All Chapters of Pelican Bay Security: Chapter 111 - Chapter 120

"Oh, they don't." I laugh as a young kid in a black hoodie bumps Spencer as he hurries by. Spencer stands taller, pushing his elbows out to give himself room. "People come from all over to watch our Christmas Eve parade. It's Pelican Bay's biggest event.The sidewalk is filled with people. The congestion slows down our pace as we walk by people standing on the sidewalk, chatting. There's a lull in the crowd, and Spencer uses the opportunity to wrap his arm around my shoulder. It makes walking with a leash, cookie, and hot chocolate a tad difficult, but I'm too enamored to care. "Where to now?"I swing the hand holding the leash back and forth, enjoying the moment. "Now, we find a spot to sit."My family always watches the parade from a spot on Bay View since the road runs next to the public beach. It's an ideal location. You can see the water behind you, our large lighthouse to the north, and a great view of the floats as the parade comes down Main Street with the well-maintained

"Owww. Watch what you're doing, Jimmy." The old man's voice is strained and etched with pain as he maneuvers into the back of the van."Slide back to make room," Jimmy directs. I lose sight of both men in the windowless van."Are you going to help him or what?" Jimmy jumps down."Yes, right." Hurt guy. Needs help. On it.Years of training and experience kick in, and the world around me falls away, allowing my focus to take over."All right, nurse. Fix me up." Dominic says, leaning back on the van floor, his loose-fitting trouser leg rolled up to his thigh. The area's red with blood.He's too far back to treat from the ground, so I slide into the van to get a better look."Do you have anything for me to clean the wound with?" The end of my sentence got lost in the sound of two doors crashing shut."Hey!" I spin around and jiggle the handle, pounding on the doors. They don't budge.The van starts up."What the hell?" I continue my assault on the back doors, not gettin

Light spills from overhead, illuminating a small section of the dirt cellar. It doesn't help."Have fun, sweetheart," Jimmy says, dropping the door over the tiny opening and plunging me into total blackness."Help!" I scream.Jumping as high as possible with my arms stretched out, I push on the door. It barely budges. My efforts allow a small streak of light to shine through the opening then nothing as the door drops again. "Shit."I try a second time with no more success. My feet make contact with the dirt floor unevenly, and I'm forced to step forward. Wet, cold dirt smears over my fingers."Ewww." I hope it's only dirt.Thoughts of screaming continue to float in and out of my mind, but it won't do any good. There's no one around to hear me but bad guys. Quickly, the silence settles around my feet like a thick fog as I do my best not to move. The adrenaline from my kidnapping and being thrown in a dirt hole fades as my imminent demise is no longer staring me in the face i

"There's ten minutes left on the oven timer, then we can leave."The clock ticks down another minute. Remarkably, Spencer doesn't appear stressed at all over the fact he'll be meeting my parents for the first time when my green bean casserole comes out of the oven.At Christmas dinner.With my whole family.It's a situation that requires one be nervous, but since Spencer doesn't seem fit to care, I've worked up enough worry for the both of us."If he tries to intimidate you with his shotgun, don't worry—it's not normally loaded.""Not normally, huh?" He laughs like this is all fun and games and I'm kidding.I'm totally not kidding."Spencer! This is serious." I can deliver a preterm baby in the hallway of the hospital during a blackout caused by Snowmageddon, but putting my Dad in the same room with someone I like is terrifying.Even with my advanced warning, Spencer doesn't ruffle. Sitting on the couch less than twenty four hours after rescuing me, his checkered L.L.

Of course, in my dreams I own the bed-and-breakfast, but after getting my degree in hospitality management, this is the next best step. Until I can save up enough money to buy one of my own. A haunted one with Victorian era details. One I can work to fix up and restore to its previous glory.I arrived in Pelican Bay during the middle of the summer, when the temperatures were beautiful and I could spend my off time walking around the beach, and eating ice cream from the little shop on the shore. The weather conditions have changed drastically in the last six months. The summer breezes which cooled the place off, making the temperature wonderful, are now freezing cold. 6:30 in the morning it's more often than not a negative temperature. Like below zero. Who in the hell believed temperatures went that low? I had to wear gloves this morning. It should be illegal to be so cold.Frostbite aside, Pelican Bay has been gorgeous. I'm not ready to be fired and forced to leave so soon."Did