“Of course not.”

  “Let me tell you. The answer isn’t nearly as fascinating as you seem to think it is.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that.”

  “All right. It’s settled then. When the smoke is finally clear with this case, I’ll take you out to dinner.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  “Same here. In the meantime, I need to be getting back to the police station.”

  “What a coincidence. That’s exactly where I’m headed too.”

  He put his hands on his hips. “Is that so?”

  “Naturally,” I said.

  He squinted. “Why? What business do you have there?”

  “I’m going to be there when you set Amy free. I want to see the look on her face,” I said. “That will be an incredible moment.”

  Chapter Two

  As expected, Amy Dearborn’s expression was priceless. When Scott let Amy out of her jail cell, she wanted to do one thing more than any other. She headed for the front door of the police station and took a step outside. Getting some fresh air was her top priority. With good reason. She had been trapped in a cell for days. Talk about a claustrophobic environment. Prison was what nightmares were made of.

  Being outside was a small thing, but it made such a big difference in her life. Not just because the scenery was different. Or because the air wasn’t stale like it was in prison.

  What really defined the moment for her was the fact that she could do whatever she wanted. She could get up and move around. She didn’t have any restrictions. She was free.

  After taking a few deep breaths, she turned around and gave me a big hug. Not just any hug, though. She held me incredibly tight.

  “Thank you so much,” she said.

  As she pulled back from the hug, it looked like she was going to break into tears. Not of sadness, but of joy. Ultimately, she managed to keep herself from crying, but just barely.

  “You’re very welcome,” I said.

  “I can’t believe it. You really did it. You got me out of there.”

  “You sound surprised.”

  “I am,” Amy replied. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I know I hired you to prove my innocence, but I also knew that I was asking a lot from you. As I was sitting in my cell, I had to be honest with myself about the possibility that I might spend the rest of my life in jail.”

  “What a terrifying scenario.”

  “It sure was. But thanks to you, I don’t have to worry about that anymore. I have my life back.”

  “How great does that feel?”

  “You have no idea what a relief it is.”

  “I’ll bet.”

  “Suddenly, I’m looking at life in a completely different light. I feel like I have a second chance. And I’m not going to take that for granted.”

  “I’m happy to hear that.”

  “I’m also going to pay you back for everything that you did for me.”

  “That’s not necessary.”

  “Yes, it is. I owe you.”

  “I was just doing my job.”

  “Melody, your work is the only reason that I’m not in prison right now. That can’t be overstated.”

  “If you say so.”

  “Seriously. If there is anything I can do for you, please let me know.”

  “I don’t suppose you have the money to treat me to a Hawaiian vacation, do you?” I asked.

  Amy shook her head.

  “That’s what I figured,” I said.

  “But I can start saving up.”

  “That’s not necessary,” I said. “The real question is, what are you going to do now that you’re out of jail?”

  Amy stared off into the distance. “I’m going to take a beach day, that’s for sure.”

  “Good call. It’s hard to go wrong with a relaxing day at the beach.”

  “After that, I’m going to start packing.”

  “For what? Where are you going?”

  “I’m going to leave Majestic Cove for good.”

  My eyes widened. “Are you serious?”

  Amy nodded. “Absolutely. I’m leaving this town for good and I’m never going to look back.”

  “I can’t say that I blame you.”

  “It just seems like it’s the only way to carry on. I mean, I can’t just go back to life as normal. To return to my house. My job. My simple life here. I need to do more.”

  “Like what?”

  “Honestly, there’s an entire list of things that I want to see and do before I die. Ironically, they all seemed to pop into my mind while I was trapped in that jail cell.”

  “The universe does have a strange sense of humor, doesn’t it?”

  “Tell me about it. I spent days contemplating all of the activities that I would never be able to take part in. Now that I’m free, I’m going to do everything in my power to see the world. To live life to the fullest.”

  “It sounds like this was a real wakeup call for you.”

  “It was.”

  “In that case, I hope you go out and do some amazing things.”

  “That’s the plan.”

  “I wish you the best of luck.”

  “Thanks,” she said. “Honestly, it will also be nice to put Majestic Cove in my rearview mirror for another reason. If I stayed here, I don’t know if I’d ever be able to get over the trauma of being wrongfully imprisoned.”

  “Maybe not.”

  “Meanwhile, a fresh start could do me some good.”

  “I think you’re right. I’m really curious to see what the future holds for you.”

  “So am I. But before I get too far ahead of myself, I want to get myself a treat.”

  “I like the sound of that.”

  “Good. Because I’m paying.”

  “You’ll get no argument from me. What do you have in mind?”

  “Something really tasty. I haven’t eaten any good food in days.”

  “That isn’t exactly surprising, given the fact that you’ve been in prison.”

  Amy chuckled. “I know, right? Jail isn’t known for having wonderful food.”

