Lock, Stock, and Feral by Addison Moore (free e novels .txt) 📕

It was a perfect way to kill Patterson, and to set it up to make it look as if his ex-wife was the culprit. She is the reason you decided to use a poisonous mushroom, isn’t she?” Her mouth opens a notch, but not a sound comes out. “He was your publisher, Liv, but he cost you a lot of money, didn’t he? The day we spoke you mentioned you blew through your retirement. He’s the reason for that, isn’t he?”

Her head tips up as she glowers at me. “Yes, I did kill him, Bizzy.” Her voice is suddenly calm and smooth.

Fish growls, Let’s leave. We have the confession. Let’s get out of here.

“You don’t know what it’s like for a woman out there,” Liv continues. “After my divorce, I was struggling. I spent all of my life dreaming that one day I would be this great author—I handed Higgins House my baby and they trampled on it and me. Patterson asked me to give him thirty thousand dollars. I bought the deluxe package. I cashed out my retirement. I put it all on the line because Patterson Higgins said he could take me and my book to new heights. He promised me people would be clamoring to read the words that I wrote. And it was all a lie. The only thing he ever did for his clients was feature them with the Grim Readers. No other book club would even entertain him. He must have really had to grovel with Devan to get her to agree. I was furious.”

“It was the pig in the poke scam, wasn’t it? Just like the one you wrote about in your book.”

“Yes.” A smile twitches on her lips. “But unlike the killer in my book, I’m not going to prison.”

Without warning, she knocks me backward, and I land hard on my back as I teeter over the railing.

Below me there’s a drop that measures fifty feet at least and I can see the glow of jagged rocks that wait for me.

Both Fish and Clyde take off with a razor-sharp yowl as they begin to claw at Liv. And I can hear Sherlock growling and gurgling as if he were biting down over her, and I have no doubt he is.

“I’m sorry, Bizzy,” Liv grunts as she pushes me another few inches and I struggle to grab onto the railing and hold on for dear life. “You made me do this. I never meant to drag an innocent woman such as yourself into this.”

I’d remind her about Devan, but I don’t dare move a muscle.

“I’ll let everyone know it was an accident,” she hums the words as if she were singing a lullaby. “I’m sure Hadley will take good care of your husband.”

It’s as if every cell in my body were suddenly filled with adrenaline, and I launch forward, grabbing onto her head and nearly toppling us both over the edge.

“Freeze!” a masculine voice thunders, and before I know it, Liv lifts both of her hands in the air and my body begins on a free fall right up until my hand hooks onto the railing. “Bizzy!” Jasper hoists me over to safety before ducking back into the library after Liv, and I run in after them both.

Sherlock leads the way, barking up a riot, and Jasper quickly tackles Liv down in the horror section.

It seems appropriate. She’s caused quite the horror.

Soon, she’s cuffed and a swarm of sheriff’s deputies arrive on the scene to haul her away.

“Are you hurt?” Jasper pants as he takes me in with a scrutinizing gaze that travels up and down my body at lightning speeds.

“I’m fine,” I say, relaxing into his arms. “I just want to go home.”

And we do just that.

Chapter 18

Normally, after a night like last night, I’d want to stay in bed all day with the covers pulled up over my head—especially since I have Jasper here to hunker down with. But I’ve invited everyone down to the cove and promised them an amazing lunch starring our new seaside-inspired menu, and that’s what brings us to the beach.

“Bizzy”—Emmie moans as she swallows down one last bite of her lobster pie—“the new menu is the stuff of my dreams. Thank you for making them all come true. I’ve wanted to revamp that menu for years.”

“The old owner wouldn’t have approved, but I’m glad I did. Best decision ever,” I say as Jasper, Leo, Macy, Georgie, and Juni join us out on the back patio of the Country Cottage Café. The sun is out, the skies are clear, the scent of burgers on the grill is making everyone moan with delight, and the waves look so inviting, even someone as deathly afraid of large bodies of water like myself is almost enticed to run into the sea. Almost.

I glance out at the cove and catch a glimpse of Sherlock, Cinnamon, and Gatsby running around on the sand. I’m happy Gatsby decided to brave the sand in order to have fun with his friends. And while they do that, Fish and Clyde enjoy a lazy nap, curled up together on a chair to my right. It’s nice to see that Fish has finally taken to Clyde as well.

I nod back over at Emmie. “And the menu is just perfect for summer. Speaking of summer,” I say as I look at Leo and Emmie, “the two of you are staring down the matrimonial barrel. I’m so excited, you’d think it were Jasper and me getting married all over again.”

Emmie gasps. “Why don’t you do it? The two of you should renew your vows right alongside us. You know I’ve always wanted to have a double wedding.”

“No way,” I tell her. “This is your special day. Jasper and I will renew our vows in silence as we watch the two of you. Nothing is going to steal your spotlight.”

Emmie’s expression dampens on a dime. “Not even a killer?”

“Not even a killer,” I’m quick to tell her.

“Come on,