The Final Flashpoint

by Iona Morrison

  “He’s a man, and I’m sure he will.” He buried his hands in her hair and kissed her again.

  “I’ll handle him.” She stood. “I’ll call if he pays too much attention.” She laughed as she went down the hall.

  ****

  Dickerson opened the car door for her. “How long have you known Matt?”

  “Almost a year.” Jessie fastened her seat belt.

  “He seems like an okay guy. I’ve been reading about some of your cases. Your little town seems to have more than its share of big cases. It used to be small town America was a safe place to live and raise a family.” He started the car and pulled out of Matt’s driveway.

  “True, but we are close to New York, and I think crime has a way of spilling out of the cities. By the way, Matt is a great guy. He’s one of the best cops around. Blue Cove is lucky to have him as their chief.” She waved at Matt who was standing at the window.

  “You don’t have to sell me. I’ve watched Matt at work with his officers. They all respect him, and that says it all to me.”

  “How long have you worked for the Bureau?” Jessie fidgeted with her seat belt, which had pulled too tight when he stopped.

  “Six years.”

  “Do you like it?” she asked.

  “Yeah, it’s all right.” He nodded. “I wanted to work there for as long as I can remember. Working in the international crime division can keep you awake at night, though.” He pulled into the spot behind Jessie’s store.

  “Why is that?” Jessie took off the seat belt and grabbed the keys from her purse.

  “I’ve seen first-hand how dangerous our world is.” He opened his door.

  “What’s your first name? I can’t call you Dickerson all day.” She unlocked the door.

  “You can call me Cliff.” He smiled and held the door open for her. He followed her like a shadow as she did her money routine. “Nice place you have here.” He looked around her shop. “You have some great art pieces. I like the vibe of the exposed brick and the modern look. Cool.”

  “Thanks, I like it, too. This was my dream as far back as I can remember.” Jessie unlocked the doors between the store and coffee shop and waved at Molly. “You should go have a cup of coffee and one of her great treats. Molly is the owner, and she makes the best stuff ever. You can see my store from there, and you won’t have to hang out here doing nothing. She has the newspaper to read, and you can come back later and grab a book off the shelf to keep you busy.”

  “Good idea. The coffee smells good,” he said as he headed into Joe’s.

  Cliff was nice, but it would be a long day for both of them if he didn’t have something to keep him busy. Jessie’s day got off to a quick start. She had several customers early on, and as the morning progressed, the mystery book club arrived for their meeting. They were a high-energy group. The store’s noise volume went up a notch every time they met. Jessie loved it. Moments like this reminded her of all the reasons she loved her store.

  Glancing out the window she could see Pastor Kevin walking into the church. The store was getting busier. She missed the people, and working at the church would always hold a special place in heart. Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she turned to help a customer.

  The book club was primed with coffee and busy arguing their theories when a young man in his late teens or early twenties walked in. He went to the counter and waited. “I’ll be right with you,” Jessie called to him. She was introducing a new customer to the recently released titles.

  “I’m in no hurry.” He glanced at the door often.

  “If it’s okay with you,” Jessie said to the woman, “I’ll leave you to browse and be back to check on you in a few minutes.” She handed the customer the book she had been showing her.

  “Thank you. Please go, take care of the young man.” The gray-haired woman gave her a smile. “I’ll be looking for a while, I’m sure.”

  “May I help you?” Jessie approached the young man.

  He looked around the store, shifting from one foot to the next. “Are you the owner?”

  “Yes, I am. Is there something you need?” Jessie’s pulse quickened.

  “I’ve never done this before, and I’m not sure if I should. A man outside stopped me on the street. He told me to come into this store and give this to the owner.” He pulled the envelope from his jacket and handed it to her.

  “Can you describe this man?” Jessie caught Cliff’s eye and motioned for him to come.

  “All I know is he was scary. That’s the only reason I took the envelope in the first place. I was afraid not to. I hope I’m not in trouble.” He looked away from her, tugging on his jacket sleeve.

