Kari Lee Townsend - Sunny Meadows 04 - Perish in the Palm

by Kari Lee Townsend

  “I hate to break it to you, Captain Jack, but pirates by their very nature are thieves,” Jo pointed out. “Savvy?”

  “I’ve waited and searched for decades, only having this one piece of the map,” he went on, ignoring her. “I had thought the rest was lost long ago. When you found the rest of the map,” he gestured to me, “my hope to discover what was rightfully mine was renewed. I had to have the rest. In all honestly, that map belonged to me as well. So it was just and right that I take back what was mine.”

  “You really are crazy,” Zoe whispered.

  “I am not crazy!” Jack shouted, and we all jumped.

  “Okay, okay,” I held my hands, “take it easy. You’re not crazy. Just a little upset, and rightfully so by the sounds of it.” I glanced at the other two, hoping they caught my drift.

  “Absolutely, I mean I would be upset, too, if I were you,” Zoe added, thankfully leaving off the arrrgh I knew she wanted to growl. Jo was bad enough to deal with in a tense situation like this.

  “So tell me, mate,” Jo said. “If you have the whole map, then you must know where X marks the spot is, and all that jazz. Why do you need us?”

  “Because there’s nothing there.” He looked at me. “I was hoping you would have one of your visions, but you haven’t. As I said, I don’t like hurting women, but I don’t need any loose ends either. I’m thinking you three met an unfortunate demise in the rising river. Or maybe the wolves and bears got to you during the night.”

  “Honey, if I don’t make it back by happy hour, you’re gonna have to deal with something much scarier than a wolf or a bear,” Jo said.

  “Sasquatch,” I seconded, nodding. “Trust me, you don’t want to deal with her husband when he’s all riled up.”

  “Then I suggest you don’t rile me.” Jack cocked his gun.

  “What do you want me to do?” I asked calmly, sensing this teddy bear could turn into a grizzly if provoked.

  “Come with me to the cave and see if you can find anything.”

  “And what if she can’t?” Jo asked point blank.

  He narrowed his eyes, looking scarier by the minute. “You better pray she does.”

  “Oh, yeah. He’s beyond crazy. The man’s downright delusional,” Zoe muttered beneath her breath, but I heard her.

  Thank God Captain Jack didn’t.

  ***

  Hours later we had searched everywhere in a cave at the base of a hill beside the river. Jack had dug countless holes with no luck. He was happy to be our muscle, so long as it served his purpose.

  “Where is it?” he growled, growing more and more impatient as the day wore on, his obsession mounting because this was the closest he had come to realizing a lifelong dream. It wouldn’t take much to push him over the edge.

  “I-I’m trying,” I said. “I can’t seem to pick up anything in here.”

  “That’s because you’re a fraud.” He thrust his shovel at me, his gun tucked into the back of his jeans within easy grasp.

  I knew what Jo was thinking. If only she’d brought her pistol. She’d had her pistol permit for years, and was one of the best marksman at her gun club. I could see her fingers twitch, itching to get her hands on his weapon.

  Sasquatch really was going to kill him if anything bad happened to her or their unborn cub.

  I had to do something quick. “Maybe I’ve been approaching this all wrong,” I said. “Maybe the person I need to read is you.” I pointed to Jack. “You’re related to the creator of the map, after all.”

  He stilled, and I could see his brain working overtime. Finally, he nodded. “You two.” He pointed to Jo and Zoe. “Keep digging.” He tossed his shovel at them and faced me. “This had better work.”

  “I’ll try my best,” I responded and then looked around.

  The cave was deep and dark and cold. We had left our torch in the tunnel, but Jack was prepared. He had brought along matches and knew his way around starting a fire. He’d lit the fire pit he’d created the last time he’d been here, right after he’d stolen the map from me and had searched for the treasure on his own. Light and warmth had flooded the immediate area. Further out was a bit creepy and chilly, but it would keep my friends safe.

  “Over here,” I said, choosing a spot.

  He sat where I told him to. “Now what?”

  “Well, since I don’t have any of my tools with me,” because you ruined them all, I wanted to say, “I will have to read your palms.”

