Reading · Victoria LK Williams, author

Now Available: https://books2read.com/MilosBeachMystery

Chapter 6

Lily watched as James jumped from the bow of the boat into the shallow water. He waded as fast as he could toward her, his brow wrinkled with worry and concern.Lily watched him come toward her across the shallow water, and something inside her chest unlocked. It wasn’t just relief, though there was plenty of that. It was the way he moved—purposeful but unhurried, as though he’d rearranged the entire world to be here and now refused to waste the effort by rushing. His sleeves were already soaked to the elbows, his shoes ruined, and he clearly didn’t care. She noticed the set of his jaw, the way his eyes swept over her before they swept over the scene—checking her first, everything else second. She’d seen James angry before, and she’d seen him worried. This was something different. This was James afraid, wearing it quietly, the way he wore everything.

Lily pushed the observation aside. There were bigger things to focus on. But the warmth of it lingered, like sunlight through glass, long after she turned her attention back to the beach. From the corner of her eye, she also saw Dale Trapper preparing himself to be addressed by the police. He drew himself up to his full height, his expression turning to stone. He didn’t smile at the newcomer; his lips remained a thin, disapproving line. His feet were planted wide for balance, his posture radiating control, one hand shoved casually into his pocket.

“You okay, Lily?” James asked as he reached her side.

She nodded and thanked him quietly for coming so quickly. “I don’t know what’s going on here on the island, but Mr. Trapper doesn’t seem too happy about anyone being here. And then there’s the blood…”

James’s head jerked up at her words. He looked her over carefully, reassuring himself she wasn’t injured. Seeing his concern, Lily offered a small smile.

“Not me. Milo found something disturbing on the other side of the dune. You’d better talk to Mr. Trapper and have him take you there. He’s already got a man guarding the area—with a gun, I might add. I’m not sure what he thinks he’s protecting, but Mr. Trapper insisted someone stay there.”

While Lily spoke in a low voice, she hadn’t noticed the third man aboard the Coast Guard cutter. She heard the splash as he jumped into the water, and the sight of Jacob Cableston, the local police detective, heading toward her and James brought immediate relief. Jacob would take over, allowing James to step back and observe. Lily had seen them work together before and knew they made an excellent team. Their collaboration almost always ended with the right person in custody.

James quickly filled Jacob in on what he knew. Together, they warned Lily to stay put before turning toward Dale Trapper.

“Stay here and keep Milo out of the way,” James said quietly. “We’ll handle Mr. Trapper. He’s already looking agitated.”

Lily nodded. She had no desire to insert herself further and stood on the beach with Milo in her arms, more than willing to let law enforcement take control. She watched as James and Jacob confronted Mr. Trapper. His voice carried across the beach—sharp, demanding, insistent. He wanted answers. He wanted action. Most of all, he wanted to know where his son was.

Lily closed her eyes briefly, thinking of the abandoned backpack. She could understand his fear.

After a few moments, Billy led the way, with Mr. Trapper, Jacob, and James following him across the dunes and into the sawgrass. Lily’s gaze shifted to Zack’s small boat pulled up on the beach. Zack and Shelly were talking intensely. Suddenly, Shelly darted over, grabbed Lily’s hand and pulled her toward him.

Zack reached into the boat and pulled out an expensive underwater camera—one Shelly often used while scuba diving to document coral reef conditions.

“We need to take advantage of this,” Zack said briskly. “While everyone else is distracted, Shelly and I are going to get photos of the shoreline damage. I need you to stand guard. If anyone comes back, keep them occupied. We won’t be long.”

Zack didn’t bother with pleasantries. He barked orders as if Lily were on staff, but she understood the urgency and took no offense. She’d volunteered at the environmental center long enough to be used to Zack’s commanding style. And that also meant her work at the center had taught her how damaging mixing the salty ocean water could be to the inter coastal waterways could be. That was going to be a result of the new access point. It might benefit Dale Trapper, but it could be toxic to the brackish waters it would mix with, endangering both plant and animal life.

She nodded and moved closer to the sawgrass where the others had disappeared, positioning herself to intercept anyone returning. Over her shoulder, she watched as Zack and Shelly stripped down to their swimsuits and slipped into the water. Lily had no doubt they’d gather the documentation they needed. She only hoped it would be enough to hold someone accountable for the damage done to the beach.

Lily heard a splash behind her just as her phone vibrated. She glanced back to see the remaining Coast Guard officer jumping from the cutter, a large backpack slung over his shoulders. He gave her a brief wave but didn’t slow as he headed up the beach.

She checked her phone. The message was from James.

Point the Coast Guard officer toward the path. We’re doing an initial investigation now. I have a feeling we’ll need warrants to come back onto Trapper property later.

Just as she finished reading, the officer reached her.

“Which way, miss?” he asked.

Lily silently pointed toward the path through the sawgrass. It was now clearly marked from heavy foot traffic. The officer nodded and hurried off.

She read the final line of James’s message again: Stay where you are. We’ll have questions for you.

“Right—like I’m going anywhere,” Lily muttered, smirking at Milo. “It’s not as if he doesn’t know where I live.”

As she spoke, something caught her eye—a glimmer of sunlight reflecting off metal, partially buried in the sand nearby. It wasn’t far, and she realized she could reach it while still keeping an eye on both the path and the water where Zack and Shelly were diving.

She set Milo down and walked briskly toward the object.

The surf toyed with it, waves pushing it deeper into the sand, then lifting it just enough for it to tumble along the shore before settling again. Twice, Lily reached for it, only for the water to yank it away, like a bully snatching a toy.

Frustrated, she stepped into the surf. When she finally grabbed the object—a square metal box—the waves surged, knocking her to her knees. She held on.

The moment her hands closed around the cold, wet metal, Lily was pulled into another vision.

This one was clearer than the first.

She saw Carl Trapper arguing with another man wearing a seal‑gray scuba suit with a stripe running down each leg. The man’s back was to her. Both were fighting over the same metal box Lily now held.

Carl gave a hard tug and fell backward. The box flew into the ocean. The man in the scuba suit dove after it, but Carl jumped him. They traded blows. Carl struck hard enough to send the man reeling into the water.

That’s when Lily saw the rock just beneath the surface.

Neither man did—until it was too late.

The man in the scuba suit struck his head and went limp. Carl dropped the box and tried to drag him toward shore, but the unconscious weight was too much. A powerful wave crashed in, knocking Carl to his knees. When it retreated, it carried two things with it back into the sea:

The man in the scuba suit and the metal box.

Milo's Beach Mystery

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