Lavender Beach

by Vickie McKeehan

  Eastlyn pumped a fist in the air. “Yes, I knew it had a history. Every helicopter deserves an interesting backstory.”

  That afternoon, she drove to Eternal Gardens to meet with Brent again. During the face-to-face update, they sat on the same park bench as before.

  “What you have out there is essentially a fully fortified hideaway. Thorwald or Edgecombe, somebody, has made sure that place is locked down tight and anyone who tries to breach the perimeter won’t take the same wrong path twice.” She went into detail about all the booby traps. “The two trap guns installed in front and behind the cabin were the last two things I found before company came calling.”

  “Those are illegal and dangerous,” Brent stated, scrubbing a hand down his face. “What if you hadn’t spotted them?”

  “But I did.”

  “Did anyone see you?”

  “They probably would have if not for… This will sound strange. But your wife would understand this a lot better than you.”

  “Understand what?”

  She hesitated but then decided she might as well tell him all of it. “Scott Phillips warned me right before those two guys converged on my position.”

  With a bob of his head, Brent nodded. “I’m well aware Scott does things like that.”

  “You are? Well, so much for guarding a well-known secret ghost. Anyway, those mechanical devices alone are enough for you to make an arrest. That’s the good news. You’d nail Thorwald for something. The bad news is you wouldn’t get him for trafficking, which is really what you want.”

  “Thorwald must’ve set out all those traps to keep local hunters at bay, keep trespassers away from getting a look at that meth lab. He’s gone to extreme measures to make sure his people living out there are left alone. Knowing all that, how do all these kids keep getting the meth? How are they gaining entry?”

  “To the compound?” Eastlyn shook her head. “That’s just it. I don’t think kids are getting in. My guess is Thorwald handpicks a few dealers he can trust. Those dealers go in and bring the stuff out of the compound then distribute it to the various local sellers. Think about it. That would be the best way to ensure that no one like me goes in there for a simple buy. He’d feel that same way about a bunch of high school kids, who would surely blab. Then it would get out to the masses that Thorwald’s a major supplier. Not good for business. But if Thorwald only deals with people he knows, people he trusts, he lessens the risk that his enterprise crumbles over loose lips or over the sale of a few dime bags sold to two-bit junkies, not on his land anyway.”

  “Makes sense. But what about all the traffic Bran and Joy reported seeing at all hours?”

  “All I saw were evidence that kids were using the secluded road to make out.” She took out her cell phone and held it up to him. “As you probably know by now, due to the party, I got there later than I’d planned. But I took pictures of the meth lab.”

  Brent took the phone, studied the shack. “Look at all the hazardous waste leaking into the environment. There must be fifty or sixty pounds of the stuff.”

  “Statistics show that for every ten pounds of meth that’s the stuff left over.”

  “What else do you have there?”

  “A picture of this guy. He was coming right toward me so it’s a little dark and fuzzy.”

  “I’ll say. You forgot to mention you’re lousy at taking photos.”

  She chuckled. “Such a critic. It’s not something I’m proud of. Do you recognize the guy?”

  “Honestly, there’s no way I could make out who that is if he walked right up to me this minute.”

  “Sorry for the bad quality. I’ll do better next time.”

  “There won’t be a next time.”

  “Why not?”

  “Obviously, you can’t enter the compound under the guise of needing a fix.”

  “But I can still use the second trip to gain valuable information.”

  “It’s too risky, Eastlyn.”

  “Not as risky as it was the first time. Now I know my way to and from the cabin. This time, I’ll get out there much earlier and stake out the area, maybe spread out and get pictures of the compound itself, the living quarters, write down plate numbers of the cars coming and going.”

  The look on his face said he wasn’t convinced. “You want Thorwald bad enough, I’m the best shot you have.”

  Brent chewed the inside of his jaw. “Okay. But after you get back to town, I want full disclosure. Call me. We’ll plan to meet in the alleyway behind the used car lot. You’ll hand off any intel you gained then.”

  “Roger that.”

  There was another argument ramping up as she got dressed to go back to the compound.

  “I’m going with you,” Cooper insisted.

  “No, you’re not. It’s better if one person makes that trek, not two. Besides, this is my assignment. I’m the person who has the military training to make it work. And if I should get caught, the ruse is still I’m there on the property because I’m a newcomer in town who heard this is the best place in the county to buy crack.”

  She finished applying the makeup to her face that gave her a gaunt appearance and added, “I look like a cracked-out addict while you, on the other hand, look like a choirboy and nothing like a strung-out junkie.”

  Insulted, the scowl he sent her said it all. Coop set his jaw, ready to do battle. “I do not look like a choirboy. My hair’s longer than yours. That certainly plays better as a druggie than clean-cut. I’m sure not a wide-eyed innocent. For God’s sakes, I’ve walked down alleyways in Brixton to get to the tube while gangs patrolled the streets nearby just so I could get the best shots of London’s underground. So there’s no point in arguing. I’m going with you, and that’s that. You’re just wasting your time.”

  “Look at you, you couldn’t possibly pull off the drug addict role.”

