Lantern Beach Mysteries Box Set

by Christy Barritt

  Martin’s eyes widened in surprise at their intrusion.

  Cassidy got a better look at the man, noting that he was more diminutive than she would have guessed. His hair was already thinning, and his gaze lacked confidence.

  Both Martin and Serena’s eyes widened in surprise as they turned from their conversation toward Ty and Cassidy.

  “Fancy seeing you here,” Cassidy said, keeping her voice light. “You’re that racecar driver, right?”

  Martin’s chest puffed out. “That’s correct.”

  “That’s so cool that you’re here in town,” Cassidy said, making sure to sound impressed.

  “Yeah, I’m a big fan,” Ty said.

  “Mr. Chaser was just telling me that he was asked not to be the Grand Marshal of the parade after all,” Serena said. “The offer was rescinded.”

  “What? Why would they do that?” Cassidy’s mouth gaped open.

  “All because of those allegations.” Martin’s gaze darkened. “All someone has to do is say the word, and you’re guilty before charged. I’m not involved in drugs.”

  “I heard you were buying an island. I thought that was so cool. I mean, who can afford an island.”

  Martin’s expression darkened. “Correction: I wanted to buy an island. Do you know how expensive they are? And no, I wasn’t selling drugs to try and fund it.”

  “Why do the police think you’re not telling the truth?” Cassidy asked.

  “Great question. Look, I’m broke. I’ve made some poor choices in my life. Some of those choices might involve a little bit of gambling—poker is one nasty habit. Believe me.”

  “Why’d you come here to Lantern Beach of all places?” Ty asked.

  “Because it’s cheap.” Martin sighed. “Look, I drive an expensive car so I can impress the ladies while I’m out, but I’m staying in a dump over on Sea Oats Drive.”

  Cassidy’s eyes widened with realization.

  That was the car she’d seen. She wouldn’t have pegged Martin as a Lexus guy. No, she would have guessed a sports car.

  “Why a Lexus?” she asked.

  “How did you know I drove a Lexus?” Martin looked at her, his gaze accusatory—yet so exaggerated that it was almost amusing. “Are you following me?”

  “I just happened to be on that street and noticed the mismatched car and house. I used to be an interior designer back in the day, so I notice these things.” That was another part of her cover story.

  “Okay, I actually borrowed it from my dad.” He scowled. “There, are you happy?”

  “I don’t know if I’d say happy. I mean, puppies make me happy.” Cassidy nearly rolled her eyes at herself.

  “My career is tanking, my finances are laughable, and my girlfriend left me. I really don’t have much going for me at this point.” He pushed his plate away, only half of his red velvet pancakes gone.

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” Ty said.

  Cassidy’s gaze went to Martin’s arm. There was no tattoo.

  Things weren’t looking good for the investigation. Unless something turned around, those three women were going to be in hiding for a long time.

  A table opened up across the room at the Crazy Chefette, and Ty and Cassidy grabbed it, along with two menus. Since the place seemed short-staffed, they both ordered coffee—something easy.

  As they waited for it to arrive, Ty studied Cassidy, noted the determination in her eyes. The intelligence and purpose behind her words and actions. The way she sat like a soldier, watching, observing, formulating.

  Something felt unsettled in Ty’s gut, like Cassidy’s secrets were a chasm he’d never be able to cross. Yet he couldn’t deny what an important part of his life the woman had become.

  She held up her phone. “Your mom seems to be doing well. She texted again.”

  Ty nodded. “I couldn’t be happier about that. But that doesn’t mean it’s not going to get harder before it gets easier.”

  “That’s true.”

  Ty knew what Cassidy was doing—she was trying to change the subject, to avoid the hard questions. And, as much as he would love to talk about his mom, there were other more pressing issues at the moment.

  “Tell me what you know about all of this,” he said.

  Cassidy rubbed her lips together silently a minute before saying, “Your arm hurts. You really should rest.”

  He leaned closer. “You were really good back there at acting clueless, you know.”

