Hallow Haven Cozy Mysteries Bundle Books 1-3 by Mara Webb (books to read fiction .txt) 📕

I now lived? I felt so tired, but it was barely lunchtime, I had to consider that maybe someone was targeting people at the café? Or was it just the peacekeepers? If I was really a witch, could I do something to defend myself?

As the main island came back into view, I saw Miller’s expression grow dark. It was as though he had bad news to deliver. Would he be in trouble because I stupidly walked into the rising tide? I looked down at the amber ring on my finger; it was glowing.

10

I woke up in my bed to the sound of clattering pans. I could hear Effie and Kate bickering downstairs about something and somehow it felt normal, even after barely knowing them for twenty-four hours. The doctor had met us at the marina to check me out and it appeared that I had a sprained ankle and required rest, so I was ordered to take a nap.

Looking at the time on the nightstand clock I had only slept for an hour or two, but it had been a welcome period of recovery and I felt as though the whole ‘nearly drowning’ thing hadn’t even happened. I walked down the stairs on my magically healed foot and into the kitchen where the bickering was loudest.

“I told you, Miller thinks that... oh hi Sadie!” Effie cut herself off when she saw me. I wanted to know what she planned to say if she hadn’t noticed me. “Can I interest you in a pineapple and chicken skewer?” She nodded towards a plate on the table in the center and I gladly grabbed at one of the sticks, pulling off the beautifully grilled food with my teeth.

“Have you heard about a stalker?” I asked.

“Rosie still being followed?” Neither Effie nor Kate had spoken. It appeared that Greta had joined us. “You seem surprised to see me,” she smiled.

“No,” Kate replied. “Just didn’t realize you’d be appearing so soon. The poor girl only just arrived.”

“We met last night,” I said. Some strange feeling inside was making me accept what was happening. “It’s fine. This whole thing is a head trip but it’s growing on me. Look, Miller thinks that maybe Rosie’s stalker grabbed Greta by mistake and that this whole mess isn't over yet.”

“It’s far from over,” Effie murmured. “Rosie had been talking about wanting protection and that she thinks that it could be tonight that the killer strikes again. She is quite dramatic though; I think it’s important to know that.”

“Effie, you are supposed to support the victims,” Kate scolded.

“Yeah, but don’t you think there is a tiny possibility that Rosie is embellishing? I haven’t got a feeling of impending doom and...”

“Sadie, I need you to find my car please. As far as I can tell, it hasn’t been moved. You will need to drive, or hike, up to the last place it was spotted and report back,” Greta instructed. She didn’t seem to be interested in the ongoing argument between the two sisters. “I recommend you take a friend of mine with you, maybe...” she paused to think.

“Ryder,” Kate and Effie answered together.

“He runs the store on the main street that sells outdoor gear, hiking boot and tents and whatever,” Effie elaborated. “Greta has had the biggest crush on that guy for, like, three years? It’s been pretty cringe-worthy to watch you fake an interest in hiking just to get his attention.”

“I didn’t fake—listen,” Greta seemed flustered. If her blood was still pumping, then she would have blushed. Effie and Kate were so busy laughing that they hardly noticed Greta’s expression. Eventually she joined them in laughing at herself and I grinned too. Living here, although obviously bananas, looked like it could be fun.

“So I go find Ryder, ask him to take me to your car, and then what?” I asked.

“Search for clues! Look, I don’t remember driving up there, I wouldn’t have crashed and just wandered off into the mountains to die. I had a satellite phone in the glove compartment in case of emergencies, if I was in trouble, I would have called someone, and obviously I was shot which isn’t a typical side effect of crashing into a tree,” Greta ranted.

“Good point,” I conceded. “Where exactly is this outdoor place then?”

“I’ll take you; I should be getting back to work anyway. My lunch break has taken over an hour already,” Kate giggled.

I was wearing different clothes at this point. Greta hadn’t commented on the fact that I was wearing shorts I had found in her closet so I figured I may as well keep it going and took another set of shorts and a t-shirt from her belongings and followed Kate out through the café and onto the beach.

“When do you plan on asking me about Miller?” Kate smirked. “I can sense that you are thinking about him and I could give you some info if you like.”

“I’m not, I don’t... the thing is...” I said, clawing at my grasp of the English language as I thought about the fact that Kate seemed to be reading my mind.

“He is single, has been the whole time he’s lived here, and I think he is allergic to prawns? That might not be true, but I’ve never seen him at the seafood place and everyone else on the island loves eating there,” she said.

“Whole time he’s lived here? You make it sound like he wasn’t born here,” I replied.

“He wasn’t. Moved here maybe six or seven years ago, can’t remember why. Nice enough guy, obviously super-hot and it would be a straight up lie if I pretended, I hadn’t made a move on him a few times, he’s not interested. If he doesn’t want to get with this,” she said, vaguely pointing at her entire body, “then he is clearly not in the market for a girlfriend. I am top-shelf stuff.”

“Yeah, he’s not worthy of you,” I smiled.

“Sadie, you’re all right. You can stay,” she teased. “Here we are.