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“Yeah.” Her bowed lips quirk up. “A hunch. I’m channeling my inner Minka Mayet. Like how you ask the questions the police would ask. You’re always looking for alibis too. You’re exploring the suspects in your own thoughts. You like to solve the crime too because you’re a badass like that.”
Or, well, because sometimes in the past, I’ve stepped in and somewhat killed a man who was slimy enough to evade the law.
But Aubs doesn’t know about that.
“Okay…”
“So I have a hunch,” she announces. “But I’m still new to all this. I don’t wanna say what it is yet.”
“Not ready to look like an idiot?”
“Aunty Minka,” Mia scolds. “Idiot is a mean word.”
“You’re right.” I show the little girl a sweet smile and look back to Aubree. “You don’t wanna look like a dill.”
“Right! So it’s your wedding day tomorrow. We don’t have to be ready until three.”
“Plus,” Christabelle wanders to the double-glass doors and peers out at the ocean. “Being the bride, you’re actually allowed to be late.”
“Wait.” I drag my eyes back to Aubs. “You want to head to the island tomorrow? Before the wedding?”
“Well…” Her cheeks warm with a playful blush. “We’re so close. And we have time. We could tell the guys we’re going in for hair and makeup, which would be a totally plausible excuse.”
“Except youactuallyneed hair and makeup,” Fifi grumbles. “No way can you go to a wedding with boat hair and a plain face. That would be tacky.” Then she turns to me. “Actually, that would be horrifying.”
“You can do our hair and makeup when we get back,” Aubs decides. “You’re clearly good at that stuff. We’ll be back with plenty of time. And you’ll be with us anyway, so we know you’ll nag us to hurry every step of the way.”
“I’m coming with you?” She scoffs. Loud and Oklahoma-like. “Hard pass. I’ll stay right here on this hundred-million-dollar yacht like I deserve.” She brings her wine up and sips. “I earned this vacation, Doctor Emeri. I didnotearn a place in the Scooby Gang.”
“Oh!” Finally, a word Mia understands. “I like the Scooby Dooby Doo.”
“Me too.” A point of mutuality with the little girl. I look at Mia and smile. “I loved watching the Scooby show when I was your age.”
“I’m not leaving this boat tomorrow,” Fifi grumbles.
“We’re setting off first thing,” Aubs announces. “We’ll need to go early so we can come back and still have time to be pretty.” Then she looks at me. “Which gown did you choose?”
“Not telling.”
“Is this normal?” Christabelle casts a look toward Fifi, her perfectly shaped brows quirking high. “Jebi.Do they often talk beauty and death at the same time?”
“And so much worse. They’re weird and annoying.” Pulling out a chair and plopping onto it with a sigh of exhaustion, Fifi closes her eyes and groans. “They’re gonna ruin this wedding day, you watch. All that planning. All the food and fanfare Archer organized. It’s gonna be destroyed because the Powerpuff Girls think they’re smarter than the cops.”
“The cops are smart!” Mia jumps off the bed and makes her way to Fifi. “My daddy is the cops, huh?”
“I thought we were the Scooby Gang?” I smirk. Because Mia plops down onto Fifi’s lap. Fifi’s eyes snap open. Everything is weird for a beat. But Mia is impossible to ignore. And, well, Fifi’s need to primp is undeniable.
She takes the elastic from the little girl’s wavy hair and begins sliding her fingers through the locks. “Those dastardly kids,” I snigger. “Make even the most pompous chick soften.”
“Shut up. Mind your own business.”
“Fifi!” Mia scowls. “Shut up is a mean word.”
ARCHER
Iwake on the morning of my wedding with Minka laid across my torso. Her bare breasts smooshed against my chest. Her silky thighs across mine. And the sweat slicked between us, enough to be gross.
Almost.
