Chapter Twenty-Four
No One Leaves
Morning was supposed to be a fresh start. The sins of the day before should have washed away. It doesn’t always happen that way.
The storm had crawled off past the horizon, moving on to wash another location clean. It left the island shivering. Puddles mirrored a sky the color of bruised flesh. The road to the airport had been beaten up—shoulders shaved away, and eucalyptus leaves plastered to the dirt like wet confetti.
Efrain drove the airport jeep with both hands steady on the wheel, his jaw set. Zach rode shotgun, his hair damp from the fog, his knuckles nicked and healing. They didn’t speak much. The engine did all the talking, climbing, and complaining as the road twisted through the hills.
“It could’ve been worse,” Efrain said. “We still have a road.”
He didn’t sound convinced it would stay that way, but they pressed on.
Zach scanned the washouts, the low fog threading through sage. “For now.”
They crested the last bend. The airfield opened before them, looking like a tornado had rolled through.
Efrain braked and let out a long sigh. “Damn.”
Debris littered the runway. No one would be landing until the mess was cleared.
“I might want to take back my offer to help,” Zach said halfheartedly.
“No takebacks,” Efrain said, pulling forward to park.
They exited his jeep and walked toward the patio where the diner, tower, and offices sat. Efrain led, turning the corner.
He stopped so abruptly that Zach bumped into him.
“Holy shit,” Efrain whispered, horror threading through his voice.
“What—?” Zach began, stepping past him.
He froze.
Where the broken sign had once hung, there was now a woman suspended from its remaining beam—dress shimmering faintly in the breeze, head bowed, hair hiding her face, feet dangling like she was mid-dance.
Candy.
“No,” Zach breathed. “Not again.”
Efrain swallowed hard. “We have to call this in. Don’t go any closer.”
“This can’t be happening,” Zach whispered, taking an involuntary step forward before registering he was moving.
Efrain grabbed his arm. “Zach. Stop!”
Zach barely heard him. Shock blurred everything. The wind rocked her gently. There was no obvious blood—the storm had washed her clean. She was on display.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, voice cracking.
Efrain’s radio crackled. “Avalon dispatch. Go ahead.”
“This is Efrain at Airport in the Sky,” he said, voice steadier now.
“We just arrived to assess storm damage.” He took a deep breath.
“We’ve discovered what appears to be a deceased female.
” Another pause, nothing coming from the other end of the radio.
“We’re requesting immediate law enforcement response. ”
There was about a ten-second pause before the radio hissed. “Copy. Avalon units will be en route in the next few minutes. Air Rescue 5 will be contacted. Do not disturb the scene.”
“Copy,” Efrain said. He put the radio away.
Zach took several steps back, shaking his head as though trying to shake loose a nightmare.
“Why am I here again?”
“Because you show up when people need you,” Efrain said softly.
“That’s not what everyone else is going to think.” Zach paced, hands on his head. “This looks so damn bad. I’m going to end up in jail.”
“No, you won’t. I haven’t been on any of the other scenes, and I came with you today. We discovered this together.”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s what people believe,” Zach said. “I know it’s not about me. It’s about Candy, and her life being cut short, but dammit, I can’t keep being the one standing closest.”
“It’s going to be okay, Zach. You’ll see.”
“I don’t believe that,” Zach muttered.
“Let’s get the generator going and make coffee. This is going to be a very long day,” Efrain said.
Zach nodded numbly and followed his friend around the back of the diner, careful not to disturb anything near Candy’s body. They both knew someone on this island was killing, and it appeared they were getting bolder by the day.
The first siren echoed faintly, building quickly. Zach and Efrain stepped outside again, neither feeling steadier after forcing down bitter coffee.
A deputy’s SUV pulled up. Sergeant Durante stepped out, followed by Deputies Evans, Duong, and law enforcement technician Eileen Roof with her camera gear. Their expressions tightened the moment they saw Candy.
Evans and Duong moved on instinct, unspooling yellow tape and snapping it into place like a boundary the island couldn’t argue with.
Duong stationed himself at the diner door, palm up whenever anyone drifted too close.
Evans walked the perimeter, eyes down, scanning for tracks in the wet grit and for anything the storm hadn’t eaten.
Eileen slipped on gloves and started wide shots from beyond the tape, camera clicking with a calm that felt obscene.
Deputy Ciscel stepped out last, a small notebook in his hand. His pen didn’t hesitate to write a single word before the pad closed. Ciscel didn’t say anything. He rarely did.
