Cassidy pressed her lips together before saying, “I’ll be right there.”
Chapter Ten
Cassidy quickly observed Eddie Anderson as he sat across from her in her office.
The sixteen-year-old was a bit of a troublemaker. He had a wild streak that came out whenever he got bored. And in the winter, he got bored a lot here on the island, where there were no movie theaters or other amusements to occupy people who needed to stay busy.
He was tall and lanky, with an acne-freckled face, dark hair styled in a buzz cut, and a defiant look in his eyes.
Right now, his mom sat beside him. She was the opposite of Eddie—short and plump, with brittle, graying hair that came down to her shoulders. Her eyes didn’t show defiance but fear.
A pang of compassion rushed through Cassidy as she sensed the woman’s worry and distress for her son.
“Why don’t you start at the beginning, Eddie?” Cassidy folded her hands together in front of her. “Tell me what happened tonight.”
“Tell her what you told me.” His mom nudged him with her elbow.
Some of the defiance left his eyes, showing the boy who was still buried deep inside him—the one he tried to hide by acting macho and by doing stupid stuff.
“My friend dared me to jump the fence at the old campground,” he started, his gaze shifty. “I didn’t think it was a big deal. Just a campground, right? Besides, I’d been curious about who was staying there since it seems so hush-hush.”
“What happened after you jumped the fence?”
“I told my friend—Mark Zinck, since I’m sure you’re wondering. He can verify my story—I told him I’d take some pictures to prove that I’d done it. I had my camera ready. And everything was good at first. I mean, it was quiet. I almost didn’t think anyone was there. It was kind of weird since I knew there were people there.”
“And then?” Cassidy knew this story would take a turn for the worse, and she tried to brace herself.
“So I was walking around. Mostly, there were old campers. Not much to look at. But as I got to the other side of the place—near the water—I saw a campfire.” His eyes stilled, as if he was remembering something tragic.
“What was happening around this campfire?” Cassidy asked, her breath suspended with anticipation.
Eddie closed his eyes for a moment. “There were three men. One had this stick in his hands, but it wasn’t wooden. It was straight—maybe iron. He stuck it into the fire then pressed it into the other man’s back. It reminded me of branding cattle or something. Isn’t that what it’s called?”
Cassidy repressed a shiver as she pictured it playing out. “Yes, I believe so. Did the man seem willing? Or was this done to him by force?”
“No one was holding him down. But I could see the pain on his face. I freaked out. When I turned to leave, my foot hit an old water heater that had been left on the ground, and it made a loud sound. The men knew I was there and started chasing me. I knew I couldn’t slow down or they might brand me also.”
The boy must have been terrified. “Did they shoot at you?”
“Right when I got to the fence, one of them told me he was going to fire if I didn’t freeze. I didn’t care. I had to keep moving. When I dropped to the other side of the fence, I felt a bullet whiz by me.”
“You only felt it?” Cassidy clarified. “You didn’t hear anything?”
Fear shattered his voice. “No, I didn’t. I figured they must have one of those silencer things.”
“I take it the bullet missed you.”
“That’s right. And I didn’t stick around any longer. I jumped in my car and went home.”
“When he got there, I noticed something was wrong, and Eddie finally told me what happened,” his mom said, the edges of her mouth pulling down in a worried frown. “I insisted we come here and talk to you.”
“You did the right thing. I need to know about stuff like this happening here on the island. But I have to say that you shouldn’t be trespassing, Eddie.”
He frowned. “I know. I had no idea …”
“And they could have been perfectly in their rights to defend their property if they thought you were a threat to them.” Cassidy hated to say the words, but they were true.
“But—”
“I’m not saying what they did—or what they were doing—was right. I’m just letting you know the law.”
Meekly, he nodded. “I get it. Am I in trouble?”
“No, but consider this a warning. Don’t go to Gilead’s Cove again.” Whatever was happening there, these people didn’t want any outsiders to know about it.
The bad feeling churned harder in Cassidy’s gut.
She needed to go there. Again. Right now.
Before she made it back to her SUV, her phone rang.
“What are you doing?” Ty asked. “I thought you’d be home by now. I have dinner ready.”
Guilt washed over her. She’d never wanted to be someone who was married to her job. Yet that’s how she felt right now. “I’m sorry, Ty. Something came up, and I meant to call you. I just … I got distracted. I’m so sorry.”
“Everything okay?”
“I can explain more later. But right now I’ve got to go back to Gilead’s Cove.”
“Let me go with you.” His voice changed from concerned to tense.
“Why would you go with me?” Ty usually stayed out of her work.
“I don’t like that place. I don’t like the feeling I get when I go by it. And I don’t think it’s a good idea that you go alone. I’d say take Leggott with you, but he doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.”
After a second of thought, Cassidy nodded. “Okay. Can you meet me here at the station in five?”
“I’m leaving now.”
Cassidy gripped the steering wheel as she approached Gilead’s Cove. The bad feeling in her gut grew—the feeling that something bad was brewing on the island. She’d set up a life for herself here over the past several months, and now she felt like everything was on the brink of shattering.
