by Kathi Daley
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Vikki asked.
“I’m sure I don’t want to, but there is that ninth victim out there who, if the killer is to be believed, is not dead yet. If we have the chance to save that person, we at least have to try.”
“The guy is probably lying about the ninth victim to get you to play along.”
“Perhaps,” I acknowledged. “But on the off chance that he isn’t, I don’t think I would be able to live with myself if someone ended up dead because I didn’t want to get involved.” I paused. “Of course, it is actually Jack the killer is engaging with, but I can’t see myself going back home and letting him deal with this on his own. It will be fine.”
Vikki sighed. “That’s why I love you so much. You are always willing to do whatever it takes to help. If you need anything—anything at all—just let me know.”
“Right now, I wouldn’t mind discussing something else for a few minutes. Did anything interesting happen on Gull Island today that doesn’t involve murder?”
“Actually, yes. I ran into Brooke Johnson while I was in town to have lunch with Rick and she told me that Rena had mentioned to her that living at the resort wasn’t working out and that she was looking for someplace else.”
I frowned. “Wasn’t working out? Why?”
“Rena said that everyone is just so old. She is looking for a younger, hipper vibe.”
“Both Alex and Brit are in their twenties, the same as her,” I pointed out.
“Brooke pointed that out to her when they spoke. Rena replied that the only reason she even applied to live at the retreat was because Alex lived there, and she figured that must mean the place would be hopping, but then she got here and found out that only three of the thirteen full-timers at the resort are under thirty and only five of the thirteen are under forty.”
I supposed that Rena had a point. The average age of the full-time residents had to be somewhere around fifty. I would be sorry to see her go, but it was important for the people who did live at the retreat be happy with their life and want to be part of the special thing we’d built.
After I hung up with Vikki, I called Garrett and explained the situation. I promised to check in every day and he promised to try not to worry. I knew I had a much better chance of keeping my promise to him than he had of keeping his to me, but I was happy that he was at least trying to manage his blood pressure. Garrett shared that Clara had had another nightmare the previous night, and I asked to speak to her.
“So, it sounds like you had another rough night,” I said as I sat down on the edge of the bed.
“It was pretty bad,” she replied.
“Do you feel like talking about it?” I could hear the fatigue in her voice. I knew from past experience that once a dream got hold of Clara, her nights could become pretty brutal until they played themselves out.
Clara let out a breath. “It was similar to the first dream but slightly different. Instead of being trapped under the bleachers and watching the outside world from between the seats, I was trapped in a locker and was watching students walking past through the slats. I could hear and see everything, but no one could hear me, even though I was yelling for someone to let me out. Eventually, the hallway cleared out and it began to get dark. It got darker and darker, and the darker it got, the harder it was to breathe. Eventually, the darkness choked the life out of me.”
“How awful. You poor thing. Do you have the sense that these dreams mean something yet? Now that you have had two similar dreams, do you think they are prophetic, or maybe a memory of some sort? Not your memory, perhaps, but the memory of someone you are channeling?”
“Perhaps. I’m just not sure what the dreams are supposed to represent. I guess I’ll just need to wait and see.”
Jack came in with Kizzy while I was on the phone. I chatted with Clara for a few more minutes and then promised to call her again the next day. Once I hung up, I filled Jack in on Clara’s very disturbing dream.
Jack frowned. “The dreams seem really specific.”
“I agree. Clara thinks they could be something more than just dreams, but at this point, she isn’t sure what it all means. I’m hoping if the dreams continue, the meaning will come to her. The dreams seem to have had a disturbing effect on her.”
“Clara has been dealing with prophetic dreams and visions her whole life. I’m sure she has learned how to handle them. Did you get hold of Vikki?” Jack asked.
I nodded. “She ran into Brooke when she was in town today. Brooke told her that Rena mentioned in passing that she is thinking about moving out.”
“Really?” Jack raised a brow. “Did Rena say why she was looking for another place? She moved in less than two months ago.”
“According to what Rena told Brooke, she didn’t realize there were so many old farts living at the retreat when she agreed to move in.”
Jack laughed. “I’m sure to a young woman in her early twenties, we would be included in the old fart category. She isn’t wrong, however, about the resort serving an older clientele. When I first met you and the other members of the Mastermind group, I was surprised to find Alex and Brit living at the retreat. They seem to enjoy their lives on the island, and in my opinion they fit in very well, but I can see how living with the rest of us, who have passed the forty-year mark might not be for everyone who has yet to reach their thirtieth year.”
I knew Jack was right. The retreat was perfect as far as I was concerned, but it didn’t have a young, energetic vibe. “When Vikki first told me what Brooke had said, I thought about calling to talk to Rena, but then I decided that if she isn’t happy with things, it is probably best that she move out.”
“I agree. What you have created at the resort is special. The writers are like a family. I think maintaining that atmosphere is worth a bit of turnover.”