More sirens followed—fire department trucks rumbling up the hill.
“Efrain. Zach.” Durante nodded. “Did either of you touch anything?”
“No, sir,” Efrain said. “We called as soon as we saw her.”
Zach stayed silent, jaw ticking. He didn’t want to see what was surely in Durante’s eyes.
“You look shaken, Zach,” Durante said.
“Any normal person would be,” Zach replied. “Especially when this keeps happening.”
“Yeah,” Durante said. “It’s pretty damn contagious.”
“Fear always is,” Efrain cut in.
Durante nodded to Eileen. “Take wide shots first, then close. Don’t get too close to the body. LA County Homicide wants it preserved exactly as found. Coroner’s coming in on Air Rescue 5 as soon as fire clears the runway.”
Eileen nodded and began photographing everything—the body, the wall, the walkway, Zach and Efrain.
Durante turned back. “Anyone else here?”
“Not that we saw,” Efrain said. “And the road’s rough.”
Durante exhaled heavily, steadying himself or perhaps the air itself. Catalina wasn’t built for homicide scenes. But here they were—number three.
“We’re doing this by the book,” he said. “I need statements from everyone who was at this airport in the last twenty-four hours.”
“That’s hundreds of people,” Zach said quietly.
“Then we’ll have a big lineup,” Durante said sharply.
He motioned to Evans. “Call in all volunteers and off-duty personnel. No one leaves this island until further notice. Shut the boats down. Harbor stays locked. Notify Harbor Patrol and the harbor master. No departures until we clear this. Ferry manifests get pulled. Private boats logged. No choppers except Air Rescue 5.”
Evans nodded, stunned.
None of them could remember this ever happening. But there had been a storm the night before with zero boats coming in or out, and no aircraft either. That meant the killer was definitely still on the island.
The reality settled in. Phones came out. Ferry apps got refreshed. No service. No departures. No exits. Paradise didn’t look so pretty when the gates were locked from the inside. For the first time, Catalina Island had become a cage.
“I heard there was a party last night,” Durante said. “I suppose it’s easy to figure out some of the names, but I want every single person who was here written down.”
Efrain shook his head. “I’ll try, but people were coming and going. I can give you the names of the people that I know for sure were here, and you can ask them if any names are missing. I also have flight logs for the pilots who flew in and out.”
“Good, get on that.” The deputy then wrote some names in his little flip book and held it up to Efrain. “I’m assuming these names were all here, as you’re always together.” Efrain looked it over.
“Yes, they were here.”
Durante turned back to Evans. “We’ll do the majority of the interviews in town, but here’s a list of names I want brought up now,” Durante said. He tore off the paper and handed it over.
Evans nodded, then stepped back as he made a call. Zach shook his head. This would never end.
***
In town, word moved faster than any patrol car could. Names were collected. People rounded up. By the time Harmony and Cass reached the airfield, dozens were already gathered on the edge of the tarmac.
Tosh stood expressionless.
Torie looked hollowed out, wearing yesterday’s clothes.
Mary stood with icy calm.
Clusters formed—people whispering without daring to glance at Candy, who was still hanging on the wall.
Harmony took it all in—the tape fluttering in the wind, Eileen’s camera clicking, Efrain sitting alone on a bench with his head in his hands, Zach standing apart like the ground had dropped beneath him.
She started toward him. Cass caught her wrist.
“Don’t,” Cass whispered. “Not yet.”
“I want to help.”
“We can’t help anyone but ourselves right now.”
Torie swung on them. “Why are you here?” she demanded.
“I don’t know,” Harmony said mildly. “Ask your sergeant.”
“You shouldn’t be here. You’re not one of us.”
Harmony gave a thin smile. “Maybe I’m just the chapter between the beginning and the epilogue.”
Torie scoffed. “You think you’re part of this. You’re nothing.”
Harmony didn’t bother responding.
Sergeant Durante approached. “Appreciate you all coming up.”
“We didn’t have a choice,” Cass pointed out.
“Still appreciate it,” he replied. “I’m taking statements one at a time. Don’t talk to each other about what you think you saw. If you have a lawyer, I suggest you call them. If you don’t, you might want to use some common sense. We’re going to be here for a long time.”
“Can we at least get out of the weather?” a person asked.
“One at a time at the diner,” Durante said. His jaw was hard. He was pissed and letting them know it.
“Candy deserves better than this,” Mary muttered.
Durante met her eyes, his not flinching. Neither blinked.
“Candy deserves the truth,” he said. “You’re first.”