Vacation Therapy Read Online Free PDF

Panic urged me to run faster, but somewhere in my mind, I wondered how stupid I looked.
    I passed the wind boards. The volleyball net whistled a warning, and I swerved to avoid it.
    And then, thump.
    My body hit the damp beach.
    I landed hard on my chest and forearms. My shoes flew from my hands, and the force drove the breath out of my lungs. Sand sprayed into my face, and my chest burned when I tried to inhale. Did I break a rib? Puncture a lung? A gasp slowly allowed oxygen to re-enter my body. I lay there for a while as my respiration returned.
    When I tried to get up, I realized that my feet were tangled up with whatever I had tripped over. What had washed ashore with the tide?
    "Ta-y-lor? Are you out there?” Sergio called in a singsong voice.
    Great. As if I didn't feel foolish enough already, he was the last person I needed. And now he was going to see how easily I had scared myself. Hurrying, I pushed up onto my knees. Reaching down to my feet, my fingers found something wet.
    "Taylor!” Sergio called again.
    "Over here.” I called as my fingers explored, trying to identify what had tripped me.
    Then I felt wet leather. My hand moved down and brushed denim, then veered over to touch hairy skin.
    A body.
    A wet, hairy body.
    A cold, dead, wet, hairy body, clad in leather and denim.
    I knew this body, and I pulled my hand away in horror.
    As if summoned from the night, Sergio stepped off the path and headed directly toward me. “Taylor? Is that you?"
    "Yeah, it's me."
    Sergio neared, just as the moon escaped from behind the cloud. “What are you do...? Oh no. Not again.” Sergio started to back up.
    "Sergio."
    But he wasn't listening. He was running.
    He ran as fast as he could back to the resort, yelling all the way.
    "Sergio!” I shouted after him. “Get back here!"
    * * * *
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Chapter 7—Damning Evidence
    Sergio's flight through the resort had alerted Mike and Geoff. All three of them stared down at the hairy corpse lying at my feet. At least this time, we had a body to show them.
    Mike still clung to Sergio's arm. The same one he had used to drag him back to the beach, despite all of his protests. “I really have to get going. I'm late. I didn't even find the body. I just... Well, never mind what I just did...” Sergio said.
    "Explain this to me one more time,” Mike said, trying to pry the details out of his reluctant captive. “Calmly, this time.” His hand tugged on Sergio, forcing him to make eye contact as they moved closer to me. Despite all of the protests and fidgeting, Mike didn't let go.
    In the dark, I stood with my back to the body and had a few minutes to slip on my shoes and compose myself as I waited for them to approach Bigfoot and me. What was I going to say? How could I explain this one?
    Geoff's maglight flashed to life and scanned the beach, finally coming to illuminate the body. “So, you boys done found the body.” Reaching into his hip holster, he pulled out the walkie-talkie's mouthpiece. He depressed the side button and spoke. “We got a floater."
    Static replied.
    With Mike's attention drawn to Geoff, Sergio finally broke free from his grasp. He turned his back to me and avoided looking at the body.
    Mike gave up trying to corral Sergio and stepped over to Geoff to hear what came across the radio. Seeing his chance, Sergio started to slink away.
    "Stop right there. You need to answer a few more questions,” Mike told him in no uncertain terms. He looked to Geoff, who motioned toward me. Mike turned and asked, “Are you all right?"
    "As well as can be expected,” I said.
    "Can you tell me what happened?” Mike asked.
    "I really don't know. All I did was go for a walk on the beach.” I pointed down the shoreline. “The moon went behind a cloud, something sprang out of the bushes, and I guess I kind of panicked.” I felt my face begin to burn. “I ran down the beach. It was so dark. I couldn't see anything. The next thing I knew, I was