Flashback, p.21
Flashback, page 21
“Frankly, we don’t know. They may not even be alive.”
“I think they are,” Lynch said. “I spoke to Todd Williams just before he died yesterday. He wasn’t extremely coherent, but it seemed like whoever killed him was still looking for Chloe and Sloane.”
“Well, obviously we suspect it’s Krebb and his team who have been trying to hunt them down and seize the information they’ve gathered that exposes the involvement of the Bayside Strangler with the Dayton Group.”
Lynch nodded. “And you suspect that Krebb brought Wallace, the Bayside Strangler himself, back here to help in the search?”
“Surely it’s more than a coincidence that his killings have suddenly resumed after all this time. Our profilers think that being back in San Diego may have triggered a compulsion for Wallace to resume his most famous string of crimes.”
Lynch looked at Kendra for a long moment before turning back to Highcastle. “You’ve gone to a great deal of trouble to tell us all this. Why?”
Highcastle shrugged. “Much of this went on under my DOJ, and I bear some responsibility. I’ve been brought in to consult on this case in the past week or so, and I understand what the two of you have been going through. You’ve been feeling your way in the dark, and in doing so, you risk exposing more than anyone in government wishes. Of course, the Department of Justice also values your relationship with them, Mr. Lynch. Naturally all our gratitude is very deep and sincere.”
Lynch was smiling but there was the faintest thread of sarcasm in his tone. “Thank you. I’m honored by your trust.”
“What now?” Kendra asked.
Highcastle stood. “That’s entirely up to you. I think you’re doing a noble thing by trying to find those women. We’ve been operating under the assumption that they’re probably dead, but your conversation with Todd Williams gives us alternatives to consider. If they are alive, it’s only a matter of time before Krebb, Wallace, and those mercenaries track them down.”
“That’s why it’s important that we find them first,” Kendra said.
Highcastle smiled. “Like I said, very noble of you. We know who the Bayside Strangler is, but until we catch him, there’s every possibility he’ll disappear again. He’s good at that, and who knows when he would ever reappear?” Highcastle straightened his jacket. “I trust you’ll appreciate the sensitivity of this information and not spread it unnecessarily. Nice to see you both.”
Highcastle walked back to his town car and climbed into the backseat. The car pulled away from the curb, leaving Kendra and Lynch still staring stunned on the plaza bench.
“We have to find Chloe and Sloane,” Kendra said. “Fast.”
“I may have found something that will help us.”
Kendra stared at him. “When?”
“When we were in that factory. I told you I was able to get the contents of Williams’ phone, but his email was encrypted. I turned it over to a miraculous friend of mine based in Romania. She cracked it and sent the unencrypted email files back to me. That’s what I was looking at when you and Perry were talking to the building owner.”
“What did you see?”
Lynch pulled out his phone and showed her the email. “A booking confirmation for a charter boat trip leaving Catalina Island. The charter is for Williams and two other passengers, the day after Chloe and Sloane went missing.”
Kendra took the phone and looked at it. “Does it say where he was planning to go?”
“Afraid not. But it looks like they went to Catalina and hired a charter. We’ll have to contact the charter boat company and see if they know.”
Kendra smiled. “He took them there.”
“We don’t know that for sure.”
“But don’t you think it’s likely? He tells Chloe he has someplace safe for her, and within forty-eight hours he’s booked a boat charter that departs from Catalina, and she and her sister are gone.”
Lynch nodded. “I think it’s very likely. I’m just saying that it’s not enough to go to Griffin with.”
“Of course not. I’m just saying… We have to go to Catalina.”
“Even if Chloe and Sloane were with him, they may not be there any longer.”
“I know that. The fact that he booked a charter there makes it a strong possibility he may have taken them somewhere else from there. We need to find that charter service and find out where they went.”
“I agree.” Lynch punched a phone number. “And I have just the way to get there.”
“You know we have to bring Harley, right?”
