“Hello, Sherri,” she answered.
“Hey, Kay. How are the kids?”
“Oh, they’re fine. They’re on the dock feeding bread to the bream.”
“Tina hasn’t been any problem, has she?”
“Not at all, Sherri.”
“Good, good,” Sherri said, her voice trailing off.
Kay sensed she wasn’t calling to check on Tina. “You still haven’t talked to Curt?”
There was a pause. “No, I just don’t know how.”
“Sherri, you can’t deal with this alone.”
Kay heard the door open from the garage, and Tina came walking in.
“As a matter of fact, here’s your daughter now,” Kay said. “Hold on, Sherri.”
“Mrs. Marks,” Tina began, “can we please have some more bread?”
“Why certainly,” Kay gave her a smile. “You must have a bunch of hungry fish out there.”
Tina smiled.
“While I’m getting it, why don’t you talk to your mom?” Kay handed the phone to Tina.
****
Cody stood at the end of the dock. In the last few minutes, the light had decreased rapidly. As he turned to look toward the backyard, it had grown darker. Daylight blocked by the trees had cast a gray covering over the area. Inside the house, the lights glowed in the distance. He suddenly felt very alone. A shiver ran over the little boy’s spine, and he wished he had gone back inside with Tina.
The air went still.
Cody heard a low, clicking noise. He jumped with a start, turning in all directions. The sound was so close. His heart began to race. The eerie noise continued, and he realized it was coming from the water, from the side of the dock. Cody’s eyes widened as he saw a large swell of water in the distance, coming toward the dock. The water rolled up into a large wave. Cody stood frozen in fear. The single groundswell was moving at a tremendous speed, heading directly for the dock, and straight at him. The wave towered over his head, moving at him like a watery beast, churning and foaming. A single red light shone forth, catching Cody’s face with its brilliance. Terror gripped him, as Cody saw its teeth, curved and menacing, clenching and opening within the swell of water.
****
Kay retrieved two slices of bread and waited as Tina spoke to her mother. As usual with children, the little girl responded with clipped yet sincere answers to whatever Sherri was asking. Kay took the opportunity to check on Cody. She walked to the window and gazed out into the ever-darkening landscape. A dark silhouette of the small figure stood motionless near the end of the dock.
It was Cody, and he was much farther out than he should have been. Angry that he had disobeyed her directive, Kay moved to the back door and exited into the backyard.
An agonized scream pierced the air.
Kay broke into a full run across the backyard. Three hundred feet away, Cody continued to yell. Even at a dead run, she saw him backing up to one side of the dock, dangerously close to falling in. Kay pushed herself even faster through the grass.
Still 200 feet away, Cody dashed toward shore, shrieking as he ran across the dock.
Kay reached the foot of the dock and couldn’t believe what she saw. A towering wall of water, the width of a car, was rushing at him. It angled toward him, mirroring his position, targeting Cody.
Sobbing, Cody ran as fast as he could. “Please, Mommy,” he screamed, “don’t let it get me!”
God, no! In desperation, Kay pressed on, flying over the planks and closing the distance to her son.
“Mommy! Mommy!” Cody screamed.
Cody approached the sandbar, but the wave smashed into the dock ahead of him tearing away four piles, the crossbeams, and six feet of plank. With the section of dock sheared away, Cody stopped short, fighting to catch his balance and avoid falling into the gap. Kay saw a look of utter bewilderment and terror cloud his face. He let out another scream as the wall of water continued past, slowed, then dissipated, as if it had never existed.
Kay was flabbergasted by what she had just witnessed. She reached the newly formed gap in the dock and stopped. Panting, she eyed the water where she had last seen the wave, trying to make sense out of it all. Cody was sobbing uncontrollably on the other side.
Suddenly Cody’s eyes grew large, and he pointed to the side with a shaking finger.
Kay turned to see a single wave, with a red beam shining through, once again approaching the dock from the distance. Without hesitation, she turned toward Cody.
