“I know. But making a career on shallow songs that reflect nothing about me at all seems like a wasted opportunity.”
“It’s late. You just need to get some sleep.” Emerson stepped toward the door. “I’ll talk to you in the morning.”
And with that, he stormed away.
Dez watched him leave. When the door had slammed, he turned back to Bree. She sat on the couch with her arms crossed, shaking her head as if disgusted with the whole conversation.
Finally, she rose and paced back over toward the breakfast bar where she’d left her dinner. Dez had made a phone call, and one of his friends had delivered their meals about forty minutes later. Bree hadn’t touched hers yet and, no doubt, it was cold by now. But she didn’t complain as she took a bite.
Dez walked closer. “He seems like a piece of work.”
“You can say that again.” She rolled her eyes.
“Is he always like that?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, he is. But he’s supposed to be one of the best in the business. Everyone tells me how lucky I am.” Bitterness edged her words.
“I have to give you kudos for standing up for yourself.”
“I haven’t always done so. I should’ve started to put my foot down much earlier. It’s just, in the beginning, you’re so anxious to see things happen that you’ll say yes to nearly anything. I mean, not anything anything. I have my standards. I have a little brother and two sisters who look up to me, so I try to be a good example to them. But I have let my manager make far too many calls in my life already.”
“Better late than never you realize that then, right?”
“Yeah, I guess you could say that.”
“Just curious—where is your manager staying?” Dez leaned against the counter as they chatted.
“I think his house is about five or six down from this one.”
“Do you always stay in separate locations?”
“Usually, we’re in a hotel, and we each have our own rooms. It’s a little different here since there are no hotels on the island. So the band has their own place, the crew has their own place, and then my manager and I also have our own places.”
“You always stay alone?”
“Normally, my assistant stays with me, but her mom is having surgery this week. She’s not with me right now.” Bree paused, holding the burger in front of her. “Why are you asking?”
“Just trying to get a feel for how all this works. Will you stay here for a while? How about the rest of your band?”
“The rest of the band probably won’t stay. I don’t see any reason why they should. Like I said, this was the end of our tour. They have some well-deserved time off coming up.”
“Good to know.”
Dez was trying to get a feel for what he’d gotten himself into. Though it wasn’t his job to figure out who was behind today’s shooting, he couldn’t help but think through the possible suspects.
The most likely one seemed to be the crazy fan from earlier. However, that man had been escorted away from the concert right before the gunfire occurred. That pretty much ruled him out.
Dez had no doubt that there was more than one person who could be responsible, who could be obsessed with Bree Jordan.
That’s what made all of this even scarier.
That and the fact that there was no evidence to show how someone had gotten into the house earlier to leave that note. No scratch marks on the windows. No doors that had been jimmied.
Nothing.
That meant the person had the code to get inside.
And that meant the person could be someone close to Bree.
Police Chief Cassidy Chambers leaned back in her office chair and squeezed her eyes shut for a moment.
She hadn’t had a break all day today. In fact, this whole week had been crazy with the music festival being in town. The director of tourism for Lantern Beach had thought this three-day event would be a great way to bring people to the island during the off-season.
The move had been risky since the weather was always iffy on Lantern Beach in March. Sometimes it could be bitterly cold, and other times it felt like summer. They had been lucky because the weather this week had been in the sixties, which made it perfect for the festival.
In total, they’d had ten different bands come into town. Bree Jordan had been the obvious headliner. In fact, Cassidy was surprised that the woman had even agreed to come to such a small venue, especially considering her star status. Bree sold out venues wherever she went.
A majority of the island’s residents had decided to leave the island during the festival, choosing instead to rent out their homes to visitors through various online programs. The island wasn’t usually this crowded in March, but right now it was at capacity, similar to the peak months of July and August.
Some people had even come over by ferry in the mornings and then left in the evenings because there was nowhere for them to stay. Knowing this, they’d planned the concerts to end early. The last ferry left at seven.
It was great to see the economy booming, but, after what had happened earlier today, Cassidy wasn’t sure if this music festival would be a positive or negative for the island.
Reports about what had happened were all over the news right now. Not exactly the hype that Lantern Beach wanted. Bad press was becoming all too common here.
Uncountable law enforcement agencies were now involved in this. Cassidy was so thankful that no one had been killed. It would have been so easy for that to happen.
The marine police and Coast Guard had been searching continuously for the boat. Finally, they discovered a Bayliner abandoned at a dock on the west side of the island. It had been stolen from a vacation home earlier in the day, but the owner hadn’t been around to report it. Bullet casings had been found onboard.
But, whoever the gunman was, he was long gone. They had searched the island looking for him. However, since they did not have a positive ID on the man, it was going to be hard to locate him.
Cassidy didn’t like the sound of this. A crew from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation was on their way, and Cassidy wouldn’t be surprised if the FBI ended up getting involved in this as well.
