Free Laura Marlin Mysteries 1: Dead Man's Cove eBook by Lauren St. John Page B

Star.

    She thought of the kingly husky with the extraordinary blue eyes. If she had a dog like Skye, none of this would matter. If she had a dog like Skye, he would be her friend. Animals were loyal. They never considered people boring, or if they did they kept it to themselves.

    Laura washed her red eyes with cold water, and pulled on her sweatshirt and trainers. With any luck, her uncle would have gone out to work, as he usually did on a Saturday and Sunday. In the five weeks Laura had lived in St Ives, she’d never known him to take a break. He was gone part or most of every day, plus many evenings. Sometimes she was lonely and wished he was around more, but that wasn’t the case today. Today she wanted to hide under her duvet in a dark room and eat coconut fudge.

    She was halfway down the stairs when Calvin Redfern emerged from the kitchen. Lottie’s lead was in his hand and the wolfhound was whining excitedly. He glanced up and saw Laura. There was a split second’s hesitation as he took in her tear-swollen face. Then, as if he’d been planning to do so all along, he said: ‘Laura, great that you’re up. You’ll be astounded to hear I have a day off. I thought we might spend some time together.’

    They took the forbidden coast path.

    ‘It’s only forbidden if I’m not with you,’ explained Calvin Redfern, ‘and I’m about to show you why.’

    It was mid-March and daffodils waved on the slope of green that marked the end of Porthmeor Beach and the beginning of the cliffs and moors. Laura hadn’t wanted to come for a walk at all, had tried to make an excuse about having too much homework, but her uncle refused to take no for an answer.

    ‘It’s nice to know you’re so dedicated to your school work,’ he’d remarked drily, ‘but that’s all the more reason you should come for a stroll with me. Sea air is excellent for blowing away the cobwebs and improving concentration. When we come back I’ll help you with your homework myself.’

    Unable to think up another reason why she couldn’t leave the house, Laura trailed unhappily behind her uncle as he strode along the coast path, which cut like a ribbon through the heather and gorse. The sun flickered in and out of the racing clouds and the salty wind teased her senses. At first, she did nothing but scowl and bury her face in her scarf. Everything annoyed her. Her uncle’s inexplicable good cheer; Lottie yelping as she tore back and forth in pursuit of sticks; the seagulls screeching for food.

    She wondered what Calvin Redfern would say if she asked if she could have a dog of her own. She doubted he would allow it. He’d tell her that Lottie was big enough for both of them. He wouldn’t understand that she needed a dog who would be a friend and loyal protector, and Lottie was those things only to Calvin. No, she just had to face it. Life was going to be lonely from now on. Tariq’s words came back to Laura and a fresh wave of gloom engulfed her.

    But it was impossible to remain in a bad mood for long. Within minutes of leaving St Ives, it was if they’d crossed the border over some wild, forbidding frontier. The town and houses faded into the distance and they were alone on the cliffs, with the pounding ocean slamming against the black rocks far below and great plumes of foam shooting upwards. It was a primal, almost frightening scene. At one point Laura stumbled on the path. She felt the pull of the boiling ocean before Calvin Redfern’s warm hand pulled her back from the brink.

    ‘Now do you see why I don’t want you coming out here alone?’

    Laura nodded dumbly. She watched where she was going after that and found herself mesmerised by the beauty of the scene. The heaviness in her chest, the twist of pain she felt every time she thought about Tariq and the North Star, began to lessen. She thought instead about her uncle’s midnight wanderings. What could he have been doing on these lonely cliffs at that hour? As far as she could