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

Am I supposed to talk?

Is Gloria?

Just when I’m beginning to get antsy, Gloria begins. “Abby, dear friend, sister, and faithful colleague, we’re gathered here tonight in hopes that you will speak to us from the Great Beyond. Come, Abby, be with us once more as you were in life. We beseech you to come out from the shadows and join us.”

Silence.

O-kay. This is my cue to—

“Derrick?” a female voice asks hesitantly. “It’s me, Abby.”

Chills shoot up my spine, but not because we’ve made contact with Abby. It’s Gloria disguising her voice, pretending to be Abby.

I don’t know why I’m so disappointed in Gloria, but I am. I knew this séance was a sham, but I figured that at least she believed in it, but no. She knows exactly what she’s doing. I can hear the lie in her fake voice.

“Abby?” Derrick asks gruffly. “Is that really you?”

“Yes, brother. It’s me.”

I’m surprised that Derrick is so gullible. I figured he would be a tough nut to convince. Maybe his guilty conscience is making him extra stupid.

“We’ve just made contact with Abby,” says Gloria

, using her own voice again. “Her spirit is willing to speak to us, but the connection is weak. I need everyone to keep their eyes closed and to concentrate on Abby. Those of you who were present when they discovered her mortal remains, think of that moment. Draw her spirit into yours.”

Brittany squeezes my hand. Her eyes are shut tight like she’s trying hard to do what Gloria wants.

“Derrick,” says Gloria, using the fake Abby voice again, “I’m so glad you’re here. We have a lot of unfinished business between us.”

“We do?”

“I want you to know that despite our differences, I’ve always cared about you. I’ve always loved you.”

“Same here, Abby.” Derrick’s voice trembles like he’s on the verge of tears.

Gloria is good at this fake talking to the dead thing if she can bring a hardened character like Derrick Delgado to tears.

“And Phoebe?”

“Yes, Abby?” There’s fear in Phoebe’s voice, which can only mean one thing. Just like I’ve suspected this whole time, she’s guilty of something.

“I forgive you.”

“Oh, Abby! Thank you! Thank you so much!”

Hold on a minute.

As entertaining as all this is, it isn’t going the way I intended. I’m the one who called for this séance. It’s my spirit Abby is supposed to be linked to. Not Gloria’s. I can’t very well have “Abby” forgive Phoebe for something until I know what it is and how it might have caused her death.

I think back to the last time I saw Ghost. How did Whoopi do it again? Oh, yeah. She just jumped right in.

“Derrick,” I say, trying to sound trancelike. “It’s Abby again. I’ve decided to talk to you through Lucy McGuffin, who, as everyone knows, makes the best muffins in town. Lucy, thank you for finding my body. I didn’t like being left alone on this cold hard floor for so long.”

A collective gasp sweeps throughout the room.

“What…what do you want, Abby?” Derrick asks.

“I want to thank you for stealing Cornelius for me. He’s such a sweet little dog. I miss him.”