It was better that way.
She was in no shape physically to deal with a confrontation right now. And Ty had refused to leave her, just in case any trouble wandered into the office. That threatening phone call had remained at the forefront of her mind. She’d made Django mad, and she had no doubt he would try to remedy the situation at the first opportunity.
As the teams left, she went back into her office and sat down behind her desk to wait for updates.
“If you don’t mind me asking, what was Kaleb showing up here all about?” Ty lowered himself across from her.
Ty had been with Cassidy when they’d first met Kaleb on the grounds of Gilead’s Cove. The cult—and a cult was fully what Cassidy considered them—had purchased an old campground property several months ago. A fence stretched around the perimeter, and no one got in—sometimes Cassidy suspected no one got out either.
They’d first met Kaleb after discovering he’d been branded with the Hebrew symbol for “M.” He’d claimed he’d been willing to go through the process, but Cassidy was still horrified at the ritual. Anthony Gilead, the leader, claimed it was nothing more than getting a tattoo or piercing, and that as long as it was voluntary there was no crime.
Cassidy relayed her conversation with Kaleb to Ty.
Ty’s incredulous expression matched her own thoughts as he repeated, “His sister, who was married to Gilead, left the compound but came back and has now disappeared?”
Cassidy nodded. “Yes, basically, that’s it.”
“Something just doesn’t sound right about all this.”
“I’m inclined to agree. The fact that one of Gilead’s righthand men would leave the compound and share news of a potential crime that could implicate Gilead himself? It doesn’t fit either, does it?”
“No, but you said you saw the texts. They’re real.”
“They’re real, all right.” Cassidy opened her laptop. “Let me see what I can find out about this Lela woman.”
She typed in Lela Gilead first, but there were no results.
Next, Cassidy tried Lela Walker. This time, she got a hit.
“Lela is definitely real.” Cassidy stared at the information on the screen. “She’s twenty-three years old. Her social media presence virtually died about a year ago—that was about the time she met Gilead and joined the cult. Before that, she looked normal and happy. There are pictures of her partying with friends. Dressed up for prom. At high school graduation.”
“No mention of Gilead?” Ty crossed to the other side of the desk and stood beside her, peering at the computer. As he did, Cassidy caught a whiff of his spicy cologne and found a moment of delight in the scent. She broke into a painful smile that quickly turned into a grimace.
“No mentions,” she said. “I suspect that her social media may have gone cold when she met him.”
“Good guess.” Ty stepped back and let out a sigh. “Speaking of which, I don’t suppose you ever got any hits on Anthony Gilead’s real name?”
They’d discovered during an investigation a few weeks ago that Anthony Gilead didn’t exist until about a year ago. He claimed to have legally changed his name, but Cassidy was still trying to find proof of that.
“We’re having to search records state by state to see if he’s telling the truth. It’s taking a while.”
Cassidy knew Ty was anxious to learn the man’s real name. He suspected Gilead had some kind of connection to his past as a Navy SEAL, though he couldn’t pinpoint how exactly.
“Maybe Lela and Anthony didn’t legally get married,” Ty suggested. “That could explain why there’s no record of it.”
He walked back to the seat across from her and lowered himself there. His cowboy boots clunked across the floor. He was the only person she knew of who wore the foot attire here on the beach. But the Texas boy loved those boots, saying that if cowboy boots were clean then they weren’t really boots.
Cassidy sighed, not liking where any of this new information about Gilead was going. “Possibly. But it doesn’t make sense. If this woman left Gilead—which is what Kaleb said—then why would she return to the island? I can’t even make sense of everything right now.”
Ty’s gaze remained on her. “What are you going to do?”
“Well, right now, finding these suspects is my top priority. But I’ll keep my eyes open for Lela as well. There’s no better time to look for her than when we’re going house to house. I’ll check with everyone as they get back to see if they spotted her.”
Her phone buzzed, and she recognized Agent Abbott’s number before she answered.
“Chief, we think we found a house these men may have used,” he said. “There’s some blood on the carpet, and the first aid kit is out. The men aren’t here right now. It looks like they took off.”
A new determination rose in Cassidy. “We need to get the rest of the crew to search the houses right around it. I can’t imagine they’ve gotten far.”
“I agree.”
“I’ll put out the call now.” Maybe they would catch these guys after all. She could only hope that was the case. Because her biggest fear was that someone else would get hurt as the men terrorized this place.
Chapter Nine
Cassidy had been waiting anxiously to hear any developments from the all-out island search, but she’d heard nothing else so far. Simply monitoring the police radio had made her feel crazy and useless. So, instead of joining the search, she did some work at her desk.
She’d written down everything she could remember about the faceless men from the general store—their size, approximate weight, the color of their eyes, the sound of their voices, and their nicknames. She’d searched for anything significant online around the name Django but had found nothing useful. The man had probably chosen the moniker to sound tough, so he could feel untouchable.
She’d talked to the general store clerk to see if he remembered anything that Cassidy hadn’t. Earl’s recollections had matched her own and hadn’t provided anything new.
