by Cindy Cromer
Dean headed for the bathroom. Despite the lack of a full night’s sleep, the steamy spray of hot water managed to rouse him. His head cleared and he fully comprehended what his mother had told him. He shook off the uneasy feeling about his sister and the threats. Family drama might not be so bad after all. He stepped out of the shower with thoughts of surfing in the Atlantic at his parent’s house and then a trip to the Caribbean.
* * * *
The Martels and Tomas left the hotel early and had breakfast in downtown St. Kitts. When they were done it was sightseeing time. Tomas sat in the back seat with the two children, grateful he’d been relieved of driving duties, especially after Scott pointed out their destination; Brimstone Hill Fortress loomed in the distance.
Tomas recalled what he’d read about the historical location. He remembered that Brimstone, also referred to as the Gibraltar of the West Indies, is one of the most remarkable landmarks in all of the Caribbean. Taking over nine decades to build, the citadel’s an impressive historical site on the English settled island.
Pleased that his memory had retained most of the highlights of Brimstone, his mind switched gears. The paperwork, he reviewed last night, became the focal point of his attention, specifically the list from the customs office. No one stood out from the records yet. The three or four lone travelers had relatives in St. Kitts. The rest were families traveling with small children and raised no suspicions. Tomas decided it wasn’t worth having Caitlin review them at this point, she needed this day without any drama. He decided to enjoy the scenery, be a tourist and a passenger. He didn’t see much of the sugar cane rich island yesterday.
“Tomas,” Scott said as he drove along the narrow main road, “wait until you see this fortress. The construction started in 1690. It’s amazing how they got supplies and cannons up the mountain.”
“Oh, Dad,” Chad whined, “do we have to go there again? How many times are you going to make me and Alexandra climb all of those steps to see some dumb cannons and look at the other islands?”
Scott turned onto the steep zigzagging single car lane which led to the fortress. “Chad, I know it’s been a rough few days since we’ve been here but we’re going to be tourists for a little while today. Tomas isn’t as lucky as you. He hasn’t been here before. It only takes about an hour for us to see the highlights of Brimstone, so I’d appreciate a little patience.”
A small truck sped down the mountain, Tomas gripped Alexandra’s hand. “Watch out that car’s going to hit us!”
“No it’s not. He honked his horn. Dad knows to pull over and let him go by. There are all kinds of U-turns to get to the top and you have to toot to let the cars know we’re coming. Geez, at least you aren’t driving, Tomas,” Chad snipped.
“Chad, that’s enough, you’re being rude. By the way, the correct term is hairpin turn not U-turn,” Caitlin reprimanded her son.
Scott pulled into the parking area, the rain forest loomed before them. They were at such a high altitude, it seemed as if he could reach out and touch the billowing white clouds.
Tomas said to Scott, “I think Chad’s right. Those were U-turns. It’s beautiful up here. How high are we?”
“About eight hundred feet. Wait until we get to the top of the fortress.”
The five of them climbed the steep stairs that Chad complained about and came upon an open area that had been used as a lookout. Ancient cannons stood facing all directions. Scott pointed out the islands in the distance. “Straight ahead is St. Barts and St. Eustasia, and you can also see St. Martin and Antigua.”
A tour guide passed, informing the group of some historical facts. “Black volcanic stone, called Brimstone in the seventeenth and eighteenth century, was used to build this entire structure. The fortress served in defense when the French attacked in 1782. Can I take you down below and show you the soldiers’ barracks, living, and cooking areas?”
“No, but thank you,” Scott responded. “We’ve been here before, and we’re just taking a quick tour.”
After Scott and Caitlin made sure Tomas saw most of Brimstone, they loaded into the van and drove back down the mountain, honking the horn at every curve. They turned onto the main road in the direction of the next stop, The Black Rocks, which were formed from the once active volcano on Mount Liamuiga. Scott turned down a small dirt road and stopped in the parking lot.
“Wow, this is something!” Tomas exclaimed.