Someone knocked at the door to her office, and she looked up to see her husband, Ty, standing there. Her day, if only for just a moment, felt brighter.
He stepped forward and planted a quick kiss on her cheek before saying, “You look tired.”
“I am. And I don’t know what time I’m going to be able to leave tonight. For that matter, I don’t even know if I will be able to leave tonight.”
“It’s been crazy today, hasn’t it?” He sat across from her and placed a container of food on her desk.
“To say the least.” She peered at the container. “What’s this?”
“Some leftover shepherd’s pie. I warmed it before I came. I figured you hadn’t taken any time to eat.”
“It looks delicious.” She pulled off the lid, took a bite, and began giving him a brief rundown on the updates, which weren’t many.
“I guess the Blackout guys are busy now?” Cassidy asked. “Did I hear they’ve been hired to maintain security for Bree?”
“That’s right. We went over earlier to talk about security. I think Bree might give Dez a run for his money.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s not often that Dez runs into somebody more charismatic and popular than he is.”
That got a smile out of Cassidy. “True. I can’t argue with that. You think Dez will ever settle down? I know he has the reputation of being a playboy.”
“I think when he finds the right person, he’ll have no problem moving forward. He’s not a bad guy. He just hasn’t found the right woman for him yet.”
“Well, I hope everything goes well with his assignment.”
Just then, Cassidy’s phone buzzed. It was one of her officers, Braden Dillinger.
“Chief, we just got a report about a body.”
> Her spine stiffened. Those were not the words she wanted to hear. “A body?”
Ty’s gaze met hers.
“Some late-night partiers were walking the beach when they found him. He’d been shot. They found his body on the beach about a block away from Bree Jordan’s rental. You’ll want to get down here.”
Chapter Ten
Bree finished her burger. Even though it was only lukewarm by the time she ate it, she had to admit it hit the spot.
She tried to relax, knowing that a security system had been installed and that Dez and Griff were both here. But she couldn’t bring herself to let down her guard. Too much had happened, and there was too much on the line right now.
Just when she started thinking about what she might do next—a warm bath was at the top of her list—her doorbell rang.
Dez and Griff both tensed and reached for their weapons.
“Stay with her,” Dez ordered Griff.
Griff stayed close while Dez went down to the front door and pulled it open. A moment later, Bree heard Chief Chambers’ voice drift up the stairs.
“I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” Dez said.
“I was hoping to talk to Bree.” The chief’s voice carried through the house.
The police chief stepped into the living room a moment later, a somber expression on her face. “I need to have a word with you, Ms. Jordan.”
Dez pointed at the dining room table. “Have a seat.”
A moment later, they were all seated there, with the exception of Griff, who remained on guard near the stairs.
“What’s going on?” Bree rubbed her hands together, trying to cover her nerves. The task felt impossible, though.
“A body was found on the beach. A man.”
Bree’s eyes widened. “What? Who?”
Cassidy pulled up her phone and showed Bree the picture.
She gasped as the man’s familiar features came into focus. Blond hair. Pale skin. “That’s the man who was always following me from concert to concert, who always tries to catch me alone.”
“Correct. We brought him in earlier but didn’t have enough to hold him. Do you know much about the man?”
“No, I don’t even know his name. I never asked. My manager said it was better if I didn’t give him any attention. That if I did the man would take it as a sign that I wanted more.”
Chief Chambers nodded. “Probably good advice. Do you know anything else about him? Has he ever appeared dangerous toward you?”
Bree remembered all the encounters she’d had with the man before. “No, he was always eager to talk to me. I’m not going to lie, he scared me on more than one occasion. But he never actually touched me or did anything that came close to harming me.”
“Good to know,” the police chief said.
“How did he die?” Bree’s voice cracked.
“He was shot. On the beach. Point blank.”
Bree squeezed the skin between her eyes. “I can’t believe this. Where was he found?”
“A couple of blocks south of here.”
“Near my manager’s house?”
“Is he staying six houses down?” the chief asked.
“Six houses to the south.”
Cassidy nodded. “Yes, that’s near where the body was found. I will need to talk to your manager.”
“I’m sure he would be happy to answer any of your questions. In fact, I’m kind of surprised he didn’t come out when he saw all the commotion on the beach. I’m sure he’s still awake.”
“I’ll need his number.”
Bree rattled it off to Chief Chambers.
“Also, I need you to show me the threats you received,” Chief Chambers continued. “Do you have them with you?”
“They’re on my computer.”
“Could you get it?”
“Of course.” Bree left the room and returned a few minutes later. She pulled up the emails she’d received. She could hardly read them herself, though. Whenever she did, her stomach turned with revulsion.
She knew what they said. You’re going to die, and I’m going to have fun killing you. This world would be better off without people like you. Your life will be coming to an end—be ready.
Then there were the photos. Photos where Bree’s face had been scratched out with a black marker. Photos where a red line had been drawn across her neck. Of a puddle of blood that had been labeled “Bree’s.”
