Presumed Dead (Love Inspired Suspense)

by Angela Ruth Strong

  The black-and-white photo of a burning helicopter popped onto the screen. The same image she’d seen at the lodge. Now that she knew who’d caused the explosion, could she prove it?

  This was her job. What she got paid big bucks to do. She leaned forward and narrowed her eyes to block out all emotions from the past day. What could she use in a court case? Her focus dipped down to the article.

  Eight soldiers were killed in military helicopter explosion in Afghanistan when chopper crashed into fuel tanker. Officials say the crash was caused by pebbles and gravel in the engine, and though the debris allowed the helicopter to take off, it later traveled into the gearbox and cut power. There is no foul play suspected at this time, though Commander Robert Long plans to investigate the negligence resulting in such a tragedy.

  None of that told her anything new. In fact, it was inaccurate. Yes, there had been eight men, but where had the eighth man come from? If it wasn’t Preston, who was it?

  Perhaps the evidence wasn’t in the stories about the crash. What if there was something in a related story that Preston wouldn’t have known was related until now. She pulled up the full newspaper from the same day.

  Some text buried at the bottom of page six caught her eye.

  Investigators search for Sergeant Matthew Hayes, a US soldier who deserted his post in Afghanistan earlier today. Commander Long suspects he has been taken captive by the enemy, and they will soon receive an offer for prisoner trade.

  Holly slammed back into her seat at the sight of Commander Long’s name in print. Had Matthew Hayes ever been found? Or had he been sent back to the States in Preston’s coffin?

  Her belly warmed in disbelief of the coincidence. She held her breath and typed the missing soldier’s name into the search engine.

  Sergeant Matthew Hayes still missing.

  Foreign government denies capture of Sergeant Matthew Hayes.

  Family of Sergeant Matthew Hayes refuses to believe he deserted the military.

  Holly shook her head. Those poor parents. Probably still hoping for their son to return. They deserved some closure. Even if it hurt for them to hear their son accepted payment from Commander Long to sabotage the helicopter and had accidentally caused the death of the troops involved with Operation Desert Hope, they would finally have answers. They could have a proper funeral.

  That was, if Holly was right. She’d share her suspicions with Mrs. Long. The woman wouldn’t be aware of military operations, but she’d known her husband. She’d have known about Sergeant Hayes. She’d have known how Commander Long reacted to the man’s disappearance. And surely she’d see the connection.

  Preston had never suspected Commander Long of sabotaging his own crew, so he wouldn’t have considered the man would cover up the sergeant’s disappearance. But now it all fit. And once Mrs. Long realized Caleb had had her husband killed, she’d realize Preston and Holly were on her side. Then, Holly hoped, she’d be on theirs.

  * * *

  Preston held his wrists close together so the handcuffs wouldn’t tighten from resistance as the police boat bounced over the waves, though his heart throbbed against his chest as if trying to go after Holly by itself. He stared back at the cove as it grew smaller in the distance.

  A body had flown out of the Knot Guilty. Too big to be either Holly or Denise. Had Holly really overpowered her ex? The cabin cruiser had then zipped away, leaving the killer floating in its wake.

  Preston relaxed back into his seat. This was it. The end of his life. A strange peace poured over him as the boat headed across the lake.

  He watched as a second police boat picked up Caleb. Preston exhaled. Even if police still thought Caleb was the good guy, they had him in their custody.

  Except the other boat veered after the Knot Guilty. No way. The dirty attorney was using a police escort to chase down Holly?

  Preston bolted to his feet. “Where are they going?”

  He had to be wrong. Shaw would surely have some explanation that made more sense.

  The officer cleared his throat. “Police are tracking down your accomplice, of course. It looks like she stole Mr. Brooks’s boat.”

  If Caleb had the police taking him to find Holly, then what hope was there? Nobody was safe. Unless Preston could convince Shaw to get the other boat to bring Caleb in.

  Preston growled and pulled against the cuffs. “No. She didn’t steal Caleb’s boat. She’s trying to get away from him.”

