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Dooley sighed with admiration.“I’m so glad you’re a doctor, Odelia. What would Max do without you? Or me, for that matter? I thought I was dying, and you saved me. And you, of course, Max. You’re the best friend.”

“Thanks, Dooley. I love you, too,” I said.

“And thanks to Max I’m going to get all the chicken I want,” Dooley continued.

“Oh? Is that a fact?” Odelia asked, her lips twitching into a smile.

“Max explained to me how the power of the mind can accomplish anything. So I’ve been thinking about chicken wings nonstop, and soon they’re going to start materializing. I’ll have more chicken wings I’ll know what to do with!”

“Just be careful you don’t start thinking about Gran and that old man,” Odelia teased. “Or else that’s what you’ll get instead of chicken.”

Dooley’s lips formed in a perfect O. “Oh. My. God! And now Gran and that old manare all I can think of! What is this witchcraft?!”

“Just relax, Dooley,” Odelia said. “I was just teasing you. Your mind may be strong, but it’s not that strong. But I think you’ll find that if you just ask Gran for a piece of chicken, she’ll be happy to give it to you.”

“Unless she’s in jail,” I said, gesturing at Chief Alec going toe to toe with his mother.

“She’s not going to jail,” Odelia assured us. “She’s just going to get a slap on the wrist.”

“And a reprimand,” Dooley added.

Odelia laughed.“I see you’ve been adding new words to your vocabulary. Well done, Dooley.”

“Max taught me. He’s been teaching me a lot.”

Odelia cut a critical eye at me.“So I see. Maybe too much, huh, Max?”

I shrugged.“Just trying to help.”

“Yeah, right,” she said with a smirk.

Gran got dressed, and so did the elderly gentleman she was having relations with. All around, people were watching, and the man with the smartphone was still filming. This whole thing would probably be on the Internet tonight.

“Show’s over, folks!” the Chief was shouting, holding up his hands. “Go back to your business. And you, you better stop filming, buddy,” he told the man.

An older couple had posted themselves next to us. They were shaking their heads in disapproval.“The exact same thing happened last night at the hotel,” the woman told Odelia apropos of nothing.

“These two were at the hotel?” Odelia asked.

“No, not these two. Another couple. We’re staying at the Hampton Springs Hotel,” the woman explained. “And down by the pool Cybil Truscott was behaving very inappropriately with the pool boy.” She pursed her lips disapprovingly. “They were… fornicating. On the pool beds! Right under our noses! I couldn’t sleep so I caught the whole thing. An absolute disgrace!”

“We complained to management, of course,” said her husband.

“Not that they’ll do anything,” the woman added. “Because Cybil Truscott is a star, and we’re just lowly guests of the hotel. So she can get away with murder.”

Odelia looked up, and both Dooley and I pricked up our ears.“Murder?” Odelia asked.

“Just a figure of speech,” said the woman. “Though I’m sure she could get away with murder. Did you hear about her husband that got killed last night?”

“But if she was… fornicating right under your noses, surely she couldn’t have done it,” Odelia said.

The woman frowned. This hadn’t occurred to her. “Well, no, but she could have hired a person to do it for her.”

“Like a hitman,” said her husband. “Those rich folks do it all the time. Don’t like your husband? Pay someone to kill him. It’s a common thing in Hollywood.”

I didn’t know about that, and neither did Odelia, apparently, for she wrinkled her nose dubiously. “Did you tell the police about the pool boy thing?”

“Oh, no!” said the woman. “Far be it from us to get involved with the police.”

“I’m sure the police know all about it,” her husband clarified. “I mean, the entire hotel saw the lurid scene! They were all on their balconies, shaking their heads in absolute dismay.”

“But that didn’t keep them from watching,” Odelia muttered.

Grandma came trudging up to us, and the tourists stalked off, their faces contorted into expressions of condemnation.

“Alec says he’ll give me a ride home,” Gran said. “Not that I want a ride home, mind you. I was having so much fun with Leo, until some people started complaining.” She gave a disgusted grunt. “I just wish they’d all mind their own business for a change. I mean, what’s wrong with having a little fun at the beach?”

“There’s nothing wrong with having a little fun as long as you don’t do it in front of a bunch of families with kids, Gran,” Odelia said. “So please don’t do it again, all right?”

“Now that’s a reprimand,” I whispered to Dooley.

“That’s what I figured,” he whispered back. He stole a glance at Gran. “So do you think it’s too soon for me to ask for that piece of chicken?”

Chapter 12