PREVIEW OF SUMMER SHACK
THIS IS PART OF CHAPTER 6 WHERE THE GIRLS GET THE IDEA TO DIG MORE UP IN THE INFAMOUS LIGHTHOUSE KILLER. THEY ARE AT A COOKOUT AT THE TWINS SISTERS'S COTTAGE RETREAT.
"You will have a blast at the beach party, Kim," Marcie said, heading to the grill. "You want a burger or a bratwurst?"
"Oh, I can get it."
"Nope, guests get served."
"A brat," I said.
"Mustard?"
"Yeah, thanks."
Marcie handed me my plate and then got Deb her one burger, plain. "So," she continued, "I'm sure you are gearing up to have a good time."
I nodded, biting into my brat.
"I am," said Meg. "I gotta check out Whitehead."
I looked at her, confused.
Deb gave her with a frozen stare, apparently telling her to shut up.
"Meg, you can't check him out," said Marcie.
"No, not him, but his place."
"What do you mean?" I asked, after swallowing.
"The place where he lived is up by there. You can see it in the distance." Looking back into the house, she lowered her voice. "I wanna check it out."
"You mean you haven't?" I asked.
"Oh yeah, I've been to the beach plenty of times, but I haven't seen the inside of it."
"Meg!" said Deb. "Uh Kim, we were thinking it might be cool to film the place."
I contemplated that. "Hmmm, well yeah it would be nice to have it showing in the scene and say that's where he lived, for the documentary."
"No, I mean inside of it," Deb said.
I looked over at Marcie, who was engrossed in her food, obviously ignoring the subject.
"What do you mean? How do you plan on going in?"
"It's abandoned," Meg said. "You chicken?"
I shook my head. "No, I just didn't know you were allowed to go in."
Deb and Meg both laughed. "Allowed?" Med said, leaning forward, her elbows on her knees. "I don't know the meaning of the word allowed."
"I'm not getting arrested for trespassing," I said.
Meg doubled over laughing. "You're too funny,"
"Don't worry, Kim," Deb said flatly. "There won't be any trespassing."
"Meg, Mom said don't be getting into anymore trouble since your last arrest," said Marcie.
"Hey come on, I went through rehab."
"Did it do any good?"
Meg shrugged. "I'm gonna get me a dog."
"Huh?" I asked.
"She means a bratwurst," Marcie said.
"You can't trespass in a place that's free to roam around in now," Meg said, heading toward the grill. "It's not roped off anymore."
"Oh, then we don't have anything to worry about if we want to film up there," Deb chimed in. "Just follow our lead, Kim. We know what's going on."
My heart thumped in my chest. They know what's going on? Deb was acting superior like I was a newbie in an old town and I was about to the end of my rope with her attitude around these twins. "Fine with me," I said.
Meg and Deb turned and stared at me as if they were shocked.
"What?" I asked, not worrying anymore about being cautious. Deb was being skittish, not wanting me in on their plans and I wasn't having it. If I wanted in on everything, I had to agree with them. Besides, they will see I was right if anything happened. "If we can't get into trouble trespassing, let's do it then. Don't look at me like I'm nuts!"
"All right girl!" said Meg, retrieving her bratwurst and returning to the porch with a high five. "You rock!"
Deb and Marcie were speechless.