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

“He accidentally got into a bottle of Benadryl,” Lanie says, “but he’s going to be okay.”

“Thank God!”

“I didn’t know you were so into dogs,” I say.

“Oh, it’s not just dogs. I love all animals.”

“Brittany is this year’s chairperson for the annual shelter fundraiser,” says Lanie. “She’s doing a terrific job, by the way.

I give up. Not only is Brittany giving away her prize money to feed the poor, but she’s also a modern-day St. Francis of Assisi. Let’s just go ahead and give her the Nobel Peace Prize while we’re at it.

“Now that the crisis is over, I’m heading out,” Lanie says. “If you need anything, Lucy, just let me know.”

I give Lanie a big hug. “Thank you for all your help. You’ve been awesome.”

“No worries.” She waves goodbye to Brittany and Will before heading out the door.

Which leaves the three of us alone in the waiting room.

“Lucy,” says Brittany, “Will told me all about your special project.”

“My special—oh, you mean the séance?”

“Shh,” she admonishes me, keeping her voice low, “We don’t want the whole town to find out. Will told me what you need, and after some careful deliberation, I’ve decided to help you.”

“You’re going to give me the key to the rec center?” I can hardly believe my own ears. “That’s great—”

“No need to give you the key, silly. Not when I’ll be there to let you in and lock up later.”

“You mean—”

“There’s absolutely no way I’m going to let you have all the fun!” Her brown eyes glow with excitement. “I’m going to be there too. A real honest to goodness séance,” she whisper-giggles. “I can hardly wait!”

Chapter Twenty

The way I see it I have three choices:

A) I could cancel the séance.

/> B) I could go ahead with Brittany’s plan and include her.

Or

C) I could kill Brittany for her key and do the séance without her.

I’m sooooo tempted to pick C or at least some version of it that wouldn’t actually include murder. Maybe I could just steal her key. But then I’d be no better than her (let’s not forget the kindergarten paintbrush incident).

If I want to find out what really happened to Abby Delgado, then I have no choice but to go with B.

After we make plans to meet up tomorrow night at the rec center, we say goodbye to Brittany. I drop Will off at his place then head back home. My apartment that I love so much feels empty and sad without Paco.

Before we left the veterinary clinic, Dr. Brooks let me see him. He was hooked up to an IV, and he looked so small and pitiful. He stared up at me with his big brown eyes, his tail wagging furiously like he was happy to see me. Obviously, he has no idea what a loser I am. At least he doesn’t blame me for his current predicament, but then I’m blaming myself enough for the two of us.

After a fitful night, I wake up groggy, but with a clear plan in mind. I have to get my two suspects, Phoebe and Derrick, to let their guards down and confess to everything they know.

Phoebe won’t be a problem. As head of the Sunshine Ghost Society, she’ll be at the séance. But Derrick? I’m going to have to convince him to participate. Since he’s threatened to have me arrested if I go near him again, it won’t be easy.

It occurs to me that I might have an ally in all this. I fish out the business card that Gloria gave me and call her. We agree to meet at The Bistro after the lunch crowd has waned. I take her up to my apartment so we can have some privacy.