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Know your victim, find your killer.

M eg called her mom after she’d finished breakfast. “Hey, I’m meeting Irene from Sunday school for coffee this morning. Do you want me to come by and get the mailings to take to the post office?”

“I already dropped off a load before I opened this morning, but if you want to take the rest this afternoon, that would be lovely. I have something tonight.”

“A nap? I called you yesterday, and you were napping.”

“I was not.” Mom paused but didn’t explain what she’d been doing. “Anyway, I need to go. Someone came in.”

“Then why didn’t I hear the doorbell go off?” Meg asked, but her mom had already hung up. She must be mad that Meg had caught her napping.

Setting down her phone, she looked at this week’s plan.

Work was back down to normal hours. She’d already finished the assignment for Lilly, but she was still in Los Angeles for the book events.

Maybe she’d head over to the campus this week and see if there was someone with whom she could talk about a late financial assistance form.

She might have to wait until next fall to enroll, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t take a night class or two during the next year and get back into the swing of college.

She had only two years left to finish. Unless she picked a major with a lot of specific classes.

She needed to talk to someone. She blocked off time on Tuesday to drive over to campus.

She’d take Watson with her and drive to Summer Break for the assignment exchange first. Then it wouldn’t matter when she got back.

And if they got touchy about Watson being in the administration building, she’d take him back to the car or make an appointment for the next week. At least she’d have the course catalog as well as the summer and fall schedule.

With that planned, she realized she needed to leave now if she going to be on time to meet Irene. She packed a bowl, water, and treats in her backpack, then clipped a leash on Watson.

Irene was already seated when Meg arrived at the bakery. She waved, then went up to the counter and ordered coffee and water for Watson. “I have his bowl,” she told Natasha. “I need some tap water.”

“Are you meeting with her?” Natasha inclined her head toward Irene.

Meg heard a twinge of concern in her friend’s voice. “I met her at church yesterday, and we agreed to meet for coffee. Why?”

“No reason,” Natasha lied and gave Meg her fake smile. “Just be careful.”

“You’ll tell me later, right?” Meg said, lowering her voice. Maybe Irene did know more about Meade’s death than she’d thought.

Natasha nodded. “It might be old news by then, but you should probably know.”

Just like the Bainbridge Island gossip train, Natasha’s clues were late and did not provide what Meg needed. She took her coffee and Watson’s water and went over to learn more about Irene.

“Thanks for meeting me,” Irene said as she glanced over to where Natasha was helping the next customer. “Making friends here on the island is hard.”

“I’ve lived here all my life, except for my time in Seattle, so sometimes I forget. It was a little cliquey in high school.” Meg took out Watson’s bowl as she was talking and poured the water into it. He dove in as soon as she set it down.

“See! I told my mom it would be. I think she was upset at the expense of boarding school.” Irene picked up her phone and started texting. “Hold on. I want to tell her what you said before I forget.”

Meg sipped her coffee as she waited. As soon as Irene put her phone down, she asked about Meade. “So how did you know Robert Meade?”

“He was involved in my job.” Irene stared at her phone, and when she got an answer from her mother, her eyes lit up. “Mom says she’s sorry about trying to make me part of the community. That sounds a little snarky, doesn’t it?”

“So what do you do?” Meg tried to change the subject from Irene’s ongoing fight with her mother as Meg shrugged off her jacket.

“I’m in marketing. I work for the cruise lines that call the port home base.

” Irene smiled. “It’s not high-end, but I get two free cruises a year.

More and nicer depending on my production.

” She dug in her tote and handed Meg a flyer.

“Do you cruise? You totally should. It’s like an all-inclusive resort, but you get to see several ports.

Meade told me he was going to buy one, but I called the office, and he never signed up for one.

But he told me he did. What a liar. I’m glad he’s dead. So do you want to hear about a cruise?”

“Um, no. Sorry.” Meg tried to give back the flyer. “Not in my budget right now.”

“Oh, I’m sure we could find a plan that’s right for you. Besides, it’s an investment.” Irene went on to explain how her company offered the time-shares of cruises. “One monthly payment and your travel plans are all complete.”

As Meg listened to Irene’s sales pitch, she saw Natasha giggling behind the counter.

This explained her warning. Irene was using Meg’s attempt at friendship to sell something.