She couldn’t let that happen, yet she partly felt powerless to stop it.
She glanced over at Ty, still confused by his insistence on being with her. “Is there more going on here than what you’re telling me? This isn’t like you to want to come with me.”
Ty’s jaw visibly clenched. “There’s been a strange man in town. I’ve seen him watching us. Or watching you. I don’t know which.”
Her spine straightened. “What? Tell me more.”
“I saw him yesterday for the first time, but I thought maybe it was a coincidence. But then I saw him again earlier today when I stopped by the house Austin and Skye are restoring. It was just for a moment—he drove past, but I caught a glimpse of his face. I can’t say this guy is anyone dangerous, to be truthful. But I can’t stop thinking about DH-7.”
“Does he look like a gang member?”
“No, but, as you well know, not everyone who is affiliated with the gang looks like they are. This guy looks pretty average—middle-aged, casual dresser, Caucasian. I didn’t see any tattoos. I feel like he’s watching us.”
“I think I saw that man yesterday at the crime scene,” Cassidy said. “He was standing in the distance, on a dune, and he disappeared when I approached him.”
“Sounds like the same guy.”
She shivered. “You really think he’s connected with the whole tragedy involving DH-7?”
Ty squeezed her knee. “I have no idea, Cassidy. I just know that I can’t stand the thought of something happening to you.”
She reached the entrance to Gilead’s Cove and put her vehicle into park. Before getting down to business, she shifted in her seat. She reached over and touched Ty’s jaw and cheek, emotion swelling in her chest. “I’m sorry you’re in the middle of my crazy life.”
“I knew what I was signing up for when we got married,” he said softly, his gaze fixated on hers. “And you better believe I’m going to be at your side in cas
e you ever need me.”
Warmth spread through her chest. “Thank you, Ty.”
She leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on his lips.
But this was no time for romance. Right now they needed to figure out Gilead’s Cove.
Gathering her energy, she rolled her window down, pressed the button at the guard station, and waited. A moment later, a voice came on the line. If she had to guess, it was Barnabas.
“Can I help you, Chief Chambers?”
So there was a camera here. Good to know. “I need to talk to someone about an incident that occurred here this evening.”
“You’re talking about the boy who trespassed on our property?”
Cassidy narrowed her eyes at his flippant words. “That’s correct.”
“We’ve decided not to press charges.”
“That’s … kind of you. But we still need to talk.”
“I’m afraid it’s after hours.”
Irritation pinched at her back muscles. “And I’m afraid this is official police business.”
Silence stretched until finally the voice said, “One minute.”
Cassidy glanced at Ty and let out a sigh. “Security here is tighter than it is at the White House.”
“Who exactly are they trying to keep out?” Ty asked.
“Or maybe the question should be: who are they trying to keep in?”
Chapter Eleven
Cassidy held her breath as the gate opened. A moment later, Barnabas appeared, carrying a lantern and looking rather primal under its glow.
She shivered.
He motioned for her to pull inside. As soon as she did, the gates closed. Hearing them click in place, she shivered again.
Thank goodness, Ty had insisted on coming with her. This place was bad enough during the daytime. At night, it was full-on creepy.
She rolled down her window and waited for Barnabas’s next instruction.
“You’ll need to leave your vehicle here again and follow me on foot,” he said.
She’d barely had time to climb out before Barnabas started down the path toward the Meeting Place.
Cassidy and Ty quickly caught up and fell in step behind Barnabas. As they walked, she looked around.
Just as earlier, everything was quiet. Eerily quiet. Where were all of the people who stayed here? Why were none of them curious and peering out their doors to see who’d come to the compound for a visit?
She had no idea, but the conclusions that came together in her mind weren’t good.
She counted the RVs. Just within her sight, there were thirty of them. If two people stayed in each, that would mean there could be sixty people here. Cassidy suspected there were more.
“Is this place giving you the creeps?” Ty whispered, his breath tickling her ear.
“Absolutely.” Part of her felt like she was playing a deadly game and could be ambushed at any minute.
Their feet shuffled across the gravel path as darkness surrounded them. The only light came from the lantern and from the crescent moon above. Finally, they stopped at the Meeting Place. Barnabas unlocked the door and ushered them into the dark building.
Another shiver captured Cassidy.
She was the police chief. She wasn’t supposed to feel spooked.
Yet she was definitely feeling that way.
“Gilead will be down in a moment,” Barnabas announced.
He walked away, up the stairs, and all the light disappeared from the room.
Just as Cassidy turned to say something else to Ty, she felt movement beside her.
She reached for her gun.
“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” a deep voice said.
Another lantern roared to life, and Gilead’s face came into view beside them. A strange smile played across his lips as he stared at Cassidy and Ty.
Cassidy left her gun in the holster and resisted the impulse to reach for Ty, who stood beside her. If she showed any weakness, she felt certain Gilead would pounce on it and exploit it.
