A Christmas to Dismember, Addison Moore [howl and other poems .TXT] 📗

“Stop stumbling upon dead bodies, for one.” She folds her arms tightly across her cranberry-colored suit. “Really, Bizzy? It’s Christmastime.”

Georgie scuttles up. “Speaking of which, what’s on order for Cider Cove for the big day?”

Mackenzie takes a moment to scowl over at the kaftan lover by my side.

“Not a nude granny,” she snips. “You’re just as bad as she is.”

Georgie scoffs. “I’m an upstanding citizen and soon-to-be business owner in this community. I won’t stand by while my own mayor berates me.”

“An upstanding citizen?” Mackenzie’s brows hike with amusement. “Then act like it.” She turns to me. “I was going to ask the Country Cottage Café to cater the appetizers and desserts for the Cider Cove Christmas Spectacular at the end of this month, but seeing that you breed bodies wherever you go, I’m not so sure. You’d think now that you were hitched to that heartthrob, you’d be far more concerned with bringing forth life into this world as opposed to death, but I can see you’re still willing to propagate your little deadly hobby.”

She’s not entirely wrong. In fact, right about now, I’d like to propagate the urge I have to wrap my hands around her skinny little neck. Just for kicks, of course. But I’m not all that interested in having to deal with yet another corpse at the inn.

Instead, I flex a dry smile. “The café will happily provide whatever you need. Just tell us when and where.”

“The night before Christmas Eve.” Her cheeks flicker as she looks to Georgie. “Be ready for a retail onslaught. The event takes place on Main Street. There will be sleigh rides, Santa, an entire gaggle of annoying little kids, and with Bizzy around, there will most likely be a body.” She takes a moment to glower my way. “Try not to make it anyone I know.”

“How about you?” Georgie winks. “Care to throw your hat in the ring?”

Mackenzie all but growls at the two of us. “I have to go. I have an early lunch date coming up with a member of the Baker family—one who I happen to find much more tolerable.” She stalks off and I turn to Georgie.

“Hey? Maybe Hux has decided to nix the proposal? He can’t possibly shop for a ring then speed off to meet Mackenzie.”

Georgie smacks me on the arm. “I bet that’s it. Boy, you really dodged a sister-in-law bullet. Give me a second to get a Danish to go, and I’ll join you at the jewelers.”

“Are you sure? Things could get boring fast.”

“Are you kidding? The jewelry shop is on the top five list of where to pick up single men.”

“Oh, I don’t think so.”

“Watch and learn, kiddo.”

Preston Jewelers is a posh jewelry shop in the downtown district of Seaview and hung right outside their door is a countdown calendar to Christmas to remind all of their customers time is quickly running out.

Georgie, Fish, and I arrive right on time as we enter the glitzy spacious establishment with its sparkling chandeliers up above, deep navy carpeting, matching navy walls, and rows and rows of glass cases filled with shiny baubles that cost more than my cottage and car combined. Not that I own my cottage, but if I did, I’m betting it would still be undervalued compared to the bling they’ve got under lock and key here.

Fish mewls as she warms my chest. I traded Juni a leash for the kitty sling and decided to bring Fish along for the ride. I’ve cleared my schedule for the rest of the day, leaving the inn with my trusty employees, but it’s not Christmas gifts I’ll be hunting down once things wrap up at the jewelers—I’ll be hunting down a suspect.

“Hey, good-looking”—Georgie drops her sunglasses a notch as she looks up at one of the security officers standing guard at the door—“whatcha got cookin’?” She bumps her hip to mine. “Did I tell you‚ or did I tell you? This place is a veritable feast of handsome hunks. And it looks to me, I’ve landed one right out the gate.” She winks up at the man clad in uniform. “So are you hitched, or are you single and ready to mingle?”

The older man with a salt and pepper mustache, barrel chest, and sparkling eyes chuckles as he inspects her.

“Mother Goose cut me loose two years ago,” he says. “And I’ve been a fox ready to trot ever since.”

“Oh wow,” I muse out loud without meaning to. “You know what they say”—I pat her on the back—“every pot has a lid.” I glance to my right and spot a handsome homicide detective earnestly inspecting one of the glass shelves and my mouth falls open. “Speaking of lids, I just found mine.”

I speed over, and not only do I find Jasper, but Leo and Hux are here, too, each one looking just as dapper as the next.

Jasper wraps his arms around me and offers up a kiss, and the scent of his cologne and his rock-hard wall of a body make me want to pull him off to a dark corner and have my way with him.

“Easy, girl,” Leo says, raising a brow my way. He’s donned his tan deputy uniform, and I’m guessing he’s on a break—not to mention the fact he just read my dirty mind.

I smile up at Jasper. “What are you doing here?”

Fish mewls as if she wanted answers, too.

Hux chuckles. “What do you think he’s doing here, Biz? Christmas is coming. He was just picking out something pricey to drop in your stocking.”

Jasper glowers at him a moment. “You do realize I’m here to help Leo pick out a ring.”

I wink up at him. “Good cover.” I give Hux and Leo a quick embrace. “Now let’s get down to business. I brought my best girl to help me get to the bottom of this diamond dilemma.” I give Fish a quick scratch behind her ears to annunciate my point.

Hux shakes his