  “Wanna bet? I can pretend to be as out of it as you. Give me that makeup kit and fifteen minutes and I’ll prove it to you.” When he saw the roll of her eyes, he stubbornly added, “I’m not letting you walk in there alone without backup and that’s all there is to it. Certainly not if there’s a chance you’ll get caught. I didn’t want to break it to you but you leave me no choice. You’re not that great of an actress.”

  Offended, she huffed out, “I am so.”

  “You’re not. There’s no guarantee your pretend performance as a buyer will even work. Then what will you do? If we go together there’s a greater likelihood that we’ll look like two stumbling meth heads out to score. By yourself, I doubt Thorwald will buy into that story. You need me. It’s non-negotiable. I’m disappointed Brent is willing to send you in there alone.”

  “That’s unfair to Brent. He can’t exactly stroll into the lion’s den and expect the ruse to work when he’d be recognized in two seconds, now can he? Since Brent would give the whole thing away, there’s no one else to go in there but me. I have a chance to pull this off and I’m taking it.” She laid her hand on his arm. “Cooper, we had a really great day today, don’t ruin it by doing this again.”

  “That might be true about Brent, but you just made my case for me. There’s no one else who’d be willing to go with you. I’m it. You shouldn’t go in there without backup and you know it. Keep in mind, I’m new in town, too, or have you forgotten? It’s unlikely the Thorwalds would know me unless they somehow wandered into my shop. And even if one of the dealers has seen me around town, for all they know, I’m the newcomer from the Bay Area with a drug problem of my own.”

  “I’m not gonna be able to shake you, am I?”

  “Not unless you possess the power of an eight-point earthquake, which you don’t, you’re not walking out that door without me.”

  “Then come on. Let’s roll. Use the makeup to lighten up the area around your eyes. See, like I did.” She showed off her Goth look. “It sells the sullen junkie. But if Brent finds out I let you come with me, he’ll have my temporary badge.”

  “Big deal. So you�
��ll find another job.”

  She grinned. “If I’m on borrowed time we might as well make this count. Grab your camera. Tonight you’re the designated picture-taker.”

  It wasn’t until they were sitting in the Bronco that Cooper handed her the keys. She angled in the seat to stare at him. “You actually confiscated these? That’s low and sneaky. Just for that it gives me sheer satisfaction at seeing you have to put on makeup.”

  “I walked right into this, didn’t I?” Cooper complained with an affable grin.

  “Hey, you insisted on coming.” She batted her eyes at him. “To protect the little woman. I’m grateful.”

  “Could’ve fooled me,” he moaned as he began to smear on the light-colored pancake with a sponge.

  She patted his knee and gunned the engine at the same time. “Oh, but I am. Not many guys would do this.”

  While Cooper made up his face, Eastlyn went over what she’d already discussed with Brent. “Just so you’re up to speed, I’m thinking the only people who get into that compound are Thorwald’s longtime sellers, people he knows personally and trusts.”

  “That’s why you dropped the buyer ruse.”

  “Exactly. It won’t work with him because he doesn’t mess with smalltime drug users looking for a hit. Just follow me and watch out for booby traps.”

  “Booby traps?” Cooper swallowed hard in a show of fake fear. “I’m beginning to think this was a mistake. Why not just drop me off at the turnoff?”

  “Very funny. That’s what I love about you, your sense of humor. But if we get caught…that story about needing a fix is our fallback.”

  Cooper suddenly blurted out, “I’ve got it, a much better reason why we’re in the area. It just occurred to me. We say we’re out here taking photographs of the countryside.”

  “At night?”

  “Sure. I brought my prime lens with me, a fixed-focal-length lens designed to take much better photos at night. If Thorwald doesn’t believe us, I’ve got the equipment to show we’re on the level.”

  “That’s brilliant and so much better than this stupid Goth look we’re sporting. But what am I doing out here with you, holding the camera?”

  He began looking around for a napkin to use to get rid of the makeup on his face. “In a way. You’re my assistant. All I need is to find the right angle, an elevated rise in the landscape where I can look down into the compound and focus on the out buildings, the meth lab, and the entry gate. You lead me to that kind of area and I’ll get you the best shots.”

  “Brilliant,” she repeated. “I love it. You’re like that character, Robert Kincaid, in The Bridges of Madison County. But instead of doing a photographic essay on old bridges, you’re looking for old barns.”

  “Let’s just hope we won’t need either story.”

  Twenty minutes later, Eastlyn brought the Ford to a stop in an old asphalt parking lot.

  “This is different than where I waited for you last night,” Cooper noted.

  “And should make our story more believable. If you check the map, you’ll discover Cleef’s old barn is about a half-mile from here. But we’re going to take off walking in that direction.” She pointed south and to the east.

  Loading up the rucksack and camera case and the other supplies, they started out through the brush like pack mules. The dark woods beckoned ahead. Unlike the night before when it was foggy and misty, tonight the sky was clear with twinkling stars overhead.

  Up the first gentle slope, to the tune of crickets and night peepers, Eastlyn whispered, “No more talking from this point forward.”

  “What do we do, use hand signals?” Cooper joked. To highlight the query, he pointed two fingers at his eyes and then turned them toward Eastlyn like he’d seen people do in the movies. The gesture meant, “I see you.”

