Linda Lehmann Masek

The Serpent Sea Linda Lehmann Masek

The Serpent Sea Twenty-five year old Anne Gordon receives a letter from her grandfather summoning her home from Cedar Key to Islamorada, the family estate in Key West, Florida. Anne had fled the estate five years earlier after the traumatic death of her twin brother, Edward, in a scuba diving accident for which she was blamed. Now, her grandfather is ill and wishes to make peace with her before his death. Anne leaves her photography/jewelry designing business and drives home. Once there, she discovers things are not as calm as they first appear on the surface ? a Spanish galleon wreck, the San Pedro, has been found directly off the coast of Islamorada, and a movie company has moved onto the estate to make a film, starring the noted actors, Frank Blaine and Diana Moon, and directed by Peter James. There have been several mysterious accidents on the San Pedro and two of the divers on the Spanish ship have died. Meanwhile, Anne is reunited with her grandfather, David Gordon. He makes her his heir of the fifty-million dollar estate and business. Anne is overwhelmed with his generosity and stays on at Islamorada to comfort him in his last days. Robin Gordon, Anne?s cousin, has arrived home from college and against their grandfather?s wishes has developed a budding romance with Jack Cole, one of the divers from the San Pedro. A third visitor not nearly as welcome is Leigh Giddings, Anne?s fortune-hunting ex-husband. He has discovered that his former wife is now an heiress and wants to get his cut of the family wealth. In response to David Gordon?s request for help, Alex Stryker, a top detective with the Miami-Dade Police Department, has been sent to Key West to assist local police. Alex has been working undercover on the dive boat to try and discover the murderer?s identity and why people are being killed. He is immediately attracted to Anne Gordon and she to him. Their budding romance is marred by the threats and murders occurring on the estate. Another dead body is found, this time in the boathouse at Islamorada, and a later attempt is made on Anne?s life. No one seems to be safe. Then, Anne?s grandfather dies under suspicious circumstances. While snooping around in an underwater cave directly off the shore of Islamorada, Anne discovers an important lead regarding the crimes at the estate. When a second attempt is made on her life, she is trapped on the dive boat and confronts the true killer. The boat smashes up on the reef when a hurricane hits the Florida Keys. After almost losing her life on the dive boat, Anne and Alex Stryker realize how much they really mean to each other and begin to dream of a future together.