My eyebrows rose. “Me?”

  “Sure. I mean, you did a great job with this case. You’d make a great fraud investigator.”

  “Don’t get me wrong. I’m flattered that you’d think of me, but I like the job I have.”

  “It is pretty nice being your own boss, isn’t it?”

  I nodded. “It sure is.”

  “Just a word of caution. If you do hire any employees at some point, be very careful who you pick. They can turn on you in a heartbeat.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “You know what the crazy part is?”

  “What?”

  “A friend of mine gave me that advice years ago before I started my business. At the time, I took her advice to heart. And yet I still had an employee turn on me.” She groaned. “I guess you can never be too careful.”

  “I hope you get this all sorted out soon.”

  “We’ll see about that,” Denise said. “In the meantime, I need a drink.”

  Chapter Ten

  After Denise got up from her chair and left my office, my co-worker, Lisa, came over to talk to me.

  “You feel like grabbing a bite to eat?” she asked.

  I nodded. “Sure.”

  “Good. Does Mexican food work for you?”

  “When doesn’t it?”

  “I guess you’re right. There’s nothing like a tasty burrito.”

  “And don’t forget those tortilla chips. They are addictive.”

  “Now that my mouth is watering, let’s make some serious tracks. I can feel my stomach rumbling as we speak.”

  I bit the corner of my lip. “Actually, can you give me a minute?”

  “Sure.” She stared at me. “Is everything all right?”

  “Not really.”

  “What’s the matter?”

  “Do you really have to ask? I just uncovered evidence of widespread insurance fraud.”

  “I thought something else might be bothering you.”

  “Isn’t that enough?”

  “It probably should be. But what can I say? I’ve been doing this job long enough that I’ve seen far worse than that.”

  “So have I. Still, some cases are easier to shake off than others.

  “I know what you mean.”

  “Here’s the thing, though. I’m not quite sure why this investigation has gotten under my skin so much.”

  “That’s simple. You have a good heart.”

  “So do you, but you don’t seem all that bothered right now.”

  “Yeah, but I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you have.”

  “I wonder if bad news will become much easier for me to take as I get older.”

  “I don’t know,” she said. “But we can discuss that at the restaurant.”

  I stared into Lisa’s eyes.

  “You’re really hungry, aren’t you?” I asked.

  “I know you think I’m bringing up food to avoid the subject, but that’s not the case.”

  “Not even a little bit?”

  “Melody, let me share a life lesson with you.”

  “All right. What’s the lesson?”

  “Bad news is much easier to digest on a full stomach.”

  “I can’t argue with that.”

  “I’ll go one step further,” Lisa said. “When life gives you lemons, forget lemonade. The real answer is to eat some lemon meringue cake.”

  My eyes got as wide as saucers. “Now I’m the one who is getting really hungry.”

  “Well, naturally. Who doesn’t love dessert?”

  I chuckled. “Leave it to you to bring dessert into the discussion.”

  “Hey, there’s no better way to sweeten up a conversation than by talking about dessert.”

  “True.”

  “And it’s pretty hard to go wrong with cake.”

  I put my hand up. “Correction. It’s impossible to go wrong with cake.”

  Lisa smiled. “I like the way you think.”

  “As long as the cake is from Majestic Cove Bakery.”

  “Well, obviously. Why would anyone go to another bakery?”

  “I can’t think of a single reason.”

  “Neither can I.”

  “And we solve mysteries for a living.”

  Lisa put her hand up. “So, it’s settled then. A burrito for lunch and then some cake for dessert.”

  “That sounds like a plan.”

  Lisa took a playful tone as she replied, “Now that we’ve made some very important plans, it’s time to get up. I’m hungrier than ever.”

  I got up and headed toward the door. As we got ready to leave the office, my mood improved.

  “I have to say, the prospect of getting some cake has me feeling better already,” I remarked.

  “I’m happy to hear that,” Lisa said. “Now, let’s eat.”

  The End.

  Truffles, Tirades, and Trouble

  Chapter One

  “I need your help,” Amy Dearborn said.

  What a way for a phone conversation to start. Amy didn’t mess around. She didn’t have time for small talk. She just got straight to the point.

  I didn’t blame her. If I was in the same position as she was, I would do the same thing. She had just been dealt a terrible blow. The police had arrested her for the murder of Connor Taggart. The story was all over the news. And why wouldn’t it be? Murders rarely took place in Majestic Cove.

  We lived in a relatively small town. There were only about twenty-five thousand full-time residents. The locals weren’t used to things like homicide investigations. Majestic Cove was known as an idyllic little coastal tourist town.

  This murder had really turned Majestic Cove upside down. It would be the lead story on the news for weeks. Or even months.

  In Amy’s case, the homicide investigation could spell the end for her. There was a very real chance that she could spend the rest of her life in prison.

