Saltwater Secrets by Cindy Callaghan

Author:Cindy Callaghan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aladdin
Published: 2020-04-28T00:00:00+00:00

Thirty-Two Josie

Boardwalk

June 23

“Murielle duPluie here with all the shore news from WLEO. Finally the new bungee jump is installed on the pier, and wow is that thing high! Don’t know if I’ll have the nerve to try it.

“In other news, local experts have noted that Whalehead has an influx of dead jellyfish, a variety called medusas. They’ve been washing up onshore, so watch your step.”

It had rained during the night, bringing with it much appreciated cooler air.

We set out for Mr. Rodney’s bungalow via the boardwalk, dodging morning walkers, joggers, and Rollerbladers. It sounds safer than it was.

“Why are we going to see Mr. Rodney, aside from the usual entertainment value?” Stella asked.

“I want to learn more about this alleged toxin he was looking for in the arcade. It sounded crazy at the time, but now I’m not so sure.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Stella said while texting, I assumed with TJ.

I glanced out at the ocean. As a kid I hated going to the beach in the morning to find that my castle project from the day before had been leveled, but now I loved how when the tide came in at night, it smoothed the sand. It set up for a new day of fun and adventure on the beach.

“Ohmigod!” Stella grabbed me by the arm and twisted me around, turning my back to oncoming “traffic.”

“What is it?” I asked.

“Something you don’t want to see. For real. Trust me on this, Josie. Don’t look.”

After a comment like that, I had no choice. I turned and I saw it. It was our dad, Gary Higley. Rollerblading. Badly. Shirtless, knee-padded, elbow-padded, helmeted, holding Laney’s hand. And, get this—her pads matched his! They were smiling and so focused on not falling or crashing that they didn’t notice us.

“Phew,” Stella said. “I thought that if they saw us, they’d stop to talk.” She pinched her eyes shut incredibly tightly and reopened them.

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to unsee that.” She blinked hard again. “It isn’t working.”

“Oh come on. They’re wicked cute,” I said.

“Too cute,” Stella said. “Besides, I don’t trust that lady.”

I asked, “How can you not trust a lady who rollerblades with matchy-matchy safety pads?”

“Whatever is going on with the Koala, the boys’ nightly escapes on kayaks to deliver something from the boat to the Smoothie Factory—she’s somehow involved. Why else would she have so many pics of the boat? And that guy, the man. I think she’s leading a double life.”

“Why would Dad’s friend set him up with someone living a double life?” I asked.

She said, “Maybe he didn’t know. It’s a secret double life.”

“But that fishing buddy is a detective, so he’d know.”

“Maybe,” Stella said, “he’s not a very good detective.”

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.