  “Whatever,” he said, “just make sure it works.”

  “You’ll have to unbandage your hand.”

  He did as I requested, and I bit back a gasp. Morty had done a number on him, even through the gloves he had worn when he’d broken into my house. Red scratches that looked bone deep had sliced across the back of his hand. The same hand that had hit me on the head, I realized. It looked like he needed stitches, but he probably didn’t want to raise any red flags so he obviously hadn’t gone. Morty was my real savior. My heart softened just thinking about him, but I had a job to do now.

  Inhaling a deep breath, I told Jack to hold his hands out, and he complied. I took his hands in mine to study his palms, but I didn’t have to. Immediately upon touching his hands, I was transported back in time.

  “He’s coming,” I said again, picking up where Peirce’s reading had left off. “I am once again in the body of the old man. I’m at the root cellar and then traveling through the tunnels, dodging bats and swiping away cobwebs, my wooden leg thumping along painfully. Finally I emerge where the girls and I did this morning. I feel frantic and exhausted, looking for a place to hide my bounty.

  It feels like I have traveled for hours. I’m thirsty, and tired, and my leg hurts above the wooden peg I’ve been cursed with for many years. This life is harsh. I always knew it would catch up with me one day, but everything I do is for my family and the future Shepards so that they won’t waste their lives searching for more. Searching for something more leads to an unsatisfied life where nothing is ever good enough.

  I see the perfect spot. A cave in the side of a hill by the river. I will bury my treasure here and leave a map where my loved ones can find it. I make my way inside the cave and sit my weary body down and pull out parchment paper. Drawing out the treasure map, a sense of peace comes over me. But the peace is short-lived.

  He’s here.

  I scramble to my feet. No, it’s not fair. I didn’t have enough time to finish my quest. He’s found me. He knocks me to the ground, takes my treasure, and rips the map from my hands. I am so weak. I cannot fight back. With one final blow, I start to lose consciousness and know this is the end. I will die here, and my family will do without. I have failed them all. As the breath leaves my lungs for the last time, I stare at my enemy, my killer …

  My brother.”

  “No!” Jack yanked his hands from mine.

  I jerked back to the present, wiping away the tears that were streaming down my face. Every time I did a reading, I became the person in my vision, experiencing all of their emotions. Frustration, pain, and betrayal of the worst kind had been the last feelings Jack Shepard’s ancestor had felt.

  “I’m so sorry,” was all I could say.

  “You lie. It’s all a lie.” Jack surged to his feet, pain and anguish showering his face. “My ancestor’s brother could not have stolen the treasure and killed him. It is written that he was so overcome with grief, he moved away and no one ever saw him again.”

  “It’s true. He stole the treasure, killed his brother, buried the map and ripped off a piece of it as a clue to give you all as false hope. Then he ran off with the goods, never to be seen or heard from again. The Theodores didn’t wrong your ancestor or you. Your ancestor’s brother did. I felt it all. His pain, his anger, his sadness … in the worst betrayal imaginable, hence the life of a pirate. I really am so sorry.”

  “You’re sorry, all right. You’re going to be more than sorry by the time I’m done with you. How could you lie to me like that? Yo
u’re no psychic. You’re a sick and twisted fraud who prays on the emotions of the vulnerable. I won’t let you win.” He lunged at me, and I screamed for all I was worth, rolling to the side just in time.

  “Not so fast, Captain Jack,” Jo ground out and cocked his gun. She’d snuck up behind him while he was in an emotionally enraged state and distracted.

  He had face-planted into a rock, then rolled over, looking startled. He reached for the back of his pants. “My gun.”

  “That’s right, Coco Loco,” Zoe said, holding the shovel like a weapon. “Now someone’s finally starting to make some sense. I’m thinking you were right all along. You’re not crazy, you’re just stupid.”

  I joined the girls, standing three strong over him while he lay flat on his back, looking floored. “I’m sorry, Mr. Shepard, but you’re the one who is wrong. You have been living a lie your entire life. Your ancestor risked everything to stop the next generation from throwing their lives away in wanting something more. And you, my friend, sadly did exactly that. You’re no better than his brother.”

