“No.” I shake my head. “It will never make sense.”
I crane my neck into the crowd. “I still don’t see Flint.”
“He’s a politician. They come late and leave early. He’s a weasel, but I have faith he’ll show,” she says, taking Fish from me. “Do you mind? I’m freezing.”
“Have at her,” I say just as Jasper and Leo step out of the crowd.
“You two look familiar,” I tease as Jasper flexes a wry smile.
“I thought I knew you, but now I’m not so sure.” He wraps his arms around me and dots a kiss to my lips. “Leo just told me that you and Emmie questioned Marigold Sweet at some dive bar.”
A hard frown takes over his face and lets me know exactly what he thinks of my bar crawl.
“What?” I shoot Emmie a quick look. It’s not her fault. She didn’t know I was taking this investigation in a Jasper-free direction. “It wasn’t a dive bar. It was the Marblehead Lounge at the Blue Horse Inn. And besides, not only was I checking out the competition, Georgie had a conga line to tend to.”
His brows swoop in. “Why does that make sense to me?”
Leo bucks with a laugh. “Because you’ve met Georgie.” He sobers up quickly as he hooks his arms around Emmie. “Look, I’m not crazy about the fact you went with her. Bizzy isn’t looking to exchange recipes with anyone. She’s looking for a killer.”
Emmie scoffs. “Well, if you’ve had her cooking, you’d know her recipes were equally as lethal.”
I bite down on a laugh, but I can tell Emmie is starting to simmer.
“Don’t worry about me, Leo,” she snips. “I can take care of myself.”
“Oh?” he balks as if he were amused. “Are you bulletproof? Because if that killer thinks you’re onto them, things could get deadly fast. Do us both a favor and don’t egg Bizzy on. The next time she wants to go after a suspect, call me. I’ll go in her place.”
“Did you say egg me on?” I blink back with disbelief. “I’ll have you know I’ve scrambled up a killer or two and served them up to the sheriff’s department with a side of bacon—and by bacon, I mean justice,” I tell him, and Sherlock barks with approval.
“Whoa”—Jasper hooks his gaze to mine—“Leo is right. Look, Bizzy, I told you specifically to stay out of this once your sister was arrested. You’re too close to the case. You could point a finger at the wrong person just to land someone other than Macy behind bars. I’m afraid I’m going to have to demand you step back from this.”
“You’re going to demand?” I slide his arms off my waist, and all four cats in the vicinity mewl in a panic.
“I’m sorry, Bizzy.” Jasper’s eyes glow against the dark clouds clotting up the sky. “But I’m putting my foot down, not only as your husband, but as the law. I’d like for you to live to see our first Christmas, and if you keep running around questioning people, you may not live to see our first Thanksgiving.”
An incredulous roar rips through me.
“You think I’m incompetent,” I say, jabbing my finger to his chest.
“I didn’t say that.” His hands ride up by his head as if I just pointed a weapon at him. “I simply want to keep you safe.”
“Oh yeah?” I growl over at him. “Well, who’s keeping my sister safe?”
Fish looks at something behind me, and her eyes spring as wide as twin dimes.
I think I’m seeing a ghost! she roars so loud all four of us look in that direction.
And for a second, I think I’m seeing a ghost as well.
“Macy?” I shout her name as I give a hard blink. Striding this way, clad in a red suit, and with a look of fiery fury in her eyes, is my feisty sister. My brother is bobbing about ten feet behind her as if he were struggling to keep up, and I have no doubt he is.
“That’s right,” she growls with all of her pent-up anger pointed straight at my other half. “I’m back.” She pokes her own finger against Jasper’s chest, and I have a feeling he’s going to be mighty sore by the end of the night. “And you, buster, are getting a divorce! Expect to be served with papers, or have papers filed or whatever it is my brother is about to do to dissolve your unholy union from my sister.” She bites the air with each word, and Sherlock barks as if he were joining in on her rage.
Hux quickly holds out his hands between Macy and Jasper as if he felt the need to physically separate the two of them.
“Nobody is getting a divorce,” Hux announces before leaning my way. “That is, unless you want one. I’m good for unlimited matrimonial dissolutions whenever you need them, Biz, but I’d space ’em out a little better if I were you.”
Georgie hops into our circle of fire. “What’s this? The two of you are calling it quits already? Aw, shucks.” She elbows Jasper in the ribs, and I’d swear I just heard the breath expire from his lungs. “Don’t you worry, kid.” She points in my direction. “Macy’s going to write a book on how-to-catch a man, and we’ll both be back in business soon enough.” She plucks a bag of candy corn from her pocket. “Have some turkey toes. They always put a smile on my face.” She hands them my way before jumping back into the crowd. “Turkey toes! Come and get your red-hot turkey toes!”
I glance to the carts they’re pushing and note they’re fresh out of quilts. Who would have guessed my mother and Georgie would form an unholy business alliance with head-turning sales volume? I’d better buy stock in Wonky Quilts while we’re still on the ground floor.
But first thing’s first.
“I’m not getting a divorce,” I say loud enough for all interested parties to hear. I’m about to extrapolate
