TIDAL SECRETS

TIDAL SECRETS

Aaron Joshua · Ongoing · 32.6k Words

475
Hot
475
Views
0
Added
Add to Shelf
Start Reading
Share:facebooktwitterpinterestwhatsappreddit

Introduction

Detective Sam Rivera thought that leaving the LAPD would help her get away from the evil that followed her around. Tidewaters, California, is a quiet beach town, but it hides secrets deeper than the Pacific Ocean. When her second day as a private investigator comes around and she finds the body of a youth, she remembers the people who told her, "Don't trust anything here." As Sam digs deeper, she finds a web of corruption that includes lost children, old practices, and a town that feeds on its own children. But what was the scariest discovery? The young girl who died keeps showing up in her dreams, pleading for justice from beyond the grave. They won't let strangers leave some places if they know too much about them.

Chapter 1

Sam's POV

The steering wheel slips in my sweaty hands as my car skids around the mountain turn. Rain pounds the glass so hard I can barely see the road. Lightning flashes, and for one scary second, I see a figure standing in the middle of the highway.

I slam on the brakes. My Honda screams to a stop just inches from hitting... nothing. The road is empty.

"What the hell?" I whisper, my heart beating like crazy.

My hands shake as I grip the wheel tighter. I need to get out of this storm. I need to get to Tidewaters before I lose my mind totally. The boxes in my car rattle as I start driving again. Everything I own is in this stupid car. My whole life fits in plastic boxes now.

Another flash of lightning, and I see the sign: "Welcome to Tidewaters, California - Population 3,000."

The rain stops like someone turned off a tap. Just like that. No more noise, no more wind. The sudden silence makes my ears ring. That's not normal. Storms don't just stop like that.

But I keep going because I have nowhere else to go.

Three months ago, I was Detective Samantha Rivera of the LAPD. I had a badge, a gun, and folks respected me. Now I'm just Sam, running away to a tiny town where nobody knows I failed to save a seven-year-old girl named Sofia Mendoza.

I can still see Sofia's face in my dreams. Big brown eyes and a gap-toothed smile. Her mom begged me to find her baby girl. I promised I would bring Sofia home.

I lied.

Sofia vanished from her school playground on a Tuesday. By Friday, I knew the police chief was hiding something. By Monday, I found half the department was taking money to look the other way while bad people did horrible things. By Wednesday, they fired me for asking too many questions.

Sofia is still lost. And it's my fault.

The town spreads out below me like a picture. Pretty houses with white picket walls. A port with fishing boats. Everything looks perfect and quiet. Too perfect.

My phone buzzes. Unknown number.

"Hello?" I answer.

Heavy breathing, then a child's voice: "You can't save me either."

The line goes dead.

My hands start shaking again. Prank call. Has to be. But the voice sounded just like Sofia.

I drive down Main Street, and people stop what they're doing to stare at me. An old woman waters her flowers. A guy walking his dog. Three teens hanging out by the ice cream shop. They all turn to watch my car pass. Their faces have no emotion. They just... stare.

A chill runs up my neck. Small places are supposed to be friendly, right? People are supposed to wave and smile at strangers. These people look at me like I'm carrying the plague.

I park in front of Murphy's Diner. The sign in the window says "Help Wanted - Private Office for Rent Upstairs." Perfect. A place to live and work while I figure out what to do with my messed-up life.

The bell above the door jingles as I walk in. Every talk stops. Twenty people eating lunch all turn to stare at me. The quiet is so thick you could cut it with a knife.

"You must be the new girl," says a guy behind the counter. He's about fifty, with gray hair and kind eyes. "I'm Murphy. You're here about the office?"

Finally, someone normal. "Yes, sir. I called yesterday."

"Good time. We need someone around here who knows how to solve problems." Murphy pours me coffee without asking if I want any. "Used to be a cop, right?"

"How did you—"

"Small town. Word travels fast." He leans closer and says, "Be careful who you trust around here. This place has secrets."

Before I can ask what he means, the diner door opens. A tall woman walks in wearing an expensive black coat. She has silver hair pulled back tight and cold blue eyes. Everyone in the diner suddenly gets very interested in their food.

"Ms. Rivera," the woman says. "I'm Eleanor Blackwood. Welcome to Tidewaters."

I didn't tell anyone my name was Rivera. I only used my first name when I called about the job.

"How do you know my last name?"

Eleanor smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "I make it my business to know everything about people who come to our town. Especially former police cops who had... trouble... with their previous job."

My stomach drops. She knows about Sofia. She knows about LA. She knows everything.

"I don't know what you've heard, but—"

"Oh, I've heard quite a lot." Eleanor's smile gets bigger and scarier. "I know about the Mendoza case. I know about the corruption you found. I know why you really left Los Angeles."

