Asylum Harbor

by Traci Hohenstein

  “Is she dead?” Amber whispered.

  Josh shook his head. “Just knocked out.”

  To the left was a kitchen with a small countertop and bar stools. The ice maker dropped a load of ice and they both froze at the sudden noise.

  Josh opened the door and they moved quietly out into the night. Amber’s feet sank into soft sand, which confirmed that she was still on an island. They quickly made their way around the house to where an ATV was parked.

  Amber jumped into the front seat and Josh took the wheel. The moon was full and gave them plenty of light, which was both a good and bad thing. They could see where they were going, but anyone who might be looking for them could see them easily as well. From the corner of her eye, Amber noticed movement behind some vegetation. She gasped when a man jumped out and held a gun at them.

  Oh no, not again, she thought as she closed her eyes tightly.

  CHAPTER 43

  Stephanie Sloan tentatively stepped inside the cabin doorway. “I want to help.” Her eyes pleaded with Rachel.

  “Who is this?” Red asked Rachel.

  Rachel took a deep breath. “Everyone, this is Stephanie Sloan. Stephanie is Amber’s aunt.”

  Rachel had told Red and Stacy about the meeting with the governor but kept to herself the part about Stephanie’s true identity as Amber’s biological mother. She didn’t think it was crucial for anyone else to know that information, plus she made a promise to the governor not to reveal their family secret.

  “Stephanie, how did you get here?” Rachel asked.

  Stephanie gave her a sly smile. “I followed you from the hotel.”

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be here.”

  “You’re going to look for Amber and I want to help you. I promise I won’t get in the way.”

  Rachel looked at the rest of the group. “Give us a minute, please.” She motioned for Stephanie to follow her outside onto the deck.

  Stephanie had pulled back her long blonde hair into a French braid and she looked comfortable in white capri pants and a turquoise T-shirt. It amazed Rachel how much Amber looked like her. She wondered if Amber had ever given any thought as to how she favored her “aunt.”

  “Do John and Sarah know you’re here?”

  Stephanie shook her head. “I told Sarah I was going shopping and borrowed their rental car.”

  “If you really want to help, then I can arrange for you to pass out flyers or work the tip lines. But you can’t come with us.”

  Stephanie stood with her arms folded across her chest. “Don’t patronize me. I don’t want to pass out flyers. I want to go with you to find Amber, and I won’t take no for answer.”

  Rachel started to say something and Stephanie held out her hand. “Please, Rachel. All my life I’ve been the irresponsible one. I wanted to be a good mom to that little girl, but I tried and I failed. When I saw Amber was missing, something inside of me just snapped.” Tears slid down her cheeks and she wiped them with the sleeve of her T-shirt. “I haven’t used since I’ve been here, and for once in my life, I’m thinking with a clear head. This is my chance to make things right. Please let me help you. I promise I won’t get in the way.”

  Rachel stared at her for a minute. Knowing Stephanie’s past history, Rachel didn’t think involving her in the search for Amber was a good idea, but Rachel also knew the pain of losing your only child. Plus, if they did find Amber, having someone with them that Amber knew, would make a rescue run smoother. At least that is what Rachel hoped. “Okay, you can come. But you have to do what I ask and follow our plan.”

  “Thank you.” Stephanie smiled as she followed Rachel back inside the cabin.

  Rachel hoped she wouldn’t regret this.

  CHAPTER 44

  Vance cut the engine and lights once they got close to the island. Even though it was one big island, there was a distinct difference between Asylum Harbor and Cabana Cay. Earlier in the day, with its colorful flowers, cabanas, and water toys, Cabana Cay had looked like a welcome retreat for tourists. Asylum Harbor, in contrast, now lay before them as dark and still as a tomb.

  “If I remember correctly, there should be a path that leads to the heart of the island. It’s only visible from the shoreline, though.” Vance turned to the group. “We’ll anchor here and take the dinghy to shore. It’ll be quieter and easier to maneuver.”

