Splashdown: A Christian Contemporary Romance with Suspense (Dangerous Series Book 3) (6 page)

She stretched her neck and loosened the muscles. Someone had tidied up. Maybe her dreams wouldn’t be haunted by Victoria’s face after all.

As they approached, a few individuals stopped and gazed in their direction but went back about their business.

“Okay. Can you lead me through your steps, your actions, that day?”

Resistance still played along her spine. “Nothing looks the same.”

“Try.”

“All I know is that I parked farther away than we did today. The road had standing water in areas, so I climbed out on a grassy area and walked this way.” She pointed. “I remember that tree over there. It’s squatty. And the tents around here were all down, clothes and debris scattered everywhere. The place was deserted.”

“You didn’t hear anything, see anything?”

“No. Well, except for the wind and rain, of course.”

“You saw no one?”

“No.”

He let his gaze move over the area then turned her way. “Someone had either just left or was still here. Look at the trees surrounding this clearing. Anyone could hide behind one. Did you think about that?” He paused a moment, watching her. “You thought murder, didn’t you?”

Lynn shivered. “Yes, I did. I thought her husband…”

“But you didn’t think he might still be here?”

“No, I…was just so horrified, and she was under the tent.” She closed her eyes, remembering. She’d stumbled away at the time, screaming, drawing on every resource she had not to faint, punching at 911 over and over until she hit the right numbers and the call went through. “I didn’t think about that—that he might still be here.”

“The blood was bright red. That didn’t mean anything to you?”

Lynn turned her head away and rubbed her forehead. She shoved the mental picture away. “I didn’t think about it. I’m sorry I’m not a great witness.” Richards said nothing. She took a deep breath and shot him an angry look.

“All right,” he said. “Sorry. Sometimes I forget.”

“Miss Lynn. Miss Lynn.” A female voice reached them.

A woman waved from the doorway of one of the tents. A young girl stood next to her. The woman took a plastic bag from the girl’s hand, and the girl slipped back into the tent.

“Hey, Maria.” Lynn waved in return. When the woman reached them, she gave her a hug. “How are you? Did you make it through the storm okay?”

“Yes. We stayed at the shelter one night, at Miss Sharee’s the next.”

“Sharee’s?” Lynn nodded. “I heard they had a lot of people. Your tent survived? Were you able to salvage anything else?”

“No, we all lost many things. Or…” she swept a glance over the camp, “or things were taken, you know? We have thieves among us.”

And murderers.
Lynn thrust the thought aside. “But you have a tent.”

“Yes, the church bought us new ones.”

“Did they?”

“Yes. Pastor Alan and his wife are such nice people. And Sharee gave us the sleeping bags. We are blessed.”    

Lynn nodded. “I’m so glad. Maria, this is Detective Richards. Detective, Maria Sanchez.”

“You were here before, yes?”

“Yes. Investigating the murder.”

“It is so sad. Victoria is such a good person.” Maria touched her arm. “You found her, didn’t you, Miss Lynn?”

“Yes.” Victoria’s blood-smeared face flashed like a strobe light across her vision. Her heart constricted, and heat rushed to her face.

Maria touched her arm. “I’m sorry I remind you.”

Lynn nodded, feeling the stickiness over her whole body. The air seemed thick and hard to breathe. She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the image and concentrated on inhaling. 

Maria glanced down at the bag she carried. “When I saw you get out of the car, I remembered this. Will you give to Sharee for me?”

Hesitant, Lynn reached out her hand. A gift from Maria? Who had so little? Her fingers closed around the straps. An ache tightened her chest. Many of the people she’d met here were giving and warm, opposite from all the things she’d heard. Just as Victoria had been… She swallowed hard and swayed.

Richards grabbed her arm. “Are you okay?”

Maria’s eyes were round. “You come into the tent and get a drink.”

Lynn stood still. Light and dark spots flashed before her eyes. Cold chills spread to her limbs. Rich’s hand tightened.

“Thanks,” he said, “but I’ll take her back to the car and get the air going.”

