“Georgie,” Mom warns. “You’re supposed to be helping with the investigation, not adding to the body count.”
“I said metaphorically! Mostly.”
Before I can respond to Georgie’s questionable investigative techniques, Grady appears from behind the front desk where he’s been helping a family with their room keys. “Sorry,” he says with an apologetic grin. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but as soon as you said Piers and Conrad, my antennae went up. I know where you can find them tonight.”
“Where’s that?” I ask, immediately interested. Any intel that I don’t need to dig for is more than welcome.
“All the guys are meeting up at What Ales You tonight around seven,” Grady is quick to tell us. “You know, that brewery outside of Seaview? They’re having some kind of groomsmen get-together thing. Piers said it wasn’t the bachelor party. I heard him assure the guys tonight would be relatively tame.” Another group of guests makes their way to the desk, and he takes off to tend to them.
I can all but feel the lightbulb clicking on above my head. “I know exactly where I’ll be tonight. And I know exactly who’s going to be my unwitting accomplice, since my dear husband will most likely be there pretending he doesn’t know I’m conducting surveillance.”
“Jasper is going?” Mom asks.
“I don’t see why not. He and Leo are groomsmen.” I shrug. “Plus, he’s probably hoping to do some unofficial questioning of his own. We’re like a two-person investigation team, except one of us has a badge and the other one has questionable impulse control.” I leave the mind reading out of it for now. I’m still not ready to out myself to my mother.
And one of us has to stay home with the baby,Fish points out as if volunteering for the effort.
Actually, all of us have to stay home with the baby,Sherlock adds.Breweries aren’t exactly pet-friendly. Bizzy’s tried to bring us there before.
It’s true. It was for another investigation a long, long time ago, before Jasper and I were officially a couple—and mostly I was just trying to bring Fish. It was Jasper who was trying to bring Sherlock.
How about we hide in Bizzy’s purse?Truffle offers with a hopeful gleam in her eyes as she bounces up and down.
Don’t even think about it,Fish tells her.Besides, when Bizzy and Jasper are away, we pets like to play.
I cock my head her way as if to say,you do?
Oh yes,Fish purrs with satisfaction.We raid the treat cabinet, redecorate the living room with toilet paper, and hold impromptu concerts at the bay window. Last time, Sherlock almost figured out how to order a pizza on his own.
And I’m going to nail it this time,Sherlock says with a woof.You won’t want to miss this Truffle.
Pizza? PIZZA?! OH MY GOSH, YES, I’m SO in because pizza is the BEST word in the whole world, and I would do ANYTHING for pizza, like sit and stay and roll over and maybe even not bark at the mailman for like five whole minutes, and did someone say pizza because I’m ready!Truffle yaps with the enthusiasm of a dog who’s just discovered the meaning of life—and maybe caffeine.
Apparently, she’s a big fan of bread and mozzarella cheese. I’ll have to remember that. Come to think of it, she has a lot in common with Jasper.
“This is perfect,” Georgie says, still patting her stomachache from the frosting battle she had in the café. “A brewery full of suspects and beer. What could possibly go wrong?”
“With your track record?” Mom asks dryly. “Everything. Absolutely everything.”
“That’s what makes it fun,” I say, already mentally planning my approach. Besides, what’s the worst that could happen? I ask a few innocent questions and maybe solve a murder before bedtime.”
“Famous last words,” Mom mutters, even though there’s a smile budding on her lips.
“It’s foolproof,” I insist, even if I don’t quite believe it.
“Your foolproof plans have a tendency to involve ambulances,” Mom points out.
“More like a coroner’s van,” I counter and grimace at the thought.
“I’m off,” Mom says, blowing Ella a kiss before turning our way. “I’ll catch up with you ladies tonight at the brewery. And let’s hope there’s not a single coroner’s van in sight.”
Georgie tips her head. “Now those are some famous last words.”
“Famous last words or not,” I say with determination. “Tonight, I’m getting answers, even if I have to buy every suspect in that brewery a drink and listen to their life stories.”
Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned about murder investigations, it’s that liquor has a magical way of loosening tongues—and when people think they’re just having fun, they tend to forget they’re supposed to be keeping secrets.
CHAPTER 12
