The Case of the Missing Finger by Cheri Baker

Author:Cheri Baker [Baker, Cheri]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: clean mysteries, clean mystery and suspense books, matchmaker, hobby, fun, christian mystery, travel mysteries
ISBN: 9780991081189
Publisher: Adventurous Ink, LLC
Published: 2019-12-17T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

After a quick lunch at a nearby crab shack Ellie boarded a golf cart labeled Honeymoon Beach Taxi Service. When the cart arrived at the beach, she stepped out and looked down the coastline. Tall palm trees swayed in the wind over a white sand beach. The sea was a deep sparkling blue, but the waves were clear as they lapped against the shore. A dozen sailboats bobbed gently in the distance, their sails wrapped tightly to the masts. A chain of green islands skipped across the horizon like stones.

The sand compressed and slid beneath her feet as she walked along the beach. Up ahead, past an impromptu volleyball game in process, shaded lounge chairs sat in a row beneath fuchsia umbrellas. Behind the umbrellas was a thick belt of palm trees, and behind the trees was a massive hotel with white-painted balconies. When Ellie got close, a woman with her dark hair in a ponytail walked up, carrying a clipboard. She had a big tropical flower in her hair, and the pink-orange color matched her hostess apron.

“Would you like to rent one of our shaded lounge chairs? I can offer you a complimentary drink if you purchase one of our packages.”

After consulting the clipboard, Ellie nodded. The price was high, but the shaded umbrellas looked inviting, and she had a few hours before she was due to return to the ship. “Sold! I don’t suppose you can find me one of those pretty flowers you’re wearing. Do they sell them here?”

The woman winked. “I think I can make that happen.” She led Ellie to a comfortable chair beneath an umbrella and three palm trees, set a cold drink down, and lifted her arms up to loosen her ponytail. Dark brown hair splayed over her shoulders, and she held out the flower. “Here, let me tuck it behind your ear. Perfect!”

“Oh, I don’t want to take your flower!” Ellie began, but the woman only shook her head. “There are a hundred more back at the resort. It is my pleasure, I promise you. Wave to me if you need anything else.”

The chair was thickly padded, and the shade of the umbrella fell over Ellie’s body like a cool cotton sheet. A warm breeze blew past her legs, and she kicked off her shoes. She’d brought along a romance novel, just in case, and she pulled it out now, sitting it on the side table next to her cold drink. For the moment, she watched the other vacationers. The volleyball game broke up, and two shirtless men began taking down the net. One of them was shirtless, and Ellie squinted to get a better view. For research only, she told herself. It was important to capture details accurately if you’re going to write a romance novel. Couples and singles waded into the water. Some wore masks, snorkels, and fins. Others ran out with no gear and no plan, whooping as the water splashed up high around their bodies.

Two snorkelers stood ankle deep in the surf, talking instead of swimming.

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.