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She twitches her nose. “Yeah, like smell ya later, Triple H.” She blows us a kiss as she takes off.
Lemon leans past me. “Regina,” she says with a cheery tone, and I turn to see it’s that woman from the courthouse.
A mild jolt of surprise hits me.
I don’t know why. I’ve seen her in Honey Hollow before, right in front of the house I share with Lemon. It shouldn’t surprise me to see her here with the rest of the town present and accounted for.
But for some reason, she’s crawled under my skin, and I don’t like it.
“Oh, Lottie.” The brunette shakes her head, her long hair swinging in the night breeze. “This is just terrible. It’s as if the entire world is out to get us.” She gives a sly wink my way, and it makes me that much more uncomfortable.
“You two know each other?” I ask.
“Everett, this is Regina Pacheco,” Lemon offers. “I met her just a few days ago at the bakery.”
“Regina,” I parrot.
So that’s her name.
I had wondered why she didn’t give it to begin with. At least now I have something to go on.
I have no clue why this woman is sending up all sorts of red flags, but my gut says run, don’t walk in the other direction.
And my gut is never wrong.
“It is terrible,” Lemon says, patting her chest. “It’s as if we just can’t catch a break around here. I’m sorry you had to witness this,” she says to the woman. “Did you ever find a place to stay in town?”
“Country Cottage Road.” Regina nods.
“You’re kidding?” Lemon trills a touch too loud and a handful of people turn our way. “We live on Country Cottage Road.”
“Well, you don’t say.” Regina bites down over her lip and pulls it through her teeth as her eyes meet mine.
Knew it.
She’s playing head games.
Regina not only knows where I live but where I work.
And why exactly was she sniffing around Lemon’s bakery?
I’m not sure what’s happening here, but I’m positive I don’t care for it.
Regina stiffens under my silent ire before checking her phone.
“I’d better go,” she announces. “I need to get home and make dinner.” She swallows hard as she scours my features one last time. “I’ll be sure to stop by the bakery soon, Lottie.” Her eyes linger my way before darting past us and crossing the street in haste.
Just past the direction she took off in, I spot a man in a black and white checkered fedora scowling at me. He has a hook nose, broad forehead, and a scowl that breeds hatred.
As soon as our eyes meet up, he ducks into the shadows.
“Who was that?” Lemon asks just as Sam steps up with Jed Silver by her side.
“That, my friend”—Jed nods toward the woods across the street where the man seemingly evaporated—“is Bianco Loretti. A mid-list gangster who, rumor has it, is teaming up with two other mid-list families to try to make a name for themselves. But before you knock ’em, the three of those families put together have the power to put the fear of God in both Jimmy Canelli and Luke Lazzari.”
Jimmy and Luke are powerful mobsters who each run their own crime family. I seriously doubt they fear anyone.
“What does Bianco want?” I ask.
