“True. But nights like this are a lot more common than they used to be.” A nostalgic look came to my face. “I miss those simple dinner and a movie dates that we used to go on.”
“So do I. But what are we supposed to do, just be two homebodies who never go out?”
I shook my head. “No. I don’t want to be a couch potato couple.”
“Neither do I. Which means that we’ll get wacky nights like this every once in a while.”
I looked up at the sky. “Wow. Look at that full moon.”
“It sure is pretty.”
“You know, this explains a lot.”
David’s eyebrows knitted. “What are you talking about?”
“Come on? Are you telling me that you haven’t noticed how crazy things always have a way of happening during a full moon?”
“You’re not going to start talking about werewolves and other mythical creatures, are you?”
“No.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Good.”
“At the same time, I’m not going to sit here and pretend that all of this wild stuff happening on the night of a full moon is just some random coincidence.”
“Are you saying this is the work a lunar conspiracy?” David deadpanned.
“Go ahead. Laugh it up. Let’s just pray that when the next full moon comes around that life won’t have more shenanigans in store for us.”
David chuckled. “Don’t get me wrong, it has been a very mysterious night. But all things considered, the evening could have ended a lot worse.” He stared at the Watterson estate. “Especially in this instance.”
I nudged my head toward Craig, who was confined to the back of a police squad car. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one going to jail.”
“True,” David replied.
“He just flushed his future right down the drain.”
“I can’t deny that. But that isn’t because of a full moon. It’s because he made a very stupid decision,” David said. “Craig’s poor judgment aside, I am relieved that tonight didn’t actually turn out worse.”
“I’m glad that you can find a silver lining in this.”
“Think of it like this. Catching Craig trespassing is a lot better than stumbling upon a drug deal.”
“Or discovering that the house is actually haunted,” I said.
David bit the corner of his lip. “You didn’t ever really think that the house was haunted, did you?”
“I didn’t know what to think. When I saw the light on, I just knew that I couldn’t rule anything out.”
“Now you know the truth. Go figure. It turns out sometimes the simplest answer really is the right one.”
“And sometimes there’s still plenty of complicated questions to go around. For example, what’s going to happen to Craig?”
“He’s going to spend the night in jail.”
“How much time do you think he’s going to spend behind bars?”
“It will be up to the district attorney, but since he has no prior criminal record, I imagine he’ll only end up spending a few weeks in jail. When he gets out, he’ll probably be hit with a fine, be on probation for a year, and have to do some community service.”
“That should teach him.”
“Yeah—him. The problem is, he mentioned that other people have been doing the same thing. Which means there may be more trespassing cases in the future.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“It’s Xander Watterson’s property. I’ll give him a call and let him know what’s been happening here. If he’s smart, he’ll put up a new fence, put in new locks, and install a security system. If he doesn’t, something much worse can happen here.”
“Well. Let’s hope nothing does. I for one could go for some serious peace and quiet,” I said.
“Why don’t you tell the full moon to knock off the shenanigans then?” he joked.
“Very funny,” I replied.
Chapter Eight
There was a palpable buzz in the air at my family’s coffee shop the next morning, but it was not java-based. The focus of the customers and the staff all centered on the Watterson estate. With good reason. Treasure Cove was home to a number of lingering mysteries, so it was nice that one of them had finally been solved.
After all the time I had spent hypothesizing what had truly been going on at the estate, I was especially relieved to put this mystery behind me.
My boyfriend appeared to have a much different set of thoughts on his mind, all of which were related to his taste buds. Even though donuts were a staple of a homicide detective’s diet, David occasionally had a muffin for breakfast instead. He had already polished off a blueberry muffin and was making quick work of a double espresso.
A few seconds later, he finished up his drink and placed his cup down on the counter in front of me.
“Fantastic espresso, as always. Thank you,” David said.
David and I were far from alone in the shop.
My mother, Elizabeth Daley, stood next to me behind the counter. She gave David a smile and replied, “You’re welcome.”
Feisty as ever, my eighty-year-old grandmother, Betsy Daley, stopped eating a caramel mid-bite to speak up on the issue. “You should be thanking me. This shop wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for yours truly.”
David glanced at Betsy. “Thank you, Betsy.”
“That’s more like it. Compliments keep me young. Don’t you forget that,” Betsy said.
David smiled. “I won’t.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes, as she was prone to do when Betsy showed her feisty side.
“Let’s get back to the important issues,” Elizabeth said.
“Really? You’re going to take the spotlight away from me that quickly?” Betsy asked. “I was just getting started.”
“There are much bigger issues at play,” Elizabeth said.
Betsy threw her arms out. “Like what?”
“Like how our town is going nuts,” Elizabeth said.
I arched my eyebrows at Elizabeth. “Mom, don’t you think you’re being a little dramatic?”
Elizabeth shook her head. “Not at all. Sabrina, you’re the one who keeps telling me that all these suspicious things are happening in town.”
