READER'S ROCK LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE VOL 2 ISSUE 4 NOVEMBER 2014 Vol. 1 Issue 5 November 2013 | Page 25

She’d never liked boats.
The fact she stood on the deck of one now
bound for who knows what and who knows
where was even further evidence she’d lost
her mind overnight.
Were the people in charge crazy? Couldn’t
they tell her press ID was a fake?
Judging from the look of the “man” who’d
taken her invitation and allowed her
admittance onto the boat, who looked more
like a boy to her, she doubted they cared
about anything but a paycheck. Her hope
they’d send her right back home had been
dashed.
Lila looked around. She knew most of the
reporters that surrounded her from watching
them on TV. Others were identified by
various newspaper insignias on their clothing.
Fortunately, for her subterfuge, none of them
appeared to be paying her much attention.
Was being dishonest really this easy?
Refusing Cassie’s request had proven more
difficult as the evening had drawn on. Lila
had been out of work for several months, and
her roommate had covered for her without
question. It didn’t seem fair that she miss her
big career break when there was another
option.
Lila looked out over the stormy looking gray
water. It surrounded her, and suddenly she
felt very claustrophobic.
It was 2:30, and she knew Cassie would be
lying on the couch, her ankle propped up on
all the pillows in the apartment. Talk about a
bad break, she’d be off her feet for at least a
month, maybe even longer, plenty of time for
her career to tank.
Lila supposed that fact was enough to
persuade her to humor Cassie and give the
plan a shot. She didn’t approve of it, but
Cassie had a point. The rent still had to be
paid, and since she wouldn’t start her new
job for another two weeks, this was the only
way she could help.
It looked a bit stormy in the distance, and
unfortunately, they were headed that way.
Several had already commented on how
unusually rough the ride had been, but since
bumper boats in a calm bumper pond were

the extent of her nautical knowledge, she had
little to compare it to.
Fortunately, she had survived the first thirty
minutes of the ride without incident. Another
thirty without losing her breakfast and she’d
count it a pretty successful afternoon.
Lila spotted an empty chair over in a corner
and made a quick dash for it. Sitting was
preferable to standing and swaying. She
reached into her purse and pulled out the
orientation materials she’d been given. Now
was as good a time as any to prepare.
Cassie had already filled her in on most of the
details. It all stemmed from a bad breakup.
She actually felt a little sorry for this Mr.
Alexander. A lapse in judgment could
jeopardize his plans to make Leigh Island the
hottest new resort on the East Coast.
The press up until now had all been great.
Already rumors of movie stars and singers
spending small fortunes to spend weeks at a
time had made all the gossip columns.
Now he’d made the jump from gossip
columns to tabloid covers, and the sight
hadn’t been a pretty one. His ex-fiancée
claimed she’d seen ghosts. She claimed the
whole island was bewitched and under a
spell. Well, if it really was haunted, she was
headed straight for it! At least in the daylight,
discussions of ghosts and bewitching weren’t
quite as frightening as they had been the
night before.
Lila continued to read. Suddenly, for the first
time since she’d boarded the “Winship
Whisper,” relief washed over her.
The owner of the island, Mr. Alexander,
according to the orientation materials, would
select one reporter to stay on the island a
week, all expenses paid, so that they could
determine the truth of the matter.
Lila glanced around at the more than fifty
other reporters. If the man really wanted to
put the rumors to rest, he’d be looking for the
most recognizable face in the bunch.
Fortunately, her face was anything but
recognizable. Cassie would be disappointed,
but she couldn’t be the one.