Whispers of the Lake Read Online Shanora Williams

Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Suspense, Thriller Tags Authors:
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Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75015 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
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I’d told Jayson about the necklace when we woke up. I didn’t mention anything about the shadow though. I still wasn’t sure if it had been a figment of my imagination or not.

“That’s why I carry,” I said, shrugging. “It’s fine. I do this kind of stuff for a living. I know how to tread carefully.”

He studied me closely, looking deep into my eyes. Worried. That’s what he was. I could tell it took everything in him not to voice his concern. Instead, he gripped my chin and lowered his mouth to place a deep kiss on my lips. That kiss did something to me. It stirred me up, stole the breath from my lungs and made mini-Roses do somersaults in my belly.

After one last kiss, I walked him to his car and watched as he climbed inside. When he backed away, he waved before turning the steering wheel and driving down the main path. When I no longer could see his car, I drank in my surroundings again. I listened to the wind ruffle the trees and the soft trickling of the lake in the distance.

To my right, I heard something snap, like a twig breaking. My heart sped up a notch. Snap.

There it was again. My body went rigid as I looked toward the noise. I waited, holding my breath. A bunny scurried from a bush, pouncing along the gravelly trail.

“Good Lord, Rose.” I huffed a laugh, relief sinking in. “Get it together.”

I shook the creeps away and headed inside again to collect my purse and keys. According to Nico, Eve’s phone had also been connected to the Wi-Fi in a diner called Flip Stack. I didn’t know how he’d discovered that, but with how much he knew about technology, it didn’t surprise me.

I locked the door and went to my car, backing out just enough so I could turn the wheel and drive down the trail. It was a steep drive, one that had me cautiously using the brakes. When the trees cleared a bit to my right, I spotted the blue house again. In broad daylight, I could see the shutters were painted black and four rocking chairs were on the porch. A large and burly man was in the front yard with an axe. He had deep brown skin and a thick neck. He swung the axe down and split a chunk of wood. Then his eyes snapped my way as I passed.

I waved.

He didn’t wave back, just frowned.

“O-kay,” I mumbled, releasing the brakes a bit so the car would move faster.

When I finally made it to flatter ground, I made a right and followed the GPS instructions to Flip Stack. It was just like any other diner in a small town, with neon-red signs, red and white paint, wide windows revealing patrons hovering over cups of steaming coffee and food. I parked before unlocking my phone and sharing my location with Nico.

At this point, Eve’s disappearance was starting to feel like some of the other crime cases I’d investigated. Not that I thought she was dead or anything, but something was clearly going on with her and I needed to get to the bottom of it. Finding her special necklace in the fireplace proved as much.

The aroma of coffee and pancake batter wrapped around me as soon as I walked inside the diner. A blast of AC also hit me, and I fought a shiver. Seeing as it was fifty degrees out, the cold air wasn’t necessary. Security cameras were pitched in two corners at the far end of the diner. It was a relief seeing them, but that feeling didn’t last long. A lot of times, security cameras were only for show, and they didn’t actually record anything.

I spotted a heavy-chested Latina woman behind the counter in an all-black uniform with a red apron. She eyed me as she ran someone’s credit card, chomping hard on a piece of gum. Her name badge read: Luisa. The word manager was typed above it. I made my way to the bar, sitting about two seats away from where she stood on the opposite side. She glanced at me again before pursing her lips and pulling out a menu.

“Flapjacks are on special today,” she said, sliding the menu my way. “Three for four bucks. Ten for six.”

“Oh. Thank you.” I smiled while trying to figure out who in their right mind would order ten pancakes for just themselves. “I’ll just take a coffee for now, if you don’t mind.”

“Sure, honey.” She had a monotone voice, yet somehow it was comforting. “Let me just take care of the gentleman over there.”

She plucked a receipt from the till, then wandered around the counter to reach a man seated in a middle booth. She handed him his credit card back with a warm smile. When she was behind the counter again, she poured my coffee, slid it across, then placed a bowl of creamer packets next to it.


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