Casper Coffey was obsessed with crime documentaries and cheesecake.

I could still picture his chubby cheeks and satisfied smirk when he figured out who the murderer was within minutes. Despite how clever he was, I doubt he ever foreseen who the killer would be in our latest case.

Chilled air bristled the trees and summer foliage. Lovely tangerine colors bled across the skyline as the sun cowered down behind the bay like a wounded soldier. In the distance, I heard the waves crash onto the shore, like music to my ears.

Grainy bits of sand tickled my toes as I hurried down the path of Saltwater Bay. I crossed over the small bridge that connected to the lighthouse, hearing the old wood creak beneath my weight.

I always dreaded the spiraling stairs I had to climb just to reach the peak of the lighthouse watch room. Each resonating clang from my footsteps made it seem like I was a prisoner with shackles around my ankles.

When I finally reached the top, I spotted Casper sitting criss-cross applesauce on the ground eating a Snack Pack pudding. He seemed to be a world away as he gazed beyond the safety railing. His mop of curly, dark hair buffeted in the breeze, accentuating his rosy cheeks and sunburned nose.

"Silas, you made it. I thought a killer might have snatched you up," he taunted.

I sighed. "Why is murder always your first guess to everything?"

Casper shrugged. "Can you believe they actually uncovered somebody's bones down at Saltwater Bay?"

I wasn't surprised he steered the conversation toward the remains the police recently uncovered. Casper was always up to date on the hottest topics in our town, especially the crimes.

Two women had been walking their dogs together when they stumbled upon a skull (which was confirmed to be human) and a thigh bone. There were no signs of foul play yet. The police assumed the remains surfaced from an old shipwreck years ago, when we were still in Pull-Ups and playpens.

"It's crazy. Human bones don't just surface to the sand out of the blue," I pointed out, making my way over to him.

"Who do you think it was? Do you think we knew them or their family?" he asked. "It takes quite a few years for a body to decompose into a skeleton, you know. The location also plays a substantial part. It's possible he or she wasn't disposed of in the water. The killer's burial ground may have been somewhere else."

I was accustomed to Casper's murder 101 lectures by now. Even when we were younger, he had this thought-provoking mindset to question everything. A simple answer never sufficed for him. He'd go to the end of the Earth just to prove a point. He was like a dog with a bone.

"Oh yeah? Where do you think the person was buried?" I questioned.

"The original place could have been disturbed somehow, but I don't know where such a place would be. Weather may have contributed too. We had that horrible thunderstorm last week."

"Good point." I nestled my head against his shoulder. "Just promise me you won't hurt yourself trying to snoop around and irritate the police."

"Psh. Irritate? You mean to contribute my humble assistance? Then, of course. I'm like a police consultant, love."

Police consultant? I wanted to snort at that. As if the police actually viewed him that way. No, they considered him a cockroach that they couldn't get rid of.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "I doubt they see it that way."

"Pity. It's their loss." He tilted his head toward mine. "I don't need their attention when I have yours."

Casper closed the distance between our lips. His mouth was warm against mine with a tinge of sweet chocolate. Smiling against the kiss, he brought his arms around my shoulders. I tugged him closer and tangled my fingers in his soft curly hair. Casper was my best friend and boyfriend, and as silly as it sounds, my anchor. The only permanence in my ever-changing life.

He gently pressed me down against the hardwood floor, never letting his lips part mine. Heat radiated through my body as he deepened the kiss. His empty pudding cup was completely discarded.

Growing up, I had been like a hermit crab. I tended to keep to myself and stay in my own little bubble. I wasn't very social, so I didn't have many close friends. Casper was one of the very few people to force their way into my lonesome little shell.

I was so thankful that he did too. I never imagined our friendship would blossom into romance, but one sloppy kiss beneath the stars in this very lighthouse changed that.

"You know what would be romantic?" Casper playfully wiggled his brows.

"What?" I asked.

"An evening swim in Saltwater Bay." He grinned.

"Nice try," I told him. "You just want to go investigate the area where they found those bones."

"Don't tell me you're not curious about it."

"I don't have any desire to go looking for trouble. Unlike you," I teased.

"Yeah, yeah. Trouble is my middle name. You've told me that a thousand times."

"A thousand times, yet you never listen." I sighed. "Why do I even try?"

"It's because you love me," Casper said matter-of-factually.

"Sure it is."

"I know it is." He leaned in to steal a quick peck on the cheek. "That's why you'll end up following me down to the beach."

"Follow?" I sneered. "I bet you a free slice of cheesecake from Island Bound Treats that I'll beat you down there."

Casper grinned. "Oh, you're on. That free cheesecake will be mine for sure."

I pushed myself up off the ground and took off full speed in the direction of the beach. I had never made it down the stairs so quickly. The soles of my flip flops plodded in the sand as I pumped my arms, striving to win the race.

I was a competitive person, even for trivial things. Casper knew that, and I suspected it was why he usually let me win. Or, maybe he really was just a slowpoke snail.

Although I managed to beat him, I was still a bit out of breath. My boyfriend, on the other hand, seemed to be zestful.

"And, the winner is Silas Walker!" Casper announced, giving me a round of applause.

"Very funny," I said. "I look forward to that cheesecake tomorrow."

"Eating cheesecake is a win in my book any day."

The invigorating scene of the sea brought me back to all the glorious days I spent on the beach as a kid. Although I chose to be alone, I rarely felt bored or lonely when I was at Saltwater Bay.

When news of the remains were uncovered and spread around town like a wildfire, that serenity was stolen. It was hard to imagine those memorable days without thinking about the bones being washed ashore. Luckily, it was an adult who stumbled upon them but even that wasn't quite relieving. I couldn't imagine how I would have felt if I had found them. I didn't even want to consider what would have happened if Casper had been with me.

He would have commenced an investigation right then and there.

The townsfolk were still stirred up over it. They were desperate to know what happened. They needed to be assured it wasn't homicidal because if it was that meant we were residing among a killer. Such a thought was only something I could picture in crime fiction. Not here on Saltwater Bay.

"It's peaceful out here," I said. "If I were to get murdered, this is where I'd choose to have the deed committed."

"I don't think you get to choose the location of your murder," Casper replied before wedging his socks and shoes off.

I admired his physique as he removed his clothes, leaving only a pair of green boxers on. I watched him dart down the shore and wander into the waves. I loved his adventurous spirit, although his meddling could be a pain in the ass for others. I loved how he never felt shame in who he was and what he was passionate about.

I removed my polo and flip flops alongside his clothes before chasing after him.

Taking a small step into the water, I shivered at the cold temperature. I didn't understand how Casper wasn't bothered by the coldness that clung to my body. Drops of water reached up to embrace my ankles, prickling my skin as I tread deeper through the waves.

As I combed my eyes over the water with the sun's descending shadow, Casper suddenly yelped and staggered into me. A gasp escaped my lips as I nearly tumbled over into the underwater rocks and pulled him under with me.

Casper's bare chest pressed tightly into me as he clung tightly to my shoulders. "I-I think I found something.