Finding Justice

by Rachel Brimble

  * * *

  CAT AND JAY GOT OUT OF the car and walked around the front to stare out across the beach. His fingers wrapped around hers.

  “Are you ready for this?”

  She turned and smiled. “We’ve got him. As long as the letter from Sarah doesn’t name someone else we haven’t a damn clue about, of course.”

  “It won’t.” He tugged her hand. “Let’s go.”

  They clambered down the steps leading to the beach. Still holding hands, they walked along the shore toward the hidden spot where Marian and George waited for them. Wordlessly, they continued forward, silently playing the charade of a couple out enjoying an early-morning walk along the sand, the glistening English Channel beside them. Cat’s neck ached with tension, her body wired to high alert. Jay’s hand tightly gripped hers telling her what she already knew. This was the point of no return. Sarah’s killer was named on that paper.

  On and on they walked until the sounds of dogs barking and their owners’ whistles and calls grew quiet. Only the soft breaking of the waves and the smell of water and seaweed filled the air. Cat’s childhood memories bounced from one rock to another as the sand dwindled and the craggy surroundings grew denser. Even though they were out of sight of the holiday makers and horde of scouring officers at the other end of the beach, they were still in danger of meeting some curious kids out for adventure as Cat, Sarah and Jay had been a decade of summers ago.

  They reached the base of the rock formation Marian indicated when she spoke to Cat on the phone, but she and George were nowhere to be seen. Cat raised a hand to her forehead to shield her eyes from the sun and ran her gaze over the cliff face. It was black, gray and brown, and intensely foreboding. Ledges jutted out sporadically. Lethal-looking points of rock stood like sentries here, there and everywhere. If someone took a tumble, it would mean more than a few broken bones.

  She shivered, not quite believing how she, Jay and Sarah spent so many hours here and all left alive. Pain struck her heart and her breath caught. Until now. Now Sarah was dead, her life not taken by a slip from a rock but by a man she loved. Cat’s hands curled into fists.

  They had to get him. If Bennett hadn’t killed her, they would know who had and he would pay for what he had done. Somewhere in those rocks was the key to Sarah’s murder, the key to her everlasting peace. Cat wasn’t leaving without it.

  “Where are they?” she murmured.

  “We’re in the right place, aren’t we?” Jay looked away to another rock formation to their left. “There were so many places we played as kids.”

  “No, it’s this one. I’m sure of it.”

  “Then we wait. Maybe they’ve taken the money and letter and—”

  Cat groaned. “Don’t say that. I specifically told them not to touch it and to wait for us. I want to see it just as it is. Want to make sure this is real and not some sort of set-up.” Cat met his eyes. “We don’t know her killer hasn’t felt the noose tightening. Now that Marian and George have the money, they’re in danger. What if—”

  “Psst! Catherine, over here.” The urgent whisper came from just above her head.

  Cat and Jay tipped their heads back.

  “Oh, my good God.” Cat swallowed the urge to laugh out loud.

  George peered over one of the ledges, hunkered down, dressed in black with his face partially camouflaged with something black streaked across his cheekbones. He grinned, his teeth showing obscenely white.

  “Quick, up here. We’ve got it. We’ve really got it.”

  He disappeared and Cat turned to Jay, her eyebrow arched in question.

  Jay shook his head. “I have no words. Let’s go.”

  Smiling, she let him take her hand and together they climbed the rocks they hadn’t visited since they were teenagers. It wasn’t hundreds of feet high, but it was high enough. They reached the ledge. George and Marian risked so much by doing this for them, for Sarah. Jay held out his hand to help her over the final hurdle, and together they stood side by side with George.

  Cat frowned. “Where’s Marian?”

  “Here.”

  Cat turned sharply. Marian emerged from behind another rock Cat hadn’t noticed behind them, looking like a rotund version of an Amazon woman. Her face was made up the same as George’s, her black leggings and top so tight neither left much to the imagination.

  Looking from Marian to George and back again, the humor left Cat at the very real possibility the two of them had risked their lives. If the killer had caught them with the money, what was to say he wouldn’t have shot them, beaten them, thrown them down onto the sand, their necks breaking...

  Guilt pressed down like a lead weight on her chest. They were in their sixties and she had indirectly asked them to climb these rocks. Fear rose inside her as realization of what she’d done broke.

  “Why are you both dressed like that?” she snapped, fear making her words slice the air. “What if Bennett...what if someone saw you? What if you fell?”

  Marian’s smile dissolved and the excited gleam in her eyes turned to something infinitely scarier. “I beg your pardon?”

  Cat shrugged off Jay’s hand from her elbow and came forward wrapping her arms around Marian, tears pricking her eyes. “This is serious. You two look so out of place you could easily have drawn unwanted attention. What were you thinking?”

  “We were thinking we were helping you.”

  Cat squeezed her eyes shut. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped. If anything had happened—”

  “Now, you stop that.” Marian pulled back and held Cat’s hands. “I loved Sarah. I want to be here, and that’s the end of it.”