  That fact hadn’t gone unnoticed. And it was another part of the reason he felt unsettled right now.

  Her cheeks turned red. “I may have done some acting in high school. And I know what people’s misconceptions about blondes can be. I was just using that to my advantage.”

  What kind of act was Cassidy putting on for him? Or was she? Because there were moments when he got glimpses of Cassidy with her guard down. Those times, he felt like he saw the real person.

  Then moments like these arose and threw everything Ty thought he knew into a tailspin.

  “The guy behind this is called the Cobra,” Cassidy finally said, almost sounding reluctant. “He apparently owns an island somewhere south of here. Most likely the Wilmington area.”

  “There’s nothing else distinguishable about him?”

  Cassidy shrugged. “He has a cobra tattoo on his arm.”

  He blanched. “A cobra tattoo?”

  She tilted her head. “Is that familiar?”

  “Renee said she saw someone in the clinic with a snake tattoo,” Ty said. “Said he looked scary.”

  Cassidy straightened, a new light entering her eyes. “That fits what I know. Someone told me he injured himself. Did she say anything else about him?”

  “I didn’t think to ask.” He paused before his next suggestion. “I could call her and see if she’ll talk.”

  Cassidy’s eyes widened, almost as if he’d just suggested putting a call into the president himself. “You’d do that?”

  “To save the lives of three women?” He nodded. “Of course I would. The question is, will Renee talk to me?”

  “That’s an excellent question.”

  “Let me try.” He pulled out his phone and dialed her number. Just as he suspected might happen, it went to voicemail. He left a message, hung up, and then turned to Cassidy. “Maybe she’ll call back.”

  “We can only hope. I’m not sure anyone at the clinic would give up any information about him, not with all the privacy laws.”

  “You’re right. If Renee doesn’t come through, it seems nearly impossible that we’ll find this guy here,” Ty said. “Especially with the crowds like we have on the Fourth of July.”

  “You were a SEAL. You guys rooted out terrorists from the earth’s innards. Don’t you have some tricks up your sleeve?”

  Their coffee arrived, and he took a long sip of his. “It sounds so dramatic when you say it like that.”

  “But it’s true, isn’t it?”

  Ty couldn’t be sure, but there may have been a gleam of admiration in Cassidy’s eyes. “The difference is that we had technology and an army of people backing us up. We don’t have that here. Tell me again why we can’t go to the police with this?”

  Cassidy frowned and stared into her coffee a moment. “The ladies said that one of the men involved was an officer.”

  He didn’t like the sound of that. “Would they recognize him?”

  “They said they saw him from far away, but they don’t trust law enforcement, and I can’t blame them.” She leaned closer. “You remember that night we went to the lighthouse, Ty? We saw a cop on the shoreline doing something that seemed pretty unsavory.”

  “Yes, we did.” He hadn’t stopped thinking about the encounter since. “There’s a chance that one of the cops here is involved with something. We just don’t know who. Quinton? Bozeman? Leggott?”

  “Exactly. But we might want to keep that in mind as we move forward.” She drew in a long breath. “Speaking of which . . . where do we go from here?


  He leaned back and tried to think everything through. “Do you know anything else about the man, other than he’s evil, rich, and ruthless, with a cobra tattoo?”

  “Only that he liked to eat . . .” Lisa appeared at the table, as if right on cue. Cassidy turned toward her. “Lisa, has anyone requested liver and onions here lately?”

  She shrugged, as if the question wasn’t unusual. “As a matter of fact, they have. It’s funny that you ask.”

  “Do you remember who?”

  Lisa thought about it a moment. “You know, I really don’t. I didn’t recognize him. Nor did I think it was a big deal, truth be told.”

  Cassidy and Ty exchanged a look.

  Lisa shifted her weight from one hip to the other. “Why? What’s going on?”

  Cassidy shook her head. The problem with asking questions was that it caused other people to also ask questions. “Just wondering. It’s a long story, but I’ll explain when I can.”

