Chapter 41
Two hours later, Kara and the team were at the staging area near Clara’s family property on Kiawah Island, along with Detective
Fuentes and local law enforcement. Dawn was just starting to creep over the ocean, promising a beautiful morning, though the
humidity was quickly rising.
Catherine and Bianca Fuentes were talking to the people in charge outside the tactical van, and Michael stood with Matt and
Kara. Bianca had informed them before they left Florida that Garrett had slipped his tail. It made Kara angry—she’d warned
them to be on high alert—but either Garrett was that good, or the cops Bianca had assigned were that bad.
“You both promise that you’ll take direction from me,” Michael said. “Neither of you should be here—you’re tired, injured,
dehydrated.”
“Anything you say, Michael,” Kara said.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Matt asked him.
Michael cracked a smile. “Sure am, boss.”
Catherine returned. “The officers all have a photo of Garrett Reid, so if he shows up he’ll be arrested.”
“What’s the status of the Coast Guard?” Michael asked.
“Standing by,” Catherine said. “If she manages to escape by boat, they will take the lead. The property has a dock and boathouse
near where the Kiawah River merges with the Atlantic. They are stationed offshore, out of sight of the property but close
enough to apprehend her in minutes.
“The local police confirmed through digital surveillance,” Catherine continued, “that a white van using a code at the guard
gate assigned to the property drove onto the island at 8:30 p.m. last night and has not left.”
“She could have left by another vehicle,” Matt said.
“They have a dedicated team reviewing all security feeds looking for any lone female driver who left the island. However,
they did a quick assessment of the property and have good reason to believe that someone is in the house. They can’t approach
because of the security system. The property is owned by a trust and they reached out to the trustee to get the security codes,
but we also have to take the risk that someone who manages the property will contact the house itself, which could alert Dolan
to our presence. Still, getting the codes will make it much easier for everyone so we can approach without Clara being forewarned.”
“Do we know if there is anyone else in the house? A potential hostage?” Michael asked.
“Negative,” Catherine said. “The house is not listed on any short-term rental sites, and the sheriff knows the family who
owns it. The Wilmingtons—Clara Dolan’s maternal grandparents. Everyone in their extended family has access to the property,
including Clara, who is on the list maintained by the homeowners association. While the gate logs every code, there are other
ways to access the property, so there’s no guarantee that someone else isn’t there.”
“So she could have a hostage,” Matt guessed. “She could have even picked up a stranger in the van.”
“Yes. The sheriff sent a deputy to talk to the closest neighbor, who lives on the island full-time. That neighbor will have
more information about the comings and goings. We’re going to wait for answers before we proceed. And, hopefully, have information
about the security system, so we can bypass it.”
More waiting, Kara thought. She normally didn’t mind waiting, but she was antsy. Clara Dolan had slipped through their net
more than once. Kara couldn’t help but think she had a plan that would not only get more people killed, but would also allow
her to escape. And if she escaped, it would take that much longer to track her down because of her financial resources.
Fifteen minutes later the edge of the sun was visible on the water, and Detective Bianca Fuentes came over to them. “Neighbors
say that no one has been here since April. The wife said she saw a woman on the dock last night, and house lights on up until
midnight. She wasn’t concerned because there is a security system and the house is used often by friends and family of the
owners.”
“There’s one boat visible in the boathouse,” Michael said. “Is that the only one with the property?”
“It is,” Bianca confirmed.
“She could have been checking it out, planning to leave by water,” Kara said. “Maybe we should take her there. Is there a
way to get into the boathouse undetected?”
“Only if we can bypass the security system,” Bianca said. “There are cameras on the dock, and sensors on the land. She’s going
to be on high alert, so anything that sets it off could put her on the defensive, and we don’t want to risk anyone’s lives.”
“What if,” Catherine said, “she’s planning to meet Garrett out at sea? We have the specs on the boat here, but if he has access
to another boat, he could pick her up and they’d disappear. We wouldn’t know what to look for.”
“If he picks her up,” Kara said, “he’ll kill her.”
“You can’t be certain of that.”
“He knows she killed the love of his life. It might have taken a while to sink in, but he didn’t slip the tail because he
wants to get away. He slipped it so that he could find Clara and punish her.”
