Mysterishorts - Collection 2-..

These three short stories are unrelated mysteries that will have you guessing through their final chapters. The first mystery involves a cross-border boating story. A powerful motor boat speeds across calm moonlit waters. The owner checks in with US Customs and anchors in a cove on one of the many islands near the border. Come morning local bay residents observe odd behavior of the boat's passengers . At a resort in the remote wilds of pristine Canadian waters four girls hired for guests entertainment are returned to Nanaimo by the same boat observed crossing the border two nights before. Alert citizens have drawn attention to the boat with a suggestion that it is being used to smuggle illegal immigrants across the border. Simultaneously, US police contact Canadian authorities about concerns of an emerging international prostitution ring. The US Coast Guard tries to involve US Customs in their smuggling investigation but get rebuffed. They establish a trap for the suspect powerboat's anticipated next border crossing run. With good anticipation and planning they intercept the boat and its occupants and carry out a standard 'safety inspection'. That's when circumstances change, and the story takes an unexpected twist. The second mystery revolves around university students at play. It's Meghan's boyfriend's birthday. She decides on a very personalized gift and surprises him by delivering it to the lab where he works in the University Physics building. Gavin's roommate is also present. When Gavin and Meghan eventually leave they are shocked to find at the base of the stairs their friend Matt, who has hit his head on the last concrete step with blood pooling under him. The police eventually establish that Matt didn't fall but was murdered with savage blows to the back of his head. One theory is that Matt was mistaken for Gavin who is a brilliant Ph.D. Nuclear Physics expert. Other alternative theories need more exploration. Matt's parents plan to come from England to take his body home. A computer left by Matt at Jenny's place is given to the police, who then involve the FBI based on the contents. Solution to the murder puzzle comes from an unusual quarter. The FBI acts quickly overnight and makes an arrest the next morning just as Matt's parents head home. They lose their son, but find three new young friends, and board their plane with a satisfying conclusion in hand. The final mystery involves characters from 100 years apart with international intrigue a major component of the story. Nikolay's muscles strain as he rows across two miles of international waters not long after the turn of the century. He arrives in a foreign country where he eventually migrates to a big city. Thanks to his linguistic skills he never has trouble finding jobs on the waterfront. One hundred years later Sean and Christina help Sean's brother Mark look for a house to buy. They end up checking foreclosed properties with lower prices and eventually find one that Mark thinks suits his needs. Sean and Mark's father is seriously ill and eventually is moved to a hospice as his care needs escalate. Back in history Nikolay settles down and befriends a vivacious nurse whom he met when she treated him at the hospital after a small accident suffered on the wharves. The friendship leads to marriage and they buy a lovely little home overlooking the harbor. Nikolay works hard on a special basement project while Pauline's pregnancy progresses. Nikolay observes strange behavior on the docks that eventually leads to a profound change in his interests. Mark and his girlfriend Celine move into their newly purchased house and Mark sets to work doing what he can to make it much more livable for them. The house is the common bond between Nikolay's past journey in life and Mark's emerging one. A totally unexpected discovery leads to an amazing finding that fulfills Christina's genealogical interests and lets' Sean's fa