On the Lookout

by Christy Barritt

  All her friends here seemed to be getting paired off, and Cassidy couldn’t be happier for them. She wanted all her friends to experience the over-the-moon joy she’d found since marrying Ty.

  Just then, Wes stood and started toward the kitchen.

  “Wait!” Lisa lurched to her feet. “Where are you going?”

  “Just to grab some more ice.” He held up his cup, looking confused.

  “I’ll get it.” Lisa reached him and tried to snatch the cup from his hand.

  Wes stared at her, his confusion even more pronounced as his eyebrows shoved together and his eyes narrowed. He pulled his cup toward him, almost protectively, but no doubt to aggravate Lisa as well. “I don’t mind.”

  In the blink of an eye, Lisa had grabbed the cup from him. “Neither do I. It’s my restaurant. I win. Have a seat. I insist.”

  Wes raised his hands in exaggerated defeat. “Okay … I was just trying to be helpful.”

  Cassidy and Ty exchanged a smile. Lisa obviously didn’t want to risk Wes discovering the body in the freezer. If Wes did find out, he’d never let her live it down. He was like a big brother with his teasing sometimes.

  Cassidy hated to cut into the otherwise lighthearted conversation, but a question pressed in on her. As soon as Lisa had returned with Wes’s drink and there was a pause in the conversation, Cassidy cleared her throat.

  “Anyone heard any town scuttlebutt about the dead body that washed ashore?” she asked.

  No one blinked an eye at her question. The local crime beat was part of their normal conversation. Here on the island, it was a part of most people’s normal conversations.

  “Someone in the grocery store was saying they thought he was a fisherman who fell out of his boat a few weeks ago,” Braden said.

  Nope, he didn’t match the description. Cassidy had checked.

  “I heard my neighbors saying they thought he was a windsurfer from Hatteras,” Skye added.

  Nope, Cassidy had checked that also. “They already found that guy—he was alive.”

  “Several years ago, someone fell off a cruise ship out in the Atlantic and washed up here,” Wes said.

  “I suppose stranger things have happened, but that theory isn’t even on our radar right now,” Cassidy said.

  Pastor Jack raised his hand down at the end. “I haven’t heard any theories. But have you ever considered that maybe he’s one of the new people who have moved into that old campground near town?”

  That was an interesting question. “No, I haven’t considered that. Do you know anything about the people who have moved there?”

  Cassidy had been curious about the group, but finding out any information on them seemed impossible. They kept to themselves and hardly ever left the gated community. Even Cassidy, as an officer of the law, had trouble discovering any details on the crowd.

  “Every time I go past, I think of Waco,” Austin said. “And I’m not talking about Fixer Upper. I’m talking about David Koresh.”

  “You think it’s a cult there?” Ty asked.

  “I don’t know if it’s a cult, but I think it’s weird. Really weird.” Austin shook his head, his eyebrows raised and a doubtful look on his face. “Everyone kind of dresses the same. They keep their heads down. Once they go in, they don’t come out. You put the pieces together.”

  Cassidy let his words sink in.

  A cult? It seemed far-fetched, but what if he was onto something?

  It was definitely a theory she wanted to keep in mind.

  Chapter Five

  In the middle of a rousing conversation about the best fishing holes on the island, Cassidy’s phone rang yet again. It was never-ending today. This time, it was Carter Denver, the island’s local singer/songwriter.

  “Hey, Chief,” he started.

  “Hey.” Cassidy stepped away from the rest of her friends as their voices rose in a good-natured debate. “I have a feeling you’re not calling about providing entertainment therapy to people at the police department.”

  He chuckled. “No, not quite. I wish I was calling for a simple reason. But there’s something I think you ought to see.”

  Again. What could it possibly be now? “Sure thing. Are you out at your place?”

  “I am.”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  Ty went with her to Carter’s apartment. He lived above a shop in the boardwalk area of the town. Cassidy had stopped by once before with Ty, and Carter had cooked them dinner. He was an extremely talented yet nice, all-around guy—but he was also one who didn’t open up a lot about his past and what had brought him to this island. He could easily be making a living off his music somewhere else.

  Cassidy figured he would share his story when he was ready.

  Carter met them at the door before they even knocked, his German shepherd standing happily beside him, tongue stretched nearly to the ground.

  “Thanks for coming,” he said. “Come on in.”

  They stepped inside and listened to the soothing strands of acoustic music floating from a speaker somewhere in the distance. The whole place had an artistic touch with unique paintings, rich colors on the walls, and knickknacks from his travels.

  “So, Bo got out today and went for a little traipse through town,” Carter started, looking down at his dog and giving him a stern look. “He likes to do that sometimes, and he’s been seen all the way down at the docks before. But he always comes back, thank goodness.”

  “That’s good. He’s a curious guy, huh?” Cassidy patted the dog’s head.

  “He is … but he brought me back a present today.”

  “What’s that?” Cassidy asked.

  Carter frowned, walked into the kitchen, and presented them with a paper bag. “I’ll let you see for yourself.”

  The last time someone had said that to Cassidy, Clemson had shown her scars all over John Doe’s back.

