A romance novelist vanishes without a trace.

A blood-smudged draft lands on my pastry tray.

The coffee is ice-cold, the clues are red-hot, and the whole town hums with whispers and secrets.

I am Katie Drew, barista, reluctant detective, and keeper of the best gossip on Perdido Beach. Daisy's nose twitches, and Aunt Nancy stirs calm into every storm.

A washed-up manuscript spills secrets no publisher wants told. The author's assistant drops breadcrumbs no one should ignore. Typed threats stack higher than my muffin trays. The publishing world's shadows press close. A tale spun on paper starts erasing lives in real time.

A word here, a lie there, and suddenly gossip becomes danger. Every page hides more than ink. Rumors twist. Alibis unravel. Each clue pulls me deeper, and the waves never keep their silence.

If I do not untangle these drafts before the next tide, the last chapter could be written in blood. The beach hides more than footprints. The truth waits beneath the cover.