Citrus Beach Mystery: Box Set

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

“Oh, my gosh!”

Megan waited for the man in the river to resurface, but there was no telltale thrashing.

Watching the two in the boat, she saw that they made no move to help, just watched the water, waiting. Then it clicked. The backfire was not from a car, but a gun. That man had been shot and thrown over, left to die. At the same instant that Megan realized just what had happened, the loud sound of some hip-hop song broke the stillness, coming from the phone in her hand. The volume was loud enough to carry across the water and was heard by the men remaining in the boat. They saw Megan standing on the bank watching them.

“Get Her!”

Megan turned and moved as fast as she could, knowing that her life was depending on it. She stuffed the still ringing phone in her pocket as she ran, and instinct took over. She kept to the shadows of the flower beds rather than cutting across the lawn. She was not fast enough to outrun a bullet and knew she had to get out of their shooting range. Running as fast as her legs could move, she headed to the security of the house. The sound of the boat motor starting told her that they were going to try cutting across the river and come upon the bank by the house. Reaching the side of the house, she turned as if compelled by a silent command to watch what was going on behind her. Megan realized that she needed to get to the safety of either her car or inside the house, but she didn’t move as she focused on the boat behind her.

She was puzzled as she watched them turn from the direction of the dock and move along the bank. Then she remembered and thanked God that. Carol’s dock was being rebuilt, and there was no way a boat could dock there. And they were not going to be able to come up on the shoreline where there had been a deliberate placement of large boulders a few feet out from the bank to ensure that Carol would have privacy and not have to worry about stray fisherman coming onto her property.

Megan heard the hull hitting one of those boulders and the men yelling to each other to find a way to get to her. As she watched in terror, the men fired off a few more shots, but either their aim was off, or she was out of range. The two men stared at the house and called out to her in warning.

“Forget what you saw if you know what’s best for you. Or we will find you and help you forget.” With a sharp turn of the wheel and a gunning of the engine, the men headed back out towards the mouth of the river.

Silence surrounded her, as if even nature was in shock over the events of the last few minutes. The shock affected Megan as well, as her knees began to shake, and a wave of dizziness overtook her. Megan fought the dizziness by breathing in deeply through her mouth, but her shaky knees forced her to the ground as she fought for composure. Slowly the sounds of nature started back up, the birds squawking as though complaining about the interruption to their normal day and the squirrels scolded her, as if to tell her to get up and do something. As she knelt on the ground, breathing deeply, she began to be aware of her surroundings and what she had just witnessed.

“Oh, my lord! Think, Megan, don’t just sit there shaking like an i***t. You need to get help,” she berated herself. Pulling herself to her feet, she glanced around her to be sure the boat and danger were no longer an immediate threat. Seeing nothing, she raced back to the river to see if the third man had resurfaced, while using her phone to dial 911.

When the dispatch operator came on the line, Megan tried to sound rational as she identified herself.

“I think you are going to need to send in the marine patrol and divers too, I still can’t see any sign of the man. Please hurry, I don’t know if the gunmen are going to come back.”

“Ms. Cassidy, your safety is important, get to a safe place, the police are in route as we speak. Stay on the line and talk to me, so I know that you are all right.”

“Sure, I’ll lock myself in the main house. Just hurry!” Turning as she spoke, Megan half-walked, half-ran back to the main house and using her key, opened the back-entry door. As she entered, the alarm went off. Frazzled, she moved to the alarm keypad to disarm the system. Her fingers at the buttons, she drew a complete blank on the code. Alarm blaring, hands shaking, mind confused, Megan lost the last of her self-control. Sliding down the wall, her hat falling to the floor at her feet, she hugged her knees as she started crying, rocking back and forth on her heels.

“Ms. Cassidy, are you still there? Ms. Cassidy?”

The repeating voice of the dispatcher drifted through Megan’s sobs, and she realized she still held the phone in her hands. Trying to gain some composure, she let the voice on the other end of the line know that she was still there and somewhat functional.

“The police officers are pulling up now, Ms. Cassidy. Let me know where you are so I can relay that information to them.”

“I’m around the back of the house, on the riverside of the property.” Even as she finished speaking, she saw four or five men running into the backyard, guns drawn. A tall older man was speaking into his headset. He nodded to his men, pointing in different directions, silently communicating instructions they all seemed to be able to follow without any problem. Without checking to see if they followed his commands, he walked to the door where Megan was now standing. Pushing open the door, he spoke reassuringly to her.