“Cody, listen to me. Back up and run. You’re going to have to jump this section of dock. I could do it but I’d never be able to jump us both back.”
“But Mommy,” Cody said sobbing, “it’s too far. I can’t make it.”
“Do what I tell you, Cody. Do not argue,” Kay screamed. “Now back up.”
Kay glanced nervously to the side. The wave was drawing a bead, approaching with increasing speed.
Cody reluctantly backed up.
“Hurry, Cody. We don’t have much time.”
Cody ran back several dozen feet.
“Don’t worry, honey. I’ll catch you. You’ll be fine.”
The wave rumbled ever closer.
“Cody, now! Run as fast as you can, and, when you get to the edge, I want you to jump. Don’t look down, look at me when you jump, and I’ll catch you.”
“But I don’t want to,” Cody cried.
“NOW!” Kay yelled. The wave was closing quickly. Kay heard a disturbing clicking noise as it approached, as if it were gnashing teeth.
Cody took off and ran. Fueled by terror and adrenaline, he launched into the air.
Kay felt her heart stick in her throat. Cody had mis-timed his jump, springboarding prematurely, several feet before the gap.
Certain he was going to land in the water, Kay stood on the tattered edge, ready to jump in after him. To her surprise, Cody not only eclipsed the damaged section, he slammed into Kay with a force that caused them to tumble onto the dock just as the wave struck where Kay had previously been standing, removing another large section of the structure with a tortured rip of planks and piles.
Fortunately, Kay and Cody rolled far enough away to avoid the collision. Still stinging from the impact of fielding Cody, Kay rose. Her knee ached. Again, she turned to find the wave. Again, it was gone.
She was not about to wait for it to return. Kay wasted little time limping back toward shore, carrying Cody in her arms. The little boy continued to sob.
Tina was waiting at the foot of the dock. She, too, was crying.
CHAPTER 29
Samuel Tolen walked out to the garage to survey the damage to the Camaro.
After the incident this afternoon with the two men following him, and the subsequent fatal car crash, he had Tiffany Bar contact local authorities. Tolen, who was technically still a CIA operative, was allowed leeway by local authorities in instances of this nature. While he would still have to answer to local police questioning, he was able to do so through a third party with the CIA. In this case, Tiffany Bar provided the police with Tolen’s detailed statement.
Tolen requested that Tiffany instruct the coroner to shave the heads of both men and provide photographs of any tattoos they found. He recognized that the writing on the one man’s head was in some form of ancient script, but it would have to be translated before he could make sense of it.
The attack had been premeditated, but until he got more information regarding the victims, he wouldn’t jump to conclusions. Only time would tell if it was tied to Dr. Lila Falls’ sudden disappearance after her discovery of the Egyptian text on the St. Johns River floor.
Tolen looked at the car with a small grimace. The Camaro, which had been in pristine condition this morning, was once again flawed. The gunfire had struck the window on the passenger side. Tolen climbed in the passenger side door. The
bullet had penetrated the window leaving a nearly perfect hole and fracturing the glass around it. He studied the damage for a moment then turned to look behind. The bullet had not continued through to the back window, instead careening upward, through the cloth material in the ceiling. He used his finger to probe the cloth hole and located the bullet where it had become lodged in the metal roof.
Given what the damage could have been, he was relieved. It would take some work, but it was repairable.
While sitting in the passenger seat, Tolen looked down at the small glove compartment box. The interior was the first thing he and his father had worked on, and Tolen hadn’t opened it since then. That had been years ago. Curiously, he noticed it had a keyhole. He couldn’t recall that it required a key. He tried to open it and, sure enough, found it locked. Tolen stepped from the car and retrieved the keys from the cork board. There was no key on the chain small enough to fit the lock.
Then it occurred to him.
