The Final Flashpoint Read online

  “I guess it had to come from somewhere. All I know, Jess, you were right on about the two victims.”

  “The fact that they are males has me feeling more skittish. I’ve only seen female ghosts up to this point.” She pursed her lips.

  Matt glanced sideways at her. “Why?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe they might be more aggressive.” Her hands fiddled with the napkin in her lap “It may not make sense to you, but being a woman, I was taught to be wary of men in some circumstances.”

  “I get it. I know the statistics.” Matt buttered his bread.

  “And yet,” she paused, her voice quiet.

  “What?” He leaned closer to her.

  “I also felt a different presence this time. I can’t explain it, but I will when I understand it.” She closed her eyes savoring the moment again.

  “I trust you to tell me when you figure it out.” He smiled and abruptly changed the subject. “What were you doing at the beach anyway?”

  “I was reading. One of my favorite things to do on my day off.” She frowned. “That stretch of the beach is a nice, quiet place to chill. If it’s going to get stormy, it’s usually later in the afternoon and today was no exception. Although, I’m not sure it will ever be quite the same for me.”

  “Sure it will, in time.” Matt’s hand brushed hers.

  “I’ll adopt a wait and see policy.” Jessie’s brow arched, and she gave him a half smile.

  Matt ate a few bites. “I’ll bet you’ll be down there on your next day off. You love the beach.”

  “You’re probably right.” She ate the last bit of salad on her plate. Jessie watched the guys devour their food. They didn’t talk much when food was around. Her eyes crinkled, turning her lips up at the corners. When they were finished, they were done with little or no fanfare.

  “Katie, thanks for another great meal.” Kip pushed away from the table. “I’ll see you all on Monday. I’m off tomorrow.”

  “Wait up, Kip. I’ll ride back to the station with you to get my car.” Gary stood. “Thanks, Katie.”

  “See you guys later.” Katie followed them to the door.

  Jessie helped Katie clear the table and clean the kitchen. “I’ve never seen you happier. It makes me happy to see you with Dylan.” Jessie placed the last cup in the dishwasher. “We need to plan a trip to New York and begin the search for the perfect dress.”

  “Sounds fun. We’re still thinking about the date and what kind of wedding we want. I want an outdoor wedding, so it has to be warm. Dylan thinks the fall would be nice. This summer is too soon, and he’s not sure if we should wait until next spring. We’ll figure it out soon enough. My mom is going crazy with the whole idea. She wants to move Dad here. So far he’s holding out.”

  “Maybe your mom would like to go dress shopping with us. It would be a good way to get them both here for a visit, and your mom could work on convincing him. I bet she’ll win eventually. I mean both of her kids live here now, and there’s always the possibility for grandchildren too.” Jessie teased.

  “Whoa with the grandkids. I’m not ready to be anyone’s mom, yet.” Katie laughed. “I’m warming up to the idea of being a fiancée and all the perks that come with it. For now, I want to savor it.” Katie fanned her face playfully. “One thing I know for sure, I’m glad you’re here to share this time with me.” Katie hugged Jessie.

  “Me too.” Jessie placed the dishrag in the sink. “Are you waiting for me?” she asked Matt.

  He nodded. Matt pushed away from the doorframe where he had been leaning. He took hold of her hand as soon as they stepped outside. “Katie told me you have a birthday in a few weeks.”

  “I do.”

  “You could have told me.” He turned her to face him. “A guy needs to know this stuff.”

  “I should have, but I didn’t want you to think I was fishing for a gift.” She grinned at him and started walking again. “I don’t know yours either,” she said when he caught up to her. “A sure sign that we need to spend more time in small talk and getting to know each other as well as talking about cases.”

  “Fair enough. I have made plans for your birthday, so don’t make any.”

  “Are you asking me or telling me?” She turned her face to hide her smile.

  “Both.” He stopped her. “I want it to be a special day for you. We’ll do all the small talk you want to do and a whole lot more. I think you’ll approve what I have in mind.” He gazed into her eyes.