The coffee cup slips from my hands and crashes to the floor. Hot coffee splashes everywhere, but I barely notice. How could she possibly know all that? I never told anyone the real story.

Eleanor steps closer. "Here's some free advice, Detective Rivera. Find somewhere else to start over. Tidewaters isn't the right place for someone with your... particular skills."

"Are you threatening me?"

"I'm trying to help you." Eleanor turns to leave, then stops. "Oh, and Ms. Rivera? We've had some recent crashes involving young people. It would be terrible if history repeated itself. Wouldn't you agree?"

She walks out, and slowly the diner comes back to life. People start talking again, but they keep glancing at me like I'm a bomb about to burst.

Murphy refills my coffee cup. "I told you to be careful," he whispers. "Eleanor Blackwood runs this town. Cross her, and bad things happen."

"What kind of bad things?"

"The kind that make people disappear."

That night, I'm unpacking boxes in my new office when my phone rings. Unknown number again.

"Hello?"

The same child's voice: "I'm here. In Tidewaters. Come find me."

"Sofia? Sofia, is that you?"

But the voice that answers isn't Sofia's. It's deeper, older, and it makes my blood turn to ice: "Sofia was just the beginning, Detective. We have so many more."

Last Chapters

You Might Like 😍

After the Affair: Falling into a Billionaire's Arms

After the Affair: Falling into a Billionaire's Arms

1.5m Views · Ongoing · Louisa
Dear readers, this novel is coming to an end soon. I highly recommend another fantastic story of the same genre:


I’d appreciate all your support, thank you so much!
From first crush to wedding vows, George Capulet and I had been inseparable. But in our seventh year of marriage, he began an affair with his secretary.

On my birthday, he took her on vacation. On our anniversary, he brought her to our home and made love to her in our bed...

Heartbroken, I tricked him into signing divorce papers.

George remained unconcerned, convinced I would never leave him.

His deceptions continued until the day the divorce was finalized. I threw the papers in his face: "George Capulet, from this moment on, get out of my life!"

Only then did panic flood his eyes as he begged me to stay.

When his calls bombarded my phone later that night, it wasn't me who answered, but my new boyfriend Julian.

"Don't you know," Julian chuckled into the receiver, "that a proper ex-boyfriend should be as quiet as the dead?"

George seethed through gritted teeth: "Put her on the phone!"

"I'm afraid that's impossible."

Julian dropped a gentle kiss on my sleeping form nestled against him. "She's exhausted. She just fell asleep."
Bound By Power, Torn By Love

Bound By Power, Torn By Love

2.1k Views · Ongoing · Cynthia Adama
She is the only daughter of a notorious mafia boss, but she is forced by her father to marry a hateful bastard in a contract marriage. To avenge her father, she has a one-night stand with a charming man, but unexpectedly falls into the trap of another terrible man, who is her father's enemy and another mafia boss. His mission is to make her father disappear.
She regards him as her only salvation, but he regards her as a pawn for revenge. When two enemies dance on the sharp knife, what will be the final outcome?
The Family Books 1-3 (A Mafia romance)

The Family Books 1-3 (A Mafia romance)

2.1k Views · Ongoing · Emma Mountford
Saints and Sinners- She was the light to my dark.
The saint to my sinner. with her innocent eyes and devilish curves.
A Madonna that was meant to be admired but never touched.
Until someone took that innocence from her.
She left.
The darkness in my heart was finally complete.
I avenged her, I killed for her, but she never came back.
Until I saw her again. An angel dancing around a pole for money.
She didn’t know I owned that club. She didn’t know I was watching.
This time I won’t let her escape.
I will make her back into the girl I knew.
Whether she likes it or not.
2/ Judge and Jury- I can’t stop watching her.

I’m not even sure I want to.

Taylor Lawson, blonde, beautiful, and totally oblivious to how much dangers she’s in.

She’s also the one juror in my upcoming murder trial that hasn’t been bought.

The one who can put me behind bars for a very long time.

I know I should execute her.
After all that’s what I do.

I am the Judge.
I eliminate threats to The Family.
And Taylor is a threat.
But I don’t want to kill her.
Possessing her, making her love me seems like a much better plan for this particular Juror.

3/ Rags and Ritches-
The Deadly Mafia Princess

The Deadly Mafia Princess

7.7k Views · Ongoing · Tonje Unosen
Ro was taken from her real family when she was 1 year old. Those she believed is her parents have been abusive towards her do years. Despite she being a very feared gang leader of a well known gang, she can’t find it in her to stand up against what she think is her parents. The little girl in her wants their love which she never will get.
Her gang take the matter in their own hands, to try to save their leader from the horror of her home. What none of them know, they wasn’t her real parents, and now Ro will be sent away to live with her real family. That makes her closest members in her gang pack up and move as well. They don’t want to be far away from their leader.
Ruined : You will always be mine.

