Lantern Beach Mysteries Box Set

by Christy Barritt

  All their attention turned to Cassidy, their fear so palpable it crackled the air.

  “I’m not going to hurt you.” Cassidy raised her hands. “I want to help.”

  One of the women grabbed a knife from the table beside her and thrashed toward Cassidy—fear and vengeance in her wild eyes. Sweat covered the woman’s forehead and cheeks—sweat due to terror. Or maybe because there was no AC in the house and the windows were locked tight. The inside was sweltering.

  “Stay back,” the woman warned, wielding the knife.

  Cassidy recognized her. It was Rose Alvarez. These were the women from the raft.

  They weren’t refugees. No, they were victims. She just wasn’t sure what they were victims of.

  “You should put that knife down,” Cassidy urged. “I’m not going to cause trouble.”

  Rose stepped closer, that crazy look still in her eyes. “You’re right. You’re not going to cause any trouble. I’m going to make sure of that.”

  Cassidy stared at the blade, wondering what exactly she’d gotten herself into.

  Chapter 10

  Cassidy raised her hands higher while sinking her voice lower. “I want to help.”

  “Who are you?” Rose demanded, swatting at a bug.

  That was when Cassidy realized just how primitive the conditions were inside this place. Not only was it hot, but it smelled like sewage. There was a hole in the roof at the corner of the room. Mosquitoes were everywhere, and Cassidy suspected the movement on the kitchen counter had been a cockroach.

  She swallowed hard, glancing at Rose’s knife again. “I’m the woman who owns the ice cream truck you keep stealing food from.”

  Rose frowned. “We’ll pay you back.”

  Cassidy nodded to the woman on the couch. “Your friend needs help.”

  “We’ll handle it.”

  Cassidy’s gaze focused for a moment on the injured woman. She had red hair that was short and curly, and her mop-like style only emphasized her round face. But it was her pinched expression and the cloth tied around her foot that caught Cassidy’s attention.

  “Your friend on the couch is hurt,” she said. “She needs to see a doctor.”

  “No doctors!” Rose’s voice climbed with emotion. “You just need to mind your own business. You should have never come here. And how could you have forgotten to lock the door, Trina?”

  The other woman shook her head and backed up slightly. She was the mousy, frail, and entirely too thin one of the group. Her stringy brown hair looked like it hadn’t been washed in days, and her motions were jerky and fearful.

  “I’m sorry,” Trina said.

  “I wish you hadn’t come here,” Rose said. “Because I don’t know that we’re going to be able to let you leave.”

  A chill ran down Cassidy’s spine. “Don’t be ridiculous. I only want to help.”

  “We didn’t ask for no help!” Rose stared at her, nostrils flaring.

  Cassidy remembered the gun at her waistband—how could she forget it?—but she’d use it only in an emergency. As soon as she pulled it out, mayhem would scatter its chaos. The emotions in the room were already high enough.

  “Well, when you stole from me, you got me involved,” Cassidy said, using her best negotiator voice. Yet her muscles were poised to fight if that’s what it came down to.

  “You need to leave us alone.”

  Cassidy palmed her hands in the air. “Can I check on your friend?”

  “Are you a paramedic?”

  “No, but I’ve taken first aid classes.”

  Rose stared, her eyes hard. “Fine. Check on her. But I’m watching you.”

  Cassidy moved past Rose slowly, not willing to take a chance Rose would do anything rash. When she reached the woman on the couch, she knelt beside her. Cassidy carefully pulled back the cloth from around the injured foot. A large gash sliced the bottom.

  Was this where the bloody cloth on the raft had come from?

  “How long has she been like this?” Cassidy asked.

  “Two days,” Trina said. “She cut her foot on some metal while we were . . . while we were out.”

  On the raft. Cassidy silently filled in the missing details.

  “Have you given her anything?” Cassidy asked.

  “We don’t have anything to give her,” Rose spat. “We’re just trying to make her comfortable.”

