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People may not like you or your questions during an investigation. Including your friends.

D alton brought pizza over to the bookstore after Natasha arrived. He sat the pizza down on the table, and when Meg went to open the box, he slammed it shut again. “Tell me you didn’t tell your uncle about Emmett.”

“I didn’t tell him about Emmett. I did point out that if Robert Meade had loaned money to Natasha, maybe he had loaned money elsewhere.”

“Which is the same thing,” Dalton said, but he moved his hand away from the box and they all took a slice of the thick-crust kitchen sink pizza inside.

“Okay, I’ll agree with your technicality.

Besides, Emmett told me he’d already talked to Troy and he has an alibi.

He was cooking with his crew the afternoon Meade was killed.

There was no way he left the kitchen. They have proof.

He was making a training video for new employees on the current menu items.”

“Congratulations. Your friend isn’t a killer. I didn’t say he was one, but if Meade made two loans, he might have made more. And maybe to someone who didn’t or couldn’t pay it back.” Meg took a bite of her pizza slice, taking off the olives.

Natasha looked at Meg and Dalton. “Who’s going to say they’re sorry first? You know I can’t stand the tension.”

Dalton caved. “You were right to tell your uncle. And thank you for leaving Emmett’s name out of it.”

“You’re welcome.” Meg reached for another slice, but this time, Natasha held the box closed.

“And . . .” She stared at Meg.

“And I’m sorry I broke your confidence without telling you about it.” She stared Natasha down. “Can I eat now?”

“If you mean it, yes.” She moved her hand away from the box. “I’m glad we settled that. I didn’t kill Meade, and Emmett didn’t kill Meade, so who did?”

“I’ve been thinking about that. All roads seem to lead to Lilly Aster,” Dalton said and held his hand up when Meg started to deny the idea. “So why does someone want us to think it’s Lilly?”

“And who? Who would benefit if she went to prison?” Meg saw where Dalton was heading with the idea.

Natasha grabbed a pen and started writing on the pizza box. “Well, there’s her new agent, Sarah, but she only makes money if Lilly’s free and writing. And her assistant, Jolene, would lose her job. As would you.”

“So we have a list of three people who wouldn’t want Lilly to go away. I can see Sarah killing to be Lilly’s new agent. I wonder if Uncle Troy talked to her?” Meg got up and grabbed a notebook for Natasha. “Here. Use something that won’t smell like pepperoni tomorrow.”

Natasha grinned and took the notebook. “Thanks. Sarah wouldn’t be framing Lilly, but she can’t be counted out on the ‘killing Robert’ list.”

“Maybe Jolene’s the same way,” Meg said thoughtfully. “She’s protective of Lilly. She didn’t even call her by her first name when she was speaking to me until she accepted me into the group.”

“We need to talk to your boss and see if she has an alibi. If we can take that possibility off the table, then the other blocks might fall into place.” Dalton served the last three slices of pizza, putting one on each person’s plate, then stood up to take the box to the trash.

“It’s kind of like the game Clue. We need to show each other our cards so we can figure out who didn’t kill Meade, which will tell us who did.” Natasha’s eyes were wide as she realized she hadn’t practiced what she preached. “I was holding back my cards from you guys. I’m so sorry.”

“You were worried about what people might think if you told us that you drove Robert Meade to Summer Break. Now that you’ve told us what was going on, Uncle Troy can check out who else Meade loaned money to and maybe find the killer.

” Meg didn’t want her friend to feel bad about her omission.

“Besides, what goes on in your business isn’t our business. ”

“Unless it makes me look like a murderer,” Natasha corrected. “I’m so glad you’re back, Meg, and we can get together like this.”

“Hey, I stopped by the bakery at least weekly to see you. I can’t help it if you didn’t tell me what was going on.” Dalton came in from the back, with Watson in tow. “I took the mutt out with me.”

“It’s not the same if all three of us aren’t together,” Natasha told him. “It feels like that summer before Meg and I went to high school. We were thick as thieves then.”

“Not to break up the lovefest, but it’s time to close up the bookstore. We need a plan for where to go next.” Meg finished her last bite of pizza as she stood to throw away her paper plate.

“When does your boss get back in town?” Dalton grabbed the trash bag and cleaned off the rest of their mess.

