3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Hydessa

DAD

Come up to the main house for breakfast.

MOM

Please… you forgot the please…

DAD

* frowning emoji*

PAPA

Ignore the grumpy one munchkin, come and have breakfast with me and your momma anyway *winking emoji*

I snort and drop the phone onto the covers beside me, scrubbing my hands down my face in an effort to wake up. With a tired groan, I swing my legs out of bed and stretch, feeling the stiffness from yesterday's exertion. The warmth of the covers tempts me to crawl back in, but the enticing invitation of a proper breakfast with real coffee spurs me into action.

As I shuffle towards the bathroom to freshen up, I can't help but smile and shake my head at the exchange between my parents. It isn't out of the ordinary for them to banter in our group chat. Moments like these remind me of the warmth and love within my family, despite the darkness that often surrounds us.

I have the next couple of days off work after the way the last case ended, and I feel like my body needs it. One good thing to come from a shooting, I guess. It may have been a justified shooting, but the bureaucrats love their paperwork and red tape.

After washing my face and putting on some casual clothes, I lock up the cabin and make my way up the path to the main house. I can already see my mom through the large windows at the back of the house, sitting at the dining table and nursing a large mug of coffee as though it's her only salvation. I don't blame her; I inherited her love of the liquid gold and my dads know how to make it just the way I like.

As I open the glass doors leading into the dining area and kitchen, one of my dads steps up behind my mom and leans down to nuzzle her neck. "Hey, little darling," I hear him whisper to her.

I huff at them, but a smile still pulls at my lips. The love my parents have for each other has always been so full of devotion. Truth, Dare, and their little darling. My sister and I grew up hearing their nicknames for each other, and they ended up sticking with us.

I don't know their full story, and I cringe at the thought of knowing any details that might scar me for life. Bottom line is, they don't shy away from displaying their affection for one another. But I do know they went through a lot together and came out the other side of it inseparable, already pregnant with me and my sister.

My papa, Truth, straightens up as he notices me. "Good morning, sleepyhead," he teases, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Morning," I mumble, making my way to the coffee pot. They know better than to speak to me before the black drink has passed my lips. I pour myself a mug and take a long, appreciative sip, feeling the warmth spread through me. "Thanks for the wake-up call."

My mom chuckles. "We thought you might need a little extra motivation this morning," she says, her eyes warm.

I take a seat at the table, and the smell of freshly cooked bacon and eggs fills the air. "You guys didn't have to go all out," I say, but the gratitude in my voice is unmistakable.

Dare, my dad, comes over with a plate of food and sets it down in front of me. "Nonsense. You need a good breakfast after the week you've had," he says, kissing the top of my head affectionately. "Besides, we wanted to talk about the information you sent over last night."

I raise my eyebrows in curiosity as Dad retrieves another two plates from the kitchen, placing one in front of Mom with a kiss to her cheek before sitting down. Papa huffs and rolls his eyes, moving to retrieve the last plate, the one for him, from the kitchen where Dad left it.

"Has Uncle Max found something?" I ask.

Dad points a fork at my plate, saying, "Start eating first, then we can discuss it." He has always been the overbearing one, but I know he does it out of love. I roll my eyes and start digging into the eggs and bacon on my plate.

"According to Max," he starts once I have eaten half of my food, "the person posting on that blog is bouncing their information all over the place. Not even he could pin it down, which says a lot in itself. I don't understand half of what he said, but he was able to find the general location of where the blog was posted from."

I smile at the news. "So, is someone going in to take the person responsible out or help assist law enforcement?"

Mom sighs and sets her knife and fork aside, only for Dad to growl at her. She gives him a look that he simply narrows his eyes at before she focuses on me again. "Max was able to find the general location, but not the specific person. No reports have been filed that we can find so we assume law enforcement isn't involved or doesn't know."

I nod, chewing my crispy bacon and savoring the taste. My mother exchanges a look with Papa before continuing. "Someone needs to go in to investigate discreetly and find the person responsible without raising a lot of alarm. It's a small island not too far from here, luckily, but it is very popular with tourists," she says.

Dad continues to stare her down until she growls back in frustration and picks up her fork again to return to eating. While they give each other challenging eyes, Papa looks at me with a grin, and I have to suppress my laughter.

"Who do you think would be good to send in?" Papa prompts.

I tilt my head and frown. "How come you're sending someone else instead of going in yourselves?" I ask. "This one feels important."

Mom grimaces, and I already know what she is about to say before she says it. I've seen that look enough growing up. "I have to head to Chicago. There's a serial killer up there that the local guys asked for help with," she responds.

"Well then," I say, leaning back in my chair. "You'll need to send someone who has proven themselves good enough. What about one of the new guys, Bodhi or Thorne?"

Dad exchanges a look with Mom again before turning back to me. "Well, given the delicate nature of this investigation, we need someone who can blend in with the tourists, but also someone who understands the kind of danger we're dealing with."

"And someone who can handle themselves if things get complicated," Papa chimes in.

I take another bite of my eggs, thinking it over. "It sounds like a job for someone with a mix of field experience and the ability to go undercover."

"Exactly," Dad says, his eyes fixed on me meaningfully.

I pause, fork halfway to my mouth, as the realization dawns on me. "You want me to go."

Mom reaches over and squeezes my hand. "We wouldn't ask if we didn't think you were the best person for the job."

