Hallow Haven Cozy Mysteries Bundle Books 1-3 by Mara Webb (hardest books to read TXT) 📗

“Do you have any idea who they are from?” I asked.

“I think your father had his suspicions,” Meredith said to Greta. “But, again, I was kept out of the loop. If he were here then obviously we could ask him.”

“Should we get the rest of the police department to set out looking for them?” I asked Miller.

“I can call them. I need to arrange a pickup from the island anyway, unless you want to use the tunnel network?” he said.

“You know about that?” Meredith chuckled. “The tunnels flood quickly in storms like this. Unless you can turn yourselves into a couple of fish, you’re stuck here until a boat comes for you.”

“Could you show me to a phone?” Miller asked.

“Anything for some time alone with you, handsome,” Meredith smirked. Miller shot me a look of alarm and I laughed as he was pulled out of the room by his not-so-secret admirer.

“What are you thinking?” Greta asked me.

“Yeah, penny for your thoughts! Not a real penny though obviously. Don’t get me started on what a waste of time pennies are. They cost more than a penny to make, so it is actually adding to the national debt and—” Fitz rambled. He briefly paused to inhale and I seized my opportunity to speak.

“I’m thinking,” I began, noticing the disgruntled look on Fitz’s face. “That these letters don’t seem all that bad to me. I mean, they are sinister and weird, sure. But I’m not reading these and thinking that the whole family needs to pack their bags and leave the island.”

“Well something in this pile of letters must have spooked them,” Greta replied. “You have the most recent one, what does it say?”

I unfolded the letter once more. “It’s almost time, I’ve checked my clock. I told you that I’d never stop. You have set off false alarms, the one’s you love have caused you harm. They’ll learn to lose you; I can’t afford to.”

“Urgh, sounds like a soppy poem from a middle-schooler,” Fitz scoffed.

“Yeah,” I agreed. “I don’t know what to think.” Miller walked back into the room with Meredith clinging to his left arm.

“I’ve made the call, they are out looking for your family,” he said, looking at Greta and then me. I kept losing track of the fact that this was my family too. “They are tracking down the police boat and then they will send someone over. We probably have a long wait.”

“Then I will make some lunch for everyone!” Meredith announced. “They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” She winked at Miller and then skipped out of the room.

“I think she likes you,” I teased.

“Yeah, she’s coming on a little strong,” Greta laughed. “She’s like this with almost every guy that walks in here, but you seem to be getting the full Meredith experience.”

“Lucky me,” Miller groaned.

“I don’t come to this island enough and I know that the mice here are particularly mischievous,” Fitz grinned. “I’m not wasting another minute here with you guys, I’m off on the hunt! Shout for me when the boat is here!”

He darted out of the door and thundered down the stairs.

“But it’s raining!” I yelled after him.

“He’ll figure it out,” Miller laughed.

“I think I might go for an explore on the island too. Maybe I can find a clue about where everyone is. The rain won’t bother me, I’m a ghost!” Greta winked and faded into nothing and left Miller and I alone.

“Are you gonna get Meredith’s number before we leave, or…” I teased.

“Why don’t we stick with the handful of problems we already have,” he replied. “I’m already worried she might follow me home.”

“Ha!”

“You know, this whole guardian thing…” he began. “The fact that I am destined to protect you, it’s really hard to wrap my head around.”

“Why?”

“You just found out you were a witch when you got to the island, right? Is that not blowing your mind?” he said. I looked at him, standing in his uniform that was still wet, looking at me with concern in his eyes. “Greta’s guardian was her father, that relationship was different to ours. I mean, you and me, what is this?”

“Lunch is served!” Meredith shouted up the stairs. Dang, she must have been moving around at the speed of light in that kitchen.

“Coming!” I shouted back. I took a step closer. “We are both going through something that is changing everything we thought we knew about ourselves. I know I’m no Meredith, but I… I like you,” I said. I was blushing wildly at my own boldness, but if there was ever a time to be brave, this was it.

He closed the gap between us with one step and reached to grab my hand. I felt a tingle where his skin touched mine. I felt suddenly warm.

“Whoa,” Miller gasped. “How did you…?”

We were now both in fresh, dry clothes. I grinned at him and shrugged. My powers were still a mystery to me, I had no idea what I was capable of, but this was a pretty useful skill to have on an island that had frequent freak rainstorms.

“We should go down to eat before Meredith comes looking for you,” I said. His hand was still holding mine loosely. I didn’t want it to end, but I could hear footsteps on the stairs and knew we were about to be interrupted anyway.

We walked out of the door and met Meredith halfway up the staircase. “Come along now, the soup is getting cold!”

I don’t know why I had assumed that we would be eating alone, but Meredith made sure that she pulled up a chair as close to Miller as physically possible.

“I overheard you talking,” she announced. “So you are a guardian too, huh?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Miller replied.

“I suppose you know there are several guardian bloodlines on these islands,” she said. “You aren’t related to Greta’s father. It’s a complicated business, but I double checked while I was waiting for the soup to heat.”

“Good to know,” he smiled.

“It seems