That's why Kenzie Howell and her best friend, Jillian Swansen, had decided to go on a nice, relaxing vacation, just the two of them, before that happened. And what better place to enjoy luxurious spas and peaceful mountain air than the town rumored to be the perfect place to escape from the mundane of everyday life? Kenzie's stomach lurched with excitement as she looked at her surroundings in Hidden Springs.
To some, Hidden Springs looked like any other town. It had a basic town square, bistro, grocery store, consignment store, salon, and other necessities everywhere else. But this town was unique in that it also had luxury spas as well as some celebrities who chose to live here rather than the bright city lights of Bridgeport.
There were also rumors of an enigmatic race of people here whose skin had a green tint. There were also legends of magic, particularly the mysterious Fountain of Youth. These skepticisms intrigued Kenzie.
But the detective wasn't here to work on a case. She was here to spend time with her best friend. Jillian hadn't had the best luck recently, what with being unintentionally involved in a gang in Sunset Valley. The gang had been paying her to keep quiet about what she'd accidentally discovered. But with the gang behind bars, she'd had to sell her nice house, unable to keep up with its payments.
But it wasn't all bad. Jillian had managed to find a cozy beach bungalow close to the water, which is what she'd hoped for to begin with. She'd promised to have Kenzie visit as soon as possible.
This vacation was to celebrate Jillian's decision to go back to college. She'd already studied to be an architectural designer, but she'd finally discovered that her true passion lied with fashion and style. She wanted to become a fashion phenomenon. Not necessarily a model (though she was gorgeous enough to do that), but a fashion designer and stylist. This vacation was also a chance for Jillian to relax before the semester started in the coming weeks. Kenzie, who'd just solved a case in Twinbrook a few months before, had happily accepted her friend's invitation to join her.
At last, Kenzie arrived at her destination - a swanky guest condo reserved for her and Jillian. Most of the Hidden Springs lots were log cabins, but there were some higher-end, modern-style houses as well. This particular one looked lavish and chic, despite it having only one bedroom (which wasn't a problem for Kenzie and Jillian, best friends since elementary school).
Kenzie eagerly parked her Requiescence. A quick glance confirmed that she, the punctual one, had arrived prior to Jillian, since her friend's car wasn't at the house. So she grabbed her key and suitcases, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.
She and Jillian had both looked at pictures of this getaway house online, but those pictures hadn't done the place justice. Kenzie could see herself living here on a permanent basis, if she were willing to leave Riverview.
An open floor plan was the focal point of the house, with a spa-style fireplace and furniture. A TV was propped in the corner and the small but cute kitchen area (with fully stocked fridge) ran parallel to a sliding glass door leading to the back patio. Behind that wall would be the bathroom and bedroom. Kenzie hastened to put her suitcases in the bedroom, and then continued looking around.
The bedroom was subtle yet sophisticated, with a comfortable-looking bed and a tall dresser in the corner. There was also a small alcove that held a desk. Not yet wanting to unpack, Kenzie pulled out her new book-shaped laptop, set it up on the desk, and logged into her instant messenger. Her heart did a giddy flip when she saw that her boyfriend, Logan, was online.
WolfKen: Hey you! What are you up to?
TheHawk: Not much, getting ready to start the semester. Make it to HS?
WolfKen: Yeah, this place is amazing so far. I've only seen a little bit of it but it looks awesome. Just waiting for Jillian.
TheHawk: You have to let me meet her sometime. I have to meet my girlfriend's BFF!
WolfKen: You will, I promise. You could have come with us, you know. :p
TheHawk: Yeah but it sounds like a girl's thing. It's cool, I have a lot to do. I'm glad I'm going to PI school, but it'll take a lot of hard work.
WolfKen: I know, but you can do it! It's not that much different than being a bounty hunter.
TheHawk: Says the person who hates bounty hunters.
WolfKen: Hate is a strong word.
TheHawk: But accurate.
Kenzie laughed out loud, and was about to type that into her messenger when she thought she heard the door open.
WolfKen: Hey Logan, hate to cut this short, but I think Jill's here.
