He smiled. “I’ll take your word for it, then. I’d like a bacon double cheeseburger, an order of onion rings, and a chocolate milkshake.”
She smiled back. “Hope you’re hungry because they serve big portions here.”
That’s when Nathan turned on the charm. He leaned forward and smiled. “You know what… I already like this place, sis. Nice portions and even nicer waitresses. What more could a guy ask for?”
Amy blushed. She was very pretty and I’m sure that guys were always coming on to her, but even I had to admit, Nathan was a good-looking guy himself. Obviously, he knew it, too.
“I’ll be back with your malt and water in just a moment,” she said softly before she walked away.
“I guess Deanna is beginning to fade from your memory as the day progresses,” I mused.
His face became serious. “Not really. I mean, there will always be a special place in my heart for her, but, I’ve decided to keep my options open. Heck, I’m young and shouldn’t be tying myself down to one girl; especially one who’s a few hundred miles away.”
I folded my hands and nodded. “That’s why I’m not going to waste time pining for any of the guys in town. After high school there will be college, and I don’t want anything holding me back.”
Amy returned with his milkshake and handed me an application.
“Um, if I were you I’d only request hours during the day or early evening.”
“Why?” I asked, puzzled.
She looked around nervously and then whispered, “It’s too dangerous around here at night.”
Nathan raised his eyebrows. “What do you mean by dangerous?”
“Amy!” hollered someone behind the counter, who looked like the cook. “Order’s up! They’re waiting!”
“Sorry, I can’t talk about it now,” she mumbled. “Just take my word for it.”
Then she left us both staring at each other in surprise.
I bit the side of my lower lip. “Wow, first a dead body in the lake and now this creepy warning?”
He waved his hand. “Oh, it might be nothing. Maybe she’s talking about drunk drivers or something.”
“I don’t know, but, I’ll take her word for it. I’d prefer to work during the day, anyway.”
I finished the application just as our food arrived.
“I can take this and give it to the owner if you’d like. She’ll be in later this evening,” said Amy.
“Thanks,” I said. “So, what did you mean earlier about it being dangerous around here at night?”
Her eyes darted around the restaurant again and I had this feeling like she was genuinely scared. Finally she cleared her throat and mumbled. “I didn’t mean anything by it. Just forget I said anything.”
At that moment I noticed that the diner was unusually quiet and I had the impression that some of the other customers were listening to our conversation. I decided it would be best just to drop the subject.
I raised my voice. “Oh. Well, yeah, if you could give the application to whoever does the hiring, I’d really appreciate it.”
She nodded and then stepped away. I immediately noticed that the volume of the diner rose again and I stared at Nathan curiously.
“Okay, kind of weird,” he said, under his breath. “Must be a small town thing?”
“Must be,” I said, picking up my fork.
We finished our food and Nathan left a big tip for Amy, who was so busy she could barely make it back to the table, to refill our glasses.
“You dropped something,” called Amy as we were leaving the diner. Before I could respond, she handed me a folded-up note and hurried away.
“What was that all about?” asked Nathan as we walked to the car.”
The sun was bright and I put my shades on. “Don’t know. We’ll read it in the car.”
When we got into the Mustang, I immediately opened the note and read it out loud. “Lock your doors at night and don’t invite any strangers inside.” A shiver ran up my spine and I turned to Nathan. “Okay, that’s really freaky.”
Nathan’s cell phone began to ring before he could respond. “It’s mom,” he said, answering it.
I could hear them talking about her date with the sheriff and then he hung up.
“I guess it’s going to be a late dinner, so we don’t have to be home for a few hours. The sheriff is working a little later and isn’t getting off until sometime after nine.”
I snorted. “If it’s dangerous here at night, it would make sense that he’s really busy.”
“Listen,” said Nathan, as we pulled out of the parking lot. “I wouldn’t go blowing everything out of proportion. It’s possible that Amy was friends with that dead girl and doesn’t trust anyone right now. Or maybe, she’s a little crazy.”