The Atlantic Ocean crashed into imposing natural formations forty feet below. Some of the rocks looked like tall slender monuments, rising twenty feet in height. Tomas took pictures of the breathtaking view and scenery.
Caitlin gripped Alexandra’s hand firmly. There were no guardrails, dangerous in his opinion. With a potential killer on the loose, it could be deadly. Enough sightseeing. His FBI observation skills kicked into high gear. He stepped to the edge of the cliff and glanced down; one bump, push, or shove off the ledge would result in death.
Scott leaned against the van. His head darted about, as if looking for threats. Tomas assumed they shared the same apprehension.
Scott stepped away from the van. “All right, everyone! You’ve seen enough of the rocks. Let’s go back to the other side of the island and go snorkeling and swimming!”
Chapter Twelve
Drew sat in his office at the police station and perused the results of the evidence collected from the Martel house. Some of the FBI’s findings had started coming through and Drew received a copy of the reports sent to Tomas.
He saw nothing conclusive in the reports; no finger prints, no hair, or other clues. The blood turned out to be pig’s blood. A lone set of footprints were found by the side door which led into the garage. Drew focused his attention on this report. Several footprints were found at the front door, not unexpected since the cleaners were in and out of the house over the last two weeks.
According to the report, a running shoe, men’s size nine, had left the print, but this information didn’t narrow down the field. The side door footprint could be a long shot but was a piece of the puzzle.
“Mitch!” Drew yelled to the outer office, “I need to see you for a minute.”
“Yeah, boss, what is it? Are the Martels all right?”
“They’re fine as far as I know. I need a list of everyone who’s been in their house. Check their shoe sizes. Anyone who wears size nine, question them on how they entered the house and from what door. Later this afternoon, Tomas and I are going to need to go over this evidence that came in, so you have to take over guard duty.”
“You got it. I’ll get right on the list and let me know when I need to relieve Tomas.”
* * * *
“Rita, they’re here,” Paul Nelson announced to his wife.
“Thank goodness.” She cheered when she came out of the cooking area. “I’ve been so worried. When Scott called last night to clue me in about what’s been happening, he said they’d be here today. I wanted to make something special for lunch.”
Paul frowned. “Rita, you didn’t make mutton, did you? After seeing your last batch on their floor, I don’t think it would go over well.”
Rita and Paul have known Caitlin and Scott for over ten years. The Martels usually spent every Thanksgiving on the island with them. While the rest of the world feasted on turkey, they had Rita’s delicious mutton.
“No of course not, I made jumbo grilled shrimp over rice and lobster salad. Once all of this nonsense is cleared up, we’ll have a celebration dinner, and then I’ll make mutton.” Rita ran out into the graveled parking lot to meet the group.
“Rita,” Caitlin said, “I’m so sorry you were the one to walk into that mess, you must’ve been terrified.”
“I’m glad it was me and not your children. Don’t you fret about it, my friend.”
Before long, Rita had Alexandra grabbing at her knees, Chad, at chin level, hugging her, and Scott attempting to introduce Tomas. She led the group to a beachside table of the Isl
and Rock Beach Bar, a small establishment, but the location, Cockleshell Beach, attracted many patrons.
Rita grabbed Tomas’s hand and said, “It’s so nice to finally meet you, Tomas. I know you’re a great friend of Caitlin and Scott. Please make sure they all stay safe.”
“Don’t worry about them while I’m here. I can’t even begin to tell you what a pleasure it is to meet you. You have no idea how much they talk about you and Paul back in the states, especially Chad and Alexandra.”
Rita smiled. “That makes me so happy, here’s a Carib. Paul will make you one of his special Island Punches later.”
“After this beer I’m done. I have to meet Drew at the station soon.”
“It’s unthinkable that someone would do such things to Caitlin and her family.” Rita’s fierce declaration erased the smile from her face.
“Rita,” Tomas asked, “what’s that island across the sea? We saw a couple of islands from Brimstone. Each one looks so close.”
