Attempt to Locate

by Christy Barritt

  “I’m sure Serena will love that,” Cassidy said. “Thank you. And congratulations on your engagement.”

  Sullivan nodded. “Thank you.”

  After he walked away, Cassidy turned to Mac. There was so much she wanted to say to the man—so many questions. “You’re really going to run for office?”

  He shrugged. “I didn’t know I was going to until just then. But someone needs to put that man in his place.”

  “For the record, I think you’d make a great mayor.”

  “For the record, your opinion means a lot to me. Thank you.” Mac smiled.

  Ty joined them and slipped his arm around Cassidy’s waist. He’d been bandaged up from his gunshot wound, and Doc Clemson had confirmed he would be all right.

  “Everything okay here?” Ty glanced back and forth from Mac to Cassidy.

  “Yeah, everything is fine,” Cassidy said. “It’s great actually.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Cassidy, Lisa, and Skye leaned back in their patio chairs and stared out over the ocean as the sky smeared pink and blue with the sunset. It was Saturday, and two days had passed since Danny Simpson had been apprehended.

  Not only was that fiasco behind them, but the weather had taken a surprising turn. The temperature had climbed from the mid-thirties they’d experienced earlier in the week to the upper sixties. It was a glorious break from the winter doldrums the island had been experiencing for far too long.

  Juliet and Serena had just left. They’d shared a late lunch together, played a few games, lounged in the hot tub, and watched a sappy movie.

  Now it was just Lisa, Skye, and Cassidy.

  This evening felt so different from the one five nights ago.

  Cassidy’s face was beginning to heal. The swelling had gone down, and her bruises were turning from purple to a yellowish-blue color. Her ribs still ached, but not nearly as bad as they had earlier. Maybe things would return to normal here on the island. For a while, at least.

  “You ladies are the best friends a girl could have.” Lisa raised her mug of white hot chocolate—her favorite. “Thank you for planning all this. A relaxing overnight trip is just what I needed.”

  Cassidy smiled. “I’m glad. I think we could all use a relaxing getaway. And what better time than two weeks before your big day.”

  “I know. I can’t believe it. I can’t wait to become Mrs. Braden Dillinger.”

  “Will you and Braden live in your apartment over the restaurant?” Skye leaned back in her lounge chair, looking more relaxed than Cassidy had seen her in a while.

  “That’s the plan. For now, at least. I mean, if we have kids one day, that will probably need to change. The space isn’t that big. But it’s just enough for the two of us.” Lisa glanced at Skye. “You know, I’m kind of surprised you and Austin haven’t tied the knot yet.”

  Skye smiled. “We’ve talked about it. And we will eventually. It will probably be a spontaneous thing—just a few of us on the beach with Pastor Jack. We want to save up a little money first. We’re flipping that house right now, and, hopefully, when it sells, we’ll be able to move forward.”

  “That’s great, Skye,” Cassidy said. “I’m really happy for both of you.”

  “Thank you,” Skye said. “It’s been a rough road, but I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I just hope it’s not a train barreling toward me.”

  They all shared a laugh.

  Lisa cleared her throat and turned toward them. “Well, I’ll have you both know that I’ve been working on a surprise project over the past couple days.”

  “Can you share details?” Cassidy asked. “I’m intrigued.”

  Lisa shook her head, her eyes sparkling. “No, not yet. But soon enough. I want you to be surprised also, right along with everyone else. It’s helped to take my mind off things, though. So that’s been a godsend.”

  A few seconds of silence passed as they sipped their hot chocolate and stared out over the sky. A gentle breeze tugged at their hair and reminded them that warmer days were ahead—a good reminder to all of them after the events of this week.

  After a few minutes, Skye’s voice cut through the silence. “I heard Gilead’s Cove bought up another piece of property here on the island.”

  Cassidy’s breath caught, and she lowered her hot chocolate back down to the arm of the chair. “Did you?”

  She hadn’t heard that yet.

  “I know I shouldn’t bring this up, that we’re trying to relax,” Skye said. “But the whole thing has me on edge, you know? Especially since Serena is still talking to Dietrich.”

  Dietrich was a member of Gilead’s Cove who lived out in the community. Serena had been smitten with the man, but everyone had warned her to stay away. Cassidy hadn’t heard about any encounters the two had together, so she’d assumed they were no longer in contact.

  “I didn’t think she was talking to him anymore,” Cassidy said.