Maria’s head bobbed up and down, her concern evident.

He glanced at Lynn. “Is it the heat?”

“I...I just need to sit somewhere.” She blinked her eyes. The strobe light vision hit again, and she forced the waves of nausea down. “Thank you, Maria. I guess we’ll go.”

“This way.” Richard’s voice had the sudden vibration of authority. He took the bag from her hand and led her back to the Porsche. The car’s locks clicked.

“Sit down. I’ll get the air going.”

The hundred-plus heat from the car hit her, and she recoiled.

His fingers tightened on her arm. “Believe me, you don’t want to fall here. Sit on the edge of the seat. Leave the door open a minute.”

He slipped in on the other side, started the engine, and the air-conditioning blew hot air toward her. “It’ll be better soon.”

Lynn said nothing. The world spun. She could feel the heat from the leather through her thin slacks. She closed her eyes, waiting for the cool. A minute later, she heard his door close.

“Close your door now. Put on your seatbelt. Do you need something to drink?”

“That…would help.”

The car backed and then swung toward the highway. “Okay. When did you eat last?”

She turned her head, but his image wove in and out like heat rising from the desert. She blinked. Things began to focus. “I had some cheese and carrots for lunch, at my desk.” Her tongue felt thick.

“That sounds like a hearty meal.” He approached the main highway and made a left-hand turn.

“Hey, we’re going the wrong way.”

“I’ll find you something to drink, but lunch was a while ago for me, and yours was non-existent. I’m hungry. Aren’t you?”

“But…”

“There’s a good restaurant down the road.” When she said nothing, his eyes slid from the road to her face. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” 

“You know,” she shook her head, swallowed around her tongue. “I still can’t understand how Victoria could marry such a brute. She seemed too intelligent for that.”

Richards sent her an ironic smile. “Abusers come in all classes, intelligent or not, wealthy or not. Doesn’t matter. You wouldn’t believe half of what I’ve seen.”

She gave a long sigh. “No, I guess I wouldn’t.” Quiet settled between them. The tires hummed. “How do you stand it?”

“The people or the job?”

“Both.”

“Well, I like to think I’m helping. And when things really get tough, there’s God.”

“God?” Startled, her eyes swung to his face.

“I figure he has a plan and a purpose, although I don’t go much beyond that.”

“Are you a Christian?”

“Yes.”

She tried not to stare but saw his mouth curl. “I’m sorry. It’s just…”

“Cop and Christian don’t go together? Or is it Rich and Christian?”

“I didn’t mean that.” She stopped. What did she mean?

“I’m not much of a church-goer. I keep crazy hours, and I’ve arrested too many church people.”

“Not all that go to church are believers or are following Him.”

“That’s the problem. People say one thing; do another.”

“You know that personally?”

His gaze slid from the road again. He said nothing for a moment. “A year ago, your church was in the middle of an investigation.”

Lynn felt her hackles rise. “I know, but that person only pretended to be a Christian.”

“And the other characters there?”

She shrugged then threw him a smile. “We have our quota, I guess. But we have good people, too, like Sharee and John, Pastor Alan and Daneen, and others.” When he nodded, she said, “But trusting what Jesus did to remove our sins doesn’t make us perfect. No one’s perfect. Not even you.”

His mouth quirked. “You’re feeling better.”

“What? Oh, I…yes.”

“So why go to church?”

“Because it’s a place where you can be encouraged, you can hear about God, hear his Word. And it’s family. Sometimes, it’s more family than your own.”

“Speaking from experience?”

She wrinkled her nose. He hadn’t answered her question but asked her almost the same one. 

“Yes.” Lynn stared out the window, watching the strip shops pass by as they headed north. “Yes, especially true when you’re the only believer in your family.”

“That’s tough.” The words held feeling. “So, when did you become a Christian?”

“At sixteen. I went to youth group with some friends that invited me.”

He nodded. “Youth groups get a lot of kids and get their lives turned around. Wish the kids stuck with it through college. Many don’t. It would keep them out of trouble—for the most part.”

