The Final Flashpoint

by Iona Morrison

  Agent Kaufman knocked on Matt’s door. “I thought you might like to see this.” He opened up the box and pulled out the rod. “This is like the weapon used on those boys.”

  Matt held the device in his hand. Lightweight and easy to transport, with maximum torture capabilities―the authorities’ worst nightmare. It had inflicted maximum damage to those kids. “I’ve never seen anything like this before. Usually, we deal with guns or knives.” Matt turned it over in his hands. “How do you stop something like this?”

  “I doubt it’s a weapon of choice in our country, which makes me wonder if we have a foreign group operating in the area.” Kaufman sat in the chair in front of Matt’s desk. “We have a couple of agents at the school asking questions. We have the boys’ computers, and we’re going through them as we speak. I’ve scheduled a news conference for later today. I want to control the information getting out. Maybe someone saw something. Right now, the only thing we have connecting them is the group on campus.”

  “What about the other two missing students? Has anything turned up on them yet?” Matt placed the picana on the corner of his desk.

  “Nothing, not a word. At this point, another ransom note would be nice. Not that the last one got us anywhere. I don’t relish the thought of finding any more bodies of college students. I have a daughter about their age in her first year on campus. I’d like to bring her home where I can keep her safe. She’d never let me, but I’d still like to. How about you, any kids?”

  Matt shook his head. “No, I’m not married yet, but getting close.”

  “I thought you seemed a little young for the position you’re in. How’d you come by this sweet job?”

  Matt explained how he came to have Anderson’s job. He told him about Jessie and her help to the department. “She’s the one that made the call when the body found her.”

  “Now I know I’ll have to meet her. Tom told me about her. I didn’t realize she was the one who found the victims.”

  “She has had some unique experiences since moving here.”

  “Is she some kind of psychic?” Kaufman asked.

  “She’d tell you absolutely not. It is a mystery to all of us, especially her. I don’t know what to call it, but I’ve come to trust her intuitive nature. Jessie has helped to solve more than one case along with her friend’s tracking bloodhound, Radar.”

  “We should work on what we’re going to say at the news conference. It’s scheduled for two.”

  “Sounds good.” Matt and Kaufman talked strategy for a while.

  ****

  Jessie had finished her work at the church and stepped out into the bright sunlight. It was a beautiful day. Spring was pushing the last remnants of winter away. Good riddance! Warmer weather meant more time at the beach. She was daydreaming when she found herself face to face with yet another ghost. This one was a female, which meant there was a body somewhere nearby. Maybe if she ignored it and made her way back to the store, it would go somewhere else. Jessie didn’t turn to look, but she could tell by the charged atmosphere the ghost was following her.

  She opened the door to her store and smiled at Audrey. “How was your morning?”

  “It was quiet and slow except for a strange little man who came in. He kept asking me questions. I kept saying I didn’t know the answers and he finally left. It was the truth. I had no idea how to answer him.” Audrey grabbed her purse from under the counter. “He was way too intense for me.”

  “What did he ask?”

  “He wanted to know where you were which I told him I didn’t know. I know that was a lie, but I didn’t think it was any of his business. He asked if any foreigners had been in the store in the past few days. I told him only bus tours, and they are usually from the big cities.”

  “I hope he didn’t bother you for too long.” Jessie glanced through the mail.

  “He left as soon as several women came in and sat at the table to talk.”

  “At least he didn’t bother you for long. I’ll keep my eye out for him. Hopefully, he won’t be back anytime soon. Enjoy your afternoon.” She waved as Audrey walked out the door. Jessie’s stomach gurgled, reminding her she was hungry. A chicken salad sandwich sounded good right now. She waved Molly over to the open doors and gave her order. “I’ll be over to pay in a minute.”

  Jessie called Matt and left him a message when he didn’t answer. She explained there was another body somewhere nearby. “You need to look for a female this time. I came face to face with her ghost.”

  After lunch, her afternoon got busy. Evan delivered a new order of books, and she had several new customers stop by. She loved to spend time talking to people about books. The plans for her summer reading program were starting to take shape. Reading was a big part of her childhood, and she would like to do the same for the kids of Blue Cove.

  The bell over the door rang when Matt walked in. She went to him and asked. “Did you get my message?”

  “I haven’t had time to listen to my messages. We had a news conference at two to release the names of the two students whose bodies were found.” He grabbed hold of her hand and led her over to the chair. He shared with her what he knew about their victims. “Now we see if Blue Cove is inundated with the press.” He leaned his head back against the chair. “What was your message?”

  “I saw another ghost. I think the girl’s body has to be somewhere close by.”

  “Damn!” He frowned.

  “Was there a female abducted when the guys went missing?” She held her breath.

  “Yes, but we were hoping she was still alive and a ransom note would be coming. I guess that was a stretch considering how they tortured the other two victims.” He rubbed his temple. “I have no idea where to begin looking.”

  “You forget Radar. He can find her if she’s in the area.”

