Keelie bounces Lyla Nell, and my sweet babe rewards her with a husky gurgle.

  Keelie Nell Fisher has been my best friend since preschool. Her blonde curls and perky giggles are like a comfort food to me at this point. We’ve been through thick and thin together. She’s married to my high school boyfriend, Bear—the exact boyfriend who cheated on me every day and twice on Sunday. But we’re all past that now. Bear has changed his cheating stripes, and Everett and I have hired him to build our dream home over the two lots that we own. Our respective houses burned down last October due to an errant little curse I may or may not have acquired, but nevertheless I’m happy to say the new house construction is well underway.

  “Lemon”—Everett holds up one of my now infamous chocolate chip cookies—“this is your best batch yet.”

  Lily nods. “He’s right, Lottie. That tour your mother sent over nearly wiped us out. We’ve been baking them nonstop ever since.”

  “It’s nice to know the B&B is still running those tours—and by proxy mine.” When my mother was the owner of the B&B, she came up with the idea of charging eighty bucks a pop to have people walk through her humble abode while the ghosts that live there scared their socks right off. She called it the Haunted Honey Hollow B&B Tours. And once she was through with them, she’d pack them up on the bus they rode in on and send them my way for what she dubbed as the Last Thing They Ate Tour.

  Morbid, I know. But since just about every corpse I’ve stumbled upon over the years had been noshing on my sweet treats, it sort of makes sense, too. Regardless, the tours have been both a hit and a boon for business—my business and what was once hers.

  “Best batch yet? You really think so?” I quickly reward him with a kiss straight to the lips, and I don’t mind one bit that he tastes like my chocolate chip cookies. “I’ll tell you my secret, I added a little fresh Vermont maple syrup. I mean, I usually add maple syrup, but I doubled up this time. I’m glad it went over well.”

  “It did.” He pecks my lips with another kiss. “You really took them to the next level.” His eyes smolder over mine a moment, and I can tell Everett is thinking about taking things to the next level with me. And we will—in a few weeks. I still don’t have clearance from my doctor to do anything next level that concerns my girl parts. They’ve been through a lot, so I’m not all that surprised they’ve received a medical reprieve.

  Carlotta grunts, “Darn tootin’ these are your best batch yet.” She chugs the glass of milk set before her. “I’d better get a box to go. I’ve got a big day ahead of me, and I’m going to need all the tackling fuel I can get my hands on.”

  “Where are you headed, Aunt Carlotta?” Keelie shoots me a look because we both know Carlotta’s motives and destinations are always more than questionable.

  And yes, after years of being besties, Keelie and I found out that we’re cousins, too. But regardless of our bloodlines, Keelie was family to me long before that. And now that we’re both mothers, our bond is even deeper.

  Keelie and Bear just had a little boy about eight months ago, aptly named Bear as well. He’s a cutie and a bruiser. I have no doubt he’ll be erecting houses with his papa one day soon. Hopefully, he won’t be working on my dream home. Bear Senior has a tendency to drag his feet as far as construction projects go. He’s still working on my grandma Nell’s house that I inherited and needed to be torn down to the studs due to black mold. That’s the exact reason Carlotta has been living with me. But Everett and I drove by the other day and it looks just about done.

  Carlotta snags a cookie off Everett’s plate. “I’ve got my good name to clear and a case to solve.”

  “No way.” I shake my head at her. “You’re not running out and heading into danger. You need a pro.”

  Everett inches back to get a better look at me. “I think we finally see eye to eye on the issue.”

  I nod. “Darn right. That’s why I’m going with her.”

  Both Keelie and Lily belt out a laugh. Not surprisingly Everett isn’t joining in on the cackle fest.

  “Lemon.” He dips his chin a moment. “What about Lyla Nell?”

  “I’m not abandoning her. Besides, she can come with me. I’ve already thought about it and I need to speak with Kit Knickerson first, the woman with the short brown hair in charge of production? I left my scarf at the studio and I need to pick it up.”

  Everett’s cheek pulls back on the left as he scans me with those baby blues. “Did you plant that scarf there as an excuse to go back?”

