by Tara Ellis
“Well, you all proved to me that I didn’t need my wish answered,” Becky admits. When they eye her questioningly, she shrugs. “I wished to be brave…but I found out that I already am, and I can swim!”
“You didn’t need us to figure that out!” Ally assures her, putting an arm around her shoulders. “And you inspired my wish, Becky.” When the smaller girl looks at Ally in surprise, she laughs lightly. “Sometimes, I judge people too quickly. I know I’ve probably missed out on some great friends because of it. You reminded me that I need to try harder, because you totally blew away my first impression.”
“I’m not coming back to camp for the next session,” Lexie says abruptly. “I mean…even if they get things worked out, I still won’t go.”
“Why not?” Sam asks. She knows how much the camp has come to mean to Lexie, and hopes that she’ll be okay.
“My parents have been trying to get me to go on a camping trip with them,” she answers softly. “Maybe it’s time…to, you know, give them a chance. How about you, Sam?” she adds quickly, not wanting to give anyone an opportunity to make a big deal out of her revelation. “What did you wish for?”
Sam watches their barge as it continues to bob on the lake, the hypnotic chant of the camp song swelling around them. Turning back to Lexie, a huge grin spreads across her face and she reaches for Ally’s hand.
“I wished for more mysteries, of course!”
THE END
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Author Tara Ellis lives in a small town in beautiful Washington State, in the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys the quiet lifestyle with her husband, two teenage kids, and several dogs. Tara was a firefighter/EMT, and worked in the medical field for many years. She now teaches CPR, and concentrates on family, photography, and writing middle grade and young adult novels.
Visit her author page on Amazon to find all of her books!
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The Beach House Mystery
THE BEACH HOUSE MYSTERY
Samantha Wolf Mysteries
#3
TARA ELLIS
ISBN-13: 978-1515141877
ISBN-10: 151514187X
The Beach House Mystery
Copyright © 1st Edition July 2015 Tara Ellis
2nd Edition November 2015
Cover art design Copyright © Melchelle Designs
http://melchelle.designs.com/
Models: Breanna Dahl, Janae Dahl
Photographer: Tara Ellis Photography
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, Characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locals is entirely coincidental.
When I first sat down to brainstorm the next adventure for Sam and Ally; all I knew was that it would happen during the last part of their summer break. Like so many other authors, I once again drew from some of my own experiences to conjure up a story. The coast of Washington State and Oregon hold some very special memories for me. As a child, my family would often travel there over the summer, and as always, my best friend Lisa would come along! We might not have dug up quite the same level of mysteries that Sam and Ally manage, but we always had fun trying. Once I decided on the setting, it was a fun challenge to imagine all of the things that would make this a true seafaring tale! I hope that you enjoy this installment as much I have while writing it.
A special thanks (as always!) to my ever-faithful BETA readers: Lisa Hansen, Cindy Pierce, and my biggest fan and mom, Linda Morris!!
Samantha Wolf Mysteries
The Mystery of Hollow Inn
The Secret of Camp Whispering Pines
The Beach House Mystery
The Heiress of Covington Ranch (coming soon!)
Find these and Tara’s other titles on her author page at Amazon!
http://www.amazon.com/author/taraellis
CONTENTS
Samantha Wolf Mysteries
CONTENTS
1. A LATE SUMMER SURPRISE
2. FINDING THE COVE
3. THE BEACH HOUSE
4. SAND ON YOUR FEET & WIND IN YOUR HAIR
5. ODD NEIGHBORS
6. THE SECRETS OF WOOD COVE
7. BROTHERS!
8. EXPLORING THE MARINA
9. A CHANCE ENCOUNTER
10. TRAIL OF CONFUSION
11. A DARING RESCUE!
12. COMPARING NOTES
13. MOVING SHADOWS
14. CLUES AND ACCUSATIONS
15. MAYBE BROTHERS AREN’T SO BAD AFTER ALL
16. HERE BE DRAGONS
17. CAPTAIN BROWN
18. NO TURNING BACK NOW
19. DEAD MAN’S POINT
20. THE TREASURE
21. GOT A LADDER?
22. PIRATES AND A SEA MONSTER
23. A NEW TALE TO TELL
1
A LATE SUMMER SURPRISE
Sam would have never guessed what her next adventure was going to be, even if given the chance to dream one up. Sitting at the dinner table with her two-year-old twin sisters to one side, and her older fourteen-year-old brother on the other, she’s completely unsuspecting of the grin her father has on his face when he sits down.
Her mom passes the roast to him without comment, but Sam notices the look that they exchange. Pausing with the fork halfway to her mouth, she sets it back on the plate and crosses her arms.
“Okay, what’s up?” she asks cautiously, raising her eyebrows when her dad tries to act innocent.
“Why do you ask?” he says coyly, while making a mountain out of his mashed potatoes.
“Come on, Dad,” Sam insists. “You know you’re no good at lying. I can see right through you!”