  Shaw chewed on a fingernail. “Mr. Brooks isn’t the bomber. We already checked his alibi for when the Fontaine cabin exploded.”

  “I know.” Preston implored the lawman with his eyes. “Caleb hired his client Lee Galloway to set the bomb. Then Caleb killed him with one of his own bombs. And now Caleb is going after Holly because she knows I’m innocent.”

  Shaw narrowed his eyes. “But why would Brooks commit all those crimes in the first place? You’re the one who’s been hiding from the government for four years after sabotaging Operation Desert Hope.”

  This was why Preston had never turned himself in to begin with. He’d already been framed so well that he might as well smile and say cheese. But now his innocence mattered more than ever. Because it was convincing the authorities of his innocence that would save Holly’s life.

  “No. I didn’t.” He explained everything he’d discovered with the sabotage of Operation Desert Hope.

  Shaw traded looks with the officer behind the wheel. “We have a witness who says you killed Commander Long, you know.”

  Preston closed his eyes. One more person he hadn’t been able to get to fast enough. “I know.”

  “I suppose Brooks had Long killed, too?” The officer didn’t have to sound so mocking.

  Preston’s heart sank. Why was this happening? Why was he in handcuffs while the real killer was free to hunt down Holly? Why, God? He’d been right not to hope. God obviously didn’t care about justice the way the Bible said. He turned away from Shaw and stared straight ahead. “Yes.”

  “And Brooks somehow framed you?”

  Preston flicked Shaw a glance. Why even ask questions if he wasn’t going to listen? Preston would respond for the same reason he’d quit tugging on his handcuffs—to keep from making his situation worse. It wasn’t like either Shaw or the handcuffs would be letting him go.

  “Holly and I went to Eagle Falls to talk to Commander Long. I was with him when Lee Galloway pushed Holly over the edge. I was pulling Holly back up when Lee knocked the commander off the cliff. Lee had a gun, so we ran.”

  Shaw rubbed his nose. “Interesting that out of all the tourists there, you are the only ones who saw Lee.”

  Preston locked his jaw. There was nothing interesting about pulling Holly back up the cliff she’d been pushed off and being only an arm’s length away from her as she watched death take a life for the very first time. It had been another reminder of how he couldn’t win. Kind of like now.

  “Well, Tyler.” Shaw clapped his hands together. “I find your story worth looking into, though I’m not going to be the one looking into it. Because of Commander Long’s death, the Army Criminal Investigation Division Command—or the CID as you probably know them—are at the dock, waiting to take you into custody.”

  * * *

  Holly raced up the stairs to the deck of Caleb’s boat with a printed copy of the newspaper article. She had to get the evidence in front of Mrs. Long so she could back up her story. Holly didn’t want to be insensitive to the woman’s grief, but knowing the truth might actually help the woman heal.

  Denise stood at the helm, slowing the throttle as they neared the entrance to the private marina community. Her hair floated down to her shoulders as the wind died.

  Holly looked past her, toward the canals lined with docks and decks. Preston had said Long was staying at the end of White Sands, so that was the first peninsula on the left. She pointed to the largest home. “There.”

  Denise cranked the wheel to pull the direction Holly had pointed. “Holly,
I’m so sorry. For everything. I seriously thought Caleb was after some kind of terrorist and you were in on it. I didn’t…I didn’t realize…” She sniffed and wiped her wet cheek.

  Holly shook her head. Denise wasn’t the only one who should be sorry. She put a hand on the woman’s warm, smooth shoulder. “I’m sorry, too. When this all started, I thought you were the one trying to kill me out of jealousy.”

  Denise blinked, her clear eyes shining with innocence. “No. I…I…”

  “You made some poor choices, but in the end, you got fooled by Caleb just like I did. It’s never too late for redemption.”

  The woman looked down for a moment before focusing on the dock she needed to steer beside. “I don’t know what I’m going to do now. Caleb has always taken care of me financially. All I’ve had to do was look pretty and dote on him. I don’t have any job skills. I don’t—”

  “You could be my assistant.” The words popped out before Holly had a chance to measure their weight. She pondered the idea as she reached over the side of the boat to catch the dock. Maybe it wasn’t a bad idea. If she was going to start her own law firm, she’d definitely have to do some hiring.

