Never Play Fair: An intriguing, addictive mystery novel (Sydney Evans Mystery Thriller Series Book 2) by Leah Cupps

Author:Leah Cupps [Cupps, Leah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Vision Forty Press
Published: 2022-08-31T16:00:00+00:00

FIFTEEN

SYDNEY

It was the lull of the sea that first woke her. The soft sound of waves and a gentle swaying nudging her away. Still, she was stuck between her dream state and wakefulness.

Had she fallen by the ocean’s edge and was lying in the waves? If so, why hadn’t she floated out with the tide and drowned?

Sydney pulled her hand up to push the sun out of her eyes. It was burning her retinas and making her head throb with its brightness. Her hand wouldn’t budge an inch.

She tried again.

After a few seconds of complete concentration, the fog lifted her from her sleep, and she realized why she couldn’t block out the sunlight.

Her hands were tied.

Panic seized her heart first and began to roll out over her body. She blinked a few times, taking in the room as her eyes adjusted slowly to the sunlight. She felt the rolling again, which tightened and released the plastic zip ties looped around her wrist and attached to a bar against the wall. The soft sound of the sea continued to hit her ears.

She was lying on a bunk-style bed in a small room. The cool tickle of air conditioning drifted over her body. If not for the air flowing through the small space, she would have thrown up from the smell locked into it. It was a peculiar mix of vomit, sweat, and perfume. She gagged and coughed. If she threw up now, she’d choke on her own vomit because there was no way to sit up.

The bunks and cabinets seemed to blend together in a pale wood tone. She felt the rocking sensation again, and her mind slowly put together the possibility.

Am I on a boat? Why?

She assessed herself. There was no pain. She wasn’t injured, which she was thankful for. She was still wearing the same green dress she had on the night before, so no one had stripped her down.

Another blessing.

Then, she looked around for her purse and shoes, but they were missing. She guessed her phone was somewhere with them.

What had happened to me?

She couldn’t recall what she’d been doing to end up a prisoner, especially on a boat.

The boat rocked again, and something moved into Sydney’s view just above her head. It was difficult to tell what it was from her position. She peered through the light, squinting to focus better, and saw the side of a hand on the bunk above her. Her mind jolted to attention.

I’m not alone.

She stared at the hand for a full minute before working up the courage to speak.

“Hello?”

Silence.

“Hello, are you awake?”

She tugged at the plastic tie at her wrist. This time the tie slid up. She looked back at her binding and saw the tie wrapped around a metal pole that ran vertically up the paneled wall. She was able to slide her wrist up and down. At the realization, she slid her legs off the bed and attempted to stand.

The boat rocked again, and her stomach twisted. Bile rose up her throat, and it took her full concentration to keep from throwing up.

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