  “Sounds good.” Rachel got up and stretched. Her body vibrated with excitement.

  “You got the flashlights?” Red asked.

  “Right here.” Rachel threw her bag over her shoulder. She was nervous but felt safe with Red. She knew that he’d be carrying his weapon, and Vance was probably carrying as well.

  Vance lowered the small craft into the water. Rachel went first, carefully climbing down the ladder, followed by Stephanie and Stacy. They scooted over to make room for Red and Vance.

  Rachel went over the plan with everyone again as they quietly made their way to the island. Red, Stacy, and Rachel would investigate around the island, and Vance and Stephanie would stay with the boat and serve as lookout. Rachel had expected Stephanie to put up a fight with that decision, but she complied. Rachel’s group would communicate with Vance via walkie-talkie. She didn’t want to rely on poor cell phone coverage.

  She gave final instructions to Vance and Stephanie. “If security approaches you, tell them you’re having mechanical problems with the boat and have called for help.”

  Red added, “If we aren’t back or haven’t checked in within the hour, call the Coast Guard.”

  Vance nodded. “Good luck.”

  The three of them headed toward the sandy path, with Rachel silently praying that they’d finally find Amber.

  CHAPTER 45

  Mike called Rachel’s room for the fifth time. No answer. He tried her cell phone again. No answer. Straight to voice mail. This silence was highly unusual for someone who had a reputation for being available whenever she was needed. Mike took the stairs down to the lobby level of the hotel and knocked twice on the conference room door before opening it.

  Drake, Phipps, and Cyndy were sitting around the table, drinking coffee and eating takeout while perusing their laptops.

  “Hey, have any of you heard from Rachel tonight?”

  Phipps and Cyndy shook their heads, while Drake scooted back from the table.

  “No. She said she was going to her room to eat and do some research on her computer. I haven’t heard from her since four or five o’clock.” Drake saw the concern on Mike’s face. “Why, what’s up?”

  “Probably nothing, but I’ve been trying to call her for the last hour, and her cell phone is turned off. No answer on her room phone or at her door, either.”

  “What about Red? Maybe she went to his room,” Drake suggested.

  Mike shook his head. “Tried that, too. Do you have his cell number?”

  Drake picked up his phone and scrolled through the numbers until he found it. He pressed the dial button and speakerphone. The phone rang twice and went to voice mail. He left a message for Red to return his call.

  “I don’t like it that neither of them is answering and can’t be located.”

  “Knowing Rachel, they’re probably…” Drake paused for a second. “Oh shit.”

  “What?” Mike asked.

  “She better not have.” He stood up and grabbed his jacket.

  “What is it?” Mike asked again, getting irritated.

  “We had a disagreement earlier in the day about Asylum Harbor. She wanted to go again on her own, and I told her that wasn’t a good idea. I bet she went anyway.”

  “That’s what I wanted to talk to everyone about. The DEA and Coast Guard are going in at three o’clock this morning with a warrant to search the place. The SeaStar is supposed to be docking there, and we’re doing a raid.”

  Drake looked at the clock on the wall. It was almost 9:00. She had a three- or four-hour jump-start on them. “She’s probably already there. Do you have a boat we can use?�
��

  Mike waved his hand. “Let’s go.”

  CHAPTER 46

  Rachel led the way down a sandy path through the island. Luck, for once, was with them—they didn’t need their flashlights because the moon lit the way through the maze of trails.

  “I feel like we’re going in circles,” Stacy said. “Everything looks familiar.”

  Red stopped to check his compass. “Nope. We’re good. Still heading south toward Cabana Cay.”

  “We should be getting close to the main area of Asylum Harbor, where the residences are located,” Rachel whispered. “I’m surprised that we haven’t been detected by any of their security team.”

  “Maybe they don’t really have any security.” Stacy swatted a mosquito on her arm.

  “They have security. We just haven’t seen them yet,” Red said.

