A Watery Death (A Missing Pieces Mystery Book 7) Read Free

with a blast of warm wind from the Currituck Sound—not to mention her precocious grandson, Travis.
    “She’s only here for a package,” I whispered to Kevin. “Just a minute and I’ll close for lunch.”
    “No rush.”
    Mrs. McGee took her package and told me all about the special event her Girl Scout troop had planned for the next day. I didn’t notice when Travis lifted the coral horn and fixed his lips to it as though he knew exactly what to do.
    Before I could stop him, he blew into the coral. A long, mournful sound came from it that echoed for several minutes. The hauntingly deep call took over every other sound. It was as though nothing else moved until it had faded away. Time stood still.
    And then it was gone.
    Mrs. McGee apologized and took the horn from Travis but not until a shiver of warning had rippled through me.
     

Chapter Two
     
    “So you think he called the seafolk to shore?” Kevin chuckled after we’d ordered lunch at Wild Stallions. The restaurant was a short walk from Missing Pieces along the boardwalk past Duck General Store and Mrs. Roberts’ Pet Emporium.  
    “I felt something when he blew it.” I took a sip of water. “I hope it wasn’t anything bad.”
    “I don’t think there are any seafolk out there,” Kevin said. “It’s a good story, but no one has ever really seen a mermaid.”
    Kevin Brickman was a wonderful man who I loved deeply. He understood my gift, sometimes better than I did since he’d worked with psychics during his time with the FBI. He was open to almost anything that involved abilities the mind could produce—but he was a little light on folklore.
    “We’ve had several sightings of seafolk in Duck history,” I told him. “I think I remember even seeing a sketch of a mermaid at the historic museum.”
    I looked into his ocean-colored eyes, more gray than blue. His mouth still had the hard lines I’d first noticed about him. But time in Duck as the owner of the Blue Whale Inn had softened him. The trace of sadness that had haunted him, causing him to leave the FBI, was gone. It was replaced by a tan and strong smile lines. He was tall and fit from working on the maintenance of the old inn that had become very popular again since he’d reopened it.
    “There are also drawings of sea serpents at the museum,” he said with a smile. “I wouldn’t put much stock in those renderings either.”
    “There is more in heaven and earth, Horatio,” I quoted.
    Our wine and glasses of ice water arrived, and the debate ended as Kevin changed the subject.
    “Have you given any thought to our engagement party?” he asked. “I’m only asking because everyone keeps asking me.”
    “I’ve thought about it.” I sipped my wine. “The problem is that Trudy and Tim are getting married in September. You know how everyone in Duck has thrown a party for them. I’m so busy trying to get everything set up for her wedding. I just don’t want to step on her big moment.”
    He nodded. “That makes sense. I’ll tell anyone who asks that we’re being polite about our engagement so Trudy and Tim have a good wedding.”
    “Are you okay with that?” I touched his hand.
    “I suppose I have to be, right?” He took my hand in his. “What do you pick up from me?”
    I closed my eyes and aligned my thoughts with his. “I see that you have a big order of shrimp coming from Charleston today.”
    Kevin laughed. “Good to know you can’t see everything about me.”
    I laughed too, as lunch arrived.
    It was surprising how easy it had become to know what was going on with people around me, especially those I knew well. When I was a child, I had learned quickly that I could hold someone’s hand to find missing items they were looking for. Gramps and my mother had encouraged me.
    They knew all the good things my grandmother, Eleanore, had done with her gift. But she’d died before I was born—or at least that was what I’d been told.
    The more I used my gift, the stronger