Page 55 of Twice Baked Risky Whiskey Cakes

LOTTIE

“I’m in,” I say. And I have no doubt Everett is anxious to find the real killer, considering the fact his mother is at the top of the official suspect list. And maybe even mine.

“Venus’ mother.” Noah nods. “Keegan Meryl has a clean record and no obvious motive.”

“Nice to hear,” I say as I wince. “But Della did mention seeing a blonde woman having an intense conversation with Sebastian that night. I’m thinking it might have been her.” I dive right back into that shepherd’s pie, where I belong, just before another thought hits me. “You know, Keegan told me something strange at Fondu’s birthday party. She said, ‘I realize my true relationship with Sebastian will come out in the end, but I can’t say a word without speaking to my children first. They would never forgive me.’”

“That sounds suspiciously like confession-adjacent territory,” Noah observes, before reaching for another slice of soda bread.

“Very adjacent,” Sebby agrees, attempting to steal a bite of my pie and achieving the feat. I point hard atCarlotta’spie and he mock salutes me with his paw before drifting her way.“Sebastian was quite the ladies’ man in his day, too. And that blonde sure is a looker. I couldn’t blame him for wanting to take a bite.”

I make a face just as Sebby takes a bite from Carlotta’s pie and nearly loses his tail because of it.

“And Keegan dropped another bomb, too,” I add. “She told me she knew all about my relationship to Eliza. Then she said not only was Eliza at the scene of the crime, but she thought Eliza may have had a very good motive.”

Everett’s fork pauses midway to his mouth. “My mother? That’s ridiculous.”

“What did she say the motive was?” Noah asks, with his lips pursing in the way they do when they are full well in the know about something.

“That’s just it. She refused to say. She also said that if her suspicions are right, then that was Eliza’s story to tell.” I wince over at Everett.

“Classic deflection tactic,” he’s quick to say.

“The oldest trick in the book,” Carlotta agrees. “When in doubt, point the finger at someone else’s mother-in-law.”

“Well”—I shrug a little at Everett— “I did see your mother confronting Sebastian that night. She had him backed against the wall, jabbing her finger into his chest. She was furious.”

Noah clears his throat and suddenly becomes very interested in his shepherd’s pie. And is he avoiding eye contact?

One of the twins gives a swift kick and I rub my belly. Maybe I’m reading too much into this.

If Noah knew anything about Eliza, I’m sure he’d share it with us. I glance over at Everett and he seems completely like himself. In other words, completely irate that his mother is sitting anywhere near a suspect list.

“My mother wouldn’t kill anyone,” Everett says firmly. “I’d stake my life on it.”

Carlotta sighs his way. “There’s nothing sexier than a man standing up for his mama. Even if she wore the man’s blood like a pair of gloves.”

“I still say Eliza is innocent,” I declare, reaching for another piece of soda bread—and the crock of honey butter. I’m no fool. “I really do like her friend Glinda. I’m glad she has a good network of support right now.”

“Anything else with Della Crane?” Noah asks, pulling off a chunk of the golden crust with his fork.

“Yes,” I say, leaning in. “Della mentioned that Sebastian once had a business partner who went to prison while he walked away clean. But she didn’t know the details, though.”

Noah tips his head to the side and jots it down on his phone. “I’ll be sure to look into that as soon as I get home.” He puts down his phone. “So, we have Keegan with a mysterious relationship to Sebastian, Eliza with a confrontation that was witnessed, Della scammed out of two hundred thousand dollars,” Noah summarizes, looking every bit the handsome detective he is—even with a bright orange beard that fans out in every direction.

“Don’t forget the abandoned wife and kids,” Carlotta reminds us. “Hell hath no fury like a woman left with the bills and brats.”

“Hear, hear,” Sebby says before landing his face in Carlotta’s shepherd’s pie.

The twins choose this moment to launch what feels like an Irish step dance competition inside my uterus, making me wince and press a hand to my side.

“Lemon?” Everett looks ready to launch out of his seat.

“Are you okay?” Everett and Noah ask in unison, then glare at each other.

“I’m more than fine,” I assure them. “The twins are just excited about the case. Or possibly the soda bread—and the honey butter. And for sure the shepherd’s pie.”

“Who are you kidding, Lot?” Carlotta scoffs. “Those baby boozers are excited about all the free beer tomorrow. St. Patrick’s Day in Honey Hollow is legendary. Even the little yippers know it.”

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