by Jaden Skye
A sudden flash of lightning lit up the sky then, accompanied by a clap of thunder. The very next moment Abby flew into the room.
“It’s all out there on the news,” Abby cried. “I just saw it. They’re showing pictures of Raine and asking for anyone who has seen her to contact the police immediately. Oh my God! This is real, it’s happening!”
Olivia wished she could have seen the broadcast.
“What are you going to do, Olivia?” Abby went on. “Go to Sean’s house now? Or stay here with us until the rain lets up?”
As the rain poured harder, Olivia’s phone suddenly lit up with a text from Wayne. The timing couldn’t be more perfect, she thought.
Where are you? Have to speak to you! On my way up to Miami tonight. Let’s get together and debrief first thing tomorrow!
What did he want to talk to her about? He must have found something.
Great. Tomorrow morning is perfect, Olivia texted back.
Abby slipped up close behind Olivia. “Why not stop in for a few minutes at Sean’s before you go back to the hotel?” she repeated. “I’m sure it would help them to have you there.”
It had been a long day and Olivia wanted to get back to her hotel. She’d already spoken with Sean that morning.
“Sloane’s there, too,” Abby added. “Just drop in and say hello to her. Let her know you’re working the case.”
Olivia paused for a moment. There was an urgency about Abby’s request that didn’t go unnoticed. “Okay, I’ll call them now and tell them I’m coming,” she replied.
“No, don’t call.” Abby bristled. “Just go drop in on them. It’s a better idea.”
*
Olivia drove in the pouring rain to Sean’s home through streets that were mostly empty. When she pulled up at the driveway, to her surprise, the house seemed dark and forbidding. The lights were barely on and the rain pounded harshly on the rooftop.
Olivia slipped out of her car and fled through the wind up to the front entrance. She rang the bell fiercely several times before a voluptuous young woman with long, thick golden brown hair and huge dark eyes answered. The young woman looked out the door, alarmed.
“Who’s there?” she uttered.
“Olivia Wells,” Olivia answered as the young woman kept staring at her.
“Can I come in?” Olivia had to ask.
The young woman opened the door slightly and Olivia rushed in out of the rain.
“For a second I thought it was Raine,” the young woman breathed. “We’re not expecting anyone else now.”
This had to be Sloane, thought Olivia. “Are you Sloane?”
“Yes, I am. Who told you?” Sloane’s eyes fluttered. “Why are you here?”
“I thought I could be of help,” said Olivia.
“Come back tomorrow, not now,” Sloane spoke rapidly. “It’s been a hard afternoon and things are just settling down. Raine’s mom has finally gotten Clea to sleep. She’s in the den now, resting. Sean is answering one email after another.”
“I can only imagine,” breathed Olivia.
Sloane seemed to calm down a bit then. “There’s nothing for you to do here now anyway,” she assured Olivia.
“It’s good of you to stay here with everybody,” said Olivia.
Sloane shrugged it off. “Where else would I be?” she answered. “This happened because of my party!”
Olivia wanted to say it wasn’t her fault, but held back any comment. Sloane was interesting and she wanted to learn more about her.
“Call tomorrow morning,” Sloane suggested then. “Everyone will be more rested. It’s a better time.”
“Fine,” Olivia agreed. Then, as an afterthought, she turned back to Sloane. “Can I give you a lift back home? It’s hard driving out there.”
“No thanks.” Sloane tossed her long hands in front of her face impatiently, as if pushing Olivia away. “It’s enough, go home. I’m staying here tonight, anyway.”
“Really? Why?”
Sloane was offended. Her eyes opened wide. “Why not?” she answered, briskly. “They need me here. You have a problem with it? Too bad for you.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Back in her hotel room Olivia quickly called Wayne to make arrangements for tomorrow morning. She couldn’t shake the strange feeling she’d had from meeting Sloane, though. After she and Wayne set a time for the next day, Olivia mentioned it.
“It’s not that I have an actual problem with Sloane,” said Olivia, “it’s just that the house had a dark, hollow feeling, as if something terrible had happened there.”