  She cracked up with laughter and playfully tapped him on the shoulder. “Shhh, quit clowning around now or you’ll give us away.”

  She took out a GPS, motioned for him to follow her down the incline. They hiked onto what looked like a well-worn trailhead, then deviated to a more obscure path, tangled with vines and underbrush.

  They came to a shallow stream with pretty moss-covered rocks. Water birch and box elder were thickest here, along with trailing ivy and fan palm. They sloshed through the water where the creek tapered into a narrow inlet as it twisted and turned into thicker scrub.

  They waded into a labyrinth of boulders until coming out on the other side. Eastlyn pointed to a hill and then made a gesture downward, indicating the compound was below the ridge.

  Hugging the side of the slope, Cooper trailed after her as they both inched their way to the edge before it dropped off into a basin. The valley below was wide enough to hold the series of buildings and homes that made up the compound.

  He peered over the crest, spotted the fence surrounding the property, the barbed wire keeping outsiders from breaching the border. He spotted activity below, a campfire, an assortment of cars and trucks parked within the circle of fence.

  The encampment was massive in size and scope. Counting heads, Eastlyn decided it had to be home to at least fifteen families. Children ran around the fire as if it were the best summer camp experience of their young lives. It was hard to believe these kids had parents who’d taken to cooking meth as a source of income.

  Cooper took out his Nikon, zoomed in, aiming his lens on the bivouacked inhabitants below. From this perspective Eastlyn could see what she’d missed last night. There were indeed guards stationed every forty feet or so along the inside perimeter. Their positions couldn’t be seen from the cabin where she’d been last night.

  But they could definitely have seen her.

  After forty-five minutes, Eastlyn motioned for Coop to slide back down the hill.

  As surveillance went, the endeavor had generated a disk full of pictures. But they still had to get off that ridge without anyone detecting their presence.

  Before Cooper could pack up the gear, that proved to be tricky. Eastlyn caught sight of one of the guards staring up at them on the peak. Through the binoculars she studied the lookout while the lookout did the same to her. She signaled Cooper to remain perfectly still, and waited, trying to determine if they’d been spotted.

  But when the guard didn’t sound an alarm, she tapped Cooper on the shoulder and indicated for them to get out of there.

  But then the dogs inside the compound started barking. It was as if the place lit up like a Christmas tree. The other side of the knoll was swathed in bright light. Gunshots rang out. A bullet whizzed past Eastlyn’s ear.

  Her military training kicked in. She reached for the small revolver she’d strapped to her ankle, just in case Thorwald’s men charged.

  They moved quickly down the hillside. Using the GPS, Eastlyn led the way back through the thick brush. She estimated it would take at least ten minutes for the guards to catch up with them, maybe longer. It gave them a scant head start. She used that time to scuttle through dense thickets in the dark, finally picking up the path they’d taken earlier.

  They heard dogs in the distance, which meant they needed to keep up the pace.

  Forging ahead, they came to the little stream again, and rushed across the water. From there, Eastlyn was able to locate the trailhead, which led them back to the Bronco.

  Cooper started up the engine about the same time a rifle shot pinged off the pavement. He peeled out of the lot about the time two men emerged from the forest of trees.

  Back home in Cooper’s study, the adrenaline still pumped through their veins from the close call. While Cooper downloaded the pictures from his camera disk to his laptop, Eastlyn paced. The only time she stopped was to peer over his shoulder, impatient, to check his progress.

  A time or two she stopped to appreciate the quality of his work. “Man, you got some good shots. You can even make out faces, license plates, and detail.”

  “I’m glad you approve of my work.”

  “Approve? You could pick up some extra
bucks with that zoom lens as a member of the paparazzi.”

  The doorbell sang out and Eastlyn immediately thumped her head. “Uh-oh. I think in all the excitement I forgot to meet Brent like I promised.”

  Sure enough, when Cooper didn’t answer fast enough whoever was out in the courtyard started pounding on the door.

  Cooper flung it back to see Brent Cody agitated and pissed off. “Is Eastlyn here?”

  Eastlyn stuck her head into the other room, immediately remorseful. “I’m sorry. Calling you completely slipped my mind. But we had a situation.”

  “So you’re okay?”

  “I am now.”

  Brent sent Cooper a long aggravated gaze. “What do you mean ‘we’ had a situation? You went with her, didn’t you?” He turned his rage on Eastlyn. “You told him. So much for keeping your mouth shut.”

  “I didn’t want her going out there alone. Besides, I’m a photographer, taking pictures is what I do for a living.” To prove it, Cooper shoved the ones he’d already printed into Brent’s chest. “These are good enough for you to get an idea what the inside of that compound looks like and who lives there.”

  “Now these are detailed. Let’s have a look at the rest,” Brent uttered, following Cooper into the other room and to the laptop set up on the desk. “Now we’re talking.”

  “That’s the beauty of the right filter and a zoom lens. Look at this one. If I’m not mistaken the camera caught this guy making a buy. Who knows how much meth is in those bags he’s loading up in his truck?”