He pulled the key from his pocket. The one found in the unmarked envelope in his father’s safety deposit box. He slipped it into the lock, and it turned effortlessly. The glove compartment door swung open. He expected to see the owner’s manual inside. Instead, there was a simple manila folder, curled slightly to fit in the compact space. It looked relatively new. Tolen pulled it out. He opened it to find a worn black and white photograph of a couple, an African American woman and a Caucasian soldier dressed in uniform. Tolen didn’t recognize the uniform, but he knew it wasn’t American. His best guess was that it was European. The woman in the photograph was young, possibly still a teenager. The soldier looked to be in his late 20s. He turned the picture over to find handwriting on the back.
1919 – Miranda Bridgewater.
He flipped it back over. The man and woman were standing next to each other, not embracing, but Tolen got the sense that they were a couple. He had a great-grandmother named Miranda, but her last name had been Hockley. Tolen knew this from his father’s research on their family tree. Still, he saw an undeniable family resemblance in the woman.
One thing Tolen knew about his father. He wouldn’t have saved this picture and locked it away unless it had some significance. But why hide the key in his safe deposit box?
Tolen heard a car door slam in his driveway. He placed the picture in the folder, returned it to the glove compartment, and locked it. He went back inside the house just as there was a knock at the door. Given the run-in with the men in the sedan, Tolen unholstered his Springfield and approached the door cautiously.
“Who is it?” he called through the door.
“Melanie Canstar. I’m the FWC officer you met yesterday.”
Tolen reholstered his weapon, turned on the porch light, and opened the door. Standing before him was the woman he had encountered at the Old Shands Bridge Boat Launch, although it was hard to tell. No longer clad in her official uniform, she wore a deep blue sundress with a halter neck that showed off her tan. The draped cowl neckline exposed a tantalizing amount of cleavage. The dress stopped at mid thigh, revealing smooth legs that ran down to sandaled feet. Sparkling eyes were framed by tussles of luxurious, long brunette hair that flowed past her shoulders.
Tolen knew the woman was attractive, but the attire was accentuating her best attributes; not that any were inferior.
Big saucy brown eyes stared at him. “May I come in?” she asked.
“You may,” Tolen said, holding the door open further. “I was hoping to catch up with you again.”
“Oh, really,” she said, hesitating as she passed by. She smiled before continuing inside. The scent of her perfume was provocative, without being overpowering.
Tolen led her to the living room. He motioned for her to have a seat on the couch.
“I hope I’m not interrupting you,” she said, taking a seat, sitting forward with her legs together.
“I’ve got a few minutes. I am curious how you found me.”
“Green Cove Springs is a small town, and since Samuel Tolen, son of Jaspar Tolen, has lived here all his life, he wasn’t that hard to find.”
“I suppose,” Tolen said.
“I could use something to drink. Officially, I’m off duty, so an adult beverage would be nice.”
Tolen walked over to a liquor cabinet in the dining room. “Brandy, scotch, maybe an apéritif?”
“I’m more of a Jack Daniels girl: two fingers, on the rocks, and I really hate to drink alone.”
“So it shall be,” Tolen said. He fixed two tumblers. He strolled back to the living room and handed her one of the tumblers.
“Please,” she motioned for Tolen to sit near her on the couch. He complied.
“You have a faint accent,” Tolen remarked, taking a sip of the whiskey.
“I’m originally from Quebec. My family moved to the States when I was young. No matter how hard I try, I can’t shake the French inflection.” Canstar crossed her legs, allowing the hem of her dress to slide up higher on her thighs.
Tolen had never met a woman who dressed and behaved like this who didn’t have an ulterior motive. “What can I help you with, Ms. Canstar?”
“You get right to the point don’t you, Samuel? Please, call me Melanie.”
Tolen remained quiet, waiting for her to continue.
She ran a hand through one side of her head, buffing her hair out. “I wanted to let you know that forensic technicians are still going over Dr. Falls’ rental boat but haven’t turned up anything, nor have they determined exactly how it sustained damage. It does appear the motor exploded, but there’s no sign of the fate of the passengers.”
