Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 108849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
“That’s very nice of you, Charlie.” She patted his arm and nearly knocked him over. Then she reached for Laurel and gathered her in for a hug. For the journey, she wore black pants and a thick gray sweater with several scarves knotted around her throat and jangly silver bracelets up her arm. “This is so kind of you. I’ve never been to a spa like this. I did my research, and they read your aura, and they do your tarot cards, and then you get a massage.” She hopped once. She was in her midforties, her dark eyes lit up and her wide face liberally spread with makeup. “I’m just so excited. This is so much fun.”
Deidre smoothed back her hair. “You’re going to need to dial it down a bit, Dolores. It’s five in the morning.”
“Oh, you.” Dolores tossed a hand toward Deidre. “Cheer up. The unexpected is often fun.”
Laurel shook her head. “No, it usually isn’t. However, in this instance, I think you’ll both enjoy the spa.”
Deidre reached for her carry-on bag. “I don’t know, Laurel. What about—”
“It’s all taken into account, Mom,” Laurel said. “Your employees can handle the shipments from the warehouse. We haven’t opened your shop yet, so there’s no reason for you not to enjoy yourself. You love this trip every year, and now it’s starting out with a spa weekend.”
Dolores clapped her hands together loudly. “A spa, a real fancy type of spa. You know movie stars go there, Deidre. We may see somebody famous.”
Deidre sighed. “We’re not going to see anybody famous.”
“You might,” Laurel countered. “I heard many actresses go to detox at this place. I think you’re going to love it.”
Deidre pulled her in for a hug. “All right, Laurel. I’ll leave town, but you be careful, okay? Promise me.”
“Of course I’ll be careful.”
They both stiffened as headlights showed down the driveway.
“Who would be here at this time of morning?” Dolores asked, turning and making all of her jewelry jangle.
Laurel narrowed her eyes at seeing Monty Buckley’s Fish and Wildlife truck. “Perhaps Monty is coming to say goodbye to you.”
“How thoughtful,” Dolores said. “He likes you, Deidre.”
Monty slowly exited his truck. “Huck told me where to find you, Laurel.”
“Is everything all right?” Laurel asked.
He shook his head. “Not really. There has been a new development in the case.” He looked at Deidre and then Dolores. “We can discuss it after these two get on their way.”
“Oh, no,” Deidre said.
“That’s okay, Mom.” Laurel gave her another hug and ushered her toward the town car. “You need to get to the airport to catch your flight. It’s quite a drive. I’ll miss you, but I love you, and I want you to have fun.”
Monty moved in and reached for Deidre’s hands. “Have a wonderful time, and when you return, I’ll be a hundred percent. We’ll party like the kids do.”
Deidre smiled at him. “Take care of my girl, Monty.”
“You know I will,” Monty said cheerfully.
Laurel barely kept from rolling her eyes but safely deposited her mother and Dolores in the vehicle. Then she watched as it slowly drove away. “What development in the case?”
Monty’s shoulders hunched. “We have another body.”
Laurel ran back toward the house. “I need a heavier jacket and my weapon. Tell me what happened.”
Monty hustled after her. “We received a distress call from a personal locator beacon about an hour ago.”
She barreled inside. “Please tell me it wasn’t out at Witch Creek.”
“It was out at Witch Creek.” He coughed.
“Damn it.” She kicked off her slippers and yanked on her heavier boots and a thick parka before fetching her weapon and a travel mug containing warm tea. “Would you like me to brew you a coffee?”
“No, I’ve got one,” Monty said.
She put her hood over her hair and followed him outside, stopping to lock the door before walking down and climbing into his truck as Monty slid into the driver’s seat. “All right, give me the details.”
He sighed and started the engine. “Somebody hit a personal locator button signaling an emergency that notified Fish and Wildlife. Two of their officers went to investigate, and they found a body next to Witch Creek. All I could get from them is that she’s blond and frozen to the ground, face down.”
“So being blond seems to be a pattern.” Dread slid through Laurel. “Jason Abbott’s first victim was found next to Witch Creek, and she’d engaged a PLB, so somebody is referencing the crime scenes from our previous cases. This is no longer a possible coincidence. Has Huck been notified?”
Monty turned down the country road. “Negative. I decided not to call Huck. He’d head out there immediately, and we have to shield him from this investigation.”
“I understand,” Laurel said. “Yet he’s the best tracker we have in the state.”
“I know,” Monty said. “But we’ll have to do this one without him.”