Danger in the Depths (Dune House Cozy Mystery Series Book 9)

  Danger In The Depths

  A Dune House Cozy Mystery

  Cindy Bell

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Also by Cindy Bell

  About the Author

  Copyright © 2017 Cindy Bell

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and locations portrayed in this book and the names herein are fictitious. Any similarity to or identification with the locations, names, characters or history of any person, product or entity is entirely coincidental and unintentional.

  All trademarks and brands referred to in this book are for illustrative purposes only, are the property of their respective owners and not affiliated with this publication in any way. Any trademarks are being used without permission, and the publication of the trademark is not authorized by, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owner.

  Created with Vellum

  Chapter 1

  Salt laced the air as it drifted beneath her nostrils. Mary drew in a lung-filling breath, then released it in a slow sigh. At times she still had to remind herself that this wasn’t a dream. She really was living right by the sea, in a grand house that she and her best friend, Suzie, had renovated into its former glory as a bed and breakfast. She’d transitioned from the tail-end of a rough marriage and a rougher divorce, into what she could only describe as paradise.

  “More cream?” Suzie nudged a small cornflower blue pitcher towards her.

  “Yes, thank you.” Mary picked up the pitcher and poured a bit more cream into her lukewarm coffee. They’d been sitting on the porch that overlooked the water since dawn. Now that the little town of Garber was coming alive, Mary glanced at her watch. “I can’t believe that in a few more hours Cathy and Ben will be here.”

  “I’m so excited to see them.” Suzie picked up her mug of coffee and took a tiny sip. “I’m sure they’ll both have so much to tell you.”

  “They’ve been so busy lately, I’ve barely heard from them.” Mary gazed out across the water as it rippled with lazy waves. “I’ve never felt so distant from them before.”

  “It’s only natural.” Suzie placed her hand over Mary’s and offered a gentle squeeze. “They are busy right now, but soon they will be calling you night and day for advice.”

  “You’re right.” Mary tipped her head towards a small shack further down the beach. “It looks like Curtis is already at it this morning. I can see a light on in the shack.”

  “He grabbed a cup of coffee on his way out this morning. He said the weather was perfect for a long dive.”

  “It’s so nice to have him nearby. I’ve learned so much about diving since he’s been here,” Mary said.

  “Me too. Although, I’m not sure that I’m ready to take the plunge myself.”

  “Me neither.” Mary laughed. “I think I’m better off on dry land. However, I bet Ben and Cathy would love it.”

  “Oh, what a great idea! I know Trish and Hal have been taking lessons from him since they’ve been here. They said it was one of the highlights of their romantic getaway at Dune House. Trish told me he’s a fantastic teacher.”

  “I’m sure he is.” Mary cleared her throat and took the last swallow of her coffee.

  “Wait a minute, what’s that about?” Suzie met her eyes across the table.

  “Hm? Nothing.”

  “Oh no, that wasn’t nothing. That was something.”

  “No, not really. Trish and Hal are nice kids.”

  “They’re in their thirties, only about twenty years younger than us.”

  “Still kids.” Mary smiled and picked up Suzie’s empty mug. “Time to get things straightened up, and breakfast ready for Trish and Hal. Do you want me to toast you a bagel?”

  “Sure, thank you. I’ll check the linens and run the vacuum upstairs after Trish and Hal are up.” Suzie paused at the door. “Oops, I forgot we can’t go in or out this way. When did that locksmith say he was coming?”

  “He is supposed to be here today, but I’m not holding my breath. I’ve heard he’s not the most reliable guy, but he’s the only one in town, and you said you want to use only local businesses wherever possible.”

  “I know, it’s worth the wait to put our money into our local economy. If he’s not here by tomorrow, we’ll have to get someone else though. I’m too old and tired to be walking all the way around to the front.”

  “Ha! You’re old and tired?” Mary rolled her eyes. “Tell me another one.”

  As they walked around to the front of Dune House Suzie caught a glimpse of the shack on the beach again.

  “I hope his business does well. I’d love to see him stay here.”

  “Me too. He seems like a nice person.” Mary opened the door and held it open for Suzie.

  “He’ll attract a younger crowd, too.” Just as Suzie stepped into Dune House her cell phone chimed. She picked it up to see that she had a text message.

  “Oh, it’s from Jason! He’s letting us know that he and Summer landed just fine and are having a great time.”

  “Wonderful!” Mary smiled. “I’m so glad to hear it.”

  “Me too. I hope they really have a chance to relax and enjoy married life. They had to wait so long before they could go away on their honeymoon.”

  “Yes, they did, I’m sure they’re treasuring every moment.”

  Mary thought about Wes being away for a family wedding and wished he was there. He had asked her to come along, but with her children visiting she had declined. She surprised herself when she missed him as they hadn’t been going out for very long, but this was the first time that they had been apart from each other for more than a few days.