Lynn didn’t reply for a minute. She cleared her throat. “I led Victoria to the Lord.”

His head turned. “You did?”

“A week before she died.”

Quiet filled the car. She felt his hand on hers, a featherlike touch. “I’m sorry.” He paused for a moment. “It makes sense now. She was more than a friend.”

“Yes.” Lynn settled her head back against the headrest.

Led her to you, Lord, and you took her.
No. No, that didn’t feel quite right.
But you allowed it. Why?
She drew a long breath, moved her head and stared out the window.
If it’s all the same to you, Father, I’d like to have something to do with bringing her murderer to justice.

A moment later, she straightened and threw a look in Rich’s direction. “How far is this place you’re taking me to?”

“Another ten minutes. Can you last that long?”

She ran her fingers through her hair, feeling stronger with each mile. She straightened, having a sudden desire for a comb and a mirror. “Yes, but we’ve passed a dozen places already.”

“Hmmm...” He didn’t speak for a moment. “I’m taking you to a place where we most likely won’t be recognized.”

“What? Why?”

“You’re part of the investigation, and it might not look right if we were out together.”

Her brows rose as she turned to look at him. “Then what are you doing?”

“You haven’t had dinner. Neither have I.” He looked her way. “I don’t want you fainting on me again.”

“Again? I didn’t faint. I just, uh…” She stopped, glanced out the window, then turned back to see him grinning. “Okay. Have it your way. Are you going to order for me again?”

He chuckled. “Not unless I have to.”

Sharee glanced up at Lynn, then back down into the bag. Next, she moved her candy jar to the side and upended the bag onto the antique trunk she and John used as a coffee table.

Lynn’s phone rang. She pulled it from her Louis Vuitton handbag, looked at the screen and frowned. “Dr. Richmond. I’m not answering it, but I did give him your number. He might be calling you.”

“Why? Who is he?”

“I met him at some community awareness meeting Representative McCloud sent me to. We started talking afterward. He volunteers his time with the foster care system but is looking to help with human trafficking or the homeless. He wants a community project with which he can be involved. But he was way too friendly, so I gave him your number.”

Sharee sent her a look and pulled a soft peppermint from the candy jar. Lynn shook her head when she offered it. “Should I be thanking you?”

“He talked about giving some financial support, and I know Downtown Ministries can use it.”

“True enough. Email me his name and address if you have it, and I’ll send him an invite to the banquet.” Sharee popped the candy into her mouth and looked back down at the table. “Why would Maria give this to me?” she asked, changing the subject. “A present, you said?”

“Well, I thought it was.” Lynn’s voice trailed off. She touched a comb, a brush, a tube of lipstick and then picked up a torn, half-sheet of paper. She read it and raised her eyes to meet Sharee’s. “Read this.”

Sharee took it, and a moment later, her gaze met Lynn’s again. “It’s Victoria’s stuff.”

Lynn dropped her head, staring at the items scattered across the trunk. Sharee reread the note.

“It says Victoria was gone when Maria and Lily left the other day, so Maria tried to salvage some stuff for her. And then she never saw her again.” When Lynn made no reply, she said, “I wonder why Victoria went back.”

“Especially with a hurricane coming.” Lynn picked up a book, ran her fingers over it. “It’s so hard to believe that a person’s life could be reduced to this.”

Sharee reached over and hugged her, and they sat in silence for a moment.

Lynn sniffed. “I’d like to take that jerk of a husband…and... and…”

“Lynn, we don’t know for sure it was him, and the police are investigating.”

“With what little evidence they could save before Bella blew in.” Lynn cleared her throat. “Who else could it be, anyway?”

“There’s not much here. I’m sure Maria had enough stuff of her own to carry without taking too much for Victoria. This is personal stuff.”     

Lynn read the back cover of the book she held. “Look what she was reading—
Rolling Thunder
by Mark Mynheir. It says he’s a real detective, used to be on a SWAT team. Maybe she hoped to get some help for what was going on in her life.”