She’d checked the security footage outside the store for any additional details but found none.
She’d checked in with each of the law enforcement agencies she’d contacted to see if they had any updates. They didn’t.
Cassidy felt as if there was a ticking time bomb hidden on her island home, and they had to find it before it exploded and hurt someone.
She glanced up as someone knocked at the outside door to the station. Lisa stood there, her arms loaded with an oversized box of . . . something.
Cassidy hurried to let her friend inside.
“I figured everyone was getting hungry so I made bag lunches for anyone who needs to eat.” Lisa slipped past her, sounding breathless from her load.
This wasn’t the time to lecture her friend about the dangers of leaving her house with these men on the loose. No doubt Lisa needed to keep her thoughts occupied or she would go crazy.
Cassidy took a box from her arms. “This was incredibly thoughtful. Thank you, Lisa.”
Braden followed behind her, his arms also loaded, but with bottles of water and iced tea.
“Why don’t we take these to the lounge area?” Cassidy nodded toward the hallway.
Ty joined them, helping to carry some of the food.
As Lisa began arranging it on a table, Cassidy couldn’t help but notice that her friend’s hands trembled. Lisa was still shaken from everything that had happened. Compassion swelled in Cassidy. This should be the happiest time of Lisa’s life, with her wedding coming up in only two weeks. Instead, tragedy had lessened her giddiness.
Pain is the great equalizer. It was a quote from Cassidy’s Day-at-a-Glance calendar, a gift from her friend, Lucy. Cassidy had practically memorized each piece of advice after Lucy had been murdered, and the wisdom still helped her just when she needed it.
Cassidy lifted one of the bag lunches. “So what kind of sandwiches are these? Peaches and grilled cheese, maybe?”
Lisa had a knack for putting
together unique food combinations. People here on the island especially liked her grilled cheese with peaches combination. The strange mixes always kept people’s taste buds guessing.
Lisa shrugged and continued to unpack. “Turkey and cheese.”
“With jalapeno jelly?”
She shook her head. “No, I just kept it simple. They’re all . . . normal. No surprises.”
Cassidy bit down. If her friend was keeping it simple and normal then this event really had affected her. “I see.”
“But I did make some soup for you. I figured your face would hurt too much if you had to chew. It’s tomato bisque.”
“Did you add curry?”
Lisa shook her head.
“Anchovies?” Cassidy asked. Again, all those combinations were typical Lisa.
She shook her head again. “No, it’s just plain old tomato soup.”
“I’m sure it will be delicious. And thank you for thinking of me. My face has seen better days.” Cassidy grabbed a spoon, realizing both that she was hungry and that her friend might need a listening ear. “Why don’t you sit down so we can chat for a few minutes?”
Braden and Ty disappeared, discussing something about the island. Lisa grabbed a water bottle and lowered herself at the table, landing in the chair with a thud.
“How are you doing, Lisa?” Cassidy started, taking a sip of the rich, creamy soup. The liquid warmed her all the way to her soul, it seemed.
Lisa frowned before saying with a trembling voice, “Every time I close my eyes, I relive what happened at the general store.”
Cassidy understood. “I know.”
“I started thinking about what life would be like if . . . if things had turned out differently. If those men had taken me. I want to get married, Cassidy. I want to have kids and grow old. In an instant, it seemed like that wouldn’t be a possibility anymore. In the blink of an eye, everything could change. I mean, I’ve always known that, but last night I came face-to-face with it.”
Cassidy squeezed her friend’s hand but said nothing, just waited for her to continue.
“And I always thought I would know what to do in a situation like that. That I would be strong. Instead, I let that man leave with you. I should have fought . . . or something. Instead, I was so . . . passive.”
“There was nothing you could have done, Lisa. He would have shot both of us. Being passive was the best thing you could have done.”
“But I don’t want to be a doormat.”
“You’re not. You did the right thing. Being a hero probably would have gotten you killed.”
Lisa’s gaze met Cassidy’s. “You mouthed off to the man to take the attention off Skye and me, didn’t you?”
Cassidy shrugged. She couldn’t deny it. But she also couldn’t deny that the move had been stupid.
“What if it happens again?” Lisa’s wide eyes still didn’t leave Cassidy’s. “What should I do differently? My restaurant is supposed to be open this weekend, and I’m terrified that those men will come in.”
The fear was real. Not only for Cassidy but for everyone on the island. “We’re going to find them by then.”
“How can you be sure?”
“We have every state agency out there looking for them right now. There are only so many places these guys can go on this island.” Cassidy gave up on the idea of eating her soup. Instead, she placed her spoon on the table and stared at Lisa.
The knot between her eyes clearly stated that Lisa wasn’t convinced those men would be found.
“Listen, Lisa. Just give it time, okay?” Cassidy urged. “I know it’s hard. I’m living it too. But some of this shock will wear off. Some of the fear will die. I promise.”
“I guess you would know after everything you’ve been through since you moved to Lantern Beach.”
“Yeah, unfortunately, I do.”
