The Samantha Wolf Mysteries Box Set: Books 1-3

by Tara Ellis

  Seeming to notice the woods for the first time, Sam’s smile spreads even wider. Throwing her arm around Ally’s shoulders, she steers her towards them. “That’s why I like you so much, Ally,” she says sincerely. “You always know what will make me happy!”

  Trudging awkwardly through the drifts of warm, heavy sand, they eventually reach the tree line. “We’re going to need our shoes,” Sam states, looking down at their bare feet.

  Swinging the stuffed beach bag off her back, Ally pulls out their flip-flops and they quickly put them on before stepping onto the forest floor. Sam marvels at how quickly the scenery changes. Even the air is several degrees cooler in the shade of the huge trees.

  “There’s a sign up there!” Ally exclaims, picking up her pace. The two of them scamper through the foliage until they come to an obvious trailhead. It’s clearly marked by an ancient looking, wooden sign.

  “Caution.” Sam reads the sign aloud. “Trail is not maintained. Use at your own risk.” Chewing on her bottom lip, she looks at Ally with eyebrows raised.

  “We shouldn’t,” Ally states, answering the unspoken question. “At least, not wearing bathing suits and sandals!”

  “Don’t you mean not before you ask Mom and Dad to make sure it’s okay?”

  Spinning around at the unexpected voice behind them, Sam and Ally are surprised to see Hunter and John standing there. Hunter’s arms are crossed over his chest, and he’s looking at them rather smugly.

  “Mind your own business, Hunter!” Sam retorts, hands on hips.

  “Whoa!” John says, hands held out in between the two of them. “He just means that it doesn’t look that safe, Sam. It might not be a good idea to go traipsing in there without knowing where the trail goes.”

  “Come on, Sam.” Pulling at Sam’s elbow, Ally leads her best friend back towards the water and away from their brothers. “He’s just trying to start an argument with you.”

  Giving the boys with a dirty look, Sam allows herself to be steered clear of them. As soon as she turns back to Ally, a smile replaces her scowl and they both laugh. Sparring with their brothers is a natural thing. It happens on a daily basis and certainly isn’t enough to sour their moods.

  “We might as well swim for a bit before heading into town,” Sam suggests, kicking her shoes back off.

  The girls leave a trail of clothes and towels behind them as they race to the water and plunge into the churning waves.

  Having grown up on the coast, both girls are well aware of the dangers associated with ocean swimming. Although they are in a somewhat protected cove, there’s still a risk of undertows and riptides, which are rivers of water under the surface that can quickly pull you out to sea. Watching the wave patterns with a practiced eye, Sam is careful to stay in waist deep water. They won’t go out any farther until they’re familiar with the area. For now, they’ll just do some body-surfing, close to shore.

  “I’ll never get used to how cold it is!” Ally gasps, wrapping her arms around herself and shivering as the waves lap at her thighs. The water of the Pacific Ocean on the Washington coast never gets much above the mid-fifties. So even on a hot, late July day, it’ll suck the heat out of you quickly. Unless you have a wetsuit, you’re limited to spending a brief time near the shore, before having to warm up again.

  “Wimping out already?” John shouts, as he runs past them with a boogie board. With a hoot, he flies through the air, splashing down into an incoming wave, and riding it to shore. Hunter is close behind him, and then the two jump back up to race into the next big swell.

  “Who said anything about wimping out?” Sam calls, racing after them. After some begging, the boys let them use the boards, and the four of them spend the next hour soaking up the sun and saltwater.

  Eventually, Sam and Ally drag their half-frozen bodies back up the beach and collapse in the baking sand. As the sensation slowly comes back to her fingers and toes, Sam turns over onto her stomach to seek out the source of a new sound. Finally spotting some movement in the shade of the house next to theirs, she nudges Ally.

  “Huh?” Ally moans, her arms and legs splayed out.

  “Check out our neighbors,” Sam whispers, poking her in the ribs again.

