“Paul Lucas is kind of an ass, but once he knows you’re smarter than he is, he’ll calm down. Weirdly, he likes to be in charge, but he loves an employee who knows more than he does.” She paused. “Which you do.”

I smiled. “Thank you, Julie. Seriously.”

“They’d be idiots not to realize that your misfortune is their best day ever.” She squeezed my shoulder. “Okay. I’m off to the mean streets of Juniper Shores to correct injustices and spread the good word.”

I laughed, remembering that, in Julie’s capable hands, one lunch lady’s cold turned into “Possible Covid-19 Tsunami Sweeps Juniper Shores Prep.” That a councilwoman sleeping with her male assistant bloomed into “Sex Ring Overtakes Small Town.”

Then I had a thought. I gasped. “It’s you!”

“What’s me?”

“You’re Juniper Shores Socialite!”

She laughed and shook her head. “Please. Charlotte, I’m kind of offended. I’m a serious journalist.”

Sort of, I thought.

“Would you tell me if you were?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.

“Definitely not,” she said. “But I wouldn’t write about my own aunt—or you. Because I promised.”

That did make sense. Just then my phone rang, and I jumped up to grab it off the dresser, seeing a 917 number—a New York City area code—that I thought I knew. “Ah!” I squealed. “This is about a job!”

Julie nodded and waved as she stepped out of the room.

“Hello,” I said breezily.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Charlotte Nicholson,” the voice on the other end of the line said.

Yup. Bradley (not Brad!!) Mellon. I wanted to correct him, to say it was Sitterly, a fact I was feeling more confident about now that I was 99 percent sure my husband hadn’t stolen millions of dollars from his clients. But, well, I needed Bradley’s help, and I didn’t exactly want to remind him either that I was married or that I was associated with Bill in any way.

“Hi, Bradley! Long time no talk.”

“Uh-huh. I’m hoping you’re calling because you’ve come to your senses after sixteen years and want a second chance at love with Bradley. But I presume you want something else.”