I sighed. “Or maybe, she’s just worried about us. You have to admit that finding a dead body practically at our doorstep isn’t the best housewarming gift.”
“Since the sheriff is coming to dinner tonight, why don’t we just ask him about it? He’d certainly know if there was something wicked happening around here after dark.”
“Maybe,” I mumbled.
“Hey, that must be Duncan’s dad’s shop,” said Nathan, slowing the car down.
I looked up and noticed a large boat marina with a big sign that read: “Sonny’s Boat Repairs.” Nathan pulled into the parking lot and we both got out.
“Wow, check out all of those boats,” pointed Nathan, his face lighting up. “Oh man, I think I just had an orgasm.”
I glared at him. “God, you are so disgusting.”
There was a fenced-in storage area for some of the smaller boats not docked at the marina. On the other side was the repair shop.
“I’d like to get myself an old Carver after I find a job,” said Nathan as we walked towards the shop’s entrance. “I hear you can get one relatively inexpensive and fix it up.”
Nathan and my dad have always loved boats. In fact, we used to own a twenty-four foot Bayliner before my parents split up. Then dad had to sell the boat and Nathan’s been pining for his own ever since.
“Hey!” called Duncan, coming towards us. “You made it.”
“Yeah,” said Nathan. “Now that we’re here, I have to admit, I’m jealous. You’re surrounded by some pretty amazing boats.”
Duncan started telling us about another high-end yacht that needed repairs. I have to admit, though, I was paying more attention to him than what he was saying. Up close, he appeared much taller than I’d remembered and had a contagious smile. His eyes were a silvery gray color, and every time he glanced my way, I felt my cheeks heat up.
“I just realized something,” he said. “You’re twins, aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” said Nathan, putting his arm around my shoulders. “She’s the ugly one, poor little thing.”
My jaw dropped and I smacked him in the shoulder for what had to be the tenth time that day. “You are such a shit.”
“But I’m the good-looking one,” he laughed.
Duncan shook his head and stared at us in amusement. “Sorry, dude, but I think you might have that wrong. Nikki here seems to have absorbed all the beauty genes, leaving you with a great sense of humor, though.”
“Oh, yeah,” I laughed, secretly thrilled that Duncan thought I was cute, “and even his sense of humor leaves a lot to be desired.”
Nathan pouted. “And I thought you invited me along because I was the cuter twin.”
“No, but I have to say, you still have a nice butt,” joked Duncan.
“Pilates,” said Nathan, turning around to show us.
“Okay, enough!” I interrupted. “Now I’ve realized that you are both a couple of dorks.”
“From one dork to another,” said Nathan. “I’m ready to see some yachts. Lead the way, you sexy thang.”
Duncan burst out laughing and turned around to lead us towards the marina. I quickly checked out his rear and decided that he definitely didn’t need any Pilates.
Chapter Six
An hour later, after getting a few secret tours on some of the largest yachts I’d ever seen, we followed Duncan into the main shop to meet his dad, Sonny.
“Hello,” said Sonny, who was an older version of Duncan, minus the hair, “nice to meet the both of you.”
Nathan held out his hand and shook Sonny’s. “Thanks for letting Duncan give us a glimpse of some of these sweet yachts,” he said. “You must be extremely busy with all of those boats out there.”
“Tell me about it,” said Sonny. “I can barely keep up. I’m going to have to hire someone to help around the shop, especially now that fall is just around the corner. Many of these boats need to be winterized, and soon.”
I looked at Nathan, who was already way ahead of me.
“What kind of experience do you need? I’m looking for a job,” said my brother.
Sonny rubbed his bald head. “I can’t imagine you’d know how to repair boat engines at your age, although Duncan does, but that’s because he’s been around them most his life. You know, I could still use someone to take care of the customers, order parts, and do some of the lighter maintenance. That would free up a lot of time for me and my son.”
