Sunny Side Up (Lake Erie Mysteries Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

the dockmaster and was sitting at a picnic table near the entrance. He was talking to a very handsome dog who apparently wanted to be his new best friend.
    “What breed of dog is that?” I had never seen such a big, goofy dog with such a sweet expression.
    The dog’s owner informed me, “He’s a golden doodle, but he’s mostly doodle. His name is Joe.”
    Hamm stood up and gave Joe one last, friendly head rub. “See you later, Joe! Francie, I’ll ride back to the boat, and put the dockage ticket in the window. I assume June will want to gather her stuff before we head into town so she can check into her room.”
    Once again, I wasn’t sure if he was being considerate or just making sure June was all settled in and wouldn’t decide to spend the night with us on the boat. Either way, it was a good plan and we went with it.
    June chose a school bus-yellow bicycle with a roomy wicker basket fastened to the front handlebars and a silver carrier rack attached to the rear fender.
    “This should do it,” she announced, handing her business account credit card to the sales attendant.
    We hopped on our respective rides, turned back toward the boat dock, and took off. “Last one back’s a rotten egg!” June shouted as she blasted past me.
    “Was that a slam on my name?” I countered.
    “Don’t be so sensitive, Doc!” she shouted over her shoulder, leaving me in the dust.
    I realized I wasn’t as speedy as I once was. I wasn’t exactly huffing and puffing, but I was remembering a little wistfully how Hamm and I used to ride our twenty-one-speed bikes at home for fun and exercise almost every evening. It was typical back then to log eight to ten miles a day during the week and up to twenty-five miles over the weekend. But that was years ago. We still own those fancy bikes, but now they are mostly collecting dust in the garage. Nowadays, I look forward to tooling around the island on our less deluxe, but more functional marine bikes. It’s definitely preferable to paying the tourist’s special price of twenty dollars an hour for a golf cart.
    Minutes later, June was bouncing off her rented bike, grabbing her essentials, and standing back on the dock grinning, all before I had come to a full and complete stop. Damn girl hadn’t even broken a sweat.
    Hamm was also waiting on the dock. “Can we go eat now? I’m hungry.” He tucked a cigar in his pocket for later and made sure he had his lighter.
    “First stop, Lakeshore Landing.” The inn where June would be staying was located just west of the Marina on E. Lakeshore Drive. June smiled sweetly in Hamm’s direction. “Did you happen to notice that it’s just two doors down from Ruby’s?”
    We rode the short distance and Hamm glanced nervously up the street. “I’ve been bushwhacked. I should have known better. I give up. You girls go on in and get it over with. I’ll wait right here by the rock.”
    June and I crossed the road and stopped in front of the rambling lakefront home that had been converted into three guest rooms, each with air conditioning and a view of the lake. We hopped off our bikes, forgetting about the usefulness of kickstands. I gave Hamm a big smile and a wave and called out, “Love you!”
    After completing the necessary paperwork for check-in and dropping off her bags, June and I hopped back on our bikes, rode across the parking lot and down a short length of sidewalk, and stopped, smiling at the big red door of Ruby’s Treasure Chest. Our favorite store would be open for at least another hour.
    I hesitated at the door and looked across the street where Hammond was leaning against the wooden railing in front of Inscription Rock.
    “Go on inside, June. I’ll be in in a minute. I think I’ll go make sure Hamm is all right over there.”
    “Suit yourself. I’m sure I can amuse myself.”
    I crossed the road and stood next to Hamm, who was just reaching in his pocket to retrieve the Ashton cigar and lighter he had stashed earlier.