A Christmas to Dismember by Addison Moore (best desktop ebook reader TXT) 📕

Sherlock gives a lazy bark. Bizzy doesn’t believe we should relieve ourselves indoors.

Rudolph bites out a couple of cheery barks my way. I’ve seen her do it! His big brown eyes sparkle as he looks my way. And I’ve caught Fish and Jasper doing it, too.

“That’s because we’re not special enough to do our business outside,” I’m quick to tell him in an effort to save my carpets.

Fish chirps, Nor do we want to be.

Rudolph runs right up to Fish and barks freely in her face. I’m not gonna be special then either. He runs to the base of the tree and lifts his leg.

“Don’t you dare test me on this.” It comes out a touch sterner than I intended, but once that little furry leg of his goes down, I know it was worth it.

Come on, kid. I’ll take you outside. Sherlock nudges the little furball. I know how to open the door with my nose.

They dart off just as Georgie hustles this way in one of her wonky quilt dresses that sports just about every holly jolly pattern.

“Where’s the fire?” She stops short as they bullet past her. “Kids these days.” She migrates my way and immediately gets to the task of putting ornaments on the tree. “Speaking of fire, I had a war with a well-lit wick in my cottage last night, if you know what I mean.”

I take in a sharp breath. “Don’t tell me that man took you up on your trail of chocolate chip cookies.”

“Bizzy Baker Wilder,” a deep voice belts out my name from behind, and I turn to see Leo Granger headed this way dressed in his olive-colored deputy duds with an ear-to-ear grin on his face.

He nods to Georgie. “Did I hear the words trail of chocolate chip cookies?”

“Yes,” I snip, shooting the guilty party a look. “Georgie lured a man to her cottage by promising him carbs, sugar, and booze.”

A husky laugh emits from her. “Oh, I made good on it, too—and then some.”

Leo picks up a bright red ball of glass. “Can’t say I blame the guy. You had me at cookies, Georgie.”

“I had him, too.” She gives a wistful shake of the head. “And I took bite after bite.”

“Okay.” I make eyes at Leo. “Guess what? I inadvertently pulled a little info out of my bestie. I know the perfect way you can propose.”

Georgie scoffs. “Don’t listen to her, Leo. Her marriage is on the rocks. She’s forever sneaking off to bars looking for other men.”

I avert my eyes. “Don’t listen to the rumors, Leo. Jasper and I are fine. And those other men just so happen to be suspects.”

“I saw Jasper this morning.” He picks up another ornament. “He told me all about the keg-stand. Impressive. But Georgie’s got a point. You’re a married woman. I’d save the handstands for home. Just my humble opinion.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” I quickly fill him in on Emmie’s dream proposal.

“That’s great.” He looks momentarily stunned. “Emmie always has a chocolate cake in the café. How about this—would you mind hiding the ring and serving the cake?”

“Done. Speaking of rings, did you decide which one to go with?”

He holds out his phone and pulls up a picture of a cushion cut diamond with a halo of smaller stones fringing it.

“Leo, it’s perfect.”

“Mmm.” Georgie melts as she takes it in. “Nothing says be mine forever than a compressed lump of coal. If she says no, I’m in.”

“I might take you up on it.” He slips his phone back into his pocket. “I’d better get back to work.” He nods my way. “Jasper let me know forensics finally came back with the blood analysis.”

“That’s right,” I say a little too giddy at the prospect. “Jasper was at the lab last night. He must have forgotten to mention the results when we got home.”

Georgie clucks her tongue to Leo. “First, she’s hanging out with frat boys in bars, and now he’s keeping things from her. Got any single hot deputy friends lying around? You-know-who might be newly single soon herself.” She ticks her head my way.

“Not true.” I won’t even entertain that nightmare.

Rudolph and Sherlock run back in just as Leo takes off, and Georgie and I finish decorating the tree.

Angelica Chatfield slipped something into Quinn’s drink. She was the last person who spoke to him alive. I think the murderous math is beginning to add up, and it looks as if the sum total equals murder.

Chapter 13

Diazepam.

Jasper filled me in on it last night as soon as he got home. In other words, Valium was found in Quinn’s bloodstream. Not enough to kill him, just enough to make him weak. And on that white glove that was left at the scene, they found both Quinn’s blood and chocolate. I guess the killer had a hankering for a sweet treat, not that I could blame them.

Emmie was at the helm of the refreshment table that night just like she is now in the library with me. The refreshment table looks just as delicious as the desserts with its bright red tablecloth and its festive looking poinsettia, each nestled in a fresh evergreen wreath.

“I still think Angelica was trying to drug him,” I whisper to Jasper as Emmie and I put the last-minute touches on the refreshment table. Every inch of the library is gleaming with holiday perfection. The library is more of a formal sitting room with a few extra shelves of books. But the inn has a smaller lending library in the grand room as well. The fireplace is crackling, and the room holds the scent of the evergreen Jordy placed in the corner yesterday. I also had him fill the room with the ladderback chairs in a half-circle, ensconcing a desk that we turned to face the upcoming crowd. I have no idea how many to expect, but I put a couple of books on the seats off to the right of the desk