“Ms. Cassidy, it’s Sheriff Green. You know me from around town. It’s okay. I’m coming in the house. You’re safe now. My men are securing the grounds. Now let’s get this alarm off and you can tell us just what happened here”

“The code, the stupid code. I can’t remember it. I can’t think.”

“Easy now, just take a breath and think about one thing at a time. The first is you’re safe, and I’m here to help you. Come on now, take a deep breath and calm yourself. If you can’t remember the code, do you have it written somewhere? Is there a key word that will help you? Breathe Ms. Cassidy. Let’s help each other here.”

Sheriff Green’s voice had a calming effect. Megan could gather her wits and function in a more rational manner. He obviously had experience dealing with a frightened civilian before. Taking a shaky breath, Megan shook her head as if to clear it, and turned back to the alarm pad. After fumbling a bit with the buttons, she managed to enter the right code and disarm the security system. The silence that ensued was almost eerie.

“Now then, Ms. Cassidy, tell me what went on here today. Take your time and try to let me know as much as you can remember.” Taking her elbow to guide her, Sheriff Green walked Megan over to the table and chairs to sit.

Megan began to let the officer know what she had witnessed, jumping from one fact to another as if trying to ensure that she didn’t forget anything important. When she had finished, she found herself calmer, and the sheriff asked her to go over everything again. This time she found that she was more concise and filled in a few more details for the sheriff’s notes. After retelling her tale four or five times, both she and the officer were satisfied that she had related as much as she could for now.

“Now don’t over-think this, you’ll find that you are going to remember more details in time. Something is going to click and just like that, you have another fact for me. That’s normal, Ms. Cassidy. Do you think you could walk outside and take me through your actual steps? That might make a few more details come to mind.”

“Of course, whatever you need from me. I just wish I could have done more.”

Megan pushed back her chair and led the way to the backyard, pointing out the area where she had hidden while being shot at as she headed down to the river bank.

By this time, the river had several marine patrol boats there and the men were preparing to dive into the water, having found no sign of the victim on the surface. There were also a few officers on both sides of the river, walking the bank looking for signs of an injured man, or worse a body. Seeing all the activity in and along the water made the horror of what Megan had seen more real for her and her hands began to shake again.

“Ms. Cassidy, is there someone we can call for you? You should have someone here to help you, and I don’t want you to try to drive as upsetting as this has been for you. A friend? Maybe a family member?” Sheriff Green asked.

At his inquiry, Megan nodded and thought immediately of her cousin Paul. He was probably wondering what had happened to her anyways. Why hadn’t he called? Pulling her phone out of her pocket, she looked at the screen to dial his cellphone and noticed four missed calls, all from the number that she was about to dial. Then she remembered her own phone was set to silence from an earlier meeting that afternoon. Pressing the redial button, she wasn’t surprised when Paul picked up on the first ring.

“Hey, you’re really late. Everything all right?”

“Paul, can you come out to Carol’s, right away?”

“What’s wrong, Meg. Has something happened?”

Paul could hear the fear and tension in her voice, which he knew was something Megan never showed. They were cousins, but had been best friends since grade school. Sometimes he thought they knew each other better than anyone. He was signaling for a waiter to get the check even before she had a chance to answer.

“It’s...oh Paul, I saw a man get shot out here. I need to be here for the police, but they suggested I call someone for myself and...”

“Are you hurt? In any danger?” Paul’s shocked voice asked.

“No, no, I’m fine, and the place is crawling with police, so I’m as safe as I could be. I’m sorry to cut short your dinner, but can you come right away?”

“We’re on our way as you speak. Megan, did you know him? Was he one of the staff on site?”

“Thank God, no. I don’t know who it was, and it wasn’t exactly at Carol’s house either. I’ll tell you everything when you get here. Come around to the back. I’ll let the police know who you are, so there is no problem getting in. Paul, just hurry, please.”

Megan pressed the end button on her cell and told the sheriff that her cousin was on his way. Sheriff Green nodded his approval and spoke to one of his men to let them know to allow Paul onto the property.

“Ms. Cassidy,” the sheriff started to speak, but Megan cut him off.

“Please Sheriff Green, we don’t need to be so formal. You know it’s Megan After all, we’ve worked on the security together for enough of my clients.”

“You’re right. Okay then, Megan, do you think you could come back inside with me and then we’ll be out of the way? There’s no reason to stand out here in this heat.”