  “Did you hear that?” Rachel asked.

  They stopped and listened. “What?” Stacy whispered.

  “Music. Coming from over there.” Rachel pointed toward a path that branched off to the right. “We must be close to the main house.”

  “Let’s check it out.” Red headed toward the music.

  They stopped when they got closer and hid behind a grove of trees. A group of men sat around a fire pit, drinking and listening to music. Rachel counted six of them. The men seemed to be having a good time.

  Red tapped her on the shoulder and pointed to the ground. They’d stacked their rifles next to them.

  “Some security,” Stacy muttered under her breath.

  A tiny voice spoke up from behind them. “They always do this the night before the ship comes in.”

  Rachel almost jumped out of her skin. They whirled around to find a young boy standing in front them holding a gun.

  Rachel looked him over. He appeared to be about eleven or twelve years old. He wore baggy camo shorts and a torn, dirty white T-shirt. His feet were bare. She held out her hands to show she wasn’t carrying a weapon. The boy looked warily back and forth between her and Red.

  “Who are you?” Rachel kept her voice low. She looked back toward the men, but they hadn’t heard them—yet.

  “The question is, who are you guys?” The young boy spoke in a heavy Bahamian accent.

  Rachel tried to remain calm. She’d come too far to find Amber to get in trouble now.

  “My name is Rachel.” She thought about lying to the boy and sticking to the story about their boat being stranded. But she decided to go with the truth. “We’re looking for a missing girl. Have you seen her?”

  The young boy studied her for a few seconds. “There is no girl on the island. You need to go back to your boat.”

  Rachel looked at Red and he nodded for her to continue. “What is your name?”

  He hesitated for a minute before replying, “Benji.”

  “Okay, Benji. This girl is in trouble. She has a family that misses her. If you know anything, anything at all—”

  Her words were interrupted by gunfire.

  CHAPTER 47

  “It’s okay,” Shawn said when he felt Amber tense up beside him. “It’s just my buddy, Andy. We worked together on the SeaStar. He’s going to help us escape.”

  Andy jumped in the back of the ATV and they took off. The ride was bumpy and Amber held on for dear life. She could see the moonlight glistening off the water in front of them.

  “Please explain to me what’s going on,” Amber demanded.

  “My real name is Shawn. I work for the DEA. I’ve been undercover on the SeaStar for the last few months.” Shawn gauged her expression as he came clean. “The guy who attacked us works for the owner of the cruise line. Somehow my cover was blown.”

  Shawn stopped the ATV a few hundred yards from the shoreline and let them out. Then he rolled the vehicle into the heavy foliage, hiding it behind some dense undergrowth. “We’ll walk from here. Be careful, and stay close to me. This is our only shot to get away.”

  “Where were you all this time? How did you escape?” Amber was still curious as to how all this came to happen.

  Shawn put his finger up to his mouth. “Shhh. We need to be quiet. I’ll fill you in on the details later.” Just then, a roar of vehicles split the night sky. “They found us! Hurry! We’ve got to run!”

  They sprinted toward the beach. Amber was glad for the time she’d spent working out in her room.

  “That’s our boat!” Andy pointed to a dark shape lying on the shoreline.

  Amber pumped her legs as fast as she could, but running on sand was exhausting. Her ankle throbbed and she was already breathless.

  Shots rang out. Amber felt a bullet whiz by her head. Panic clenched in her throat.

  “Go! Go! Go!” Andy yelled as Amber took a flying leap into the boat.

  “Get down and stay down!” Shawn pushed her head down with one hand and started pushing the boat into the water with the other. Andy shoved from the other side and the boat headed away from shore. More bullets whizzed over their heads.

  They jumped in the boat at the same time and Andy cranked the motor. The engine caught and Andy threw open the throttle. The small boat wasn’t built for speed, but it churned into the waves, jolting Amber against the hull.

