Meg froze. She couldn’t believe this was happening. “It wasn’t Lilly Aster, was it?”
Todd shook his head. “No, Jolene said it was a man. That he must have fallen off the dock. I’m betting it’s a tourist.”
Natasha helped Todd with his coffee order, then rejoined Meg at the table. “You move back, and everything becomes interesting again.”
“Natasha, someone’s dead. That’s horrible.” Meg glanced at her watch and made a note of the time. That was important in an investigation. What time law enforcement was called in versus the time of death or, worse, the time of discovery. If Jolene hadn’t called right away, there might be a reason. “I guess I’ll find out more tonight, when I have dinner with Aunt Melody and Uncle Troy. I’ll let you know what I learn.”
“It’s like back in high school, when we used to solve mysteries. Just like in the Nancy Drew books. What did we call ourselves?” Natasha grinned at her friend. “The Mystery Crew?”
“I don’t think we settled on an actual name. We never investigated a death. We just figured out what we didn’t know. Like who was stealing the band treats, which we found out was Mr. Higgins, the band teacher.”
Meg wondered what she’d find out tonight. She hoped Jolene was right and the victim wasn’t Lilly Aster. Selfishly, she didn’t want her job to disappear before she could even prove herself to the mystery author. And, worse, she couldn’t see a future without the author’s books.
CHAPTER4
Don’t expect professionals to take you seriously. Prove them wrong.
The next morning, as she rode her bike to switch out her assignment folders, the roads up to Lilly Aster’s house were packed with cars. When Meg got closer, she saw why. News vans lined Summer Break’s circular driveway, and a bunch of men in black uniforms blocked the entrance to the house. Meg left her bike by the side of the driveway and pushed her way through the crowd of journalists. When she got to the security line, she tapped on the crossed arms of the very muscular guard who was staring over her head.
“Hi. I’m Meg Gates, and I work for Ms. Aster. I was supposed to check in this morning.”
He looked down at her, and she held up a folder.
“You can search me. I have my phone in my backpack, but that’s it. Well, my wallet and a few pens, but I left Watson at home. I didn’t know what to expect when I got here.” She rattled off more than the guard needed to know.
“Who’s Watson?” At least now he was looking at her.
“He’s my dog. He’s a cocker spaniel. Of course, he could be a mix, since I got him at the shelter, but he looks like a purebred. I think someone dumped him as a pup.” Meg rambled when she was nervous.
A smile teased the man’s lips. “Hold on a second.”
He leaned into a small microphone on his black blazer. “I have someone here who says she works for Ms. Aster. A Meg Gates?”
Meg couldn’t hear the response, but all of a sudden, he lifted the caution tape the police had stretched across the steps.
“Go on in. Jolene is expecting you.” He smiled now since his face was turned away from the news crowd. “I wish you’d brought Watson. I have a Golden Doodle at home named Roger. He’s a card.”
Meg heard the reporters yelling after her.
“Who’s that?”
“Did she have something to do with the murder?”
“Is that his daughter?”
Had the man they’d found been murdered? She’d thought it was an accident. Meg hurried up the stairs and knocked on the door.
Jolene opened it a crack, then saw it was her and pulled her inside. “I didn’t know if you would come today. It’s been a zoo here. But Lilly said you’d come. She had a feeling, and I guess she was right. Is that the completed assignment?”
Meg looked down at the folder in her hand. “Yes. I followed your instructions and kept track of my hours on the front of the folder.”
“Great. I’m sure you won’t misrepresent your time, but it makes me feel better.” She took the folder and opened it. She was still reviewing the work when she asked, “Have you mailed off the paperwork to the attorney?”
“I dropped it at the post office yesterday, when I was in town. What happened here?” She looked around the foyer. “Someone fell off the dock?”
“Well, I found someone on the beach. The problem is the cops and vultures want to make it into something it’s not. Lilly’s quite upset, and strong emotions affect her writing.” Jolene took the other folder off the table and handed it to Meg. “Here’s the next assignment. She wants you to find thirty to a hundred places in the Santa Barbara area in which to hide a body. Real places, not in a generic flower bed or on a beach.”
Meg nodded, not bothering to open the folder or check the assignment inside. Not the fun or even challenging assignment she’d hoped for. Maybe this was all a test. Lilly must need to know what she was capable of doing. Without complaining. “And when is it due?”
