Page 5 of Hide Me Darling

"Plus," Mom adds, "she's currently tied up with another case. Something about a drug ring in the city."

Dad looks at me with a frown. “You brought this case to our attention, don’t you want to see it through? It’s not like you don’t have the vacation time available. You barely ever take time off unless it's forced on you.”

I sigh again, but this time with a sense of resignation. "Of course, you're right. I do want to see it through." I take another bite of my eggs, trying to mentally prepare myself for the task ahead.

Dad's expression softens slightly. "We know it's a lot to ask, but we have complete faith in you. You’ve proven yourself already."

Mom nods in agreement. "And remember, you're not alone in this. We are always only a call away.”

Frowning, I realize I still don’t even know where I’m going. Sure, I have wanted this opportunity to prove myself to them for a while now, I just wasn’t prepared for it to be today. “What’s the name of this place I’m going to anyway?”

“It’s called Amity Island,” Dad responds, his tone serious. I have to struggle for a moment not to laugh as I see Mom and Papa exchange an amused look.

I clear my throat to swallow my own laughter before asking, "Should I be wary of sharks?"

Papa snickers and says, "You should always be wary of sharks, both the animal and human variety, but this isn't that Amity Island."

Mom shakes her head at him before focusing on me again. "That one doesn't actually exist, but this one does benefit from the hype surrounding the name. There is a constant tourist presence there, so you need to be careful. Make sure to use your other identity and when you go out at night make sure to wear your mask."

My other identity. The fake name and identification that both Seanna and I use so we can swap out on jobs whenever we need to. So much for taking a few days off to rest.

I finish my breakfast in silence, letting their words sink in. This investigation is no different from any other, so I don’t know why I feel nervous.

It’s nothing new to hide behind a mask when I go out on jobs for my parents. Ever since I was little, I learned to love the anonymity it brought me. It’s why I sometimes pretend to be my sister even now.

It comes in handy to have an identical twin sometimes.

After breakfast, I help clear the table, my mind already racing with plans and strategies. Mom and Dad both hug me goodbye and wish me luck, while Papa pulls me aside before I head back to my cabin to pack.

"Don't forget, you can always call Uncle Max if you need technical support," he says, his voice low and serious. "He's a wizard with computers and can help you track down almost anything."

I nod, appreciating the reminder even though that’s why I sent the case to him in the first place. "Thanks, Papa. I’ll keep that in mind."

He gives me a quick hug. "Stay safe out there, munchkin."

"I will," I promise, starting to feel the familiar blend of excitement and nerves that always accompanies the start of a new investigation.

As tired as I am, they’re right; I do want to see this to the end. There is something about the blog that calls to me, and I need to solve this mystery myself. Not just the murders on the island, but the way I feel so connected to them.

Once I'm back in my cabin, I call into work to request the time off. I think my captain actually sighs in relief, thinking I'm taking some time to rest and recharge. Little does he know I have no rest or recharging on the horizon. I then spend the rest of the day looking into Amity Island.

It seems like a picturesque tourist town with a main strip of shops, a beach on one side, and a fishing port on the other. For an older established island, there is still a forested area in the center that hasn't been knocked down to make way for more vacation homes. It’s almost like they wanted to preserve that piece of nature. But that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of short-term vacation homes and lots of resident houses. However, there are very few longer-term rental properties, and only one of those seems like it's available immediately.

I don't want to limit myself by staying in something short-term, and renting a long-term house will perhaps get me on the right foot from the start with the locals. Plus given I don't know how long it will take to get to the bottom of this mystery it seems the most logical direction, so I call the number on the property listing. It's a friendly female voice on the other end, she seems very nice when she informs me that yes, the house is available.

“It's lucky you called when you did! It just came back on the market,” her bubbly voice comes through the phone.

“That’s great to hear, I would love to take it before it’s no longer available.”

She emails me the paperwork, and I lock it in for a month with the ability to extend if I need to. With the accommodation sorted, I start packing, making sure I have everything I need.

When I take out my fake identity, I pause to look over the identification as I shift the cards around in my wallet. Taylor Delafield. The picture makes me look so innocent, so… not me.

It’s moments like this when I wish I could just be the normal person who is on this card instead of hiding my identity behind a fake name. With a sigh, I shove the ID in its spot and check my tablet.

Uncle Max has sent me all the details he was able to find on the town and how far he had been able to get with identifying the blogger. It’s one thing reading about the town on their own website, and another reading about its secrets he was able to uncover. I guess it would be bad for a tourist town to advertise its deep, dark secrets. But, I’ll find them out all the same.

As night falls and my nerves build, I grow restless. My mind and body are filled with swirling chaos, and I need an outlet for my nervous energy before I have to focus on the investigation.

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