  “That’s putting it lightly. It’s known for having nothing but lousy food. It’s right up there with hospital food.”

  “Which is all the more reason to eat something incredible.”

  “I’m all ears.”

  “I was thinking of getting some ice cream.”

  “Wow. You’re going straight to dessert, huh?”

  “Why bother messing around when we can dig right in to the good stuff?”

  “I like the way you think.”

  “Great,” Amy said. “Ice cream, here we come.”

  Chapter Three

  After the celebratory dessert, I probably should have skipped going to Majestic Cove Bakery the following morning. I knew that my scale was already mad at me. Why wouldn’t it be? I had indulged in a number of treats lately. Deservedly so. If ever there was a reason to celebrate, it was because I had solved a murder and had saved an innocent woman from getting sentenced to life in prison.

  Even though I had earned the treats, it didn’t change the fact that the gym was calling my name. Eating more pastries would only dig myself a deeper dietary hole. The treadmill didn’t care why I had gone a little dessert crazy. It just wanted me to burn off calories.

  I would definitely get back to a regular gym routine. That said, I also needed breakfast. I suppose I could have scrambled some eggs and toasted some bread, but I instinctively got dressed, jumped into my car, and headed over to my favorite bakery.

  There was a good reason for that. I told myself that my diet could be put off for another day. Also, I went to the bakery to do more than just eat pastries. My good friend, Kristina Fowler, happened to run the place. There was a social component at play. With all of the tense conversations that I had been a part of lately, I wanted to just catch up with a friend.

  Kristina greeted me with a smile as I entered the bakery. I was curious how things were going in her life.

  After I ordered a muffin, we made some small talk.

  “It’s so nice to see things finally getting back to normal,” Kristina Fowler said.

  “What, you don’t like it when things get crazy around here?” I cracked.

  “Don’t even joke about that,” she replied. “Although, I have to admit, it was good for business.”

  “Really?”

  She nodded. “The more that people panicked, the busier it got in here. It turns out that stress makes people crave comfort food. At least, that’s my theory.”

  “It makes sense.”

  “Coincidentally, while customers came here to relieve their stress with a little snack, the extra crowds ended up making me want to pull my hair out a little.”

  “I didn’t know that things got that bad.”

  “I didn’t have nearly enough staff for massive crowds. After all, this isn’t tourist season. In fact, we’re deep into the offseason.”

  “In that case, I’m glad that things quieted down for you.”

  “So am I,” she said. “I’ll gladly take a more relaxing work environment over a little extra profit.”

  I stared off into the distance. “Wow. I must have just gotten lucky. Every time that I came in, the lines were reasonable. I didn’t even realize that you had seen a huge uptick in business.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me. It turns out you’ve been busy taking care of other things in the last few days.”

  “That’s putting it lightly.”

  “I’ll bet you’re really happy to have this case behind you.”

  “Oh yeah. I wouldn’t complain if I never conducted another investigation like that again.”

  “You probably won’t.”

  “How can you be so sure? Last time I checked, you don’t have any psychic abilities.”

  “I sure don’t. If I did, I would use them to pick out some winning lottery numbers.”

  “Wouldn’t that be sweet?”

  “Of course, it would. Who wouldn’t want to be a multi-millionaire?” Kristina asked. “But before we go off on a wild tangent, let me just explain my logic about homicide investigations.”

  “Okay. Go for it.”

  “Up until last week, you went thirty-six years without ever conducting a murder investigation. Which means that statistically speaking, you might be able to go decades without something like this ever happening again.”

  “I can’t argue with that.”

  “Or, if you’re really lucky, this might be the first and last time that you ever have to experience this.”

  “Your logic definitely makes sense. The problem is that life isn’t always logical.”

  “I know what you mean. Sometimes, it feels like the universe has lost its mind. Things just go completely bonkers on you.”

  “Those are the days that I desperately try to forget.”

  “I don’t blame you,” Kristina said. “Anyway, I guess we’ll just have to see if life has any new surprises in store for us soon.”

  “I’ll bet it does.”

  Kristina grimaced. “Uh-oh. Are your instincts acting up on you?”

  I put my hand up. “Don’t start panicking. They’re not going crazy on me or anything.”

  “But you do feel like we’re in for some surprises?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh dear.”

  “That said, my gut isn’t giving me any specifics. I’m just getting a general feeling of uneasiness.”

  “Well, that’s not very helpful.”

  “No. It really isn’t. But it’s all the more reason to appreciate the peace and quiet that we are being treated to right now.

  “The question becomes, how long will it last?”

  “I’d rather not speculate.”

  “Neither would I, but my mind has other ideas.”

  “Since we don’t have any concrete details to work with, why don’t we try to avoid rampant speculation?”

  “All right. I’ll do my best.”

  I tried to change the subject. “So, what else is new?”