“She should be back tomorrow, but then she leaves on Saturday for a couple of days.” Meg tried to remember the schedule that Lilly had sent her of the book tour stops and her travel plans.

“Can you see if we can talk to her tomorrow morning? I’ve got the day off.” Dalton glanced around the store. “Is this the last of the trash?”

“Check the break room, but I think so. I’ll text her tomorrow morning to see if she can see us. I hope I still have a job when we’re done talking.” Meg locked the register and put the keys in her tote.

“Okay. Then turn off the lights, and I’ll lock up the back as soon as I dump this trash. I’m walking both of you home. First stop, A Taste of Magic bakery and apartment.” Dalton disappeared into the back.

“He’s been working at the ferry too long.” Natasha laughed as she handed Meg the notebook. “I added Josh and Tabitha to that list of people who might be better off with Lilly gone. I don’t think Tabitha likes how close Josh is to his ex-wife.”

Meg tucked it into her tote and grabbed Watson’s leash. “I think you’re right about Tabitha. When I talked to her, she made Lilly sound weak, like she couldn’t get by without Josh’s counsel. I don’t see her that way at all.”

“Maybe there’s more to that story,” Natasha said as Dalton came in from the back room.

“What story?” he asked as he took the leash from Meg and clicked it on Watson.

As they left, Natasha filled him in on what they were talking about.

“I don’t know. It seems like a far-fetched way to get rid of an ex-wife. Why not kill her?” He paused when they reached the bakery. “We’ll wait for you to get inside.”

“Okay, Dad,” Natasha teased as she hugged Meg and then Dalton. She gave Watson a pat on the head. “I was serious about how much I love having the gang back together. Bonus, now we also have Watson to keep us company. I’ve missed this.”

They watched as she went up the side stairs and then unlocked her door and turned lights on as she moved through the apartment. After they started walking, Dalton paused and looked at Meg. “She’s right. I missed this.”

“You left the group once you and Junior hit high school. You two guys were too busy hanging out, playing football, and dating the cheerleaders, as I recall,” Meg reminded him.

He smiled at her and pulled her jacket closed. “I was an idiot.”

As they walked to Aunt Melody’s garage, they talked about the houses they passed and the plantings in the front gardens.

Meg’s mind, though, was on what he’d said.

Had they been dating while Meg thought they were hanging out?

Or was this his slow-burn move into a romance when she was ready?

Whatever was going on, she agreed with Natasha and Dalton. This was nice.

She’d been thinking about her Seattle friends, and now she realized she’d never had friends as steadfast as these two.

People she could tell anything to without judgment.

Sure, she’d get a lot of teasing, but they didn’t judge her.

And they’d come with her family to move her home.

Her life might not be the one she’d planned—or, more accurately, like any of the lives she’d planned—but it was good. And right now, that was enough.

She suddenly realized they’d stopped walking. Dalton was watching her. “I’d ask what you were thinking about, but I’m not sure I want to know.”

Meg smiled and took Watson’s leash from his hands. “I was thinking how nice it is to be home.”

* * *

Dalton was back at her door at eight thirty the next morning. Meg met him with a cup of coffee in a travel mug.

“Sorry to get you up so early on your day off, but Lilly said she could talk at nine for a few minutes, and then she has to get ready for a day of publicity interviews. Which works since I need to open the bookstore at one thirty.”

Meg grabbed her tote and her cup. Leaning in, she called to Watson, “Be good. I’ll be back soon, and you can come to work with me.”

She locked the door, and they headed downstairs.

“We could bring him if you want.” Dalton looked back at the door.

Meg shook her head. “I think I’m wearing him out. In Seattle we stayed at the house most of the time. He had three short walks a day. Romain didn’t like me to walk too far out of our neighborhood. He didn’t think it was safe.”

“Your ex seems to have had a lot of rules.” Dalton held her car door open.

Meg snorted. “You have no idea.”

“So you aren’t going back?” Dalton asked as he climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine. “Your mom thinks . . .”

“My mom wants me to be happy. She thought I had that with Romain, because I never told her half the things that went on. I thought that was what couples did, adjust to each other’s oddities.

But as I found out, I was the only one adjusting.

” Meg stared out the window as they drove through the neighborhoods to reach Summer Break.

“Have you thought about how we’re going to ask Lilly about killing Meade? ”

He shook his head. “I guess rip the Band-Aid off and hope she doesn’t kick us out?”