A Fishy Dish (A Hooked & Cooked Cozy Mystery Series Book 3) by Lyndsey Cole Page B

bamboozle you. You have access as the owner of the cottages they’re renting.” Pam waffled her hands back and forth. “You might have to play up the naïve innocent female bit, but you shouldn’t have any trouble with that.” She placed her hands on the desk and leaned toward Hannah. “All I want is information. No heroic meeting-in-the-dark kind of stuff. Understand?”
    Hannah nodded. Her brain buzzed, trying to figure out how this would work.
    “You can give any information you gather to my dad.”
    “Is Jack home?” Hannah was glad for a change of subject.
    “Yes. He won’t be going to the vigil tonight though. He has orders to rest.”
    Pam stood up and ushered Hannah out the door. “Thanks. I’m so glad you volunteered to do this for me.”
    Hannah walked out of Pam’s office and wondered how she let herself get into this position. A more difficult question was, how would she ever get out of this tangled web.
    Hannah had about fifteen minutes before she was due to pick Samantha and Olivia up for dinner on Cal’s boat. She decided Samantha would be the first task on her growing to-do list.
    And probably the easiest.
    She liked Samantha even if she was some kind of an imposter.

Chapter 14
     
    Olivia was jumping from one foot to the other when Hannah arrived at Ruby’s house.
    “Finally,” Ruby said. “I was afraid Olivia was about to set out on foot to find Cal’s boat by herself. Where have you been?”
    Hannah checked the time. “I’m not late,” she answered, avoiding the actual question. “See you at the vigil?”
    “I’ll find you there.” Ruby blew a kiss to Olivia. “Have fun and don’t fall in the water.”
    “Wait,” Olivia ran into her bedroom and returned with Theodore, her favorite stuffed bear that was a gift from Cal. “Theo wants to visit the boat.”
    Hannah held her hand out for the little girl. “Of course. I’m sure Cal would like to see Theo again, too.”
    When Hannah and Olivia arrived back at the cottages, Samantha was waiting outside next to Mini May. “I’ll drive.”
    Hannah was more than happy to oblige and left her own car at home. She directed Samantha to the Bayside Marina while Olivia chattered in the back of the car to Theodore. “You used to live here with Cal. Remember?”
    Like usual, at the marina, Olivia was interested in the words on the back of the boats along the dock leading to Cal’s boat. “What does that one say, Hannah?”
    “ Off da hook ”.
    Olivia saw Cal waiting by his boat, Seas the Day, and she ran ahead to jump into his arms.
    Hannah slowed her pace and held Samantha back with her. “What about that name?” Hannah pointed to a boat named Killer’s Secret. “Do you have a secret you should tell me, Samantha?”
    Samantha’s eyes popped open wide and her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. “ I didn’t kill Gavin Abbott.”
    Hannah blocked any forward motion with her back to Cal and faced Samantha. “What about your private investigator secret. Or should I call it an out and out lie?”
    Samantha looked down at her feet. “It’s true; I’ve exaggerated about my investigations in the past, and I suppose you could even call it a lie, but this time,” she held Hannah’s arm and stared into her eyes. “This time, I really do have a job. I’m working for Janice Jones. Everything I told you is the truth.” She crossed her finger on her chest. “Cross my heart.”
    “ If you actually have a client, it’s not Janice Jones,” Hannah told Samantha.
    Samantha’s face showed absolute confusion. “Who is it then?”
    “We have to find out. Janice Jones died a year and a half ago. Tonight, we figure out who is pretending to be a dead woman.”
    Samantha smiled. “I’ve always dreamed about solving an important case. Maybe my dream is about to come true.”
    Or you die trying. Hannah kept that comment to herself.
    “Hey, you two. The pizza’s getting cold and I have a hungry bear and a starving