  I suck in a quick breath and both Keelie and Lily laugh all that much louder.

  Carlotta waves me off. “Sexy’s got your number, Lot. Throw the man a bone when he’s right.”

  “Okay, so you are right.” I can’t help but frown his way. “But you have to admit, that was some serious forward thinking.”

  “It was dangerous forward thinking,” he corrects. “But don’t worry. I’ll be there with you when you pick it up. Speaking of picking up”—he motions for Keelie to surrender the baby and Keelie places Lyla Nell right where she loves to be, in her daddy’s strong arms. One of her daddies anyway.

  Lyla Nell coos as she looks up at Everett with wonder and he coos right back.

  “You own me, Lyla Nell,” he says to her before dotting a kiss to her cheek.

  Nothing melts me more than seeing Everett holding the baby, playing with, reading to, changing, and bathing the baby. Neither Everett nor Noah has shirked an ounce of baby duty. Everett even gets up when she cries in the night and does his best to rock her back to sleep, but usually she ends up in my arms because, let’s face it, I’ve got the proper equipment to deal with her hunger issues. Noah’s been a regular in the nursery as of late, too. We put a bed in there, and with the crib it takes up most of the room, but Noah doesn’t seem to mind. He looks as if he’s in heaven when he’s in there keeping an eye on the baby for me.

  I’ve brought Lyla Nell to him a few times in the wee hours of the morning since she sleeps in the bassinet by my side, and he’s taken a shift in the nursery with her. I may not be sleeping through the night yet, but I’m so glad I don’t have to do this all on my own.

  Carlotta scoots to the edge of her seat. “What about Foxy? Should we bring our pistol-packing friend to the studio with us? Or lover, depending which one of us is talking.”

  “You’re talking,” I tell her. “And no. If the real killer is lurking around the studio tomorrow, his presence will only spook them. Noah is pretty much useless to us in that respect.”

  As if on cue, both Noah and his mother Suze walk into the bakery.

  Suze is tall, stalky, a full-time sourpuss, and has short blonde hair with long swooping bangs that give off that nineties boy band vibe. She doesn’t care for me, and I recently got her to admit—albeit in a roundabout way—that she’s transmundane like Carlotta and me.

  There are several powers under the transmundane umbrella, and Carlotta and I fall under the category of supersensual. I’m not aware of every power that falls beneath its guidelines, but Suze is what’s known as a beguiler—someone who can make the weak-willed change their minds, or they can even harness their powers and charm a whirlwind to come forth, make objects move at will, cause people to bend to do their bidding, cause earthquakes, fires, and who knows what other chaos can ensue because of them.

  The ghost that caused my house and Everett’s to burn down was a beguiler. And oddly, the ghost and I came away from that on good terms. But Suze and I can’t seem to get on good terms ever.

  “Hey, Lot.” Noah kisses my cheek before he pulls back and his eyes grow wide. “Lyla Nell’s here.” He quickly excavates her from Everett’s arms and buries his nose in her hair. The look of abject joy on his face says it all. “I love you, baby girl.” He lands a sweet kiss to the top of her head. “Mom, here she is.” He walks her over to Suze, and I half-expect Lyla Nell to break out into tears.

  “Yes, here she is,” Suze says without the proper enthusiasm. “I think she has your hair, Essex.”

  Suze falls under the mom rule when using Everett’s proper name. Speaking of moms, unlike Suze, Everett’s mother Eliza is smitten with Lyla Nell as is his sister Meghan. They both share Everett’s jet-black hair and brilliant blue eyes and his stoic yet gentle heart.

  “Mom”—Noah inches back—“my hair is black, too.”

  Suze squints over at the baby and Lyla Nell’s eyes open with surprise and her little legs start kicking as if she were trying to swim away. The look of surprise on Lyla Nell’s face quickly morphs to fear and Noah wisely turns her away just enough to get Suze out of her line of vision.

  “And she’s got blue eyes,” Suze says with a gleeful lilt to her voice as she straightens. “See that?” She gives Everett a manufactured smile. “She’s all you, Essex. You don’t need a fancy paternity test after all,” she sings as she heads behind the counter and tosses on an apron.

