A few scratches? Why didn't I believe that? I stared at Broadrick's text from last night and my simple response.

VONNIE: Okay. I'll see you soon.

It took all the willpower I had in me to send such a simple reply. The first one I typed out contained many more swear words, threats, and even a few pleading remarks. But then I remembered Broadrick dumped me last year because he thought I couldn't handle this exact situation.

I had to prove him wrong. Out of spite.

So even though inside it felt as if I was slowly dying, outside I pretended everything was fine. If Broadrick said it was a scratch, he was right. I'd buy him some unicorn Band-Aids.

"The problem is that your dad is a big fat liar," I said to NB as he gobbled up his breakfast.

He didn't say it, but the dog agreed.

I just had to wait until Broadrick returned to call him a dirty, dirty liar. Then I'd have evidence. Him.

Since I'd spent most of my evening frantic over Broadrick's definitely not-a-scratch injury, I hadn't had time to clean. With Broadrick on his way home soon, I had to get it together and put this place in order.

That meant doing the dishes, so he didn't notice the broken dishwasher until he'd completely healed from his "scratch." Then I'd drop it on him one night right before bed. To keep his life exciting. I was always thinking of him in little ways like that.

I managed two loads of dishes-washed, dried, and put away-before I had to meet my newest clients at my office.

Matthew and Harper, partners... in something they never elaborated on... wanted an in-person meeting at my new building. Since they were paying clients, I agreed.

I didn't say no to money. Most of the time.

Unfortunately, my tennis shoes didn't make little clicky sounds on the marble floors of the Kensington building's lobby. I had to work more heels into my attire for these situations, so I'd sound cool. I paced in a small circle by the reception desk with my gaze on the door. They had ten minutes until their meeting time.

I walked with my fingers crossed delicately by my side. With food dwindling, no gas in Rachel, and another rent payment due in a few weeks, I needed these clients. If they didn't show, I'd be screwed.

"Come on," I whispered to myself.

The guard behind the desk glanced up and met my eyes. I turned away. He had a steady paycheck coming in every week. Things were different for the self-employed. We never knew if we'd have enough money for our next meal.

The front door opened and two people walked in, side by side. I made eye contact with the female and smiled.

She had bright purple hair tied back into a high ponytail and wore all black-from a pair of stretchy yoga looking pants to her black T-shirt. She had to be my client. No one else would have an appointment at the Kensington building in that outfit. I loved her immediately.

The man beside her didn't match. He had his hair coiled over perfectly and a three-piece black suit with a light green tie. The two of them were reading different fashion magazines. The man smiled and his perfectly straight and white teeth literally flashed in the light from the large windows. They were too bright white. He had to be giving his dentist a fortune in bleaching bills.

"You must be Matthew and Harper," I said, holding out my hand as I approached them.

The man smiled and met me halfway. "Mrs. Vines, how wonderful to meet you."

"You too," I said and smiled back. I liked him. I didn't know why, but he seemed... friendly. Even with the teeth thing.

"We're looking for a woman who lives in your town. A Pearl Ashwood," Harper said without shaking my hand.

My eyes narrowed on hearing Pearl's name, and I stepped away from them.

"You know her," Matthew said, his smiling growing.

"What do you want with Pearl?" All the happy feelings I had for them vanished. Pearl was Pelican Bay's oldest-unofficial and don't tell her I said that-resident. She and her husband were staples of the city. You didn't mess with Pearl.

Plus, she belonged to us.

Harper pushed a loose piece of her purple hair behind her ear. "We believe she might have been friends with my aunt when they were younger."

My suspicions rose.

The AC in the building kicked on and I crossed my arms. It wasn't warm enough for AC yet. "Yeah, so."

"She's never met her aunt and wants to hear more about her," Matthew said. "We thought Pearl could help."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You clearly know Pearl lives here. Why not just go see her yourself? You can find her address on the internet."

You could find anyone's everything on the internet. It's not like I'd given away state secrets or something.

Harper frowned and glanced at Matthew.

He didn't miss a beat. "From what we've heard, Pearl is... a force to be reckoned with, and we figured having an introduction from a local might help."

The eager answer put me more on guard. Although, he wasn't wrong about the force part. Pearl scared me sometimes. I wouldn't fight her. She'd beat up everyone. SEALs included. I tapped the toe of my shoe on the tile, deep in thought.

"I'm not sure where Pearl is. She leaves a lot on vacations. I'll have to ask around," I lied. There was a ninety-seven percent chance she was sitting in her favorite seat at the bakery.

"I'll double the money if you take me to Pearl right now," Harper said, leaning forward.

I stepped back. That wasn't suspicious at all or anything.

Matthew put his arm across her middle, almost looking like he was holding her back. "You're scaring her."

He wasn't wrong, per se. More making me question these two extensively. Who needed to see Pearl that badly?

Harper straightened. "Sorry, it's just that my aunt meant so much to me. I miss her greatly."

"I thought you never met her?"

These two checked every box of "trouble," and I knew because I defined the boxes.

Matthew answered for her. "Harps is excitable."

Harper narrowed her green eyes at him. "Definitely don't call me Harps."

"Are you two a couple?" They were a weird match if so, but maybe it was one of those opposite attracts things.

Harper grimaced. "Not that kind of partners. This is a very limited engagement."

Matthew wagged his finger between them. "She loves me. She just hasn't figured it out yet."

"Okaaaaay," I said. "I'll see if I can track down Pearl. She might be at her summer home. In Florida."

Pearl would never go to Florida. She'd have too much competition for being the craziest old person. They had alligators there. We only had to deal with flighty seagulls.

"Can we stop back by tomorrow and see what you've come up with?" Harper asked as she twisted a piece of her purple hair around her index finger with more force than needed.

No way was I letting these two anywhere near Pearl. "Sure. I'll do some work this afternoon to track her down and give you an update tomorrow."

Translation-I'd figure out another excuse tomorrow.

Guess I'd be eating Ramen this month after all.

I waited as they walked out together with their heads near one another as if they were having a quiet fight between them. They were the weirdest partners I'd ever met-couple or not.

We'd never even made it to my office, but that's where I went once they had enough time to leave. With gas in Broadrick's truck dwindling, I handled my task by phone rather than driving to the bakery.

"Bakery by the Bay," Anessa said as she answered.

I leaned back in my chair, watching the leaves on the fake plant wiggle from the AC. "Is Pearl there?"

It took her less than a second to answer. "Yeah, what's up?"

"Can you give her the phone?" I didn't know how to explain to Anessa what I needed to ask. Hell, I couldn't explain it to Pearl.

"Sure, babe," Anessa said and then a stretch of silence as I imagined her walking the phone with the extremely long cord over to Pearl's table. Anessa kept the vintage piece because she said it gave the place character.

"Yeah?" Pearl asked with much more attitude than Anessa.

"Hey, Pearl. How you doing?" It was always best to smooth her over a little before you asked the hard questions.

"I'd be better if I hadn't just witnessed someone from Clearwater order a tea with almond milk. It's not natural, Vonnie."

Pearl had feelings about almond milk. We'd all heard them.

"Yes, real tragic." I leaned too far back in the office chair and it teetered. "Did you have a friend who had a niece named Harper?"

Seemed like the question wasn't too hard once I spit it out. Unfortunately, I didn't have anything else to add to it.

"What?" Pearl asked.

"Harper. Do you know anyone with that name?" I tipped further back in the chair. The front wheels left the ground, and I wobbled.

Shit.