  “But—”

  “But nothing.” She smiled. “Now, do you want to see the money or not?”

  Cat smiled. “Of course we do.”

  “Good.” Marian turned and ducked down behind the tall rock from which she emerged. Cat glanced at Jay who shook his head as though she had committed a crime. “What?”

  “Are you insane taking Marian on like that?” He shook his head but his eyes shone with amusement. His sexy mouth lifted at the corner as he gestured behind him.

  Cat looked over his shoulder. George scowled at her. She raised her hands. “George, I’m sorry. When I think of what could’ve happened...”

  George shook his head, silently cutting her off, then muttered something about death wishes and redheaded cops before following his wife inside the enclosed cavern.

  Blowing out a defeated breath, Cat exchanged another look with Jay before following on behind. It didn’t take long for her eyes to adjust to the semidarkness. Marian stood to the side of her, pointing toward a wide slab of rock down by Cat’s feet. Nodding her understanding, Cat dropped to her haunches and pulled a pair of latex gloves from the pocket of her shorts. She snapped them on and met each of her coinvestigators’ gazes before heaving the slab aside and reaching into the pothole beneath.

  Her hand knocked against the package and she pulled it out with frightening ease. Anyone could have just as easily found this vital piece of evidence. Including Sarah’s killer. Slowly, she unraveled the plastic bag around it and placed the bag on the damp ground beside her.

  The money was wrapped in a sheet of paper, secured with a rubber band. Cat glanced at the three faces above her, each of them etched with concentration and hope. She drew in a breath and snapped off the rubber band, carefully laying the money down so she could draw off the paper. She turned it over.

&
nbsp; Sarah’s scrawl was shaky, but her words clear and succinct. Cat cleared her throat and read her dear friend’s words aloud.

  “I have not been living the life people think I have. I’m a liar. A liar who loved her job and her hometown, but if you’re reading this, Cat, it means God has taken me to Him before I can make everything worse.

  “This is money I stole from Cameron Bennett, which he stole from Kyle Jordon. Cameron is the inspector of Templeton Cove police and he’s my lover. The man is dangerous and shouldn’t be the one looking after our wonderful town. As you’ve found his money, I know he has killed me. Just as he promised he would.

  “I love you, Cat. Tell Jay I love him, too. Make my lover pay for his mistakes as I regret making Jay pay for his.”

  Cat blinked back the tears burning her eyes and stood. The silence was unbearable.

  She looked from one face to another as Jay, George and Marian stared at her, expectancy in their gazes where there maybe should have been fear. She couldn’t have done it without them, but now it was time to get George and Marian out of there. Bennett’s team would soon make their way down to this end of the beach.

  She swiped her fingers over her damp eyes. No more tears. “Okay, we have the money and we know Bennett killed her.”

  “I can’t believe it.” Marian’s voice cracked.

  George stole an arm around her shoulders. “You never liked him, did you? My Marian’s got a sixth sense about badness and she always said Bennett was a bad one.”

  Marian grasped his hand and they exchanged a wobbly smile. Cat watched them. They needed to go. She didn’t want their getting hurt on her conscience, along with every other thing building up there.

  “Come on. Jay and I will help you back down onto the beach and then I want you to go about your normal day-to-day activities, okay? If I have my way, Bennett’s arrest will be all over the local news by dinnertime, so just sit tight.”

  Marian’s eyes lit up. “You’re going to take him down?”

  Cat laughed and her stomach knotted. “That’s exactly what I’m...” she looked at Jay “...we’re going to do.”

  Jay smiled. “Absolutely.”

  He led the way from the cavern and they slowly made the descent down over the rocks and onto solid ground. After much convincing that she and Jay would come out of this alive, Marian and George walked away, arm in arm, their black clothes still worrying Cat despite knowing there was nothing she could do about them now.

  Once they were out of sight, she turned to Jay. “Okay, let’s ring Bennett.”

  “Are you sure you want to do this? Wouldn’t it be better to ring your boss and let him arrange for Bennett to be apprehended at the station or something? God knows I’d love to take Bennett down ourselves, but I don’t want any loopholes or lack of procedure to result in Bennett slipping through the net.”

  Cat shook her head. “That’s not going to happen, and we’re doing this our way. I want to see his face when he realizes he’s going to spend a long, long time behind bars, and so do you. Prison isn’t a good place for a cop...” She grinned. “Which just breaks my heart.”

  He smiled and brushed the hair from her eyes. “Then we’d better make sure this goes well because if you come away with so much as a scratch—”

  “Oh, she’s going to come away with more than a scratch, Garrett.”

  Cat and Jay spun around.

  Bennett stood just feet away from them, a maniacal smile splitting his face. The gun he held pointed straight at Cat’s heart.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  CAT COUNTED HER BREATHS as Bennett strolled closer. Her body hummed with adrenaline. She wasn’t afraid for herself, but for Jay. She couldn’t lose him. Not now. Not when her entire life had shifted its pattern and happiness lingered just beyond the horizon. They were unarmed and alone. Her gaze darted to Bennett’s gun as he neared.