  “We were so busy talking about the case that I almost forgot about this, but I actually signed up for an online dating site last night,” Kristina said.

  “Really?” I replied.

  “You know the old saying about how beggars can’t be choosers.”

  “Kristina, I don’t know that it’s fair to call yourself a beggar.”

  “Hey, if it will lead to me finding Mr. Right, I’ll do all the begging in the world. At this stage in my life, I’m tired of being single.”

  “I know what you mean.”

  “I’m also not too proud to admit that I need all of the help that I can get.”

  “With all of that in mind, have you gotten any bites?”

  “No, but I wouldn’t expect to quite yet. After all, I just signed up for the site. I need to give things time.”

  “Well, I hope it works out for you.”

  “So do I. Speaking of which, I think you should join me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You should sign up for an account too.”

  “I don’t know about that.”

  “Why not?”

  “I think I’ll just wait and see how things work out for you.”

  “I think that’s a big mistake.”

  “Why?”

  “To start, it’s nice to try new things together.”

  “It depends on what kinds of things you’re talking about. Pastries? Yes. Dating sites? Not so much.”

  “I wouldn’t be too sure about that.”

  “Because?”

  “For someone like you, in particular, there’s an added wrinkle.”

  “Such as?”

  “Dating sites provide a number of mysteries to solve. And I know how much you like a good mystery.”

  “Not when it comes to dating.”

  “You’re really down on this service, aren’t you?”

  “I wouldn’t say that. I’m just a little skeptical. But if you have a good experience, I will gladly give it a try.”

  “If you want me to have a good experience, you should help me out. I could really use a hand.”

  “With what?”

  “Solving the mysteries of online dating.”

  “Would you care to be more specific?”

  “My biggest problem is trying to determine if the information I’m being presented with is accurate.”

  “Oh, I get it. You’re worried that men aren’t being truthful in their profiles.”

  “It’s not just that. I’m also not sure that I can believe what I’m seeing in their pictures either.”

  “I hear you. People do get pretty creative with camera angles and filters and editing.”

  Kristina nodded. “They also post pictures of other people sometimes.”

  “You mean, group photos?” I asked.

  “There’s a lot of those out there. But I was actually talking about people who pull a photo of a better-looking person off of the internet and use that as their profile photo.”

  “Yikes. That’s crazy.”

  “It is, but it happens. Which makes it difficult for me to know who I’m actually talking to until I meet them in person.”

  “That’s a tough one. I don’t really know what to tell you.

  “I guess I just have to hope that people are being relatively truthful with me. Otherwise, I might find myself having a string of awkward dates.”

  I took a deep breath before replying, “This is why I’m hoping that I meet a man in real life. Then I don’t have to deal with any of those internet-specific questions.”

  “Don’t you think I would be ecstatic if a great guy came into the bakery right now? In fact, I would lose my mind if Mr. Right came through that door right now.”

  Kristina stopped talking and stared at the front door of her bakery.

  She remained quiet for a few seconds as no one entered her shop.

  A few moments later, she continued speaking, “It turns out the real world hasn’t been doing me any favors lately.”

  I chuckled. “Kristina, you can’t just make a great guy show up on command. Life doesn’t work that way.”

  Kristina let out a sigh. “I know. That sort of thing only happens in the movies. I just thought it was worth a try.”

  “I’ll give you credit for this. You’re definitely trying out a bunch of things.”

  “What else am I supposed to do? I can’t just sit around and wait for something to happen. Nor should you.”

  “I know you keep pushing me, but I’m not ready to sign up for an online dating account quite yet.”

  “Will you at least think about it?”

  “Of course. But I’m not going to make a decision right now.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “Let me know how things go with you, though.”

  “I will,” Kristina said.

  Chapter Four

  A few minutes later, as I finished off my muffin, I saw Scott coming in to the bakery. Unfortunately, the detective didn’t look good. An unsettling feeling came to my gut. Was trouble afoot already? That would be terrible. This town deserved some relief.

  The idea of disaster striking again was enough to make my stomach turn. Of course, there was also a chance that I was getting ahead of myself. Maybe something else was going on in the detective’s life. Perhaps it wasn’t serious. There was one way of finding out.

  “Scott. Are you okay?” I asked.

  “I’ve been better,” Scott replied.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “I didn’t sleep very well last night.”

  I waited for him to keep speaking, but that was his entire response.

  I became slightly confused. “Is that all?” I asked.

  “Isn’t that enough?” he replied.

  “Make no mistake. Getting good sleep is important. But I was worried that you were staring down another tough case already.”

  “You have a really active imagination, you know that?”

  “Trust me. I’m well aware of that.”

  “Maybe a little too active,” he said.

  I squinted. “Hold on a second. Does that mean you’re not working on a new case?”

  “Not at the moment.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. I hope things stay quiet.”