  “I didn’t either. But I caught her outside on the deck snuggled up to him on the hammock last night,” Skye said. “I asked him to leave. Serena got mad and hasn’t spoken with me since. But, as far as I’m concerned, all of those people are trouble. And the fact that they’re buying up land makes me think they’re not going anywhere any time soon.”

  “I’m inclined to agree. Believe me, the last thing I want is for them to stay here—and for Serena to get involved.” The realization pressed hard on Cassidy.

  She wanted to relax. Just for this one night. But she knew she still had a struggle ahead.

  And she would continue to have that struggle until Gilead’s Cove left this town.

  Coming in March: First Degree Murder

  Also by Christy Barritt:

  Other Books in the Lantern Beach Mystery Series:

  Hidden Currents

  You can take the detective out of the investigation, but you can't take the investigator out of the detective. A notorious gang puts a bounty on Detective Cady Matthews’s head after she takes down their leader, leaving her no choice but to hide until she can testify at trial. But her temporary home across the country on a remote North Carolina island isn’t as peaceful as she initially thinks. Living under the new identity of Cassidy Livingston, she struggles to keep her investigative skills tucked away, especially after a body washes ashore. When local police bungle the murder investigation, she can’t resist stepping in. But Cassidy is supposed to be keeping a low profile. One wrong move could lead to both her discovery and her demise. Can she bring justice to the island . . . or will the hidden currents surrounding her pull her under for good?

  Flood Watch

  The tide is high, and so is the danger on Lantern Beach. Still in hiding after infiltrating a dangerous gang, Cassidy Livingston just has to make it a few more months before she can testify at trial and resume her old life. But trouble keeps finding her, and Cassidy is pulled into a local investigation after a man mysteriously disappears from the island she now calls home. A recurring nightmare from her time undercover only muddies things, as does a visit from the parents of her handsome ex-Navy SEAL neighbor. When a friend's life is threatened, Cassidy must make choices that put her on the verge of blowing her cover. With a flood watch on her emotions and her life in a tangle, will Cassidy find the truth? Or will her past finally drown her?

  Storm Surge

  A storm is brewing hundreds of miles away, but its effects are devastating even from afar. Laid-back, loose, and light: that’s Cassidy Livingston’s new motto. But when a makeshift boat with a bloody cloth inside washes ashore near her oceanfront home, her detective instincts shift into gear . . . again. Seeking clues isn’t the only thing on her mind—romance is heating up with next-door neighbor and former Navy SEAL Ty Chambers as well. Her heart wants the love and stability she’s longed for her entire life. But her hidden identity only leads to a tidal wave of turbulence. As more answers emerge about the boat, the danger around her rises, creating a treacherous swell that threatens to reveal her past. Can Cas
sidy mind her own business, or will the storm surge of violence and corruption that has washed ashore on Lantern Beach leave her life in wreckage?

  Dangerous Waters

  Danger lurks on the horizon, leaving only two choices: find shelter or flee. Cassidy Livingston’s new identity has begun to feel as comfortable as her favorite sweater. She’s been tucked away on Lantern Beach for weeks, waiting to testify against a deadly gang, and is settling in to a new life she wants to last forever. When she thinks she spots someone malevolent from her past, panic swells inside her. If an enemy has found her, Cassidy won’t be the only one who’s a target. Everyone she’s come to love will also be at risk. Dangerous waters threaten to pull her into an overpowering chasm she may never escape. Can Cassidy survive what lies ahead? Or has the tide fatally turned against her?

  Perilous Riptide

  Just when the current seems safer, an unseen danger emerges and threatens to destroy everything. When Cassidy Livingston finds a journal hidden deep in the recesses of her ice cream truck, her curiosity kicks into high gear. Islanders suspect that Elsa, the journal’s owner, didn’t die accidentally. Her final entry indicates their suspicions might be correct and that what Elsa observed on her final night may have led to her demise. Against the advice of Ty Chambers, her former Navy SEAL boyfriend, Cassidy taps into her detective skills and hunts for answers. But her search only leads to a skeletal body and trouble for both of them. As helplessness threatens to drown her, Cassidy is desperate to turn back time. Can Cassidy find what she needs to navigate the perilous situation? Or will the riptide surrounding her threaten everyone and everything Cassidy loves?

