She Slips Away

She Slips Away An Artemis Blythe Mystery Thriller Book 8 Georgia Wagner Text Copyright © 2023 Georgia Wagner Publisher: Greenfield Press Ltd The right of Georgia Wagner to be identified as author of the Work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 All rights reserved. The book is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly. ‘She Slips Away’ is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organisations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, and events or locations is entirely coincidental. Table of Contents Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Epilogue Also by Georgia Wagner Want to know more? About the Author Prologue Jacinth locked the door behind her, turning to face Carter in the dark room, her heart pounding staccato in her chest. She stared at where he stood, outlined against the moonlit window, his wavy hair tossed haphazardly to the side as if he didn't have a care in the world. His easy smile, which met hers, matched his hairstyle. Carter had always been more easygoing; that was partly what had drawn her to him... Suddenly she froze, blinked, and opened her eyes again. She stared at the window. "What is it?" he asked, glancing at her. "It's okay if you're nervous. I am too." He gave a little chuckle. "No, no, it's not..." she murmured, still gazing at the window, frozen. But the image didn't return. She could've sworn... briefly, that a face had appeared in the window. A face with red eyes. A ghostly face... She shook her head. She was seeing things. It was probably from the drinks she'd had downstairs in her parents' room. At the age of seventeen, she wasn't technically supposed to be raiding the mini-fridge, but ever since her father had remarried, he'd been too preoccupied with Jacinth's stepmom to notice small things like missing mini-bottles in hotel fridges or surprise bills on his credit card. She gave another long look at the window, feeling chills along her back. She thought she heard the faint creak of wood. A tapping just outside the window. But then it was gone too, like the face she'd imagined. Only her imagination. She shifted nervously, her fingers trailing on the door handle, double-checking the lock button was indented. She whispered, "What if Kelly finds out?" Carter approached her, slowly. His lanky form cast as a shadow across the ground between them. "She doesn't know," he whispered. "You... you did break up with her, right?" "Of course," he said, flashing a million-dollar smile to match his parents' bank account. He removed the sunglasses, high on his head where he'd used them to brush back his hair, and placed them on the nightstand by the bed. As he paused, turning away from her briefly, she raised her hand and breathed quickly into a cupped palm, sniffing. Minty. Good. The gum had worked. She'd brushed her teeth twice in her own room thanks to the large, full-sized bathroom provided by the luxury resort. Through the window, she could just glimpse the tops of palm trees swaying in the night. She could hear the faint splash of water from midnight swimmers enjoying the twenty-four-hour pool and spa area. The lapping of ocean water against the shore reminded her of how alone they were on the island of Olaha, one of the smaller islands. Isolated from the world. What happened in Olaha... stayed in Olaha? At least, that's what she had been telling herself. She shifted nervously, her feet padding against the lush carpet beneath her. "It's... It's a really nice place," she said, glancing around. The luxury resort was built into an old castle. It was considered one of the largest resorts in the world, and one of the most expensive. The room itself looked like it belonged to a queen. In one corner, a four-poster bed with a canopy of purple velvet curtains. On the opposite side, a sitting area with two comfortable chairs and a small round table. The walls were painted a deep gold, and the floors were a warm beige, with large rugs thrown over the top. In another corner, a Jacuzzi filled with lavender bubbles sat tucked against the wall on a tiled floor separated from the carpet by a long strip of glinting metal. The walls were decorated with abstract art, and the light fixtures gave off a golden hue, fit for a palace. Carter reached out and took her hand. "It's just us here, Jacinth." He gave her a steady gaze, his blue eyes bright. Jacinth looked away, her cheeks flushing. She glanced at the window again, as if expecting to find the ghostly face there once more. But it was gone. Looking back at Carter, she gave him a small, shy smile. "Yeah," she said softly. "It's just us here." "Don't worry about Kelly. I mean... I know you two are sisters, but... she doesn't know. How could she?" He smiled. "You did break up, didn't you?" "Yeah. Yeah, of course. I talked to her this morning." Jacinth let out a little breath. "Okay... Okay, good." He leaned in now, his fingers trailing against her cheek. He