I sigh, setting my fork down. "Why not Seanna? She has all the same skills as me."

Papa laughs, shaking his head. "Seanna has the subtlety of a sledgehammer sometimes. We need finesse for this one according to Max. This island is small, anyone new will draw attention naturally, especially if they aren't there for a vacation. And playing a tourist won't have them confiding in you."

"Plus," Mom adds, "she's currently tied up with another case. Something about a drug ring in the city."

Dad looks at me with a frown. "You brought this case to our attention, don't you want to see it through? It's not like you don't have the vacation time available. You barely ever take time off unless it's forced on you."

I sigh again, but this time with a sense of resignation. "Of course, you're right. I do want to see it through." I take another bite of my eggs, trying to mentally prepare myself for the task ahead.

Dad's expression softens slightly. "We know it's a lot to ask, but we have complete faith in you. You've proven yourself already."

Mom nods in agreement. "And remember, you're not alone in this. We are always only a call away."

Frowning, I realize I still don't even know where I'm going. Sure, I have wanted this opportunity to prove myself to them for a while now, I just wasn't prepared for it to be today. "What's the name of this place I'm going to anyway?"

"It's called Amity Island," Dad responds, his tone serious. I have to struggle for a moment not to laugh as I see Mom and Papa exchange an amused look.

I clear my throat to swallow my own laughter before asking, "Should I be wary of sharks?"

Papa snickers and says, "You should always be wary of sharks, both the animal and human variety, but this isn't that Amity Island."

Mom shakes her head at him before focusing on me again. "That one doesn't actually exist, but this one does benefit from the hype surrounding the name. There is a constant tourist presence there, so you need to be careful. Make sure to use your other identity and when you go out at night make sure to wear your mask."

My other identity. The fake name and identification that both Seanna and I use so we can swap out on jobs whenever we need to. So much for taking a few days off to rest.

I finish my breakfast in silence, letting their words sink in. This investigation is no different from any other, so I don't know why I feel nervous.

It's nothing new to hide behind a mask when I go out on jobs for my parents. Ever since I was little, I learned to love the anonymity it brought me. It's why I sometimes pretend to be my sister even now.

It comes in handy to have an identical twin sometimes.

After breakfast, I help clear the table, my mind already racing with plans and strategies. Mom and Dad both hug me goodbye and wish me luck, while Papa pulls me aside before I head back to my cabin to pack.

"Don't forget, you can always call Uncle Max if you need technical support," he says, his voice low and serious. "He's a wizard with computers and can help you track down almost anything."

I nod, appreciating the reminder even though that's why I sent the case to him in the first place. "Thanks, Papa. I'll keep that in mind."

He gives me a quick hug. "Stay safe out there, munchkin."

"I will," I promise, starting to feel the familiar blend of excitement and nerves that always accompanies the start of a new investigation.

As tired as I am, they're right; I do want to see this to the end. There is something about the blog that calls to me, and I need to solve this mystery myself. Not just the murders on the island, but the way I feel so connected to them.

Once I'm back in my cabin, I call into work to request the time off. I think my captain actually sighs in relief, thinking I'm taking some time to rest and recharge. Little does he know I have no rest or recharging on the horizon. I then spend the rest of the day looking into Amity Island.

It seems like a picturesque tourist town with a main strip of shops, a beach on one side, and a fishing port on the other. For an older established island, there is still a forested area in the center that hasn't been knocked down to make way for more vacation homes. It's almost like they wanted to preserve that piece of nature. But that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of short-term vacation homes and lots of resident houses. However, there are very few longer-term rental properties, and only one of those seems like it's available immediately.

I don't want to limit myself by staying in something short-term, and renting a long-term house will perhaps get me on the right foot from the start with the locals. Plus given I don't know how long it will take to get to the bottom of this mystery it seems the most logical direction, so I call the number on the property listing. It's a friendly female voice on the other end, she seems very nice when she informs me that yes, the house is available.

"It's lucky you called when you did! It just came back on the market," her bubbly voice comes through the phone.

"That's great to hear, I would love to take it before it's no longer available."

She emails me the paperwork, and I lock it in for a month with the ability to extend if I need to. With the accommodation sorted, I start packing, making sure I have everything I need.

When I take out my fake identity, I pause to look over the identification as I shift the cards around in my wallet. Taylor Delafield. The picture makes me look so innocent, so… not me.

It's moments like this when I wish I could just be the normal person who is on this card instead of hiding my identity behind a fake name. With a sigh, I shove the ID in its spot and check my tablet.

Uncle Max has sent me all the details he was able to find on the town and how far he had been able to get with identifying the blogger. It's one thing reading about the town on their own website, and another reading about its secrets he was able to uncover. I guess it would be bad for a tourist town to advertise its deep, dark secrets. But, I'll find them out all the same.

As night falls and my nerves build, I grow restless. My mind and body are filled with swirling chaos, and I need an outlet for my nervous energy before I have to focus on the investigation.

This is the only thing I love about the city. It may be full of darkness and people wearing masks, but that means there are some places where I can blend in and feel normal for a change.

Pulling out one of the dresses that I stole from Seanna, I put it on along with some makeup and then I head out. It's rare that I take a leaf out of Seanna's playbook, but tonight feels like the right time to let off some steam. For the next few hours, I will no longer be Hydessa or Taylor. For the next few hours, I will be Seanna Darling, party princess.

At least, until I get what I need.