“Wonderful!” Dan said.
Mel unfolded the lawn chair and placed it between Maxine and Kendra; Bev sat down and put her feet up on the fire pit. Mel returned to his seat and his eyes went back to the cell phone's screen.
They all turned toward the gravel path that led to the driveway when they heard Red holler, “Am I too late for breakfast?” He walked down the path and sat at the picnic table next to Mel.
“Can't get your nose out of that phone, can ya?” Red asked. “What are ya looking at?”
“Skip's mopping his floor,” Mel replied.
Red leaned in for a closer look. “What the hell did he spill? Is that wine or Kool-Aid, or something—”
“It's blood,” said Mel matter-of-factly.
“Blood?”
“Yeah, Dan shot two guys last night.”
“What! What do you mean, shot two guys?”
“It's pretty self-explanatory,” Dan said.
“Who did you shoot?” Red asked.
“The two guys we were looking for showed up at Skip's last night.”
Red looked to the ladies. “Is he serious?”
They all nodded yes.
“We watched the whole thing on Mel's phone,” said Bev.
Mel chuckled. “Look, Skip's picking his nose.”
“We even watched him steal their money after he shot them,” Maxine said disgustedly.
“So, you got your money back,” Red said.
“No. Would you believe Rick made me give it back?”
“How do you give money back to dead people?” Red asked.
“I had to give it to Rick,” Dan answered. “Evidently it's evidence.”
“That sucks.”
“Tell me about it. This week I got in two fights, a shootout, got my stomach slashed, and solved four murders—”
“Six, counting the couple in Allentown,” Maxine added.
“That's right, six. All that and it ended up costing me five hundred bucks.”
“Poor baby,” said Maxine.
“There's just not a lot of money in crime-solving,” Dan said.
“That's why Rockford lived in a trailer,” Mel said.
“And Magnum lived in a guest house,” said Red.
“And Rod Hardman lived in his van,” Kendra said.
Everyone looked at Kendra confusedly.
“No one?” she asked. “No one has seen Rod Hardman, PI?”
“No,” Maxine said.
“Huh. I played a nurse in that one.”
The End
Coming 2017
Sunrise City
Also by Rodney Riesel
Sleeping Dogs Lie
From the Tales of Dan Coast
A mystery set in the Florida Keys follows Dan Coast, an unlicensed private detective of sorts, as he is hired to find the missing boyfriend of a woman who herself soon ends up missing. When someone from the woman’s past unexpectedly shows up at Dan’s home, with a story of faked deaths and missing life insurance money; Dan along with his sidekick Red set out to find the money, and the woman.
ISBN: 978-0-9883503-0-4
Ocean Floors
From the Tales of Dan Coast
The second installment in the Dan Coast series, Ocean Floors, is a tale of mystery and possible romance when a chance meeting with a beautiful young woman leads Dan and his trusted sidekick Red down a road of murder and kidnapping. Join Dan and Red as they try to solve the murder while searching for a missing friend.
ISBN: 978-0-9894877-0-2
North Murder Beach
A Jake Stellar Novel
The first installment of the story of North Myrtle Beach police detective, Jake Stellar. The spring bike rallies have ended, the spring breakers have all gone back to school, and the summer tourist season is a few weeks away. What better time for a police officer to take a nice quiet relaxing week off from work? That’s what Jake Stellar had in mind. That is until someone from his past resurfaces to remind him of a terrible secret he has spent years trying to forget. In North Murder Beach, a story of revenge, Jake is unwillingly and violently forced to confront his secret from his past.
ISBN: 978-0-9894877-1-9
The Coast of Christmas Past
From the Tales of Dan Coast
Coast of Christmas Past is the third book in the Dan Coast series of books. Dan Coast is all set to spend Christmas just the same way he has every year for the past few years; alone and drunk. But when uninvited, unexpected guests arrive and throw a wrench into his holiday plans he is forced to sober up (slightly), and throw on a smile. Just when it seems nothing else could go wrong, a close friend is injured in what appears, to the police, to be a drug deal gone bad. Dan Coast and his sidekick, Red jump into action to find the truth while their friend lies unconscious in the hospital.
