Murder By Muffin (Lucy McGuffin, Psychic Amateur Detective 3)

The doorbell rings, causing Paco to sit up and bark happily as opposed to his I’m-gonna-get-whoever’s-at-the-front-door bark. It’s like he knows there’s a friend waiting to come inside.

Dad lays down his napkin. “I’ll get it.”

He comes back a minute later with Travis. He’s out of uniform, so he isn’t on the clock. “Sorry to interrupt, folks,” he says, nodding to everyone at the table, “but I need to speak to Lucy.”

“Now?” Mom tsks. “Certainly not. She’s eating dinner. Pull up a seat and join us.”

“Oh, he can’t,” I say. “Travis is on a special diet. He’s training for a big 10K run next month.” I know I’m being childish, but I can’t help myself. I nod toward the kitchen. “We can talk in there.”

But Mom isn’t about to let anyone escape from her Sunday dinner table. “Not so fast, young lady. There’s nothing Travis has to say to you that he can’t say in front of your family. And what’s wrong with my beef stroganoff?”

“You might as well sit down and eat, or Molly will hold it against you for the rest of your life,” Dad tells Travis.

Travis eyes the beef stroganoff like a hungry castaway on Survivor. “Thanks. I’d love to stay.” He plops himself down at the table across from me.

“Glad that’s settled.” Mom shoos me off with her hand. “Lucy, go get an extra plate and some utensils.” Since this isn’t a request, I go ahead and do as I’m told.

Dad fills Travis’s plate with enough food for two starving men. “So, how do you like Whispering Bay? Must be quite a change from Dallas.”

“It is,” says Travis, “but I’m growing to like it.” He looks my way. “Quite a bit as a matter of fact.”

I feel my cheeks go pink. Ack. I hope no one notices.

“I think it’s wonderful how you moved here to be close to your father,” says Mom. “Isn’t it, Lucy?”

“Yeah, it’s great.”

Travis’s father, Jim, is a retired homicide detective and a widower. He came out here to live a few months ago, and Travis, who’s his only child, followed. Jim is one of the few people who know about my gift. Normally, I would never have confided something so personal to a near stranger, but from the instant I met Jim, he felt like a kindred spirit.

“So what kind of schedule do they have you on?” Will asks Travis. “We haven’t seen you on the court in a while.”

Travis and Will play in the same basketball league. When Travis first moved to town a month ago, it seemed like the two of them were going to be fast friends, but lately, I’ve noticed Will hasn’t mentioned him as much.

“Yeah, I’m pulling a lot of night shifts. Low man on the totem pole, you know?”

“Well, I hope your schedule allows you some socialization,” Mom says. “I know when we spoke last, you said you didn’t have time to join Young Catholic Singles, but look at Lucy! She’s busy with her restaurant, and she still finds the time for important activities. Plus,” she adds slyly, “you never know where you’re going to meet the one. Young Catholic Singles is where I met George, and look how well that turned out!”

If my face went pink before, it’s red now. I need to clear this up before I end up in hell for lying to my mom.

“So, Mom, I kind of had to … drop out of the group.” You can’t drop out of something you were never a part of, but if I tell her that, she’ll have a stroke.

“Drop out of what group? You mean—”

“I’m not part of Young Catholic Singles.” I cringe, waiting for what, I’m not quite sure, but I feel like it’s going to be epic. This is going to be worse than the time back in fourth grade when I dropped out of Girl Scouts while Mom was still the leader. Worse than when I told her I wasn’t going to become a teacher (Mom’s life plan for me). Worse than—

“Lucy isn’t part of Young Catholic Singles,” says Travis, “because she’s not exactly single anymore. She and I are dating.”

What?

“Well!” Mom whips around in her seat. “Lucy, why didn’t you say something before? This is wonderful!”

“Um, actually—”

“Lucy wanted to keep it quiet for now,” says Travis. “It’s still in the early stages. Right, sweetheart?”

I smile weakly, because what else can I do?

Brittany claps like this is the best thing ever. “Awesome! But Lucy,” she scolds playfully, “I’m your best friend. You should have told me.”