Seafaring Magic: A Nautical Seascape Mystery Trilogy

By Constance Barker

A Dead Rollercoaster Tycoon and a Lost Friend

A new rollercoaster is unveiled at the Boardwalk and Pier and everyone is ready to ride. However, the festivities come to halt when a murder occurs. Several people may have wanted the victim dead including a wife that would inherit a fortune, a brother in law who would profit, and a sculptor who's crazy enough to kill over one of his precious collections.

Quinn and Ridley, her turtle familiar, decide to help since this could bring bad publicity to the Aquarium and also get her mind off her lost friend Nora who hasn't been heard from in quite a while. However, Quinn's dreams of Nora reveal that her friend is being held against her will. But finding her will be difficult. Can her dreams lead her in the right direction?

And what is up with the weather in King's Tide? Penny, their new mundane friend and meteorologist, is quite intrigued. But will she find out that the town is magical and that the weather has more to do with the supernatural than with science?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Constance Barker
• Release date: Jun 21, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201206338

Constance Barker

Constance Barker lives in the Midwest with her husband and two Akitas where she can look out from her screened porch onto a wooded area brimming with activity. Since she was a young girl she read mysteries, often given to her by her grandmother. She loved figuring out who the culprit was and sometimes she was right and other times startled at who the author picked as the assailant. Now she enjoys writing mysteries herself. When she isn't writing stories, she can be found in her favorite vacation spot, Las Vegas or shopping for bargains.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Q uinn, if you keep jiggling your leg like that I’ll bite you.

Quinn and Ridley perched on a bench in the aquarium lobby, the back of which was carved to look like a harbor seal. Quinn couldn’t help thinking it was too perfect for today’s meeting. 

Ridley, her diamondback terrapin familiar, shook his head in frustration.

Quinn, did you hear me? He was careful to whisper out of the side of his beak since a few mortal visitors still wandered about. The aquarium would officially close in ten minutes, but there were always a handful of enchanted patrons who needed one more look at the shark tank or one more trinket from the gift shop.

Sorry, Rid, I’m— Quinn trailed off, consumed with worry.

Witch Quinn Dawson, Director of the King’s Tide Aquarium, prided herself on being resilient, resourceful, and reliable in crisis, but she’d never faced a crisis like this. 

Her best friend had literally gone down with the ship. 

Nora MacKinnie, an adventurous selkie, had booked herself on a diving expedition to a ship graveyard rumored to be stuffed with undiscovered treasure. Mere hours into the trip, her ship had capsized.

And then early this morning, as the moon skidded across the forlorn sky, Quinn and Ridley had received a chilling message from Nora in the strangest manner imaginable.

Why has that never happened before? Quinn turned to Ridley. He looked at her stoically as a little boy dashed by and crashed out the front door. 

I think that’s the last of them. Ridley exhaled with relief. It’s painful to keep my light under a bushel when mortals are around.

Quinn smiled despite herself. She knew he was trying to cheer her up, one of the many reasons she loved him fiercely. Ridley continued.

Are you asking why we’ve never before received a voice mail through my shell? 

Quinn considered. Yes, it was like a voice mail She had woken in the wee hours of the morning to see Ridley’s shell glowing green and the turtle staring at her in bewilderment. Then they’d heard Nora’s voice emanate from the shell, repeating the marine distress call SOS and saying she’d been taken hostage on an unknown vessel.

By whom? Terrorists? Pirates?

Remember when we were young and pirates were jolly guys in headscarves? Quinn said.

Ridley snorted.

No, I don’t remember being a hatchling because it was two hundred years ago. And no, I’ve never thought of pirates as happy goofballs. They scare the scales off me.

Quinn managed a weak smile. Then their friends pulled open the lobby door. 

Apollo, an officer in the coast guard and eagle shapeshifter, led the way. He was followed by Robin, a fairy with a penchant for surfing and boardwalk busking. They joined Quinn and Ridley on the long bench.

You look like you didn’t sleep at all last night, Apollo said to Quinn. 

Same with you. 

Robin’s eyes darted between the two.

Um, what’s going on, guys? he asked. 

With help from Apollo, Quinn broke the news about Nora’s shipwreck. Robin’s face crumbled with worry then almost immediately bloomed with hope.

But she’s a selkie! he said brightly. She’s got mad water skills, so she’ll be fine, right?

Well, there’s more, Quinn said. 

Apollo startled.

Wait, Quinn, what do you mean? he said.

She described the eerie message she and Ridley had received that morning.

Nora’s been taken hostage? said Apollo. Who could be holding her?

And why? said Robin. I mean, Nora and the other folks on her boat hadn’t had time to dive for treasure before they sank. So it’s not like they were carrying chests of gold or whatever.

Apollo turned to Ridley.

Can you send messages as well as receive them? 

Who knows? Ridley said. I’ve never received a message before and I’ve certainly never sent one. I wouldn’t know how to begin.