Curious now, her brother Hunter breaks away from devouring everything on his plate. Narrowing his eyes, he stares first at his dad, and then their mom. Looking approvingly at Sam, he is apparently impressed with her observation skills. “Definitely hiding something,” he mumbles, nodding vigorously, his mouth still full of food.
Butterflies suddenly come to life in Sam’s stomach as her hopes swell over whatever the obvious surprise is. She’s been begging for a horse of her own for years, so that’s her first thought. The old, empty barn in the far corner of their three-acre property is the perfect spot for one. The money and time that her parents insist are lacking is the only hang-up.
The fluttering settles almost as fast as it began though, when Sam quickly realizes how unlikely it is. Her mom and dad were talking last night about how tight money is again this month. Sam also recently had her twelfth birthday, a few months ago, so any chance of a horse is probably a good year away still. But what could it be?
“Don’t talk with your mouth full, Hunter,” their mom scolds. “You’re going to choke one of these days.”
“Classic distraction tactic,” Hunter counters, still chewing.
Grinning now, Kathy Wolf looks to her husband and gives him an obvious wink. “They’re onto us, Ethan,” she whispers loudly.
“Nothing gets past you, Samantha,” Ethan laughs, pushing his full plate to the side and slapping the table with his palms. “I do have an announcement!”
Ignoring the use of her formal name, Sam leans forward eagerly. Her dad doesn’t usually put on this kind of a show. It must be good.
“You know that I was talking about how my boss, Mr. Stiles, was shopping around for a new boat?�
� Sam and Hunter both nod, while the twins paint their highchairs with gravy.
“Well, he found one, but it needs a lot of work. It’s in dry dock in a small town out on the Olympic Peninsula, and he wants me to oversee the job.”
Sam’s smile wavers as her dad reveals the big news. She doesn’t really see how this is supposed to be exciting. He works as a commercial fisherman for several months out of the year up in Alaska, and often does maintenance work for his boss in the off months. Mr. Stiles has several boats, so he has men fishing for him almost year-round. Her dad goes after halibut, and runs a boat from August through November. Since it’s now late July, money’s getting tight.
So he’s going to be in charge of some guys fixing an old boat, Sam thinks to herself. I guess that means we don’t have to worry anymore about money this month. That’s great, of course, but it still doesn’t explain why her parents are acting this way.
“That’s good news, Dad,” Hunter offers. “But what does it have to do with us?”
Sam glances at her brother, relieved that she’s not the only one confused, even though he dedicates most of his free time to finding new and creative ways to drive her crazy.
“Because Mr. Stiles has offered your dad the use of his vacation cabin on the beach, while he’s there in Wood’s Cove!” Kathy interjects, clapping her hands. The twins pick up on their mom’s excitement and begin clapping their hands too, squealing in delight.
Shushing the two little girls, Ethan tries to explain. “The cabin has four bedrooms, and is located right on the beach in the cove. He’s given me permission to use it for as long as I’m there, and I can bring whoever I want.”
“The town, Wood’s Cove,” Sam’s mom continues, “is a neat little tourist spot. They have all sorts of activities on the private beach. I think you kids would just love it!”
“Four bedrooms?” Sam questions, her hopes rising. The fluttering has returned, as she realizes the potential for something great, after all.
“Yes,” Ethan confirms. “Plenty of room for all of us…plus you and Hunter can each bring a friend.”
Jumping up from her chair, Sam almost knocks it over in her excitement. Everyone already knows she’ll bring her best friend, Ally. The two have been inseparable for years. They’ve already solved two mysteries this summer, although both could have ended badly. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but her parents have kept a very tight leash on her for the past few weeks, as a result.
“We figure the best way to keep an eye on you and Ally is to have you with us,” Kathy states while looking closely at her daughter. The message is clear.
Sitting back down slowly, Sam tries to contain her emotions. Her parents had thought that she and Ally would stay out of trouble at summer camp, but trouble seems to have a way of finding them. Although nothing that happened on their other adventures was really their fault, they’ve earned a reputation. Sam knows that if her parents were able to see the escapades she was already dreaming up for the beach…they might just change their minds.
“Oh, I know, Mom!” she agrees. “I’m sure we’ll spend most of our time on the beach by the house, and of course we’ll help watch the twins!”
Sam watches her mother squint her eyes suspiciously and study her. While Sam’s tall for her age, she’s not too slim, but rather sturdy. Her long brown hair is pulled back out of the way, as usual. A nice row of freckles, brought out by the summer sun, dance up and down as she crinkles her nose at her mother. “What?” she asks, innocently.
“You know what,” Hunter interrupts. “You’re totally going to get into trouble somehow. Probably get us all arrested, and make dad lose his job.”
Mustering up the dirtiest look she can, Sam crosses her arms and bites her bottom lip in response. She knows better than to get into an argument with him.
“That’s enough,” Ethan reprimands, effectively ending the confrontation. “I think even Sam would have a hard time finding mischief at Wood’s Cove,” he adds good-naturedly. Turning his attention to Hunter, he asks, “Are you going to ask Jeff to come?”