Lynch looked back at his car, where Harley had pushed his snout out the slightly open back window. He sighed. “Yes, but I’m not sure that island will ever be the same.”
CHAPTER
16
Kendra and Lynch valet parked at the Hilton Bayfront and walked around the hotel plaza to a line of yachts lining the harbor. Lynch motioned toward a sleek blue craft that was almost stunning in its appearance. “There’s our ride.”
“Sure it is,” she replied. “Come on, how are we going to get there?”
“I’m serious. The Starshadow will be our home for as long as we need it. It belongs to a friend of mine. He’s in Brazil for the season.”
“Another one of your insanely wealthy and well-connected friends?”
“What can I say? I move in interesting circles.”
“Obviously.”
“Another friend down here has a yacht with a helicopter pad on the top deck, but I’d need a full crew to help me with that one.”
“You know, with a coupon, I think the Catalina ferry tickets are only forty-nine dollars.”
“I’m guessing that’s what Williams and the Morgan sisters took to get there, and their charter boat took them someplace else. But this cruiser will fit the bill nicely for us.”
“I’m not arguing. The cruiser it is.”
Kendra and Harley stepped up the ramp while Lynch moved to ready the boat.
It took slightly more than an hour to reach Catalina Island’s Avalon Bay, which formed a breathtaking entranceway to the small resort town of Avalon, with its waterfront hotels, restaurants, and landmark art deco casino. At any given time, there were hundreds of boats anchored in the bay, each a short water taxi ride away from the community’s main pier.
The owner of Starshadow had secured one of the rare harbor berths on the south end of the waterfront pedestrian walkway, and it was here that Lynch moored the cruiser and tied it off. They checked in at the Hotel Atwater, where, to Kendra’s surprise, Lynch had already arranged delivery of two changes of clothes from one of the local boutiques.
She held up a Valentino Garavini blouse. “When did you do this?”
“I emailed the shop from our boat. If they’re not to your taste, we can exchange them. The boutique is just around the corner.”
“I’m sure they’ll be fine.” She laughed. “Thank you.”
“Why don’t you freshen up and change, and I’ll walk Harley and find out about this charter service that Williams took from here. Then we can walk over together and get whatever information we can.”
“Sounds good. Then all I’ll have to do is decide between the Christian Louboutin pumps and the Ferragamo loafers.”
Lynch returned in less than thirty minutes, and he, Kendra, and Harley strolled along the pedestrian walkway to the north end of the bay.
“I could get used to this place,” Kendra said as she strolled past the iconic casino building. “Good wine, beautiful sea breeze, and I love the seals.”
“So does Harley,” Lynch said dryly. “He thinks they’re his playmates. I could barely keep him from trying to set up a commune with them when I was walking him. He was so intrigued that I almost didn’t get him back to the hotel. He became quite distracted.”
“He appears fairly calm right now,” Kendra said. She reached down and patted Harley’s floppy ears. “Why was he distracted?”
“Sometimes it happens. I managed to take care of it.”
“Like you take care of everything? If I remember correctly, Harley is very well trained. You did some of the training yourself. That’s why he’s so blasted fond of you.”
“Come on, he’s fond of everybody.”
“Maybe. So what did you find out about the charter boat?”
“Evidently the owner of the boat, Darlene Gatwick, is something of a character. I called her, and she refused to talk to me. She said all of her clients had a right to their privacy. And she assured me that was what was wrong with the world these days. Everyone was nosing around in everyone else’s business. Her boat is moored a few hundred yards north of the casino, just outside the bay area.”
“Good,” Kendra said. “Let’s not take no for an answer. Let’s find out everything she knows about Williams and the guests he might have taken on a chartered trip from here.”
He smiled. “I thought that would be your reaction. By all means, let’s go see what the lady knows. But even if he was here with them, there’s no guarantee they’re still alive.”
