Shadow's Doom (Shadow Island FBI Mystery Series Book 17) by Mary Stone

Author:Mary Stone [Stone, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mary Stone Publishing
Published: 2024-10-24T00:00:00+00:00

22

The evening breeze blasted Rebecca’s loose hair away from her face as she opened the back door of her home to let Humphrey in. The chocolate lab shook off some of the beach sand clinging to his fur before padding into the cozy kitchen, where the remnants of Rebecca’s dinner awaited cleanup. Since moving, she’d had a fence put up in her backyard, which allowed her to let Humphrey out for his last potty break before bedtime.

“Long day, huh, boy?” She scratched behind Humphrey’s ears before turning back to her evening chores.

As she washed dishes, her mind drifted to the overwhelming sense of loneliness that encroached upon her whenever she wasn’t preoccupied with a case. She rinsed her single plate, watching the suds spiral down the drain before dropping it next to the single cup and fork in the drainboard.

Single. As in one. Alone.

She looked down at Humphrey, who was waiting to see if she’d be sharing any leftovers. With a smile, she pondered putting Humphrey’s food on a plate and giving him a seat at the table for her meals.

Well, wouldn’t that just be pathetic? Maybe I could adopt a few dozen cats and embrace being a spinster.

Rebecca locked up the house for the night and retreated to the living room, sinking into her favorite armchair. Humphrey followed closely at her heels, his presence a silent vow of solidarity.

He rested his chin on the cushion while his tail wagged slowly, eager for an invitation onto her lap. She patted her legs, and he bolted onto the chair, turning once before dropping into position. His weight was a comfort to her, and she let her thoughts drift to Bob Colton.

She needed to be sure they had the right person in custody, no matter how much people like Phil Manfred bugged her to reopen their businesses. Rebecca was fully aware of the economic impact of her decision, but the safety of the island’s residents came first.

What if Colton’s not the killer? What if we reopen the restaurants just to have another person drop dead? What if I’m wrong?

Rebecca closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. It was one thing to reassure her neighbors in person but quite another to combat the faceless online masses who devoured every sensational headline without a second thought. She desperately wished she had someone to serve as a sounding board. Humphrey was great to cuddle with, but he sucked at spotting logic flaws in her cases.

Tonight, the silence of the house felt heavier, an unsung requiem for trust eroded. While this wasn’t the same one she’d been attacked in, the layout of her new place was identical to her old one. Only the furniture and wall hangings were different, really.

Just enough differences to make me feel like I’m in a distorted dream version of my old childhood vacation home. Except I’m all alone.

Deep down, Rebecca knew the isolation wasn’t just about geography. It was creeping into her bones, a deep wound to her soul that only time could heal.

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.