  After a moment of hesitation, she opened the bag. She squinted when she saw what was inside. “A bone?”

  Carter nodded, still looking tentative. “I’m no expert on these things, but I don’t think that’s any ordinary bone.”

  Cassidy and Ty exchanged a glance.

  “That’s what I’m afraid of,” Cassidy muttered, reaching for a plastic bag on the counter. “You mind?”

  “Not at all.”

  Using the disposable plastic as a shield, she reached into the grocery bag and lifted the bone out. It was four inches long with a two-inch ball at one end. The shaft was about one inch. Human? It could be. But she was no expert on bones.

  “I’m going to have to let Doc Clemson look at this,” she said. “I don’t suppose you have any idea where Bo found it?”

  “No idea. It could have been anywhere. I will tell you that he’s a bit muddier than usual.”

  Mud … Cassidy remembered the mud on the jeans of the man who’d been standing on the dune. Could this be connected? It was too early to tell. But she kept that possibility in the back of her mind.

  Cassidy dropped the bone with Clemson, who wasn’t able to definitively ID it either. Instead, he would send it off to the state lab. But he suspected that the bone could indeed be human, and Bo could have dug up an old grave on the island. They wouldn’t proceed until they knew something for sure. Clemson said it could take several days to get test results.

  Back at home, Cassidy cuddled up on the couch beside Ty, her favorite drink in hand. She wanted nothing more than to relax, but she couldn’t. She had too much on her mind.

  With Kujo sitting at her feet and Ty beside her on the couch, she jolted up, instantly missing Ty’s warmth.

  She gripped the glass in her hands and looked over at her husband. “I didn’t have a chance to tell you about the phone call with my mother yet. Not all of it, at least.”

  “You told me your dad had a stroke and wasn’t doing well.”

  She rubbed her lips together, still trying to comprehend all the implications of their conversation. “That’s part of it. The other
part is that she wants me to move back to Seattle and take over the company.”

  Ty straightened. “What? How could she even ask that? She knows what happened.”

  “I know. But she insists that I could get security to keep me safe.”

  “I wish that were true, but … the limelight is the last place you need to be. Besides, I’ve never heard you mention taking over your dad’s company. Was that ever on your radar, even?”

  Cassidy shook her head. “No, it wasn’t. But my dad has always wanted to keep the business in the family. That’s why he was so disappointed when I became a cop instead. But I think, deep inside, he figured I’d come back around.”

  Ty shook his head, his eyes narrowed with thought. “Your mom was serious?”

  “Yes, she was serious. She doesn’t want word to leak about my dad until they have a plan in place.”

  “She’s risking an awful lot just for a company.”

  “Alpha Tech sounds like just a company to a lot of people, but, to my mom and dad, it was their other baby. It was the thing they nurtured. That always did just as they wanted. That exceeded their expectations and made them proud.”

  Unlike me, Cassidy thought silently. She’d always had a mind of her own, and her parents hadn’t been able to control her as they did everything else in their lives.

  Ty squeezed her knee. “I know you and your parents had a strained relationship. I’m sorry they’re putting this pressure on you now. It’s not fair. They’re asking you to put your life on the line for their business.”

  “I’m sure they don’t see it that way. They’re the type who don’t see problems. They only look for solutions. And, in their minds, money can buy anything—including safety.”

  “They obviously don’t realize the power of DH-7.”

  “No, their realm is more corporate spies or global hackers. It’s a different kind of dangerous.”

  “Their ideas and finances are the only things in danger from those crimes.”

  “Exactly.” She crossed her arms across her chest.

  “Hey.” Ty nudged her. “It’s going to be okay.”

  The truth was, how could Cassidy be the person everyone needed her to be? The town needed her to keep law and order. But the hours she had to put in to do that meant less time with Ty. And that meant she wasn’t always there for him like she wanted to be. And now her parents supposedly needed her.

  Though she’d learned not to be defined by other people’s expectations of her, the thought of failing the people she cared about caused an unseen weight to press down on her.

  “You don’t regret staying here, do you?” Ty asked.

  His words caused an ache to form in her chest. “What? No. Never.”

  He pulled her into a warm hug, his arms enveloping her completely. “Good. Because I don’t ever want to hold you back. I don’t want to lose you, either.”

  “You’re never going to lose me, Ty. And you’re not holding me back. The life my parents have isn’t the kind of life I ever wanted for myself.”

  Ty kissed the top of her head. “Good.”

  She settled her head on his chest and listened to the steady thumping beneath her ear. She’d meant the words. Lantern Beach with Ty was the only place for her.

  But that didn’t stop the tension from pulling inside her.

  Chapter Six

  Moriah felt an unusual amount of jitters as she stepped out of her trailer.

  A brisk morning wind swept over the water and hit her exposed skin.

  Thou must suffer for the sake of the cause.

  All her clothes had been given to charity—including her coat.

  The cause was worth the sacrifice.

  It felt good to believe in something. To be a part of a group.

  Everyone had welcomed her last night and, for the first time in forever, Moriah had truly felt like she belonged.

