Written in Stone (A Books by the Bay Mystery)

idea for my next chapter. Thanks for curing my case of writer’s block.”
    “I won’t charge you. This time,” Millay said wryly and then glanced at Olivia. “So what gives? Where’s the chief?”
    “Late again,” Olivia said. She’d been wondering the same thing. “But he knows the deal. We start on time as long as the author’s here. Ready, Harris?”
    Harris devoured the last prosciutto roll on his plate and nodded. “Fire away.”
    Olivia looked down at her notes. Harris’s science-fiction novel featured a complex heroine named Zenobia. Following the tragic death of her parents, this young woman had unexpectedly become the ruler of the entire Zulton race and was tasked with relocating her people from their dying planet to a more viable one.
    In the first half of Harris’s book, Zenobia had successfully maneuvered through a political minefield and honed her skills as warrior. However, she refused to bend to the customs of the nobility and spent most of her free time alone in a simulation room.
    During Harris’s last critique session, the Bayside Book Writers had pointed out that they knew very little about Remus, Zenobia’s new planet, and he’d responded by having Zenobia lead a team into a vast cavern system in search of a valuable mineral. In one of the deeper caves, Zenobia’s party had been attacked by a creature unlike any Zenobia or the Bayside Book Writers had ever encountered before.
    Olivia thought he did a good job with this scene, though she still had difficulty picturing the beast in her mind. Apparently, so did Millay.
    “Is it part dragon or part alligator?” she asked. “I get it that’s it big and drools and has four eyes, but I can’t really see it.”
    “But it’s sci-fi,” Laurel argued. “He can’t compare it with things on Earth. If he says it had the head of a crocodile, it takes away from the sense that everything is alien.”
    Millay offered suggestions on how Harris could describe the beast more effectively, while Laurel insisted that too much detail would detract from Zenobia. “She’s the star.”
    Olivia told Harris that she liked both the pacing and descriptive detail, but didn’t understand why Zenobia was disappointed over being hailed as Hunter, a rare and special title given to only the bravest of leaders. “You show us her emotions, but don’t explain why she feels the way she does. And what about the mineral they went to mine in the first place? Are they going back for it or are there more creatures in those caverns?”
    Harris was about to reply when a ping came from Olivia’s cell phone, indicating she’d just received a text message. “I’d better see if that’s Rawlings,” she said, getting up from the club chair and moving into the small kitchen. Scooping her phone up from the counter, she glanced at the text box and read the enigmatic message from Rawlings.
    “Is it the chief?” Harris asked. “I hope he shows up. I need a guy’s take on this chapter. No offense to the ladies, of course.”
    Millay hit him in the face with a throw pillow. “Offense taken, loser. Your book features a female protagonist! If you want to resonate with female readers, then you should count yourself lucky to have three savvy chicks reviewing your drafts.”
    Harris protested until Laurel cut him off by saying, “I hear a car.”
    “That’s Rawlings.” Olivia held out her phone and pointed at the text window. “He asked me to meet him outside. Alone.”
    Millay’s brows rose. “Oooooh! A tryst? Right in the middle of our critique session?”
    Olivia glowered at her. She had done her best to act casual in Rawlings’ presence, to understate her relationship with the chief whenever anyone else was around, and she didn’t like Millay calling attention to it. “He didn’t text me a bunch of
x
s and
o
s,” she said tersely. “I don’t know what he wants, but it can’t be good if he won’t talk about it in front of everyone. Be right back.”
    Haviland jumped up from his position next to the sofa and joined Olivia as she made her way outside. Rawlings, who was dressed in uniform, was talking on his cell phone. When he saw Olivia, he quickly finished his conversation and tossed the phone onto the driver’s seat.
    “Am I under arrest?” Olivia teased, holding out her wrists. The chief’s mouth narrowed to a grim line and he stiffened his shoulders, making it clear that he was in no mood for jokes.
    Rawlings gave Haviland’s head a cursory