On the Lookout

by Christy Barritt

  He sat in his new office looking over the case files now. Mac stayed with him, briefing him on the area’s dynamics. It was the best Cassidy could do being short-staffed.

  She glanced at her watch.

  She only had an hour, and there was so much she needed to do.

  But before she dove into her to-do list, she picked up her phone and called the Lansing, West Virginia, Police Department. She was put through to a Detective Torres and introduced herself.

  “I’m investigating a potential murder here in Lantern Beach, and I understand there was a similar one in your town,” she stated.

  She ran through what she knew and how she’d found out about Vince Roberts. The detective listened as she spoke, grunting on occasion, but not saying anything until Cassidy finished.

  “I’d say it definitely sounds like there could be some similarities,” Detective Torres said. “But there’s one problem.”

  “What’s that?”

  “We already caught Vince’s killer.”

  Cassidy nibbled on the inside of her mouth. That fact didn’t fit the theories that had been forming in the back of her mind, and now she needed to backtrack. “Did you? And this person has been charged? Did he confess?”

  “Yes, he was another drug dealer, someone Moriah used to hang out with. He said he did it.”

  “And there was evidence to support his confession?” This definitely didn’t fit the pieces of what Cassidy knew. No, that meant this killer would have been behind bars when Al had died.

  “Yes, there was evidence,” Torres said. “There was also flakka in his system.”

  Cassidy sucked in a deep breath at the mention. “Flakka?”

  “Yes, I take it you’re familiar with the drug?”

  Cassidy could hardly breathe. Flakka was the drug DH-7 was known for. It was their signature—a psychotic, hallucinogenic drug that made people act crazy. “Yes, I’m familiar with it.”

  “Most parts of the country have an opioid crisis. Here in our county, it’s flakka. People have gone crazy with the drug in the past three months.”

  Everything went still around Cassidy. “Any idea why?”

  “We’re not sure, but we strongly suspect the drug has ties with a religious group that passed through. They were quite the hit here, especially in our poorer communities. Apparently, they gave anyone wanting to join them the opportunity for a fresh start in a place where they wouldn’t have to worry about money anymore.”

  “And this drug was a part of their program?”

  “As far as we can tell, it wasn’t official. But some of the leaders used it and shared it with a few in town. That was all it took to set the ball in motion, as they say.”

  “What’s the name of that group?”

  “I don’t know if they had an official name, but I believe their leader is a man named Anthony Gilead.”

  Chapter Twenty

  When Cassidy stepped out of her office, she spotted Dane emerging from his office with Mac. He’d been transformed from a newly minted officer into a solar panel installer, complete with dark-blue Dickies jeans, a light-blue button-up shirt with the name “Hank” embroidered on the pocket, plastic-framed glasses, and a fake mustache.

  “You sure you’re okay with doing this?” Cassidy paused in front of him and studied his disguise. Mac had done a good job.

  Dane brushed off his shirt. “I’ve got this. My only goal is to gather information and make observations. I can handle that—even if it is my first day on the job.”

  “If in doubt, talk about off-grid living, free-range chickens, and pour-over coffee,” Mac said. “I saw that on a YouTube video. The new brand of hippies love stuff like that. Peace, love, and embracing a complicated simplicity.”

  “One more thing.” Cassidy held up her phone. “Can you keep your eyes open for this girl?”

  Dane took her phone and examined the picture there. “Sure thing. Can I ask who she is?”

  “Her name is Moriah Roberts. She disappeared from West Virginia earlier this week, and her parents are worried. Her husband also turned up dead. I’d like to know if she’s living in the compound or not.”

  This woman could be a connection between two dead men. Was she a suspect? Cassidy didn’t know—especially since someone else had confessed to the first murder. But she was definitely a person of interest.

  “Will do.”

  “I’ll be parked the next street over. No one should see me there, but I’ll be close in case you need me. All you have to do is call.”

  “I will.” Dane squinted. “I can handle this, Chief. I promise.”

  She nodded, still uneasy. “I know you can. Thanks.”

  Just then, Wes’s friend pulled up behind the building, as Cassidy had directed. She saw the van from her office window. With a final nod, Dane stepped out the back door and jumped into the work van with him.

  Cassidy’s heart still pounded furiously as she watched them pull away.

  “It’s going to be okay, Cassidy,” Mac said.

  “I know. I’m just on edge.” She reached for the keys in her pocket, but she must have left them in her office.

  As she stepped that way, Mac called out behind her. “I’m going to go with you.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “I insist. Besides, I promised Ty.”

  Ty was busy meeting with the septic guy today or, no doubt, he’d be here himself.

  “That’s fine, then,” Cassidy said. “I just need my keys.”

  She went to her desk drawer and opened it. No keys.

  Where else might she have left them?

  Cassidy sat down and tried to run through her morning. It had been frantic with the addition of training Dane, having him go undercover, and Moriah’s parents showing up.

  She glanced at the floor and saw a glimmer there.

  Her keys. They must have fallen from her pocket.

  As she pulled herself back to an upright position, something beneath the desk caught her eye. She frowned as she reached for it.

