The waves didn’t allow me to remain mostly dry. No, they whipped over me, all the way to my shoulders in cold fury. I could only think of one thing: pneumonia. I was done. I ran back to the shore, desperate for warmth.
Quickly, I found my coat and pulled it back on. Then I took the coffee a volunteer cocooned in a winter coat and knit hat thrust into my hand. Everyone slowly trickled out of the water and acted like I did: frozen. Medics stood by, just in case anyone had any health issues.
Event: done. One more thing I could mark off my list.
Until the mayor thought of something else I should participate in to make amends. Stupid amends.
And, for real, I was deathly cold right now. I had to get inside. I needed some glorious heat. But, at the same time, I was the host. I was supposed to change and then kick off a winter beach party. Stupid winter beach parties.
My gaze cut across the crowd and came to Jackson’s again. Our eyes connected before I could stop it. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with his crankiness. Or his lies.
Instead, I looked back at the ocean. Zane came out of the water, water dripping from his wild, curly hair. He looked like he could have stepped off the set of Baywatch with his lean beach body and carefree body language. Just as he reached me, he shook his head like a wet dog as someone handed him a blanket. “That was awesome!”
“Not the word I was thinking of myself.” But I smiled anyway, his enthusiasm never ceasing to amaze me. “I’m ready to get inside that tent.”
He hooked his arm around my neck and specks of water rained on me. “Let’s go!”
I took one last look back, making sure everyone was out of the water so we could get our party started.
That was when I saw something tumble ashore.
Or should I say someone.
It was a body.
Even worse, it was Mark Hamill.
Complete Book List
Squeaky Clean Mysteries
Hazardous Duty
Suspicious Minds
It Came Upon a Midnight Crime
Organized Grime
Dirty Deeds
The Scum of All Fears
To Love, Honor, and perish
Mucky Streak
While You Were Sweeping (A Riley Thomas Novella)
Foul Play
Broom and Gloom
Dust and Obey
Thrill Squeaker
Swept Away
Cunning Attractions
Clean Getaway (coming soon)
Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries
Random Acts of Murder
Random Acts of Deceit
Random Acts of Malice
Random Acts of Scrooge
Random Acts of Greed
Random Acts of Fraud (coming soon)
The Sierra Files
Pounced
Hunted
Pranced
Rattled
Caged (coming soon)
The Worst Detective Ever
Ready To Fumble
Reign Of Error (coming soon)
Safety In Blunders (coming soon)
Join the Flub (coming soon)
Blooper Freak (coming soon)
Suburban Sleuth Mysteries
Death of a Couch Potato’s Wife
Cape Thomas Series
Dubiosity
Disillusioned
Distorted (coming soon)
Carolina Moon Series
Home Before Dark
Gone By Dark
Wait Until Dark
Light the Dark
Tween Novels
The Curtain Call Caper
The Disappearing Dog Dilemma
The Bungled Bike Burglaries
Stand Alone Novels
The Trouble With Perfect
The Good Girl
Non Fiction Titles
The Novel In Me
Changed
About the Author
USA Today has called Christy Barritt's books “scary, funny, passionate, and quirky.”
Christy writes both mystery and romantic suspense novels that are clean with underlying messages of faith. Her books have won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery, have been twice nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, and have finaled for both a Carol Award and Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year.
She is married to her Prince Charming, a man who thinks she’s hilarious—but only when she's not trying to be. Christy is a self-proclaimed klutz, an avid music lover who’s known for spontaneously bursting into song, and a road trip aficionado.
When she's not working or spending time with her family, she enjoys singing, playing the guitar, and exploring small, unsuspecting towns where people have no idea how accident-prone she is.
Find Christy online at:
www.christybarritt.com
www.facebook.com/christybarritt
www.twitter.com/cbarritt
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