AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I know,” he says with a sigh. He frowns at his sandwich. “It would be good for publicity, though.” He raises a hand before I can interject. “Don’t start. I know the charter as well as you do. We have a deal with the folk not to do that kind of thing. I’m just saying it would make things easier, that’s all.
“It’s not an option, Griff.”
“Fine. On the flip side, the legend of treasure in the lake is pretty well known. We’ve had plenty of treasure hunters before, despite our efforts. Any ideas on how to shut it down now, especially if we’re going to be inviting people out to the lake? It just grants people easier access.”
It’s my turn to sigh. This is something he should be figuring out. I have enough to deal with. “Nothing beyond what we already do. Obviously keep civilians from using any kind of sophisticated search equipment in the water and play down the rumors as much as possible. Put up more security cams? Add a clause to the rental agreements at the lake? We certainly don’t want a horde of people looking for the Lady’s Tear. If it’s even real.”
Rumors of a giant freshwater pearl in the lake have circulated since the town’s founding, but no one has ever spotted it. Or if they have, they managed to keep their mouth shut about it.
“You don’t think it is?”
I shrug. “Griffin, I believe in the magic of Haven’s Hollow as much as anyone. Probably even more so. But if the Tear were real, wouldn’t someone have found it by now?”
“Not necessarily,” he says. “It’s a big lake, and maybe the Tear is waiting for the right person before it reveals itself. For all we know, it’s invisible.”
“Maybe,” I say. “I’ll think about ways to discourage treasure hunters. Maybe we can play up the monster and haunting lore a little more? The haunted thing? Put up some signs or something, like on the hiking trails.”
“If you want to, I’m on board. I’ll see about setting up some festival committees.”
“Good,” I say. “You know I’ll want in on those. Now, what’s the latest on Evan Adler?”
He narrows his blue eyes at me. “You know I’m not supposed to talk about things like that. Wait for the official report.”
“Griffin, he died twenty yards from where I’m working. I need to know if the resort is safe for tourists. Do I need to have some sort of inspection done on the lake? Are there wild animals out there that we don’t know about? I don’t know what Libra and Callister told the cops, but if you want me to make this resort a success, I need as much information as possible.”
“Look, as far as I know, it was a simple drowning. I don’t know what made him go into the lake in the first place, but it seems straightforward. Nothing you need to worry about.”
“Then why did it take so long for his body to be found?”
Griffin chews his lip. “Apparently it got snagged on some vegetation at the bottom.”
I frown. “Off the beach? It’s all sand, and not very deep at that. How is that even possible?”
“Look, keep this between us, okay? His body wasn’t found in the swimming area. The reason it took a few days is twofold. Not only was it snagged on vegetation, but the cops also had to widen their search. He was found farther out, where the water is much deeper.”
“What the hell, Griffin? Libra said he went down inside the swimming area, and the cameras confirmed that.”
He shrugs. “I don’t know what to tell you. Either Libra is lying or she’s just wrong.”
“That’s impossible. It was literally recorded. I’ve seen the footage.”
“Then I guess Evan managed to swim a lot farther than anyone realized before he died.”
“Or,” I say.
“Or?”
“Or something in the water dragged him out there.”
Haven
I’m armedto the teeth when I move to the resort. Mops, brooms, the fanciest vacuum money can buy—I have it all, along with every possible cleaning solution known to man. Bleach, vinegar, and everything in between. I also packed my own linens and my coffee maker, obviously. I may have to live out here for the next several weeks, but I won’t be doing it in squalor.
The most secluded of the cabins has a broken window, thanks to Libra, so I pick the one next to it, which has the second-best level of privacy. I get to work scrubbing the place down, and fortunately, it’s not as horrible as I thought it would be. There’s a lot of sand and dust, and the kitchen and bathroom have their fair share of mold, but it could be so much worse.
If I hire a cleaning crew to help, these cabins could be spotless in a matter of days. That would make the redecorating process go a lot faster. Of course, all of that will depend on how much structural work is required and the subsequent mess that would make. I’m really hoping it’s just a matter of new roofs and windows, along with some updates like outdoor decks and paint.
After several hours, I deem the cabin habitable. If cleaning the other cabins goes as smoothly, and Marlan’s crew works fast, whipping this place into shape won’t be half as bad as I feared. I stretch my neck, cracking it, and head outside to watch the sunset from the Little Dock.