  A few months back Suze hallucinated the fact that I asked her to work at the bakery and so here she is. Okay, so she didn’t quite hallucinate it. Whoever that woman is that’s running around looking an awful lot like me basically suggested to Suze that she should work here after Suze complained of God knows what. Regardless, she’s here and I’m darn glad about it. Having Lily and Suze and an entire army of kitchen help is the only reason I get to enjoy so much time at home with the baby. I know it won’t last forever, so I’m soaking in every minute of it while I can.

  Noah looks momentarily crestfallen by his mother’s words. I know how badly he wants Lyla Nell to be his. It’s his connection to me, and not only that, she’s as adorable as can be.

  “I don’t know,” Keelie says as she comes over. “Her hair looks as if it’s lightening up to me, and it’s looking red at the tips like yours, Noah.”

  Lily scuttles this way and squints at the baby. “She’s serious. She hasn’t smiled once. That girl is a Baxter if ever I’ve seen one.”

  “Smiling is the next milestone on her list,” I’m quick to defend Lyla Nell’s serious demeanor. “But she’s really good at looking surprised.” And afraid, as evidenced by that worried look she gave Suze a moment ago. “I’m sure the smile is on its way.”

  Lily shakes her head. “Her eyes are navy blue. Sorry, Noah. This is Essex’s kid.”

  “I don’t know,” Keelie is quick to contest. “All babies’ eyes are navy blue and they can change to any color within a six-week period. She was grunting a little while ago and I think I saw a dimple. Sorry, Everett, but this is Noah’s baby.”

  “No need to apologize,” Everett says. “No matter what the outcome, she belongs to me.”

  Noah all but growls, “People aren’t possessions.”

  “People aren’t morons either,” Everett shoots back. “Everyone in this room knows what I mean. Except for you evidently. I guess that makes you a moron.”

  Suze chuckles and Noah frowns in her direction.

  “Don’t worry, Noah.” I head over and wrap my arms around both him and Lyla Nell. “You’re family and you know it.”

  Carlotta looks my way. “Speaking of the results, Lot Lot. Now that the show went kaputz, I suggest you pop that envelope open. Where’s it at? I think we should have at it right here and now and settle this daddy debate once and for all.”

  My mouth falls open as I look to Noah and Everett. “We left it at the studio. I guess I really do have an excuse to go back.”

  The bell on the door chimes and in strides not one dodo bird but two, Cormack and Cressida. They’re both wearing matching yoga pants and tank tops, along with matching ponytails. My guess is they came from Swift Cycle across the street, the gym that Noah’s ex-wife Britney owns. Either that or Fanatical Fitness, the place next door. Funny how the clientele of both places head right over to my bakery when their classes are through. But I don’t mind, and Britney certainly doesn’t mind. I keep her business floating, and she’s doing the same for me.

  “Big Boss!” Cormack makes a beeline to Noah. “There’s been another murder! Isn’t this exciting? Not to worry. Featherby Sleuths Investigative Services is on the case!”

  Cormack’s father helped her buy a PI license with his billions. She bypassed all that pesky fieldwork and went straight into opening up shop right here on Main Street. I suppose it’s as good as any means for Cormack to get herself inadvertently killed. I’d say I wasn’t rooting for death, but I’m sleep-deprived, my hormones have gone haywire, and my boobs weep at random.

  She rattles herself in front of Noah. “I’ve got a break in the case. I know who killed Candace Cottonwood.”

  Noah growls at her, “Cormack, no. You’re not investigating this case. It’s too dangerous. And not only that, I’m investigating this case, and I can’t afford for you to get in my way.” He flits those evergreen eyes my way. “That goes for you, too, Lottie.”

  Everett takes the baby back without asking.

  “If you’re going to tell Lemon what to do, at least hand Lyla Nell off first. I don’t want her to hear anyone disparaging her mother.”

  Both Keelie and Lily swoon.

  “I’m not disparaging you, Lot.” Noah’s brows bounce. “I’m protecting you.”

  “Who cares?” Cressida pulls her blonde tresses free from her ponytail. “The three of you didn’t live up to your end of the bargain. And I’m still stuck with that B&B.”