TheHawk: That's cool, I was getting ready to sign out anyway. Have some shopping to do. Good thing I already live in Twinbrook or I'd have to pay for student housing. As if the loan won't be enough to pay back.
WolfKen: You'll be fine. And I can always help you out.
TheHawk: Thanks, but it doesn't seem very manly if I pay for my own schooling. Especially since I'm 27 and just now going.
"Hello?" Jillian's voice sounded from the front room.
WolfKen: Got to go Logan, Jill's here. I'll talk to you later!
TheHawk: Keep me posted! I don't want you girls having all the fun! :p
WolfKen: Will do! Bye!
Kenzie closed her laptop and scurried to the front room. She saw Jillian there, looking around, her suitcases on the floor next to her. When she saw Kenzie, her beautiful face broke into a smile and she ran and enveloped her in a hug.
"You look great!" Kenzie remarked as the two pulled apart. Her friend had changed her hair color, removing the dark streaks and bleached blonde colors. Instead, her natural blonde color remained with hints of dark blonde highlighted in. It did wonders for her beautiful blue-green eyes.
"Thanks," Jillian replied. "I saw your car and I was wondering where you were."
"Yeah, sorry, I got to talking to Logan."
"Wow, you get here and the first thing you do is talk to your boyfriend. You're such a hopeless romantic."
"I am not!" Kenzie laughed playfully. She didn't need a guy to make her happy. Having one was just a bonus. Although when she'd told Jillian about her and Logan's relationship, she'd been ecstatic. Jillian had been there when Kenzie's heart had been broken, and she'd helped convince her that the walls around her heart had needed to be taken down. And with that advice, Kenzie had landed herself a great guy.
Handsome, smart, funny, and ambitious, Logan Hawkins was a bounty hunter, the one type of person that Kenzie couldn't stand. To her, bounty hunters were people trying to be detectives and cops but without the proper training. To her relief, and with her encouragement, Logan had decided to give that up and pursue his dream of becoming a private investigator.
"Come on," Jillian said, snapping Kenzie out of her daydream. "Let's get unpacked and hit the shops! Or the spas! Or the pools! Well, whatever we hit, it'll be awesome!"
So Kenzie helped Jillian take her suitcases into the bedroom, and they both began putting clothes away. The process took roughly a half hour, as the two had planned to stay in Hidden Springs for a couple of weeks, so had packed what they thought would be enough for that duration. When they were finished at last, it was a hard decision determining what they should do first.
"Shopping?" Jillian suggested.
"We have the whole trip to shop, and we can do that at home," Kenzie replied. "How about we check out some of the local legends, like the magic?"
"You are the most rational person in the world, and you think this magic stuff might be real? Yawn. I'd fall asleep."
"I don't necessarily believe in it, I just want to see if it's true or not."
"We're here to have fun, not go on some scholarly trip. I'll have plenty of educational stuff to do when school starts."
Kenzie rolled her eyes with a grin. She always had been a bit of a nerd, but it had paid off in helping her remain on the honor roll throughout high school and accomplish her dream of becoming a detective.
After the initial silence, both friends spoke at once.
"The spa!" they exclaimed. Then they chuckled together.
"I could so jinx you right now, but I won't," Jillian said between giggles. "This is a vacation and if you couldn't talk, it wouldn't be any fun."
"Yeah, I appreciate that."
"So how about as my punishment for thinking that, you drive?"
"Oh, that's some punishment."
"Hey, I want to take good care of my car. I had to sell the house but I got to keep it. I don't want anything to happen to it. Remember, my parents gave it to me for graduating college."
"I know. Okay, I'll drive. Let's grab our swimsuits, in case there's a hot tub, and head out."
A few minutes later, Kenzie and Jillian were riding to one of the many spas in town. As Kenzie drove, she couldn't stop taking in the sights of this lovely town. It made her almost consider leaving Riverview. She didn't know anyone here, but many celebrities lived here. She didn't consider herself a celebrity by any means, but she was very well-known. Her face was always in the papers as one of the best detectives around.
But this time, she wasn't on a case. She was determined to have a fun, relaxing vacation with her best friend. In a town like this, how hard could that be?
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