“I’m going to need copies of these.” The chief frowned. “I want to help you get to the bottom of this.”
“I would love for someone to get to the bottom of this,” Bree said. “I’m tired of living in fear.”
“I’ll do whatever I can to help,” Dez said. “Nobody should be threatened like this.”
The chief’s gaze met Bree’s. “I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how serious this is.”
“I almost wish I was in the dark about just how real all of this is. But I’m not.” Even if she wanted to forget, those facts were driven home again and again.
“You have some of the best guys here watching out for you. In full disclosure, my husband is connected with the business, Blackout.” Chief Chambers stood. “Since I didn’t personally recommend these guys to you, there’s no conflict of interest.”
“That explains how you seem to know all of them,” Bree said.
“And I would trust them with my life, so I know you’re in good hands.”
“That’s good to know, at least.”
“If you think of anything or need anything, call me.” The police chief took a step toward the door. “In the meantime, try to get some sleep tonight.”
As Bree watched the chief leave, she had a feeling that Chief Chambers would not be taking that advice herself. It seemed like law enforcement here had a long night ahead of them.
“Stuff like this isn’t supposed to happen on Lantern Beach,” Dez told Griff.
Bree had gone to take a long bath, which gave Griff and Dez a few minutes alone to talk. They stood in the hallway outside her room, still on guard.
“I know, it’s crazy, isn’t it?”
“I have to say, I thought that guy was our number one suspect,” Dez said. “But since someone else got to him . . . I guess we’re back at square one.”
“Why would someone want to kill Bree?” Griff flipped his hand in the air, like the notion was ridiculous. “That’s what I can’t figure out. I can understand if someone wanted to be with her or give her attention. To kill her? That takes this to a whole different level.”
“Maybe it’s one of those ‘if I can’t have you no one can’ type of things.” Dez felt his muscles harden every time he thought about those threats. Bree’s stalker was more than just a lovesick fan. This guy was a psychopath who wanted to see Bree dead.
The more he learned, the more this situation left him uncomfortable.
Griff crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. “I suppose that could be the case. I just feel like there’s a lot more here that we haven’t even begun to uncover yet.”
“You’re probably right.” Dez shook his head, knowing his thoughts were getting him nowhere right now. “Listen, Griff, why don’t you go ahead and get some sleep? That way we can trade off shifts later.”
“You sure? I know you’ve had a long day.”
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
Dez had to admit that he was anxious to talk to Bree. He wanted to know more about her life, about who might be responsible for this. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Cassidy and her crew to find answers. But Dez was here, and he had access to Bree. It seemed like he should use that to try to find some answers.
Griff made no effort to leave, so Dez paused. “Something on your mind?”
Griff let out a long breath and rubbed his jaw. “Yeah, I guess you could say that. I keep thinking about Jason.”
“Jason Perkins?”
Jason Perkins had worked as part of the crew for their SEAL team’s former commander. It turned out Jason was also work
ing for a deadly terrorist organization known as the Savages. He’d been feeding the terrorists information on the command’s plans. Jason’s betrayal had ultimately led to the death of their leader, Daniel Oliver.
After Daniel’s wife, Elise, had discovered some information Daniel had hidden, she also became a target. Jason had followed her here, desperate to get his hands on the incriminating evidence. When that hadn’t worked, he’d tried to kill her.
“I can’t help but think that Jason couldn’t have planned everything that happened here by himself,” Griff said. “Jason wasn’t the brightest guy around. To think that he tried to kill Elise and then tracked her down here, disguised himself . . . it’s been bugging me lately.”
Dez tried to keep an even expression. “Did you tell Colton?”
Griff shrugged again. “He just looks so happy now that he and Elise are together. I don’t want to be paranoid.”
Dez released his breath and decided to own up to his feelings on the matter. “To be honest, I’ve thought the same thing. I bet Colton has too. I’m not sure how much we can do, though, since we’re not in the military anymore. If there is someone else pulling the strings, it will be almost impossible for us to get to him.”
“I called my friend Anderson Bryant.”
“He’s still a SEAL, right?” From what Dez remembered about the man, he was a decent frogman, even taking a bullet for someone on his team once.
Griff nodded. “That’s right. He’s going to keep his eyes open.”
“Maybe he’ll discover something then.”
“Yeah, maybe. I just don’t want to see anyone else get hurt in the meantime.”
“None of us do.” Dez pressed his lips together in thought. “Let me know what you hear. I’ll do the same.”
Griff disappeared to his temporary bedroom, and, several minutes later, Bree emerged.
Dez’s breath caught when he saw her. Bree always looked stunning. But, whenever he saw her on camera or onstage, her hair was always perfectly styled, her makeup heavy, and her outfits almost more like costumes.
Right now, in her black yoga pants and oversized sweatshirt, with her hair pulled back into a ponytail, she’d never looked so beautiful. She just looked so normal, so natural.
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