Toxic (Venom Series) Book Three

by Kristen Middleton

  “Good morning,” beamed my mother, who was always a morning person no matter how late she stayed up.

  “Where’s Nathan?”

  “He’s outside by the boat. We were thinking about taking it out on the lake within the hour.”

  I yawned. “I’ll eat something and get ready.”

  “Good.”

  I took a drink of coffee and walked over to a large window facing the lake. The skies were blue and it looked like a beautiful day. Then I thought about the dead girl from last night.

  “Um, did you really actually find her in the lake?” I asked. The idea of swimming in the lake when there’d been a floating body in it the night before was harrowing. I seriously doubted that I could even put my foot in the water.

  “Why?”

  I could tell from her expression that she knew where this was going.

  I shrugged. “It’s just kind of gross to think about swimming in it.”

  My brother entered the kitchen. “Don’t worry, Nikki, that lake is so freaken big, I’m sure there are plenty of other bodies lost somewhere beneath the surface. People still swim in it all the time.”

  I shot him a dirty look. “That’s gross.”

  Mom groaned. “Thanks, Nathan. Listen, people drown and it’s just a fact of life. I’m sure every lake has stories of people disappearing in it, including the ones you’ve swam in the past.”

  I walked towards the doorway with my coffee. “That doesn’t make it sound any more enticing. I think I’ll just enjoy the view on the lake and try not to think about what’s under it.”

