A Frightening Fangs-giving

my back if I had to.
Georgie passes me a spare fork as if reading my mind.
“As you were, ladies.” She nods to the dueling blondes in front of us. “Keep the jabs above the waist, no face shots, nothing below the belt. Winner gets the hottie with the tie cinched around his forehead doing the sprinkler move out on the dance floor. Now let’s get ready to rumble!”
Macy leans dangerously close to the blonde in front of her.
“You think I’m nuts? I’m not the one running around trying to be me. I am me. And don’t think you’re fooling anyone with that blonde mop on your head. I can see your red roots from here!”
“I can see your dark roots from here, but I couldn’t care less.” She runs her fingers through her tresses. “Besides, I’m done with this hairstyle. I’ve already made an appointment to have it dyed back to my natural color. I loved being a redhead. I never wanted to change it.”
“I get it.” Georgie shakes her head as she swallows down her next bite. “You did it for a man on a dare in bed. It happened to me once. Only I ended up shaving myself bald. I had red hair, and I loved every feisty minute of it.”
“You did?” I marvel over at her, choosing to ignore the story of the man who once graced, or disgraced, her bed.
“Yup.” Georgie waves a cornbread muffin at us. “And I was as fiery as they came. But don’t worry about going silver. The flame just gets hotter, the men get spicier, and the dares require a safety harness.”
Willow offers a friendly laugh. “Good to know. And I changed my color a few weeks ago. It was Ember’s idea.” She glances to the ceiling as if the thought annoyed her. “But she’s not here anymore, so back it goes.” Ember may have been obsessed with stealing this girl’s identity, but I’m not interested in being anyone but myself. I should buy a box kit and dye it red myself. Every time I look in the mirror, I see Ember. She shudders at the thought.
Macy squints as she leans in. “Admit it. Ember was nothing but a copycat who wanted to be me. Her obsession knew no bounds, and that cheater-brand shop she opened up was nothing but a means to aggravate me.”
“You’re not wrong.” She swills her drink and takes a sip. “And by the way, I saw what it said on your store window this morning. I didn’t write it. I don’t care whether or not you believe me either. I just want to be done with all of this.” And as soon as I ditch that soapy mess I’ve landed myself in, I’m going to forget about this entire town.
Fish pokes her head out once again. Did she just admit that Ember was out to get Macy?
I give her a scratch and nod.
“Willow?” I lean her way. “Why was Ember so obsessed with Macy? Did my sister do something to her?”
Macy clears her throat, her blue eyes dart around the establishment, and I’d know a guilty look on my sister’s face if ever there were one. I try to pry into her mind, but nary a thought runs wild.
Figures.
Willow shrugs. “Only you know, Macy. But I can say with one hundred percent conviction that you did something to really set her off. Ember is a pistol under normal circumstances, but whatever you did launched her into full destruction mode—and it was your destruction she was gunning for. So come on, spill it. What did you do?”
Macy breaks off a piece of Georgie’s cornbread and pops it into her mouth.
“Can’t talk,” she mumbles through a mouthful. “Trying to eat.”
Well, that says it all.
“Willow, you were at the shop before Ember—you know…” I say. “What do you think happened?”
She flits her eyes back to my sister. “I saw the two of you going at it. Ember kept shoveling those donuts into her mouth, and the next thing I knew she was dead.”
Georgie spikes her fork in the air. “The donuts were dusted with poison!”
The crowd around us quiets to a hush for a moment before resuming their intermittent laughter. I’m pretty sure once they got an eyeful of Georgie in her cape, they dismissed the poison donut theory.
I bet she’s right, though.
Willow gasps as she wags a finger in Macy’s direction. “You brought over that platter with the donuts on it! Oh my God, I had one.” Her hand flies to her neck. “I should get tested. I bet I have toxins coursing through my veins as we speak. I could be on the brink of death myself.”
Georgie moans through a bite. “You’re still looking good, kid. Don’t worry. We redheads are hot as firecrackers right to the very end. If you do end up toes to the sky, you’re gonna be a beautiful corpse.”
“Good to know.” She tips her drink toward Georgie.
“Wait a minute,” Georgie grunts. “You don’t think the killer is out to get you, too, do you?”
“I don’t know.” Willow lifts a brow in my sister’s direction. “Are you?”
Macy belts out a laugh. “I may have gotten my death wish, but I didn’t dust those donuts with anything fit to land her underground.”
“Macy,” I scold as Fish belts out a meow at the very same time.
Oh, she’s guilty, Bizzy, Fish mewls. We both know it. The only thing to do now is find someone else to pin it on. If all else fails, there’s always Juni. She rather liked the security guards during her last incarceration.
I nod because she might be onto something.
Willow tips her head as she examines my sister. “How would you like to buy a boatload of soap and candles?”
Macy’s lips part. “Are you selling your inventory?”
“Darn right I am. I’m still on the hook for the lease for the next eleven months, but if I stop using the funds allocated to inventory, I might have enough to pay at least six