Ruined : You will always be mine.

45.9k Views · Completed · Nia Kas
I could feel him standing in front of me. He grabbed my legs and in one single move thrusted into me.
“Fuckkk”, I couldn’t help but scream.
“You need to learn to be obedient” he said as he kept thrusting into me. When I felt his hands on my clit my body shook.
“Asher please, it’s too much”.
“No. if I really wanted to punish you, I would give you all of me”, he said against my ears and my entire body froze. Suddenly he moved and I was standing again. This man was insane.
I felt him behind me. “Ten Lashes for your disobedience”, he said
“Asher please”,
“No”. His voice was cold and void of any emotion.

Asher was what I wanted , what I truly craved until it was too late. An orphan should never fall in love with someone out of their reach. I thought loving him was the right thing to do until he revealed his true identity and Ruined me. I was ruined for everyone one else . I could still feel his touch, it was as if it was etched into my skin. I tired to avoid him but fate wouldn't let it happen.
The Sterling's were the most powerful in Havenwood and Dorian Sterling was off limits.

As an orphan finding out you still have people looking for you is hard to take but when it turns out to be people of wealth and standing I took the other road and ran, but running led me right back to the place I was avoiding and the person I was avoiding.
Asher and Dorling Sterling one and the same. When his first love shows up and along with everyone that has set out to ruin me, I prayed that he could protect me.
The Alpha's Stripper Mate

The Alpha's Stripper Mate

53.8k Views · Completed · Havilworth
"Come here."
"What?" It was out of my mouth before I could stop it. I did not wait for him to answer me, I walked toward him.
"Dance on my lap."
My head screamed at me to turn around and run. But my whole body responded to his command.
"Yes, Alpha," I pulled my dress over my body, it dropped over my head and fell to the ground behind me. I was left in nothing but my matching bra and thong. My hands covered my chest on reflex.
"Let me see."
My hands dropped to my sides.
I lowered myself into his lap, facing him. His eyes peered into mine, and I could feel his hot breath fan my face. His dick responded to all my moves, hardening against my now-moist vagina. I swallowed hard, allowing my lips to part in a ragged breath. His hands trailed up to my waist.
"No touching."


At the tender age of eleven, JoJo Wyatt was forced to grow up far sooner than she should have. Born to a cruel father and a weak mother, she quickly realized she had to become the breadwinner for herself and her sister. Nothing else mattered to her, not even the hottest men. In fact, she despised them. After one horrific night, she swore never to have any contact with the male species again. That was, until she started working for him as his stripper.
Meanwhile, Alpha Lake Rush, thirty, was the most feared Alpha in the country. Burdened by his own share of life's struggles, he had learned only to be cruel and reckless, rejecting not one but two mates. But what happens when he discovers yet another mate, and she turns out to be his stripper?
Bound by Fate, Freed by Choice

Bound by Fate, Freed by Choice

5.3k Views · Completed · Nafisatuu
When Lyla's fated mate is revealed as Alpha Kaiden—her sister's ruthless ex-husband—the only thing he offers her is public humiliation and a brutal rejection. Heartbroken and branded as unworthy, she flees her pack, determined to uncover the truth behind her sister's mysterious disappearance.

Her escape leads her to Alpha Rowan, the commanding leader of the Blackwood Pack, who offers shelter, protection, and an unexpected chance at a new life. But Rowan’s fierce and jealous fiancée sees Lyla as a threat, and the pack’s charming Beta is drawn to her quiet strength.

As a dangerous attraction simmers between Lyla and Rowan, they begin to unravel a dark web of secrets that implicates Kaiden and threatens both their worlds.

With her hidden power awakening, Lyla must navigate treacherous loyalties, face the alpha who shattered her, and decide: Will she follow the destiny fate forced upon her, or claim the love and strength she has chosen for herself?
Accardi

Accardi

991.2k Views · Completed · Allison Franklin
“I thought we discussed this earlier, Weakness? I warned you. His death is on your hands.”
“I thought you said you were done chasing me?” Gen mocked.
“I am done chasing you.”
Before she could formulate a witty remark, Matteo threw her down. She landed hard on her back atop his dining room table. She tried to sit up when she noticed what he was doing. His hands were working on his belt. It came free of his pants with a violent yank. She collapsed back on her elbows, her mouth gaping open at the display. His face was a mask of sheer determination, his eyes were a dark gold swimming with heat and desire. His hands wrapped around her thighs and pulled her to the edge of the table. He glided his fingers up her thighs and hooked several around the inside of her panties. His knuckles brushed her dripping sex.
“You’re soaking wet, Genevieve. Tell me, was it me that made you this way or him?” his voice told her to be careful with her answer. His knuckles slid down through her folds and she threw her head back as she moaned. “Weakness?”
“You…” she breathed.


