Sealed with a Hiss by Addison Moore (read 50 shades of grey .txt) 📕

nods my way. “Please, if you can help me find someone to mind the cat. Gizmo thinks she’s a toy, and I don’t think I can handle much more than what’s been handed to me tonight.”

“Diane?” a woman shouts from behind, and we turn to find Lacey trotting this way, her feet wobbling in her heels as she tries her best to take in the dizzying scene.

A horde of women flock in close to the ambulance, and soon sobs are heard throughout the thicket of bodies as the word why echoes to the sky, while others call out for Bobbie and let her know they’re praying for her.

It takes a moment for Lacey to emerge from the tangle of bodies, and once she spots Bobbie inside of the ambulance she clutches her chest. Lacey looks sick as a trio of medical workers maneuver around her friend. I study her a moment in that dark coat over her sequin dress, and she has on a pair of red silk gloves that match her gown. Funny, I don’t remember her wearing that earlier, but then, it’s freezing outside and right about now I wish I were in a wool coat myself.

Her forehead breaks out into a series of worry lines as she struggles to take in the scene.

Lacey staggers forward with unsure footing. “For the love of all that’s good, would someone please tell me what’s happening here?”

“I’m sorry,” I pant. “I came out and found them on the ground. The Seaview Sheriff’s Department was right on my heels. There was a gun in Bobbie’s hand. I don’t know much else.”

“Oh wow…” Lacey’s eyes drink it all in at once. So much blood. Goodbye, Chip. I’m so very sorry you’re gone. And you—she looks to the gurney where Bobbie lies motionless—look where you are. It’s hard to believe she thinks she’s getting away with this.

My heart breaks to hear her pain turn to anger so quickly.

A choking sound emits from Diane. “Did you say a gun was in her hand? You mean—she shot him?”

The crowd around us gasps in unison before they get right back to buzzing, ten times as furtively as they were before.

“I don’t know.” I shake my head as I pull both Fish and Sugar close to my chest. “I don’t really know anything.” Sugar begins to tremble, and Fish rubs her face against the tiny kitten in an effort to comfort her. “Diane, I’ll take care of Sugar. Don’t worry about a thing. Lacey, if you need anything at all, please feel free to call or swing by. I’ll do whatever I can to help. For now, I’ll instruct my staff to shut things down inside.”

“The books.” Diane raises her head with a look of agony.

“Don’t worry about the books,” I tell her. “I’ll store them for you for as long as you like.” I glance back toward the inn and spot Jordy waving me to attention.

“I’m closing her up,” he shouts, and I nod over at him in response.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the inn’s first rodeo when it comes to having a casualty on the premises. At this point, the staff is well-versed in what to do, and no instructions are needed.

The dark-haired man with the beard steps toward the fountain with his hands in his pockets as he observes the scene with a stoic expression. His chin is lifted up a notch, eyes squinted, and if I had to guess, I’d say he looks angry. I try to pick up on his thoughts, but I’m either too far away or they’re just not able to come through.

I look to Diane and Lacey. “Do either of you know who that man is?” I ask as I nod his way and the two of them look back.

Diane’s expression sours. “That’s Tiger Caldwell, a producer, I think. I don’t know. Chip introduced us months ago. Truthfully, I wasn’t paying all that much attention.”

Lacey shrugs. “I thought he was a bookie.” I didn’t care what he was. I wanted in on that action.

A familiar redhead walks over to him as we watch, and a breath hitches in my throat once I realize it’s Keegan—the exact redhead that Bobbie accused of having an affair with her husband.

“And there’s the little slut,” Lacey says, mostly under her breath. “She didn’t waste any time in moving on, did she?”

Diane shakes her head. “No, she sure didn’t.”

“I take it you ladies don’t care for her?” I glance to the two of them, and yet neither of them dares to admit it.

Sherlock barks. Bizzy, Gizmo has something to say.

“Excuse me,” I say as I begin to step away.

“Just a moment, Bizzy.” Lacey reaches into her purse and pulls out her wallet. The ornately carved leather catches the light, and I can’t help but note a wreath of flowers surrounding what looks to be a hook or the letter J in the center. “My business card. It has my number on it. Please, if you find anything out at all, call me. I just can’t believe Bobbie would be responsible for something like this.”

“Thank you,” I say as I take the card from her.

Lacey pulls Diane to the side, and they immediately begin to whisper amongst themselves.

Gizmo barks and jumps, and I follow both him and Sherlock toward the parking lot where not a soul is congregating.

“Hey, little guy. What’s going on?” I ask, looking into his sweet button eyes.

Gizmo whimpers as he looks to Sherlock and the cats in my arms.

He lets out a sharp bark. I was just telling Sherlock Bones that I had already come upon the scene before he did.

“What?” I squat down as if I needed the proximity to listen in better. I don’t, but it felt right regardless. “You mean you and Diane were out here with Bobbie and Chip?”

That’s right. He lets out a little yip. She was shouting Bobbie, Bobbie, and then I heard a bang and we ran.

I glance back to where Diane and Lacey are still watching