Realizing that he was trying to spare her any unpleasantness if they did find what now must be a body, Megan nodded and headed back to the kitchen entry. Once there, she knew she had to keep busy to keep her mind from going over and over the memory of that body hitting the water. Walking over to the refrigerator, large enough to supply a small restaurant, Megan started pulling out bottles of icy water and placing them on a tray.

“Please, Sheriff Green, take these out to the patio table for your men. Like you said, it’s hot out there and they need to keep hydrated.”

“That’s a fine idea, Megan. The men will appreciate it. I’ll be right back. You just stay here and wait for your cousin. I’m afraid you are going to be here for a while too.”

Grabbing a bottle of iced tea for herself, Megan walked over to the sitting area in front of the windows that would give her full view of what was going on outside. The officers all moved with a sense of purpose. They knew they only had a brief amount of time left before the summer’s evening light hindered their search. It was vital that they gather as much evidence as possible and find the missing body. As Megan watched their progress, she realized that she recognized some of the men.

Citrus Beach was a small town, especially compared to the nearby town of Palm Beach. As the name implied, the town was both part of the beach community and the citrus industry. Growing citrus came first with the rich soils along the Citrus River and the ideal weather for growing. As the industry grew, so did the wealth of landowners and before long they were buying up cheap parcels of mosquito-infested sand dunes and building seaside cottages. Soon after that, the northerners heard about the beauty of Citrus Beach and came to see for themselves. Next thing those seaside cottage lots were being sold for outrageous prices and huge homes were being built. Next came the private communities and the rest, as they say, is history.

The Citrus River divided the wealthy islanders from the general population, and for years the two lived well together, each needing the other for services and paychecks. Thankfully the town fathers had the foresight to plan for growth of the town. Slowly and without a lot of industry to change the pace and way of life. The miles of citrus groves surrounding the town had made it seem apart from the towns around it, creating a self-sufficient feeling. The small-town atmosphere would prosper here in Citrus Beach for many years to come if the current town government stuck to the ideas of the past. This was a town where everyone knew and cared about their neighbors and worked together as a whole community to benefit the town and its surrounding community.

Megan had moved here shortly after the death of her husband, wanting a small, safe community to raise her daughter. The decision was made even easier by the fact that her cousin Paul had just expanded his high-end home building company into the area as well. It was easier to start her life as a widowed mother in the friendly town. There were fewer daily reminders of her past life here, and with an active six-year-old, starting her own business, and becoming involved in her new home, Megan didn’t have time to let grief control her. The memories she kept and shared with her daughter were treasured. Life moved too quickly, as she had just learned, and she didn’t want to miss a moment with her daughter.

Megan developed close friendships and was soon active in small-town life. She was the one who introduced Paul to his wife. Lucy was the first friend she made after her move from the busy Boca Raton area, and with the sudden change of an active lifestyle to the slower pace of her new home, Megan had felt lost. At six, Emma was in school full time, and even with the start of her gardening business, she found she had a lot of time on her hands. They had met at a neighborhood block party (the first-time Megan had ever been to one. She thought they were something out of Mayberry and not real), and they instantly clicked. It didn’t take them long to form one of those special friendships that would last a lifetime. Lucy was a hometown girl, and she got Megan involved in town activities and presented her to the movers and shakers of Citrus Beach.

Megan smiled to herself as she remembered the first time Lucy and Paul had met. The two women had been wandering around the small weekend marketplace looking for some seasonal fruit, when Paul had rushed by, oblivious to the shoppers around him. Megan had yelled at him to slow down, and that’s when it happened. Paul had his first glance of Lucy and was instantly smitten. Lucy wasn’t as impressed and for the first time Megan could remember, Paul was the person who had to prove himself worthy of a second look. It took a while for the two of them to start dating. Megan always thought that Lucy made him work for it a little harder than he was used to, but once the connection was fully made, it was as though they were meant to be together.

A movement outside the kitchen door brought Megan’s attention back to the activity around her. Sheriff Green was waving someone towards the door, and as she watched, her cousin Paul came into view. The concern on his face was evident and he paused for just a moment to speak with the sheriff. Nodding his head as he listened, Paul looked over the sheriff’s shoulder into the window for Megan. Once the men were finished speaking, Paul entered the kitchen and moved to Megan, wrapping her in his arms for a strong, comforting hug.

“How ya holding up, Meg?”

“I’m doing better, now. The sheriff has been such a comfort. Oh, Paul, this is all so surreal, something like this can’t happen here. Why? Those thugs threw that man overboard like yesterday’s trash. How could anyone have that little regard for another person’s life? It’s just not right. They still haven’t found him yet. There’s no way he can still be alive. And then they came after me. Thank God, the dock was having work done on it, or I’m sure that I wouldn’t be alive to talk about this. I was so afraid they were going to come back.”

