All alone on the beach. The sky, the water, and the steady sound of the waves crashing onto the wet beach—fulfilling promises only the stars could reveal—are all that are present. Situated on the edge of the dunes, the historic home endured years of deterioration. The white paint had peeled and chipped where the salt air had patiently worked its magic. The structure's framework was strong despite the wraparound porch drooping in the middle and the shutters hanging a little unevenly. It had been touched by time, but never wrecked.
Melissa had retrieved the coordinates from an archived real estate database, and they had located the location three days prior. A deserted rental house, uninhabitable since it was too far away for most tourists and too damaged for rapid repairs following the pre