  “Do you two want to try some?”

  “No, thank you,” Ty and Cassidy said at the same time.

  “If you change your mind, let me know. I make this recipe with liver and Brussel sprouts that’s out of this world.”

  “Why are you shorthanded today?” Cassidy asked.

  “My new waitress, Melissa, requested the day off.” Lisa frowned. “I usually don’t give holidays off, but what can I say? I’m a softie. She met this guy, and he’s coming into town today. She was over-the-moon excited about it.”

  “A guy?” Cassidy asked.

  Lisa nodded. “She met him online, apparently. I guess that’s the new way to do things.”

  “Do you know where they were meeting, Lisa?” Urgency and concern hitched Cassidy’s voice.

  Lisa shrugged. “Not really. I think it was on the boardwalk somewhere. Why? What’s wrong?”

  Cassidy stood. “It’s a long story. But you should call her. Tell her not to go anywhere alone with this guy.”

  “Okay, you’re making me nervous.”

  “Let’s just say she fits the profile of someone who . . . well, who could disappear forever. Her online date most likely knows that too.”

  Chapter 27

  “Maybe we should split up,” Cassidy said as she and Ty climbed back into Elsa.

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” Ty twisted his head, his neck and shoulders tight with disagreement—and possibly discomfort. “Besides, we need to find somewhere to park. The highway is closed for the parade.”

  “Niles said I could sell ice cream. I should be able to get past those barricades.”

  “Are you going to sell ice cream?”

  “Of course not. I’ve got to find Melissa.”

  “Let’s stay together for as long as we can, okay?” Ty said. “I’d feel a lot better if we worked as a team, especially since these guys are looking for you. If they find you again . . .”

  Cassidy shivered at the thought of it. She didn’t want them to find her either, not after last time. “Okay, that’s fine. Let’s go.”

  Just as she’d hoped, a volunteer let her through the barricade before the parade started. She found a place on a public lot and parked. As she and Ty climbed out, several people asked about buying ice cream. Cassidy insisted to them she’d be back later.

  Maybe.

  For now, she and Ty paused on the sidewalk and glanced around.

  Everyone had begun lining up for the parade at the school’s athletic fields. Maybe that would be the best place to start.

  She’d only taken two steps when she ran into a familiar figure.

  “Hey, there, Quinton,” she said, trying not to look uneasy around him.

  “Hey, Katniss.”

  “Cassidy,” she corrected.

  “That’s right. Cassidy.” He smiled, clueless as to how annoyed Cassidy felt every time he got her name wrong.

  “Hey, I’m glad I ran into you. I was wondering if the Coast Guard ever took that raft away? I heard Niles wanted to put it in the parade, and my friend Ty over here wanted to see it.”

  Quinton nodded a stiff hello to Ty before shaking his head. “Actually, they didn’t. Officer Savage found some kind of evidence onboard but left the raft itself. Said we could dispose of it as we saw fit.”

  Ty stepped closer, that intimidating Navy SEAL look on his face. “What kind of evidence?”

  Quinton shrugged. “Looked like a piece of jewelry or a compass or something. I didn’t ask any questions.”

  Cassidy’s heart quickened. Was it the locket Trina had left with the coordinates to the island? She needed to know what he’d found. The coastguardsman may have all the answers Cassidy was looking for and not even realize it.

  “The Coast Guard has a unit in the parade,” Quinton continued. “If you’re really curious, you could find them and ask. Doubt they’ll tell you anything, though.”

  “Thanks a bunch.” She smiled before walking away with Ty and lowering her voice. “We need to find him, Ty.”

  “I thought we needed to find Melissa.”

  “Both.”

  He sighed. “This is where you want to split up, isn’t it?”

  She nodded. “I’m sorry. But I’ll be safe. I promise.”

  “I don’t like this.” A storm raged inside his eyes.

  “Remember, we have a conversation to have later.”

  “You mean, the one that’s a problem?”