Megan pulled herself away from Paul and began to pace. Now that the initial shock was over and she had the reassurance of a loved one with her, she began to process what had happened over the last hour.

“They were arguing with each other, but they were just too far away to hear anything being said. Whatever it was, they were mad and upset. If hand motions were any indication, the man who went over was trying to defend himself.”

“Do you think you’ll be able to ID them? Did the boat seem familiar? My God, Megan, you could have been shot. Did they get a clear look at you? That hair is a neon banner.”

At his words, she automatically put her hands up to her hair, gasping as she realized Paul was right. They had seen her clearly. Then she remembered she had her hat on at the time of the shooting. Had she lost it outside? No, there it was on the floor under the alarm pad.

“I had a hat on, so I don’t think they would be able to pick me out of the crowd, after I change clothes that is. I don’t think there was a name on the boat. It wasn’t really that fancy of a boat. You know the kind. Like what you take out to catch some small bait fish before you head out to sea for a day of real fishing.”

Sheriff Green had walked back into the kitchen while they were talking, and he nodded as he listened.

“We are going to assign a uniform to look after Megan for a couple of days, just to be on the safe side. It is a good thing that head of hair you’re sporting was hidden under a ball cap. That’s another solid detail about the boat, Megan. I told you things would come back to you as you calmed down. Listen, there isn’t much more you can do here, and we don’t have much daylight left. Do you have someplace to go tonight, not your home, and with someone, so you’re not alone?”

“Not a problem, she’s going to our house. Lucy’s home now, getting the guest room ready for you.”

That’s when Megan realized that Lucy was not with Paul. Nodding her approval, she was glad they had gone in different directions. She didn’t want Lucy to have to see all of this. It was bad enough she had to go through it.

“I think I need to stay here. I mean the homeowner expects me to look out for them and- “

“Not necessary, Megan. Since everything happened outside, you can lock up and reset the alarm when you leave. We have no need to be in the house. Besides the way we’re losing light, it looks like we’re just going to have to post a few men to keep the crime scene secure and be back out here at dawn to continue.” Sheriff Green cut her off before she could even continue her train of thought. Turning to Paul, he directed him to take charge of his witness.

“Get Megan home and have her try and get some rest. I’m going to want her back here tomorrow in case we find...well, just take care of her tonight. I suggest if there is room in the garage here, Megan, that you leave your car here overnight. If you need a ride back in the morning, one of my men can pick you up. Mr. Cassidy, if you would write down your address and phone numbers, both home and cell, we’ll know where to contact you if the need arises. Let’s get you both out of here before that darned reporter from the Daily Press shows up, and you end up on the front page. Not a good idea, since I don’t want the suspects to know who could ID them.”

“Oh, crap. I never thought about the paper. Is it all right if I let my client know what’s going on? I know technically the attack didn’t happen on her property, but with all this police presence here at her home, she might want to be told before it reaches the media and she sees it on the 11:00 news. I just want to reassure her. Mrs. Bloomquest is very uptight about her privacy.”

“That’s fine, Megan, but just give her the basics of what went on. Until we have all the facts, the less the public knows, the better.”

“Thank you, Sheriff Green. Paul, the keys are still in my car. Would you mind driving it into the middle garage bay? Here, I can open it from this control panel. Just grab my tote bag for me, and I’ll call Carol while you’re doing that. Then, I agree with the sheriff. Let’s go before it gets crazy out front.”

As Megan spoke to her cousin, she was pushing the button on her speed dial for Carol Bloomquest cell phone. It would be the easiest way to get hold of her; Carol had the phone with her always, as if it had been surgically attached to her palm. But this time, it was the voice mail recording that Megan heard, and she left a deliberately vague message.

“Carol, it’s Megan. Everything’s fine down here, but I do need to talk to you. Would you call me as soon as you get this message? Thanks.”

Glancing over at the sheriff, Megan nodded that she was ready to leave. Leaning over she picked up her hat from the floor and then set the alarm as she turned to follow him out the door. After making sure the door was securely locked, the two of them walked to the front of the house where Paul had left his car parked. Holding the passenger side door of the SUV open, Sheriff Green waved Megan into the car and advised her to put her hat on. By the time she had snapped her seatbelt in place, Paul was opening the driver’s door. After assuring the officer that Megan would be back first thing in the morning, Paul started the engine and headed for home.