  Amber couldn’t catch her breath. She was in full panic mode. She realized that she and Josh/Shawn were now making their second escape in another boat. First, the cruise ship. Now this. She felt like she was having déjà vu.

  “Where are we going?” She tilted her head to the side, still afraid to sit up.

  “There’s a private island just a few miles west of here. We could make that.” Andy peered behind him to gauge how much of a head start they had gotten.

  Shawn looked behind them, squinting in the darkness to see what kind of distance they’d put between themselves and the shooters. “Why not Freeport?”

  “Too far. We’ll never make it. Those guys have bigger boats and more firepower. If we make it to the private island, maybe we can find help,” Andy said as he steered the bouncing boat through the dark waters. “It’s our only option at this point.”

  “If we make it?” Amber couldn’t believe this was happening. One moment she was planning her escape from Nurse Judy, and the next she was being rescued—again—by Josh McCain. Or Shawn. Whatever his name is.

  “They’re gaining!” Shawn yelled. “Let’s go!”

  “We’re at full power! I told you this was a crapshoot,” Andy said. The boat was one that Cabana Cay let the passengers use to cruise around the island. It was an eighteen-footer, much smaller compared to the larger cabin cruisers that the island security crew was chasing them with.

  Their pursuers had stopped shooting, and Amber took a chance of looking up. She could see a couple of larger boats coming up fast behind them. One had a spotlight trained on their wake. We’ll never lose these guys, she thought. Her anxiety was hitting at an all-time high.

  “How much farther?” she shouted.

  “Another five minutes, maybe,” Andy yelled.

  Looking at the boats closing in on them, she shouted back, “We don’t have five minutes!”

  “She’s right,” Shawn agreed with her. “In about two minutes, we’re toast.”

  Amber looked at Shawn, hoping and praying he had an answer. The situation looked very bleak. She wondered if she would ever see her parents again.

  “Andy, we have to go to Plan B.” Shawn kept his eye on her.

  “Plan B?” she asked.

  “Yeah. When I say go, Andy will start shooting at them. When they’re distracted, you and I’ll jump from the boat. They can’t chase down all of us.” He looked toward the shore. It was still a few hundred feet away. “Think you can swim that far?”

  “Yeah, I think so,” Amber said.

  “See those faint lights on the coastline?”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  “Swim fast and furious toward there. Don’t look back and don’t wait for us. When you get to shore, don’t rest. Hightail it to the nearest house. Find a
phone and call for help. Then hide.”

  She took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself.

  “Jump out to the left and swim hard. Out of the way of the boats. You can do it. I’ll be right behind you.”

  Andy yelled, “You gotta go. Ready?” He took aim for the boat right behind them.

  “Ready.”

  Andy fired, and their pursuers fired back. But this time, Amber went overboard.

  CHAPTER 48

  Stephanie did not like being told what to do. And she did not like sitting around, especially while Rachel and the others went off to search. So when Vance went to relieve himself in the bushes, she took off at a sprint. She didn’t know where she was going or what she’d find out. All she cared about was for once doing something—anything—to help her daughter.

  She decided to go in a different direction than Rachel’s group had taken and ran down another path that led away from the beach. Before long, she reached a row of houses that she assumed was the employee housing that Rachel had talked about earlier. If Amber was being held anywhere, Stephanie bet it would be in one of those residences. She didn’t have a plan, but she was always a fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants kind of gal. Her only goal was to get Amber away from this place in one piece.

  All the houses looked dark and vacant, and she didn’t hear any noises. She tentatively approached the first house. Either everyone went to sleep early, or Rachel was wrong, and no one stayed here overnight while the ship was at sea.

  The first house was locked. She walked quietly across the deck and peeked in the window. A curtain was open and the inside was pitch black. She didn’t hear anything.

  She moved on to the next house. That house was also locked. The curtains were closed and she didn’t hear any noise. It was too quiet, she thought as a chill ran down her spine. She turned around to make her way across the deck and back down the stairs and stared straight into the barrel of a gun.