“Of course it has,” Wayne answered. “Why wouldn’t it? Someone has gone missing from it. Reality is hitting, fear is rising. It’s to be expected. It’s best for you to get some rest now. You’ve had an incredibly long day. The storm’s supposed to let up in a few hours. The flights should be back up without any problem. Before you know it, I’ll be there. You don’t have to handle all this alone.”
When they hung up the phone Olivia felt incredibly grateful for Wayne’s help. Of course, she couldn’t do this alone. And she didn’t have to. She finally felt like part of a team, doing something that mattered more than anyone could say. A rush of respect and admiration for Wayne and the work hit her. Olivia knew she had to contact the folks back at work and let them know when she was returning. There was no way she could leave in the middle of this, though. That much she knew at least. A big decision lay in front of her and she was eager to speak with Wayne first and hear what he had to say!
*
When Olivia awoke the next morning, the storm had subsided. As she looked out of her hotel window, the aftereffects were scattered helter-skelter on the ground. Broken twigs, branches, and assorted objects were strewn everywhere. Thankfully the storm was over now and Wayne would arrive soon. Once again, Olivia wondered exactly why he was coming to Miami. She was eager to find out and also to tell him all she’d discovered up to now.
Olivia dressed slowly, choosing a lime green flowered dress, open white sandals, and a necklace of hand-painted seashells, delicately strung together. She loved wearing beautiful colors and prints. It lifted her spirits, fortified her. Often it felt like a defense against the upcoming struggles of the day.
Just as Olivia put the last touches on her makeup, Wayne called to say he was on the way. He would pick her up in the lobby in a few minutes. Olivia was glad to hear that, looked forward to seeing him again.
She went right down to wait in the lobby and in a little while Wayne walked in. When Olivia saw him, she was taken aback. Wayne was dressed in a navy sports jacket, his usually tousled hair perfectly brushed back from his face. Filled with energy, focus, and purpose, he almost looked as though he’d stepped off the cover of a magazine.
“Good to see you,” was the first thing Wayne said as he approached Olivia. “You look terrific today. Detective work must be agreeing with you.”
“Thanks,” Olivia answered lightly, thinking exactly the same thing about him.
“Let’s go now.” Wayne was right on it. “I’ve got the car waiting out front and have made reservations at LaPlaine. It’s a fun restaurant near the beach where we won’t be rushed.”
Olivia smiled briefly as she walked quickly beside him out of the hotel and into his car.
“How’s it going?” she asked as the car pulled out into the street.
“It’s going. I’ll tell you more when we get there,” he said as he started to wind in and out between traffic.
“Slow down a little,” Olivia suggested. “We want to get there in one piece.”
Wayne smiled. “I’ve got a bunch of things lined up for the trip. I want to get there as fast as I can so we have as much time as needed for brunch.”
*
LaPlaine was a five-star restaurant, situated close to the shore. The place was both high end and filled with beachfront simplicity. As soon as Olivia and Wayne entered, they were directed to a table in the front, overlooking both gardens and sand.
> “What a beautiful spot,” said Olivia, looking at the large array of hanging plants. Music was piped in and a television in the far corner, a bit away from them, was on with the news of the day.
“I’ve been here a few times,” said Wayne as they took their seats. “The food’s terrific too.”
“Thanks for all your help, Wayne,” Olivia offered.
“No, thank you,” he responded as they picked up their menus. “You’re a real trouper and I appreciate it.”
After ordering, they relaxed a bit and looked at each other. A soft ocean breeze that blew in from the open window was both refreshing and comforting. Olivia still felt a bit nervous being here with Wayne, though. Everything was different now.
“Okay, you go first,” Wayne started. “Tell me what you’ve got so far.”
Olivia was relieved to jump right in. “I talked to Abby, a good friend of Raine’s, and also to Raine’s father. Raine definitely had developed a gambling addiction. It’s been going on for a while, too.”
Wayne listened attentively.
