A Contemporary Mystery Series With Strong Female Protagonist
Sara Mason Mysteries by Mary Deal
Series Excerpt
“Can we go right over to 363 Page Street, catch breakfast on the fly?” Sara wanted to begin tracing Emma Ellis’s whereabouts as much as Huxley needed to.
“Not on your life.” His smile teased. “We need to power up.”
They had dressed in warmer clothes. City clothes, Huxley called them. Tailored tan slacks, beige dress shirt, and a brown leather bomber jacket for him. For her, black leggings and a heavy beige mid-thigh sweater. He wore loafers without socks, as usual, even though a chill hung in the air. His feet were always hot. Sara was happy to have remembered to bring along a pair of flat shoes instead of sneakers.
A waitress arrived with their Eggs Benedict, minus the meat. Sara only then realized how hungry she felt. “The best place to start looking for information would be the building she lived in.”
“My thoughts too.” Huxley paused to chew. “In one of Emma’s letters, she wrote that the building was old, but her father had fixed up their apartment. Most older places in this town are greatly remodeled. Might be a nice building.”
“The same people may not own it though.”
“And to hope someone would be there that knew the Ellis family…” He shrugged and looked upward, his eyes moved left and right, as if searching for any tidbit of information from memory that would help.
“Keep an open mind.” Sara placed her hand atop his. Their hands were warm together, a simple touch reassuring.
“We may learn nothing after so many decades.” He placed his fork on his empty plate and slugged down the last of his orange juice. “I’m so glad we share our lives, Sara. You understand how important this is to me.”
Sara flashed him her hoity silly grin. “Actually, I just want to get out of the sweltering Delta for a while.”
He could only roll his eyes and shake his head.
Breakfast behind them, they left Le Meridien on Battery Street heading south to Market Street. Sara could do nothing but stare out the windows, alternating in both directions. “Wow!” She blew out an exaggerated breath. “Wow!”
“I’m glad I’m driving.” Huxley gave her an understanding smile. They soon turned right onto Page Street heading westerly. Suddenly, he stomped on the brake, threw the Jeep into reverse and backed into a parking spot. Sara looked at him strangely. He shrugged, proud. “In this town, you grab a parking spot wherever you find one.”
“Well, we’re almost there.” She stretched to see a building front through the windshield. “The street number here is 156. 363 should be a couple blocks ahead. Would be on the left side.”
Before leaving Courtland, Sara had placed the letters along with the photos in a much larger manila envelope that Huxley carried now. Sara wouldn’t go anywhere without her iPad. She carried it in a thin tan case with a shoulder strap.
An uphill slant greeted them. “I read about these streets. Walking here could keep a person in great shape physically.” She grabbed her thighs and trudged along.
A gentle breeze wafted. The air was filled with a fine mist. A haze floated high overhead. Most buildings in the area were refurbished. He craned his neck. “Just look at these old Victorians.”
In what seemed to be a tradition of San Francisco, most buildings were brightly painted and nearly everyone well-kept. As they walked along, like two tourists, Sara briefly studied the architecture of each building, finding San Francisco to be an exciting place.
“Wish this haze would burn off.” Huxley flapped a hand as if trying to move the mists away. “It’s the one thing I don’t like about this city.”
Clouds passed over. A heavier mist enveloped them. Then it all passed as a weak sun shined through.
“Makes me feel damp and sticky.” She continued to study the architecture of yet another old renovated building. “Oh, gee!” She stopped suddenly and grabbed his arm. “Look where we are.”
Huxley glanced up and down the street and shrugged. Sara pointed to the street number on the wall above a building entrance. “618?” He tried to see the numbers above other doorways. “We need to pay attention to what we’re doing.”
“How did we miss a big four-story apartment building?”
They doubled back. “Oh no!” Huxley expelled a heavy sigh.
Sara looked in the direction he gestured. “Oh no!” She echoed his disappointment.
A building at 363 Page Street no longer existed. The area had become a park.
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