  “Just make sure you’re ready to go in an hour!” hollered Nathan as I stepped out of the kitchen. “Or we’re leaving you behind.”

  ~~~

  An hour-and-a-half later, I’d changed into my new orange and pink bikini, and we were racing across the lake in a twenty-five-foot Stingray. Nathan was grinning from ear to ear, my mom was also smiling and desperately trying to hold her straw sunhat onto her head, but I was still thinking about the girl in the lake. I just couldn’t shake the horror of knowing there’d been a body near the cabin we were now staying. I had to admit, the fact that my mother and brother were able to push it aside was a little disconcerting, too. It was almost like they’d forgotten all about it.

  “This is great!” yelled Nathan over the motor as his light brown hair whipped in the wind. “There’s hardly anyone out here and we have the entire lake to ourselves!”

  It was true, but it was also early in the week. From the look of all the boats docked near the shoreline, this place was pretty busy on the weekends.

  Nathan slowed down after crossing the entire lake and set the anchor. “Okay, I’m going for a swim,” he said, smiling eagerly.

  “Sounds good,” said mom as she pulled out a book from her tote. “You know what I’m going to do – read and work on my tan.”

  I handed her some sunscreen. “Not without this. You’ll be a lobster tonight as it is.”

  She smiled and began rubbing some of the coconut scented lotion into her skin.

  “Coming in, twerp?” asked Nathan, removing his bright red T-shirt.

  “Quit calling me that,” I snarled. “Maybe later I’ll come in and drown you.”

  He dove into the dark water. When he surfaced, he yelled, “Wow, it’s really nice! Come on out, Nikki. Don’t be such a wimp!”

  The sun was shining, it was already eighty degrees and as I stared at him in the water, I had to admit, it did look very enticing.

  I let out a long sigh and stood up. I lifted the white beach dress over my head and dove into the cool water.

  “See,” said Nathan when I popped my head back out. “It’s not so bad.”

  I wiped some water away from my eyes and smiled. “Yeah, I guess not.” It also didn’t hurt that we were on the other side of the lake from where the girl had been found. For some reason, that comforted me quite a bit.

  A small fishing boat was trolling towards us and I strained to see who was driving it, half expecting the sheriff who’d been making eyes at my mom earlier. Even today in her bikini, she’d caught the attention of a couple fishermen we’d passed by on the lake. Heck, I couldn’t deny the fact that she looked pretty fit for someone reaching forty.

  “Hey,” shouted Nathan at the young man who stopped his boat next to ours. “How’s it going?”

  The dark-haired guy looked about our age, maybe a little older. He was wearing black sunglasses and blue-and-white striped swim trunks. “Pretty good. Nice boat!” he hollered back.

  Nathan smiled. “It’s not ours, but thanks.”

  The stranger removed his sunglasses and returned the smile. “I’m Duncan. You guys vacationing out here?”

  “No,” answered mom. “We’re renting a cabin on the other side of the lake.”

  He nodded. “There are more than enough cabins available on this lake, that’s for sure.”

  “Really? Why is that?” I asked.

  He stared at me for a minute and then said, “I just meant that some of these cabins are only seasonal homes, so many of the owners rent them out during the year when they’re not in use.”

  “Oh,” I replied.

  “I’m Anne, but the way,” said mom. “And those two in the water are Nikki and Nathan.”

  “Nice meeting you all.”

  “You too,” replied Nathan.

  “Do you live on the lake then, Duncan?” she asked.

  He nodded. “I live with my dad on the north side of the lake. He owns the boat repair shop over there, and our place is right next to it.”

  “Cool,” said Nathan. “I suppose you get to see a lot of nice boats coming through there.”

  “Definitely, my dad’s is the only repair shop nearby, so he’s pretty busy, even with my help. Because the lake is so big and there’s money on it, we definitely get some nice little yachts coming in for repairs.”

  I swam back over to our boat and climbed up the steps while Nathan and Duncan continued talking boats. As mom handed me a towel, I noticed Duncan stealing glances my way. When our eyes suddenly met, he quickly looked away.

  “So, what do you guys do for fun here, other than fishing?” asked Nathan.

  Duncan cleared his throat. “Actually, the town is having their annual end of summer barbeque this weekend at Turtle Beach. It’s on the northern side of the lake, too. I’m sure they’ll have tons of food and games. Then, at night they’ll launch the fireworks. They do it every year.”

  “We’d better not miss that shindig,” smiled my mom.

  He nodded. “It’s a pretty big deal. Almost everyone in town will be there.”

  “Will you be there?” I blurted out unexpectedly. I surprised everyone, even myself.

  Duncan stared at me for a moment and smiled. “I wasn’t planning on it, but it’s starting to sound more interesting.”

  I could feel my face burning and it wasn’t from the sun. “I, um... I just think it would be nice for Nathan to have someone to hang out with. He gets so bored, sometimes… ”

