Seven Bodies, page 1
seven bodies
A Summervale Book
Darcie Ryder Mysteries
Book Two
l.l. hunter
Copyright © 2024 L.L. Hunter
Seven Bodies
By L.L. Hunter
ISBN: 9798215664148
All Rights Reserved — First Edition
Cover Design by Kim Last. Kila Designs
RMJ Editing & Manuscript Service, Rogena Mitchell-Jones, Literary Editor, www.rogenamitchell.com
This book may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. All characters and storylines are the properties of the author, and your support and respect are appreciated.
This book is a work of fiction. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author. Both author and editor have taken considerable effort in presenting a manuscript free of errors. However, editing errors are ultimately the responsibility of the author.
This author writes in both American English and Australian English and may include Australian diction.
contents
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
Chapter 27
Also by L.L. Hunter
About L.L. Hunter
one
The Honeymoon
darcie
I peered up toward the surface. The sunlight illuminated the surface of the pool, making it glow. Then, a shadow moved across, darkening the light. I sighed mentally.
I wished I could have stayed down here on the bottom of the pool longer, but there was this thing called oxygen that humans needed, and there was also my husband…
I pushed against the bottom of the pool and swum up, breaking the surface. I gasped as I came up beside the most handsome man in existence, who also happened to be said husband.
He looked at me with concern as he stood in the waste-deep water, bare-chested and hair slicked back and wet.
“What were you doing down there? I was starting to get worried,” said Dane, concerned.
“Avoiding the world.”
“Hmm. That wouldn’t include me, I hope?” the left side of his lips twitched into a smirk, and the dimples in his cheeks appeared.
“Never,” I replied, reaching out to run my fingers through his wet hair. I then wrapped my arms around his neck and swam closer to him. My body slid against his. I loved the feeling of our skin together in water. I jumped a little in the water and wrapped my legs around his waist. He moved his crotch, and his manhood brushed against the thin material of my bikini bottoms.
The fact I was even wearing a skimpy bikini was shocking. I usually wore a full-piece swimsuit that covered all my bits. But since getting married, I felt different.
Who was this new me? But I wasn’t entirely new. The fact that my black bikini was covered in skulls revealed that the old me was still inside. And that me would never change.
What also would never change was my love and passion for solving murders.
I glanced at the deck chairs beside the pool where our towels and belongings lay.
We only had one more day left of our honeymoon at this gorgeous Spanish resort before it was time to return home, and I couldn’t avoid my phone anymore.
The fact that my phone remained off the entire two weeks of our vacation showed how much I avoided it.
Mainly one email.
One photo.
I still hadn’t shown it to Dane.
What did it mean? The mere thought of the picture of seven empty graves kept me up at night. Throughout Dane's and mine’s honeymoon, I barely slept properly for two weeks.
I had to get home, I had to dive back in and solve this case before it drove me insane, before I became a sleepless zombie, and my friends and husband staged an intervention.
And I knew they would.
But I couldn’t figure out if the seven graves were for me and my friends… but they couldn’t be. Could they? There were six of us and seven graves. That only meant one thing: bodies were waiting for me to find.
two
The Good News
two days later
darcie
I passed out on the plane on the flight home, thank goodness, thanks to some melatonin and wine. Between that and when I woke up in my bed, the smell of coffee wafting under my nose, I didn’t remember much.
I stretched and yawned, took a sip of the freshly brewed coffee, and made my way to the bathroom.
I jumped when I saw my reflection in the mirror.
I looked pale and had purple bruises under my eyes and mascara staining my cheeks. I didn’t even want to think about my hair. It was matted and still had some small braids from a market in Spain, where one of the vendors had braided it and put some beads in. I’d bought some things from the local markets, like a summer dress, a sun hat, and gifts, such as a wooden truck for AJ and a baby rattle for Lily Rose. Dane bought a cowboy hat, which was super sexy. It made me wanna do bad things to him.
I quickly showered, dressed in shorts and a Bones T-shirt, and headed downstairs.
Dane was nowhere to be seen but had left a note next to a plate of bagels on the island counter in the kitchen.
“Gone to work. Be home late. Love you. D x”
I spread some cream cheese on the blueberry bagels and took the plate and my coffee to my office.
When my computer was booted up, I opened the image of seven empty graves next to my email inbox. I was staring at the picture, munching on a bagel and half staring into space, deep in thought, when my phone rang. It caused me to leap out of my chair, and my coffee mug fell into my lap. I swore as I hit answer, then put it on loudspeaker as I ran back to the kitchen to splash water on my scalded crotch.
