Attempt to Locate

by Christy Barritt

  He stepped behind her, put his hands on her shoulders, and squeezed gently. “It’s been a long day. How about you head home and get some rest?”

  “You know, that’s not a bad idea. With Abbott in charge now, I guess there’s no reason for me not to. Besides, we’re not moving on any of our leads.”

  She packed up her things, let the rest of the gang know what she was doing, and then started toward the door, Ty and Kujo by her side.

  Before she reached it, Mayor Tomlinson stormed inside, his beady eyes glaring at Cassidy. “Just the person I wanted to see.”

  Kujo growled beside Ty until Ty shushed him.

  “What’s going on?” Cassidy asked.

  “In your office. Now.”

  Cassidy glanced back at Ty and shrugged. “Give me a little while.”

  But she was not looking forward to this conversation.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “What can I do for you?” Cassidy asked as soon as she closed the door to her office and braced herself for the impending privacy needed for this conversation.

  Tomlinson didn’t even wait for Cassidy to sit down before lashing into her. “I thought you would have this situation under control by now, Chief Chambers.”

  Now he called her chief? She had to infer that it wasn’t a good sign. Cassidy crossed her arms and leaned against her door. “You mean, the manhunt for the criminals on the loose on the island?”

  “Yes, is there another one I should know about?” His words had a sharp edge to them.

  Cassidy took a deep breath, knowing she needed to bring this conversation to a simmer before it exploded. Sooner was better than later.

  “Mayor, as you know, the state took over the investigation,” she explained. “I’m not in charge anymore. If you have questions, then Agent Abbott is the person you need to speak with.”

  Tomlinson’s gaze latched onto hers, anger burning into her. “Let me guess. They took the job away from you because you were incompetent.”

  Cassidy’s cheeks flushed at his verbal barb. “They took it away from me because that’s the normal procedure in a case like this. I don’t like it any more than you do, but there’s little I can do to change it.”

  He scowled at her again before throwing his hands in the air. “I had such high hopes for you, Cassidy. I thought you were the person we needed for this job.”

  She gathered every ounce of her self-respect before saying, “I am the person you need for the job. I am competent. Despite that, sometimes situations are out of my control. I assure you that I’m doing everything I can to find these guys.”

  Next thing she knew, the mayor was going to blame her for a nor’easter blowing in on the Fourth of July or scorching heat for the annual Christmas celebration. She would take the blame for things that were her fault. But nothing more.

  Tomlinson shook his head, not bothering to make eye contact. “There’s a fishing tournament here next weekend. The organizers are already talking about canceling, which would cost us nearly a million dollars. A million dollars!”

  “That’s unfortunate, and it’s really too early to call—”

  “And how much longer can we go without ferry service to the island? Do you know what a bind you’ve put me in?”

  “You mean, what a bind these criminals have put you in. It’s their actions that have caused all of this. And the NCSBI issued NCDOT to keep the ferry closed. I’m not really sure why you’re continuing to point the finger at me here.” Her cheek was bound to be sore tomorrow. Not from her injuries but from biting into it order to not say something she regretted.

  “If I don’t point the finger at you, then everyone else will be pointing the finger at me.”

  Realization washed over Cassidy, and she pulled her arms more tightly across her chest. “So this is about your reelection, even though you’re running unopposed.”

  Tomlinson scowled again. “This is about island politics. You’re making me look bad.”

  Cassidy waited for him to continue. When he didn’t, she asked, “What do you want me to do?”

  His gaze locked on hers. “Find these guys. You have two days, or you’re fired.”

  “You can’t do that.”

  His eyes lit. “Yes, I most certainly can. And I will.”

  When Cassidy emerged from her office several minutes after the mayor stormed out, Ty took her arm and led her outside.

  Whatever the conversation had been in there, it hadn’t been good. He could hear their rising voices in the lobby. Several people had stopped and given him a questioning look.

