AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Screams and gasps come from the growing crowd just as Cormack waddles her way over to Everett and me.
“Lolita,” she shouts loud enough to warrant Noah to head this way as well. “I heard you and Everett are trying to have a baby again.”
Everett chuckles. “It didn’t take long for rumors to fly. I can see Noah is so excited for us, he’s spreading the news.”
Noah looks fit to kill. “I am not spreading the news. Besides, I would never include you in the baby-making equation.”
Cormack waves him off. “A little birdie whispered it to me. I believe it was Ling-Ling’s sister. Now, what in the world has everyone so up in arms?” She scuttles past us en route to the body.
“Cormack, it’s best you don’t see that,” Noah calls out as he goes after her.
“Lottie!” Mom bustles through the crowd as she elbows her way over. “Oh my word, I just heard the news.” She fans herself with her fingers.
“I’m so sorry you had to find out this way.” I pull her in. The poor thing looks pale as paper. She’s obviously in shock.
“I’ll say.” She frowns my way. “How dare you start trying for a baby and not fill me in on it. You know I can do things on my end to speed up the process. I’m your mother. How could you keep something so important from me?”
“That’s what has you up in arms?” Everett muses.
“Oh you.” She swats him on the arm. “Now, I have full faith you know what goes where as far as the baby-making sessions go.”
“Mother,” I hiss as my face heats up ten degrees from sheer embarrassment.
“Not now, Lottie.” She waves me off as she gloms onto Everett. “But there are still so many things to consider that can speed things along, diet, timing, positions—”
“And that’s the end of that conversation,” I say, plucking her off my poor husband. “Mom, I’m sorry to break it to you, but Bella Hall was just shot and killed.”
“What?” The whites of her eyes enlarge as her knees begin to buckle.
“Whoa.” Everett catches her just before she hits the ground, just as Meg and Lainey come this way.
“What in the world?” Lainey says, pulling a water bottle out of her purse and forcing my mother to take a sip.
“Is it true?” Meg asks, craning her neck past us. “There’s a dead body in the alley?”
I nod. “It’s one of Mom’s friends. The birthday girl, in fact—Bella Hall.”
“Oh my goodness.” Mom does her best to hit the ground once again and Everett pulls her into his arms.
I’m about to help move her back into the restaurant when I spot Marlena and Danya huddled across the way, staring at the body while holding one another.
“Everett, why don’t you get her inside? I’ll let Noah know we’ll be leaving soon.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He catches my eye and holds my attention. “If you’re longer than a few minutes, I’m going to hunt you down. I need you safe, Lemon.”
“I’ll be in shortly, I promise.” I offer him a quick kiss before we split ways.
I think it’s high time my investigation begins.
LOTTIE
Marlena, the pretty brunette, weeps into a wadded-up tissue in her hand while Danya, the older woman with dark-rimmed glasses, does her best to comfort her.
A warm June breeze swirls in the alleyway as the onlookers grow at what has quickly morphed into the scene of a heinous homicide.
“I’m so sorry, ladies,” I say as I come upon the women my mother introduced me to earlier. “Please, you don’t have to stay. You probably shouldn’t even see this.”
Marlena glances my way with her red-laced eyes, tears streaming down her face at unstoppable speeds.