  “Can you remember anything else about him?” Cliff’s deep voice startled the young man.

  “He had curly hair and looked like he’d just got out of bed. His eyes had a crazy, mean look. I took the envelope and walked in here as fast as I could.”

  “You did the right thing, and you’re not in trouble.” Cliff gave his shoulder a light squeeze. “Let me buy you something to drink. I’d like to ask you a few more questions.” Cliff showed him his badge.

  “Sure, okay. What’s going on?” He chewed on his lip.

  “I want you to tell me anything you remember about the man. What was he wearing? Did he have any nervous habits? Think about it,” Cliff told him.

  Jessie opened the envelope. “Would you look at this? I think we’ve been given a clue.” She handed the crude map to the agent. “I guess nobody has found the body yet.”

  “Do you have a large plastic bag? I want to protect any evidence they might have left on this,” he asked her.

  “I do. I have a box of gallon size double seal bags in the back room. Will that work?” Jessie went back to her storage area and got the box of bags. She handed it to Cliff.

  “Perfect.” He slipped the envelope and map into the bag in such a way that Sanders and the others could see it. He sealed it and looked it over. “You’re right about the clue,” Cliff called back as he ushered the man into the coffee shop.

  They were leaving nothing to chance. They wanted the body found. Jessie had to admit a map to lead them to the body was a strange twist on the crime scene, but proof enough to her that they wanted to draw Matt out. He would go; it was his job, which gave her an unsettled feeling in the pit of her stomach as she went to check on her customer.

  The club’s discussion level was rising as several police cars pulled up outside her store. Dickerson and the young man walked out to meet with them. Jessie watched them pass the map around. The young man shook hands with Cliff and walked down the street. The officers got back in the cars along with Dickerson and drove away.

  “Alone at last.” But she couldn’t help a nervous glance outside. They were right. She’d be very effective bait to lure Matt to them.

  Absently, she listened to the each of the club members making their pronouncements about who they thought the murderer in the story was while she wondered why Dickerson hadn’t called for a replacement.

  “Hey, Jessie, I’m here. I’ll be keeping tabs on you and your place.” Kip stood in the open doors into Joe’s.

  “Okay, Kip.” She breathed a sigh of relief. She should have known there was no way Matt would leave her alone. He was always watching out for her.

  Chapter 37

  When they got to the area shown on the crude drawing, Matt was the first to jump out of the car. Tom followed on his heels. “Wait up, I’m watching you, remember,” Tom called after him.

  “He’s here.” Matt pulled on his gloves. His killer had tied him to the tree with his arm pointing to a well-worn path off to the side of the main trail. The scene was as Jessie had described.

  “Well, I’ll be damned. Jessie nailed it, didn’t she?” Tom took in the details Jessie had described so exactly. “He looks like a damn arrow pointing the way.” Tom shook his head.

  “I’m telling you, she blows my mind all the time.” Matt noticed the same marks on the vis
ible parts of the man’s body that he had seen on Amir and the others. They had tortured him. He had died from a single gunshot wound to the head. Matt found a driver’s license in his pocket.

  “What are we looking at?” Sanders squatted down beside Matt as he looked through his wallet.

  “His name is Owen Marshall. He has a badge number we need to run.”

  “He’s a cop?” Sanders stood. “What are those marks?” He pointed to the burn marks on his arms.

  “All of our victims have had them. At least we know he was murdered by the same group. The only difference is that he was shot.”

  “You’ve seen the crime scene. Let the team take over. I want Tom to get you out of the area. We’ll work the scene and get the evidence to the lab.”

  “I’ll leave for now, but tomorrow we’re coming back to the area with the dog, and we’re going to search for this group. They’re in this area somewhere, and we need to find them.”

  “Are you asking me or telling me?” Sanders’ brows arched.

  “I’m telling you. This is still my jurisdiction, my town, and as far as I can tell, my life. I’m not sitting on the sidelines and waiting for them to come to me.”

