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That was a surprise to Ellery. “Is that possible? Is this the first time the Sing the Plank headliner is a mainland act?”

“It’s not the first, and I’m sure it won’t be the last, but it’s been quite a few years since someone was brought in to headline from outside. I think there are some hard feelings about that. Not least because the rumor is Ms. Fairplay is being paid significantly more than any local band. Past or present.”

“Oh. Ouch. Yeah, that could breed some hard feelings. In fairness, she’ll have travel and accommodation expenses local groups wouldn’t. Unless the festival’s covering all that too?”

“Yes. Perhaps. Of course, if she brings the crowds the organizers are hoping for, she’ll be worth every penny.”

“If she was drawing the kind of crowds she used to draw, I doubt if Sing the Plank’s organizers could afford her,” Kingston observed.

“True,” Ellery said. “Plus, she’d be booked years out. But she’s still bound to bring a larger crowd than the Fish and Chippies.” He met Nora’s frown. “Hey, I bought their CD. I bought the T-shirt. I’m a fan. But it’s a fact that someone as well-known as Lara is going to be a bigger draw.”

Kingston said reminiscently, “That first album of Lara’s was wonderful.” He hummed a few bars of “Fool Me, Fool You,” and Nora joined in. They beamed at each other.

Ellery said, “Even if someone in a local band got their nose out of joint and decided to send Lara hate mail, it’s still unlikely they’d act on any threat. Hopefully, it’s just a way of venting their frustrations.” He was thinking as much of his own poison-pen pal as Lara’s.

“Hopefully.” Nora’s tone was not overly encouraging. “In any case, you should phone Dylan and see if you passed the audition.”

“Are you in?” Dylan asked when Ellery returned his phone call a few minutes later.

“Am I?” Ellery answered cautiously. “I’m still not sure what the organizers want me to do. I’m not a PI, and I’m definitely not a bodyguard.”

“Lara’s road crew handles her security. But they’re more like bouncers than security professionals.”

“Is that similar to me being more like a bookseller than a security professional?”

Dylan argued, “You’re a bookseller who’s very good at finding out stuff. And you have a team of—”

“Pleasedon’t say professionals,” Ellery pleaded.

“Professional-grade snoops for sure, which is bound to be helpful.”

“Maybe. But honestly, Dylan, I think Lara—or her people—should talk to Jack. I understand her reluctance and why she might dislike law enforcement in general, but Jack’s not only good at his job, he’s…kind. He’s a good guy. I mean, he really is. He’ll try to help her, regardless of her criminal record.”

“I think the world of Jack,” Dylan responded. “But he hasn’t figured out who’s sendingyouthreats yet.”

“How do you— Does everyone on this island know I’m getting anonymous hate mail?”

“Noteveryone. Sue hasn’t mentioned it.”

“Oh, well. I feel so much better, then. Unless Sue’s the one sending them.”

Dylan seemed amused at the idea. “Sue’s got her faults, but poison-pen letters aren’t her style.”

“Nope, her style is publishing libelous insinuations in the local paper for everyone on the island to read.” Ellery made the effort to let go of old grievances. “Anyway, since I haven’t even managed to figure out who’s sendingmehate mail, there goes your argument.”

Dylan was undeterred. “Butthink: if this is some nut looking for publicity, a police investigation is thelastthing we want to do. That attention would just feed their psychosis. And maybe they’ll escalate. We don’t want this to turn into an even bigger problem. We need this year’s festival to be a success. I’m not exaggerating. If we can’t at least break even, this may be our last Sing the Plank.”

It was a good argument, and Ellery was certainly sympathetic. He couldn’t help pointing out, “But what if it’s the other kind of nut? The kind of nut who really does mean to do Lara harm?”

“I’ve already discussed this with Lara and Neilson as well as the committee. If that’s your determination, if you decide there really is a case and Lara really is in danger, then we’ll hand everything over to Chief Carson, and it will be his headache.”

Ellery opened his mouth, but then Dylan’s words sank in. “Wait. You’re saying all I have to do is figure out if the threat seems legit?”

“Exactly!You’ve had a lot of experience with this kind of thing by now. It shouldn’t be hard for you to tell if this is more than some rando angry that Lara is out of prison and pursuing her career once more.”

“I guess so.” Ellery was still reluctant.

“And you’re going to be paid. I did some arm twisting, and the committee has agreed to come up with five hundred dollars, which Neilson agreed to match. So you’re going to get a thousand dollars for, basically, a weekend’s work. That’s not so bad. Right?”