  Denise turned off the engine and cocked her head. “You’d hire me? After all this?”

  Crazy how life worked out. If it worked out. “Only if I’m not sent to prison and still allowed to keep my law license. You saved my life, Denise.”

  Holly turned from Denise to scan the area. Wow. The place had to be four times the size of Holly’s old cabin. Would Mrs. Long even hear her knock on the door?

  “Come on. We’ll find Mrs. Long and explain what’s going on.” She placed her hands on the edge of the smooth fiberglass boat and vaulted over it onto the dock.

  “Wait. Holly?”

  Holly didn’t have time to wait. She looked over her shoulder as she jogged along the faux-wood planks.

  “Caleb’s coming.”

  Adrenaline shot down Holly’s spine. She had to move fast. Though she didn’t see Caleb, she saw a police boat growing larger as it neared them. But the police wouldn’t let Caleb do anything to them.

  “It’s going to be okay. Just come help me—”

  The cabin cruiser’s motor revved back to life. “Caleb might kill me if I talk to police,” Denise yelled back. “I have to go.”

  “No.” Holly held out a hand to stop her, but it was too late.

  Denise pulled away to turn the Knot Guilty around and squeeze past the police boat. Would the police follow her or keep tracking down Holly? She ducked behind a shed in hopes they would continue after the boat. She needed Denise to talk to police.

  She also needed to speak with Mrs. Long alone. The woman would probably handle the revelation of her husband’s sabotage better if it was done discreetly rather than in front of an audience of cops.

  The police boat pulled around the dock to back up and turn around. The officers focused on the Knot Guilty as one barked at the driver through a bullhorn to shut down her craft. Denise kept going.

  Caleb looked Holly’s direction. He moved toward the side of the boat and yelled over the sound of the engine, “I think Holly let Denise go. Let me off here with my girlfriend, and you can track down Preston’s partner.”

  Denise? He’d said she was Denise?

  Unbelievable. Did the man ever tell the truth? Caleb was sending police after the other woman so he could come after Holly himself.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  The police wouldn’t really listen to Caleb, would they? They were in the middle of a police investigation. Even if they believed Caleb’s girlfriend had just been released from a dangerous boat thief, they wouldn’t slow the boat to drop him off. Right?

  Caleb leaped over the side of the boat and saluted as the police vessel sloshed away. Oh no. Should Holly run out onto the dock and call the police back for help before they were out of sight? But if she didn’t make it in time, she’d be facing off with a murderer alone. She’d be better off if she kept going and put space between her and Caleb.

  She raced up the hill along the side of the house to knock on the front door. No Caleb in sight.

  She didn’t have time for hide-and-seek with the enemy. Pressing the doorbell, she willed Mrs. Long to be home. No footsteps. No dog barking. Nothing.

  Holly pounded her fist against the wood. Was the woman making funeral arrangements elsewhere, or was she mourning quietly inside? She must have been elsewhere. Because surely her teenage children would come to the door if they were there.

  Plan B. Holly had to get to a safe place. Maybe the neighbors would let her use their phone to call the police.

  She slowed her pace. First, she’d figure out where Caleb had gone so she could wait until he was looking the other way and race across the property. Creeping to the side of the house, she prepared to peek around the corner.

  Keep me safe, Lord. She took a deep breath before leaning forward.

  Thunk.

  Lightning zigzagged through her skull and all sound faded. She reached out for reality. What had happened? An intense pounding in her skull dimmed her vision with every throb. Caleb appeared in her narrowing line of sight, a wicked grin on his face, a shovel in his hands.

  She reached to stop him but caught nothing. She stepped but found no footing. Then the world faded…except for the pungent smell of gasoline.

  * * *

  Preston watched as the town grew closer. Would this be his last ride on the lake ever? He closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the fresh mountain air. He sniffed again. That didn’t smell right. Smoke?

