28. Hattie

"Hattie, are you okay?" Chevy calls out as she and Hillary run this way. "We heard they caught the killer!"

The grand finale just buttoned up and the air holds the scent of grilled hot dogs and gunpowder. The crowds are still thick here on the beach, but the migration toward the parking lot has begun.

This Fourth of July was far more explosive than any of us could have fathomed.

"You caught the killer, didn't you?" Hillary snips with an edge, and I can tell she's annoyed by the fact.

Cricket jumps from my arms and runs a circle around the three of us and Rookie is quick to join her.

Face it,Cricket chirps. You're a hero, Hattie!

Rookie gives a soft woof. And Killion is a hero, too!

Cricket groans, Whatever, Dog Breath.

Hey, I am a dog, he barks.

And he's smart, too.Cricket chortles as they run up and down the beach behind me.

"It's true," I say to Chevy and Hillary. "Dr. Draper has been arrested. I confronted him with some evidence I just stumbled upon and he tried to drown me in the same pool of water that Jane died in."

"Oh my goodness," a female voice gasps from behind and we turn to see Mrs. Draper herself looking pale and stunned. "I'm so sorry he did that to you." Her red hair looks black in this dull light and her face looks unearthly pale. "The sheriff's department just briefed me on what happened. Thank you for your hand in his arrest. I'm terribly sorry that he attacked you."

Chevy shakes her head at me. "And in the same water that Jane died in? The man is diabolical."

Hillary huffs at the thought. "He electrocuted a woman. We already knew he was a monster."

Mrs. Draper turns her head swiftly as if Hillary had slapped her with those words.

Erol didn't electrocute anyone—I did.She closes her eyes with the thought.

A breath hitches in my throat as I stare the woman down.

What in the world is going on here?

She rubs her bare arms with her hands as she holds herself tight, her gaze drifting toward the sand. Erol's plan was to drown the woman according to the sheriff. I can't believe he drugged her, hoping she'd wander into the ocean. And to think I slept next to that maniac, night after night.

But then, am I any better? After I found out he was cheating again, I was fuming. And then I got the diagnosis, that he had infected me with who-knows-what, the very night poor Jane died.

Little does the sheriff's department know that I was the one who lost my mind and dragged that cable into the vat of water pooling near the shore. I was just about to lure Erol in that direction when I heard there was an accident. And now to come to find out, I didn't kill Jane Jordan after all. Erol botched his own homicide and the poor woman fell into my trap instead.She groans hard. Nevertheless, he wasn't going to let her get out of that night alive. Erol is the killer, not me. I never meant for any of this to happen. And he had banked on it.

Candace Draper steps in close and pins her eyes to mine. "I'm so sorry," she says.

"It's okay," I say, reaching for her hand and giving it a squeeze. "You didn't do anything wrong. He was one hundred percent responsible that night, not you. Life is a gift. Keep living yours to the fullest. You deserve to be happy, to be loved, and to enjoy every moment that you have breath in your lungs. I hope you live your life to the fullest and leave this awful night behind as you start your life anew."

A pained smile comes to her face and her eyes glitter with tears. "Thank you. I think I needed to hear that." She nods to Chevy and Hillary before taking off into the night.

"You listen to me, Hattie"—Chevy holds a finger my way—"next time you want to confront a killer, I'll pay you ten thousand dollars if you remember to find me first."

"I'll buy you coffee for a year," Hillary adds, upping the ante.

"Sold," I say to them both. "Although, let's hope there is no next time."

"Oh, honey." Chevy chuckles. "This is Brambleberry Bay."

"Not to mention the fact you live here, Hattie," Hillary adds as she nods to the buffet. "Let's go clean out that dessert table. Everyone knows there are no calories on holidays. And the next one isn't until Thanksgiving."

"Those cheese Danishes are mine," Chevy says, looking longingly in that direction as if they've cast their cheesy spell over her.

"That custard trifle has been calling my name all night." Hillary sighs.

The two of them bolt in that direction as if there wouldn't be any cheese Danishes or custard trifles available until Thanksgiving either.

