Page 24 of Be A Detective, They Said. It’ll Be Fun, They Said

Chapter Nine

My mouth fell open. As in literally unhinged. As I stand here now, I take back every doubtful thought I’ve ever had about Melba and her “visions.”

I had to reach out and grab a chair in the row where we stood to steady myself, while still remaining calm on the off chance Melba might have something to do with this.

But how could she? Why would she? So she could become PTA president? Melba did what she had to in order to remain part of the PTA, but that was the most she did. I had to doubt she’d play a game of cat and mouse with us—it took more effort than she was likely willing to give.

Or maybe I’d pegged Melba wrong all along?

Beads of sweat popped out on my brow.

Melba instantly picked up on my panic. I mean, she is after all, psychic, right? “Wanda, are you all right?”

I dismissed my moment of pause. “I’m fine, Melba. I’m just tired. Can you tell me if you saw…um, in your vision, where she went after the woods?”

Her smile was sardonic, her response dry as she crossed her arms over her chest. “You don’t believe me, do you?”

“That’s not true, Melba. I very much believe you. I was simply hoping you saw something else that might help us find her.”

I half expected her to break out a turban and press her fingers to her temples so she could contact the other side.

Instead, she took a very somber stance. “I didn’t see anything else, but I do know she’s out there somewhere. She is. I feel it.”

The conviction in her tone, plus her verbatim repeat of that text to Earl, made me a believer. “I hope you’re right, Melba. Listen, if you see anything else—have another vision, or can tell me anything else about the vision you did have—please, please let me know, will you?”

Her lips thinned, as though she wasn’t convinced I believed her, but then she nodded, her cute bob bouncing. “Of course I will, Wanda. I know Neerie isn’t everyone’s favorite, but no one wants her taken from Tamlin. No one. I hope you find her.”

She took her leave, but I had to take a seat after that, the women around me becoming blurs as I accepted the fact that Melba did, indeed, have visions.

And Bigfoot was real.

Cheese and rice.

“Wanda?” Solange Martin put her hand on my arm. “Are you all right?”

I gave her hand a quick pat, followed by a smile. “I’m fine, Solange. Just a little tired. Did you talk to Nina?”

She nodded, sitting next to me, the curtain of her auburn hair falling over her face. “I did. Wow, she’s scary. No offense,” she said, her voice a little shaky.

I chuckled. “She can be, but I promise her intentions are good.”

“I didn’t like Neerie. She was mean to me,” Solange blurted out, then bit her lip.

Sighing, I nodded. Universe willing, we found Neerie and as soon as we did, we were sending her to rehab. As in, mean girl detox.

“She was mean to everyone, Solange. Neerie could be very difficult, but I think she was going through a really tough time in her life, one she didn’t really share with us. I don’t mean that as an excuse, simply a possible explanation.”

Solange twisted her slender fingers in a knot. “But she was really mean to me in particular.”

That alarmed me. I turned in my chair and tilted my head. “How so?”

Solange gulped. “Well, first it was just that she didn’t add me to the PTA mothers text chain. I thought it was a mistake at first, so I asked her to correct it and she said she would, but she never did. Then, Coral Morales told me that Neerie said not to add me under any circumstances.”

My eyes went wide. How could it be that I’d never noticed Solange wasn’t on the text chain? “Oh, Solange. Had I known, I would have added you, no matter what Neerie said!”

She leaned into me, her musky perfume wafting to my nose. “It’s okay, Wanda. I didn’t want to complain…but there’s more,” she whispered.

I was wide awake now. Sitting up, I cocked my ear. “Okay…”

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