A Frightening Fangs-giving

soon bodies are moving all around the room.
“Jasper, please go make sure they’re not being arrested.” I plead with him, even though I get the feeling he wouldn’t mind so much if they were. Honestly, maybe I wouldn’t either.
He frowns at the door a moment. “Okay, but don’t have any fun without me. That’s a direct order.”
A dark laugh strums through me. “I only take orders from you in the bedroom.” I give a sly wink as we part ways.
Flint Butler makes his way toward the crowd with that elastic smile stretching across his face, and soon he’s met with a mob of women. Just as I’m about to admit defeat, I spot a platinum blonde in their midst who’s busy elbowing the rest of the women off to the side by way of a body check worthy of a hockey game.
“Oh my goodness.” I roll my eyes as I make my way up front for what feels like a night at the council circus take two. “Macy?” I hiss her name without meaning to as she wraps her arms around him as if she were his bodyguard.
My sister’s head twitches like that of a cat and her forehead smooths out with amusement once she spots me.
“Bizzy?” She makes a face. Good Lord, don’t tell me she’s here to give Flint the shakedown, too. Can’t I have a decent date anymore without my sister showing up trying to prove he’s the killer?
I shake my head her way as if to answer that internal inquisition.
“Hello, Macy,” I pant her name out as I manufacture a smile just for the politician at hand. “Fancy seeing you here.” I look up at Flint with his wide forehead and squinted eyes that look as if they’re giving out a cheesy smile all of their own. “I’m Bizzy Baker Wilder.” I hold out my hand his way, and he quickly shakes it. “I think we met the day of the Founders’ Day kickoff.”
Flint laughs with amusement. “I’m sure we did. You’ll have to forgive me. I must have met dozens of people that day.”
“You were with Ember Sweet.” I study his features for a moment, and his expression sobers a notch. “Actually, she introduced us.”
In fact, Ember said something to the effect that he was all hers—and his next thought was that he was going to end that not-so-good time, that very day.
A hard moan comes from my sister. Here we go again. It’s like there’s no stopping her. She’s a force of destructive dating nature.
Macy blows out a hard breath. “Fine.” She blinks a highly contrived smile my way. “You know what?” She tickles Flint’s well-shaven cheek a moment. “I’m going to grab us some donuts and coffee while you get to know my sweet little sister a bit better. She runs the local inn.” Macy glowers at me. “I’m sure she’ll want to pick your brain about something.” And that something just so happens to be murder. As if. Flint couldn’t have done it. I’m a better suspect than he is. The guy’s entire career depends on living a squeaky clean life. I can just imagine the fun I can have with him behind closed doors. All of that repressed angst is exactly what I’m looking for in my life. She shoots me a look that could boil water as she takes off.
“I brought the donuts.” I shrug. “They’re the same apple cider mini donuts that the Country Cottage Inn donated to the Founders’ Day kickoff festival.” I grimace as soon as the words slip from my lips because they happen to be the same donuts the killer used as a murder weapon. “We’ll be serving them at the concert at the cove this weekend as well. You’ll be there, right?”
His affect swings from jovial to morbidly worried as he glances to the refreshment table.
“Donuts?” He winces. Those are the same damn donuts Ember was nibbling on before she lost her life. What the hell are they doing here? My God, it really is as if she’s haunting me. He squeezes his eyes shut a moment. “Thanks for bringing them. They seem to be going fast.” They were quite delicious if I remember correctly. Ember seemed to think so. I suppose that’s the only detail that mattered that day. “And the concert you mentioned…” He looks mildly confused for a moment.
“At the cove with Sugar Shack?” I nod. “They’re a popular country music band. They sing that song ‘Your Arms Feel Like Heaven’. I’m sure you’ve heard it a million times. You can’t go ten steps without listening to it.”
His brows dip low. “I’ve heard it. It was one of Ember’s favorites.” I wish I could forget it. In fact, I wish I could forget her.
Wow, that’s pretty horrible. I get that he was about to call things off with her, but she’s gone now. Why would he want to forget her? Unless, of course, what he really wanted to forget was the fact he sent her to the grave.
“There’s a candlelight vigil set for next Friday in Ember’s honor.” I clear my throat. “You know, candles were her passion, or at least they were about to be. The vigil will be held in front of Suds and Illuminations at sunset. It would be wonderful if you could come.”
He shakes his head as if refusing the invitation.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” That cheesy smile of his rubber bands across his face.
“Flint, you knew Ember well. Was there anyone in her life she was having a disagreement with?” Such as yourself, I want to add, but I bite my tongue instead.
He rocks back on his heels and takes a breath. So many people. Where to begin.
“Hunter, her ex.” He shrugs. “But Hunter’s a nice guy. She took him down pretty hard, but he wasn’t vindictive about it.” Nope. The poor guy was trying to help me get out of that fire-breathing dragon’s way before I was burned alive. I should have