  “She’s right,” replied Nathan, grinning widely at me, as if he knew I was back-peddling. “I need a friend. I’m just so bored out of my mind now that we’re in a new town and I have no friends to raise hell with.”

  He laughed. “I don’t know much about raising hell, but if you’re bored, you should stop by the shop later today. We just took in this mint Bluewater yacht that is incredible. I might even know someone with the keys who could give you a private tour.”

  “Sweet! I might have to take you up on that,” said Nathan, his face brightening.

  Just then, a couple flew by us on a pair of jet-skis and Duncan turned to watch them, giving me another opportunity to check him out. I had to admit that he was not only cute, but had nicely-sculpted pecs and arms. It was obvious that he worked his muscles when he wasn’t working on boats. Before I had a chance to look away he turned back around and caught me staring. I immediately looked away, hoping my face wasn’t as red as N
athan’s trunks.

  “What’s wrong, Nikki?” asked mom, an amused expression on her face. “You feeling a little flushed?”

  “No,” I answered, a little too sharply.

  “Oh. Okay.”

  “Your face is a little red,” said Nathan, pointing to his cheek. He grinned. “Better use some sunscreen.”

  I shot him an angry look and he turned away, chuckling.

  “I suppose I should get back to the marina. By the way, you ladies are invited, too, of course,” said Duncan.

  I looked up. “Okay.”

  “Thanks,” said mom, “but maybe another time. I have too much to do this afternoon.”

  “No problem. I’ll be around the shop all evening. Hope to see you there,” said Duncan, his eyes drifting back to me again. Then he started the engine and was gone.

  “That’s cool,” said Nathan as he got back on the boat after Duncan left. “Now I can check out some nice boats while Nikki checks out Duncan.”

  “Very funny.”

  He smiled. “Come on, I saw the way you were drooling over him!”

  “I was not!” I retorted, scowling at him. “I was just checking his boat out.”

  He threw his head back and laughed. “Right! Since when do you have an interest in boats?”

  “I always have.”

  My mom smiled and added her two cents. “Actually, I also noticed that you were checking out more than the boat.”

  “Whatever. You guys are seeing things. Anyway, you both should talk, what, about that redhead in the parking lot yesterday, and… Sheriff White Strips?”

  My mom looked confused. “Sheriff White Strips?”

  Nathan nodded. “Yeah, Caleb. His teeth were whiter than your pasty skin, mom. Bleached white.”

  She snorted. “You’re funny.”

  “Sorry, couldn’t resist,” replied Nathan as he started the engine. He grabbed his bottle of water and took a swig. “I say we go back to the cabin now, I’m starving.”

  “Sounds good,” she replied. “I’ve got plenty to do.”

  Nathan set his water in the cup-holder, turned on the engine, and we started back across the lake. A few seconds later, he grinned like a little kid and told us to hold on.

  I grabbed the handle next to my seat right as he punched it down and we took off across the lake. I squealed in delight as we sped over the calm waters, the wind practically blowing my hair dry as we flew. Soon, we were near our neck of the woods and I pulled my beach-dress back over my bathing suit. As we slowed down, I noticed a middle-aged woman sitting on her dock, fishing. She smiled and raised her hand in greeting.

  “Must be our neighbor,” said mom, waving back. “Ernie mentioned that she was recently widowed. I think he said her name was Abigail. Very nice woman, I guess. Maybe it would be a good idea if I stopped by later and said hello.”

  I stared at the woman and nodded. “I would. She’s probably sad and lonely.”

  She nodded. “I’m sure.”

  Nathan docked the boat near the end of the dock and we helped him secure it to the posts.

  “That should be good enough for now,” he said, testing the ropes. “I’ll leave it out here in case we want to take it out again, later.”

  I stood up and looked down into the brown water. “So, um, it must be pretty deep, right here.”

  “Yeah,” replied Nathan, grabbing his shirt from the boat. “That’s why they built the dock this distance from the shore. It’s safer for the boat if the lake ever gets low.”

  The water was so murky looking and I wondered if there were any more dead bodies below. I imagined someone’s dead eyes staring up at me from below the surface and started to feel sick to my stomach.

  “I’ll meet you guys on shore,” I said, getting up quickly.

  “Are you okay?” called my mom.

  “Just a little too much sun,” I shouted back as I raced towards the cabin, feeling dizzy and anxious. As I passed the area where the body was found, I averted my eyes and tried not to panic any worse than I already was. When I made it to the cabin’s porch, I closed my eyes and took a couple deep breaths.

  “Hey,” said my brother as he climbed the steps a minute later.

  I smiled weakly.

  He stared at me with concern. “You’re really freaked out about that girl, aren’t you?”

  “Well, yeah. Aren’t you?”