  He opened his eyes and scanned the mountains. A little early for wildfires, wasn’t it? No large gray puffs of smoke signaled such a disaster. He looked out across the lake. The sky seemed pretty clear on that side, as well. Maybe someone was just barbecuing. Someone who burned everything he put on the grill like Holly’s dad did.

  Holly. Preston jerked as a thought assaulted him. No…it couldn’t be. Caleb wouldn’t be able to do anything to her with the police watching.

  He jumped to his feet and scanned the shoreline anyway. A small puff of smoke billowed from the direction of the Tahoe Keys. Where he’d told Holly the Long family was staying.

  His skin crawled. He yanked at the cuffs. The metal bands wrapped tighter around his wrists, but the pinch barely registered. He yanked again in anger at his powerlessness. What was he going to do?

  “Sit down, kid. You have nothing to worry about. Even if Caleb is as dangerous as you say he is, he’s with another officer. Nothing bad is going to happen.”

  Nothing bad? Everything was bad, but nobody believed him. “There’s a fire.”

  Shaw shrugged. “Probably a barbecue.”

  “No. There’s a fire.” Preston pushed toward the end of the police boat for a better view as it pulled into the dock. “Radio your other boat. See if Caleb is still on it.”

  There was nobody else after them, was there? Caleb had killed both Lee and Long. And he was probably on the other police boat. Which meant Preston was just being paranoid.

  Shaw scratched his head but picked up his radio. Another officer gripped Preston’s arm to walk him toward the dock. Preston strained to hear the conversation behind him. If Caleb had somehow gotten away from the police, Preston would have to convince Shaw to check out the Keys.

  “Preston Tyler.” A graying man in a brown suit greeted him from the dock. “You are under investigation for the murder of former SOAR Commander Robert Long.”

  Preston gave him a quick glance. “I didn’t do it.”

  They’d most likely get to know each other really well, but at the moment their relationship was the least of Preston’s concerns. Shaw knew what was going on. Shaw was the one who could help him.

  Shaw pressed the button on his radio. “Shaw here. Is Brooks still with you on your boat?”

  Static crackled. A tinny voice responded, “Brooks got off at a cabin in the Tahoe Keys to help his girlfriend. We are currently in pursuit of Font
aine driving Brooks’s boat.”

  “No.” That couldn’t be right. Preston shook his head and pulled away from the officer who held him. Fear welled like a tsunami in his heart, ready to crush anything in its path. “Robert Long was staying in the Tahoe Keys. If anybody got off there, it was Holly. She’d want to talk to Long’s wife to help prove me innocent.”

  Shaw’s eyes flicked Preston’s direction, uncertainty darkening their depths. “Ten-four,” he said into the receiver before setting it down.

  “Long’s wife?” The suit repeated Preston’s words. Maybe he would help. “If anything happens to Mrs. Long…”

  The man was threatening him? How could the CID be so backward? Preston rushed toward the dock to plead his case.

  Something hard rammed into the back of Preston’s knees. Stupid police baton again. He buckled for a moment but caught himself. Or maybe the other officer’s grip on his arms was what caught him.

  The man on the dock reached inside his suit jacket as if grabbing a gun from his shoulder holster to protect himself. How had Caleb gotten them to believe he wasn’t the dangerous one?

  Shaw. He was the only one who’d even considered what Preston had to say.

  He craned his neck to beg over his shoulder, “Send them back. Send the other boat back to check it out.”

  Shaw shook his head, but his lips pressed together in thought. “They are in pursuit of a suspect we believe to be your accomplice. I can’t halt the chase because you tell me to.”

  “They’re chasing the wrong person.” Preston’s feet dragged against the deck as the officer behind him pulled him away. He bent his bruised knees to plant himself in the spot. “Your deputies released a man very capable of murder, and now there’s a fire. Those are facts, not my advice.”

  Panic rose in his throat to choke him. He’d seen what fire could do. He’d seen the charred remains, known the people whose lives had disintegrated into nothing, been troubled by memories of what once had been—what should have been. His reality would soon be a memory. The woman he’d longed to hold in his arms wouldn’t even have a body after the fire. Her spirit of hope and the resolve that made the world a better place would have vanished.