  “Let me go back to my place and get some medicine. Maybe a first aid kit so you can bandage the wound.”

  Trina didn’t respond, only looked at Rose, who was obviously the ringleader of this bunch.

  Rose didn’t say anything for a minute. Finally, she nodded. “Okay. But I’m going with you.”

  “You don’t have to do that.” Cassidy preferred to go alone instead of with a crazy woman with a knife.

  “How do I know you won’t call the police when you leave here?”

  Cassidy met her gaze. “How do you know I will?”

  Rose narrowed her eyes. “I’m not in the mood to play games.”

  “I’m not trying to play games.” Cassidy kept her voice even. “Look, you don’t know me. I understand that you’re not sure if I’m trustworthy. But I’m not going to call the police.”

  “We stole your food,” she reminded.

  “I don’t endorse stealing, but it’s obvious you’re all hungry. I’m not concerned about that right now. All I’m concerned about is this woman. Since you won’t take her to a doctor, I need to do what I can to help.”

  “I’m still going with you,” Rose said. “I need to make sure you stick to your word.”

  Cassidy didn’t have time to argue. “Fine. Come with me. But I wish you’d put that knife away.”

  “This is just insurance in case you do something stupid.”

  Cassidy finally nodded, hoping she wouldn’t have to do things the hard way. “Okay then. Let’s go.”

  Cassidy couldn’t forget about the blade Rose held against her back as if she was leading a criminal to execution. One wrong move, and Rose could seriously injure—or kill—Cassidy.

  That was why it was so important for everyone to keep a level head. And for Cassidy and Rose to watch their steps on the uneven, sandy ground.

  She wound her way through the trees, heading back to her cottage. The darkness out here was blinding and much darker than that Cassidy had experienced back in Seattle. On Lantern Beach, there weren’t even streetlights. No, this darkness was authentic and unbridled.

  Despite her mental warning to watch her steps, Cassidy’s foot caught on something—another root, this one concealed by either sand or darkness or both. She started to fall forward but caught herself before she hit the ground.

  “You’ve got a gun,” Rose hissed behind her.

  Cassidy’s shirt must have come up and revealed her weapon. Her stomach sank. She knew how this would look to someone already on edge.

  “I do.” There was no use denying it.

  Rose stepped closer, leering at Cassidy with pure defiance and undeniable menace. “Who are you?”

  “I told you. I sell ice cream.”

  “Then why do you have a gun?”

  “Because I’m a single lady. You can never be too safe. If you haven’t noticed, I didn’t pull it out, and I’ve had plenty of opportunities.”

  Rose held her hand out. “Give it to me.”

  Cassidy raised her chin. “No.”

  “You do realize I have a knife, don’t you?”

  “And you do realize I have a gun, don’t you?”

  The two women stared off at each other, pacing in a circle like two fighters in center ring.

  “I don’t trust you,” Rose finally barked.

  “It doesn’t look like you have much choice but to try and trust me right now,” Cassidy said. “You don’t appear to have anyone else in your corner.”

  “You should have never gotten involved in this, lady.”

  “I’m beginning to see that. But I’m involved now, whether I want to be
or not.”

  “Keep moving,” Rose ordered. “And if I see you reaching for that gun, I won’t hesitate to use this knife. I’ve got a black belt in tae-kwarving-o.”

  She was tough and funny.

  Cassidy didn’t mention that she could draw her gun and shoot in three seconds flat. Instead, she acted compliant and kept moving. Questions danced at the edge of her tongue, but she didn’t ask them. This wasn’t the time. No, she needed to develop some trust with the woman first.

  They reached her house, and Cassidy opened the door.

  “I’m going to go get the first aid kit,” Cassidy said. “You can watch me.”

  “Don’t worry. I will.” Rose stationed herself at the door, her eyes still cold and street-wise. Or was it street-hardened?

  Cassidy didn’t know the woman’s story and didn’t have time to piece everything together yet. No, right now, it was all about survival—for her and for these ladies.