“I wasn’t expecting anyone at this hour, so excuse me for the welcome.” Gilead pointed to some wooden chairs huddled in the corner in the distance. “Let’s have a seat, shall we?”
“I prefer to stand,” Cassidy said. Standing would make it clear this wasn’t an invitation for Gilead to try and convert her again.
“Very well, then.” Gilead’s gaze shifted to Ty. “And who is this here with you?”
Ty’s muscles visibly bristled as he stood like a soldier poised for action. Having him here with her made Cassidy feel a hundred times safer. Cassidy had no doubt that he’d give his life to protect her.
Cassidy cleared her throat. “This is Ty Chambers, and he’s—”
“Your husband,” Gilead interrupted, satisfaction stretching across his gaze. “That’s so special that you two can work together, whether it’s official or unofficial.”
Another shiver raked across her spine. Gilead had researched Cassidy and Ty, just like he’d researched Lantern Beach. She felt sure of it.
“As you probably are aware, the police department here on the island is short-staffed right now, so Ty is giving us a hand.” It was no secret that they were undermanned. Certainly, Gilead had done enough research to know that, so Cassidy wasn’t revealing too much.
“Like I said, that’s very special. I love seeing strong couples who can work together. The bond between the two of you is so solid that I can nearly reach out and touch it.”
Cassidy shoved aside his words. The man was good at reading people. If only that were a crime … “I need to talk to you about an incident that occurred here this evening.”
“I wondered if that might bring you out. What do you need? I believe Barnabas has already told you that we’re not going to press charges this time. And in case you were thinking of pressing charges, need I remind you that we were just defending our property.” He lowered the lantern, and the light scattered around the dark, cold room just a little more.
Gilead had explained it as easily as explaining how to set out a mouse trap. The man’s unwavering self-control verged on being psychotic.
“He was just a teenage boy with bad judgment,” Cassidy said. “You could have seriously hurt or killed him.”
“We weren’t aiming to harm him, just to scare him off.”
“There are better ways to do that, ways that don’t involve guns.”
“We were perfectly within our rights. There are clearly signs outside the Cove telling people that this is private property and they should keep out.”
Cassidy swallowed hard. The man was obviously well-researched. He knew the law—and that made him even more dangerous. She decided to veer into the next subject instead. “I wanted to speak with you about something this boy said he saw here. Apparently, there was a man being branded like livestock.”
Gilead’s eyes narrowed with doubt. “That’s a harsh way to put it. We prefer to call it being marked. It’s not unlike getting a tattoo or a piercing. It just sounds harsher.”
Because it was inhumane. Cassidy wasn’t going to excuse it that easily. “I’d like to speak to the man who was ‘marked.’”
“I’m not sure that’s possible.” An unreadable emotion flickered in his gaze.
“Why not?”
“He’s resting.”
“Then you can wake him up. Otherwise, I’m going to need to bring you into the station and launch an investigation. Physically harming and assaulting someone is a crime. We have a witness to verify it happened.”
“But no charges have been filled because everyone involved was a willing participant. Certainly you don’t go around arresting tattoo artists and those who pierce ears?”
“Another person was mutilated.”
A frown quickly flickered across his lips. “Like I said, it’s nothing more than a tattoo.”
“I’d still like to speak to this man and verify that.” Cassidy held his gaze, unwilling to back down.
Gilead didn’t say anything for
a moment until he finally nodded. “Very well, then. Barnabas, I need you to go get Kaleb for me.”
“Yes, sir.”
Like a ghost, Barnabas appeared from somewhere in the back of the building and scurried outside.
Had the man been nearby, simply listening and waiting to be at Gilead’s beck and call? Was this leader so charismatic that he could talk people into doing whatever he wanted? Cassidy suspected the answer was yes.
Gilead turned back toward them after a few seconds of silence stretched. “So how long have the two of you been married?”
No way would Cassidy willingly share anything with this man. He’d use any information against her. She felt sure of it.
“I prefer not to talk about my personal life,” Cassidy said.
“I understand. I too like my privacy. And I also promise that privacy to all of my guests here.”
The man irritated Cassidy. He had an answer for everything—and those answers came a little too easily. Like he’d planned them. Formulated them in advance. He thought he was smarter than everyone else in the room, and those kinds of people really got under her skin.
She wanted to steal a look at Ty and get his read on the situation. But this wasn’t the time. Gilead was too observant, and she didn’t want the man to know anything more about her than he already did.
“You hold yourself like someone with a military background,” Gilead said, turning to Ty.
Cassidy stiffened. The man had known about Hope House. He’d looked into Ty’s background also, hadn’t he?
Ty’s jaw was rigid and his demeanor steely and protective as he said, “Is that right?”
“I’m guessing special forces,” Gilead continued. “Your eyes have the intelligence for it, and you’re obviously physically fit enough for the tasks required.”
Ty said nothing.
“I can only imagine the things you’ve seen,” Gilead said.
On the Lookout Page 7