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

“Oh?”

“Brittany is great. We just…didn’t have a lot to talk about.”

My heart starts thumping wildly. “Maybe the next date will go better.”

He rakes a hand through his hair. “Lucy, about what you said this morning—”

The kitchen door opens. “Hey,” says Sarah. “Travis is here, and he has big news.”

Will and I look at one another. The ER doctor told me that someone needed to stay the night with me to make sure I didn’t develop a concussion. If I ask Will, he’ll do it. We can stay up and watch reruns of America’s Most Vicious Criminals and eat cold pizza and maybe he’ll tell me what he was about to say before Sarah interrupted us.

Travis is surrounded by people, all of whom are showering him with questions about Gloria, including Brittany. She takes one look at me and hugs me almost as tightly as Will just did. “Lucy! Daddy just heard the news from one of the city councilmen, so of course, I had to rush right over here. Are you all right? Oh my God! I can’t believe it. Gloria killed Abby?”

I sigh wearily. “Yep.” I appreciate everyone’s concern, but I’m getting tired of telling the story over and over. I glance at Travis. “So, what’s the news?”

Travis puts his hands up to get the room’s attention. “Everyone, simmer down. Gloria Hightower confessed tonight to killing over ten people in Dallas, as well as Susan Van Dyke and Abby Delgado. She’s going to be charged here in Florida, but I’m sure the Texas authorities are going to want to have their share of her too.”

Everyone starts talking again.

Travis catches my gaze and tilts his head to indicate I follow him. We manage to find a semi-quiet corner of the restaurant. “How’s your head?”

“A little sore but still the same Lucy,” I joke.

“I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”

“For you? Probably a bad thing.”

He fights back a grin. “I stopped by my dad’s place on the way over here to tell him the good news. He’s ecstatic, by the way.”

“I’m glad The Angel of Death case is finally behind him.”

“Thanks to you.”

I raise a brow. This would be my moment to say I told you so. If I wanted to be snarky, but my head aches too much to gloat right now.

“I’m sorry, Lucy. I should have listened to you.”

“Why do I get the feeling that was really hard for you to say?”

“You’re about to get a two for one because I was wrong about something else too.”

“Really? And what would that be?”

“I think I’m turning into a muffin man.”

The deep timbre in his voice makes my girl parts stand up and pay attention.

Holy wow. I think I’m in trouble.

I mean, I love Will. I always have. But I can’t deny that there’s an attraction here with Travis.

He clears his throat. “By the way, my dad told me to give you a message. He said to tell you that he believes you. Any idea what he means by that?”

I smile. “Yep.”

“Care to share it with me?”

“Nope.”