  He didn’t bother to say anything until they were tucked into her SUV, but Ty could tell by Cassidy’s face that she was upset.

  She cranked the engine but didn’t bother to put the vehicle in Reverse. Instead, she crossed her arms and stared straight ahead, invisible fumes coming off her. “If I don’t find these guys in two days, I’m fired.”

  Ty’s jaw dropped. “What? Tomlinson can’t be serious.”

  “He’s dead serious. Apparently, I’m hurting his chances of reelection. I’m costing the town thousands. And the list could go on and on.”

  “That’s bull.” Anger—hot and liquid—rushed through Ty’s veins.

  He’d like to give the mayor a piece of his mind right now. But he couldn’t. He had to let Cassidy handle this herself. Still . . .

  “The man was livid,” Cassidy continued, her jaw tightening.

  “So I heard.”

  “I’m sure everyone in the office did.”

  He shifted to face her. “What are you going to do?”

  Cassidy said nothing for a moment. “I’m going to go home, and I’m going to get some sleep. I’m too exhausted to think straight right now. Besides, Abbott is the one officially in charge. I’m going to give him some space to handle this.”

  “Does Tomlinson not understand that this is out of your hands?”

  “He thinks Abbott is in charge because I’m incompetent. Apparently, no one ever had to take over for his boy Bozeman.”

  Ty let out a snort. Bozeman was the most incompetent officer of the law Ty had ever seen. “Bozeman and Tomlinson did have a bit of a bond, now that I think about it. They were both in the good old boys club.”

  “I despise that club just about as much as I despise Gilead’s Cove.”

  Ty squeezed her knee, wishing he could do something to make things better. “You didn’t do anything wrong, despite what he says, Cassidy.”

  She pressed her lips together. “I know. I mean, I usually know. I do have moments of doubt, however. But what’s clear is that the mayor is off base right now, and I don’t know what to do about it.”

  “We’ll figure out something.”

  She offered him a soft smile. “Thank you, Ty.”

  He leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on her lips. “You’re welcome. You’re the best thing to happen to this town—and to me. Don’t forget it.”

  “Well, if you’ll kiss me even when I look like this, it must be true love.”

  “You’re always beautiful to me. Always.”

  The look of gratitude and love in her eyes was all the thanks that Ty needed.

  Chapter Nineteen

  As Cassidy drove back to the cottage, Ty informed her that their friends wanted to meet there for prayer. He also told her that several of the guys had decided to take shifts at their place to keep guard for any trouble.

  Cassidy was eternally grateful for such a great group of friends.

  But the fact also remained that the cold-blooded murderer on the island knew where Cassidy lived. Knew what she looked like. And he’d vowed revenge.

  She hadn’t thought about it too much when she’d been in the office and otherwise occupied. But now that she faced the evening and vulnerability of closing her eyes to rest, her nerves felt shot. Everything felt heightened.

  Maybe it was the threats. Maybe it was the conversation with the mayor. Maybe it was just generally her rundown physical state.

/>   But Cassidy didn’t even feel like herself right now. She wanted to bury herself under the covers and not emerge until morning.

  Her friends’ cars were outside the cottage, so Cassidy knew they were there. Though part of her wanted to be alone, she knew having them here would be good for her. As soon as she went upstairs and saw them, her feelings were confirmed.

  Lisa and Braden were there, along with Skye and Austin as well as Wes. To her delight, she also saw Pastor Jack, his wife, Juliet, and Mac.

  After a round of hugs, Cassidy gave them an update on the situation.

  Mac bristled across the room as she concluded by relaying her conversation with the mayor.

  “Someone needs to put that man in his place,” he muttered.

  “Everyone is afraid to run against him,” Austin said. “I heard some guys down at the pier talking about it.”

  “Why don’t you run, Austin?” Wes chimed in, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Mayor Austin has a nice ring to it.”

  “I’m not mayor material. Nowhere close.” Austin’s gaze scanned the room. “But maybe someone in this room is. Someone like . . . Mac.”

