Stalker On the Sand

By Sandi Circle

This Beach Mystery Series (Book 3) is a continuation of the saga of Luke and Sophia at the Dalton Investigation Agency on Love Beach in the Bahamas. After cleaning up the corruption in paradise the cases just keep on coming. The latest case involves a stalker who is terrorizing university students. Follow this case and also join Luke and Sophia as they tie the knot on their beloved beach.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 23, 2017
• ISBN: 9781365844478

Book preview

Stalker On the Sand

Stalker On the Sand

By Sandi Circle

Book 3 of The Beach Mystery Series.

This is not a stand alone book. It is a continuation of the first 2 volumes.

You can find the links to start the series with book 1, on the next page.

Read other books in The Beach Mystery Series

By Sandi Circle

Danger At the Beach

Corruption In Paradise

Stalker On the Sand

Stalker on the Sand (Beach Mystery Series- Book 3)

Copyright 2017

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without prior written approval by the publisher.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Prologue

If you’ve ever had a stalker than you know how fearful and powerless it makes you feel. The frightening realization that there is absolutely nothing you can do about someone else’s psychotic delusions.

If you are one of the lucky ones who has never received attention from a stalker, then be aware. There are few things in life more terrifying than an intruder in your daily life making you feel helpless and vulnerable; and the knowledge dawning on you that you could possibly die.

Throughout time there have been countless cases of unprovoked threats, malicious bullying and senseless deaths attributed to a person’s mental instability. What is it that makes the human psyche lose its grip on reality when it feels falsely scorned or rejected?

A stalker can drain the life-blood out of you, steal away your resources, sever relationships, and end careers. It’s a crime against the innocent and often difficult to prove. Victims of stalking are also faced with insurmountable hurdles when trying to prosecute unwanted attention.

This case will need a team of investigators with compassion, determination and strength, a team that does not hesitate to take on the difficult assignments.

This case just happened to be accepted by a private investigation agency on Love Beach…

Chapter 1

Karen Maleeka was a college senior attending a University in Nassau, Bahamas. She was a beautiful island local, accepted to the school on a full scholarship for teaching.

Karen had beautiful light tan skin and stood taller than most of her classmates. She could have been a model. But, since her childhood, she always had a desire to teach young students. Her parents were both teachers on the island and they gave her a thirst for learning at an early age. They never passed up an opportunity to teach her something about the world.

Karen excelled in her classes and was very popular among the faculty and other students. She was outgoing, friendly, and smart, so she got along well with everyone.

Today in English class, the students were giving speeches in front of the entire assembly.

The assignment was to write and deliver a persuasive speech conveying an opinion about any topic. Karen’s speech was about the pro’s and con’s concerning online teaching programs. She really felt passionately about attending a college to get her education, not just reading about it online. She felt the whole collegiate experience taught her more than she would ever learn just sitting at a computer. Her parents taught her the importance of getting out and visiting landmarks or historic places, so she inherently accepted that philosophy also.

Karen stepped up when called, and gave her speech. It went very well. She was confident, knowledgeable, and direct in her opinion. The other students laughed in all the right places and applauded enthusiastically at the end. Karen smiled shyly, took her seat, and waited for the next speaker.

There were about fifty people in the class, but only fifteen students were giving speeches that day. After the class was over and people started leaving, Karen was packing up her books and putting papers in her backpack. The professor walked up to her and congratulated her on a detailed, well researched speech. He also told her she would be getting an A.

Greg Harmon has been an English Professor at the university for fifteen years. Karen told him often that he was her favorite professor. He was always supportive and helpful if she needed extra time or direction on an assignment.  He was forty-five years old and his wife Beth also worked at the school. She was the guidance counselor and served as a mentor for undergrad students. She also had several articles published on how to recognized and deal with multiple forms of harassment.

Thanks Mr. Harmon, Karen told him. I worked really hard on it, and I appreciate you giving me an extra day to get my notes together.

No problem, Karen, he replied. You’ve always been a hard worker and I knew you would do a great job.

Thanks, that means a lot, she said as she lifted her backpack to her shoulder and got up from her seat. I’ll see you tomorrow.

Ok, see ya’, Karen, Greg answered as he turned back to the desk to grade some papers before the next class.