“Garrett has said as much in the past. I tend to be concerned about the cash flow, and I know how important it is to keep the units leased, but Garrett is ultimately the one who is footing the bills for the place, and if he doesn’t seem concerned about maintaining a high occupancy rate, I guess I shouldn’t worry about it either. If Rena does move out, I may look into finding someone interested in a short-term lease for that unit. There are a lot of writers looking for a true retreat experience, and for the most part, I have been unable to accommodate them because of a lack of available short-term rentals. It will be more work for me to rent out the cabin on a weekly rather than a monthly basis, but the cash flow should be even better that way.”
“And we won’t feel obligated to invite temporary guests to the Mastermind meetings,” Jack pointed out.
“Yes. There is that as well, which I am beginning to think might be a bonus in the long run.”
Chapter 7
Thursday, May 9
We decided to grab a quick breakfast and then head to the convenience store where Kim had worked the next morning. It turned out to be another perfect, sunny day. The blue sky was peppered with white, fluffy clouds that appeared to be floating on an azure sea. It seemed like the sort of day to lay in a hammock and watch the world go by, but we had a killer to find, so lazing around would have to wait.
When we got to the store I decided to remain in the car with Kizzy while Jack went inside to speak to the owner or manager, whoever might be on duty. In retrospect, it might have been a good idea to leave Kizzy back at the resort, as Vikki had suggested, given the fact that we were in and out of a variety of businesses, but I enjoyed having her along, and somehow, her presence lent a semblance of normalcy to the situation.
Jack returned to the car after having been gone for only about fifteen minutes.
“The man who owns the store is not in today and the manager didn’t move to this area until a year ago, so he never knew Kim. I did speak to a clerk who worked at the store when Kim disappeared. She didn’t have much to add, just that she was the sweetest thing and she can’t imagine why anyone would want to hurt her. She told me that Kim’s best
friend was a woman named Michelle Dawson, and gave me her phone number and suggested I call her, so I did. Michelle works at the library and is expecting us to stop by.”
“Okay. Let’s head over there now,” I suggested. As I had before, I elected to wait in the car with Kizzy, but after only a few minutes, Jack came out of the library with a woman I assumed must be Michelle. She was a young woman who I estimated might be twenty-one or -two at the most.
“Michelle took a break so we could all chat,” Jack informed me. “Let’s find a place to sit. Maybe somewhere in the shade.”
“Should I bring Kizzy?” I asked.
“Please do,” Michelle answered. “I love dogs. There is a bench under that big oak tree on the lawn.”
When we arrived at the bench, Jack took a minute to explain to Michelle that we were writing a story on unsolved missing persons cases and were in town to look in to Kim’s disappearance. Michelle indicated that she was willing to answer any questions we had to the best of her ability. It seemed that, like a lot of people, she had read Jack’s novels and knew who he was. She seemed thrilled to be the subject of an interview by a writer she professed to adore.
“Let’s start by you telling us about Kim,” Jack said. “I understand that you were best friends.”
Michelle nodded. “Kim and I were the same age and we grew up attending the same schools and participating in the same after-school activities. When we graduated high school, we both made the decision not to go away to college. Kim got a job at the convenience store and I got one answering phones for a local contractor. Eventually, I got a job here at the library that I love. I’m even thinking about going back to school to get a degree in library and information science.”
“That’s great,” I replied.
“I’m really excited.” Michelle smiled. “I’ve always loved reading but never considered a job where it would be encouraged until I began volunteering here. My volunteer work led to the job and I couldn’t be happier. But back to Kim—after high school, she was sort of lost in terms of what to do with her life. She got the job at the convenience store, but she didn’t make much money, so she continued to live at home. That meant she had to make the drive to and from work each day. I have my own place now, but back then I moved in with my older sister, who lives in the next town over, so Kim and I didn’t see each other as much as we once did, but we did talk on the phone several times a week, and we got together on the weekends when she was off.”
“Was there anything going on in Kim’s life that might have led to her disappearance?” Jack asked. “Did she seem to have any enemies? Had she made anyone angry? Had she gone through a recent breakup?”
Michelle shook her head. “No. Nothing. I can’t imagine what could have happened to her. Kim was really popular. She was head cheerleader and homecoming queen in high school. She was funny and friendly and everyone loved her. There were a few girls who were jealous of her, and like everyone, she had a few ex-boyfriends in her past, but I don’t think that anyone from Halviston would hurt her. The only thing I can come up with is that Kim caught the eye of someone passing through town and that’s who ended up hurting her. Kim was really beautiful. She attracted the attention of a lot of men.”
I realized that being beautiful and attracting the attention of men was a link between the two women we had researched so far, but a lot of other women were beautiful and attracted men’s attention, so why them?
“I understand that Kim’s car was found on the side of the road between the store where she worked and her home. Was she the type to stop and help someone in trouble?”
Michelle frowned. When she didn’t answer after a moment, Jack asked the question again.
“I’m not sure if Kim would have stopped for a stranded motorist,” Michelle said. “I suppose she might have, but if I am being honest, it wasn’t something I would expect her to do. Kim was my best friend and I loved her, but she was beautiful and spoiled, and she tended to look at the world from a very egocentric point of view.”