  Mac chuckled and waved his hand in the air. “You think I should be mayor? Now that’s funny.”

  “Actually, maybe Austin is onto something.” Cassidy leaned into Ty, who sat beside her on the couch. “You’d be a great mayor—mostly because you hate politics.”

  “At least maybe, when people complain about me rappelling down the side of my house, I can know the complaint will be dismissed.” Mac chuckled. “But, no, I’m not the type. Besides, it’s probably too late for anyone to send the paperwork in for the election.”

  “It couldn’t hurt to check,” Ty said, his hand resting on Cassidy’s back.

  Mac shook his head. “Why don’t we get back to the subject at hand? Why don’t we talk to God together about what’s going on here on Lantern Beach? It’s going to take some divine intervention to catch these guys. That’s how it feels, at least.”

  “Yes, let’s do that,” Lisa said. “I have cookies for afterward.”

  “Chocolate chip and cayenne?” Cassidy asked.

  “Nope.”

  “Chocolate chip and bacon?” Skye asked.

  “Nope, just regular chocolate chip,” Lisa said.

  Cassidy nibbled on the inside of her lip. Her friend couldn’t be expected to recover overnight after what happened—not by any stretch of the imagination. But Cassidy was still worried about her.

  She added one more thing to her prayer list, thankful that God didn’t set any limits to their requests.

  After everyone else departed, Braden stayed on the screened-in porch to keep watch for trouble. Austin would come later, and then Wes.

  Meanwhile, Cassidy had asked Jack and Juliet to stay behind for a few minutes. She felt refreshed after the time of prayer and the renewed connection with her friends, but she still had a few things on her mind.

  “It sounds like you’ve had a lot going on lately, Cassidy,” Jack said as he and Juliet sat in the armchairs across from Ty and Cassidy.

  Cassidy adored Pastor Jack and his wife. He’d gone through the loss of his first wife and hadn’t beat around the bush about what a struggle it had been for him and his faith. He’d been such a blessing to this community, and Cassidy was delighted that he’d found love again.

  “I was hoping I could ask you some questions.” Cassidy squeezed Ty’s hand as he sat beside her on the couch.

  “Of course.” Jack shifted in his seat. “What can I do for you?”

  Cassidy licked her lips. She knew she should get some rest, but the questions had been haunting her. This seemed like just as good a time as any to ask.

  “This doesn’t actually involve the criminals who are on the loose here,” she started. “Instead it’s about Gilead’s Cove.”

  Jack let out a sigh and frowned. “Yes, good old Gilead’s Cove.”

  He seemed to share her sentiments about the place. They’d talked enough about it for her to know that.

  “I was talking to one of the members today, and he mentioned a Bible verse about hating your father and mother for the sake of Christ. I was hoping you could shed some light on the meaning of that for me. It’s been bothering me since he quoted it.”

  Had Scripture been distorted? Or had Cassidy been in the dark about that biblical passage?

  She took a sip of her tea and waited for his response.

  “Of course. It doesn’t mean exactly what you think. You have to look at the context of the other verses around it.” Jack leaned forward, as laid-back and approachable as always. “What the verse boils down to is the fact that, in order to follow Jesus, we must be willing to give up everything. So if our family disowns us for being a Christian? Then so be it.”

  “I guess it’s the part about ‘hating’ that is making me stumble,” Cassidy said. “It’s such a strong word.”

  “We’re not ‘hating’ in the literal sense of the word. In fact, we should love everyone in our lives because love is from God. Loving people is God’s command. The passage is simply saying our affection for Jesus should run so deep that, by comparison, it makes our affection for anyone else look like hate.”

  Cassidy thought that made sense. “Okay, another question, then. What about the Gilead in the Bible? What do you know about him? I’ve been meaning to ask you that for a while to try and get some insight on the name itself. As you may know, Anthony Gilead is not this cult leader’s real name, but I feel like the man chose it for a reason.”