“What you saw from Brimstone was the Atlantic side. Here you’re on the Caribbean side, and that’s Nevis.”
“Nevis is a beautiful island,” Caitlin butted into the conversation. “But we love St. Kitts so much more.”
“So you’ve been there,” Tomas mused.
“Yes, only two times. There’s a ferry from downtown and it’s only a forty-five minute ride.”
Rita corrected Caitlin. “The only way to Nevis used to be the commuter ferry from downtown. In the last four months quite a bit’s changed. Scott and Caitlin, do you remember the rocks and fishing pier at the end of the road before you turn into our beach?”
“Yes,” Scott answered. “At one time condos were scheduled to be built, then a luxury resort. With each new project, signs and advertisements went up, but nothing else. No buildings, not even a construction trailer.”
“The waterfront land has been abandoned and changed ownership many times. Since the small pier was already finished, they decided to run a ferry from it over to Nevis. It’s one of those barges and takes cars. It’s a fifteen minute ride, and you don’t have to worry about rentals or cabs once you reach the island.”
“You’re kidding me!” Scott looked astounded. “That was quick to get up and running.”
Rita agreed. “Yes and our business has also increased.”
Tomas broke into the conversation. “Scott, have you been to those other islands we saw today?”
“Only on cruises. Mel planned on taking us from here on his boat to St. Martin once but the seas were too rough, so we never made it. We’ve taken the ferry from downtown over to Nevis. This trip it’ll be nice to take the van and not wait on a rental car once we’re over there.”
* * * *
Once lunch had been finished, the adults talked for a short time. After hugs and kisses exchanged they left and drove to the next location, Sandy Bay. Scott drove down a deserted lane to a private beach. Alexandra clapped, laughed, and made moo-moo sounds. Cows and goats roamed at each side of the small dirt path.
“Tomas, wait until you see this beach,” Chad said. “It’s really cool. There are waves but snorkeling is really good and you see all kinds of neat fish.”
“I can’t wait to see it!” Tomas imitated enthusiasm but became wary of the desolate beach when Scott parked the van at the edge of the sand, as far as he could drive before getting stuck. Before them stood two mountains on each side of the pristine and crescent shaped beach. Waterfalls cascaded into the body of water. The secluded beach looked like a cove.
“Scott, we’re extremely isolated. Do you think this is a good idea given the circumstances?” Tomas whispered, as they hung behind the children and Caitlin.
“No one ever comes here, except some of the vet school students to walk their dogs. I’ll swim with the kids for a while, you stand guard and watch Caitlin. She just wants to sit on a beach towel and get some sun. Then you and your little buddy, Chad, can go snorkeling.”
“I get to have all of the fun,” Tomas replied sarcastically. “That kid would like nothing better than to show me up out in the open seas.”
Scott ran into the water with Alexandra and Chad. Tomas sat down on the sand and didn’t take his eyes off of the surroundings. Fifteen minutes later, Chad shouted out to his mother that he wanted a drink.
“I’ll get you a soda from the van. I’ll be right back.”
In a quick move, Caitlin got up and ran. Tomas barely had time to catch her before she reached the uncivilized road at the beach top.
“What the hell are you doing?” He grabbed her arm. “You can’t just up and take off, especially on a beach like this when your life’s in danger.”
“Tomas, I’m sick of this, whoever the nutcase is, isn’t going to be at this beach! You can’t even find it if you don’t know the area. No tourists whatsoever come here. It took Scott and me several times to find this road after the first time we stumbled upon it.”
“Caitlin, someone just stumbled upon it again. Look.” Tomas jabbed his index finger and pointed to a spot behind the vehicle.
Behind the van, tacked to a tree, was a cardboard sign. Red bold lettering read CAITLIN.
Tomas sidestepped through the sand and relied on his peripheral vision. Out of one corner of his eye he had Caitlin in sight while he crept in the direction of the sign. Nothing stirred or moved. In a quick move he grabbed the sign with his fingertips then heard the sound of glass breaking. He spun and focused his undivided attention on Caitlin but couldn’t get to her in time.