“Egocentric?” Jack asked.
Michelle blew out a breath. “Kim could be sweet and she could be an awesome friend, but she didn’t seem to care about others in the same way most people do. I guess what I am trying to say is that she tended not to notice people who weren’t of use to her in some way. I guess my natural inclination is to protect Kim, especially now that she is gone, but she could sometimes make people angry. She was popular, and that popularity made people want to be in her orbit, but you could say she was sort of shallow, so she didn’t have friends as much as she had lackeys, people who followed her around, hanging on her every word.”
“Sounds sort of empty,” I said.
“I would agree, but I’m not sure that Kim would. She didn’t seem to miss the fact that she didn’t have a lot of people in her life who really cared about her. She liked to be in the spotlight. She craved the attention she so easily received. She was the sort of person who would help others if she felt that doing so would benefit her in some way. I could totally see her stopping to help someone if her plan was to film her heroic deed and then post it on social media. But if Kim happened across a motorist in trouble late at night and there wasn’t anyone to see her do it, I’m honestly not sure she would have stopped.”
“So, if she wasn’t likely to stop to help someone who had broken down, why do you think she pulled over?” I asked.
Michelle shrugged. “I have no idea.”
We thanked Michelle, and then Jack called Hannah Smith, the woman who, according to the police report, had worked with Kim on the night she was last seen. From his side of the conversation, it sounded like Hannah was unable to meet with us, but she was willing to answer a few questions over the phone. Jack was most interested in any last-minute customers or vehicles left in the convenience store parking lot after closing that night. It made sense to us that whoever abducted and probably killed Kim might very well have followed her from work.
I watched as Jack charmed the woman he was talking to while taking careful notes. He knew how to use his popularity to get what he wanted as well as anyone.
“Okay, slow down a bit so I can get all this down,” Jack said to the woman he was speaking to.
When Jack spoke to Rick, he’d indicated that Hannah had told the investigating officer that she and Kim had rung up a number of customers during the last half hour of their shift: a group of men in their twenties who had come in for corn dogs and a twelve-pack of soda; an older woman with short brown hair who purchased a gallon of milk; two men who drove a black truck and wore baseball jerseys who stopped in for several bags of potato chips and a box of diapers, and a tall, thin man with short brown hair who purchased a bag of dog food. There were a few other customers who had come in before that, but the investigating officer hadn’t seemed interested in any of them, so she didn’t elaborate. Jack asked Hannah if anyone who came in during the shift other than the ones included in the police report had acted strangely or had left an impression on her, and she told him about two customers who stood out in her mind as exhibiting suspicious behavior, and she described them to Jack.
“So, a man in his twenties reached across the counter and grabbed Kim’s hair while she rang him up?” Jack repeated.
I couldn’t hear what Hannah said in response, but I could tell by the look on Jack’s face that she was confirming the incident. When the call was over, Jack told me Hannah had also said that a female high-school student who was angry with Kim for something she had supposedly done to her friend had come in with a group of her crowd and had threatened to make her pay. Jack felt that both those incidents should have warranted further investigation, but neither had even made it into the investigator’s notes. We both wondered why.
Toward the end of the conversation, Jack asked Hannah if she herself knew any of the customers who had stood out as acting oddly or aggressively and she claimed not to. She’d told the police that, overall, it had been slow that evening and she and Kim had cleaned up
early, and then, during the last half hour of their shift, Kim had helped her to bag the purchases, stopping to chat with each customer as she did so. They left the building together and each went to her own car. There were no other cars in the parking lot at that time. Hannah assumed that Kim planned to go home and had no idea what might have occurred to her between leaving the lot and her home or why she might have pulled her car over.
“What now?” I asked after Jack hung up. “Do we have enough information? Should you email Sam to see if he is ready to provide us with directions to Kim’s burial site?”
Jack frowned. “I’m not sure. I don’t feel we know a whole lot, but I’m sure Sam doesn’t expect us to solve this case. If he asks the same questions he did yesterday, do we have answers?”
“I guess that from what we know from the police report and your speaking to Hannah, any of the people who were in the convenience store could be considered possible suspects. No one really stands out as exhibiting aggressive behavior except for the man who grabbed Kim’s hair and the high-school student who threatened to ‘make her pay.’ Between the two, I would go with the guy in his twenties as the main suspect. Hannah said she didn’t know him, and we don’t know if Kim knew him either. Maybe she did, and there could be a reasonable excuse for his behavior, but he seems to be our best bet.” I took in a short breath. “The reality is that given the fact that Kim’s car was found along the road between work and her home, the real killer is probably some random predator who used a disabled car to lure anyone who might come along to stop. I’d actually be surprised if anyone from the store ends up being the killer.”
“I agree, but Sam seems to want us to reveal what we have uncovered, and the customers at the store that evening are really all we have,” Jack said. “Let’s head back to the motel and email him. If he wants us to dig up more information than we already have, he will let us know.”