Beach Blanket Homicide (Lucy McGuffin, Psychic Amateur Detective 1)

Will, on the other hand, is…

Honestly, I really can't be objective when it comes to Will because I've been in love with him ever since I was seven and he saved me from a pack of ravenous squirrels.

He's handsome in a quiet, smart kind of way (think Henry Cavill playing Clark Kent), loves to read (he’s a librarian), and has a great sense of humor. Plus, he always smells delicious. Like the freshly printed pages in a brand new book you want to put up to your face and inhale.

He’s also the only person I’ve never caught in a lie.

Which isn’t to say that Will doesn’t lie, because I’m sure he does. But I absolutely cannot tell. Which can only mean one thing.

He must be my soul mate.

Too bad he’s never gotten on board with that. To Will, I’m nothing more than Sebastian’s geeky little sister with the frizzy dark hair and glasses. He wears glasses too, but on him, they look sexy.

Technically, Will is Sebastian’s best friend, but when Sebastian went away to seminary, Will and I started hanging out, and over the years, he’s become my best friend too.

Three months ago, Will loaned me the money for my share of the down payment to buy this place. Which was awfully nice of him, but it also means I'm in his debt and I won't feel like things are square between us until I've paid him back every single penny. He's the head librarian at the Whispering Bay Public Library, so he makes a decent living, but he's not rich.

When I asked him where he got the money, he told me a relative left it to him, but the whole thing felt fuzzy. Was it a lie? Maybe. Maybe not. Like I said, I can't tell.

They order their lunch from Sarah, who’s working the counter, and I turn my attention back to Abby. “If you don’t like the tuna, I’ll be happy to get you something else. But I’m pretty sure you did order it. Just sayin’.”

She’s about to protest when I hear a squeaking sound. I look down at the large tote laying on the seat next to her and I swear, it moves.

She notices my reaction. “The tuna sandwich is fine. No problem. Just move along.” To emphasize her point, she shoos me away with her hand.

Apparently, hiding whatever is in the bag is more important to her than the chance for a free sandwich.

I continue staring at the bag and, yes, there is definitely something alive in there. You didn’t need any special skills here to figure out that she’s lying.

“Hey, Lucy Goosey.” Will plunks his tall frame down at the table adjacent from Abby’s.

My brother kisses me on the cheek in greeting, and as usual, a solemn hush descends upon the café as the rest of the patrons murmur their hellos. He makes a sweeping gesture to the crowd (I think he's practicing in case he's Pope one day) then spies Abby and nods curtly. "Miss Delgado, how are you?"

“Father McGuffin,” Abby replies coldly. “I’d be perfectly fine. If a certain person would only do his job.”

Sebastian stiffens. “We’ve been through this before. I’m not the kind of priest who performs exorcisms.”

Exorcisms?

A vision of Linda Blair and all that disgusting pea soup flashes through my brain. Ugh.

“Then maybe St. Perpetua’s needs a real priest,” she says. “Maybe I should contact the bishop. I’m sure he’d have a thing or two to say about your behavior.”

“I didn’t know you were Catholic,” I say to Abby.

“Well, there you go. You don’t know everything, do you?”

I'm about to give in and ask Abby why on earth she needs an exorcism performed when I hear a yipping sound. Will hears it too because he points to her tote and asks, "You got a dog in there?"

Abby picks up the bag as if to move it, but a little tan head pushes its way out.

“Oh!” I automatically go to pull the dog out of the tote, but Abby snatches up the little pup and presses it against her bosom. He licks her chin and she smiles down at him, which is kind of a miracle because Abby isn’t a smiley kind of person.

"He's my…service animal." The dog is maybe fifteen pounds. He looks like a Chihuahua, only bigger.

“Okay, but you know, we allow dogs here at The Bistro. There’s no reason to hide him.” I scratch his ears and he licks the back of my hand. He's looking at me with soulful brown eyes that smack of intelligence. I nearly melt into the floor, he’s so dang cute.

I’ve always wanted a dog, but I’m allergic to fur, so, there you go.