Karen set off walking across the campus to her apartment that she shared with her roommate, Kendra. As usual, it was a beautiful sunny day on the island. Karen passed through the main square lined with tall palm trees and potted tropical flowers. The fragrance was sweet and the air balmy as the gentle breeze circled around her. She reveled in this glorious afternoon.

Her apartment was about three blocks away, so it didn’t take her very long to get there. She took the stairs two at a time to reach the door upstairs and unlocked it with her key. As she entered she called out to Kendra, not knowing if she was there or not. Kendra’s morning class was economics across the campus, but sometimes she went to lunch with her boyfriend, so Karen beat her home most days.

The apartment was small, but it was clean and cheap. It had two bedrooms and a little kitchenette. Karen had heard stories about roommates who didn’t get along; or one was a slob and the other was a neat freak, but they weren’t like either of those. They both liked to be organized, but didn’t mind the occasional shirt thrown on the chair or a cereal bowl in the sink. Plus, they were good friends, so that helped.

Karen decided to take a shower before she had to leave to work her night shift job. She worked second shift at a beach bar over on Love Beach. She loved her job and she loved the beach.

After she was showered and ready, Karen left Kendra a note and grabbed her car keys. Her Dad had gotten her a used Saturn to drive around at school because it was reliable and had a high safety rating. She didn’t care, as long as it got her where she wanted to go. It only took her about fifteen minutes to get to work from school and it wasn’t far from her parents’ house either if she decided to stay there some nights.

She pulled into her usual parking spot outside the bar, put on her apron, grabbed her purse and went inside.

Hi Karen! her boss Linda called out when she saw her.

Hi Linda! How’s it going? Karen replied. Looks busy tonight.

Yeah, it’s been crazy all day, I’m glad you’re here, she told her. You taking your usual spot?

Yeah, Karen responded. Let me put my purse in my locker and I’ll go right out. Everything stocked?

Yep, you should be good to go. I had Silas stock everything about a half hour ago, Linda told her. Silas was a tall good-looking teenage boy that they hired to bus tables, but he was becoming more valuable and trusted as the time went on.

Ok, thanks, Karen told her appreciatively.

The fine-dining restaurant served upscale seafood dishes in the interior, but off the back, towards the beach, there was an outdoor bar that served casual cuisine and local specialties. The bar had simple palm branch awnings and umbrellas over each table. The décor and the countertops were all made from bamboo and there were hundreds of twinkling tiki lights draped around the area. It was inviting and cozy.

Karen ran the bar. She had a bartender to handle the drink orders, but she managed the waiters and made sure everything was stocked all evening. They had a live DJ blasting island favorites every week-end, but on the week nights they just played a pre-recorded set list from a CD.

The bar was really hopping at the moment. There were many tourists coming in off the beach for a drink. It was in the perfect spot right on the sand…

~.~.~.

‘Did you see the way she looked today?’ He said to himself. ‘She is so beautiful. And what was that scent she was wearing? It was so amazing… just like she is.’ He made a note to himself to research her brand of perfume. ‘If I walk around in the Mall and sample some testers I might be able to pinpoint the fragrance.’

‘She is so smart and her speech was wonderful.’ He thought. ‘I sat in that class today and couldn’t believe how lucky I was that I got to hear her opinions on the subject. How did a young woman from this island get so intelligent?’

‘I love the way she dresses too, so stylish, yet carefree. And those long legs in those cute skirts. Wow!’

‘I wish I was even close to being in her league. But, I would be so embarrassed to be turned down if I got up the courage to say something to her and she rejected me. I think she smiled at me though. Maybe she does likes me.’

‘I bet she is going to work tonight. I think I might drive over there just to get another look at that gorgeous creature. She is such an angel.  She’s my angel…’

Chapter 2

Luke and Sophia were finally back from their trip to the states. They were trying to unpack and organize Sophia’s belongings that she had shipped from her house that sold. For the first time she felt financially secure due to the revenue from the sale of her home.

Sophia had a nice visit with her kids while they were in the US and she received a promise from all of them to come down for the wedding. She was already making plans to have a small ceremony on the beach and a reception at the house. Luke was playing the accommodating groom by happily going along with all her ideas and paying the incoming bills. They decided to get