  He sighed. “I’m trying to forget about it. She made a huge mistake when she started drinking that night, and hopefully her friends have learned from it. But I’m not going to dwell on it, and neither should you. Heck, you didn’t even see the girl, I discovered her. I should be the one freaking out about it.”

  I nodded. “I know. It’s just so… creepy.”

  He put an arm around my shoulder. “It is, but you have to let it go. Or mom will send you to a shrink, which, actually, she should have done a long time ago.”

  I pushed him away. “Ha-ha.”

  She met us on the porch and took out her keys. “Whew, it’s getting hot out here. Thank goodness for air conditioning.”

  “Summer’s almost over, mom. Then you’ll be complaining about the cold. In fact, I’ve read that it gets very cold here,” I said.

  “That’s when the fireplace will come in handy,” she replied.

  Nathan put the boat keys on one of the end tables. “Nikki, go get dressed and we’ll drive into town to check it out. I need to start looking for a job, too.”

  “Okay,” I replied. I’d worked at a boutique back home and my savings was starting to dwindle. I wanted my own car soon so I didn’t have to rely on Nathan all the time.

  “Then we’ll go check out your boyfriend’s boat repair shop,” he said with a smirk.

  “You’re just full of jokes today.”

  Just then, mom, who’d been checking her voicemail, started smiling. She hung up the phone and stared at us. “Guess who asked me to dinner?”

  I groaned. “Sheriff Snaggletooth?”

  She frowned. “That’s not fair, Nikki. Like I said before, he seems like a very nice man.”

  “You going for it?” asked Nathan, with a shit-eating grin.

  She tapped her fingers on the banister. “Oh, I don’t know. I’m not looking for anything right now, obviously, but it never hurts to get in good with a town’s sheriff. Maybe I’ll just invite him over to our house tonight for dinner. Can you pick up a couple of steaks in town, Nathan?”

  He nodded. “But if you want wine, you’ll have to get that yourself.”

  She snorted. “That’s the last thing I need, to get tipsy in front of the town’s sheriff.”

  Nathan smiled wickedly. “It might be fun. He can handcuff you if you get too out of hand.”

  Her eyes lit up. “Oh, I never thought of that.”

  “You’re sick,” I said, climbing the staircase. “Both of you.”

  “Oh, Nikki, I can’t wait until the love bug nips you in the butt. I am going to tease the crap out of you,” she said.

  “Don’t hold your breath. That’s not happening anytime soon,” I said.

  “We’ll see,” she said.

  “Be ready in thirty minutes, twerp,” called Nathan. “We’ll go cruising.”

  Chapter Five

  I took a quick shower and changed into a dark blue halter sundress and white sandals. I pulled my hair into a loose up-do and applied a smidgeon of lip gloss.

  “You look pretty,” smiled mom as I entered the kitchen, looking for Nathan.

  I looked down at my dress and shrugged. “Oh, it was one of the few things already unpacked.”

  She gave me a knowing smile and kissed the top of my head. “Don’t break too many hearts in town.”

  “Ha-ha, mom. Very funny,” I said, although I did feel sort of pretty in the new dress. It also wouldn’t hurt to make a good impression on any kids who were hanging out in town.

  Nathan was polishing up his Mustang when I found him outside. The red paint gleamed in the sun when he was finishe
d.

  “Now I’ll definitely be a chic magnet,” he teased, flexing his muscles. “Don’t take offense if I ask you to duck down when the ladies are scoping me out.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Right.”

  “You’ll see.”

  I got into the car and we took our time driving back into town.

  “Hear from Deanna yet today?” I asked.

  He grimaced. “Yeah. She called freaking out, again. I just don’t know what to do about her. I mean, the more I think about it, the more I realize that I’m tired of the drama. Then I look at this town we’ve moved to and I think about all of the possibilities.”

  I smiled. “You mean all of the chicks?”

  “Hell yeah,” he laughed.

  I shook my head at my brother, who was so predictable.

  “Okay, keep your eyes peeled for something interesting,” said Nathan, brushing his bangs away from his eyes. “Both of us need jobs.”

  As we entered the town I pointed right away to a diner called ‘Ruth’s.’ “Let’s stop in there and see if they’re hiring.”

  “Good idea. I’m hungry again, anyway.”

  We were seated by a frazzled-looking waitress who appeared to be one of only two working. It was only three in the afternoon, but the place was packed.

  “You wouldn’t be hiring, would you?” I asked the other waitress, Amy, a blond with light blue eyes and an easy smile.

  “Actually, funny you should ask, we’re hiring for the nightshift,” she said. “We’re always hiring for that shift, so I guess it really isn’t funny.”

  “That’s fine. I’m desperately broke and need a job. Could you please get me an application?” I asked. “Oh, and,” I handed her back the menu. “A Caesar salad?” I pointed to Nathan. “He’s buying.”

  She laughed. “Okay, so anything to drink?”

  “Just water,” I replied.

  “How are the burgers here, Amy?” asked Nathan.

  “Oh, they’re very good. That’s why this place is always so busy. That and the fact that we’re the only diner open twenty-four hours.”