  Mary lingered in the kitchen to prepare breakfast for their guests, while Suzie went to the laundry room to collect the linens she’d washed the night before. It wasn’t always easy to keep up with all of the needs of Dune House, but she loved every minute. There was nowhere else on Earth she would rather be. Of course that was because of more than just the rambling three story home she’d inherited from an estranged uncle. It was her cousin Jason, Mary, and all of the people she’d met in Garber that made her so content. After many years of believing she never wanted to settle down, she discovered that she had finally found the place where she belonged. As she opened the door to the laundry room she heard voices. They sounded strange, as if they were floating from thin air. After a moment she realized that they were coming through the laundry chute from the third floor.

  “You’re being ridiculous, Hal. You’re seeing things that aren’t there.”

  “Am I?” His voice was stern. “Because every time I turned around you were smiling at him, touching him, or laughing at one of his stupid jokes.”

  “They’re not stupid, they’re funny, that’s why I’m laughing. Of course I’m going to be friendly, he’s teaching us how to dive.”

  “Just watch how friendly
you get.” The voice drifted away as the couple walked further away from the laundry chute. Suzie cringed. She tried not to get too involved in private matters, especially those of her guests, but it sounded like quite a bit of tension brewed between the couple. She finished gathering the linens then left the laundry room.

  Suzie could hear Hal and Trish as they talked with Mary around the dining room table. Everything sounded calmer. She tried not to focus on the argument. As far as she knew it was normal for married couples to squabble. That was one of the main reasons she never wanted to get married. She hated the idea of having to answer for her every move and thought. No matter how many times other people told her that marriage wasn’t always that way, she didn’t want to risk it. Still, for some reason the pesky desire to get hitched had crept up lately and she was having a hard time ignoring it. She blamed it on Paul, a fisherman who had sailed into her life, and taken her heart by storm. At least, that was the way she remembered it. As much as she tried to fight it, she enjoyed spending time with him, and even missed him when he was out on the water. Luckily, she had the bed and breakfast to distract her.

  As Suzie vacuumed the upstairs she hummed to herself. She’d never expected to be content in domestic activities, but when it came to her role as caretaker she took it very seriously. As she vacuumed near the window she noticed a taxi pull up. Excitement raced through her as she realized that Mary’s children had arrived. “Mary! Mary, they’re here!” Suzie nearly tripped over the cord of the vacuum as she ran down the hallway. She caught herself on the wall and straightened up as she reached the stairs. Mary passed the bottom of the stairs as she hurried towards the front door, though her troublesome knees caused her to move a bit slower than she would like. Suzie managed to catch up with her at the door.

  “Okay, wait a minute.” She caught Mary’s hand before she could open the door. “Deep breath, right?”

  “Yes, deep breath.” Mary took a long, deep breath and held it for a moment before she released it again. Then she opened the door. She found her daughter Cathy on the other side.

  “Mom!” Cathy flung her arms wide open. It was as touching to Mary to see her adult daughter seek her embrace as it had been the first time Cathy had reached for her as a baby. She wrapped her arms around her and mumbled into her long auburn hair. “I promised myself I wasn’t going to cry.”

  “No, no crying.” Cathy looked into her eyes. “This is a happy moment, right?”

  “Yes, you’re right.” Mary blinked back the tears that had already formed. “I’m so glad to see you, Cathy. You look as beautiful as ever.”

  “Aw, thanks Mom. This is Rick.” Cathy gestured to a young man that hauled two suitcases up the wide, wooden front steps of the porch.

  “Oh.” Mary blinked. “Nice to meet you, Rick.” She looked back at her daughter with wide eyes.

  “Didn’t you get my text?” Cathy frowned.

  “No. What did it say?”

  “That I was bringing my boyfriend Rick along with me.” She grimaced. “I hope that’s okay.”

  “Oh sure, of course it is. Rick, you must be a very special person if my daughter is fond of you.”

  “Thanks.” He grinned and thrust out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

  “You should have seen these two in the taxi on the way here.” Ben rolled his brown eyes and heaved a soft zippered bag up on to his shoulder as he climbed the steps. “Ugh, please, don’t leave me alone with them again.”

  “Aw, Ben, don’t give your sister a hard time. Your time will come,” Mary said as she gave him a big hug.

  “Listen to Mom, soon enough it’ll be you with a girl on your arm. Oh, I don’t know, maybe when you’re sixty?”

  “Keep quiet, Catherine!” Ben exclaimed.

  “Cathy, be nice to your brother.”

  “I was being nice, he’s the one who…”

  “Hello? Is anyone going to hug Aunt Suzie?” Suzie grinned and opened her arms to both of them. The argument was forgotten as Cathy and Ben each took a turn hugging Suzie. Suzie savored the embraces. The only time she doubted her choice not to have children was when Cathy and Ben were around. She loved them almost as much as she imagined she would love her own. The benefit was that she never had to change a diaper, and when they had a problem that was over her head, she could just send them to Mary. “How was your flight?”

  “It was fine. A little bumpy.” Ben shrugged. “For a second there I thought Cathy was going to try to jump out.”