  Curious now, Ally shades her eyes against the sun and then rolls onto her stomach, too, to get a better look. Sure enough, in front of the only other house near them, a little girl that looks to be about six sits playing with a shovel and bucket. It’s the cheap kind you can get for a couple of bucks, and the shovel has already broken so that she’s forced to hold it down close to the scoop. The sound Sam had heard was the scraping of the sand, and then the soft thud of it landing in the bottom of the plastic container.

  The little girl’s long, blonde hair is loose and blowing wildly in the breeze, causing her to pause frequently and pull it out of her eyes. Perhaps the lighting under the shade of the trees makes her appear paler than she is. Her face seems to glow in the shadows. Sensing that she is being watched, the girl looks up at them, and Ally is certain that she sees dark bags under her piercing blue eyes.

  Pushing up to her knees, Sam waves a warm hello and smiles at her. She might be several years older than the twins, but they could still have a lot of fun playing together. When the girl doesn’t wave back, Sam hesitates…but deciding to introduce herself, she stands and starts making her way over, Ally right behind her.

  “Hi there!” Stopping at what they think is an acceptable distance, Sam and Ally stand just beyond the reach of the shade so that the sun still warms their backs. Sam doesn’t see an adult anywhere, and she doesn’t want to frighten the poor thing. Sam notes the hollow look on her young face and wonders what could possibly cause such a haunting expression on someone that age.

  “My name is Sam, and this is Ally,” she offers, pointing to herself first, and then Ally. “We’re staying at the place next to you. What’s your name?”

  Looking back and forth between the two older girls, she drops the shovel, the large hole she was working on seemingly forgotten. Standing cautiously, she then looks first towards the smaller beach house behind her and then at the girls, eyes wide. Is that fear? Sam wonders.

  “Are…are you okay?” Ally asks, apparently sensing the same thing as Sam. “Where’s your mom?”

  “I’m not supposed to talk to you!”

  The whispered response is spoken with such terror, that Sam and Ally both take an involuntary step backwards, looking at each other with concern.

  “Why can’t you…” Before Sam can finish her question, a door on the back of the house bangs open, setting the little girl into motion. Spinning on her heel, she races up the steps leading to a small porch, her bare feet banging out a beat as she goes.

  “Erica! What are you doing out here by yourself?” The man doesn’t say it with menace, but concern, and he kneels down to embrace the girl approaching him. Erica dashes off to the side, avoiding his grasp. Instead, she runs behind him and grabs onto the leg of a breathtakingly beautiful woman leaning in the open door. Although wearing simple blue jeans and a non-descript, black top, she somehow appears regal. Full, slightly parted lips grace a flawless face, without a trace of make-up.

  Reaching down, she absently rests a hand on Erica’s blonde hair while holding Sam’s gaze. Unsure of what to do, Sam raises her hand half-heartedly in another vain attempt at introductions. The dark-haired woman squints her eyes in reply, giving her head a slight shake before ushering Erica inside, the screen door slapping in their wake.

  5

  ODD NEIGHBORS

  “Hello there, girls! My name is Kevin Moore.”

  Refocusing on the man now walking towards them, Sam tries to shake off the odd feeling the encounter has given her. He seems pleasant enough, and looks a bit embarrassed.

  “I’m Sam, and this is Ally,” Sam replies, accepting his now offered hand. “We’re staying next door for the week,” she adds quickly, feeling a bit awkward. He has a limp handshake, leaving her with an impression of insinc
erity.

  “I feel like I have to apologize for my daughter, Erica,” he adds, stepping out from the edge of the shade to join them in the sunshine. Slowly, he looks back and forth between them, as if making a point of addressing them both like adults. “She has…some behavioral issues. It’s very difficult for her to communicate normally, and she needs constant supervision. I’m afraid my wife has taken to keeping them both somewhat isolated because of it. We’ve had a few episodes where Erica has wandered off and we even had to call the police to help find her. I thought a nice trip out here to the beach for a vacation might be relaxing, but it’s been a bit of a trial. Erica isn’t comfortable being away from home,” he adds for extra emphasis, looking down with a gesture of defeat.

