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

tonight if you’d like.”
    “That sounds wonderful but I’d hate to butt in,” Samantha politely replied.
    Hannah suspected Samantha would love to butt in. “No problem. We’ll go to the vigil after. Maybe figure out a strategy?”
    “Perfect.” Samantha patted the hood of a royal blue Mini Cooper with racing stripes. “This is Mini May. We’re off to check out the town.”
    Sean Payne, coming out of nowhere, pushed his way between Hannah and Cal.
    Really, thought Hannah. Did this guy have no clue about boundaries?
    “Hey,” he said to Hannah, keeping his back to Cal. “Come to the vigil with me tonight?”
    “Sorry, no, I’ve got other plans.” She looked at Cal and moved away from Sean. It wasn’t exactly a date kind of event. Or did Sean have no sympathy for Sally’s parents?
    Cal stepped in front of Sean. “See you tonight, Hannah. Six-ish works?”
    Hannah nodded.
    Sean scowled but didn’t get the hint that he was intruding into their space. He obviously wasn’t going anywhere soon enough for Hannah’s liking. What had Cal referred to Sean as? Pain in the neck? She told herself it was more likely a pain in a different body part—quite a bit lower than her neck.
    Cal told Hannah he’d be back for lunch before he walked to the window of The Fishy Dish. She watched Meg and Cal look at her and laugh. Grrrr. Hannah had to fend for herself with Sean. And make the best of a bad situation.
    She put her hand on Sean’s arm. His smile spread from ear to ear.
    From the corner of her eye, she saw Cal frown. A little bit of jealousy never hurt. Especially if he wasn’t going to rescue her from these unwanted advances.
    “How about we sit and talk for a bit?” Hannah asked Sean. “I’ll bring over a couple of coffees.”
    Sean took a seat under a red canvas umbrella at one of the snack bar’s hexagonal cedar tables. Hannah poured two coffees under Meg’s and Cal’s watchful eyes.
    Who was laughing now?

Chapter 8
     
    Sean had his black ballpoint pen and notebook out when Hannah returned with the coffees.
    “Working on your article?” Hannah asked, with what she hoped was just the right amount of interest—not too nosy, just a casual topic of conversation.
    He reached for the offered coffee.
    Hannah sat opposite Sean and she tried to decipher the upside down writing while he was busy adding three packets of sugar and a couple of creams to his coffee. What she managed to read made her cheeks heat up— beautiful long braid, eyes that sparkle in the sunshine.
    Yuck. Was he describing her?
    Sean flipped the notebook closed.
    She had to figure out how to move the conversation to Sally White, Sally’s parents, Gavin Abbott, and what, if anything, Sean might share with her. Or else she needed to extract herself from his leering eyes.
    Luck showed up before Sean even opened his mouth.
    Leah White approached Hannah. Her eyes flitted like a trapped sparrow and her fingers nervously pushed some stray hairs behind her ear. “Can I talk to you?” she asked Hannah, eyes darting to Sean and back again. “In private?”
    Hannah gave Sean her best so sorry look and escorted Leah to her office. “We can talk here. Is there a problem with the cottage?”
    “What? Oh, no.” Leah’s back was to Hannah as she stood in front of the window with an unobstructed view of the ocean. “The cottage is fine. It’s Matt.” She paused for what felt like an eternity but Hannah bit her tongue and waited. “He wouldn’t tell me where he went last night after he left me here and now he’s gone again. I can’t face the vigil tonight by myself. And . . .” Her voice trailed off.
    “And what, Leah?” Hannah prompted.
    “Everyone will be whispering that Matt killed Gavin Abbott. Oh, I know how people are,” she added quickly when Hannah tried to object. “They’ll keep their voices low and will assume I can’t hear them, but I’ll see the quick glances and notice the sudden silences when I’m nearby. It’s what