  “You’re right, I’ll call Frank. Kaufman can get a scent item from her family. I hope it’s not her, but my gut tells me that none of these kids will make it home alive to their families unless they leave one to tell the story for effect. I still don’t get why they ended up here. We’re miles away from the campus.”

  “Who knows why? Unless of course, we were the ones meant to find them and get them back to their families for closure. Frank told me once that getting them home, even when they are dead, is important for the families. I believe it. I can’t imagine what it would be like to always wonder if they were alive out there somewhere.”

  “I have new information to fill you in on, but I have to get back to the station. We’ll talk at dinner. I’ll order the pizza and have it delivered to your house. Does six sound good to you?” He reached for her hand, pulling her up beside him.

  “I’ll be there.” She walked with him to the door. “Before I forget, Audrey said there was a man in here asking questions earlier. He was the same man who was here the day Darsha came in. He’s determined to find her, I think.”

  “We’ll have to make sure he doesn’t get near her.” Matt kissed her. “See you.”

  He had a sexy walk. Why hadn’t she noticed it before? The familiar heat moved up her neck and face. She hoped, for his sake, there wouldn’t be another body found in the area. Matt didn’t need it right now. It had to be frustrating for him to have the press descending on the town, along with the FBI, and the families to contend with while trying to do his job. He liked working behind the scene and not in the limelight—one of the qualities she loved and learned about him when the marina was bombed.

  In her heart, she knew they would find the girl’s body in the area. “It’s meant to be,” as Reba would say. Jessie was starting to understand what Reba was talking about each time she said those words. Jessie felt connected to all the cases she had been a part of, and she cared about the families involved. Matt did his job, never giving up until he solved the case. Together they made a way for the people to move through the grief and pain of losing their loved ones. “Keep him safe,” she whispered as he drove away.

  Chapter 6r />
  Jessie made a salad and set the table. She reached for the glasses in the cupboard. What she wanted to do was to talk to Darsha while the details were fresh in her mind. Amir was her boyfriend, and she had spent a lot of time with him over the past several months. Darsha would know more than anyone what, if any changes, had occurred in him. Jessie made a mental note of questions to ask her when she got the chance as she placed the glasses on the table.

  Distracted, she tossed the salad with dressing, sprinkling cheese and slices of pepperoni on the top. A quick glance at the clock told her Matt would be there soon. She placed the salad in the fridge and went to her computer to check her e-mails. A few names down the list, she found the one she was hoping for from Jeremy. He was working on something for Matt, but he had promised to keep her in the loop. The more details he learned from Matt, the more he had expressed his concern over the case. They were only a few days in, and Jeremy was already full of warnings. His message to her was short and sweet. Call me when you get this!

  Jessie picked up her phone and called her friend.

  “Hi, sweetheart, is Matt with you?” he asked when she answered the phone.

  “No, but I’m expecting him any minute. He’s coming for dinner. Why?” The hair on Jessie’s neck got prickly.

  “I need to talk to you both.” Jeremy sounded troubled to her. “Call me back as soon as he gets there. Promise.”

  “I will. You’ve got me worried. Is something wrong?” she asked.

  “It’s fair to say you both have walked into a deadly mess, and we need to talk about the information I’ve found so far.”

  “Like what?” She stared at the computer screen.

  “I’d rather wait and talk to you both, if you don’t mind.” His voice calmed when he changed the subject. “Did I hear right that Katie and Dylan are engaged?”

  “Yes, I’m sorry it didn’t work out between you two.”

  “It makes sense to me. I always felt that something didn’t feel quite right between us. Katie tried, and so did I. I think she has always loved Dylan.”

  “You’re probably right. You can still come to visit me anytime. I love seeing you.” She waved at Matt when he walked in. “Matt’s here,”

  “Who are you talking to?” Matt asked her.

  “Jeremy wants to talk to us both. I have it on speaker.” She sat next to Matt on the sofa. “Jeremy, we’re ready. You can start anytime.”

  “Hey, Matt. I wanted to let you both know what I’ve found out so far. The kids who participated in the group are devastated. These young leaders were well liked on campus. None of the students I talked to could make sense of it.”

  “Agents have found out the same info from their interviews.” Matt grabbed her hand and held it tightly.

  “One thing I found interesting was that a couple of students told me there has been more hate rhetoric on campus in recent weeks. There were several scuffles between members of their Foreign Students’ Club and a Neo-Nazi group new to the campus,” Jeremy explained.

  “Great, a hate group bent on stirring up trouble.” Matt frowned. “They seem to be coming out of the woodwork across the country. Different names but the same old story.”

  “We have a climate ripe for it now, I guess,” Jeremy added.

  “Don’t I know it. Dylan had to bust up a fight at the Blue Cove High School the other day over the same issues.”

  “I wish it were only a few scuffles that you have to deal with, Matt, I’ve been doing some research, and this form of torture has been used recently. It’s turned up a couple of times now. What I’ve learned is a little frightening.”

  “What are we looking at?” Matt asked.

  “It’s only a beginning idea, but it’s often used as a method to gain information from an unwilling victim. In our country, guns are the weapons of choice for hate groups, gangs, and almost anybody committing a crime. These foreign groups seem to play by different rules. Several groups routinely use the picana rod along with drug cocktails. We’re talking about some tough characters who use these methods.” Jeremy went on to tell them about a couple of cases he had found so far.