“I see.” Tolen took another sip and placed his tumbler on the coffee table. He turned toward her. “And you tracked me down just to tell me you had nothing to tell me?”
She gave a bashful smile. “A bit obvious, huh?”
Tolen nodded.
“I was only recently assigned to Northeast Florida. I really don’t know anyone here, and I noticed you’re not wearing a ring, so…” she paused, “look, I know I’m coming on a bit strong. I don’t normally behave like this. I’m not suggesting we jump into bed and keep the neighbors up half the night. I’m only suggesting dinner.”
“I’m flattered, Melanie, but I have work to do. With Dr. Falls’ disappearance on Saturday morning, time is of the essence. Every minute lost reduces the probability of finding her alive.”
Canstar offered a weak smile. “I understand.”
The truth was, Dr. Falls’ disappearance had nothing to do with him turning her down. Realistically, he knew that the overwhelming odds were that both Dr. Falls and her assistant, Kira Compton, were dead. The damaged boat was evidence of foul play, and the two men who tried to kill him that afternoon added more support to his glum conclusion. Add in Clarence Little’s death, and something heinous was going on. No, it wasn’t work that prohibited him from going out with Melanie Canstar, it was the thought of Dr. Jade Mollur. While they had not consented to exclusivity, Tolen would abide by his own desire to do so. Besides, if he was a target for some reason, he couldn’t risk putting Canstar’s life in danger.
“Well, that was awkward,” she said as she held the tumbler up, swishing the whiskey around. “Bottom’s up,” she said, and drained it in one gulp. She stood, smoothing out her dress.
Tolen stood with her. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. We’re slaves to our jobs. I should have called before coming over.”
“Please keep in touch,” Tolen said, escorting her to the door.
“By in touch, I assume you mean professionally and not personally?” she said, pausing at the open door.
“I believe you’ll find me to be a true friend.”
“Who can’t use a few more of those?” she said as she walked away.
CHAPTER 30
“That felt like a waste of time,” Curt said.
At heart, Scott agreed, but he chose to remain optimistic. “Give the police a chance, Curt.”
They had just crested the Shands Bridge, heading toward the Orangedale side of the river. After checking in with the Green Cove Springs police regarding Lila’s disappearance, they had picked up take-out food for dinner. Scott wanted to give Kay a break from cooking.
Curt huffed, “Explain to me how there’s such a jurisdictional disconnect between local police and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The cops didn’t even know Lila’s boat had been found, not to mention damaged all to hell. Meanwhile, she’s god-knows-where. If she’s even…” His voice trailed off.
“C’mon, don’t give up hope,” Scott urged.
Scott noticed that Curt looked out the window back to the right, toward Bayard Point in the distance. “Scott, does any of this feel familiar to you? Finding a cave once visited by Ed Leedskalnin, organs rising out of the spring, the couple disappearing in the sink hole at the church, Lila vanishing? You heard what the police said: Another man disappeared off his dock Saturday night, and earlier today, there was some incident with a couple of brothers down on Trout Creek. The police are spread so thin with everything going on, they don’t know which way is up.”
“Familiar?” he chuckled uncomfortably. “Yeah, different circumstances, but the oddity of the situation is similar to what we experienced last August after we found that Fish at the Castillo. Thanks for reminding me. I’ve got to stop hangin’ around you,” Scott joked.
“May I remind you that it was you who had the one-on-one with Lawton Sawyer that led to the discovery of Ed’s caves on the point?”
“That discussion with Lawton Sawyer still bothers me. I get the impression he had an ulterior motive that’s not for our good.”
“Oh, and don’t forget my new BFF, CIA man Samuel Tolen. I don’t trust him at all.”
“Yeah, Curt, I’m sure he’s an operative on some covert assignment trying to take you down.”
Evil in the Beginning (The God Tools Book 2) Page 17