Free Footprints in the Sand by Mary Jane Clark

called the minute I saw it. But I didn’t want to trouble the sheriff’s deputies again.”
    “Again?” asked Piper.
    “Well, I’ve called them several times about one thing or another since my Sam died. I could tell the last time that the officer was just humoring me.”
    “It’s their job to help,” said Piper.
    “Let’s call right now,” said Kathy. “They should know if someone is prowling around here. And, God forbid, what if what you saw had something to do with my friend Shelley’s disappearance?”

Chapter 26
    A murderous creature loomed ferociously from the screen in the Mote Marine Aquarium lecture hall. The marine biologist at the front of the room continued with his presentation on some of the most dangerous sea life in the world.
    “This is a tiger shark,” explained Dan Clemens. “It’s a savage predator capable of devouring fish, seals, other sharks, and even birds flying above the water. It has powerful jaws that can easily crush a sea turtle or other marine mammal.”
    Dan directed his laser pointer at the shark’s eyes. “Tiger sharks have excellent vision and sense of smell, which allow them to locate a drop of blood in an area the size of a football field.”
    A white-haired man in the front row raised his hand. “Are there tiger sharks around here?”
    “This tiger shark was found near the Central Pacific islands,” said Dan. “But make no mistake, there are various shark species in the Gulf of Mexico. And while sharks usually avoid human beings and attacks are exceedingly rare, there are things you should do to further lessen the chance. On your way out today, pick up one of our free pamphlets on the subject.”
    Dan continued with the show. Sea snakes could paralyze their enemies. Moray eels possessed teeth designed to tear flesh. Stingrays hid under the sand on the ocean floor before shooting their prey with poison. A blue-ringed octopus was strangely beautiful but carried enough venom to kill twenty-six people. Puffer-fish toxins were more powerful than cyanide.
    “The toxins paralyze the victim. It’s not a pretty picture. Sweating, headaches, tremors, seizures, cardiac arrhythmias, and respiratory failure. Although completely paralyzed, the victim may be conscious and lucid before death, able to see and hear but unable to speak or move. It’s a horrible way to die.”
    Vin’s hand shot up again. “Is there any treatment?”
    “No antidote has been approved for human use yet,” said Dan. “Treatment usually involves pumping out the stomach and taking standard life-support measures to keep the victim alive until the effects of the poison wear off. Not everyone dies. If the patient survives twenty-four hours, he’ll usually live. But that’s a very big if.”

Chapter 27
    A flash of scarlet caught their eyes. They dug farther, recoiling in horror when they saw what it was. The bright red was painted on a human toenail. Openmouthed, the fraternity brothers drew closer together and stared into the trench.
    “What the . . . ?”
    “No way!”
    One of them reached down, cautiously pushing away more sand, revealing the rest of the foot. A delicate gold bracelet encircled a thin ankle. He recoiled and dropped his plastic bucket.
    “We can’t dig anymore,” he commanded. “We gotta call the cops.”

Chapter 28
    W hile she and Kathy waited with Roz for the deputy from the sheriff’s department to arrive, Piper took the plates and teacups into the kitchen. As she was rinsing them, she glanced up and looked out the window over the sink. Three law-enforcement vehicles came careening down the driveway, emergency lights flashing.
    “They’re here already,” Piper called to Roz and Kathy. “But I can’t believe they’ve sent three cars.”
    The white sedans came to a stop in front of Roz’s unit. The deputies got out and hurried right past the town house, running into the vegetation at the side of the property. Piper quickly dried her hands and returned to the