Recommended reading - Night Shadows & East Beach, by Ron Ely:

Night Shadows

by Ron Ely.

Published by Simon & Schuster.
First published 1994.

ISBN-10: 1451613687
ISBN-13: 9781451613681

Description:

Retreating to Santa Barbara to recover from his tragic past, Jake Sands walks away from the murdered body he accidentally finds, until he meets the victim's beautiful widow.

East Beach

by Ron Ely.

Published by Simon & Schuster.
First published 1995.

ISBN-10: 1451613679
ISBN-13: 9781451613674

Description:

In the sequel to Night Shadows, Jake Sands, the fortysomething retiree from the high-action life, reluctantly takes on the ruthless king of the beach after his favorite waitress is found murdered.