Seaside Secrets Read Online Free PDF Page A

so,” Suzie replied in a murmur as she studied the image. The myriad of colors sprawled across the sky were interrupted only by a few sea birds soaring by. “It's beautiful,” she admitted.
    “ Let's get started on this carpet,” Mary coaxed her. “In no time we'll have this place looking as wonderful as it once did.”
    Suzie had a hard time believing that, but she was grateful for Mary's optimism. They worked together to tear up and roll back some of the carpet. Suzie was inspecting the hard wood floor, wondering if she could just polish it or if it would need to be redone, when she noticed something strange about some of the floorboards.
    “ Look at this,” Suzie said as she traced her fingertips along the thin wood. “I don't think this is sealed,” she frowned as she narrowed her eyes.
    “ It isn't, look here,” Mary said and pulled a corner of the wood up out of the floor. It was a large square, all one piece that could be lifted out of the rest of the floorboards.
    “ What's underneath it?” Suzie asked with excitement creeping into her voice.
    “ I think it's a safe,” Mary said as she looked down at the metal container with a padlock on the front.
    “ Wow,” Suzie grinned as she reached into the hole the safe was hidden in and rocked it a little to see if it was loose. “I think I can lift it right out...” she started to say and then lifted the safe out of the hole. She set it down on the floor next to her.
    “ It's not too heavy,” she said as she tugged at the padlock on the front. “But I don't think we're getting in here too easily.”
    “ I think I spotted some bolt cutters in the hall closet,” Mary said and hurried off to get them. When she returned with the bolt cutters Suzie hesitated.
    “ Do you think we should open it?” she asked with a frown.
    “ All of the contents belongs to you,” Mary reminded her.
    “ I know, but it still feels strange,” Suzie admitted. “I guess it wouldn't do any harm to see what's inside.”
    It took a few attempts but she managed to cut through the lock. When they opened the safe they found very little inside. There were a few stacks of legal papers as well as a small key.
    “What do you think this belongs to?” Suzie asked as she held the key up to the sunlight drifting through the windows.
    “ Only key I've seen like that belonged to a safety deposit box I had,” Mary said as she studied the key as well. “It looks like it might have the initials of the bank on it.”
    “ Here, look at this,” Suzie said as she pointed to one of the papers in one of the stacks. “It lists the bank and box number.”
    “ How interesting. It seems like a lot of effort just to keep a key safe,” Mary said thoughtfully. “I wonder what's inside the safety deposit box.”
    “ Well, whatever is inside the safety deposit box would surely belong to Jason, so I guess I should call him and let him know that we found the key,” Suzie suggested with a slight shrug as she fiddled with the business card that Jason had given her.
    Despite the fact they were cousins, Suzie felt a little uncomfortable around Jason. If only she could pin down his intentions, and read him as easily as she could other people, she might feel a little more secure.
    “You give him a call, and I'll finish rolling up the rest of this carpet,” Mary offered as she brushed some dust off the knees of her jeans.
    “ I don't want you doing all the work, Mary,” Suzie warned as she glanced guiltily over at her friend.
    “ Suzie, this is the best thing for me,” Mary assured her as she got back down on her knees to roll the carpet. “I've always found focusing on a task to be the best time to sort through things in my mind. It just seems easier to figure things out while my body is busy doing other things.”
    “ Just don't overdo it,” Suzie warned her as she pulled out her cell phone.
    “ I'm not dead yet,” Mary winked at her. “In fact, for the first time in a very long time, I