“Hello?” I yelled.
There was a beat of silence before a familiar voice began laughing.
“Darcie, are you okay?” I hadn’t looked at the caller ID. I splashed water on my crotch and patted myself with a tea towel. I leaned over and peered at the called ID.
“Bobby? Hi. Sorry. You scared me. I tipped hot coffee all over myself.”
“Oh, sorry! Ouch. Did you burn yourself?”
“No. I think I’ll be okay. It’s more the fact my pride is burned.” I finished cleaning up as much of the coffee as I could and cooling the burn as much as possible. Wet clothing aside, I made my way back to my desk.
“What’s up?”
“I just wanted to call you with some good news!”
“Oh?” I studied my coffee cup and noticed I only had a little bit left in the cup. Damn it.
“You’re gonna love this. My father has said you can look in the evidence room at the cold cases and see if anything catches your eye.”
“What?! For real?” I shrieked. I bet Bobby was holding the phone away from his ear.
Bobby chuckled. “For real. Besides, I’m going insane in here all by myself.”
“Has your dad still not let you back on the front lines?”
He sighed. “Not yet.”
“That sucks. Let me help plead your case. Let’s make a deal with him. If I solve any of Summervale Police department’s cold cases, you should be allowed back out at crime scenes.”
“Darce, that’s a tough call. It might be years before I’m allowed back out there.”
“Bob, you’re underestimating my skills. I’m good at my job, okay? I’ll have a case solved in no time, and then you’ll be back out there amongst the action. Deal?”
He sighed. “Fine. Deal.”
“Yay. Thanks, Bobby. I’m so excited! I’ll see you soon… I just have to change.”
“Thanks, Darcie. See you soon.”
As soon as I got off the phone, I ran back upstairs to my room and changed into something better suited for work, something comfy yet professional. Then I grabbed my car keys, phone, and sleuthing go bag, which was always packed and ready to go beside my desk chair in my office.
I couldn’t believe Sheriff Richards had granted me access to the evidence room and cold case files! I felt like I’d won the lottery.
three
The Evidence
darcie
On my way to the police station, I stopped at The Summervale Brewhouse for another coffee, a proper coffee. While waiting in line for my large vanilla oat milk latte, I texted Dane and Stacey.
Guess what! I’ve been given access to the Summervale PD evidence room! The cold cases are all MINE. Then, I added a devil and an angel emoji at the end.
Stace was the first one to reply.
Stacey: Whoa! Ok, don’t have an orgasm or a conniption.
Me: (laughing emoji)
Dane: Wow! Really? Sheriff or Bobby?
Me: Bobby, but from the boss himself. He said have at ‘em.
Dane: That’s amazing. Don’t forget to take a break now and then. Don’t work too hard and be careful. ILY. (kiss and heart emojis)
Me: (to Dane) yes, Dad. Daddy (devil emoji, wink emoji, cowboy emoji)
Dane: (blushing emoji, eggplant emoji)
I laughed out loud, causing the few other people in the café to look up from whatever they were doing and give me a dirty look.
Speaking of dirty, my friends and husband were terrible! I now had to cleanse my mind before I got to work.
I found Bobby at his desk when I walked in after signing in and getting my guest pass and all that.
“Hey, Bobby,” I said, with a wide grin on my face.
He blinked and looked away from his computer, tilting his head back to look up at me. Then he flinched.
“Oof. I’m not used to you being so…”
I playfully shoved him. “Not you giving me a hard time, too. Stacey and Dane already did this morning.”
He laughed. “Anyway, the evidence room is through that door,” he said, gesturing at a closed door at the end of the hallway. “I’ll show you to the cold case files. Dad says not to touch anything else but those, okay?”
I put my hands up in surrender. “Geez. Okay. I promise. I’m just so grateful to be given this opportunity.”
“You’re welcome. But we all know you’ll be like a kid in a candy store here. So, behave. Okay?”
“Christ, not another lecture. Yes, Uncle Bobby. I’ll be a good girl.”
He snorted and raised an eyebrow toward me in question.
“Oh, a dirty inside joke between Dane and me. Speaking of, has Tristan seen you in your uniform yet? Have you played cops and robbers?” I asked with a playful wink.
His cheeks flushed. “Um… not yet. You know our only date, apart from when we met, was at your wedding? So, we haven’t reached THAT stage in our relationship.”
“Bobby!” I hissed, pulling him around the dark corner and out of view of his colleagues. “You told us at the wedding that you’re done waiting, that life is too short.”