Genevieve loses a bet she can’t afford to pay. In a compromise, she agrees to convince any man her opponent chooses to go home with her that night. What she doesn’t realize when her sister’s friend points out the brooding man sitting alone at the bar, is that man won’t be okay with just one night with her. No, Matteo Accardi, Don of one of the largest gangs in New York City doesn’t do one night stands. Not with her anyway.
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother

Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother

2.8m Views · Ongoing · Harper Rivers
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother.

"What is wrong with me?

Why does being near him make my skin feel too tight, like I’m wearing a sweater two sizes too small?

It’s just newness, I tell myself firmly.

He’s my boyfirend’s brother.

This is Tyler’s family.

I’m not going to let one cold stare undo that.

**

As a ballet dancer, My life looks perfect—scholarship, starring role, sweet boyfriend Tyler. Until Tyler shows his true colors and his older brother, Asher, comes home.

Asher is a Navy veteran with battle scars and zero patience. He calls me "princess" like it's an insult. I can't stand him.

When My ankle injury forces her to recover at the family lake house, I‘m stuck with both brothers. What starts as mutual hatred slowly turns into something forbidden.

I'm falling for my boyfriend's brother.

**

I hate girls like her.

Entitled.

Delicate.

And still—

Still.

The image of her standing in the doorway, clutching her cardigan tighter around her narrow shoulders, trying to smile through the awkwardness, won’t leave me.

Neither does the memory of Tyler. Leaving her here without a second thought.

I shouldn’t care.

I don’t care.

It’s not my problem if Tyler’s an idiot.

It’s not my business if some spoiled little princess has to walk home in the dark.

I’m not here to rescue anyone.

Especially not her.

Especially not someone like her.

She’s not my problem.

And I’ll make damn sure she never becomes one.

But when my eyes fell on her lips, I wanted her to be mine.
The Spy Who Left

The Spy Who Left

1.3k Views · Completed · Orion Vale
"She's naive. A pretty little socialite who got lucky marrying above her station."
"I still can't believe she actually did it. Aria Hart, filing for divorce. Who saw that coming?"
"How long do we think it'll take before she comes crawling back?" Another voice joins the conversation.
"Three days," Victoria declares. "Five at most. She has no money, no skills, no family. Where's she going to go?"
When Aria Chen divorced billionaire Leon Hart, New York's elite sneered, betting she'd crawl back within days. She never did.
Three years later, the world is rocked when Dr. Aria Vale, CEO of a revolutionary cybersecurity empire, steps into the spotlight. The mysterious genius who built a billion-dollar company from nothing is none other than Leon's discarded wife, the woman everyone thought was just a pretty ornament.
Now, every powerful man wants the queen Leon threw away a renowned scientist seeking partnership, a financial titan proposing an empire, and an actor offering devotion. Each sees the brilliance Leon ignored.
Then Leon discovers the truth: Aria's sacrifices, her secret double life, and the daughter she's been raising without him. For the first time, the man who once took her for granted must fight for her love. But can he compete with men who valued her from the beginning?
A story of love, betrayal, and power where the king must kneel before the queen who never needed saving.
A pack of their own

A pack of their own

2m Views · Completed · dragonsbain22
Being the middle Child ignored and neglected, rejected by family and injured, She receives her wolf early and realizes she is a new type of hybrid but doesn't know how to control her power, she leaves her pack with her best friend and grandmother to go to her grandfather's clan to learn what she is and how to handle her power and then with her fated mate, her best friend and her fated mate little brother and grandmother start their own pack.
Blinded By His Touch

Blinded By His Touch

5.9k Views · Ongoing · Ida
MM//OBSESSION/R18+//ENEMIES TO LOVERS//MATURE THEMES//OPPOSITES ATTRACT
Bastian Steele doesn’t believe in weakness.
He built Eclipse Distilling Co. from blood, silence, and a past no one is allowed to ask about. In his world, control is survival.... and obsession is a liability.

Then Kaden Winters walks in soaked from the rain, violin on his back and light spilling out of him like he’s never been burned. Bartender. Model. Artist. Beautiful and reckless enough to tease a stranger over a glass of whiskey he doesn’t know that stranger created.

Bastian tells himself it’s only a taste.
Only curiosity.
Only a moment of indulgence.

But darkness recognizes light for what it is. And what begins as interest turns into fixation. What starts as a sip becomes hunger. Because Bastian Steele doesn’t chase....He acquires. And this time, he wants more than the drink.