Page 60 of Ten Beach Road

Twenty

Avery was smiling when they pulled up to the Cottage Inn dock at the end of the day. According to self-appointed judge and mediator Jeff Hardin, the Beach Bellas, as she and Maddie and Kyra had called themselves, had dominated the sand building competition with their version of Bella Flora. The only disappointment had been the inability to vote Chase off the island; a move that would have left her satisfied but stranded.

She’d savored her victory all the way back, glad for once that Kyra had had her video camera there to document their superior design. But mostly she’d enjoyed building the hard-packed castle walls and the memories that evoked of her father.

“Thanks,” she said as she climbed off the bow and onto the dock. The sun had already set and the brilliant sky faded to pale gray as dusk hunkered down over the water. “That was fun.” She resisted a last dig on Chase’s loss as she reached a hand down to help Madeline and Kyra off the boat.

“Thanks again. Drive carefully,” Madeline called as Chase backedHard Caseaway from the dock and then turned the boat for the ride back to Tampa.

“Gosh, I feel so . . . relaxed,” Avery said.And victorious. “I kind of forgot what that felt like.”

“Me, too,” said Madeline. “I can’t wait to take a shower and get the salt off, but I feel pleasantly tired.” She shot Avery a look. “Which is completely different from physically exhausted.”

Kyra smiled her agreement and repositioned her video camera bag. “That was the fiercest sand castle building competition I’ve ever seen,” she said.

“Chase Hardin needed humbling,” Avery said without a trace of regret. “And I’m glad we were the ones to do it.” She smiled.

“You don’t think that last victory lap around the fort was just a tad unsportsmanlike?” Madeline asked.

No, Avery did not.

They passed the Cottage Inn and their own castle came into view. “Hey,” Avery said, pointing to a midsized sedan in the driveway. “That’s not Nikki’s car.”

“No, and I don’t think she’s coming back until tomorrow morning anyway.” Avery peered at the vehicle, but all she could tell was that the license plate wasn’t local.

They huddled together in the gathering dusk. “Did we leave those lights on?” Avery asked.

“I don’t think so,” Madeline said.

A shadow passed in front of an upstairs window and then a light flipped on in the hallway. Madeline pulled out her cell phone. Kyra took out her camera.

“Should we call the police?” Maddie asked.

“I don’t know,” Avery said. “It’s not exactly the dead of night and whoever’s in there doesn’t seem to be sneaking around. I mean they left their car right there in the driveway.”

“I’d say it’s one of the subs who decided to get some work done,” Kyra said. “Except that car doesn’t look like it belongs to a workman.”

“Well, we can’t stand out here cowering all evening. I’m going in.” Avery took a step forward.

“Me, too,” Madeline said. “But I’ve got nine-one-one on speed dial and I’ll have my finger on the Send button.”

Avery turned to look at her.

“It never hurts to be prepared. I’m not interested in being a headline in the local paper. I can just see it now—‘Women Taken in Dyer Ponzi Scheme Murdered!’ ” Maddie shook her head. “There’s no point in taking chances.”

“Okay, troops,” Avery said. “Let’s go in the back. At least we’ll have the element of surprise.”

They moved forward quietly, Avery in the lead. As they snaked toward the detached garage, she picked up a two-by-four from a pile. Maddie raised her phone in front of her, her finger poised. Kyra flipped her camera on and held it at the ready.

“What are you planning to do, film them to death?” Avery asked.

Kyra shrugged. “You have your weapons of choice, I have mine.”

They inched up to the kitchen door and Avery opened it, freezing at the resulting creak. When no one came pounding down the stairs brandishing a weapon, they went into the kitchen leaving the door open behind them.

“In case we need to make a speedy exit,” Maddie whispered before reaching into a drawer to retrieve their lone sharp knife.

“I’ll take the front stairs,” Avery said. “You two take the back.”

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