  “What’s that you have there?” Mac appeared in the doorway.

  She put a finger over her lips as she examined the object. Cassidy couldn’t be completely sure, but it looked like a listening device had been planted in her office.

  “Who could have planted a bug in your office?” Mac asked, once they were in Cassidy’s car and sitting on a side road near the Gilead’s Cove compound.

  They’d put the device in a plastic bag and stored it in the safe at the police station. No one would hear anything in there. When Cassidy got back to the office, she would send the listening device off to be tested. Maybe there were prints on it.

  They’d also swept the rest of the office and Cassidy’s SUV, just to be safe. Both were clear.

  But that did little to put Cassidy at ease.

  “That’s a great question.” And one that Cassidy hadn’t stopped thinking about. She had no idea who would have planted that device or how they would have done it without her noticing.

  “Let’s start with the obvious.” Mac leaned back in his seat, his gaze fixated on the fence to Gilead’s Cove in the distance. The van had gone in fifteen minutes ago, and there’d been no sign of movement since then. “Who’s been in your office over the past couple days—assuming that’s when it was left there.”

  It was true. For all they knew, it could have been there for longer.

  Cassidy settled back also and took a sip of her coffee. She reminded herself not to drink too much—there were no bathroom breaks allowed during stakeouts. “Let’s see. I had Trisha Hartman, our dead man’s wife. I’ve had Dane. Ty. Melva. Leggott. Today I had Moriah’s parents. Can I see any of them leaving a listening device? Absolutely not.”

  “Who else could have gotten into your office? Maybe after hours.”

  “I keep it locked up. But this morning, I did think something felt different, though. I figured the heat had turned on and ruffled some of my papers and pictures.”

&nbs
p; Mac grunted and reached into a paper bag to grab some popcorn. As Cassidy watched him a minute, she couldn’t help but muse that the man looked like he was settling back to watch his favorite action movie.

  “I’ll ask Leggott if he let anyone in after hours and didn’t keep an eye on them.” Cassidy stole one of the buttery kernels, unable to resist the tantalizing smell. If it had been kettle corn, she would have snatched the entire bag. “And I’ll also get Melva to check the security footage.”

  “Then the second question is this: why would someone leave a listening device?”

  Cassidy stared across the field at the compound. “My only guess would be because of Gilead’s Cove. It’s the only big thing I’m working right now.”

  “Or could it be because … of your past?” His voice trailed off.

  Cassidy licked her lips. She wanted to deny it. To tell Mac there was no way that was true.

  But her mom had called her twice this week. If someone was monitoring her mom’s line, then the call could have led them to Cassidy.

  And then there was the flakka in West Virginia. Was that just a coincidence? The drug had been growing in popularity. But since DH-7 had disbanded, authorities hoped the growth would subside.

  Cassidy had to play it safe here.

  Then again, what if Al Hartman’s death wasn’t connected with Gilead’s Cove at all? What if she’d been looking in the wrong direction? She didn’t think that was the case, but she needed to be openminded.

  “Cassidy?”

  She turned toward Mac and sighed. “To be honest, I just don’t know. I don’t want to be narrow-minded here and not see something that I should.”

  “You’re doing fine. I know there’s a lot going on right now.” He shifted. “My other question is, was there anything that whoever planted that device might have heard that you didn’t want them to?”

  That was a great question. “I haven’t had any conversations about my past, if that’s what you’re getting at. Other than that, I have talked to Moriah’s parents. Trisha Hartman. And Dane.” She startled. “What if Dane is in danger? What if they know he’s a cop?”

  “Let’s slow down a little. They shouldn’t have any reason to feel threatened by him. Plus, they’re sending in a crew of four men, right? Just because someone was listening doesn’t mean they could pick Dane out of a lineup. He’ll call if he needs us.”

  “You’re right. I’m overthinking it here. There’s just so much on the line … I want to keep this town safe, Mac.”

  “And you’re doing a fine job. Just don’t let the pressure get to you.”

  “I’m trying not to. I really am.”

  Music cut through the air. Cassidy turned and saw Serena heading down the road in Elsa. Why in the world was the girl coming down an empty road with no houses?

  Serena slowed near Cassidy and stuck her head out the window. Her music—"Eye of the Tiger” was the current song—still blared and caused unnecessary attention on them.

  Begrudgingly, Cassidy lowered her window. She wasn’t in the mood for chitchat right now. “You’ve got to turn the music off.”

  Serena’s eyes widened. “Oh, you’re doing police-y kind of things?”

  “Yes, please—turn it off. Now.”

  Serena reached inside and the music went silent.

  Cassidy breathed in and out, trying to keep her patience. Finally, she turned to Serena, attempting to subdue the irritation in her voice as she asked, “How’s it going?”

  “Not many people buying ice cream today.”

  “It is only forty-two degrees and only locals.” Maybe Serena would do better if she sold coffee instead. Cassidy would be a regular customer.

  “I know. But I could really use the extra cash. How do people survive here on the island this time of year?”

  “I thought you were writing for the newspaper,” Mac said.

  “I was. But then I got a few details wrong in that article about fishing policies, and now Ernestine said I need to take a break.”