  Deadly Undertow

  The current’s fatal pull is powerful, but so is one detective’s will to live. When someone from Cassidy Livingston’s past shows up on Lantern Beach and warns her of impending peril, opposing currents collide, threatening to drag her under. Running would be easy. But leaving would break her heart. Cassidy must decipher between the truth and lies, between reality and deception. Even more importantly, she must decide whom to trust and whom to fear. Her life depends on it. As danger rises and answers surface, everything Cassidy thought she knew is tested. In order to survive, Cassidy must take drastic measures and end the battle against the ruthless gang DH-7 once and for all. But if her final mission fails, the consequences will be as deadly as the raging undertow.

  Lantern Beach Romantic Suspense

  Tides of Deception

  Change has come to Lantern Beach: a new police chief, a new season, and . . . a new romance? Austin Brooks has loved Skye Lavinia from the moment they met, but the walls she keeps around her seem impenetrable. Skye knows Austin is the best thing to ever happen to her. Yet she also knows that if he learns the truth about her past, he’d be a fool not to run. A chance encounter brings secrets bubbling to the surface, and danger soon follows. Are the life-threatening events plaguing them really accidents . . . or is someone trying to send a deadly message? With the tides on Lantern Beach come deception and lies. One question remains—who will be swept away as the water shifts? And will it bring the end for Austin and Skye, or merely the beginning?

  Shadow of Intrigue

  For her entire life, Lisa Garth has felt like a supporting character in the drama of life. The designation never bothered her—until now. Lantern Beach, where she’s settled and runs a popular restaurant, has boarded up for the season. The slower pace leaves her with too much time alone. Braden Dillinger came to Lantern Beach to try to heal. The former Special Forces officer returned from battle with invisible scars and diminished hope. But his recovery is hampered by the fact that an unknown enemy is trying to kill him. From the moment Lisa and Braden meet, danger ignites around them, and both are drawn into a web of intrigue that turns their lives upside down. As shadows creep in, will Lisa and Braden be able to shine a light on the peril around them? Or will the encroaching darkness turn their worst nightmares into reality?

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  The Squeaky Clean Mystery Series

  On her way to completing a degree in forensic science, Gabby St. Claire drops out of school and starts her own crime-scene cleaning business. When a routine cleaning job uncovers a murder weapon the police overlooked, she realizes that the wrong person is in jail. She also realizes that crime scene cleaning might be the perfect career for utilizing her investigative skills.

  #1 Hazardous Duty

  #2 Suspicious Minds

  #2.5 It Came Upon a Midnight Crime (novella)

  #3 Organized Grime

  #4 Dirty Deeds

  #5 The Scum of All Fears

  #6 To Love, Honor and Perish

  #7 Mucky Streak

  #8 Foul Play

  #9 Broom & Gloom

  #10 Dust and Obey

  #11 Thrill Squeaker

  #11.5 Swept Away (novella)

  #12 Cunning Attractions

  #13 Cold Case: Clean Getaway

  #14 Cold Case: Clean Sweep

  While You Were Sweeping, A Riley Thomas Spinoff

  Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries:

  When Holly Anna Paladin is given a year to live, she embraces her final days doing what she loves most—random acts of kindness. But when one of her extreme good deeds goes horribly wrong, implicating Holly in a string of murders, Holly is suddenly in a different kind of fight for her life. She knows one thing for sure: she only has a short amount of time to make a difference. And if helping the people she cares about puts her in danger, it’s a risk worth taking.

  #1 Random Acts of Murder

  #2 Random Acts of Deceit

  #2.5 Random Acts of Scrooge

  #3 Random Acts of Malice

  #4 Random Acts of Greed

  #5 Random Acts of Fraud

  #6 Random Acts of Outrage

  The Worst Detective Ever:

  I'm not really a private detective. I just play one on TV.

  Joey Darling, better known to the world as Raven Remington, detective extraordinaire, is trying to separate herself from her invincible alter ego. She played the spunky character for five years on the hit TV show Relentless, which catapulted her to fame and into the role of Hollywood’s sweetheart. When her marriage falls apart, her finances dwindle to nothing, and her father disappears, Joey finds herself on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, trying to piece together her life away from the limelight. But as people continually mistake her for the character she played on TV, she’s tasked with solving real life crimes . . . even though she’s terrible at it.

  #1 Ready to Fumble

  #2 Reign of Error

  #3 Safety in Blunders

  #4 Join the Flub

  #5 Blooper Freak

  #6 Flaw Abiding Citizen

  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

  Sign up for Christy’s newsletter to get information on all of her latest releases here: www.christybarritt.com/newsletter-sign-up/

  If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review.

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  Christy Barritt, Attempt to Locate