  “Well, here we are.” Bennett’s eyes shone with malice. “You’ve led me straight to the booty, Forrester. How do you feel?”

  Cat swallowed, gripped Jay’s wrist as he moved to step forward. “You’re insane if you think you can get away with this. You killed her. You killed Sarah.”

  He stopped in front of them, his six-foot-two stature and wide shoulders suddenly larger than life. Cat resisted the urge to step back. His eyes were ice-cold. His cheeks flushed and his jaw tight.

  “It wasn’t me, Forrester.” His gaze cut to Jay. “It’s Mr. Garrett who killed her. I knew it from the start.” His smile widened. “I told my entire team from the very beginning he was our prime suspect. I brought you in because you were his friend. Brought you in so I could keep a closer eye on him. Ask my boss. He knew exactly what I was doing all the way through...and best of all, he supported it.”

  Jay stiffened. “You bastard. You set me up this entire time?”

  Cat grasped his wrist tighter, kept her gaze on Bennett and the gun that didn’t even tremble in his hand. He was in control. No emotion swayed his judgment. No regret blurred his conscience. If he released a bullet at this close range...

  Was he telling the truth? She looked to Jay. Hated the fear crawling up her spine. The fear that Sarah hadn’t written that letter after all. That someone else had. That Jay had. Had Jay been lying all this time? Had she’d been blinded by love? She glanced at Bennett. At the gun now pointed at the man she loved.

  Her heart beating hard, she tugged on Jay’s wrist. “Jay, look at me, not him.” Slowly, he dragged his gaze from Bennett. Cat swallowed past the lump in her throat. “Is he lying?” Her voice didn’t waver.

  He flinched like she slapped him clean across the face. “What?”

  Physical pain seared her heart but Cat tilted her chin. “Did you kill Sarah?”

  Hurt and disbelief flashed across his gaze before it changed to anger and revulsion. “If you have to ask me that again—”

  He tried to pull his hand from her grip, but Cat held fast. “Answer me. I need to hear you say it. I need to look in your eyes when you do.”

  His gaze darted over her face, lingered at her mouth before he looked directly into her eyes. “No, I didn’t kill Sarah. I loved her. She was my friend. My best friend.”

  Ignoring Bennett’s snort beside them, Cat drew in a long breath and exhaled. “I believe you.”

  “But you asked me, Cat. You actually asked me again.”

  Cat turned away from his disappointment in his eyes, the look that told her they would never get past this, that their short-lived happiness had now died with Sarah. Three times she had asked him to confirm his innocence. Three times. Anger and her breaking heart fueled a fury she’d never felt before.

  She trembled as she glared at Bennett. “You seriously think this is going to happen? You’re going to frame Jay?”

  “It is happening, you stupid girl.”

  Cat shook her head. “You’re insane.”

  Bennett grinned. “Why? You doubted him.”

  A low rumble growled in Jay’s throat as he stepped forward. “I’ll kill you myself, Bennett.”

  Cat gripped his fingers and held on with all her strength. “Jay, no. He wants this.”

  He turned his glare on her and Cat’s heart completely broke. Their love was over. “What’s he going to do? Shoot you? Me?”

  “I—”

  Bennett laughed and they snapped their heads around to face him.

  He grinned. “If that’s the way it has to be, I’ll kill the both of
you. Right here, right now. People know I’m watching you, Forrester. People know I suspect Garrett. Now let’s cut the crap. Where’s the damn money?”

  “It was you behind the phone calls? The torment?” Her body trembled.

  Bennett’s smile was wolverine-like. “I have people willing to do anything for me, Forrester. Anything.”

  “You make me sick.” Cat drew in a long breath through flared nostrils in an attempt to keep her growing temper in check. She needed to keep calm. She had to make Bennett mad enough to confess. To make him pay.

  She leaned to the side and made a theatrical look past him. “No backup cops with you, Bennett? Don’t you think it will look a bit suspicious if Jay or I are found with a bullet in us on a beach supposedly crawling with cops?”

  His color darkened. “Where’s the money?”

  Jay’s anger vibrated through her arm, his suppressed need to pummel Bennett into the ground parallel to hers. She swallowed and prayed he let her do her job. Let her do what she was trained to do and nail this killer’s ass to the wall.

  She stared at Bennett. “I thought you’d be more concerned about what we found with the money rather than the money itself.”

  “Enough with your pissing games, Forrester. Where is it?”

  “Aren’t you going to ask who Sarah names as her killer?” Cat smiled. “Or do you already know? Sarah was an intelligent girl and made sure she could speak to Jay or me from the grave. An intelligent girl who made some naive decisions when she met and fell in love with you. Her killer.”

  The taut skin of his neck shifted once...twice. “You seriously expect me to believe she says I killed her in some stupid make-believe letter?” He smiled. “I don’t think so.”

  “It’s there. I promise you. Best of all, she makes it clear you’re capable of killing her. You’re now a prime suspect in a murder investigation whether you like it or not. The superintendent’s going to be real interested in what you have to say, don’t you think?”