  “Women or not, I will kill you all,” Jack ground out.

  “Like you did Peirce Theodore?” Zoe stated.

  “I have hated the Theodores my entire life, but I didn’t kill Peirce.”

  “Save it for the judge,” Jo said. “If you’re still alive that is. If I miss happy hour, I’ll kill you myself.”

  Chapter 24

  “Thank you,” my mother said with rare emotion lacing her voice as she hugged me—actually wrapped her arms around me and hugged me hard—the next morning at the Divinity Hotel.

  “You’re welcome.” I hugged her back tightly, trying to show her what I never seemed to be able to say. After a moment of just standing there in an embrace and slowly rocking back and forth, we broke apart. “I didn’t do it alone, of course.”

  “Well, of course not, darling. Everyone knows that. You couldn’t have done anything without Joanne and Zoe’s help. Those two are such gems. You’d do well to hang onto them.” My mother brushed imaginary lint off her perfect suit coat, looking more like the mother I knew and admittedly loved.

  I let out a little chuckle and just shook my head. I knew the truth about how she really felt, and that was enough. “Oh, don’t you worry. They aren’t going anywhere. Not to mention I have Mitch in my corner.”

  “Ah, yes, Detective Stone.” My father stepped forward and shook his hand. “I’m counting on you to take care of our girl. We owe you a debt of gratitude for arresting that scoundrel. To think the groundskeeper almost got away with murder and sent my lovely Vivian to prison.” He shuddered. “I fear this old heart wouldn’t have been able to handle that.”

  “All I did was arrest him. Your daughter and her friends are the ones who brought him out of the woods, proving they are more than capable of taking care of themselves.” Mitch squeezed my hand. “I’m very proud of her. In fact, I couldn’t have solved this case without her help.”

  And this is why I love him, I thought. He always had my back. I smiled up at him, trying to show my gratitude, and he winked.

  “What happens now?” Granny Gert asked, passing around a tray of celebratory cookies in red, white and blue, in the name of truth and justice for all. Or at least that is what she’d said with a boys oh day thrown in to boot.

  “Now we head into the station and finish the paperwork to clear your daughter’s name.” Mitch looked at Vivian. “You, Mrs. Meadows, are a free woman.”

  My mother inhaled a discreet but noticeably deep breath, and my father slipped his arm around her, giving her a gentle squeeze of support. My father smiled at Chuck Webb in thanks for putting up with them. Chuck nodded to my father, ignored my mother, and crossed their name out of his register with obvious glee.

  “There you two are,” Mitch said as Wendy Statham and Jason Shank brought their things to the front desk to check out. “I just wanted to let you both know you’re all set. I cleared it with the captain. You can leave town any time now, and I thank you both for your patience and cooperation during this investigation.”

  “No problem, dude,” Jason said. “It wasn’t so bad. I made some new contacts, and that’s always a good thing.” He nodded at Wendy. “Keep in touch.” He picked up his suitcase, waved to the rest of us, and headed out the door.

  “Are you sure we can’t convince you to stay,” Granny Gert said to Wendy. “Between your cakes and my cookies, we could rule this pop stand.”

  Wendy smiled fondly at Granny. “As tempting as that is, I need to get back to my life. I still have so much to do. But if I find out I don’t have a job left back in the city, I just might take you up on your offer. Thank you so much for all your help in finding me a place to work while I was here.” She hugged her.

  “Don’t you worry about your job,” my mother said. “I know your boss well. And I will definitely be recommending you and Mr. Shank to everyone I know.”

  “I don’t know what to say,” Wendy said, emotion clogging her throat. “How will I ever pay you back?”

  “I’m sure you’ll find a way.” My mother winked.

  “I’ll certainly try.” Wendy nodded, waved to us all, and then left the hotel.

  We grabbed our things and followed Mitch to the police station. The sooner my hunky detective cleared my mother’s name, the sooner they would leave, the sooner we could get on with our lives…

  The sooner I could propose.