  “Oh, that’s okay!” Ally offers, reaching out to touch his arm encouragingly. “Don’t worry about it. Sam here has two younger sisters Erica can play with, and I babysit all the time. We’re used to kids behaving differently, so it doesn’t bother us. I’m really sorry though that you’re having such a hard time with her.”

  While Ally is quick to accept his explanation, Sam hesitates. There’s something about the man that just doesn’t sit right with her. Crossing her arms over her chest, she gazes back at him when he looks up. Briefly, she sees an expression of annoyance flicker across his handsome features before breaking out in a warm smile.

  “Thank you, Ally. It’s nice that you understand. It’s sometimes hard to fit in with a…troublesome child.”

  Turning to Sam, Kevin’s smile falters slightly. “I wish that Erica could play with your sisters, Sam, but it would be too difficult. I hate to request this, but I think it best if everyone were to stay away for now, so that we don’t upset her any more than she already is.”

  “Sure,” Sam says. “Whatever you think is best, Mr. Moore. But my mom used to be a schoolteacher and she had several students with special needs. Maybe she could talk with your wife about it. She might be able to help.”

  Watching the man carefully, Sam notes his reaction as the fine lines on his face crinkle when his eyes narrow. A bit more of the friendly façade falls away, and his stance becomes rigid.

  “My wife doesn’t like company,” he says flatly. “I hope you enjoy your stay, girls.” With that, he turns abruptly without another word and walks back to the little house with long, purposeful strides.

  “Well, that was weird,” Sam eventually murmurs in his wake. She and Ally stand staring at each other for a moment, until a particularly big gust of wind swirls sand up and into their eyes, breaking the spell.

  Turning their backs to the little dust devil swirling across the beach, they wipe at their faces and run to where their towels are spread out. The boys are still splashing in the water, having missed out on the encounter entirely.

  “What do you think that was all about?” Ally asks, sitting down next to Sam. Digging her toes into the sand, she lets the sun erase the goosebumps from her arms.

  “I dunno,” Sam shrugs. Looking over her shoulder, she peers into the shadows surrounding the vacation home. “Mom always talked about how impressed she was with the parents of her special needs kids. Most of them were extra outgoing and involved in the classroom. I guess everyone is different though. If Erica really is that troubled, they might not have a choice. But…”

  Raising her eyebrows, Ally looks more closely at her friend. “But what, Sam?”

  “I don’t trust him.”

  “Time to get wet!” Freezing cold water sprays over the girls at the same time that the boys call out to them. Screaming, they do their best to shield themselves with the towels, but they still end up half-soaked.

  “Hunter!” Ally yells, covered once again in goosebumps. “I was finally getting warm!”

  “Exactly why you needed to cool off,” Hunter laughs, giving one final shake of his boogie board in their direction.

  “I think it’s time to go to town,” Sam says quietly to Ally, not wanting their brothers to follow them. Pretending to run to the beach house to get dry, they go straight through and out the front door, waving at Kathy and the twins on the way.

  Pulling their shorts out of the beach bag, they quickly slip them on over their swimsuits as they walk up the quiet, residential street. “We have less than a month until school starts,” Ally declares, kicking at a pinecone. “I wish we could stay here. I’m not so sure I want to be in seventh grade.”

  Sam struggles to focus on what her friend is saying. Her mind is still trying to wrap itself around the odd behavior of their new neighbor. Looking sideways at Ally, she sees that the other girl’s mood has changed drastically, and it surprises her. Sam had always thought Ally enjoyed school, and was looking forward to middle school. At least, that’s how she acted around their other friends.

  “What are you worried about?” Sam finally asks, her longer legs easily matching the quick pace that Ally is setting.

  “Well, you saw what happened with our brothers, when John got into high school. It all changes, Sam,” she says a bit more desperately, stopping suddenly. “What if that happens to us?”