  “I’m sure I will.” She took a deep breath. “In a couple of months, I will celebrate the anniversary of my move to Blue Cove and of course, meeting you. I love my life here and all my new friends. It’s been an enlightening time for me.” They started walking.

  Matt chuckled. “Enlightening for all of us.” He touched the sapphire ring on her right hand. “I see you’re wearing my reminder.”

  “Every day.” She smiled as she twisted the ring on her finger.

  He took the key from her hand and unlocked the door. He gave her a quick kiss. “Sleep well, sweetheart.” He turned to leave and then stopped. “I’m coming in, any objections?”

  “Not from me.” She chuckled as he walked past her on his way to the sofa, grabbing the remote along the way.

  He patted the space beside him. “Come on, sweetheart, let’s watch TV and do some serious kissing.” He grinned, placing his feet on the table.

  Chapter 2

  It was Monday, and Matt wanted answers. He hoped Lewis had some for him. He picked up his phone to call the coroner. “Dave, I was hoping you might have something for me.”

  “I have one tentative ID. I’m waiting on the confirmation. No ID on the second victim yet, but I have an idea about the marks all over their bodies.”

  “Lay it on me.”

  “The wounds came from a picana.”

  “A what?” Matt repeated the word. “I’ve never heard of it before.”

  “It’s an electric device developed from a cattle prod that’s been modified for human torture. The shocks are high voltage and low current.”

  “Damn,” Matt shook his head, “Jessie thought he had been tortured.What are we looking at?”

  “It’s a device that works at a very high voltage to maximize pain and minimize the marks it leaves. The power can be supplied by a car battery. The prod enables the user to cause painful shocks in a precise area, and the damn device is portable.”

  “Humans can be barbaric at times.” Matt wrote notes in the open file.

  “If the killers wanted to maximize the intensity of the pain and reduce electrical resistance they would have thrown water on the victims first. Considering the places of the marks on their bodies, these two young people suffered immensely before they were murdered.”

  “Why?” Matt tapped his pencil on his desk.

  “That is always the question, isn’t it. Even if we hear the answer, it’s almost impossible to believe someone is capable of doing such a heinous act.”

  “You’re right, Dave. Still, we have to ask it to make sense of an act that makes no sense at all. What was the final cause of death?”

  “There is no obvious cause of death like bullet wounds or blunt force trauma. Until I can do an autopsy, I’m only guessing. I think they were smothered, which would have been easy to do in their weakened condition.”

  “Strange, with torture involved, you would think they would have executed them.” Matt circled the notes he wrote.

  “We’re running some checks on identities. I hope to have some answers for you later today.”

  “Thanks, Dave, I’ll wait to hear from you.”

  Tortured and smothered; it didn’t make sense. Matt called the front desk.”Kenny, get me Tom Maxwell on the phone. I need to run something by him.”

  “Sure thing, sir, I’ll patch him through as soon as I have him.”

  Were the kids local or from somewhere else and dropped in the area? Matt frowned. He didn’t like what he thought when he examined the bodies. There
was something familiar about one of the faces, Matt pulled out the missing persons file. His eyes widened at the young man’s face staring back him from the page, the same face that had been on the evening news a few days ago.

  Matt picked up the buzzing phone. “I have Tom on line one for you,” Kenny told him.

  “Thanks.” Matt pushed the line. “Tom, we have a big problem here.” Matt told him about the two bodies washing up on shore. “I’m waiting on their identities, but I’m pretty sure that one is the missing college student we keep hearing about on the news.”

  “Damn, I wasn’t expecting to hear you say that. What are we looking at?”

  Matt repeated what Dave Lewis had told him. “This should bring the Feds into it, I’m convinced.”

  “No doubt. Tell Lewis no autopsy until we know what the family wants and the country’s protocol is. Keep this quiet until I talk to my superiors to find out who’s investigating his disappearance. Blue Cove is about to be overrun again with Feds and the media once the story breaks.”

