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

Yikes. It’s Gloria and Phoebe and Victor.

Sarah comes out from the kitchen and immediately sees my dilemma. “I’ll take their orders, Lucy.”

“Thanks, but I have to face the music.” I turn and give them my biggest smile. “Good morning, how can I help you?”

“Coffee and a breakfast sandwich,” Phoebe says stiffly.

“Would you like a muffin with that?”

“No muffins for me. Not now and probably not ever.”

My stomach sinks. “Okay. Coming right up.”

Victor is equally frosty.

Gloria is a little friendlier, but not much. “We thought about going to the Morning Side Café. Their biscuits are infinitely superior to the ones here, but why should we deprive ourselves of the view?”

“Thanks… Look, I never meant to hurt anyone. For what it’s worth, I’m really sorry.”

They ignore my apology and take their coffees over to their table. I guess I can’t blame them. In their minds, I made fun of something they truly believe. Which makes me a bully. Or worse.

“Sorry about that, Lucy,” says Sarah. “Is there anything I can do?”

“Not really.”

She pats my shoulder. “It’ll be okay. People will get over it.”

“Eventually?”

“Yeah.” She smiles. “The good news is I signed all the waivers you forwarded me from The Cooking Channel. They have to pick you for Muffin Wars. Otherwise, why go to all the bother to come out here and film us?”

“It does sound pretty positive, doesn’t it?” I don’t want to get my hopes up too much, but on the other hand, this Muffin Wars gig is all I have to look forward to right now.

“By the way,” Sarah says, “we just got a delivery from Armandi’s Supplies.”

“Thank God. I was down to my last cup of flour.” Which is an exaggeration, but still. The Bistro’s pantry was getting pretty skimpy. “Did Tony say why he was so late with the delivery?”

“He said he came by a couple of days ago but we were closed, and you weren’t here.”

“Why does he insist on coming after hours all the time?”

Sarah grins. “I think he’s hoping to catch you alone so he can flirt with you.”

I laugh. “More like show off pictures of his thirteen grandchildren.” Tony Armandi must be at least sixty. He’s a total sweetheart, and his prices are the best for top quality items.

“Say, how’s Paco doing?”

“I called the clinic this morning. According to the vet, he’s good to go. I’m picking him up after the lunch crowd leaves.”

“And it’s for sure that Will is going to take him?”

I nod. “I’m going to have one last night with him then bring him over to Will’s in the morning.”

“Did I just hear my name?”

I turn around and see Will and Sebastian in line.

“The usual?” I ask.