Distracted by the question, Hunter turns from Sam to his father. “Nah…he’s still in New York with his parents, at his sister’s wedding. They won’t be back for more than a week. When are we going?”
“Two days. We leave early Monday morning,” Ethan says, eying his son closely. He knows that Jeff is his only close friend anymore.
“Why don’t you ask John?”
“Humph!” Hunter snorts, rolling his eyes for extra emphasis. “Are you kidding, Dad? I’m sure he’s got football practice, or numerous dates lined up.”
Kathy’s brows furrow at her son’s sarcasm, but she refrains from commenting on it. John is Ally’s older brother, and it’s a touchy subject.
Sam briefly considers blurting out a smart comeback that floats through her head, but holds back. Hunter might not be that nice to her, but they used to be very close when they were younger. They’re only two years apart, and Sam can still remember following him around everywhere, copying everything he did, until he wouldn’t tolerate it. That occurred when Hunter started middle school, which Sam is about to do this school year. She kind of understands now how much pressure he was feeling to fit in. It was then that he and John drifted apart, too, because John started high school. He’s still a nice guy and all, but he’s got a different schedule, friends, and sports.
It was a year of change, with her mom having the twins and quitting her job as a teacher to stay home. That in turn caused the money issues, but it never really seemed to put much of a damper on things. They always get by somehow.
Hunter appears to be rethinking his dad’s suggestion, running both of his hands through his thick, dark hair in a gesture that Sam has come to recognize as one that he makes when deep in thought. They both inherited their father’s dark features, but Sam scored on the height gene, while Hunter seems destined to dwell on the short end of the spectrum with his mother. The twins sport the same blonde, naturally curly hair as their mom.
“I guess it might not hurt to ask,” Hunter finally agrees before diving back into his food. This surprises Sam.
“Great!” Kathy says happily, while trying to mop up the gravy from the high chairs before it spills onto the floor. “I’ll call over and talk with their mom tonight. I know that she’ll expect the invitation to come from us, as parents. They’re a bit more formal that way.”
Her appetite gone, replaced with a sense of anticipation, Sam tries to picture the beach house and what the cove might look like. The small town they live in is located in the northwestern part of Washington State, right next to the ocean. But the area south of them, out on the majestic, rain-forested Olympic Peninsula, is much different than home. Picturing craggy cliffs, mysterious woods and sunken treasure, Sam knows she isn’t going to sleep much until Monday.
2
FINDING THE COVE
The red van pulls away from Sam’s house right on schedule, early Monday morning. Ordered to sit in the dreaded space located at the back of the van, in between the twin’s car seats, Sam is doing her best to remain optimistic.
Looking at the back of Ally’s head, covered in vibrant red hair, she focuses on the destination, rather than the journey. Their older brothers are seated to either side of her best friend, and based on the locker-room smell that is already starting to permeate the vehicle, Sam decides that maybe she didn’t get the worst spot.
Twisting around on the bench seat, as if reading her mind, Ally peers over the headrest and squints at Sam. “My eyes are burning,” she gasps, making guppy motions with her lips. “Help me!”
Laughing now, her torment from just moments ago already forgotten, Sam scoots as far forward as her seatbelt will allow. “I’ve got one word of advice for you guys,” she says to John and Hunter, who are now lifting their arms over Ally’s ducked head. “Deodorant.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Hunter responds, but lowers his arm when it appears that Ally might actually be gagg
ing. Ally’s brother has no pity though. John continues to keep his arm draped across the back of the seat, smiling at Hunter in camaraderie. With his blonde hair and tall stature, you would never guess that he and Ally were siblings, if it weren’t for the same intense, blue eyes.
It’s good to see them getting along so well, Sam thinks to herself, even if it’s at the expense of her friend’s stomach. Both she and Hunter had been surprised when John called Saturday night. Their mom had just gotten off the phone with Ally’s parents, explaining the trip. Sam had assumed it was her best friend phoning to talk about it.
Turns out that John doesn’t have football this week. To Hunter’s astonishment, he accepts the invitation. Although her brother doesn’t say much about it, Sam knows that it means a lot to him. He’s starting high school this year, and having his old friend to hang out with will be a huge relief.
Doing her best to steady her stomach, Ally holds her breath and elbows John in the ribs, causing her brother to lower his arm. Smiling at his grimace, she refuses to let anything spoil her mood, and happily suggests that they play a game.
The four of them spend the next two hours finding various types of cars, license plates, words on street signs and animals in pastures. It’s been quite some time since they’ve all been together like this, but they fall back into their old habits as if it were just yesterday.
As the van pulls off the main interstate, and onto the highway that will take them into the Olympic Mountains, Sam pauses in their banter to study the rising peaks. Although she’s lived near them all her life, she really didn’t know much of the history until studying about it last year in school. She actually wrote a paper called, ‘The Other Mountains in Washington State,’ because most people thought that the Cascades were the only noteworthy range.