Free Murder at the Miramar (Augusta Burnette Series) by Dane McCaslin Page A

and went, and still there was no sign of Emmy, I began to get really worried. I didn’t think anything had happened to her; rather, I was beginning to suspect that she was avoiding people in general. Why, I couldn’t say, but it still didn’t look good for the Miramar’s most public of employees.
    Ellie and I lingered over our well-filled plates, reminiscing and laughing so hard that others began to stare. A few of the staff still in the Palmetto Room stifled grins of their own whenever they passed our table; the Miramar, after all, had a reputation to uphold.
    Our family is a great one for good times and fun for all. Ellie and I have always been the resident gigglers; whenever we two get started, there’s no stopping us, and everything is grounds for merriment. Finally, though, sated with food and laughter, we staggered to our feet and headed out into a perfect balmy evening.
    We began to stroll toward the beach, the sound of the waves and the call of the seagulls a beacon, urging a visit to the water’s edge. I have to admit that this was the biggest draw for me when I applied for the job; the idea of living practically beachside intrigued this mountain girl to no end.
    We paused by an outcrop of rocks, some of them perfect for sitting and staring at the ocean. I sat on the largest, Ellie on the one just below. We rested silently for a few minutes, taking in the tranquility of our surroundings. The beach was deserted, except for a few seagulls tussling over something buried in the sand, so we had it to ourselves.
    ‘Ellie,’ I said abruptly, leaning forward. ‘I never asked you about your card reading this morning, the one you did for Maria. You said something about knowing who had done it. What was that all about?’
    Ellie kept her face forward, the fading light of sunset defining the edges of her silhouette. ‘I saw something that bothered me, AJ,’ she answered quietly.
    ‘I did, too: I saw my cousin practically turning the Miramar’s kitchen into a carnival sideshow.’ I gave her a friendly poke in the back, but she didn’t take the bait. Ellie must’ve been really rattled, even more than I’d thought.
    ‘I’m afraid it’s not over yet,’ she said, her voice almost inaudible as she stared out over the waves. ‘Not by a long shot.’
    I stayed silent. What could I say to that? Besides, I’d begun to get the heebie-jeebies as well, especially since Emmy seemed to have gone AWOL from the resort.
    Eventually we stood to leave, darkness and dampness encouraging us to scoot back to the Miramar. Besides, I needed to do the last check of the night at the desk, making sure that all guests were happy, no one wanting for anything.
    As we began to pick our way across the rocks and head toward the path, a loud squawking arose behind us. Ellie and I turned to look, but it was just dark enough to keep us from getting a clear view. I looked at her and shrugged.
    ‘Do we need to check it out? It’s probably just seagulls fighting over someone’s leftovers.’ I didn’t have any real wish to walk across the wet sand, but Ellie turned and started moving in the direction of the avian fracas.
    The closer we got to the large seabirds, the more we could see what it was they were fussing over. Something large and dark lay near the water’s edge, half in the water and moving gently in the current. Apparently someone had left behind one of the Miramar’s large beach blankets; available at the concierge’s desk, these could get quite heavy when wet. I grimaced. I had no desire to cart it all the way back to the resort, dripping and dragging against my legs. It would just have to stay there until I could get someone a little stronger than me to retrieve it.
    Ellie began walking more quickly, her presence scattering the birds at the periphery of the feathered mob. They settled back on the sand a few feet away, scolding her as she advanced on the others. With a mad flapping of wings and coarse cries, the remainder of