Mystic Shadows (Isle of Enchantment Mystery Book 4) by Stephanie Damore

Author:Stephanie Damore [Damore, Stephanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-11-19T00:00:00+00:00

Five minutes later, Kai and I pulled up to Marla’s small bungalow, its faded pastel walls blending into the tropical landscape. The house sat at the end of a quiet street, tucked behind towering palms and overgrown bougainvillea, looking as unremarkable as any home in Coconut Bay. But something felt off the moment we stepped out of the Jeep.

The front door was slightly ajar, barely noticeable unless you were paying close attention, and Marla’s car, an old seafoam green sedan, was still parked in the driveway. I exchanged a glance with Kai, the unspoken understanding between us palpable.

“That’s never a good sign,” Kai murmured, standing beside me.

“No, it’s not,” I agreed, my gaze scanning the surroundings. No movement. No lights on. The house looked deserted, but not in a peaceful, everyday kind of way. It was more like someone had left in a hurry, not bothering to secure anything behind them.

I conjured a pair of gloves for Kai and me, and we snapped them on.

“Ready?” he asked.

I nodded, pushing the door open the rest of the way.

“Marla?” I called out. “It’s Detective Vale from PADA and Agent Marinos.”

Silence greeted us.

The interior of Marla’s home looked... wrong. The living room was cluttered, but in a way that felt hastily abandoned—magazines scattered on the coffee table, a half-full cup of tea sitting next to an open book on the couch. A suitcase lay open near the hallway, clothes spilling out onto the floor, as though someone had started packing and then suddenly stopped.

I moved toward the kitchen, where the back door was locked, and the blinds were drawn. The faint smell of something sweet and slightly stale hung in the air—leftover cookies or muffins, maybe.

Kai joined me. “Her car’s here, her stuff’s half-packed. I’d say someone else has been in this house since she left—or worse.”

“Kidnapped?” I asked, but the weight in my gut told me that was more than just a theory.

“Possibly.” Kai’s eyes scanned the room again, his jaw tight. “Let’s check the neighbors. Maybe someone saw something.”

We stepped back out into the sunlight, and I glanced around the street. It was eerily quiet, no movement except for the distant hum of cicadas and the gentle sway of the palm trees. The house next door was quaint, with an overgrown garden and a white picket fence in desperate need of a paint job. I led the way, knocking on the door, while Kai stayed behind, checking the outside of Marla’s house for clues.

After a moment, the door creaked open, and an older woman, a shrimp shifter, peeked out. Her wide eyes blinked in confusion; she was clearly not expecting visitors.

“Good afternoon,” I said, offering a gentle smile. “I’m Detective Vale from PADA. I’m trying to reach Marla Clearwater, but her house is empty, and we’re a little concerned. Do you happen to know where she might be?”

The woman blinked, wiping her eyes sleepily. “Marla?” Her voice was soft and hoarse, as though she hadn’t used it much recently. “Oh dear, I haven’t seen her today.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.