  She grabbed the kit from the kitchen—she’d stashed one beneath the sink. She slipped it into a paper sack from the grocery store and paused. “You all need more food.”

  Rose didn’t say anything.

  “I don’t have much. It’s time for me to go shopping again. But I’m going to grab what I have. Okay?”

  Rose nodded.

  Cassidy reached into her fridge and pulled out some bread. Some lunch meat and cheese. From her pantry, she got some soup and crackers and granola bars. It wasn’t much, but these were all things they could eat without electricity—Cassidy was pretty sure there wasn’t any at the house where they were staying.

  “What else do you need?” Cassidy asked. “Clothes? Blankets?”

  “We don’t need nothing else.”

  She sighed, this struggle getting old. “I’m not trying to impose, but obviously you all need things. You’re staying in an abandoned house and stealing food from my ice cream truck.”

  Rose’s nostrils flared again as she stood there stiffly. “Fine. Some clothes would be nice. Maybe some soap and a towel or two.”

  “I have to go down the hallway.”

  “I’ll go with you.”

  “I’d expect nothing less.”

  “Don’t be smart.”

  “I’m being honest.” Cassidy walked down the hallway, keenly aware that the situation could turn ugly in the blink of an eye.

  She slipped into her room and began gathering some extra clothing from her dresser.

  “You don’t live here full time,” Rose said, glancing around the room. “This looks like a rental. There’s nothing personal.”

  “I’m only here for the summer.”

  “Where you from?”

  “Texas,” Cassidy glanced up. “How about ya'll?”

  “It’s not important.”

  She stuffed the last of the clothes into a duffel bag and then went to the bathroom and gathered some toiletries. “Will that work?”

  “It’s great.”

  “Let’s go then. Your friend needs that medicine ASAP.” She heaved the bag onto her back and grabbed the paper bag from the kitchen.

  Her hands were full, which didn’t bode well in case she needed to draw her weapon. She was going to have to cross that bridge when she got there.

  “Why do you want to help us?” Rose asked as they started down the steps.

  “Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do if you see someone in need?”

  “Most people would say no.”

  “Then you haven’t met the right kind of people.”

  “I guess I haven’t.” Rose moved beside her—a sign she was starting to trust her—but she still held that outstretched knife. “Most people want something in exchange for doing something nice for you.”

  “I’m not asking for anything in return.” Cassidy almost added “Rose,” but remembered she wasn’t supposed to know the woman’s name.

  Thank goodness she’d stopped herself from saying it because things could have turned ugly otherwise.

  “Stop,” Rose whispered.

  Cassidy had barely heard her.

  “Stop,” Rose repeated.

  Cassidy froze in the dense patch of woods. “What’s wrong?”

  “Do you hear that?”

  Cassidy’s instincts were usually finely tuned, but she hadn’t heard anything except the roar of the ocean in the background and the rustle of the leaves as the branches clapped together in the breeze.

  “Someone’s out there,” Rose whispered. “Get behind the tree.”

  Cassidy almost refused. Rose had to be wrong. No one was out here right now but them.

  She slid behind a tree anyway, flinching as the rough bark cut into her fingertips. A moment later, headlights cut through the darkness.

  Rose was right. Someone was out there.

  And nothing good was going to come from this.

  Chapter 11

  “It’s the men who are looking for us,” Rose whispered, her breath coming out as a hiss. “I just know it. Did you call someone?”

  Cassidy’s chest tightened with tension, irritation, and pure fighting instinct. “You’ve been with me the whole time. You know I didn’t.”

  Rose glared at her, the look so searing it nearly lit up the darkness around them. “How did they find us then?”

  “I have no idea.” Cassidy swatted a bug lingering around her neck, wishing they could keep moving. “And why are these men even looking for you?”

  “You don’t want to know.”

  The unease in Cassidy’s gut grew by the moment. Something was seriously wrong here. Something bad.

  She peered out from behind the tree, wishing the branches weren’t blocking her view, yet grateful they concealed her.

