Death on the Dunes by Harlow Claire

Author:Harlow, Claire [Harlow, Claire]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B0CFJTZD9C
Publisher: Rowan Publishing
Published: 2023-08-12T00:00:00+00:00

7

I wasted no time the next morning. After eating a quick breakfast and chatting with my family, I hopped on my bike and rode to the pottery store. It was a beautiful day. Most of my ride was downhill, and I let the breeze carry me. My hair whipped around, and I let myself enjoy the moment. I felt free from all the chaos.

In the morning, the beach and surrounding areas are always much quieter than in the afternoon. Tourists liked to sleep in or wait for the sun to be shining high in the sky, whereas the locals headed into the stores to get their shopping done uninterrupted, avoiding the crowds.

I watched for familiar faces as I made my way down the boardwalk, making sure to smile and say hello to everyone I recognized. It was a clear day, so a lot of folks were out and about. With all the chaos in Seaglass Shores, the last thing I wanted people to think was that I was skulking around because I had something to hide.

I pedaled slower as I approached the beach. The waves rolled onto the sand rhythmically yet unpredictably. A large rock—almost a mini-island—was about twenty feet out from the shore, and I could make out the figure of someone fishing from it. I wondered if they had caught anything yet.

By the time I arrived outside the pottery store, I was exhausted. Not because I was out of shape, but because the physical exercise combined with the lack of sleep I’d been having since I had discovered Mike’s body was pushing me to my limit.

The door to the store was closed, but the sign said that it was open. Lilly was supposed to meet me, and I leaned against the building waiting for her. After five minutes had passed, I pulled my phone out of my pocket to check for messages. There weren’t any.

I slid my phone back in my pocket and turned to the door. I’d just have to go in by myself. Lilly was probably at home, sleeping in and getting a good rest. I could handle looking for something sharp and pointy and asking a few questions if necessary, and later I would let Lilly know what I’d learned.

There were no customers inside the store. I couldn’t recall seeing anyone go in since Mike’s death was announced, except for Officer Wilson. I walked up and down all the aisles. They were filled with clay, ceramics, glazes, and pottery-making tools I didn’t recognize. Surely Josie was here somewhere.

Caution tape still closed off the back area. Why was the investigation taking so long? The back room wasn’t that big.

“Can I help you?” a voice said. It sounded like it was coming from the front of the store, and I couldn’t tell if it was directed at me. I turned around and saw a woman frowning at me. She had mousey-brown hair pulled back into a messy ponytail and was wearing a clay-stained apron.

I was rather taken aback.

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