Page 18 of Fish and Chip

And that’s not even counting the Boo Crew Tricks, Treats, and Trouble Bash on Halloween night.

Heavy on the trouble, if history is any indicator.

My phone buzzes as the family group chat percolates to life.

McKenna: hey mom quick question can we give a few friends free tickets for Halloween night at the park??

Riley: like maybe four tickets total

McKenna: pretty please with pumpkins on top

Riley: we’ll owe you forever

Clyde: AS YOUR FATHER I DEMAND YOU STAY AWAY FROM THAT HOTBED OF HOMICIDE! THAT IS A DIRECT ORDER!

McKenna: lol dad chill!

McKenna: also we need a couple tickets for jack and emma too

I frown at the lack of punctuation and the total dismissal of capitalization when it comes to proper names. Have I mentioned I’m shelling out the big bucks for this university stint? Money well spent, clearly.

But I smile at the mention of Jack and Emma. Not only are they Dexter’s kids, but they both attend Brambleberry Bay University with my girls.

McKenna and Riley are both friends with Emma, and I’m pretty sure they have crushes on Jack, and that’s only because they’ve both admitted it.

Josie: You bet, sweethearts! I’ll get those tickets sorted for you.

McKenna: YESSS mom you’re the best!!!

Riley: love you mom

Clyde: Oh, so NOW we’re handing out free tickets like candy? What about your dear old ex-husband who supported you through thick and thin?

I scowl. More like who put me through hell and high water by cheating on me with his yoga instructor. But the yoga instructor is long in the rearview mirror. Clyde happens to be currently dating a bubble-headed blonde named Crystal Wigglebottom from the local morning show Morning Coffee & Chaos. They spent an entire week terrorizing my park a few weeks back, a homicide ensued, and news flash—it wasn’t Clyde who ended up at the morgue, and that in itself was sort of a miracle.

Josie: I’ll think about it.

Riley: MOM!

Josie: Okay fine Clyde. You get two tickets. But if you cause any chaos, I’m feeding you to the animatronic alligator in Bayou Bend.

Clyde: You don’t have an animatronic alligator.

Josie: Yet.

Clyde: I’m screenshotting this as evidence.

I jot down purchase alligator from black market before pulling out a new file folder labeled Boo Crew Murder Investigation. A girl needs goals. And apparently a healthy legal defense fund.

I haven’t even cracked the folder open when Savvy bops over with Cupcake trotting beside her.

Savvy looks like a spooky sweet treat come to life in a Halloween-themed apron covered in tiny pumpkins and ghosts, her platinum-blonde hair teased high enough to snag low-flying bats, and she’s carrying a tray loaded with enough baked goods to make a killer confess.

“Morning, sugar.” Savvy sets the tray down like she knows she’s about to get compliments. “I brought you a salted caramel latte with extra whipped cream and six different breakfast pastries for you to try. We’ve got pumpkin cream cheese danishes, apple cider donuts, cinnamon roll bites, chocolate croissants, maple pecan scones, ghost-shaped sugar cookies with vanilla icing, and my personal favorite pumpkin spice snickerdoodles.”

Chip’s entire body goes rigid. This is the greatest moment of my life, and I once fell into a vat of clam chowder.

“Are you trying to kill me?” I ask, eyeing the spread.