“I know that, Lynch. Whatever we find out here, you’ve been extraordinary. No one could do more than—”
“Shit!” Lynch jerked the dog’s leash away from Kendra as the dog took off at a dead run, jerking her down an alley off St. Catherine Way.
“What on earth!” Kendra followed at a dead run. “Is this what you meant when you said Harley was chasing those seals? I believe you now.”
“No!” Lynch was holding out his hand to stop her. “Stay, dammit.”
“Stay?” She was laughing. “Not the right word for me, Lynch. I’m not Harley.”
“Stay! Don’t move!” Lynch was running down a side street. “I don’t think it was the seals…”
Kendra stopped short at the curtness of his voice. No laughter there. Then she started to rush toward the direction of his voice. “Lynch!”
Then she saw him standing at the end of the alley holding Harley’s leash. “You’ve got him?”
“I’ve got him.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her back toward the harbor. “He wasn’t running from me. I think he was on the attack.”
“Nonsense. No dog is gentler than Harley.”
“Except when his protective training kicks in. We’ve both seen him pretty fierce then. Let’s go back to the cruiser.”
“Why?”
“I want to check things out.”
They reached their cruiser in a few minutes, and Lynch jumped aboard. He lifted her and Harley from the pier to the deck. “I’m going to look over the boat. Stay here with Harley.”
“Any particular reason for all this?”
“I want to make sure we’re not going to have any passengers hitching a ride.”
She stiffened. “You saw something in that alley?”
“No, but I’d swear Harley saw something or someone he didn’t like before I caught up with him. I thought I caught a glimpse of someone following us when I was walking him earlier. This time I was keeping an eye on Harley to make sure it wasn’t those seals that he wanted to go after and adopt.”
“You’re sure that it wasn’t?”
He shrugged. “Not positive. But whoever it was disappeared before I could get over to the next alley to check them out.”
“Could you recognize them again?”
“No, I only caught a flash of a white shirt and navy cap.”
“Nothing else?”
“Sorry, I was too busy corralling Harley to pay attention to high fashion.”
“I suppose it might have been a tourist?”
“It could be. But you know how suspicious I am. Will you stay here with Harley?”
She shook her head. “I’m not playing that game any longer. I’ll go with you.”
“I thought that was the way it would work. Do you also still want to go with me to interview our Darlene Gatwick? We could skip it.”
“No, we can’t. You’d end up by stashing me someplace ‘safe’ and going off and doing it alone. Where do we search first?”
“The galley.” He gestured that way. “If it pleases you.”
She pulled her handgun from her jacket pocket. “It pleases me.”
He grinned. “And that pleases me. So we’ll both be happy. I hope you keep that toy with you all the time we’re on the island.”
“It’s not a toy. I’m still a very good shot.” She met his eyes. “And I’ll never leave it behind again when there’s a chance you may need me. I’ll always remember crawling around on that blasted garage floor when I knew it was my fault you were there.” She started toward the galley. “May I go first this time?”
“Hell, no.”
She smiled. “You’re so predictable. By all means, show off for Harley and me. We both appreciate your amusement value.”
“You’re maligning me again. However, I’ll forgive you because you’ve promised to protect me.”
Lynch stopped and pulled a card-shaped object from his wallet. He propped it against a vase in the main cabin.
Kendra bent over to look at it. “What’s that?”
“It’s a Bluetooth-connected motion sensor. It’ll send a signal to my phone if this boat gets any unwelcome visitors. I didn’t think it was necessary before, but better safe than sorry.”
“Cool gadget.” She straightened up. “Boys and their toys.”
After they left the cruiser, Lynch, Kendra, and Harley walked up Crescent Avenue to the spot where Darlene Gatwick moored her boat between charters.
“Ahoy there, Captain Gatwick,” Lynch called as they approached the boat. “Sorry to disturb you, but I decided that it was necessary that we have a little talk. I promise I won’t bother you or your guests again after I get the info I need. I’d be happy to reimburse you generously for your time.”
