Butchered After Bark

a rat that those things were glowing and floating through the air last night when everyone went to sleep.
The three of them take off, and I scoff in their wake.
“Wait a minute—we don’t have rats,” I call after them and three different customers look my way.
Do we have rats?
I make a beeline over to the ballroom. I’ve yet to see this haunted doll collection that Georgie has cursed the inn with. I’ve never been afraid of a doll. I’ve never collected them either. Most of the tiny human replicas I acquired were castoffs of my sisters. And by the time Macy was through with them, they had been given lopsided haircuts, had their entire hands painted with nail polish, and had their feet chewed off. I’m not sure why Macy had a habit of chewing on her dolls’ feet, but my mother always said it was better than chewing on her own.
Speaking of my mother and Macy…
“Bizzy!” My mother meets up with me just as I’m about to crest the threshold into the ballroom. She’s quick to collapse her arms around me, and I’m forced to take in her thick perfume. My mother’s perfume has been the same since I was a child, and it’s always reminded me of strong tea. “Oh, tell me you didn’t do this.”
She shakes her head with a touch of disappointment in her clear blue eyes. Ree Baker is a headstrong, confident woman who more or less raised her three children on her own once she untangled herself from my father. He went on to marry everything that moved, and she went on to run a real estate empire that to this day is going strong even though she’s been retired from the company for years now. Her caramel blonde hair touches her shoulders and is feathered back like the ode to the eighties it is. She’s petite, and in shape, and I can only aspire to be every bit like her one day.
Macy grunts as she rolls her eyes, “Don’t admit to anything, Biz.” She elbows my mother. Macy dyes her black hair blonde and has icy blue eyes that match her icy blue soul. “Remember what I said. We don’t want to get on her bad side. Face it, Mom. You raised a killer.”
“Macy.” I shake my head as I give a quick glance around. “I don’t know who did this. But I do know it wasn’t me.”
Emmie bops up with a platter of those jack-o’-lantern hand pies and a witch’s hat on her head. “Bizzy Baker Wilder. You know very well who did it. Leo told me everything.” My bestie leans toward my mother and sister with a look of unmitigated glee in her eyes. “It was Camila Ryder. Leo says they found blood evidence on her hands and that she beat the poor victim with her staff before bludgeoning her to death.”
Macy gasps, her mouth rounding out with a smile. “Camila, Camila? Jasper’s raunchy ex?” She scoops up a hand pie for herself.
“Yes,” I say, picking up a hand pie myself, as does my mother. “Camila, Camila. But she didn’t really do this. It just looks bad. And Jasper says the woman was stabbed. They found the knife at the scene.”
Emmie frowns my way. “You keep out of this. Camila was Leo’s ex, too, you know. And it’s as if nothing can keep her from sniffing around either one of them. I’m sick of her trying to steal my man.” Especially since I’m sniffing around Leo myself—hoping to find a ring in his pocket someday soon.
My eyes round out at the matrimonial-based thought.
Emmie must really think Leo is the one for her.
My heart sinks a little because I know the inevitable is at hand. Leo is about to let her in on his little mind-reading secret, and that means I’m about to do the same.
My stomach knots up just thinking about it.
Mom moans as she shakes her head my way. “I know that look on your face, Bizzy. You don’t plan on staying out of this at all. I don’t approve of that at all. You’ve almost gotten yourself killed before, poking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”
My lips press tight a moment. “Don’t worry about me. Jasper is on the case, and we’ve worked together before. I’m going to be just fine, I promise you. Everything is going to be fine.”
A shrill scream goes off deep in the ballroom and the four of us try to head inside, but Jordy has the entry roped off.
“Six bucks apiece.” He sheds his signature toothy smile. “Sorry, ladies. Georgie makes the rules. I just keep them.”
“That’s funny,” I say. “Because I dole out your paycheck.” I gasp as I take a quick look around at the bevy of round tables set out, each one with a creepy looking doll encased in glass dotting the center of it. “Wow. I have a feeling I’m going to have to hire an exorcist once we clear this place out. Let me through, Jordy.”
He glowers a moment as he swipes a hand pie off his sister’s plate.
“Rules are rules.” He gives a lazy grin before biting into the tasty treat he just scooped up.
“Let me guess.” I squint his way. “Georgie is splitting her take with you?”
His lips cinch, telling me everything I need to know.
“Oh, for Pete’s sake.” My mother fishes a few bills out of her purse and forks them over. “Keep the change. My grandmother used to collect dolls, and I’m dying to see what you’ve got here.” She takes another hand pie before looking my way. “Keep out of trouble, kid. If you find one more body, it’s you I’m taking straight to the exorcist.”
She takes off as Emmie extends the tray of hand pies.
“I’ll be making the rounds, offering up a quick bite to all the guests.” Emmie wrinkles her nose. “After last night, I think all of Cider Cove deserves a hand pie.”
“And a shot of tequila,” Macy quips.
She takes off