And speaking of which, a cheese Danish and a custard trifle sound like heaven right about now.

If I can't have Killion, I may as well have all the calories I want.

Oh, who am I kidding? I've never let Killion stand in the way of me and a good cheese Danish.

And what exactly is happening between us, anyway? What did he mean by we won't need to use words?

He can't possibly have?—

Our conversation plays back in my mind and I cringe.

"Hattie—" a familiar voice calls from the shoreline and it's my mother waving me over.

She's standing with my father and my sisters so I head that way and both Cricket and Rookie beat me to the punch.

I wish them all a happy Fourth and we end up in a Holiday family group hug that feels like heaven.

"Don't you dare put yourself in danger like that again," my father scolds.

"Oh, Hattie," Mom moans. "I had no idea that man was a maniac. I guess I'd better find another dentist."

Winnie shakes her head at me. "I knew I should have had you working on the BB with Fitz and me."

"Is it up and running?" I ask, enthused for the both of them.

"No, but we're hoping to officially open our doors in the fall," she says.

"Ooh, a new snazzy hotel, right here in Brambleberry Bay," Neelie says and her mind flits to white noise.

If she's thinking about Stanton that way, I'd rather not know.

Dad sighs hard. "Well, I'm glad everyone is safe. Now what's this family meeting about, Ruthie?"

Mom cranes her neck past us. "Here comes Henry now. He's the one who asked to have it."

It's not just Henry headed this way. Tipper Luxemburg is by his side.

Oh no, they must be making it official.

I'm not sure why, but I can't really picture Tipper with my brother. They're from two different worlds. Tipper values material things, and my brother values family, friends, and the saner side of life.

But I guess the heart wants what the heart wants.

Let's just hope this doesn't end in disaster—like Killion and me.

"A gathering of greatness," Henry teases and he looks so much like my father tonight it's scary—sans the quickly graying hair, of course. My brother's white T-shirt glows against his skin and jeans, and Tipper is wearing a little red dress that swishes as she walks. "I'm glad you're all still here, especially you, Hattie." He gives me a hug. "I heard you almost gave up the ghost. Please steer clear of killers in the future, would you? I don't think that's a part of your job description."

It's not,Tipper muses to herself. But apparently, it's in her blood. The girl is addicted to crime, and I can't say I'm any different.

I nod her way. There's a reason we're in the same murder club.

"So what's going on here?" Winnie asks, her expression growing quickly wary.

"I've got news," Henry says. "After much consideration, I'll be stepping out of law for a while."

The entire lot of us gasps in horror.

"Henry," my mother balks. "You practically fought your way through law school. Every inch of your success has been a battle. Why in the world would you give up now?"

"For those exact reasons," he says. "Look, I want to do something else with my life, other than making people miserable."

"But you're helping people," Dad cries out as if he were in pain and in need of some serious help himself.

"And now I want to feed them," Henry says with a sigh. "In fact, I want to feed them really good Holiday lobster. I'm buying the Lobster Boil."

"What?" we all shout at once.

"It's true," he says. "The wheels are already in motion. Tipper has been generous in helping me with the ins and outs of restaurant life."

She gives a quick nod. "My ex has a string of bar and grills. And as much as he won't admit it, the success of those dive bars was all thanks to yours truly. I'm giving Henry all of my best pointers."

"Oh, that's a relief," I say and all eyes turn my way. "I mean, that you're able to share your knowledge." And not about to run off into the sunset with my brother.

Tipper winks my way. Little does Hattie know I plan on running off into the sunset with her handsome hunk of a brother.

Wonderful.

We congratulate Henry and quickly rally around his new dream.

"I'll be renaming the place," he says. "But one thing will remain the same—we'll never stop serving Holiday lobster."

We give a collective cheer at the thought before saying goodnight and going our separate ways.

I'm about to help the rest of the staff start the cleanup process when I spot Bunny speaking with a familiar brunette, one that I'm pretty sure I owe an apology to.

It's time to eat crow.