Murder By Muffin (Lucy McGuffin, Psychic Amateur Detective 3)
“Really?”
“Which brings up another question. Why would perfect Heidi and her perfect doughnuts think of quitting a show that she’s so positive she can win?”
“Lucy,” Will says, not bothering to hide his smirk, “are you jealous of Heidi’s doughnuts?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Who prefers doughnuts over muffins anyway?’
“Not me.”
“Good answer.”
The next stop on what I’m now referring to as our truth or consequences tour of Whispering Bay is The Harbor House. I ask the hostess if I can speak to the manager.
“Sorry, but Mr. Dalton is in a meeting right now. If you want to have brunch, I can send him over to your table when he’s through.”
Even though I’m still full from the pancakes we had at Heidi’s, we agree. A little brunch isn’t going to kill us. Since we have Paco with us, we head to the outdoor seating area overlooking the gulf.
Will has avocado toast, and I have the eggs benedict. I’m halfway through my plate when Mark pulls up a seat at our table. He nods at Will and smiles at me in that smarmy way of his. He really does think that he’s God’s gift to womankind. “Hey, Lucy. I heard you wanted to see me?”
“I was just telling Will about my visit to police headquarters the other day.”
Mark shifts uncomfortably in his chair. “That was something, huh? Being dragged out of that meeting.”
“The cops think Tara was poisoned. You wouldn’t happen to know who poisoned her, would you?”
Will kicks me under the table. Ouch. Somehow, I manage to ignore him.
“That’s what you wanted to see me about?” Mark asks indignantly. “To ask me if I knew who killed Tara?”
Exactly. Only I can’t tell him that because it would blow my cover. Knowing Mark, he might tell Travis what I’m up to, and that would certainly put the kibosh on my investigation.
“What do I look like, a cop?” I ask.
“Then what did you want to talk to me about?”
“I, um, came to see if you’d heard anything new about the show? Like if they’ve decided to go through with the taping?” This is so lame I doubt he’ll buy it, but it’s the best I can come up with.
“Gilly says she doubts the network will want to continue the show here in Whispering Bay, so I think that’s pretty much it.” He glances around the crowded patio. “If that’s all you wanted to talk about, then I need to get back to work. I’m taking my wife on an anniversary cruise, and I need to make sure everything here at the restaurant is good to go.”
“A cruise, huh? That’s nice. When are you leaving?”
His brows draw together. “Not that it’s any of your business, Lucy, but we’re driving down to the port of Tampa on Thursday. Now if you’ll excuse me.” He gets up and goes table to table to schmooze with the customers.
“Looks like you’re determined to make friends all over town today,” says Will.
I bend down to rub my sore shin. “FYI, that hurt. What did you kick me for?”
“Are you seriously going to accuse everyone of killing Tara?”
“That’s the plan.”
Will shakes his head like he’s not sure what to do with me. “What’s the verdict?
“Did you notice how neatly Mark evaded my question by asking me a question? Plus, he’s definitely stressed out.”
“Maybe he’s stressed because he has a lot of work to catch up on before he leaves for his vacation. Have you thought about that?”
Of course I have, but I’m not about to admit it to Will.