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Neither one of them qualified as the deceased.
Miranda flitted through my mind, but both she and Carlotta are well-established authors at this point. But I was certain that writing group Miranda belongs to was at the nexus of this. And someone in that group knew something.
It only makes sense.
One club member was killed a little over a week ago, and that more than likely means the killer was determined to keep this latest victim quiet, forever.
Night has settled over Honey Hollow, but that doesn’t slow down the crowd as they do their best to rubberneck.
In fact, that crowd is exactly why I didn’t need directions to the scene of the crime. I simply followed the flow of traffic and ended up at ground zero.
I spot Noah and Lemon, both looking to their left.
“Lemon,” I say as I come upon them and pull my wife into a tight embrace. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, I promise,” she says, taking a moment to warm my back with her hands.
“Everett.” Noah nods my way before looking back at Lemon. “Don’t you dare touch that duffle bag without me. If you’ll both excuse me. I’ve got a suspect to question.” He takes off, and we watch as he approaches a redhead who wears a scowl.
“Crane Mitchel?” I ask, not that I’m all that surprised.
Miranda’s writing club is down two members, and it only had five to begin with.
“That’s her.” Lemon’s voice shakes with anger. “Everett, that woman lied to me when I asked if she carried a concealed weapon. Noah says forensics just proved the bullet that killed Bella Hall was fired from a gun just like the one she owns. He suspects this latest victim died by the same gun—and the same killer. That could be her.”
She shivers in my arms as she looks at the woman.
“It sounds as if Noah has this handled,” I say, unconvinced that she’ll believe me. “What’s this about a duffle bag?”
Her mouth opens and closes as if she dreaded whatever it is she’s about to confess.
“I may have taken a duffle bag out of the deceased’s car before anyone arrived. Noah was here. He saw the whole thing.”
A hard groan comes from me. “In that case, I’ll have to side with Noah. He’ll need to handle it. That bag could be overflowing with evidence.”
She nods. “That’s exactly what I’m thinking, too.” She quickly fills me in on the fact both Crane and Danya were upset that the deceased helped herself to a few things from Bella’s home. And now I can see why Noah would be upset with Lemon as well.
“Mom! Dad!” Evie runs this way and lands next to us while wearing her cheer uniform for one final time.
I’ll admit, it makes me sappy just seeing her in it.
Graduation has snuck up on us, and I don’t like it one bit.
“I just came from our final spirit week celebration,” she pants. “I can’t believe we’ve got another dead body in Honey Hollow. Mom, everyone is talking about how you found it. They’re calling you the Baker who Butchers. That’s pretty cool.”
Lemon closes her eyes a moment too long. “Evie, that’s a terrible thing. A woman lost her life today.”
“That is a terrible thing,” Evie admits, sounding remorseful for her glib comment. “Anyway, I promise not to take pictures of the body like I did the last time.”
“Good,” I tell her. Technically, it was the time before the last time, but with so many homicides around these parts, I can’t blame her for not remembering. “Why don’t you and your friends leave the area? I don’t want you around this kind of stuff.”
“We were just about to take off,” Evie says. “The cheerleaders and the football team are headed to Mangias for one last dinner. Graduation is in less than a week, and I can’t wait to grab my diploma and run the heck out of those halls forever.”
“Aww,” Lemon coos. “Evie, you’re going to look back on your high school years and realize these were the glory days.”
“With all these murders?” Evie muses. “More like gory days.” Someone shouts her name and she waves. “I’d better get going. Oh, and before I forget—Dad, help me write that speech I have to give next Friday.”
“I will,” I tell her. “But first, I want you to jot a few things down. Write from your heart. This is a personal message to your fellow graduates. I know you’ll have something brilliant to say.”