Darlene Gatwick was peering at him from the other side of her boat. “You’re damn pushy, Lynch,” she called out. “I told you that my clients like their privacy. Yet you come out here in that fancy cruiser and think that I’ll be impressed? Screw you.”
“I’m the one who is impressed,” Lynch said. “There aren’t many captains who have your sense of honor. I’m sure that’s why Williams chose you. He was desperate to keep his privacy intact from people who might want to damage or destroy his mission.”
“Mission? Williams told me he was no longer working with either the military or the police. He said he just wanted to have a peaceful vacation and catch a few fish.”
“Tell her, Lynch,” Kendra said quietly as she took a step forward to lean over the rail. “She might know something.”
“I believe you aren’t going to wait for me to get around to it,” he said ruefully. He waved his hand at Kendra. “May I present an employee and old friend of Todd Williams, Captain Gatwick? This is Kendra Michaels, who is very concerned about Williams and his family.”
“That’s true,” Kendra said. “And I admire the fact that you’re trying to protect him.” She hesitated and then said, “But I’m afraid it’s too late to do that now. Todd Williams is dead.”
Darlene was obviously trying to maintain a callous expression, but this seemed to hit her hard.
“He was killed in San Diego. Now all we can do is try to find the two women who trusted him with their lives. You’re one of the last people he contacted. Do you have any information about where we can find these two women?”
“Women?” Darlene repeated blankly. “His charter reservation was for three people, but I never actually saw the others. He came up here by himself. When he got here, he didn’t want the charter he’d booked with me. Instead, he wanted to rent my boat for two days. That’s not what I do, so I turned him down cold.” She was silent for a moment. “Williams is really dead? Shit. I liked him. He was a good guy. How did it happen?”
“An accident in the hills,” Lynch said. “Do you have any idea where he was going from here?”
“When I couldn’t set him up for a rental, I gave him the number of another captain who works out of Mexico and is pretty reliable. Marcus Delgado. He’s due back here tomorrow to drop off clients. He’s fairly money-hungry and I think he probably would have taken the deal if Williams offered it to him.” She scrawled a name and number on a scrap of paper and handed it to Kendra. “I hope you find those women.”
“Me too,” Kendra said. “Thank you for your help, Darlene. We appreciate it.”
“He should have told you to ask me in the beginning,” Darlene said tartly. “You can’t trust those pretty boys. I know he looks like some kind of movie star, but we women have to stick together.”
“I’ll remember that.” Kendra was trying not to smile. “Most of the time he’s okay.”
“Yeah, sure.” Darlene made a sound that might have been a distinct harrumph and stomped toward the steps. “Aren’t they all?”
“Pretty boy?” Lynch murmured.
“Definitely,” Kendra said. “She obviously calls them as she sees them.”
“In any case, I suggest we make our way back to the hotel so that I can call Delgado.”
She gazed at him curiously. “What are you going to ask him?”
“Many things. First I want to make sure that Delgado actually rented his boat to Williams when Captain Gatwick turned him down. Next, I want to know where he took Williams and the girls once he was hired. Preferably the entire route.”
“So do I,” Kendra said fervently. “It’s really our best hope of tracking them down, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” He reached out and took her hand. “Even if I can’t get hold of him now, we know he’ll be in port tomorrow. Once I contact him, we’ll be that much closer.”
She smiled. “Maybe you’re not just a pretty face after all.”
He flinched. “You really know how to hurt a guy.”
“Nonsense. I’m just following Darlene’s advice. She’s older and wiser than I am.”
“Then heaven help us…”
Lynch didn’t reach Delgado by phone, so instead they dined outdoors by the bay at Bluewater Avalon, which Kendra decided had some of the best seafood she’d eaten on the West Coast. Lynch, however, looked uneasy.
“What is it?” Kendra said. “Have you seen our friend in the cap?”