  “You mean because you told people regulations had changed and surf fishing wasn’t legal anymore?” Mac said.

  Serena shrugged. “It was a misunderstanding.”

  “We almost had a mutiny here in the town because of it,” Mac said.

  Serena leaned out the window, unaffected by the words. “Did I tell you I signed up to take some online classes so I can finish my degree?”

  “No, I hadn’t heard,” Cassidy said. “It sounds like a smart idea.”

  “That’s what Aunt Skye said also. Oh, and guess what?” A grin stretched across her face. “Dietrich asked me out.”

  “Did he? I guess that means he’s going to be in town for a while?”

  She nodded. “Yeah, he said he was moving here to Lantern Beach permanently. Can you believe it, Cassidy?”

  “And what is this Dietrich guy going to do here permanently?”

  “He wants to start a charter fishing business. I can’t wait for you to meet him. He’s such a great guy. And he’s handsome to boot. Did I mention that?”

  “That’s really great, Serena.”

  She beamed. “I think so too. Anyway, I better get back to work. I have to sell at least ten things to break even and pay for gas.”

  “How many have you sold so far?” Cassidy asked.

  “None.” She shrugged.

  Frowning, Cassidy reached into her wallet. “You convinced me. Mac and I will take ice cream sandwiches.”

  Serena’s eyes lit. “And how about one of my shirts I designed just for Lantern Beach?”

  Cassidy let her head fall to the side and gave her a look. “Not today. Maybe next time.”

  “I’ll remember that.”

  “I know you will.” Right now, Cassidy just needed to focus … and eat her ice cream sandwich.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The solar panel crew was on the compound for only two hours—long enough to measure and give an estimate, apparently. The work van dropped Dane off at the general store, where Cassidy and Mac picked him up.

  She didn’t wait until she got back to the station to probe Dane. She wanted to know what her newest officer had found out now. “Anything?”

  “The place gives me the creeps,” Dane started, peeling off his fake mustache. “No one makes eye contact. And the leader … he’s a piece of work.”

  Cassidy couldn’t agree more. “I know you weren’t able to investigate much but … anything of note?”

  Dane stared out the window and pulled off his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “There was one man stationed to oversee us. I asked him a few questions, trying to sound casual, like if he was ever able to leave the Cove and explore the rest of the island.”

  “And he said?” Mac asked.

  “He said, ‘Why would I want to do that when I have everything here?’”

  Cassidy shivered again and continued to drive back toward the station. “Did you see any possible ways we can breach the area to find out more information?”

  Dane leaned forward, toward the front seat. “No, not really. I mean, the property goes right up to the sound, but there’s someone patrolling that area. I doubt you could get past. And there aren’t many trees on the property itself. However, there are some woods that back up to the edge of the property on the north side.”

  “That’s good to know,” Mac said. “It could prove helpful.”

  “And I saw a woman walking toward the woods. She was … staring longingly at the area, if you ask me. I know that sounds dramatic, but … anyway. It was kind of strange. Who knows but maybe that’s a routine? Maybe someone could catch her there one day.”

  Cassidy nodded. The observation was a good one. “It’s something to think about, at least.”

  “And I have the feeling they have a schedule there,” Dane continued. “From what I gathered, everyone eats breakfast, lunch, and dinner together. They have seminars and meetings in between. Everyone appears to have been assigned chores as well.”


  “Sounds like a well-oiled machine,” Cassidy said. “Did you hear any names, by chance?”

  Dane shrugged and stared ahead in thought again. “Anthony Gilead, obviously. There was a man named Barnabas. Another named Kaleb. And I heard someone mention something about a Dietrich.”

  Cassidy sucked in a breath. Dietrich? Could that be the same Dietrich that Serena was talking about?

  Serena … she was just the type to get pulled into something like this.

  Cassidy had to warn Serena to stay away. And she had to pray that the girl would listen to her. Infatuation could be a powerful thing… and that scared Cassidy.

  Her phone rang. It was the real estate and management company Rebecca worked for. Rebecca had instructed one of the property managers to call Cassidy. He’d found a listing for an Al Hartman, and he was heading over to the house now if Cassidy wanted to take a look inside.

  Cassidy dropped Dane back at the station to finish some paperwork. Then she and Mac headed to the rental house.

  It wasn’t one of the large, oceanfront houses that some people rented. No, the humble cottage probably had less than a thousand square feet.

  Her feelings remained conflicted about this Al guy. Was he a member of Gilead’s Cove? If so, did that mean not everyone stayed in the gated community?

  And how about Dietrich? He wasn’t staying in the community either.

  The bad feeling in Cassidy’s gut continued to grow with every new fact she learned.

  Maybe she’d find some answers inside.

  An apprehensive-looking man named Paul Richards met them on the driveway. Cassidy and Ty had seen him at church a couple times, but the two had never really spoken with him. He offered a tight smile before punching in a code on the door and opening it.

  “This is the house Rebecca said you were inquiring about,” Paul said. “It’s usually a vacation rental, but Mr. Hartman asked if he could do a short-term rental of three months.”