I could see that Nathan was getting really excited. “Listen,” he said, his eyes sparkling. “I’m your man. I’m a very hard worker and learn quickly.”
Sonny leaned back in his chair. “Okay. We’ll have you fill out an application and I’ll certainly consider you. I do have a couple mechanics who work the graveyard shift, so what I could really use is someone who doesn’t mind doing a little grunt work.”
“Grunt is my middle name,” smiled Nathan.
Sonny smiled. “That’s what I like to hear.”
While Nathan started filling out the application, Duncan asked me if I wanted anything to drink.
“Um, sure... water?”
“Come on, I’ll show you our luxurious break room.”
I followed Duncan to the back of the shop and we entered into a small room with pop and snack machines.
“Here,” he said, handing me a bottle of water from the back of the fridge. “I’ll give you one from my secret stash. If I don’t hide them, they seem to disappear overnight.”
I laughed. “Really? Thanks.”
“So,” he said as he sat down and stretched out his long legs. “How do you like Shore Lake so far?”
“Seriously, it’s kind of a hard question to answer. Last night we found a body near the lake, and today, one of the waitresses at Ruth’s passed me a note that warned us to stay inside after dark and not invite any strangers inside.”
His eyes widened. “Seriously?! Are you kidding me?”
I took a sip of the water. “No, I wish I was.” I set my water down and pulled out the note Amy had given me.
He read it and frowned. “Very strange. So, do the cops know whose body you found?”
“Some girl around my age, Tina Johnson?”
He scratched his head. “Tina Johnson? To tell you the truth, I don’t really know many of the locals. I only stay with my dad during the summer and then for the rest of the year, I live with my mom in Minnesota.”
“Oh, so you’re going back to Minnesota next month when school starts?”
He smiled. “I graduated last spring, so now I can stay wherever I want.”
“What are you going to do now?” I asked.
He sighed. “Probably help my dad out while I take some engineering classes at the local college.”
“What about your mom?”
“She just remarried and is pretty busy with her new husband,” he said. “My dad doesn’t really have anyone else but me, so I’m probably sticking around here.”
I took a sip of water and set it down. “Well, it sounds like your dad really needs you in more ways than one.”
He nodded. “What about your old man?” he asked and then looked embarrassed. “I’m sorry, I probably shouldn’t have asked. If he’s passed away or something, I apologize for my lack of tactfulness.”
I smiled humorlessly. “Actually, there are times that I wish he had passed away. I know that sounds really cold, but he’s an asshole. Thank goodness my mom is no longer with him.”
“Then cheers to that,” he said, tapping my water bottle with his.
“Cheers.”
He re-capped his water. “So, you mentioned the dead girl, do they think she was murdered?”
“No, it sounds like she liked to party a little too much and may have accidently killed herself.”
“What about the waitress at the diner?” he asked, biting his lower lip. “That was a pretty weird.”
“Very.” I sat back in the chair. “So, um, have you heard anything about missing people or other bodies being discovered near the lake?”
He looked thoughtful. “No, not really; although, there have been plenty of people moving recently. That’s why I mentioned the cabins. Either people are selling or just renting out their lake homes.”
“Hey, Nikki,” said Nathan as he stepped into the break room, “are you ready to get going? I want to pick up those steaks for mom before it gets too late.”
I looked at my watch and noticed it was already after seven. “Yeah, we’d better leave.”
“Thanks for stopping by, guys,” said Duncan, standing up. He lowered his voice. “I’ll work on my dad so he’ll hire you.”
Nathan laughed. “Sounds good. I’ll give you a call in a couple of days if I don’t hear from him, to see what’s going on. If anything, we can go cruising.”
“Definitely. And don’t forget about the barbeque this weekend,” said Duncan. “Now that Nikki’s practically begged me to be your date, Nathan.”