  ***

  Later that day I sat on the back enclosed sun porch with Mitch, watching the sun sink lower in the sky, reflecting various shades of red, gold, orange, and yellow. He’d built this addition soon after moving in, and it had become a favorite spot of ours. Morty refused to enter this area of the house, probably because he knew it belonged to Mitch, which was fine by me. I was just glad Mitch had begun to put his stamp on this place so he could start to feel like it was home. Soon the sun would set and night would be upon us. There wasn’t a cloud in sight. I knew the stars would be sparkling bright in an inky sky.

  The perfect setting to propose.

  “What’s on your mind?” Mitch slipped his arm around me as we rocked in the porch swing.

  “Listen.”

  “I don’t hear anything.”

  “That’s the point. The sound of silence.” I sighed dreamily. “It has never sounded so good.”

  “No Morty, no Granny, no drama … I have to say I agree with you.” He chuckled, and I snuggled into him.

  “I know it hasn’t been easy for you, giving up everything and moving in with me.” I looked up at him and stared deeply into his dark, stormy eyes. “I hope you know how much it means to me. How much you mean to me.”

  “I do,” he said.

  It was a sign.

  If I didn’t jump in with both feet and propose now, I probably wouldn’t get up the courage again. “You know I love you, right?”

  He drew his brows together curiously, his lips tipping up slightly. “Yes.” He lowered his head and kissed me softly. “I hope you know I love you, too.”

  “I do,” I said.

  “Good.” He pulled me onto his lap and started tipping me back into the cushions. “Now that we’ve settled that, how about I show you just how much.”

  I rested my hands on his chest to halt him. “As much as I would love to take you up on that, there’s something I want to ask you.”

  He groaned, pressing his forehead against mine. “You’re killing me, Tink.” He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, and then sat back up. “Shoot,” he said.

  And just like that, with one simple word as the trigger, I was hit with a vision.

  My parents had said their goodbyes and insisted on taking a cab to the airport. It had been easier to agree than to try to change their minds. I could see them sitting in the back seat of a cab, but I couldn’t see the driver through the divider. They were talking to each other about their plans for the future, when my father paused and looked out the window.

  He told the driver this
was the wrong way to the airport. The driver ignored him and kept driving. My mother insisted the driver stop at once, but the driver refused. I could feel their fear as the driver kept going on an unknown route with an obvious agenda. Finally the cab pulled off onto an old dirt road into the woods. I recognized the area. It was out beyond the inn. The cab finally stopped, the driver got out, and pulled out a gun.

  “No!” I yelled.

  “Sunny.” Mitch shook me gently, snapping me back to the present. He looked in my eyes with alarm. “What’s wrong?”

  “We have to go now.” I stared at him with a haunted gaze.

  “Where?”

  “Back to the woods behind the inn,” I said with certainty, jumping up and racing to the foyer and grabbing my coat.

  “Why?” he asked, following my lead while grabbing his coat and badge and gun along the way.

  I stopped at the door, took a shaky breath, and turned to him. “Because the killer’s still out there. My parents are about to die, and I know who’s going to pull the trigger.”

  ***

  I crept through the woods, trying not to make any noise, with Mitch hot on my heels. He’d only agreed to let me lead the way because I knew where I was going. The girls and I had come this way when we walked out of the woods, holding Jack at gunpoint. He’d led us to the old dirt road which was a direct path back to the inn.

  We’d already passed the cab. The sun had nearly set, the amber glow of daylight still lighting the way, but soon it would be cold and dark. We needed to hurry to keep the advantage. A gut feeling made me veer off the path near the rapids. I swallowed, my throat going dry, thinking about my parents being executed and their bodies being dumped into the raging river. With the ragged rocks, there would be nothing left of them by the time they were found.

  We heard voices.

  I motioned for Mitch to keep quiet and I led the way to a group of trees. We hid behind them and peeked through the branches. Wendy Statham looked like a wild woman. Her blond hair hanging loose and tangled, her makeup streaked as if she’d been crying, and her eyes tinged with a wildness she couldn’t hide. She held a handgun pointed directly at my mother. My parents were on their knees with their hands in the air.