Caitlin gripped a broken piece of the soda bottle she retrieved for Chad, and yelled, “What the hell do you want, son of a bitch? Come face me now, you coward, and stop threatening me and my family. You want blood? Here’s blood, take it, run all of the DNA tests you want. I don’t care anymore. Don’t hurt my children!”
Before Tomas could reach her and grab the jagged shard of glass, Caitlin managed to cut the pad of her thumb. Blood dripped onto the sand and ran down her arm. She sank to her knees sobbing and in a state of hysteria. He picked her up and put her on the back floor of the van. He reached into his beach bag and found what he needed. He read the label, shook a pill into his hand, and reached into the cooler for a bottle of water.
“Take one of these, it will calm you down. Stay low on the floor,” Tomas directed Caitlin.
He ran his limited options through his mind. He couldn’t leave Caitlin alone in the van and get Scott and the kids. Someone could be waiting in the trees, hidden behind the lush tropical growth. Furthermore, Chad and Alexandra couldn’t see their mother in this bloody and disheveled state.
Speed dialing Mitch, Tomas barked, “Mitch, I know you’re on call, I need you to get your ass to Sandy Bank or Bay ASAP. Do you know where it is? This is an emergency and I’ll call Drew when I hang up to clear it. Get here now!”
“I’m at the base of the mountain that leads to that beach. I can be there in five minutes.”
Mitch pulled up and Tomas briefed him about the sign and what Caitlin had done. In a swift move, Tomas handed over the keys to the van, grabbed the deputy’s keys, and put Caitlin and the note in the back of the police jeep.
“What the hell are you doing? This is a police vehicle!” Mitch, hands on his hips, challenged.
“I can’t have the kids seeing their mother in this condition. I’ve got to get her out of here. Scott doesn’t even know what happened. I’ll take your jeep and get her settled. Meet us at the hotel. Bring Scott up to speed. Tell the kids Caitlin had to take care of business, figure something out. Just try to act as normal as possible and drive the van back.”
Chapter Thirteen
Driving over the mountain, Tomas looked over his shoulder to the rear seat. Caitlin must’ve been more stressed than he realized. She now snored in the back of the police jeep, thanks to the sedative.
“Did you find out anything about that lead I gave you?” Tomas spoke softly into his cell-phone and then listened to the response fro
m the other end. “What do you mean nothing in ten years? I know this is a big hunch but what’s taking so long? You can’t find either one? Just keep checking all of those records. I need to wrap this shit up!” Tomas hung up the phone and pulled into the hotel parking lot.
He found himself in a precarious position. Caitlin’s passed out from the damn sedative. He couldn’t carry her through the lobby of the hotel. Tomas became more anxious because he knew Scott and Mitch would arrive soon. The FBI rookie he’d just spoke to, hadn’t produced any solid information. The fact that a person of interest in this case hasn’t existed in a decade, bewildered him.
Tomas grabbed his cell-phone again and instructed Mitch to valet the van and take the kids back to the room. He requested Scott to meet him in the parking lot near the tennis courts, away from the resort’s main entrance. While he waited, Tomas focused his attention on Scott’s background check. What he found out last night made sense, what Caitlin omitted in her statement didn’t. Scott’s silence left him puzzled and suspicious.
* * * *
Lukas Bucklin sat on the balcony of his Barbados villa overlooking the bay. He took his first sip of scotch when his cell-phone rang. “Dammit!” he said and got up to answer it. “So much for peace and quiet after relinquishing control to James. Who the hell could be calling?” Annoyed he answered the phone. “Hello!”
“Luke, buddy how the hell you doin’ these days?” An eerie voice laughed.
Lukas knew that laugh.
“What do you want now? We’re finished. Do you hear me? You’re not going to bleed me for one more cent!”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Luke. I love the house and the cool million but things are getting tight again. Cost of living’s gone up, not to mention gas prices.”