  Skidding to a halt and turning back to face Ally, Sam grasps her firmly by the upper arms. The spattering of freckles across her nose seems to stand out in starker contrast under the shade of the trees. “Ally, why are you worrying about this now?” Her brows furrowed, Sam tries to figure out what’s really behind her friend’s anxiety.

  “It’s all different, Sam.” Breaking free of Sam’s grasp, Ally starts walking again, but more slowly. “We know everyone at school, and we’ve been friends with most of them since kindergarten. But now…there’s going to be a ton more kids at the middle school, and we won’t know over half of them! We might not have any classes together, and what if we have a different lunch? You know they have two lunches, right?”

  The elementary school for their small, seaside town consists of barely two-hundred kids, total. They have to be bussed to a central middle school in the next town over, where all of the incoming seventh graders arrive from neighboring districts. While it’s a much different, larger setting, Sam still hadn’t suspected that her popular, outgoing friend was worried about it.

  “The class list should be up when we get back next week,” Sam says, trying to think of something positive to add. When nothing good comes to mind, she decides to just be honest.

  “Ally…I thought you loved school. I don’t understand why you’re so worried about it. You know that everyone is going to love you and you’ll just have twice as many friends as before.”

  “I’m not worried about making new friends!” Ally says forcefully, pushing at a low-hanging branch. “I don’t want to lose the ones I already have,” she adds, looking down at her feet so that Sam barely hears her.

  Now it’s Sam’s turn to stop. When Ally realizes she’s no longer beside her, she turns back and is surprised to find Sam standing in the middle of the road, hands placed firmly on her hips.

  “Ally, we’re making a pact right now!” she announces. Now that she knows what her friend’s fears are, it’s easy to solve. At least, to Sam it seems obvious enough. “We’re going to promise each other, that no matter what, we’ll always be friends.” Sticking her hand out for emphasis, she raises her eyebrows at Ally in expectation.

  Unable to maintain her negative attitude in light of Sam’s positive outlook, Ally grins and steps up to take her hand. “Best friends forever, ‘till the end of time!” she declares with conviction.

  “Until the end of time!” Sam repeats, making an exaggerated shake of their hands. But she doesn’t let go. Instead, she pulls Ally close to her and gives her a fierce hug. “Till the end of time, Ally,” she whispers into the fuzzy, red hair that she loves so much.

  6

  THE SECRETS OF WOOD COVE

  Sam’s dad was right. It takes the girls less than fifteen minutes to reach the center of town. Standing once again in front of the curious statue, they glance around at the various stores. Although it’s midafternoon on a Monday,
there’s still a sizeable crowd. Tourists come and go from the nearest gift shop, and they decide to start there.

  A little bell hanging over the entrance announces their arrival, but no one behind the counter takes notice. They’re too busy loading various trinkets into paper bags, after ringing them up on an antiquated register.

  There’s so much random stuff to choose from that it’s overwhelming. Sam is fascinated by some dried seahorses, while Ally looks through the shop’s shelves of T-shirts. The small space is crammed tight with merchandise, so it’s hard to move around. Finally, after more than half an hour, they find a rack in the far corner that’s full of brochures and pamphlets with local info.

  “I found one!” Ally cries triumphantly, after looking through everything twice. Holding the small booklet out to Sam, she reads the title. “Wood’s Cove Lighthouse - the history behind its construction and demise.”

  “Sweet! But how much is it? I didn’t even think to bring money!” Sam pats at the empty pockets of her shorts.

  “It’s just two dollars,” Ally answers. “I’ve got a few bucks on me.”

  Back at the counter, Sam is eager to learn more about the local legend. “So what can you tell us about that monster thing?” she asks the checker, while pointing out the window towards the carving.

  Shrugging, the teen girl snaps her gum and drops the book into a small bag. “Just a tourist thing,” she answers, obviously bored by the conversation. “I wouldn’t worry about it.”

  Unsatisfied with the response, Sam tries to push the issue, but the girl turns to help a couple of kids in line behind them. Clearly dismissed, she picks up their bag and follows Ally back outside. Taking the booklet out, they sit together on a small, wooden bench and thumb through it.