at her friend too. Apparently, one of Esmerelda’s spirit guides had come to visit. She shrugged as she followed Esmeralda toward the parking lot. I’d have to reach out to Deek later to see what message his mother had for me. Instead of making a big deal of it, I moved to the tables and sank down on one bench. I didn’t know if I could get back up, my legs were shaking so hard.
I mean, I’ve been part of Esmeralda’s magic before. She’d told me things under a glassy-eyed stare, then hadn’t remembered what she’d said. But this time? The message seemed ominous. A message that needed to be heeded.
I pulled out my phone and tried to type into the notes section exactly what she’d said. The process wasn’t easy because my fingers were shaking, and I had to keep going back to change my note just for it to make sense. When I was done I leaned back and read the note again. It wasn’t about family. If I believed Esmeralda’s spirit visitor, Steve didn’t do it. Deek had said the same thing about following the money. I think having the same message twice had to mean something important. Since Nan’s son died, the only family they’d had was each other.
Or was it?
I tied Emma to the table and opened my lunch, watching the waves while I ate. Emma laid down by my foot and did the same. Well, watched the waves and the seagulls. I tried to clear my head of all things about Nan’s murder. Sometimes doing that let me come at it a different way when I focused again. I glanced at the book that was sitting next to my cardboard takeout bowl. And the best way to get out of my head was to get into a book. I needed to have a wide assortment of books read before my next staff recommends column was due, and I’d been spending my reading time trying to investigate Nan’s murder.
It was time for me to put back on my business owner hat and leave the investigation to the professionals. I texted Greg the message that Esmeralda’s spirit world friend had sent me, then I opened the book and got lost in the story.
March on a California beach sounds like a lovely place, but today was chilly and windy. After a few chapters I decided to take the reading time home to my couch, where I could throw a blanket over me and slip off my shoes. Emma got up from her spot, where she’d been watching seagulls, and after gathering our stuff into a tote we walked home.
The farmers market at the bottom of the hill and across the street from the beach was closed. The farm that owned it typically started the spring with open hours on the weekend. I was surprised when I saw Mandy Jensen get out of her car.
Instead of heading straight home, I aimed for the market parking lot and called out a greeting.
“Hey, Jill. How have you been?” She set the box she had gotten out of the truck onto the tailgate.
“Great. Are you getting ready for the St. Patrick’s Day festival?” I pointed to Emma and she sat next to me, watching the newcomer.
“Getting our Irish on. We’ll have a lot of green veggies for the day. I hope people stop by on their way up to Main Street. I always worry about sales the first few months of the season.”
I frowned. “You’re doing fine, right?”
“Definitely. I’m just a worrier.” She leaned against the truck. “I have to say I’m not sorry Josh and I missed the paint-and-sip event. We had to run up to the farm to talk to my uncle about something. Then, the next morning, I heard about the woman who was killed. Can’t say I’m surprised.”
“That’s right, Meredith said you two were coming. I’m sorry you didn’t make it.” Her words had shocked me. “So, why weren’t you surprised? Did you know her?”
“I didn’t, no. My friend’s husband spent a lot of money on her course and lost a ton of his retirement funds on day trading. Fifty thousand gone in less than six months. Man, Anna was steamed. She told him he was stupid, and if he ever did something that risky again, she’d leave him.” Mandy hefted a box from the trunk and stacked it near the shed’s door. “It’s hard to resist when you’re promised such easy money, though. And she played