  “I like your gumption, son. Today it’s my way, tomorrow it’s yours.” He shook Matt’s hand. “Now get out of here.”

  Tom slapped Matt on the back. “Do you have a death wish?”

  “No, I have a lot of reasons I want to live, but I’m not sitting on the sidelines.” He gave Tom a hard stare. “You wouldn’t either, and you know it.”

  “You’re right.” Tom got in the car. “But I wouldn’t get in Sander’s face, either. He’s in charge of the operation.”

  “I’m not sitting this one out, and that’s final.” Matt started the car.

  “Calm down, I get it.” Tom tapped the armrest. “We should go see Jessie. She needs to know you’re all right.”

  Matt’s eyes narrowed. “What’s this?”

  “I’m impressed, that’s all. Jessie needs to know her description was accurate.” Tom closed his eyes.

  “I told you she was something special, didn’t I?” Matt glanced sideways at him.

  “No wonder you’ve solved so many big cases. Unfair advantage, if you ask me, and you’re damn lucky she can tolerate you.” Tom’s lips turned up at the corner, his eyes still closed. “It doesn’t hurt that she’s great to look at either.”

  “I couldn’t agree with you more.”

  ****

  Roth had hoped they could grab Parker today and be done with it. No such luck! The trees shielded his hiding place. Harry had waited for almost a year. He could wait another day or two. Damn, the place was crawling with cops, all looking at the drunken, dead slug. Marshall was a greedy, lazy man, but he’d served his purpose. The task of killing Parker wasn’t a job for his minions. He had a plan to take out Parker and few others with him. There was no money in this side trip for him, and his boss wouldn’t be happy when he found out about it. Soon enough he—along with the rest of world—would know of their successful mission. Roth’s slow smile bared his teeth. Now was for his pleasure alone.

  Roth had wasted several days trying to work with the kids. Amir didn’t want to play, and they all paid. Harry hit the tree with his fist.

  The big job was waiting. Roth couldn’t afford to mess this one up, or it would mean the ruin of his reputation. Jobs were getting harder to come by since his last fiasco—all thanks to Baz and Parker. Your track record counted, and they had wrecked his.

  Time to pay, copper. He bared his teeth again.

  With a little luck, he should be able to get the job done and be out of the country in the allotted time. The one thing people should never do was to underestimate him. He always paid back. No one got the best of Harry Roth. He would make them regret the day they thought they had.

  He knew how to make it all happen in a big way.

  Chapter 38

  Matt parked the car in front of Jessie’s store. She must have seen him pull up because she opened the door the minute he got out of the car.

  Tom walked into the store first. “The crime scene was just as you described it.”

  “He’s impressed,” Matt said as he walked in the door. “Tom said we needed to come by and tell you.”

  “You nailed it.” Tom plopped down in one of the chairs. He watched several people chatting as they packed up their belongings. Each one took a book stacked on the corner of the table and headed for the counter. He mouthed the words. “Who are they?”

  “They’re a book club that meets here monthly.” Jessie went over to the counter. “You’ll like this one. It’s the author’s newest book in the series.”

  “I hope we’re not too noisy. We do get into our discussions with gusto,” one of the women said to Jessie.

  “I love it when you’re here. Every bookstore should be so lucky as to have a group like yours.” She placed the last club member’s book in a bag and went to stand beside the chair Matt was sitting in. “What’s next?”

  “We’ll take Radar back tomorrow and see if he can pick up their scent. They’re still in the area. I’m sure of it.”

  “Oh, they’re here all right, waiting to get their hands on you. And you’ll be within their reach,” Tom mumbled under his breath. “I can’t talk this idiot out of doing his job.”

  “I’m going, too.” Jessie made eye contact with Tom.

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Jessie.” Tom frowned. “I’d have to worry about both of you.”

  She stood straighter, planting her hands were on her hips. “I’m going.”

  “That’s my girl. You tell him.” Matt grinned at her. “You may as well give up, Tom. She’ll be there if she has to follow you on the sly. Besides, I want her there.”

