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“I thought he and Tex were taking a barbecue cooking class?” asked Brutus.

“Oh, they did,” said Harriet. “But Tex set fire to the kitchen on his first day, so they banned him from the class.”

“Too bad,” said Dooley. “I think Tex really likes to grill—only he has zero talent.”

“Just like I love to act, but I have zero talent, too,” I mumbled.

“So is Hotflix going to air the new show?” asked Brutus.

“Nope,” said Harriet. “And WLBC-9 have cut all ties with them after the whole fiasco.”

Hotflix had struck a deal with the network, filming the whole thing under the local station’s banner and pretending they were creating a documentary, not wanting the new show to be announced before it was in the can. But the two companies had fallen out after Solange and Selena had been arrested. Now only the lawyers would benefit.

“Do you think I should grow a mustache, though?” asked Uncle Alec, thoughtfully rubbing his upper lip.

“No, I don’t,” said Charlene crisply, and promptly slapped his hand away.

The Mayor still hadn’t completely forgiven her boyfriend for spending time in another woman’s bed—even though he claimed to have no recollection whatsoever.

“Burger up!” Chase yelled, and loud cheers rang out all around the table.

The sun was shining, birds were tweeting, our humans were happily prattling, meat was sizzling on the grill, spreading its delicious aroma, and all in all I thought all was well with the world. And I would have dozed off, if Norm hadn’t suddenly buzzed up to me, and announced happily, “Max! Buddy!”

I opened my eyes and heaved a deep sigh.“Norm, hi,” I said. We hadn’t seen the big fly around for a while. “How are things in the world of the flies?”

“Oh, great!” said the indomitable spy fly. “You remember how you told me I’d always have a home in your home?”

“Of course,” I said. “As long as you don’t touch my food you can buzz around as much as you want.” I’d even told Odelia as much, and she’d specifically instructed her family members not to take out the fly swatter if they saw Norm buzzing about.

“So do you remember you also told me I could bring along my family if I wanted to?” Norm now asked, still buzzing in front of my nose.

“Uh-huh,” I said.

“Oh, Max, you didn’t,” said Harriet.

“Oh, yes, I did,” I said. “Norm has done so much for this family that it’s only right for us to give something back.”

“But, Max—”

“It’s done, Harriet.”

“But, Max!”

I held up my paw, to indicate that as far as I was concerned, the discussion was over. She closed her lips with a click of the teeth, and proceeded to give me a furious look. I know I probably should have discussed this with my housemates, but it was the right thing to do!

“Thank you so much, Max,” said Norm, buzzing up and down with obvious glee. “So I’ve brought my family over, and they’re all anxious to meet my benefactor, the great M.”

“Oh, that’s sweet,” I said with a tired smile. This case had taken a lot out of me, and I frankly needed to catch up on my sleep. Then again, I didn’t want to be rude, and so I was more than willing to say hi to Norm’s mom and dad, and his siblings, too.

“Come on over, you guys!” Norm yelled. “Meet my best friend Max!”

But before Norm’s family could join us for this happy occasion, suddenly a large cloud blocked out the sun. It was so large that the entire backyard was plunged into darkness, and the Pooles all glanced up in surprise.

“What’s going on?” asked Charlene.

“I didn’t know it was going to rain,” said Uncle Alec, holding out his hand.

“’Sunny,’ it says here,” said Marge, referring to the weather app on her phone.

“It’s because you didn’t let me near the grill,” said Tex moodily. “Nature is feeling my mood.”

“We didn’t let you near the grill, honey,” said Marge, “because we don’t enjoy being poisoned on a weekly basis.”

“Now you’re just being mean.”

“I still love you, though,” said his wife, and planted a kiss on the sulking doctor’s cheek.

“It’s not a cloud,” said Gran suddenly. “It’s…”

“Flies!” Scarlett yelled. “And I’m wearing my brand-new white dress!”

She was right. Before our very eyes, hundreds of flies suddenly came buzzing over to where we were pleasantly lounging on the porch swing. Did I say hundreds? I meant thousands—maybe even millions!

They were suddenly everywhere: on our fur, on the table, on the potato salad, the coleslaw, the baby carrots, on the nice sausages, the steaks, the ribs, the burgers, swarming around our humans, and generally acting like an invasion army!

“Heeeeelp!” said Scarlett, swatting them away. “They’re in my hair!”

They were in everyone’s hair!

“Well, Max!” said Norm, over the deafening droning noise of the swarming insects. “Now these are my brothers and sisters—and my aunts and uncles—and my cousins and my nieces and nephews… on my mother’s side. My dad’s side got held up when a farmer dumped a truckload of manure on hiscornfield and they couldn’t resist a free buffet so they’ll get here a little bit later. Guys, this is Max! Or M as I like to call him!”