Chocolate Chip Cookie Conundrum (Murder in the Mix Book 32) by Unknown (the lemonade war series .TXT) 📕

“Lemon,” Everett growls as he takes me into his arms.

“She did it!” I shout. “She confessed to killing Candace Cottonwood.” I bury my face into Everett’s chest. “It’s over,” I pant. “It’s finally over.” I look up at him with a forlorn smile. “But we’ve still got a way to go, haven’t we?”

It seemed as if the entire Ashford Country Sheriff’s Department showed up. Of course, Detective Ivy Fairbanks showed up as well. But when the entourage of patrol cars took off with Fern in tow, Ivy decided to stick around.

Burt and Woody asked if we would stick around ourselves and finish out the show, but that if I was too shaken up they would understand. They had one hour of live airtime to kill, and it was either us or having all of Vermont listen to Cormack prattle on about the latest couture pieces she’s added to her collection.

I knew there was no way I was going to miss out on getting my mother’s B&B back, so I agreed to it. Besides that, both Jimmy Canelli and Luke Lazzari showed up and congratulated me on taking down another perpetrator—then each claimed I had gotten my tenacity to face a killer from their side of the family. But soon enough, all of the paternity secrets will be answered.

And that’s exactly why I find myself back on that stage, nestled between Noah and Everett, while Cormack holds two bright blue envelopes in her hands.

“Now, Liza.” Cormack fans herself with the envelopes while the camera rolls. “Welcome to Getting Candid with Cormack. Why don’t you tell all the fine people of Vermont how much you love your husband and hope and pray this wee one is his?”

I make a face at her. “Of course, I love my husband.” Someone lets out a catcall from the audience—Carlotta is my guess. Followed by an audible retch—Evie, I’m sure. “But I care about both of these men. I love them both. There was no cheating involved here. I was simply breaking things off with Noah and starting things up with Everett. The baby, well, she sort of just happened. And now here we are—anxious to know the truth, but also we’re okay with the truth being whatever it may be. We’re not coming to blows over this. We’re not tipping over the coffee table. We’re going to handle this like mature adults.”

“That’s all fine and dandy, but we’re saving the best for last.” She looks to her left at a trio of darkened figures backstage. “Let’s bring out Jimmy Canelli, Luke Lazzari, and Honey Hollow’s own, Mayor Harry Nash!”

Noah groans, “I seemed to have blocked this part of the day out of my mind.”

“No need to dwell on things that are guaranteed to go sideways,” I mutter.

“Don’t worry, Lemon.” Everett gives my hand a squeeze. “This won’t change anything.”

That’s where Everett is wrong. It will change everything—for him.

And speaking of him, we decided to shelf last night’s discussion about the mystery woman until today’s catastrophe was over. And I didn’t dare bring up the fact that mystery woman all but saved my life out there just now. Everything was happening so quickly. The next thing I knew, Fern was being read her rights then hauled away, and no sooner was that over than we landed on this couch. I haven’t had a chance to catch my breath.

And now this.

Jimmy, Luke, and Harry all step out in single file, each in a neatly pressed dark suit, the same matching serious expressions on each of their faces as well.

They nod my way in unison before stepping to the left of the sofa and looking out at Cormack as if awaiting a sentencing by the blonde judge.

Cormack flicks a blue envelope in the air. “All right, Papa Bear. Come out, come out, whoever you are.”

“Wait!” Carlotta screeches as she bursts onto the set and squeezes herself between Noah and me. “Go on, Corn Cobb. Trust me. If this goes south, you’re going to thank your lucky stars I’m sitting right here to put a stop to things before they get lethal.”

“And stop my ratings from soaring?” Cormack belts out a hearty guffaw. “Not on your life.” She slides her finger along the seam of the envelope and plucks out the card in haste.

My heart drums hard because my husband’s future lies in that woman’s hot little hands.

Cormack glances my way, and for a second our eyes lock.

“And the winner of the baby derby is—Jimmy Canelli!” She stomps her feet and punches her fists into the air.

Jimmy jumps and hollers, and as quickly as his celebrating begins it comes to an abrupt end as Mayor Nash pulls him in by the lapel.

“Nobody steals my baby!” he riots and Carlotta jumps up.

“Don’t do it, Harry!” she shouts while trying to pluck Mayor Nash off the startled mobster. “You gotta make a run for it. He’s gonna kill you now!”

“Slug him, Harry!” Cormack rails from the edge of her seat. “Think of my ratings!”

Luke pulls Jimmy from under the both of them and hauls off and decks him. Jimmy staggers back and Luke decks him one more time, landing him flat on the coffee table and the small pine oval collapses under his weight.

Luke plucks him back to his feet, and both Mayor Nash and he take turns beating poor Jimmy to a pulp. Noah and Everett mobilize, as do the designated in-house bouncers, and soon the stage is cleared of flying fists, broken furniture, and men who are relatively upset that they’re not my father.

A niggling of pride hits me, but I choose to squelch it. Because we just so happen to have one more paternity hurdle to cross.

Noah and Everett land back by my side, no worse for wear, but they’re slightly out of breath, their chests are pulsating wildly, and a part of me wonders if it’s because of what lies ahead.

Cormack waves the final blue envelope in her hand.