  “You can count on it. I’ll keep it quiet, but remember, a local man found the young man’s body on his beachfront property. It won’t take long for him to put it all together and for the news to leak out.”

  “I’ll get right on this, Matt, and get back to you. If not me, the lead investigator will call you.”

  “Thanks, Tom. I’ll sit tight. I’m sure Dave will have his ID soon.” Matt called Lewis next. Dave had the same ID on one of the young men as Matt had, but was still working on the other male.

  “Dave, keep this under wraps until I know how the Feds want us to proceed.”

  “I will. I’ll keep working on the other ID and get back to you as soon as I know who he is.”

  Matt turned his chair and stared out the window. Torture was never a good thing. It usually meant some bad people were involved. Add to the mix the identity of his victim, and it became a veritable and potentially explosive mess. He tapped his pencil on the arm of the chair. Lewis would have to do a tox screen. Damn, he hated to wait. Every hour took the killers farther away.

  ****

  Jessie was placing some books on the counter when the bell above the door rang. She smiled when Evan and Adriana Foster walked in the door carrying a small bundle wrapped in pink. “You brought her to see me.” Jessie’s voice filled with excitement as she walked toward them.

  “Of course, we had to introduce the two of you.” Adriana handed the sleeping baby to Jessie.

  “She’s beautiful.” Jessie sat in the chair and uncovered the little girl. “Perfect.” Jessie held up her tiny fingers. “She’s a miniature Adriana. So amazing. I wonder how you can get anything done with such a precious bundle to take care of.”

  “Thankfully I have time before I have to go back to work. I can’t imagine leaving our little Jessie Lynn with anyone. I cry just thinking about it.”

  “To be fair, love, you cry about a lot of things right now.” Evan patted his wife’s shoulder.

  “You’re right. I do. I’m grateful to be here. It could have ended differently. I’m happy to have every moment I have with our baby. This is our first outing since she was born, and I wanted to see you and say thank you, Jessie. When I think of what might have happened if you hadn’t come to Palm Springs, if you hadn’t seen me in your dreams, and kept looking for me.” She shook her head wiping at the tears forming in her eyes. “I guess you get my drift.”

  “I do and I’m thankful it all worked out. Radar was the real hero in finding you,” Jessie handed Adriana a tissue. “I’m glad you came for a visit.” Jessie snapped several pictures with her phone. “My friend owns the coffee shop next door. Would you like something to drink or eat?”

  “No, we’ll be eating soon at Evan’s mom’s house.”

  “Sounds perfect, an outing to Grandma’s where she’ll be spoiled even more.” They spent the next hour in a conversation interrupted only by customers needing to check out. Jessie held her sweet little namesake, her eyes getting misty when Adriana and Evan left.

  She would have blubbered outright, but another customer came in; a beautiful young woman stood near the door. “May, I help you?” Jessie asked her. The girl’s eyes were dark brown like chocolate, her hair a shiny black, and with her olive complexion, she was simply stunning.

  “I was wondering if you have a place where I can put these posters up?”

  “I have a community board. Feel free to put them there.” She pointed to the spot. Jessie noticed the face on the first poster the girl stuck on the board. “Do you know this young man?” Her pulse began to race.

  “He’s my boyfriend, and he’s been missing for several days. This is his best friend, and he’s missing too.”

  “I want you to talk to someone. Do you mind if I call a friend?” Jessie didn’t know what she should tell the young woman.

  “Why? Do you know something?” Her brown eyes glanced at Jessie with hope.

  “I’m not sure, but I know someone who might be able to help.”

  Jessie called Matt and gave him a quick rundown of the situation. The one face she thought she recognized, the other one she wasn’t sure of. Could it mean there was a third man out there somewhere? She hoped not.

  “He’ll be right here. Would you like some iced tea while you wait?” Jessie asked the girl.

  “Please,” she said softly.

  “My name is Jessie, by the way. I’ll be right back with the tea.” Jessie was happy to see the young woman was still there when she came from the coffee shop with two glasses.