  While my heart certainly went out to her, I was also quite confused. Of all the people that she could have phoned right then, I didn’t quite understand why she had called me. If anything, she should have called her lawyer. Then again, perhaps she already did that. Maybe I was her second call. There was one way of finding out.

  “I’m so sorry about what happened to you,” I said.

  “Melody, I’m not looking for sympathy. I need your assistance.”

  “Don’t get me wrong. I’d be happy to help you out. I just don’t know what you want me to do. I’m a private investigator, not a lawyer.”

  “I understand that. Besides, I already have a lawyer.”

  “I hope you have a really good one.”

  “I do. He came highly rated.”

  “That’s nice to hear.”

  “And he’s going to do everything he can to defend me. But there’s some things that he can’t do.”

  “Like what?”

  “That’s where you come in. I want to hire you.”

  “To do what?”

  “To prove I’m innocent.”

  My jaw dropped when she said that. I went silent for a few seconds.

  The line went quiet long enough that Amy became concerned that the call had dropped.

  “Melody, are you still there?” she asked.

  “Yeah. I’m just in shock,” I replied. “How am I supposed to prove that you’re innocent?”

  “By finding the real killer.”

  Amy’s statement gave me pause. During my time as a private investigator, I had worked on all sorts of different cases, dealing with a wide range of topics. This would be a new one for me.

  Without a doubt, it had much higher stakes than I was used to. Was I up to the challenge? Or would this be too much for me? What if I failed? How could I live with myself knowing that Amy depended on me to come through for her?

  Amy pulled my head out of the clouds.

  “So, will you help me?” Amy asked.

  “You need to give me a minute. I’m still trying to process what you just said to me.”

  “I understand. But don’t take too long. I don’t have a lot of time.”

  “Right. Of course. Like I said, though, just give me a second. I’m in shock.”

  “Trust me. You’re not the only one. How do you think I feel? I have been arrested for a crime that I didn’t commit.”

  “That’s so terrible. I can’t imagine what you’re going through.”

  “It’s horrifying. I feel like my entire life is over. And that you’re the only person who can get it back for me.”

  “Amy, that’s a lot of pressure to put on me. Especially since I haven’t even said yes. After all, I’ve never taken a case like this before.”

  “I guess we’re both in uncharted waters right now.”

  “Good point. Still, I generally don’t like to take a case unless I feel like I can do the job well.”

  “And you don’t think you can find Connor’s real killer?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know.”

  “It’s nice that you’re being truthful with me.”

  “I definitely can’t guarantee anything.”

  “I wouldn’t expect you to,” Amy said. “Honestly, I know this is a long shot. That you might come up short. But I still want you to try. Wouldn’t you do the same if you were in my position?”

  “Probably.”

  “That’s exactly my point.”

  “What does your lawyer think about this?”

  “He thinks we can use all of the help that we can get.”

  “How about the police detective? Have you spoken with him?”

  “Not about hiring you. Honestly, there’s no point in talking to that detective anyway.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because he won’t listen to me. I told him I’m not a killer. That I had nothing to do with Connor’s death. But he won’t believe me. Why do you think I’m so desperate for your help?”

  “What a nightmare.”

  “It’s worse than that. Nightmares are things that you can wake up from. This is just my life now. That’s why I need you. Will you help me out?”

  Chapter Two

  I agreed to meet with Amy. As I drove over to the police station, I was very introspective. I hated turning down work. To start, that was no way to run a business. After all, I had bills to pay. On the flip side, like I mentioned to Amy on the phone, I tried not to disappoint my clients.

  It was rare for it to happen, but I had rejected a few jobs over the years. Each time, it was because the client was asking for results that I was incapable of providing.

  I was not at that stage with Amy, but this case definitely fell into the danger zone. With an investigation like this, where there was a low probability that I would succeed, it was important to be upfront about it. I wasn’t about to make any guarantees.

  The more I thought about this investigation, the more I realized it had the makings of an incredibly rough case.

  When I arrived at the police station, I signed in with the front desk clerk. As a deputy led me back to the cell block, we walked by Detective Scott Webster’s desk.

  I was hoping that my friend would be in the break room.

  He wasn’t.

  Scott was sitting at his desk, looking at his laptop. When he glanced up at me, he nearly did a double-take. Especially when I didn’t stop at his desk.

  “Melody, what are you doing here?” Scott asked.

  “Amy wants to talk to me,” I said.

  I kept my response intentionally vague. If I had gone into detail with him, I knew he’d want to get into an in-depth conversation with me. It might even lead to some arguing. It was crucial to avoid that. Especially right then.

  I already had enough on my plate without arguing with the detective. Besides, I hated disagreeing with a friend.

  I knew I’d have to speak in detail with Scott eventually, but if I could put it off a little while longer, that would be great.

  “What does she want to talk to you about?” Scott asked.

  Uh-oh. Was he going to force the issue with me?

  “I’ll tell you about it later,” I said.

  Would Scott let me skate by with that vague reply, or would he insist on getting details from me?

