The Silver Lake Murder by Gregg Matthews (different ereaders txt) 📕

he makes his way to the back seat of his car and falls asleep as soon as his body collapses into the leather seats. He is too tired to set up a place to sleep in the new building, so tonight, the back seat will do. Trying to fall asleep, he cannot help but think about how he ended up back here in Silver Lake.

His mind drifts off thinking about Rose, he wonders if he will see her again. Was it a mistake coming back here to look for her? Too soon to tell. Priority one, he needs to get the Tattoo shop up and running ASAP to get some money flowing. Without money, there is nothing he can do for anyone. Next, he needs to find his girlfriend, Rose. Did she leave New Orleans and come back home to Silver Lake? He wonders if she is here. If she is here, it sure doesn’t feel like she is. Next, he needs to find out what the hell happened to his childhood friend Cindy Flynn. How did she end up dead in the streets of Silver Lake? Who is responsible for her death? Who is he going to make pay for what they did to her?

CHAPTER 4

Blake squints his eyes, fighting off the glaring sunshine from the backseat of his car. Waking up the next day, he realizes he is back in Silver Lake. The perspiration on his body is already present. From the weather app on his smartphone, he can see today is projected to be a hot summer day. Half asleep, he gets out of the back seat of his car and walks around to the trunk. Opening the trunk, he quickly changes out of the clothes he is wearing.

Walking down to the water’s edge with flip flops on his feet, cutoff jeans shorts, and a towel in his right hand. Gingerly he walks out onto the small wooden dock; he can hear the old dock flex and groan as he walks across the top of it. The dock has a couple of small wooden rowboats tied to it; he hangs the towel on one of the posts and dives head-first into the smooth, clear lake water.

The cooling sensation ripples through the core of his body as he swims deeper underwater. He opens his eyes and can see the dull ray of sunlight shining through the clean, clear water. He stretches his arms and legs out as far as he can. Rising to the surface, he floats on his back on top of the water to rest and catch his breath. The warm sun flows across his body. Swimming in the lake makes him feel at home. Swimming out to one of the boat moorings and back lets him know he is in decent condition. Floating on his back again, he can feel the warm sunlight hit his face. He floats on his back for a little while. Silver Lake is a quiet and peaceful place this morning. The quiet and peace reminds him what it was like growing up here.

Feeling a slight tug and a sting on his right leg, he quickly swims to shore. Climbing out of the water, he can see the red blood coming from his leg. Realizing it’s been a while, but he is sure he was bitten by an eel. He is quickly reminded the lake is a beautiful place, but it can be dangerous too.

Walking back to the trunk of his car. He moves a lot of his personal belongings from the trunk of his car to inside the shop. He was too tired to do it last night. He takes a shower, washing the lake water from his hair and body. He gets dressed and ready for the new day: Old brown leather cowboy boots, jeans, a two-inch-wide belt, and a wife beater T-shirt. He needs to have a talk with his neighbor at the K-9 Academy.

Walking out the front door of Rivers Tattoo, he goes one door up and steps inside the K-9 Academy. The bell above the door rings a few times. The smell of wet dog is

prevalent in this shop too. He can see someone is shuffling about the store with multiple dogs barking. He watches as a man with a military brown hair cut. Muscular body, small frame, black military boots, jeans, a green T-shirt, and dog tags. His face is tanned. His teeth, when he smiles, show gaps and decay. His old friend is standing in front of him.

“Blake?”

“Kevin?”

Kevin quickly extends his right hand. Blake does the same. The two of them shakehands.

“Hey, Blake. It’s been a while?”

“Hey, Kevin. Yes, a few years.”

He and Kevin get settled into the seats at the entrance of the store. The seats are for people to sit and wait for their dogs. The two of them take a seat. He holds it in as long as he can, he blurts it out.

“Kevin, have you seen Rose?”

“Nope, it’s been years.”

Blake listens as Kevin explains how he was in the Marines for several years after high school. The Marines is where he learned about training dogs. After his time in the military was up, he came back here to Silver Lake. He started a business called the Barking Boutique. The business was to wash, clean, and take care of dogs. He changed the business to the K-9 Academy, which is focused on training people’s everyday dogs. It also trains Guard dogs. This business is more aligned with his skills from the military. He does most of the classes for people and their dogs down by the water’s edge over by the clear green grass area. He will also go to businesses with guard dogs and train them on site.

“Thanks for leaving the mess next door, man.”

“Sorry, Blake. Eleonor told me I had until the weekend to clean it.”

“Don’t worry about it. I filled the dumpster yesterday. I am trying to open my new tattoo shop as fast as I