“I don’t know, Julie…” I said.

She charged ahead: “Then, Alice, we’ll need you to write an anonymous letter to the editor about some tip or lead or something that hopefully will be real, but even if it isn’t, it will get published because it will sell papers, and it’s a letter to the editor so it’s opinion.”

“Sure,” Alice said. “Whatever you need.”

“Grace, I know this isn’t really your speed, but we’ve got to come up with some way to work Bill’s innocence into your massive online following. Maybe you do a special segment with Charlotte and Iris, and it somehow comes up or something.”

Grace nodded. “Anything to help.”

“I still don’t see how this affects us,” Merit said.

Julie smiled. “Ah, well, that’s where you’re wrong, because I’ve dissected Juniper Shores Socialite’s content thus far, and the six of us around this circle are her prime fodder. So at first, I thought maybe we should conduct an investigation, find out who she is—”

“Ohhhh!” Iris said. “We should do that!”

“Too slow,” Julie said. “Instead, we’re going to make sure that everything we do, everywhere we go, we are preaching the gospel of an innocent Bill. She’s everywhere we are, watching our every move. That can’t help but make it onto her page.”

Honestly, I was impressed. So, no, this wasn’t going to get Bill out of jail or prove his innocence, but it was something. Julie was right that the court of public opinion could affect Bill’s future enormously.

I nodded and said, “Kids, you just live your lives and—”

“Kids,” Julie interrupted, “you are fourteen and sixteen, and thus old enough to help. If Charlotte is too proud to accept that, fine. But I’m here to tell you that this is important, and your voices matter.”

With that, Julie stood up. “I’m off to start my article. Charlotte, I promised you I wouldn’t make you talk. And I won’t. But you have the chance to help right this very personal wrong. If I were you, I wouldn’t squander that opportunity.”

Julie was already marching up the beach. The General had issued the battle plan. “Wow. She is good,” I said. Finally, someone who would help me play some offense.

“Too bad Julie isn’t our attorney,” Iris said. “Dad would at least be on house arrest.”

“Do you think she’s feeling so feisty and sure of herself because she’s back with her ex?” Merit asked casually.

“Houston?!” Grace and Alice yelped at the same time.

“She is not back with him,” Alice said.

“That’s not what Juniper Shores Socialite says,” Iris chimed in. “And I’m sorry, but facts are facts…”