Meg felt trapped. Finally, she finished her coffee and stood.

“Sorry to take off on you, but I’m expected at the bookstore.

I’m fighting for every dollar these days, so I can’t blow off work.

Thanks for meeting me for coffee. It was nice getting to know you. ”

She grabbed Watson’s bowl, which thankfully was empty, and left the coffee shop with Watson in the lead. He must have felt her unease while she was chatting with Irene. As she pushed open the door, she heard Irene call out, “You forgot the pamphlet.”

Meg started power walking to the bookstore, dodging tourists. Since it was early on a Monday, the sidewalks weren’t packed. She hoped she got away before Irene caught up with her.

A hand grabbed her arm, and she turned to find Natasha by her side. “You knew.”

“I tried to warn you, but it’s hard to say stuff about a customer when they are sitting right there.

” Natasha fell into step with her. “Don’t worry.

She’s not chasing you, but I bet you’ll get a text with a link.

And several follow-up calls. Make sure you check caller ID for the next six months. She’s persistent.”

“And she wonders why she doesn’t have friends. She uses them as marketing targets. She hated Meade. He told her he was buying a cruise, then didn’t do it.” Meg finally slowed down after looking behind her one more time. “Aren’t you needed at the bakery?”

“I’m on the way to the station. Your uncle asked me to come down and talk to him again.

Irene’s a mess. Everyone tells her what she wants to hear so she’ll leave them alone.

Robert Meade wasn’t the only one. I’m worried that your uncle thinks I killed Robert.

I didn’t like the way the guy did business, and I was tired of being his driver when he didn’t bring his car to the island, but I wouldn’t kill anyone.

” Natasha glanced up the street; the turn to the police station was coming up.

Meg wondered if Uncle Troy had checked the street cams, like she’d suggested. “Maybe this is just to clear you from the suspect pool.”

“From your lips to your uncle’s ears.” They both came to a stop in front of the bookstore door. Natasha hugged her. “Anyway, I’ll text you when I’m back at the bakery. If you don’t hear from me, come break me out of jail with Dalton, and we’ll all go on the lam.”

“You’re a nut.” Meg watched Natasha stroll down the street.

She could see that she was nervous, but to anyone else, she probably looked like a young woman heading to her next appointment.

Meg knew her friend couldn’t have done something like killing Robert.

Now she needed to find who had done it, so everyone else knew that Natasha was innocent.

Inside the bookstore, her mom was watching her stand in the doorway. “What’s wrong?” she called.

Meg shook her head, leading Watson to the counter. “Nothing’s wrong. Why?”

“Irene’s mom called and said you ran out of the bakery like your hair was on fire. Irene was concerned.” Her mom leaned closer. “Did she ask you questions about the wedding?”

“What? No. Why would you ask that?” Meg took off Watson’s leash, and he ran to his bed. “She was in sales mode, and I don’t have the money to buy a cruise time-share.”

“Oh, I thought you two might develop a friendship.” Her mom turned back to her laptop.

Meg snorted. “Yeah, that was the plan. But I guess she’s more interested in commerce.”

“Don’t give up on developing friends here. There are a lot of young people your age. That’s one reason I want you to attend Sunday school. To meet people.” She peered at her laptop. “I need to keep a pair of cheaters here at the store. I keep putting them on top of my head and taking them home.”

“Do you need help with something?” Meg asked, looking over her mother’s shoulder. She was looking at an online credit card statement. “Mom? The balance is crazy high. Is that the store card?”

“I told you we needed the Aster launch. Once the accounts settle, we’ll be back in the green for a while.

” Her mom closed out the account. “I hate accounting and projecting. I’m always wrong.

Thank goodness I bought the building when your dad and I were still married.

He thought it was a phase, but now I couldn’t afford rent on this street if I didn’t own the building outright. ”

“Maybe we could sit down and do a projection for the next year. I took finance classes at school. I’m going back this fall, hopefully.

” Meg glanced at the clock. “If I’m going to get the packages to the post office before Hank goes on lunch break, I better get going. Okay to leave Watson here with you?”

“Not a problem.” Her mom reached down and stroked the dog’s head. “And, Meg?”

Meg paused before going to the back of the store and met her mom’s gaze.