hoping to catch Shelly and Carlotta, they mentioned something about heading over to the Love-is-in-the-Air Valentine’s Festival here in Hollyhock. You might still find them there.”
“Thank you for everything, Venus.” I nod, more than grateful for the tip and the food. “We’ll check out that festival.”
Once she steps out of sight, I nod to Noah. “Looks as if love is the air, and we’re headed to a festival.”
“With you by my side, Lottie Lemon”—Noah gives my hand a squeeze—“love is always in the air.”
“Oh goody,” Sweetheart says as she eyes the refrigerated shelves brimming with priceless treats. “I’ll meet you at the festival. I have a little unfinished business to tend to.”
She takes off for delicious pastures just as Noah and I stroll Lyla Nell right out into the frozen Hollyhock afternoon.
There’s a killer on the loose, and heaven knows we need someone to point our way to them.
Shelly Everly might just be the key to unmasking whoever delivered Cupid’s fatal blow—and we need to find that woman before the killer plunges an arrow into someone else’s heart as well.