“Or maybe she just wanted to escape.” Sharee put aside a t-shirt and dark pants. “One set of clothes, makeup, shampoo, a used bar of soap, a pill bottle.”

“A pair of flip-flops and mosquito repellant.”

Sharee dropped the pill bottle and put her hand out for the mosquito repellant. She shook the spray can and pushed on the top. “Empty. Guess she used it all.”

“Believe me, they’ve got lots of mosquitoes out there.” Lynn began to load the items back into the bag.

Sharee snatched the book from her hand. “I’d like to look at this. It’s well used.”

“Yeah. How’s the banquet coming?”

“The banquet?” Sharee lifted her head. Okay. Perhaps a change in subject was needed. “There’s always a lot to do the last week, but it will get done. Sure you can’t come?”

“Another time. I’m swamped at work, and this police investigation adds to the pile.”

Sharee took the bag from her hand. “I understand. I guess Maria didn’t know what to do with this.”

“It just seems so useless,” Lynn’s voice rose. She stood and walked to the window overlooking the street. “What was her life for?”

Sharee followed. “Lynn, what you did for her—leading her to the Lord—gave her life meaning and sense, even for a short time; and now…now she’s with God. No more sorrow, no more tears.”

“I know. It’s just…” Lynn stumbled to a stop.

“I know her story touched you, and I know why; but the police are doing all they can to find this person.”

“Sure, just like they did before.”

***

“You did what?” Keith Carpenter’s voice sounded incredulous. “Of all the stupid, idiotic...”

Rich ran a hand through his hair. “I know. I didn’t plan it. When I walked into the deli and saw her sitting there, I just thought what a chance to catch her off guard…”

“Uh huh, sure. I’ve seen her, remember?”

Rich grimaced but a mental image of Lynn at dinner the night before rose to his mind. She’d turned a few heads when they walked into the restaurant but seemed oblivious. Later, she surprised him with her humor, and he had enjoyed her laughter. Maybe too much.

“Yesterday,” he said, continuing the confession, “I’d planned to catch Representative McCloud just before he left. Thought it might be good to talk with him. That girl he’s hauling around was homeless. Her story’s been in the papers, the news. Could be something there.”

“And you didn’t remember Lynn Stapleton worked there, did you?”

“I had a change of plans when I saw her.” When Keith nodded knowingly, Rich scowled. “Thought I’d get her out to the homeless site, and she’d come up with something new.”

“You took her to the homeless site?” Carpenter’s raised, disbelieving voice caused Rich to glower again. After a moment, Keith asked, “Get anything?”

Rich shook his head. “She almost fainted from the heat. It was an oven out there. So, I took her someplace to cool off.”

Keith had started a turn back to his desk, now his head shot back around. His body followed. “You did what?”

Rich wondered what he’d done himself. His surplus thoughts about long, blonde hair and eyes the color of a morning sky concerned him. “Don’t worry. It won’t happen again.”

“It better not. We have no idea if she’s involved. And she works with McCloud. I’m with you on that; all of it’s too much coincidence. I’ll interview him. You stay on Victoria Lawson. We know who she is now—but we need more. Who was she working for, and what was she investigating?”

***

John parked the truck in the back parking lot of the auditorium, arriving early as Sharee had requested. A co-worker had brought her before eight this morning. Tonight’s fundraising banquet for Downtown Ministries would be his first. Thank goodness, the hurricane had not derailed it. Sharee had spent too much time and work on it for that.

He entered the hall at a brisk pace but stopped to admire her handiwork. The place shimmered with gold and silver decorations and small miniature lights. The numerous hours Sharee and her volunteers had worked evidenced themselves in the glow of white linen tablecloths, white china, gold chargers, clear crystal, and towering blue and gold centerpieces. Fifty tables, each with settings for eight people, represented the four hundred donors they expected.

About halfway across the large hall, among the tables, she stood talking with a well-dressed man. The knee-length black dress she wore emphasized her slender figure, giving it a gentle hug and moved as she swayed. The man leaned toward her, head bent, smiling. Sharee said something to him, and he put a hand on her arm and laughed. 