“It seems that originally, Raine’s father paid her gambling debts,” Olivia continued. “Then he had enough and wanted Sean to take them over.”
“And did he?” asked Wayne, fascinated.
“From what I heard Sean refused. I’m not sure he knew about the addiction, though, and also not sure who has been picking up Raine’s tab since then.”
“It’s urgent that we find this out,” Wayne commented. “If not Sean, who could it be? And also, who does she owe money to?”
“Her current lender is a man named Alan Dupris,” Olivia promptly reported.
“Dupris, Dupris, I’ve heard that name,” Wayne muttered.
“He’s a big player in the casino world,” Olivia continued.
“That’s it! Exactly! You’re good, Olivia, you’re fantastic.” Wayne began to take notes as she spoke. “We’ll get right on this guy immediately. What else?”
“I stopped briefly at Sean’s house last night, as I told you on the phone,” Olivia continued. “Raine’s mother was there, along with Raine’s friend Sloane, the bride-to-be.”
“You mentioned that you felt strange about Sloane last night, as I recall?” Wayne said.
“Yes, I did,” said Olivia, glad that he remembered. “She’s beautiful, like the rest of them, but she seemed extremely nervous. Actually, she couldn’t get me out of there fast enough.”
“Why?”
“Good question,” said Olivia. “It was late, pouring rain, and Sloane said Raine’s mother had just gotten the child to sleep and was resting in the den. Sean was poring over emails, and it would be better to talk to them in the morning.”
“Did you?” asked Wayne.
“No, not yet,” said Olivia. “I wanted to talk to you first.”
“Good,” Wayne replied. “I’ve also been researching the family. Seems there’s a lot of bad blood between Raine’s mother and Sean. The mother’s supposed to be really off-beat. She has a much younger boyfriend and Sean can’t stand her. He’s embarrassed about it. He’s a pretty uptight guy.”
“Why else do they have all this bad blood?” Olivia asked.
“I believe Sean was a wedge between Raine and her mother. Kept them apart. When the baby was born and Raine had all that trouble, Sean had no choice but to call the mother for help. He needed her then.”
Olivia made a sour face as the waiter brought their food and laid it down before them. Both of them looked at their plates, but neither took a bite.
“It’s an old story with in-laws,” Wayne continued. “Happens all the time. I don’t think it amounts to much of anything.”
Wayne spoke with such authority that Olivia wondered if he’d ever been married. There was no ring on his finger now, so she also wondered if he’d ever been divorced.
“You didn’t happen to have a rough mother-in-law yourself?” Olivia asked, suddenly playful.
Wayne laughed unexpectedly. “Never got quite that far,” he said, with a flashing smile. “After Kalie and I got engaged, her mother pulled out all the stops. She made things a living hell for us and Kalie buckled to everything her mom wanted.”
“Her mother broke you up?” Olivia was aghast. “That must have been hard for you.”
Wayne rubbed his forehead. “Actually, it was good. I thought it would be awful, but it wasn’t. Once it was over I was relieved and tremendously grateful to have seen what I did about Kalie before we walked down the aisle.”
“Sounds like you dodged a bullet,” said Olivia.
“I’d certainly say so,” Wayne replied.
Olivia was glad to know more about Wayne’s personal life. “Thanks for sharing this with me,” she said.
“Sure thing,” Wayne replied. “It’s easy to talk to you. And besides, I know what you’ve just been through with Todd.”
Olivia felt a sense of sorrow suddenly come over her at the mention of Todd’s name.
Wayne looked at Olivia oddly. “I wouldn’t be so sad about him, either, if I were you. He’s definitely not worth it. We’ve recently found out much more about him.”
Olivia bristled, upset by Wayne’s comment. “Todd’s just lost his life,” she responded crisply. “Whatever he did, he paid the price for it.”
“Todd’s life left a lot of people hurt and scarred.” Wayne seemed compelled to speak. “In the past few days, Rhonda decided to spill the beans.”
“Rhonda’s trying to defend herself,” Olivia retorted.
