said, eyeing the spoon in case her mother decided to use it as punishment like she did when Lily was a kid. Although Daisy had never actually smacked her daughter's bare bottom with it, the mere suggestion had kept Lily on a straight path. "So you think they did it as an insurance scam?"
"Absolutely. And now it seems they're doing it again." She clicked her tongue as she spooned muffin mixture into the tray holes. "Some people are just dishonest. And don't fling your father's name back at me," she said with a wave of the spoon. "He at least was an honest thief."
Lily rolled her eyes. There was an argument she was never going to win.
"So what do you think I should do?" she asked. "Get a good lawyer? Hire a private investigator?"
"All lawyers are scum and private investigators aren't much better than cops. If I were you, I'd leave the country."
"Mom! I can't leave the country. I have my business to take care of. And who'll look after you in your old age?"
Daisy sighed as she filled the last of the muffin holes. "I was joking, Lil. No need to bring my age into this."
"No jokes. I'm about to go to jail for something I didn't do."
"That'll make you the first McAllister ever."
"Mom!"
"Alright, I'm being serious now." She opened the oven door and slid the tray in. "You said the cops visited you last night to question you." She closed the door and joined her daughter at the kitchen table, bringing the bowl and spoon with her. She handed the bowl to Lily. "Do you know who it was? Is he crooked? If you're not sure, I can find out."
They'd come to the part Lily wanted to avoid even though she knew all along she'd have to tell her mother. "Yes, I know him and no he's not crooked. Not even a little kink. It was Luke."
Her mother's gaze met hers, assessing, no doubt looking for an indication her daughter still held feelings for Luke. Lily gave her nothing. Or hoped she didn't.
Daisy humphed and licked the spoon. "That's not good."
"Why?" Lily asked, running her finger around the inside of the bowl to scoop out as much leftover mixture as she could.
"I don't trust him."
"Why not?" Lily licked her finger. Mmmm, apple cinnamon.
"He's a cop."
"Any other reason?"
"Yes,” Daisy said quietly. “He broke your heart."
For the first time since her arrival that morning, Lily saw a chink in her mother's tough shell. "I thought you were happy we broke up. I recall you saying something about me being too good for the likes of him."
"You were. Are. And I was happy." She looked away. "I think." She shrugged. "It doesn't matter. All water under the bridge now that it's over between you two. But whatever I think of him, if he's your only chance at getting out of this then I'm afraid he's just become my new favorite person." She pointed the wooden spoon at Lily. "Don't tell anyone I said that. Especially him."
Lily smiled but it quickly vanished. "Don't worry. I don't think he and I will be doing much talking at all." She made a face at the bowl. It was almost clean. "Because I kind of screwed up. We can strike him off our list of people who'll help."
Daisy shook her head and licked the wooden spoon. "What did you do? Or should that be, what did you say?"
Lily was about to deny it but knew she'd been caught. Lying to her mother had never been something she was good at. Actually, lying in general had been her lousiest subject. That made her quite unique amongst the McAllister clan, and somewhat of an outcast.
"I kind of kicked him out before we resolved anything," she said. "He said he believed me though, so that's a good thing right?"
Daisy said nothing, just licked her spoon and looked doubtful.
"I'm sure he'll try to convince his superior officers that I didn't do anything wrong," Lily continued. "All he has to do is put the squeeze on the Haywood-Smiths and they'll admit everything and I'll be off the