Sacred Isle

By Eve Morton

After Tara Hayes's most recent best seller, she and her long-time girlfriend Wendy go on a road trip. They soon arrive along the Florida coastline at the Sacred Isle Diner where yet another case falls onto Tara's lap. She uses her training as a PI and the notoriety from her famous book to wedge her way into the investigation of a man who appears to have been killed by a mermaid.

Though Tara knows the idea is ridiculous, the possible siren that haunts the Florida coastline is all she can think about. It's not long before Tara stumbles on Sabrina Taylor, the victim's sister and forgets about Wendy entirely.

Sabrina is a blonde bombshell with an amazing voice and even more amazing touch. Tara is enchanted right away, but a shocking turn in the investigation makes her realize that Sabrina may be more than who she says she is.

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Jan 6, 2024
• ISBN: 9781685505462

Book preview

Chapter 1

Tara grabs the salt shaker from Wendy before she can place it back on the table.

Whoa. Ease up, Tara. Plenty to go around. Wendy watches carefully as Tara begins to shake more than a few sprinkles onto her eggs, next to her toast and bacon. Tara smiles with glee, but Wendy still seems shocked.

What? Tara places the salt shaker back precariously. It’s diner food.

Exactly my point. It’s already loaded with fat and salt. Don’t add any more to it. You’ll probably get heart disease before we even leave Florida.

"Now why on earth would we want to leave Florida? I could get used to the life here. Tara stretches her arms against the back of the booth. Sea shell necklaces, ocean views, and peculiar locals can’t be wrong. Not to mention the quaint little diners with juke boxes that plays all the hits from the 1980s. Hey, I hear we’re only a couple miles from Cassadaga, the psychic central, too. What do you think? Wanna know our future?"

No thank you. I got enough horoscope stuff from my hippy parents.

Fair, Tara says, though she’s vaguely disappointed. That’s Wendy’s Capricorn nature. Pragmatic and fastidious, whereas Tara’s sign under Scorpio makes her wonder about all sorts of things. Opposites attract and all that. Wendy has kept Tara’s private inspector business afloat by her pragmatic nature while Tara’s gone off to explore the wilds of whatever town they find themselves in. So far, it’s worked well for them. Ever since they obtained minor fame from the last case they solved where they allowed a man to get off death row—and the subsequent tell-all book Tara wrote about the congressman who fucked his secretaries—they have been on a road trip across America, living off the profits. Florida was supposed to be a small pit stop, which then turned into a nostalgia trip at Disney World. Now, in the small city of New Haven, their morning breakfast at Sacred Isle Diner across from the beach has become routine.

I’m thinking I might go see my brother, Wendy says before she digs into her LT (minus the B) sandwich.

Oh yeah? I thought you two weren’t close.

We’re not. But you know, Florida’s made me reconsider some things.

Tara’s heart stops for a moment, the starts again. She hates that serious tone in Wendy’s voice. It’s the kind that makes her think about the not me, it’s you conversations her last few girlfriends had with her when she started to work too much. Tara’s always been moving, always on the go. Even now, as they sit still in the diner, she jiggles her foot against her knee. When Wendy came along, and their workaholic natures complemented one another, she thought it was a perfect match. But sometimes she still worries that the you complete me speeches they gave to one another at the six month mark will somehow be replaced with a Dear Jane letter now that they’re at the one year mark. She knows her fears are silly, and that Wendy loves her, but she’s always been sensitive to the tone of people’s voices. Growing up as mostly silent, she had to be.

All good things, I hope, Tara says slowly.

Yeah, don’t worry. Wendy smiles and slides her hand across the table. Tara lets out a breath as she relaxes into the booth and Wendy’s embrace.

Their moment is broken when blue and red sirens blare by the diner window. Tara stops her foot jangling as she stands to peer out one of the windows. She cups her hands to see through the early morning fog. The song on the juke box changes from Sweet Dreams by the Eurhythmics to Changes by Bowie and Tara hums along to the beat. A new case? A new lead? Her private investigator license is tucked in the front pocket of her jacket, like always, and her podcasting equipment is in the car. Her small notebook is always in her jeans pockets, too, along with her cell phone geared up with all her many Google alerts. When her phone buzzes, Tara tears her eyes away from the window long enough to read an update from a Twitter follower based in New Haven.

Fuck I just found a body #nevergoingforawalkagain

Tara can barely contain her excitement. Wendy has to turn to see out the window, but once she does, the crowd starts to form. Police get out of their vehicle and start securing the scene.

Just on time, Tara says. I was beginning to wonder where the action was here.

Uh-huh. I should get these to go, then?

Yes, definitely, Tara says. And don’t skip on the salt.

Chapter 2

Before she was an author, Tara was a podcaster. Really, it’s her first love—other than Dana Brigs, the girl who enticed Tara to her beach house one summer where they both lost their virginity.

Tara shakes her head and the memory of Dana’s dark thighs away. The sea side air must be getting to my memories, she thinks. Her skin tingles as she walks down towards the ocean and the body that’s been dumped there. Her former life as a podcaster used to allow her the anonymity to slip into crime scenes and other places undetected. Now that