Betsy held her pointer finger up. “Which is all the more reason to be happy that some stupid kids were behind this. I mean, what if this had all been the work of Katie Watterson’s ghost?”
Elizabeth gave Betsy a stern look. “You’re not helping here.”
My mother wasn’t the only one who seemed spooked by the mention of a ghost.
Up until that point, my twenty-eight-year-old employee, Kelly O’Reilly, had been content to just quietly stand behind the counter as the discussion unspooled in front of her.
Kelly’s face turned white at the mention of Katie Watterson. “Please tell me you didn’t just say ghost,” Kelly replied.
Elizabeth ignored Kelly’s remark and kept her focus on Betsy. “Come on, you don’t really believe in ghosts, do you?”
“I’ll tell you what I believe. Ghosts or not, things could have turned out far worse at the Watterson estate,” Betsy said.
Elizabeth nodded. “They sure could have.” She exhaled. “I’m so glad this is behind us.”
A look of fear filled Kelly’s eyes. “Unless the place is haunted.” She grimaced. “Thoughts like that are enough to give me nightmares.”
I put my hand on her shoulder. “Kelly, you don’t have anything to worry about.”
“No. It’s Sabrina who should worry,” Elizabeth said.
I turned and wrinkled my forehead at my mother. “Why would you say that?”
“Because ever since these strange things have started occurring around town, I haven’t been able to stop worrying about you,” Elizabeth said. “Especially since they keep happening in dangerous proximity to you. Why is trouble drawn to you like a magnet?”
“I think you’re exaggerating,” I said.
&nbs
p; “Honey, I take no joy in pointing this out, but it’s hard to deny what’s going on. In the last three months alone, you have been involved with three different murder cases. That would be enough to make any mother worry. So when you throw in this reckless behavior that has been going on at the Watterson estate, I can’t help but fret over what sort of strange thing is going to happen around you next,” Elizabeth said.
I shook my head. “Those are all just isolated incidents.”
“When taken separately, yes. But when you look at the big picture, it is difficult not to be concerned where this is all leading.” My mother put her hand on her chest. “After all, they are not happening to me. Or your stepfather.”
I glanced at my stepdad, Luke, who stood quietly behind the counter beside my mother.
Elizabeth continued. “Or your grandmother.”
My focus turned to Betsy, who gave me a sympathetic look.
“They are happening to you,” Elizabeth said.
My skin crawled. “Mom, you’re making me feel really uncomfortable.”
“I’m sorry about that,” Elizabeth said. “That isn’t my intention. Trust me, I only want the best for you. That’s why I worry—because I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”
David put his arm over my shoulder. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Daley, I’m here to protect Sabrina.”
My stepfather took my mother’s hand and replied, “We’re very thankful for that.”
Kelly scratched her forehead then held her pointer finger up. “Maybe Sabrina needs an aura cleanse.”
Betsy scrunched her nose. “What in the blazes are you talking about?”
“I have been looking into clearing my energy field,” Kelly said. “The more I think about it, the more I get the feeling that Sabrina could benefit from it, too.”
Betsy’s eyebrows arched. “Kelly, you know I think you’re a sweetheart, but I don’t have the foggiest idea what you’re talking about.”
“You haven’t heard of those treatments?” Kelly asked.
“Can’t say that I have,” Betsy replied.
“You’re really missing out. They talk about them all the time at the crystal and elixir shop I go to over on Edge Crest Lane. You should swing by and check it out,” Kelly said.
“I might have to take a rain check on that. I have a pretty full schedule,” Betsy said.
“All right, your loss. After all, you know the old saying—‘never pass up an opportunity to reboot your chakras,’” Kelly replied.
“I don’t think that saying is as famous as you seem to believe it is,” Betsy replied.
“You may be right. All I know is that a little chakra alignment can go a long way.”
“I’ll take your word for that. I happen to like my aura just the way it is. Although, what I’d really like right now is another caramel.” Betsy grabbed one of the individually-wrapped caramels from the container that was on the counter.
Kelly looked out at the rest of the group. “Anyone else interested in some aura cleansing?”
Kelly’s question was met with silence.
I finally broke the ice. “Why don’t you give it a try first and let us know how it goes?”
Kelly put her hands on her hips. “I know what you’re thinking, that it’s all just some wacky New Age mumbo jumbo. But guess what? We’re living in wacky times. Sometimes you can’t fix extraordinary problems with ordinary solutions.”
Kelly’s response was met with another round of silence.
Betsy finished eating her caramel and looked out into the distance with longing in her eyes. “I know what would solve all my problems—a vacation to Hawaii.”
Elizabeth squinted. “Mom, you’re retired. What problems do you have?”
“You mean, other than not being on a beach in Hawaii right now?” Betsy asked.
“I wouldn’t say that counts as a problem,” Elizabeth said.
“I don’t know. It seems like a pretty big problem to me. What can I say? I’m coming down with a nasty case of aloha fever,” Betsy replied.