  First, a nice woman named Elizabeth—a woman a few years older than Moriah who would be her mentor—had given her a tour. There were forty campers and trailers here at the compound. In the center was the Meeting Place. Inside, it was nothing fancy, but Gilead wanted to make it more presentable—a place with worthy workmanship, he’d said.

  It made sense. Give your best to God. Giving your best meant not settling for shabby workmanship.

  Gilead and his advisors met in the room above the Meeting Place. She wasn’t sure, but Gilead might live up there also.

  There were also gardens. Even though it was winter, they still needed to be tended for the winter crop. And a greenhouse provided protection from the elements for other plants as Gilead’s Cove tried to become a self-sustaining community.

  Everyone here had a job. Today Moriah would find out what hers was. Maybe she could cook. She’d always loved cooking. Or childcare. She’d always loved children as well.

  That was what she would end up doing. She felt sure of it.

  Everything here felt so right, and her instincts told her that she was where she should be. Certainly, things would continue to fall into place and fulfillment would be a part of her future. Gilead had promised her that much.

  Her feet, clad in sandals, hit the rocky yet sandy soil. She joined the others on the path that led toward the Meeting Place. No one said anything. She’d been instructed not to speak before morning prayers.

  She held her head down. It was important, she’d been told. A sign of humility.

  And humility was where change could begin.

  She desperately needed this to work. It was her last hope, so she needed to do whatever was necessary to ensure she found her place. If being here didn’t work to change her life then nothing would. She’d have to admit defeat—to admit that she’d failed at life.

  And she might as well end it all.

  She stepped into the Meeting Place, and relief instantly filled her, from her skin all the way to her bones. It wasn’t warm in here—but it wasn’t cold either. At least the walls protected her from the cool breeze that raked across the island.

  She followed the example of everyone else as they gathered in a circle at the center of the Meeting Place. Tables and wooden chairs had been set up in the room, in front of a rickety-looking stage. The room was dark. At one time, there might have been windows, but they’d been boarded up. Certainly there were less distractions if people couldn’t see outside.

  When everyone had arrived, they prayed together and then ate breakfast in silence—another ritual. Afterward, the tables were put away, the chairs were set facing the stage, and Gilead stepped out.

  The way Moriah’s heart pounded, he might as well be a celebrity stepping out for autographs. The man was a star.

  He began a motivational talk, encouraging everyone to live up to their potential.

  Potential.

  That was what she’d focus on. Potential and purpose.

  As the meeting ended, Gilead handed out instructions for the day.

  Moriah waited eagerly to learn what her role would be.

  Dietrich, one of Gilead’s assistants, stopped in front of her and glanced at a clipboard. “Moriah Roberts, your assigned duty today is to clean the bathrooms in the trailers.”

  She sucked in a breath. Bathrooms. She’d always hated cleaning bathrooms. Why wouldn’t she be assigned something in her gifting? She’d done an assessment test yesterday. And—

  “Moriah,” Dietrich repeated.

  She glanced up and nodded. “Yes, thank you.”

  “Thank you, sir,” he corrected.

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “And …”

  That’s right. There was something else she was supposed to say. What was it? Her thoughts muddled as insecurity gripped her. The kids at school had always teased her, saying she was stupid. She’d overheard one of her teachers telling her mom that she’d probably never graduate from high school.

  Those words had been burned into her brain, and for a long time, she’d let them dictate her future. But not anymore. She couldn’t believe the lies t
hat she’d held about herself for so long.

  “Thank you, sir. And with gladness I will go forth and serve.” That was it.

  That seemed to appease Dietrich, and he moved on to the next person.

  This would just take some getting used to. That didn’t mean there was anything wrong with the way things were done here. It just meant it was different.

  She needed to be open-minded.

  Her only regret was that she’d left her parents behind. Her poor parents. Her dad had been having heart problems, and her mom looked on the verge of a mental breakdown. They’d been so wrapped up in their own problems that they’d hardly noticed any of Moriah’s problems.

  Moriah knew they loved her. But even their love hadn’t been enough to make her feel accepted.

  Chapter Seven

  “No, Mrs. Jones,” Cassidy said into the phone the next morning. “I assure you the body that washed ashore wasn’t your husband, Frank. I just saw him this morning at the general store. What’s that? You were hoping it was him? You know, Pastor Jack at the community church meets with couples for counseling to help work through feelings like this …”

  A few minutes later, Cassidy ended the call and sighed. Ever since she’d released the information to the media, she’d been vetting calls—all of which had been a waste of time. Someone thought it was an old boyfriend from California. Another thought John Doe was someone they’d seen on a missing-persons poster. Mrs. Jones hoped it was her husband.

  Her phone buzzed, and Cassidy almost didn’t want to respond. But it was Melva, and the woman would just knock at her door if Cassidy didn’t pick up.

  “Chief, we have a call on line two,” Melva said. “A woman says she knows who John Doe is.”

  Exhaustion pressed on Cassidy. She had to take these calls, even if they were a waste of time. All she needed was one person who actually had relevant information to make this worth it.