“I know, I know. But I just don’t wanna rush THAT, you know? I want it to be perfect. I wanna do it when we’re both ready.”
I sighed. “Fine. Arrange another date then. Have you talked about it?”
He walked off and turned the handle of the evidence room, not answering my question. I ran after him.
“Bobby! You mean you haven’t even had that conversation with him?” I shoved him.
“No. Okay. We’ve both been busy with work and stuff. I’ll text or call him later.”
“Fine. But don’t delay the inevitable amazing chemistry you guys have. Seriously, you guys looked like you were eye- fucking at the reception. I was about to lock you two in a room.”
He blushed again and cleared his throat, turning on the light in the small room.
“Anyway, the cold case files are in the last row, on the left. That row is clearly marked cold case. I don’t know what you’re working on now, but if anything matches, feel free to look into it. Good luck.”
“Thanks. And remember what I said about that deal? I solve a case. I talk your dad into letting you back out on the front lines.”
He blew air out between his lips in frustration.
“Okay. It’s worth a short.” He threw his arms up in the air in whatever kind of gesture and walked back to his desk, leaving me alone with stacks of floor-to-ceiling boxes of dusty files.
I took a step toward the first box.
“Come to mama!”
four
The Boyfriend
bobby
Darcie was right. The truth was, I hadn’t talked to Tristan since the wedding. I was a horrible boyfriend. Were we even boyfriends? I didn’t know! God, I really had to organise a date, or he would think I didn’t like him anymore.
But it seemed fate was in my favor, or God was looking down on me. However, you wanted to put it because as soon as I sat back down at my desk after leaving Darcie with the cold case files, Tristan called me, and I was about to text him.
“Hey, I was actually about to text you! I was thinking of you,” I said.
“Oh, really? I was thinking about you, too.”
My tummy flipped.
“You were?”
“Absolutely. It feels like it’s been forever since I last saw you.”
“I know. My friend made me realize just how crap of a boyfriend I’ve been not calling you or texting you after the wedding…” God, I really did talk too much. I took after my mom.
“You haven’t been a crap boyfriend, Bob. I’ve been the crap boyfriend.”
I blushed and smiled wildly. I sighed.
“Okay, let’s just go out and see exactly how crap we both are at this romance thing,” I said.
“Deal. I’m at college for the rest of the week but am free on the weekend. Can I come to yours Saturday morning?”
“Ahh, sure. I think my parents will both be at the club for tennis, so it should be okay. Don’t come before like eight, though.”
“Deal. I miss you. I had a great time at the wedding, dancing with you…”
“Me too.”
“So, are you at work? Sorry if you’re doing something important.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m just doing boring old paperwork. Darcie’s here, though, going through the cold case files.”
“Oh, really? She gets some intriguing cases as a private investigator, right? She was pretty interesting to talk to at the wedding.”
“Yeah. I hope this helps her and us as well. So, it’s a win all around.”
“Cool. Anyway, I’ll text you on Saturday when I’m leaving campus. I can’t wait to see you.”
“Okay. Me too. Bye.”
“Bye, sexy.”
When I hung up, I had to sit in my chair for a few minutes because the butterflies were zooming around my stomach so fast that my whole body was buzzing with arousal and sexual energy. I even had a bit of a hard-on after he’d called me sexy. Damn.
I was stupid to think there wasn’t anything going on between us.
I couldn’t wait to see him on Saturday.
five
The Email
darcie
I was sorting through box after box of cold case files, looking for anything that caught my eye or piqued my interest, when my phone pinged with a new email.
I was confused when I opened it and saw what looked to be a screenshot of Google Maps with seven locations pinned on it. I squinted at the screen and tried to zoom in after receiving another email through my website.
To: Darcie Ryder Mysteries– Private Investigator
From: Anonymous
Dear Miss Ryder,
By now, you’re probably wondering the meaning behind all the pictures I’ve sent you.
Based on the look of your website, I’m guessing you would like a good mystery to solve.
Well, I have a new one for you.
Seven bodies.
Seven towns.
Seven lives.
Seven deaths.
Happy hunting!
What the hell? I ran to my bag and pulled out my laptop, then pulled up each of the photos the anonymous sender had emailed me: the seven graves and the map, and printed them out. Then I took my pictures, laptop, and bag and ran to one of the conference rooms in the police station.
“Darcie?” Bobby called, alarmed, seeing me run down the hallway.
“I have a lead!” I called out.
Thankfully, there was a spare whiteboard, and the conference room was empty. I pinned the pictures on the board beside each other, then printed out the email and stuck it up there.
