Beach Thriller(87)
“Serena, are—are you okay?”
“I’m sorry to show up early like this, but I couldn’t sleep. Is Jade here? I had the worst dream about her. I’m afraid it was a premonition.”
Holly gulped, opening the door for Serena to come inside. “And I’m afraid you might be right.”
* * *
Hours later, Holly’s mind was still reeling from all Serena had shared. In her dream, a strong wind had knocked Jade off a cliffside walking path. She fell into a dense fog and landed in an underground cavern.
“The cavern represents primal ground, where both growth and rot set in. The fog symbolizes unknown influences—a loss of control, same as the wind pushing her off her path,” Serena said.
“What’s it all mean?” Holly wanted to know.
“If it’s a premonition, and I believe it is, then it means someone has taken her, and they’re holding her against her will. I believe she’s alive, but she’s not safe.”
Holly’s intuition told her who had taken Jade. She had no doubt. The Carmichaels were behind her disappearance, just like they were to blame for Anna’s death. As fate would have it, Holly had the perfect excuse to go looking around Miramar.
* * *
Initially, she had no interest in attending Maeve’s show-off beach soiree, but once she realized it offered the ideal opportunity to search for Jade, Holly sprang into action. She spent the afternoon shopping and preparing. She splurged on a floral-patterned beach dress with some of her dwindling funds—no time for bargain shopping. She also purchased a pair of flats to wear while canvassing the creepy gothic estate.
After all Serena had shared, Holly felt she could trust her. But she needed more help if she was going to pull this off. She needed a team. Holly called Gail, who would be at the party—no way would her friend miss a social (read: gossip-filled) event like this, where she could also find potential high-end real estate clients. But would she agree to help?
Upon hearing her plan, Gail gasped. “That all sounds very dangerous. Maybe it’s best to let the police do their thing.”
“Their thing? Like neglecting cases and leaving murderers wandering the streets? I can’t do that. Jade needs me, and I am not going to let her down.”
Gail sighed, reluctantly accepting Holly’s declaration. “Okay, I’ll be there, and I’m glad that you trust me enough to let me in on your half-baked scheme. I’ll help in any way I can.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much. I’ll see you at the party.” Tears of gratitude welled in her eyes, but Holly wouldn’t let herself cry. If she started, she might not stop. And she had far too much to do.
When she hung up, she noticed another text from Ethan. It was the second message he’d sent that day.
Hey, just hoping we can chat. Got done with work early today. Give me a call.
Holly didn’t call. She had to keep her mind laser-focused, and talking to Ethan would do nothing but throw her off-balance.
* * *
It was nearing six o’clock. The party would start at seven. Holly was too stressed to have an appetite, but she needed her strength, so she rifled through her refrigerator looking for anything that could pass for a well-rounded meal, or even partially well-rounded. A semicircle would do, Holly thought wryly. And that was about what she found.
She lamented her lack of skills in the kitchen, but even she could stir-fry a few vegetables and make some rice. She put a drizzle of olive oil in the pan to heat, adding some coarsely chopped onions and peppers. Luckily, she had instant rice available, so the meal wouldn’t take long.
As dinner cooked, she turned her attention to Chester, who was meowing at her feet. His meal required significantly less preparation. She plopped the contents of a small can of cat food into his dish, cringing at the smell, and was about to return to the stove when she heard a knock at the door.
Jesus, this is the last thing I need, Holly fumed. God help the Jehovah’s Witnesses, if that’s who was on the other side. With her anxiety maxed out, she might explode at the slightest provocation.
Holly opened the door with more force than intended, and it practically flew off its hinges.
“Careful, or I’ll have more work to do,” joked Ethan, who stood in front of her with a half smile, the evening light dancing in his eyes.
Holly’s frustration and fear ebbed for a moment. Ethan took her breath away. He was usually dressed in his work clothes, but tonight he had on khaki-colored drawstring beach pants and a soft coral linen shirt over a white cotton tee.
He must have realized she was at a loss for words. “But seriously, sorry for just showing up like this. You didn’t answer my messages, and I think I know what happened the other day. I’d really like a chance to explain.”
Before Ethan could say another word, a blaring, piercing sound filled their ears.
Oh, shit! The smoke detector.
Ethan rushed past Holly, seeing the source of the smoke immediately—the dinner Holly had neglected on the stove. Thinking quickly, he reached into the cabinet under the counter, grabbing the fire extinguisher Holly didn’t even know she had.
He removed the lock and pressed the nozzle, the spray covering her dinner, her stove, and much of her countertop. Smoke permeated the kitchen, everything coated in a haze as the alarm continued to blare. Holly stood stock-still. In the low light, Ethan looked like a blurry silhouette by her stove, extinguishing the blaze with the efficiency of a pro.