  “Thank you.” She smiled at him.

  “You’re welcome, sweetheart. I mean it.” He took hold of her hand. “Where’s Kip? I thought I told him to watch you.”

  “He is. He’s watching us now.” She waved at Kip who was waving at them.

  Tom stood. “I’m getting a cup of coffee and heading back to the station, which means you are, too.” He walked into the coffee shop.

  “Do you have your computer on?” Matt asked.

  “Of course, what do you need?”

  “While I go order, look up some info on this name and badge number.” He handed her a piece of paper with Marshall’s information. “I’ll be right back.”

  ****

  Jessie looked up Owen’s badge and precinct number. The poor man didn’t know what he was getting into. The more she read about him, the worse she felt. How did he end up here?

  “What did you find?” Matt stood at the counter.

  She hadn’t heard him come in. “He was close to retirement. The duty roaster lists him on vacation.”

  “Where’s his precinct and station?” Tom asked.

  “In Jersey City. I wrote them down for you.” She passed the paper toward Matt.

  “How did he get tied in with these guys at the end of his career?” Tom frowned. “A few months left to go and now he’s dead.”

  “A lot of cops look for extra work. Our pension plan is adequate but isn’t a lot of money.” Matt folded the paper and put it in his shirt pocket. “He may have taken up tailing me as a side job, if this is the same guy.”

  “I’d put money on it. This is the same guy.” Tom shifted his weight to the other foot.

  “I agree with Tom. What I can’t figure out is why he was sloppy about it. He must have followed others over the course of his career. Surely he knew how.” Jessie wrote Marshall’s address down on a sticky note along with the precinct phone number and captain’s name. “Here.” She handed it to him. “You will probably need this, too.”

  “He was sloppy, for sure. Maybe he didn’t care if we saw him. It’s possible he wanted to be caught.”

  “I’d like to hear your reasoning on that one.” Tom reached for the bag Molly had just brought into the bookstore
.

  “Thanks, Molly. I’m only considering it as a possibility.” Matt said. “Jess, see what else you can find. We’ll be back to get you around five.” Matt pointed to the bag in Tom’s hand. I had to have brownies to go with the coffee. He grinned at her. “You know how it is.”

  “That’s why I run.” She smiled back at him. “See you later.”

  Owen Marshall must have had a drinking problem. Jessie had seen it often enough—people losing it at the end of a promising vocation. Everything they’d spent years building tumbled down around them because of their own actions. It was a scary perspective. The bell over the door rang and interrupted her thoughts.

  “Hello, Jessie girl.” Reba walked in. “Do you have time for tea and a chat?”

  “There’s nothing I’d like more.” Jessie smiled at her.

  “I called ahead, and Molly said she’d bring the tea and a lovely surprise when I walked in. Sit down, girl, and we’ll be served.” Reba waved at Molly as she carried in a tray with two steaming mugs of tea and a plate of lemon bars. “This looks delightful.” Reba handed her a twenty and told her to keep the change.

  Jessie wrapped her hands around the warm mug. “It feels good to sit for a moment. It’s been an unusual morning around here.”

  “I’m sure it was. You must taste these lemon bars, dear, they are divine. Molly gets them perfect. Light, flaky, and full of lemon flavor.”

  Jessie took a bite. Reba was right; they were wonderful. “These are yummy.” Jessie closed her eyes, savoring the flavors in her mouth.

  “You look exactly how I feel when I eat them.” Reba crossed her ankles. “I need to say what I’ve come to tell you.”

  Butterflies fluttered to life in her stomach. She placed her cup down on the table. “I’m ready.”

  “This case will be coming to a close soon. Matt will survive, dear, so take a deep breath. It will be touch and go for a while. There are several surprises that are not easy to account for. The stress of it all will bring back something from his past. Buried deep in his heart, it will bubble to the surface. He won’t be ready to share it with anyone. In time, he must face it if he is to love you as his heart wants to. When the time is right, you’ll help him face it, but not until then.”