Catherine obviously didn’t agree, but didn’t comment further. That was fine with Kara. They didn’t have to agree all the time,
and she appreciated that Catherine no longer rudely shut down her theories.
Kara had sensed a shift in Garrett’s attitude when she talked to him earlier, which was why she shared her phone number. She
knew he would call—she had hoped he would give her information about Clara, but she wasn’t surprised that he planned on killing
her. Clara had used him, but worse, she had been playing games with him—a game he didn’t even know he was playing.
The sheriff came over. “Good news. We spoke to the trustee who manages the property. They have given us permission to take
down their security system, which can be done remotely through their contracted company. We also asked that they not alert
the owners in case someone in the family is still on good terms with Dolan. How do you want to do this?”
They discussed the options, and in short order decided to put together three teams of six: team A on the main entrance; team
B on the beach; and team C on the water. When everyone was in place, the security company would take down the system and teams
A and B would breach the house front and back. Team C would keep line of sight on the dock in case she eluded them and reached
the boathouse.
“She is armed and dangerous,” Catherine reminded everyone.
“She is wanted for seven murders and four attempted murders, including that of two law enforcement officers. She is known to use any means at her disposal and may have set up deadly traps, so be extremely observant of your surroundings. Look up and down. Be ready for anything.”
Clara only had one night to prepare the house and grounds, unless she’d been there earlier, Kara thought. But she wouldn’t
know when her extended family was using the place, or when they would return, so the chances were this was just a waystation
for her, and she planned to leave this morning. She thought ahead—she might know that the FBI could find her LLC and properties.
Or, she could be like half the criminals Kara had encountered in her career: she thought she was smarter than everyone, and
tripped herself up.
Michael ordered Matt and Kara to remain at the staging area. Catherine was staying as well, helping to coordinate with the
Coast Guard and sheriff’s department. Michael and Bianca joined one of the six-man teams.
“He’s really enjoying giving me orders,” Matt said.
“Let him have his moment,” Kara said.
“We were all worried,” Catherine said quietly. “The entire team thought we wouldn’t find you in time.”
“You did,” Matt said.
“You saved yourselves,” Catherine said. “I expected no less,” she added with a slight smile.
“Let’s hope we apprehend Dolan without any casualties,” Matt said.
Kara looked down at her phone when it vibrated in her hand. She read it, then showed the text message to Matt. “This is from
Garrett, but not the number I have for him.”
Audrey joined me in Scottsdale two months after Becca disappeared. She said she’d gone camping along Sespe Creek to “find
herself” and that’s when she decided to find me.
Catherine said, “I’ll have Ryder work on tracing this other number ASAP, and get the information to law enforcement in California.”
It was dawn when Garrett called Audrey over video chat. He could almost see the island from the wheelhouse of their boat.
Four hours ago, he’d slipped the cops watching him and headed straight to the docks. They’d kept the boat in plain sight at
a private pier near the resort. Taking it out at two in the morning wasn’t difficult; by the time anyone figured out that
he and Audrey owned it, he’d be long gone.
He believed every word Kara Quinn told him. Audrey wasn’t who he thought she was. He had loved a fantasy, a mirage.
She used him. Manipulated him.
She had no respect for him, and certainly didn’t love him.
That’s why she planned to kill him. He now knew all of her secrets.
“Garrett,” she answered on the third ring. She was dressed, her long beautiful hair pulled back into a high, tight ponytail.
Her face completely devoid of makeup, she was still the most beautiful creature on the planet. “Darling, where are you?”
“On my way to the rendezvous. Just as we always planned.”
A flicker in her eyes, then, “Well, baby, plans change. You won’t be here in time.”
If Audrey had her way, he wouldn’t make it at all.
But he knew her tricks. She wasn’t as smart as she thought she was.
“I’m already near the buoy.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You are?”
“Right. The bomb was supposed to explode when I reached thirty miles per hour. You would rather kill me than trust me.”
“I’ve always trusted you, Garrett. You’re my one true love.”
He laughed. “I believed that for a long time, sweetheart.”
She pouted. It wasn’t going to work on him anymore. It had taken him far too long to see the truth.
“Baby, I need to go. I’ll find you.”