  She smiled. “That’s the one. I intend on staying alive so we can have it.”

  His worried gaze latched onto hers. “I’m going to hold you to that, Cassidy.”

  “Please do. Now, let’s go. I’ll stay in touch.”

  Ty paused on the boardwalk, which, at the moment, was an overstimulating playground of sensory items. Crowds laughed and cheered. The heat made the air feel like a sauna. The smell of hot dogs and popcorn wafted, making his stomach rumble.

  His shoulder ached, but he ignored the pain as he glanced around, looking for someone who matched the description that Cassidy had given him. There were a lot of people to sort through, and Ty couldn’t stop worrying about Cassidy. He didn’t like the fact that they’d split up, especially not with those men who’d hurt her last night still on the loose. But he could tell he wasn’t going to be able to talk her out of it.

  His phone rang in his pocket. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen. It was Renee. Was she actually calling him back?

  Her voice sounded cold on the other line. “You called?”

  “Renee, I need your help.” He felt bad about the way things had ended but trying to tell her nicely hadn’t worked.

  “I offered you my help and you rejected it.” Derision and hurt dripped from her voice.

  “Listen, this is important. Life or death. Okay?”

  She sighed. “What is it?”

  “You told me you saw someone in the clinic with a cobra tattoo, correct?”

  “Yeah. You didn’t seem all that interested at the time.” Derision and hurt morphed into accusation. A scorned woman was not a fun woman to work with.

  Ty didn’t have time to play these games. “What did he look like, Renee? We think he’s a bad man who’s about to strike again—to strike an innocent girl who thinks she’s looking for a love connection.”

  “That’s horrible. No one should have her heart broken like that.”

  It had been another jab directed at him. Ty remained silent, waiting for her to do the right thing. Certainly she had enough of a moral compass to know how serious this was.

  Finally, she sighed again. “I don’t remember exactly what he looked like. He had huge arms and muscles. Cold eyes. But when he smiled, everything about him warmed up. He was an odd mix of attributes, I guess. Or maybe he could just turn the charm—or lack thereof—on and off. I didn’t see his hair. He wore a hat.”

  “Good to know.”

  “I overheard some nurses saying he had a nasty cut and that it was at least a day old. Oh, and one other thing I do remember,” Renee continued,
obviously liking the fact that she had all the power in the conversation.

  “What is it?”

  “He was carrying a bag with him, but I could see something peeking out of it. It looked like a uniform of some sort.”

  Ty paused as her words sank in. “What kind of uniform, Renee? Mechanic? Doctor? What?”

  “No, like law enforcement, if I had to guess.”

  Ty thanked Renee and hung up. He didn’t like the sound of this. Not at all.

  Cassidy’s phone rang, and she saw it was Lisa. She shoved the phone to her ear as she walked.

  “What’s going on?” Cassidy skirted past the crowds of innocent bystanders who had no idea of the evil going on here in Lantern Beach. She almost envied their naivety for a minute. She’d seen too much to ever feel that relaxed.

  “I called Melissa,” Lisa said. “But she’s not answering. I’m getting nervous.”

  She scanned the crowds, looking for anything suspicious. But mostly what she saw was expected—the crowds carrying chairs to the parade route. Little kids perched on their father’s shoulders. People sporting American flags and smiles.

  “Ty and I are out here looking for her,” Cassidy told Lisa.

  “What’s wrong, Cassidy? What’s going on?”

  She cut through a parking lot to cut some distance off the trek. “We think there’s a predator here on the island who targets women he meets through online dating.”

  Lisa gasped. “That’s terrible. You think Melissa is one of those women?”

  “Possibly. That’s why we’re trying to find her. If she tries to leave with him . . .”

  “I’ll go and help you. I should have never given her the day off.”

  “You couldn’t have known,” Cassidy said, dodging through more crowds. She finally reached the staging area for the parade. “You should stay at the Crazy Chefette, just in case she returns.”

  “But . . .”