  “Now that’s scary.” Jessie jumped up when she heard the door. She went to get the pizza and pay the teenager who delivered it.

  “I hope you both understand your suspects mean business. Anyone who would abduct college students and torture them is serious about what they stand for. Whatever it is. It can be for some strange worldview ideology or as simple as a core belief that the races shouldn’t mix. They may be from one of the countries of the students, or it might be a homegrown group which has adopted techniques from a foreign group.”

  “You’ve given us plenty to think about.” Matt followed Jessie into the kitchen. “Keep digging into it, would you, and get back to me with anything new you find out. I’ll keep you informed, too.’

  “You’re too quiet, Jessie. Why? It’s not like you.” Jeremy said.

  “I’m thinking, Jeremy. I mean I’ve heard racist comments in my lifetime, and I knew these groups operated in the country, but to see it so blatantly exposed makes me wonder if I know people at all.”

  “We all understand this ugliness exists in secret, but you don’t expect it to take center stage in the news. I’ll get back to you if I find out anything new. Be careful, especially you, sweetheart, you find the good in everybody—sometimes to the point of being naïve.”

  “You’ve got that right.” She frowned. “I’ll have to stop it. When are you coming for a visit again?” Jessie changed the subject.

  “I’ll have to see when I can get away. Talk to you both later.” Jeremy disconnected.

  “Jess,” Matt lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. “You’re intuitive and smart. You care about people, but you’re not dumb.”

  “I need to know this because…” Her voice trailed off.

  “Because you’re not naïve, you’re caring, and there’s a big difference.” He smiled at her. “You can take care of business when you need to. I’m sure Roger and Adam would agree.”

  She blushed. “Let’s eat while the pizza is still hot.” She took the salad out of the fridge and placed it on the table. Handing him a beer, she filled her glass with iced tea. “Ummm, this smells good. I’m hungry.”

  “Me too. You can change the subject, sweetheart, but you can’t change the fact you’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met.” He took his napkin and wiped off the tomato sauce that had landed on her chin.

  “Messy, too, obviously.” She smiled at him.

  “Easy on the eyes and fun to be with.” He opened his beer. “Shall we get down to business? I need your perspective on this case.”

  ****

  Matt had stayed later than he had intended. Jessie was falling asleep on the sofa when he told her to go to bed; he was leaving. A few incredible kisses later he was out the door wishing he could stay. Once his lips had tasted hers, he was lost.

  After listening to her explain her ideas of the case, Matt knew it was important for her to talk to Darsha. She had a great list of questions to ask her—things he would have never thought to ask. She was his perfect counterpart. He would arrange a meeting between them. Darsha could be aware of something significant without realizing it. Some new detail would emerge; that’s how it always seemed to work. He shook his head and smiled.

  He was glad she was on his side. She was with him a hundred percent, and made him feel like he could do anything he set out to do. The only problem was leaving her at night when, in truth, he wanted to stay. “Soon enough,” he whispered, his fingers tapping on the steering wheel. With the twist of the key, the engine turned over.

  Playing his earlier conversation with Jessie over in his mind, he didn’t notice the car that tailed him. The car stopped when he pulled onto his property and into his garage.

  Why had this case come to them? They had made plans tonight on how to proceed in between the glances and kisses. He tried to rehearse them in his mind, but he kept drifting back t
o Jessie all warm and gorgeous, leaning against his side. He had no discipline when it came to her. What could he say? He loved her.

  Chapter 7

  Jessie rolled onto her side and drifted off to sleep. A swirling mist drew her to the edge of the woods. She couldn’t see anything through the dense fog, only a narrow pathway twisting around the trees. Enticing, the foggy haze seduced her to move one step closer. Jessie paused. She didn’t want to go in alone. Panicking, she started to turn back before it was too late. “Jess,” Matt’s faint voice called out to her. He sounded wheezy and breathless, and she could hear the pain in his voice. Where was he? She glanced around, hoping to see his familiar face. “Jess…” The call came again. She shivered. Matt was in the darkness, and death had come to play. The faces of those tortured young men danced in the mist before her. Her feet refused to move. She was paralyzed with fear. The silence around her was deafening. “Jess,” he screamed out her name once more, trusting her to aid him. Tears filled her eyes, spilling down her cheeks. This time there was no way she could help… Jessie awakened with a start. She looked at the clock. It was too late to call Matt. Jeremy was right; someone needed to watch Matt’s back. Troubled by the thought that she might not be able to help him, her mind wouldn’t shut down.

  ****

  Matt had a restless night. The possibility of a third body in his town bothered him. Frank would arrive today with Radar. Matt wanted to get started looking for the possible third victim. Agent Kaufman had the scent items from both Shara’s family and the Huertas in case Jessie saw another ghost. Matt was on edge and wanted answers.

  He picked up his phone to call her. “Good morning, sweetheart.” Matt poured coffee into his cup as he waited for her reply.