“I think I’m getting a bad case of that, too,” I said.
Elizabeth bit the corner of her lip. “You know what? Hawaii just might be the answer for you, honey.”
“Really?” I replied.
Elizabeth nodded. “Yeah. Maybe if you take a nice vacation, you can come back with a clean slate. At the very least, you should be able to break this string of bad luck you’re having.”
My eyes widened. “Would you be paying for this vacation?”
“On second thought, maybe you don’t have to go all the way to Hawaii. San Diego might be refreshing enough,” Elizabeth said.
“Yeah. For your wallet,” Betsy replied.
I smiled. “You’ll get no complaints from me. I love San Diego.”
“All right. Well, let me see what I can do,” Elizabeth said.
“Wow. That would be amazing,” I replied.
“Not to rain on the vacation parade, but what about the rest of us?” Kelly asked.
“I’m afraid there are only so many free vacations to go around,” Elizabeth said.
“That isn’t what I meant,” Kelly replied. “I’m glad that David was able to catch Craig Coburn trespassing at the Watterson estate, but Craig isn’t the only one who has attempted to complete this haunted house challenge. Who is to say that someone else won’t try it? Or that the place isn’t really haunted?”
“You don’t have to worry, Kelly,” David said.
“Why not?” Kelly asked.
“I talked to Xander Watterson,” David said.
“And?” Kelly asked.
“He was pretty horrified when I told him what has been going on over there,” David said.
“I’ll bet,” I said.
“So what’s he going to do about it?” Kelly asked.
“He’s not sure yet, but he assured me that big changes will be coming to the Watterson estate,” David said.
Betsy spoke up. “It’s about time. He’s got the money. Put up a new fence. And install a security system, already. And while he’s at it, do something to make the place look like less of an eyesore.”
Good old Grandma. She was never shy about her opinions. Her feistiness was showing more than ever. To the point where David couldn’t help but chuckle a little.
“Any other requests?” David asked.
“I have no shortage of requests, but those should keep him busy for a while,” Betsy said.
“I would just settle for a new fence,” I replied.
Kelly let out a sigh. “I would just settle for the place not being haunted.”
Betsy reached for the container that was on the counter. “If we’re going to start talking about ghosts again, I’m going to need another caramel,” she wisecracked.
Chapter Nine
Before David headed off to work, he wanted to talk to me privately. We left Daley Buzz and walked over to a bench that was located on the sidewalk about twenty feet away from the shop. There was a serious look on David’s face, which made me curious about what he had to tell me. I was about to ask him what was on his mind, but I wasn’t able to stop a much different observation from rolling off of my tongue first.
“That conversation certainly took a turn for the wacky,” I said.
David’s eyes were wide. “Especially considering it’s only nine o’clock in the morning.”
“The crazy part is, as wild of a discussion as that was, I can only imagine what that conversation would have been like if a little alcohol had been thrown in.”
“Let’s be glad that there wasn’t any.”
“My family really is a trip. Then again, name one that isn’t.”
“I guess you’re right. Nothing brings out zaniness like family.”
“I don’t know that the odd circumstances going on around Treasure Cove are helping. Things are getting crazy around here. Why wouldn’t the conversations?”
“True,” I said. “So what did you want to talk about?”
>
“Those license plates we took pictures of last night.”
“Did you do a search of the DMV database?”
He nodded. “I sure did.”
“And?”
“A lot of familiar names came up.”
“Like?”
A disturbing expression was on his face. “Are you ready for this?”
I got a bad feeling in my stomach. “Please tell me none of these people are our friends.”
“They aren’t.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “All right. Let’s hear what you’ve got.”
David began going through his list of names. “Tom Dillon.”
Tom was a prominent local real estate developer.
“William Bolton.”
William ran an import and export business.
“Seth Taylor.”
Mr. Taylor owned a number of car dealerships in the Treasure Cove area.
“Doug Stevenson.”
He was an investment banker.
“Eric Bonner.”
Mr. Bonner was a high-powered defense attorney.
“Trevor Kitteridge.”
Trevor owned a local accountancy firm.
“Dr. Robert Campbell.”
Campbell was a surgeon at Treasure Cove General Hospital.
“Gregory Morton.”
Morton was a popular hypnotherapist in town.
“And Steven McFarland.”
Steven owned one of the local television stations.
Mercifully, David was done listing off names, but my anxiety was just ramping up. I was breathless as I thought about all the men on that list. This was more than just a secretive group of men.
Each of them had one very big thing in common—deep pockets. If money equaled power, these were some of the most powerful men in Treasure Cove.
I thought the list of names might give me some answers. Instead, I just had more questions. To start, who else was a member of the group? After all, David and I had only managed to get pictures of about half of the cars that had left the parking lot the night before. That meant there were almost a dozen more members who had not been unmasked yet.
My thoughts raced as I considered the possibilities. There was so much going on in my head that I could have easily remained lost in thought were it not for David pulling my head out of the clouds.
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