  “Unstick yourself,” I tell her. “I’ll gladly take it off your hands.”

  “No can do. I need a little suffering to come from it, just the way I’ve suffered putting up with those ghosts. Cormack won’t admit it, but those spooks are working double time to kick us out.”

  To quote Carlotta, “Darn tootin’.”

  “What are the new terms?” I sigh her way. If I was about to sell out my family’s privacy, it’s clear I’ll consider anything at this point.

  “Same terms,” she says, folding her svelte arms over her chest. “I hear the producers are looking to replace that host your mother killed.” She shoots Carlotta a sharp look. “And when they do, the first show is set to take off where the last one left off.”

  “How do you know all this?” I ask as amused as I am suspicious.

  “My father owns the lot.” She shrugs. “I was out in Fallbrook yesterday and heard him yelling into the phone. Anyway, half the inn will belong to your mother once again if you can pull it off without dragging a dead body into it. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a hot date with a chocolate croissant.” She gives the stubble on Everett’s cheeks a quick scratch as she passes him by for chocolate-laden pastures and Suze gets right to work taking her order.

  Cormack holds up a finger. “I suddenly have some place to be.” She looks into Noah’s eyes and runs her finger over her teeth as if she were looking in a mirror. “I’ve been meaning to host my own show.” She tosses her shoulders back and her ponytail bounces like a spring. “Wish me luck. If I play my cards right”—her chest juts out a notch, letting us know exactly what cards she’ll be playing, or more to the point, someone else will be playing with—“the new show will be called Getting Candid with Cormack.” She takes off like a blonde hurricane, and I can’t help but growl in her wake.

  “Everett, Carlotta”—I say, pulling off my apron—“let’s get moving before she steals the steak right off my plate.”

  We pull ourselves together and sail out the door.

  The steak’s name is Kit Knickerson, and she’d better watch out because I’m hungry for answers.

  Lottie

  Under no circumstances was Everett going to let me near that studio with Lyla Nell if a suspect was lurking around in there.

  And under no circumstances was I going to leave her for the very first time, despite the fact my mother generously offered to watch her.

  So we met in the middle. Specifically, Mom met us in the studio parking lot and took Lyla Nell to a knitting shop next door.

  I whimper as she drags my sweet little peanut away from me in such a heartless fashion.

  “I miss you!” I call out after them. “Mommy loves you!”

  Mom makes a face at me as if I were being silly, but surely she remembers the trauma of leaving her babies for the very first time.

  The sun is still high here in downtown Leeds, where the concrete holds the heat and the scent of exhaust from the cars whizzing by stings our noses.

  “Aw, come on, Lot.” Carlotta links arms with me. “It’s not like you left her on the floor of the Honey Hollow Fire Department and took off like a bat out of Hell never knowing if you were gonna see her again.”

  “Carlotta”—I press a hand to my chest as I look at her in a whole new light—“were you just sick to your stomach like I am now when you left me there all those years ago?”

  “Sure, I was sick to my stomach. I had just given you the boot out of my body and I had a hankering for a cheeseburger. And believe me, I hit one burger joint after the other until I got clear across to Arizona.”

  “What were you doing in Arizona, anyway?” I ask, all the while craning my neck and waving like mad at my mother and Lyla Nell, neither of which can see me, and sadly it feels as if neither of them cares.

  Everett and Noah are conferring about something a few feet away before heading in this direction.

  Noah said he didn’t need my invitation to come down with us this afternoon. That contrary to what I thought, he was still the lead detective on the case. Then he proceeded to lean in and whisper that we both knew I was in charge, but since he appreciated the paycheck his title afforded him, he asked kindly that I play along.

  “You ready to head in?” Everett looks tense. Come to think of it, so does Noah.

  “What’s going on between the two of you?” I ask, stepping forward and straightening Everett’s dress shirt a notch. “And don’t even try to deny it. You’re both a walking bundle of nerves.”

  Everett and Noah exchange glances.

  “I won’t deny it, Lottie.” Noah’s shoulders sag. “But truth be told, I’m in the dark, too.”