Killer Closet Case: a Danger Cove B&B Mystery (Danger Cove Mysteries Book 6) Read Online Free Page A
Author: Elizabeth Ashby, T. Sue VerSteeg
get the hang of things. Pretty please?" My words dripped with desperation. I cast her my best pleading, doe-eyed gaze.
"Okay," she drew out, blinking rapidly before hugging my arm and dropping her head on my shoulder. "For you, the world." She looked up at me, her head still resting on me. "But just for a couple of days. New York calls."
The thought of being in charge on my own filled me with dread, but I nodded.
Dad stopped the RV as they rolled by us. Mom leaned over him and bellowed out the window, "Looks like you've brought your own help with you." She gave me a cynical side-eyed look of surprise, probably because I'd forgotten to mention Cristal. "We had Sheila get our apartment ready for you over the garage, and we'll just sleep in here. Make yourselves at home. We'll be back in a jiff!" She kissed her palm and tossed it my way, drawing out a long mwah .
I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled back, enunciating each word precisely, "Turn your phone on!"
Both parents waved as they pulled out of the drive, reciting in unison, "We will!"
Yeah, right.
CHAPTER TWO
I climbed the outside steps to the apartment over the garage with another load of clothes on hangers and one of Cristal's many suitcases that had filled the backseat of my car to overflow status. One particularly odd-shaped case had shifted to whack me in the head each time I'd applied the brakes during our trip. As though it could feel my wrath, I tossed it harshly onto the floor. At least it made me feel a little bit better.
"Cristal?" I called out, tossing the hanging items onto the full-sized bed. Rather than a reply, the sound of running water answered my inquiry. I stared into the empty tiny closet that was supposed to hold all of our stuff. Barely the size of a bookcase, there was no way to even fit the few things we still had on hangers. I tapped on the back wall, wondering if that handyman of Mom's could work any magic. It sounded hollow, so there was hope, but it wasn't like we'd be there for very long anyway. I mentally brushed away the idea. We'd make due and only hang the important stuff.
As I rounded the corner back out of the tiny bedroom, into the even tinier living area, I could see steam rolling from under the bathroom door through the kitchenette. It appeared that the space was relatively new, with just a few light fixtures missing and some doors in need of trim. It was all tastefully done in earth tones with splashes of blues and yellows used in accent pieces and artwork. The kitchenette even had granite counters and upscale appliances.
I pushed the heavy drapes back from the living room window and stared out at the breathtaking scenery. Better than any picture I'd ever seen, the heavy shade trees framed the mighty Pacific Ocean. The sun was setting, sparkling across the waves as they crashed against the rocks out in the cove. Yellows and oranges streaked across the sky as the huge sun seemed to flatten out and stretch along the horizon, disappearing as though sinking into the water. I slid the window open and dropped to my knees on the floor, arms resting on the windowsill and my chin propped upon them, to watch the colors fade and listen to the waves.
"Wow," Cristal muttered, practically in my ear, scaring me into a standing position in one fluid motion. "That's all kinds of awesome." She stood next to me, one big fluffy white towel twisted over her wet hair and another wound around her petite frame.
I held a hand over my pattering heart, steadying myself. "Thanks for helping me carry stuff up before you got in the shower," I taunted sarcastically.
She scoffed. "I'm staying for a few days out of the goodness of my heart to help you. I think you need to cut me a little slack."
Already past slightly miffed, I snapped, "I'm letting you use my car to drive to New York to look for work."
She tried to dismiss me with a regal sweep of her hand and turned toward the bedroom. "Fine," she huffed. "My attorney says I should have
"Okay," she drew out, blinking rapidly before hugging my arm and dropping her head on my shoulder. "For you, the world." She looked up at me, her head still resting on me. "But just for a couple of days. New York calls."
The thought of being in charge on my own filled me with dread, but I nodded.
Dad stopped the RV as they rolled by us. Mom leaned over him and bellowed out the window, "Looks like you've brought your own help with you." She gave me a cynical side-eyed look of surprise, probably because I'd forgotten to mention Cristal. "We had Sheila get our apartment ready for you over the garage, and we'll just sleep in here. Make yourselves at home. We'll be back in a jiff!" She kissed her palm and tossed it my way, drawing out a long mwah .
I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled back, enunciating each word precisely, "Turn your phone on!"
Both parents waved as they pulled out of the drive, reciting in unison, "We will!"
Yeah, right.
CHAPTER TWO
I climbed the outside steps to the apartment over the garage with another load of clothes on hangers and one of Cristal's many suitcases that had filled the backseat of my car to overflow status. One particularly odd-shaped case had shifted to whack me in the head each time I'd applied the brakes during our trip. As though it could feel my wrath, I tossed it harshly onto the floor. At least it made me feel a little bit better.
"Cristal?" I called out, tossing the hanging items onto the full-sized bed. Rather than a reply, the sound of running water answered my inquiry. I stared into the empty tiny closet that was supposed to hold all of our stuff. Barely the size of a bookcase, there was no way to even fit the few things we still had on hangers. I tapped on the back wall, wondering if that handyman of Mom's could work any magic. It sounded hollow, so there was hope, but it wasn't like we'd be there for very long anyway. I mentally brushed away the idea. We'd make due and only hang the important stuff.
As I rounded the corner back out of the tiny bedroom, into the even tinier living area, I could see steam rolling from under the bathroom door through the kitchenette. It appeared that the space was relatively new, with just a few light fixtures missing and some doors in need of trim. It was all tastefully done in earth tones with splashes of blues and yellows used in accent pieces and artwork. The kitchenette even had granite counters and upscale appliances.
I pushed the heavy drapes back from the living room window and stared out at the breathtaking scenery. Better than any picture I'd ever seen, the heavy shade trees framed the mighty Pacific Ocean. The sun was setting, sparkling across the waves as they crashed against the rocks out in the cove. Yellows and oranges streaked across the sky as the huge sun seemed to flatten out and stretch along the horizon, disappearing as though sinking into the water. I slid the window open and dropped to my knees on the floor, arms resting on the windowsill and my chin propped upon them, to watch the colors fade and listen to the waves.
"Wow," Cristal muttered, practically in my ear, scaring me into a standing position in one fluid motion. "That's all kinds of awesome." She stood next to me, one big fluffy white towel twisted over her wet hair and another wound around her petite frame.
I held a hand over my pattering heart, steadying myself. "Thanks for helping me carry stuff up before you got in the shower," I taunted sarcastically.
She scoffed. "I'm staying for a few days out of the goodness of my heart to help you. I think you need to cut me a little slack."
Already past slightly miffed, I snapped, "I'm letting you use my car to drive to New York to look for work."
She tried to dismiss me with a regal sweep of her hand and turned toward the bedroom. "Fine," she huffed. "My attorney says I should have
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