  “We need to get closer to see what they’re doing,” Cassidy said.

  Rose squeezed her arm. “No, they’ll see us.”

  “I’ll be careful. I promise.” Cassidy set down her bags and crept forward.

  Sure enough, a dark sedan slinked down the lane.

  Was the driver looking for the women?

  Most vacationers weren’t out this late. Lantern Beach didn’t have that kind of nightlife. No, it was mostly a family town.

  The car stopped near Rose’s cottage.

  “No, no, no . . .” Rose seemed to grind her teeth beside her.

  “Just hold tight,” Cassidy whispered, her arm jutting out to prevent Rose from doing anything foolish.

  “Who are you? Wonder Woman?”

  “No, I’m the Ice Cream Woman.” She glanced at Rose. “That was supposed to be funny.”

  “Well, Ice Cream Woman . . . you’re going to get us killed. And keep your day job. Please.”

  The car door opened, and a man stepped out. Cassidy couldn’t make out his features in the darkness. If only the moon was full, maybe they’d have a chance. But tonight it was just a sliver in the sky.

  “No . . .” Rose whispered.

  Cassidy squatted on the ground and felt around. Sand. A thorny vine. More bark.

  Finally, she found a rock—a good-sized one, at that. She pulled her arm back, remembering all those softball pitching lessons she’d been through.

  “What are you doing?” Rose asked.

  “Trust me.”

  “I don’t even know you.”

  “Just watch.”

  And before Rose could argue anymore, Cassidy tossed the rock toward the house across the street. She held her breath, waiting to see if her plan worked.

  A minute later, the motion-activated sprinkler came on, followed by floodlights.

  The man quickly got back into his car. Two seconds later, he backed down the lane, sufficiently spooked.

  “How’d you know?” Rose asked.

  “Because I sold ice cream to that family earlier.”

  “Well, that was a lucky throw.”

  Cassidy shrugged. “What can I say? Either way, we need to get to your friends. They’re not going to be safe staying there much longer.”

  Just as Cassidy leaned dow
n to retrieve the bags, Rose whipped forward and grabbed the gun from Cassidy’s waistband.

  Cassidy sighed. She should have known better.

  “Who are you, really?” Rose said. “You work for the Cobra, don’t you?”

  The Cobra? That was the name that had been written on that paper. “Who’s the Cobra?”

  “He’s the man who did all of this.”

  “I don’t work for him. I’m telling you the truth. I just sell ice cream.”

  “I’m not some dopey suburban kid or naïve islander. There’s more to your story.”

  Cassidy’s heart pounded into her ribcage. “I don’t know what else to tell you. I do know that I just scared away someone who obviously shook you up. If I was involved with this, why would I do that? Why would I bring you food and clothes?”

  Rose stared at her. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”

  “Please, let’s get the medicine to your friend. Then we can sort all of this out.”

  “I’m keeping the gun.”

  “Fine.” Cassidy would rather have the gun herself, especially if that driver came back. But she’d deal with this one step at a time.

  They scrambled back toward the house, looking up and down the lane for any sign of that car. It was gone.

  But they might not have much time before it returned.

  Cassidy raised a water bottle to the lips of the woman lying on the couch. She gulped down the liquid, hardly taking time to breathe.

  “What’s your name?” Cassidy asked, noting the woman’s pale skin.

  “Don’t tell her,” Rose barked. “The less she knows, the better.”

  “What can it hurt if she tells me her first name?” Cassidy said. “I already heard you say Trina’s name.”

  The plump, injured woman took the aspirin from Cassidy’s hand and took another long sip of water. Then her weary gaze went to Rose.

  “I’m Kat,” she said, raising her chin with a touch of defiance.

  “I’m Cassidy.” She glanced back at Rose, making sure the woman understood what Cassidy was about to say. “You guys can’t stay here.”

  “We have nowhere else to go.” Rose crossed her arms, Cassidy’s gun still in her hand.