  He certainly looked like he wanted to fire ten different questions at me.

  I was pretty sure that he was going to stop me from heading over to the cell block.

  Thankfully, he kept them to himself. He let me head over to the block without explaining myself further.

  A sense of relief washed over me. At least, temporarily. Right then, I had other things to stress out about.

  Scott knew that. Maybe that was why he gave me a pass. The question became, what would he do when I came out of the cell block later?

  Knowing the detective, he would probably be waiting for me when I finished up my conversation with Amy. His curiosity would most likely get the best of him.

  If our roles were reversed, I would definitely want to know what was up. Even so, I definitely wasn’t looking forward to that conversation. I was used to being in agreement with him.

  This case would put us on opposite sides. We would almost be squaring off against each other.

  Would that lead to us clashing? Or would he just let me conduct my own independent investigation without interfering?

  I would find out soon enough.

  In the meantime, I needed to talk to Amy.

  ***

  When I arrived at Amy’s cell, she was pacing back and forth. She looked as nervous as could be. I didn’t blame her. The cell was small. And cold. And creepy. A shiver went down my spine as I walked through the block. It was hard to overstate just how uncomfortable I felt being there, and I wasn’t even behind bars.

  I couldn’t imagine how terrible it felt to actually be inside a cell. Hopefully, I would never have to experience anything like that. Then again, Amy probably felt the exact same way. Yet, she was stuck behind bars.

  When she spotted me, she stopped pacing and went right up to the door of the cell. There was a desperate look in her eyes. While I had been quietly contemplating the drab conditions of this cell block, I knew that Amy’s focus was on the big picture. With good reason. If she got convicted of murder, she would probably be given a life sentence. The odds were that she’d end up dying in jail. That she’d never be a free woman again. That was a terrifying possible future to be grappling with.

  No wonder she was so happy to see me.

  “Thanks for coming so quickly,” Amy said.

  “Of course,” I replied.

  “I’m so glad that you agreed to meet with me.”

  “Like I said before, I can start an investigation, but I can’t make any guarantees—”

  Amy stopped me before I could finish my sentence. “You’ll get results. I just know it.”

  I squinted. “I’m not sure how you can be so confident about that.”

  “Because you have to. I’m counting on you. You’re my last hope.”

  I put my hand up. “You mean, except for your lawyer?”

  She shook her head. “No. I meant, overall. The way I see it, you’re my only shot of getting out of here.”

  “Why? Did something happen with your lawyer?”

  “He was really honest with me about my chances of getting an acquittal in court,” Amy replied. “In fact, he was brutally honest with me.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He told me that he was going to do everything in his power to get an acquittal, but the probability of that happening was extremely low.”

  “He really said that?”

  Amy nodded. “That isn’t all. He also told me that there’s only so much he can do. According to him, the police have a strong case against me. As it stands, it will probably be difficult to convince a jury that I’m innocent.”

  My eyes widened. “Wow. That’s the last thing you want to hear from your lawyer.”

  Amy grimaced. “Tell me about it.”

  “He didn’t hold anything back, did he?” I asked.

  “Not at all,” Amy replied. “In a way, I appreciate that. I don’t want to get my hopes up for nothing. On the other hand, I now realize that my situation is more desperate than ever. That’s why I feel like you’re my only hope.”

  “That’s a lot of pressure to put on me.”

  “I know. And I hate to do that to you, but I’m just being honest. There doesn’t seem to be any reason to skirt around the truth.”

  “I suppose you’re right.”

  “Besides, I believe in you, Melody. You came through for me before. You can do it again.”

  “You have to admit. The circumstances are a little different this time.”

  “True, but the goal is the same. To find out the truth. Connor’s killer is out there. Somewhere,” she said.

  I took a deep breath as I processed all of this news.

  Amy continued. “So, are you up to the challenge?”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “That’s all I can ask for.”

  “I’ll say this, though. If I’m going to have any chance of pulling this off, I’m going to need some things from you.”

  “Trust me. I’m going to pray like there is no tomorrow. Because for me, there might not be.”

  “Make no mistake. Prayer is important. But that wasn’t what I was talking about.”

  “Oh. What were you referring to then?”

  “Information. I want as many details as possible. Tell me anything that comes to your mind that might help me find Connor’s killer.”

  “I can do that.”

  “Good,” I replied. “Also, there’s something about all of this that I don’t get.”

  “What is it?”

  “Based on the information that I’ve already obtained, a neighbor reported seeing you running from Connor’s place around the time of the murder.”

  “They did?”

  I nodded.

  She grimaced.

  “Which leads me to wonder, is there something you aren’t telling me?” I asked.

  She lowered her head.

  I spoke up again. “Amy, if I’m going to help you, I need to know the truth. No matter how ugly it might be.”

  She took a deep breath and responded, “I was at Connor’s house the night he died, but I didn’t kill him.”