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

They both nod.

“I’ll get their food ready, Lucy. Why don’t you take a break?” says Sarah.

Gratefully, I take her up on her offer. I pour myself a cup of coffee and join Will and my brother at a table as far away from the Sunshine Ghost Society as physically possible.

“Get any sleep last night?” Will asks.

“A little.” I glance at my brother. “I suppose like the rest of the town you already know all about last night?”

Sebastian smiles in his kindly priest way, which means he must really feel sorry for me. “It’ll blow over.”

“Eventually.” It seems as if that’s my word of the day.

“How’s Paco?” Will asks.

“Good. I’m picking him up from the clinic in a few hours. Thanks for letting me have one last night.”

“He’s really your dog, Lucy. I’ll just be watching him for you.”

“That’s not really true.” Boy, do I ever sound like a Debbie Downer. I do my best to smile and mean it. “So tonight’s the big date with Brittany. Don’t forget to put on deodorant.”

Instead of laughing, Will makes a pained face. “I’m not sure tonight’s going to happen. Brittany is pretty mad at me. She thinks I was in on the fake séance, which I was. I guess I can’t blame her for being upset.”

“But…that’s all on me!”

“No worries, Luce. It’s not like I ever really stood a chance with her anyway.”

My eyeballs practically explode out of my sockets. “Are you kidding me?” I shout. “What do you mean you never stood a chance with her? Will…you’re completely awesome! You’re brilliant and funny and kind and loyal and—”

Sebastian looks at me funny.

And Will looks…embarrassed.

I slowly gaze around. The entire place is gawking at me. My gaze lands on Sarah. Her blue eyes are filled with sympathy.

“And…your breath only stinks half the time,” I end woodenly.

Will chuckles uncomfortably, but it’s too late. I’ve outed myself.

Sebastian knows it. I know it.

And Will knows it too.

This is turning out to be the worst twenty-four hours of my life.

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I jump up from the table. “Don’t worry. I can fix it. I’ll tell Brittany that last night was all on me.”

“Lucy, it’s okay,” I hear Will say.

But I’m already halfway to the kitchen. I tear off my apron and toss it onto the counter. Sarah rushes to follow me. “I need to go,” I tell her. “Right now.”

“Yes, no worries. Go get Paco. Take the rest of the day off.”

“Thanks,” I mutter. I plan to do exactly that, but first I have to try and make things right again.

The Whispering Bay Chamber of Commerce is located on Main Street next door to Heidi’s Bakery. I open the door and Ginny, the receptionist, automatically smiles. Then when she sees it’s me, the smile fades.