  “I am Darsha Sarin. My parents immigrated here from Delhi in northern India.”

  “Your name is lovely. Does it have a special meaning?”

  “It means to see or perceive. I only wish I could see what happened to my friends.” Her expression became sad. “This is not like either of them to be gone and not call.”

  What were the odds of this happening? She rubbed her arms. The tiny shivers felt like spiders walking up and down her back. Jessie stood when Matt walked in. “Matt, this is Darsha.” A customer ready to check out sent her dashing to the register, giving them a chance to talk. Darn, she wished she could hear what they were saying, but their conversation didn’t last long enough.

  “Jess, I’m going to take these posters and Darsha with me. I’ll be in touch soon.”

  “Thank you.” The girl looked at Jessie with tears in her eyes.

  “You’re welcome.” She followed them to the door, watching until the car was out of sight. Coincidence? No way; they had met for a reason. There was something big going on, and she was in the middle of it again. Jessie held the door open for Reba. Her arrival was the only confirmation Jessie needed.

  “Hello, my dear girl. Who was that lovely young woman leaving with your Mr. Parker?” Reba got right to the point.

  “Her name is Darsha Sarin. She wanted to put up a poster of a missing person on the community board.”

  “The person wasn’t missing though, was he? A body was found, if my dreams are right. A few days ago my rest was interrupted by nightmares of torture and death. There is something awful going on. Make no mistake about it, she was supposed to come into your store. Did you find the body?”

  “Let’s just say he found me.” Jessie explained what happened.

  “Darsha is in danger too. Be sure to tell Matt. She has seen and heard more than she should have but may not be aware of it. Things hidden in the shadows have a way of coming to light.”

  “I’ll tell him.” It sent a tingle of goosebumps up her arms.

  “I will get my book and be on my way.” Reba picked the book she wanted off the shelf. “Hatred has no limit. For those snared by its force, it’s a bottomless pit. Hate will take them down and many around them.”

  Jessie was unsettled. Those were strong words, but she knew they were true. “What happened to those young men was pure evil. Why? Both of the men were so young.”

  “I’m sure we’ll understand soon enough whatever the agenda wa
s, but I doubt it will ever answer the question why. It would be nice to live in harmony on this planet we call home.” Reba shook her head. “The sad thing is we’re all too busy blaming someone else for our problems. You know, dear, the other.”

  “Who is the other?” Jessie rang up the book.

  “Anyone who looks, thinks, or believes differently than we do.” Reba handed Jessie her credit card.

  “It’s such a waste. I saw the emotion of the young man as he watched his own body come ashore. Hate extorts a steep price.” Jessie placed the book in the bag and handed it to Reba.

  “A sad truth, which leaves the families to pick up the pieces of their lives.” Reba took the bag. “Jessie dear, all of this will get easier for you with time. It did for me. You feel each of these deaths so personally right now. Soon it will be more about the living and finding justice for them. It will replace the sadness.”

  “I know what you’re saying is right. I’ve had moments when it was all about the justice, but this was different.” Jessie handed Reba the receipt to sign. “You’ll enjoy this book.”

  “Reading has been a comfort to me, I guess it’s a good way to get away from my own thoughts from time to time.”

  “Not to change the subject, guess who was here earlier?” Jessie walked with Reba to the door.

  “Who, dear?”

  “Evan and Adriana Foster brought their baby girl by to meet me. She is so precious.”

  “A sweet reminder. We may not save every life, but we can help a few.” Reba walked out the door Jessie held open. She patted Jessie’s arm as she passed. “Have a good day, dear.”

  “You too.” She watched Reba leave. It seems those who they helped were too few in numbers.

  Chapter 3

  Everything happens for a reason. Mom and Sadie had told her that often enough growing up. And time would tell soon enough why Darsha picked her store to put her posters in. What was Matt learning about the young man? She couldn’t wait to hear from him. Molly waved at her through the open doors, and she waved back. “I’ll bring the glasses back later.”