“Sure she is,” Wayne answered swiftly. “But everything she’s told us has checked out. Not only was Todd two-timing you, he did it in the past to lots of women. The guy left a trail of broken hearts and empty pocketbooks behind.”
Olivia suddenly felt heartsick. “A professional con?”
“I would say so,” Wayne replied, “but don’t be too hard on yourself. The best and brightest women get taken in by con men all the time. The ones with the kindest hearts.”
That didn’t make Olivia feel any better. It was almost impossible to relate her experience of Todd to what she’d found out about him since he’d died. The disparity made her doubt herself and her perceptions. Had she been living her life half blind, lost in some kind of fantasy? Doing the work she was engaged in now, looking for clues, searching people’s motives and listening carefully to what everyone said, made her feel more grounded. It began to correct her confusion about Todd.
“Todd was also involved in a smuggling scheme,” Wayne continued. “He was stealing from people and stashing the money in weird places. No question, he was definitely some kind of psychopath.”
Olivia’s heart started beating harder. This was certainly not what she wanted to hear. “Okay, but he’s gone now, it’s over,” she insisted.
“It’s not over until you let it be.” Wayne wouldn’t let it go. “You’ve got to see the whole picture. You’re still carrying a torch for the guy. It’s all over your face when I mention his name. You’re still hanging on, grieving. But please, don’t waste another precious second of your life thinking of him.”
Wayne was keen and perceptive and Olivia couldn’t pretend everything he said wasn’t spot on.
“Go take a bite of brunch,” Wayne encouraged her. “You’re doing great, you’re down here working a case and the truth is, you’re indispensable! We need you here, Olivia. If you wanted to, with a little training, you could easily join us on the force.”
Olivia was startled to hear that. “Really?”
“I can’t see why not,” Wayne repeated.
But did Olivia want that? Was this life for her for the long run?
“Thank you, Wayne,” she murmured. “But I’m not at all sure what’s coming next.”
“Okay, eat your brunch,” he insisted as he took a bite of his. “There’s a lot for both of us to handle right here, right now. After you first talk to all of the women at Raine’s party, I’m going to meet each one briefly. After that, I’ll bring them all down to Key West to tal
k to them all on the record.”
“Is that why you came up to Miami?” Olivia asked.
“That and several other reasons. I’m hot on the money trail and have to talk both to Sean and to some people at the casino up here. If you want you can come with me.”
“I do want to. I’d like that,” said Olivia. “
“Great.” Wayne was pleased. “After brunch I have a quick meeting, then we’ll go to the casino together. I’ll talk to Dupris and other money people there. You can talk to those who knew Raine as a regular and find out more about her. I also came up to talk to Raine’s mother and see what she can add.”
“How about Lorna?” Olivia couldn’t help but ask. “Where is she?”
“Funny that you ask that,” Wayne replied. “Right now she’s joined one of the search teams out in the field. Lorna’s also been busy posting pictures, organizing locals to join in, and arranging other ways to get the word out.”
“She’s a great partner,” Olivia commented.
“In her own way she definitely is,” Wayne responded, as suddenly the sound of the TV in the corner grew louder.
“Breaking news!” the announcer boomed and the screen flashed. “Search teams are out searching for a beautiful, young Miami mother who’s gone missing in Key West.” The reporter’s tone was urgent.
“Oh my God, look at that.” Olivia stood up to see better. “News about Raine!”
Wayne jumped up as well. “Great,” he said, thrilled to see it. “I did everything I could to get this on the air.”
“Search teams are spread out all over, searching for the victim,” the reporter went on.
Photos of Lorna with others plowing through lowlands and bush then came up on the screen.
“There’s Lorna!” Olivia exclaimed.
“Tough woman,” Wayne commented. “If anyone can find anything she will.”
To Olivia’s amazement, next came a close-up of a reporter talking to Sean. This must have been shot when he was up in Miami. Sean looked exhausted and teary-eyed, barely was able to answer the questions being thrust at him.