John made his way across the room. The other man’s black suit, white shirt, and cream-colored tie fit his lean body well.

When John stepped next to her, Sharee gave a start of surprise, glanced up and smiled.

“John.” The welcome in her voice formed a hug.

He gave her a quick squeeze then turned to the man across from her and held out his hand. “John Jergenson.”

The man shook John’s hand. “Zeke Richmond. I was just telling Sharee what a wonderful job she’s done.”

John took in the glittering room again. “Yes, she has a gift for it.”

“All that organizational talent in such a petite body,” Richmond said.

John’s eyes came back to Richmond’s, whose look held his for a moment. John frowned, then dropped his focus to Sharee. Her face radiated excitement.

“Come on.” She nestled her hand into his. “I want to introduce you to our President before things get crazy. Dr. Richmond, you don’t mind?”

The man bowed. “It’s Zeke. Of course not. I’m sure I’ll see you later.”

Sharee spun on her high heels, and they headed toward the stage area. John followed, enjoying the view.

She threw a glance over her shoulder. “You look very handsome tonight.”

“That’s what I’m supposed to say to you. You look incredible. Where did you get the dress?”

“Lynn knows all the designer stores and all the sales. She took me shopping a while back.” She reached back and caught his hand. “Do you like it?”

“Very much.” He hesitated, but couldn’t stop himself. “So did your friend Zeke.”

“Dr. Richmond?”

“Yeah.”

“Dr. Richmond’s a nice guy.”

“Yeah.”

Her eyes held surprise. “What? He is.”

“Hmmm…” He pictured the look on the man’s face a minute ago but thrust it aside. Sharee’s color was high, her eyes bright. He had married a beautiful and talented woman. Of course, the man had noticed.

She made an abrupt stop, turned and pulled his hand to her mouth and kissed it. She stepped closer. “You know what I’m thinking?”

He raised his brows, hearing the playfulness. “What?”

She stood on tiptoe, tilting her head back, and rested one hand against his chest. “I think…”

“Hey, Sharee, have you seen Kevin?” The voice jumped at them from across the room.

Sharee glanced over her shoulder.

“We’re having trouble with the sound system.”

“Just a minute.” She hesitated and looked at John again. “I guess I’ll have to introduce you later.”

“What were you thinking?” he asked.

She threw him a teasing grin and started across the floor.

***

Midnight had come and gone by the time John braked the truck at the back of their home. Sharee’s quiet on the way home had been companionable and daunting at the same time. The gala had gone off without anything but minor problems. The food, the speakers, the guests—an excellent evening, except… He could feel her exhaustion. She’d orchestrated the long night from the decorations, through the banquet and the speakers, to the teardown.

Now, as she reached for the truck’s passenger door, he touched her hand. “Sharee.”

Her head came back his way.

“Before we get out...”

“Yes?”

He’d watched her speak, smile, and move among all the society people, all the wealthy benefactors. It was a side of her he barely knew. She sparkled. He liked the way she moved and laughed, and the way the dress clung to her.

In the moonlight that shifted through the windshield, he saw her questioning look.

“You did a great job tonight. All your planning and hard work paid off. Everything looked elegant, everything went well. I’m sure donations are up.”

“Thank you. I hope so. We need it.”  

He pushed a strand of hair back from her face. Moonlight draped her in shimmering light. “You look gorgeous tonight. I love the dress. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

He bent and captured her mouth and slid a thumb along her bare shoulder. When he drew back, he looked down at her. “How tired are you?”

“Why?” The word held a touch of amusement. “Are you planning to seduce me?”

He couldn’t help the grin. “Thinking about it.”

She caught his hand where it had moved to her cheek, leaned closer and raised her face to his. He felt the quickening inside and bent his head to hers again.

She jumped back, turned, and thrust the door open. He jerked in surprise.

“You’ll have to catch me first.”

“I…what?”

“Catch me.” She said, and she was out of the truck running through the moonlight. Laughter flowed over her shoulder.