Cassidy had been a rich girl from the West Coast who’d become a Seattle detective. After an undercover assignment had gone wrong, she’d ended up the target of a deadly gang. She’d had to change her name and relocate to the other side of the country in order to stay alive. But, even here, she’d been tracked down by a few gang members who still wanted to kill her.
So, yes, Cassidy knew all about how life didn’t turn out the way you expected.
Lisa didn’t know all those details—only that some men had targeted Cassidy. That was enough. No one but Mac, Ty, and Cassidy knew the rest of the story.
Cassidy was determined there would be no more Lisas on the island, no more victims of this dangerous—and deadly—trio. Victims who might be safe physically but who would live in fear. Cassidy thought of the children here on the island. The elderly.
All of them were at risk now.
And that wasn’t okay.
More than anything, Cassidy wished she wasn’t confined to this office right now. No, she wanted to be out on the streets with her officers. But, for now, she would stay put.
A half an hour later, after Lisa and Braden were gone, Cassidy was back in her office, trying not to feel restless as she waited for more information to roll in. The mayor had called again to check on the status. Several reporters had also called, and she’d referred them to the mayor’s office—at his request.
She basically felt like she was getting nowhere, and that wasn’t acceptable.
Another knock sounded at her door.
“Chief, I need to speak with you,” Agent Abbott said, sticking his head inside.
“Of course.”
The forty-something man stepped inside. He was on the shorter side, with saggy jowls and close-set, dark eyes. He liked to wear baseball caps, Cassidy suspected to cover the fact he was balding, and he walked with short, brisk steps that made him seem like he was always in a hurry.
Strangely enough, Ranger—Dane’s police dog—didn’t seem to like the man. Whenever Abbott came near, Ranger let out a low growl.
Though Cassidy would like to believe that dogs could sense things humans couldn’t, she was inclined to believe that Abbott was a good man. When she’d worked with him in the past, he’d seemed capable and like a team player. In fact, he was new to the NCSBI, and he’d decided to stay here on Lantern Beach for a while to learn the area.
Cassidy sensed he had something important to say. “Did you discover anything?”
Solemnly, Abbott shook his head and closed the door behind him.
Her back muscles immediately tightened. What was going on here? Her gut told her it was something big.
He sat down across from her and frowned. “I don’t like beating around the bush, so I’m just going to say it. The NCSBI is officially taking over this investigation, Chief.”
She stood from her desk, her ribs aching, but she didn’t care. Not right now. “What? This is my case. You can’t take it.”
“Calm down.” He patted the air. “I’m not trying to step on any toes.”
“But you are. You’re stepping on my toes.”
He motioned again for her to sit down. Reluctantly, Cassidy did. But her body was so tense, she might as well be standing.
“These orders have come from above,” he continued. “I didn’t make the call.”
“This is my island. These guys have targeted me. I want to be lead on this case.”
Cassidy had always heard stories about the feds or the state coming in like knights in shining armor to save the day from rinky-dink small-town police departments. She just never thought she’d be on the other side of it.
“Chief,” he softened his voice. “I know this is difficult, but I do believe it will be for the best. You’re not going to be objective in this case.”
She fisted her hands beneath her desk. “Agent Abbott, I know this island better than you do. I care about these people like they’re family. I know more than anyone what’s on the line here.”
“And I’ll definitely be referring to you for your expertise.”
Cassidy bit back any snide remarks. She could tell by his tone that thi
s was a done deal. Arguing would do no good. The state had come in and taken over, and there was nothing she could do about it. It hadn’t been his call.
“Very well, then,” she finally said, her voice lacking any emotion. “You can set up your operations in the conference room. Let me know what I can do.”
Abbott stood, but the motion looked weighted and heavy. “Thank you. And we will need you, as well as your men.”
“Of course.”
As he left the room, Cassidy couldn’t help but wonder if this community was losing confidence in her. She could hardly stomach the thought.
Chapter Ten
Four hours later, a majority of the homes on the south end of the island had been checked. The woods had been searched. The marinas. The stores. Even the empty plots of land where people had dumped trash, old boats, and tires.
The only thing that hadn’t been checked was Gilead’s Cove. An officer had gone there, but the gatekeeper claimed he’d seen no one, and entry had been refused.
Gilead’s Cove was many things, but Cassidy didn’t think they would harbor fugitives. It went against their “peace” philosophy. In other words—they didn’t like outsiders or anyone who upset the balance. The only evil going on within that compound was being perpetrated by Anthony Gilead himself.
So where were these suspects?
As Cassidy met with Ty and Mac, Dane barged into her office. “Do we really have to listen to this guy? Abbott is out there claiming he’s taking over.”
Cassidy took a deep breath before answering. “The state has jurisdiction. There’s nothing I can do about it.”
“But he doesn’t even know this island—”
Cassidy raised her hand. “I know. I really do. But my hands are tied right now.”
Dane bit down before nodding. “Okay, then. I’ll go see what orders he’s barking out now. But the fact that Ranger doesn’t like him makes me not like him very much either.”
When Dane left, Cassidy turned to Mac and Ty and shrugged. “I’m trying to believe this is for the best.”
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