Page 81 of The Bitter Heir and the Beauty

He narrows his eyes. “Ambrette? Funny, she told me her name is Emberly Jacobi.”

“Nothing funny about it. More like juicy,” Molly says, exiting the cruiser.

Jesse wears an apologetic expression. “Miss Hazelwood is doing a ride-along. Came out here to check on things after finding the stolen car. Didn’t think we’d walk into a domestic dispute.”

If my cousin is surprised to see he’s a law officer, she doesn’t reveal it, but he’s right about one thing. Wherever Ambrette is, comes trouble. Never fails.

She simpers a smile. “Jesse Break-the-Law-Son. On the other side of the law now, huh?”

“The right side,” he says.

Maddock starts pacing. “I can’t help but feel like this is some kind of small-town setup. Explain what’s going on.”

“It is a small town,” Molly says.

“But I was hoping you were going to do the explaining.” I’m not sure what to think other than Leonie is going to fuss soon ... and apparently, my mother wasn’t lying. In her letters, she said that Ambrette was back in town and had pulled the con of a lifetime—she called it the Brooklyn Bridge Sale, but I’m not sure she sold anything other than a lie to Maddock. Given his surprise and the false identity my cousin gave him, the elements of her scam start to come together in my mind. I should’ve known, but I thought that was all behind me.

Ambrette bats her eyelashes at Maddock. “What can I say, I found myself a hot firefighter.”

His jaw ticks. I bounce Leonie on my hip so she doesn’t fuss, but she reaches for Maddock, her father?

Rapid fire, I ask, “Did you elope? Have a big Southern affair? Is Leonie his?” Possibilities take share in the part of my mind that kept track of my mother’s schemes.

She shakes her head once, twice, and then nods all while wearing a wicked smile.

My cousin is known for doing crazy things—not the most stable member of the family. Then again, none of them were. Mama, Ambrette, and my mother’s twin sister are all on the wrong side of the law. Aunt Babie—short for Babette—committed high-class crimes while Mama preferred to keep it down home. Looks like Ambrette decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps after all.

“Well, isn’t this a real kick in the pants,” I mutter.

Tallula pulls into the driveway and without a word, she takes Leonie and whisks her into the house. Jesse must’ve called backup of the non-officer kind.

Ambrette says, “I’m here because I miss you, Macksie. I thought we could try again.”

He says, “The Titanic lie is sinking. There is still time to jump ship.”

Hands on my hips, I say, “Y’all have about two seconds to start talking or heads are going to roll.”

Maddock, mirroring my posture, says, “I was going to say the same thing.”

Even though I’m stunned beyond belief, and don’t know who’s duping who, we remain a united front. Sort of. Jesse and Molly are also here and I sense that whatever happens, they’ve got my back.

Rising to her feet, my cousin rolls her fingers on the handrail and looks us both over as if assessing who’s more gullible.

“Out with it, Ambrette,” I say, voice low and full of warning.

“Ooh. Look who’s tough now. Sweet little Honey who was too afraid to pull off jobs, all big and bad, making threats.” She snorts.

I fire back, “I wasn’t afraid. What you and my mother were doing was illegal and morally bankrupt.” Okay, maybe I was a little afraid ... of them.

Ambrette glances at Jesse in his sheriff’s uniform. “You were just as involved. I have proof.”

Our deputy sheriff coughs into his hand. “Statute of limitations.”

Meanwhile, Molly scribbles down notes.

Ambrette gestures to the chateau, and then her gaze lands on Maddock. “For starters, none of this is yours.”

As if already annoyed by her antics, he sighs and says, “Do tell.”

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