Beach Story: Wine Down...

She came through my line with a glass of wine in her hand and looked at me through booze-bleary eyes.  She grunted, then tossed back the dregs of her pinot noir.  “Celebrating tonight,” she said as in way of an excuse of her poor wine-drinking etiquette.  “My husband died today.”  She looked forlornly at her empty glass.  “Truth be told, I killed him.” 

She plucked a crab cake off my proffered tray and stuffed it in her mouth while turning and heading for the bar.

Beach Tale: Mystery by the Sea

Are you an aspiring Nancy Drew?  Have you always wanted  to assemble clues and figure out whodunit?  Here is your chance.  This short story has all of the clues, you just need to puzzle them together to find out who the guilty party is.  The solution is at the end.  Happy Sleuthing!

“Mystery By the Sea"

A Sleuth-It Yourself Mystery”

          Thank goodness for the ocean breeze, I thought as I finished my walk and crossed the sand towards home.  The thermometer had topped out at 102 degrees a few hours ago.  The trek along the shore with waves bubbling at my ankles and bay breezes blowing over my skin had cooled me off and re-energized my mind and body. I felt ready to get back to work.  As I headed for the stairs that led up to my carriage house apartment, the elderly woman who lived in the main house came running to meet me.

          “Cassie, I need your help,” Mrs. Williamson said, wringing her hands in that nervous way she had.

          “What’s wrong?”

          “My ruby and sapphire necklace, the one given to my great-great-grandmother by a crowned prince in Europe, has been stolen.  And the thief is in my house right now!”

Beach Tale: "Easy Money", a short mystery

          Lance watched from his perch atop a stool at the Tiki Hut, a beachside bar that catered to the swimsuit clad.  Lance thought the tiki theme a bit overdone, but who was he to judge?  A balmy breeze blew off the Atlantic and beach babes strutted their stuff by the surf, and other normal circumstances Lance would be enjoying himself.

But tonight had a job to do.  He forced himself to keep his eyes on Charlie, his partner-in-crime, seated at the opposite end of the long teak counter.  Charlie paid the bartender with a crisp twenty-dollar bill, which was Lance’s signal to order a drink. 

          “Barkeep,” Lance called out, waving two fingers in the air, “I’ll take a Coke when you get a chance.” 

Beach Tale: "To Trick a Thief", a self-sleuthing short story

Who is stealing the tips at a small diner?  Tawny, one of the waitresses, aims to find out.  All the clues are there for you to figure it out, too.  The solution is at the end of the story.  

To Trick a Thief

by Jayne Ormerod

  

        “Ya’ll travel safely,” Tawny said, placing the check on the table.  Early June vacationers had been traveling through at a steady stream, heading for the outer banks of North Carolina for their summer beach vacations.  But despite the high turnover at her tables, tips had been disappointingly low.  She’d held off getting new brakes for her car, hoping she’d make enough extra money early in the summer in order to afford them.  At this rate, they’d have to wait another week.  Or two.      

          Loaded down with five plates piled high with pulled pork barbecue sandwiches, fries, coleslaw and fresh from the deep-fryer hushpuppies, she passed the table that had just left and spotted a stack of singles tucked under the salt shaker.  Good.  Maybe her luck was about to change.

          After delivering the food and chatting with the family hailing from Ohio, she returned to the table to find it already cleared for the next guests.  A few bills were tucked under the salt shaker, but not what she’d seen when she’d passed a few minutes ago.  Somebody had stolen more than half of her tip.  Although frustrating, it was not an uncommon occurrence in a place that catered to people traveling through.  Having cash lying out like that was tempting for someone who would be leaving the town limits within the next twenty minutes.    

But as the day wore on, Tawny made a point to eyeball the money on the table and compare it with what was there when she returned.  Yup, money was disappearing at an alarming rate.  That meant it wasn’t a random traveler, but somebody within their own ranks.