  “I was a little nervous.” She laughed. “Luckily Rick was there to calm me down.”

  “I’m glad you’re all here safe. I can show you your rooms.” Mary smiled as she led them towards the hall.

  “I’ll get the bags,” Suzie said.

  “Oh no, it’s fine, I can get them.” Rick tightened his grip on the handles. “They’re pretty heavy.”

  “Don’t worry, I can handle it.” Suzie was so used to helping guests with their bags that the offer was automatic.

  “It’s all right, I’ll get them.” He cleared his throat. “It wouldn’t feel right to me to let you carry my bags. It wouldn’t be respectful.”

  “Ah, a rare gentleman?”

  “Some say that, yes.” He smiled, a charming smile, that made Suzie stare at him a little harder. She was always a little suspicious of anyone who was too polite. Like they were trying too hard.

  “Feel free, I appreciate the help.” Suzie smiled as he walked past her and followed Mary down the hallway.

  “I’m afraid I wasn’t expecting you to have a guest, Cathy, so I only have two rooms made up, and I guess, well.”

  “Mom, don’t worry. Rick can bunk with Ben. Right Ben?”

  “Seriously?” Ben sighed. “I guess so.”

  “Just until I get another room made up, sweetheart.”

  “We’ll have some time to bond, it’ll be great, Ben.” Rick ruffled his hair.

  “Great.” Ben rolled his eyes, but opened the door to his room and let Rick follow after him. While they settled in their rooms, Mary joined Suzie in the kitchen.

  “I figured I’d get some snacks together for them, they’re probably hungry after the flight.”

  “Good idea, Suzie. I just can’t believe that they’re here. I’m so excited.”

  “The boyfriend was a surprise, hmm?”

  “Yes, he was. But honestly I’m glad that he’s here. I’d rather Cathy bring him to meet me than to have to wonder about who he is and what he’s like. Now I’ll have the chance to get to know him.”

  “That’s a good point.” Suzie smiled. “I’m glad that you’re happy.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Huh?” She placed a plate of snacks on the dining room table.

  “Suzie.”

  “What?” Her eyes widened.

  “I know you, I know your tones, and that comment meant something. What is it?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. I just think maybe he’s trying a little too hard.”

  “He’s young and in love, if he wasn’t trying hard, I’d be surprised.”

  “You’re right. I think I’m just a little out of touch with the younger generation.”

  “Don’t you remember when we were the younger generation?” Mary grinned.

  “Vaguely.” Suzie laughed.

  “I think I’ll take these into the living room so we can all be comfortable.” Mary picked up the tray.

  “Go enjoy. I’ll take care of lunch for the guests.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Absolutely.” Suzie hugged her friend. “I’m so glad they’re here. Now go spend as much time as you can with them.”

  “Thank you, I’ll do just that.” Mary carried the tray into the living room just as her two children and Rick emerged from the hallway. Rick and Cathy followed after her, but Ben paused in the kitchen beside Suzie.

  “This place is even more amazing than the last time I visited. You’ve done so much more work on it. You did a great job with the
upstairs.”

  “Thanks Ben.” Suzie smiled at him. “You and your sister are welcome here anytime, you know that don’t you?”

  “Sure.” He nodded and brushed his hair away from his eyes. He still reminded Suzie of a puppy dog, too cute for his own good. But he was getting older, and some of the little boy face had begun to fade. “I’m just glad Mom has this, you know. It’s something to keep her occupied, and I know she loves it here.”

  “I’m glad she’s here, too. I couldn’t do it without her.”

  “How are her knees doing?”

  “About the same.”

  “I’m worried about her.”

  “Try not to be, sweetie, she wouldn’t want you to be. She’s taking care of herself. I’d tell you if she wasn’t.”

  “Okay good.” He glanced over his shoulder towards the living room. It seemed to Suzie that he didn’t want to join in.

  “Is everything okay, Ben? How is school going?”

  “Not great.” He frowned. “I’m having a hard time this year. It’s so much harder than freshman year.”

  “Maybe some tutoring would help?”

  “I’m in tutoring. It’s like I just can’t keep up. I’m working, and there’s never any time for studying. I’m thinking of dropping out.”

  “Oh no, Ben, you can’t do that.”

  “Why not?” He frowned. “Not everyone goes to college.”

  “No, that’s true, but it’s best if you do. It gives you a good foundation, even if you don’t work in the field of your choice, you’ll always have that degree to support whatever path you take.”

  “Now you sound like Mom, I thought you would be more understanding. I mean, I know you went to college, but your job wasn’t exactly run of the mill, and what does investigative journalism have to do with running a bed and breakfast?”

  “I worked as a journalist for years before I gave it up. I loved it. Then I discovered that I loved other things, too, and decided to expand my options. I do understand if you don’t want a traditional career, and you know I’ll support whatever you choose, but this is something you need to discuss with your mother. She has great advice to offer, and she knows you better than anyone else, maybe even better than yourself. You can trust her with this, Ben.”