Nathan’s eyes widened innocently. “Oh, what ever will I wear?” he asked, standing kind of prissy. “Do you like pink, Duncan?”
Duncan looked at my dress and then winked. “Actually, I prefer blue.”
Chapter Seven
It was dark by the time we made it home and mom was on the deck, desperately trying to figure out the grill.
“Step aside before you blow us all up,” ordered Nathan, handing her the package of steaks.
“No arguments here,” she answered. “I prefer cooking on the stove myself, but the steaks taste so much better on the grill. Thanks for picking them up, by the way.”
“No problem. Just don’t give the sheriff mine, it’s the thirty-ouncer,” he replied.
“Of course not, you bottomless pit,” she said. “But we’re also having potatoes, pasta salad, and corn on the cob. So pace yourself tonight, if you can.”
He snorted. “That’s it? No dessert?”
“Cheesecake,” she said. “But let’s make sure our guest gets a piece before you get your mitts on it.”
“You should have made two, and then you wouldn’t have to worry about it,” he joked.
She raised her finger. “I’m not going to worry about it because you’re going to wait until everyone else has had a piece before you devour the rest.”
“Okay, I can live with that.”
“You look nice,” I told her. She was wearing a lilac colored blouse and a new white skirt I’d never seen before.
“Thanks,” she smiled. “So, how was your trip into town?”
“It started out a little strange but got better,” I answered.
“What do you mean?”
Nathan interrupted. “Oh, she applied for a job at the local diner and some waitress slipped her a note with an ominous warning.”
“What?”
I showed her the piece of paper and she shrugged. “That is pretty odd. Maybe she knew the deceased girl? Who knows, she may think there was foul play involved.”
“Maybe there was,” I said.
She frowned. “The sheriff didn’t seem to think so. We’ll ask him about it again when he gets here.”
“Okay,” I said, putting the note away. I didn’t think he’d tell us much, however. Having a father for a cop taught me th
at they weren’t keen on divulging information like that.
“So, did you guys make it to Duncan’s boat shop?”
“Yeah,” said Nathan. “And his dad is hiring for shop help, so I filled out an application.”
Her eyes widened. “Wow, that means both of you might have jobs before the end of the summer? That’s amazing!”
“Yeah, I know. I need money and a car, badly,” I said.
“If you get a job, I’ll help you find a car and you can pay me back in installments. But, don’t expect anything fancy,” she said.
“Seriously? Thanks, mom,” I replied, throwing my arms around her. I’d never owned my own car before, although I had my license. I started thinking about all of the possibilities and became giddy.
“You bet. I know it’s tough not having a car; especially, now that you’ll be a senior.”
As I pulled away, my eyes caught a movement in the woods. At first, I thought it was a deer or some other wild animal, but then in a blur, it shot up into the trees. I wasn’t sure, but I could have sworn its eyes were glowing, too. Just like the so-called “Peeping Tom.”
“Something’s in the woods,” I whispered hoarsely.
“What?” asked my mother.
Nathan stepped off the deck and began walking slowly towards the trees.
“What the hell are you doing?” barked mom.
He raised his hand. “Calm down. It’s probably just a deer or something.”
I pointed up towards the top of the trees. “It flew up there, and I doubt it was a reindeer.”
My mom released a heavy sigh. “Then it was just a bird. Don’t scare me like that.”
I shook my head, vehemently. “No, it wasn’t a bird.”
Nathan walked back onto the deck. “Of course it was a bird. Or maybe a flying squirrel.”
I put my hands on my waist. “It wasn’t a small animal, okay? It was big! Bigger than you,” I told him.
“The shadow probably looked a lot larger than the animal. When it’s dark like this, your eyes can play tricks on you. Think about it, nothing my size would be able to fly up into a tree,” he said. “It’s not possible.”
“I know what I saw,” I snapped, glaring at him, “and it was big. I’m going into the cabin. This place is really starting to give me the creeps.”
Toxic (Venom Series) Book Three Page 27