ISBN: 978-0-9894877-3-3
The Man in Room Number Four
The Dunquin Cove Series
When a mysterious stranger arrives in the small coastal town of Dunquin Cove, Maine it appears as though Claire and her young son, Mica’s prayers have been answer.
But who is he, and why is he really here? Join Claire and her guests at the Colsome House Bed and Breakfast as they piece together the mystery of the Man in Room Number Four.
ISBN: 978-0-9894877-2-6
Ship of Fools
From the Tales of Dan Coast
Ship of Fools is the fourth book in The Tales of Dan Coast series and begins where Coasts of Christmas Past left off. Find out how Dan deals with the death of a young friend, while looking into the disappearance of a new friend's sister. Join Dan, Red, and Skip as they fumble their way through a new mystery.
ISBN: 978-0-9894877-4-0
Beach Shoot
A Jake Stellar Series
It’s a beautiful Sunday morning in North Myrtle Beach and Emily Bowen, a wife and mother of four, lies dying on the beach. Jake Stellar returns in Beach Shoot, a new mystery by Rodney Riesel.
Beach Shoot is the second Jake Stellar book and sequel to the Amazon Best Seller North Murder Beach. In Beach Shoot, Jake finds himself teamed up with the most unlikely of partners, his nemesis and fellow detective Avis Lint. Join Jake and Avis as they piece together the clues in this thrilling new mystery.
ISBN: 978-0-9894877-5-7
Return to Dunquin Cove
The Dunquin Cove Series
It’s been almost six months since the day ex-hitman, Ben Dunning turned up in Dunquin Cove, Maine, not knowing where or who he was. He’s lived a quiet, peaceful life in the small town, but now his old life is calling him back. As Ben plans a trip to Boston in search of his past, little does he know that trouble is brewing in Dunquin Cove. Two strangers have arrived with the promise of safety and security. Join Ben and the people of Dunquin Cove as they band together to prove they can take care of themselves and their town.
ISBN: 978-0-9894877-7-1
Double Trouble
From the Tales of Dan Coast
Shortly after Walter and Warren Bowman arrive in Key West in search of a sister they never knew they had, Warren disappears. With nowhere else to turn, Walter enlists the help of Dan Coast. Join Dan as he and sidekick Red Baxter search for the missing Bowman family members, while dealing with the fallout of an ongoing case.
ISBN: 978-0-9894877-9-5
When Death Returns
A Jake Stellar Series
Has a serial killer from the past returned to North Myrtle Beach? Jake Stellar is back in When Death Returns. Join Jake and his partner Avis Lint in this exciting third installment of the Jake Stellar series as they investigate a homicide that eerily echoes the past.
ISBN: 978-0-9971149-0-4
From Here to There: A Collection of Short Stories
Within this book is a collection of short stories I have written over the past few years. The stories were mostly inspired by trips I've taken, places I've stayed, and conversations I've overheard from Maine to Florida. Although these stories differ from ones I have released in the past, I hope you will en
joy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.
ISBN: 978-0-9971149-1-1
Most Likely to Die
From the Tales of Dan Coast
How does someone with no enemies end up murdered? That's for Dan Coast and his sidekick Red Baxter to find out. Join Dan and Red, along with Skip Stoner and Dan's childhood hero, former astronaut, Kip Larson as they piece together the clues that may free an innocent man. In this action packed, sixth installment of The Tales of Dan Coast Series, Dan digs into a wrongly accused man's past and finds out he may not be so innocent.
ISBN: 978-0-9971149-2-8
The Obedience of Fools
A Jake Stellar Series
Join Detective Jake Stellar and his partner, Detective Avis Lint in this fast paced, North Myrtle Beach based Jake Stellar Series. In this fourth installment, The Obedience of Fools, Jake and Avis butt heads with some of The Grand Strand’s elite as they try to uncover a secret that may hold the answer to a string of recent homicides.
ISBN: 978-0-9971149-3-5
Deadly Moves Page 13