The Case of the Dapper Dove: Book 7 in the Julia Lives in a Van Cozy Mystery Series by L. C. Richards

Author:L. C. Richards [Richards, L. C.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2023-04-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter nineteen

Craig let the throttle out as soon as we were out of the no-wake zone. Of course, Dottie and Penelope had their binoculars glued to their faces the whole time, and Penelope seemed to be getting her sea legs.

“Oh! Oh!” Penelope yelled. “Craig! Stop!”

Craig slowed to a crawl and then stopped the engine altogether.

“Don’t anyone make noise,” Dottie whispered.

I had been lounging, not really getting into the bird thing today for some reason. I needed sun, wind, and quiet time. But even I was interested in what was so amazing, so I got up and joined everyone.

Craig had his own binoculars. He tried to look where Dottie and Penelope pointed. “What are we seeing, guys?” Craig whispered.

“See that dead tree, the tall one? Take your glasses, start at the bottom, and work up. Then take the left-hand side out to the end.”

“Wow! I see it! It’s an eagle, right?”

“Yes, indeedy!” Dottie exclaimed.

“What power are your binoculars?” Penelope asked. Craig shrugged and said he didn’t know. They had been his dads and had come with the boat. “Here, take mine,” Penelope offered. She took her binoculars off and then hung them on Craig’s neck.

“Penelope! My goodness! Wow!” Craig was all smiles when he saw the eagle through Pen’s binoculars. “These things are great!”

“Whatever you do, don’t drop them,” Dottie said. “You’ll owe Penelope close to a thousand bucks!”

Craig looked through the binoculars, then gingerly handed them back.

Dottie spotted a nest in another tree, and Mason saw another eagle fishing. I sat there enjoying being out on the water and watching my goofy friends have so much fun.

“You’ve really got some cool friends,” Craig told me later. “How did you guys meet? Tracy tells me there’s a good story behind that.”

I told Craig about how I had jettisoned my whole life six months ago, sold everything, outfitted my van into a camper, and set sail for the uncharted waters of being a camping nomad.

“Seriously? Wow, Julia! I knew you were cool…I mean, I liked you…I mean, I like you…I mean Tracy….”

Craig was drowning, so I saved him. “I get the picture.”

“But I had no idea there really were people living like this. Must be a dream life!”

I explained to Craig that I was happier than I’d ever been. “In better shape, too! I’m living out in nature with these nuts, eating better than I’ve ever eaten, reading more, exercising more…I mean, what else is there?”

While Craig and I chitchatted, Dottie and Penelope found another interesting bird and oohed and aahed about it. Like a little kid, Craig asked, “What is it now?”

“Green Heron,” Dottie whispered. “On the bank by those grasses.”

Penelope handed Craig her binoculars again, and he found the green heron in short order. “I’ve boated and fished around here all my life. I never knew birds were so interesting.”

“Birds are great, but how about that swim you promised?” Mason said to Craig. He tousled her hair again. “Come on, captain. Fire her up, and let’s find a good place.” Mason took the helm, with Craig standing right behind her, telling her what to do.

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