Maybe you should try. It can’t hurt.

Ridley closed his eyes and cleared his throat. His little turtle face screwed up in concentration and he held his breath. After a moment, he gasped and opened his eyes.

Nothing, he said morosely. I don’t know how to make it happen again.

The group fell silent, crestfallen. Then the lobby door swung open once more and Penny, local TV meteorologist and new friend, jounced up to them.

Hi everybody, she said cheerfully. I’m here to invite you all to the grand opening of the new roller coaster. I’ll even buy the funnel cake! Then she saw their faces. Uh oh, what’s wrong?

Quinn thought fast. Penny was mortal and had no idea she was surrounded by magicals. so they couldn’t discuss Nora’s selkie nature or the transmission through Ridley’s shell. She didn’t know Ridley could speak either.

But Penny seemed sincerely affectionate toward them all, including Nora. Quinn decided that the woman deserved to know what was happening.

Penny, snuggle in between Apollo and Robin. We’ve got some bad news. 

Quinn laid out the facts stripped of magical references: Nora’s ship went down, she was apparently picked up by another ship, and she managed to leave a voice mail for Quinn saying she’d been taken hostage.

Wow, thank goodness she got cell reception out at sea, said Penny, and all four friends agreed immediately with a bit too much enthusiasm. Then Penny’s mouth tightened.

I’m so sorry. She gathered Quinn into a big hug and Quinn felt her eyes burn. I know you love her dearly and that it’s really tough right now. But I have a very strong feeling that she’s going to be okay.

Quinn nodded, too emotional to speak. Apollo jumped in.

We could use a pick-me-up so we’ll definitely meet you tonight for the grand opening.

And for funnel cake, said Robin. I can never eat just one so you’d better buy them in bulk.

Penny, who had a serious soft spot for Robin, beamed at him and stood. 

See you all tonight, she said and slipped out, closing the lobby door gently behind her. 

Ridley turned to the others.

Perceptive and kind, he said. Huh. Maybe humans aren’t all bad.

Chapter 2

W ow, look at that drop ! Robin threw his head back and whooped, drawing grins from the crowd milling around them. The friends pushed slowly toward a dais topped with a banner proclaiming, King’s Tide Monster Tsunami Grand Opening.

The glittering blue and silver coaster towered over their heads like a gigantic sea serpent. From the ground, its main drop looked impossibly long, steep, and deadly.

Now that’s my kind of ride! Robin shielded his eyes to absorb every detail. I can see why it took a year to build, it’s seriously scary.

Penny’s here somewhere. Quinn stood on tiptoe to peer above the crowd, then smiled at Apollo. Maybe you should look, since you can see over their heads without doing the ballerina thing. 

Apollo chuckled.

But the ballerina thing makes you look dainty.

Which as we both know is entirely misleading, said Quinn.

Hey Officer Coast Guard, can you back off? I’m getting squished in here. Ridley poked his wrinkled face out of Quinn’s cross body sling and glared at Apollo.

Ridley, no speaking in public! Quinn hissed. Her familiar gave her the stink-eye but ducked back into his sling. Then Robin spotted Penny pressed against the dais.

Apollo, you’re the biggest, you lead, said Quinn. As they waded forward, Apollo spoke over his shoulder. 

You wouldn’t believe how many calls we get every week about teenagers breaking into the coaster and climbing all over it.

That seems dangerous, said Quinn, and Apollo snorted.

Oh really? I seem to recall that you and Nora pulled some similar stunts in high school. Didn’t one involve a dance party on the deck of a scuttled aircraft carrier?

Quinn’s heart constricted at Nora’s name. She was so worried about her best friend that her brain constantly chewed over the same unanswerable questions: Is Nora injured? Is she in immediate danger from her captors? Will they demand ransom for her release? 

And most hurtful of all, what should Quinn be doing to help her?

There she is. Robin waved at Penny, who wore a bright green dress that set off her auburn curls. When she saw Robin, she blushed and tucked her hair behind her ears. It popped right out again.

You made it! I saved your spots. Penny indicated a tiny open space to her right. We’ll be able to watch the demo run from here and then get in line for a free ride.

Cool! said Robin, and the group snuggled in. Mayor Rita Davis stood near the back of the platform, chatting with a tall, white-haired man wearing a tie-dyed tee under a tailored gray suit. That’s Jim Garfield, Robin said in awe. He’s a total legend in coasters.

How so? asked Apollo.

He’s one of the biggest coaster designers and manufacturers in the entire world. Robin pointed along the bay. That mega-mansion on the point there is his summer home.

"His summer home? Penny gaped. It’s the size of a small hospital."

For sure! He’s beyond loaded.

Who’s the other guy? said Apollo, looking at a chunky bald man with a heavy, stubbled jaw. He looks like a mafioso.

"That’s Garfield’s business partner Bruce Jackson. I don’t know much