  “Another great question. Gilead has a few different references in the Bible. First, it’s a medicinal substance known for its healing properties. But it’s also the name of an area near the Jordan River that’s known for its spices and ointment. Sometimes when people refer to the ‘balm of Gilead,’ they’re talking about searching for a reason to hope.”

  “I can see why he may have chosen that name, then.” Cassidy leaned back on the couch, her fingers still hugging her tea cup. “Anthony Gilead wants to be these people’s hope.”

  “I agree.” Pastor Jack’s gaze darkened, and he was obviously bothered by something. “But the Bible talks about how Satan can be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I have no doubt that’s what this man is. He’s a false teacher.”

  Cassidy noted the conviction in his voice. “How are you so certain?”

  “He’s acting on his own authority instead of on the authority of the Bible. There’s no excuse for that, as far as I’m concerned. This man is purposefully leading other people astray and preying on their weaknesses. I don’t have much tolerance for men who distort the Word of God.”

  “I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately.” Ty leaned down and rubbed Kujo’s head. “And I can’t say any of this surprises me. Not after what I saw in the Middle East and with the terror groups there. From the outside you may think, why would anyone join one of these organizations? But people do join. Not only do they join, but they commit enough to strap a bomb on their chest and blow themselves up, along with everyone around them.”

  Cassidy shivered at the thought of it. “It’s true. It’s . . . everywhere. Yet I still find it hard to comprehend. It’s one thing to buy into an exercise program or to immerse yourself in a worthwhile cause. It’s another story entirely to change your whole life because of someone else’s influence and vision for you.”

  “Still thinking about these terrorist groups . . . I think the leaders offer their followers—the Jihadists—a different glimpse of the world,” Ty continued. “A different promise of what tomorrow will bring. They’re convincing. A lot of times these people can feel lonely and undervalued. Joining a movement can give them a sense of purpose, like they’re doing something bigger than themselves.”

  Cassidy supposed she understood. But she still found it all disturbing.

  “I’ll tell you this, Cassidy.” Jack ran a hand across his well-worn leather Bible. “The Bible talks about the refiner’s fire, about how when we’
re tested we’ll be purified, just as gold and silver are. And the end result is something even stronger and more beautiful than before.”

  “I thought I’d already been refined.” She frowned. The past two years hadn’t been a walk in the park, so to speak. Hard times had led her here. And, in that vein, hard times had ultimately led her to Ty.

  She couldn’t complain about that.

  “Maybe you have been refined,” Jack said. “Sometimes, it’s an ongoing process.”

  “I’m going to be pure gold by the end of this.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Ty jerked from his sleep as a sound cut through the air.

  He shot up in bed, his heart racing as he glanced around the dark room, searching for a clue about what was happening.

  “What’s going on?” Cassidy’s voice sounded wispy with sleep as she pushed herself up on her elbows. She winced, her body obviously still sore from her injuries.

  “Ty, Cassidy. I need you,” Braden’s voice cut through the air, separated only by the wooden door.

  That’s what the sound had been. Braden had been pounding at their bedroom door.

  Ty rushed toward the door and jerked it open, just enough to see Braden. “What’s going on?”

  “I spotted someone outside your house,” Braden rushed, a steely military demeanor stiffening his muscles. “Two men. I didn’t want to confront them alone. At least, not until I talked to you.”

  Ty’s pulse quickened. “Are they still there?”

  “They were a few minutes ago. What do you want me to do?”

  “Get your gun, stand guard, and call backup. We’ll be right out.”

  As Ty turned around, Cassidy already had on her jeans, a sweatshirt, and sneakers. She checked the ammunition in her gun as she strode toward the door.

  “Don’t do anything without me.” Ty tugged on a Henley and jeans then grabbed his boots.

  “I won’t.” Her voice sounded firm and almost angry as she clicked the magazine into her gun and waited.