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  Emily pushed along on her back to escape his upper body strength. She felt her own strength continue to weaken. Blood dripped from Matt’s head onto her face. It sickened her to think that his blood mixed with hers.

  “I will prove to you that we’re made for one another.” He smashed the small remote under his fist. Pieces shattered all over the deck. He wrapped Emily’s hair around his fist, tugged her head back, and raised his knife to her face. “It will all be over soon.”

  Emily dug her nails into his groin. As he let out a yell, she then bit the underneath part of his wrist hard enough to partially sever a vein.

  Within seconds, she was covered in his blood.

  Matt rolled to the side and tried in a feeble attempt to stop the bleeding. In a weak voice, he said. “It’s already too late.” He gestured to the seconds counting down on the bomb.

  * * * * *

  Chapter Fifty

  Saturday 0300 Hours

  The huge police boat spotlight lit up the boat bobbing and weaving in the breakers.

  Recognizing the boat, Lani yelled. “There it is!”

  Rick and Jordan ran to the bow of the boat and waited expectantly. “Thank God.” Rick exclaimed.

  “I told you we’d find her.” Jordan blurted out with a relieved look upon his face.

  One of the police boats sped up to the tour vessel. As they neared it to gain immediate access, a giant explosion detonated and debris slammed with full force into them.

  The repercussion pounded all of the boats and all the crewmembers. The fireball morphed and glowed, grew larger and then retracted like a predator’s claw. Pieces of the hull and the deck floated in the water, now a watery junkyard.

  “NO!” Rick shouted as he recovered from the force that slammed against his chest and face.

  “We don’t know if she was on the boat.” Jordan offered, his face tense as he tried to find his bearings again.

  “She was… why else would it have exploded?” Rick dropped to his knees in heavy anguish. There was no hope of rescuing her now, he thought. He mumbled to himself. “I failed you Em… I failed…”

  Lani ordered the other police boat to the wreckage and they would immediately gain access to the beach to search for anyone alive.

  * * * * *

  Large lights illuminated the beach and fishing village as police officers and coast guard personnel made several trips back and forth from the beach. It was a large outdoor crime scene that would take a painstakingly amount of time to process. There were no bodies, dead or alive, but plenty of clues and forensics evidence.

  Lani and Jordan stood at the crime scene at the makeshift sacrifice site, absent of a body. The cut ropes, strange herbal mixture in an oblong circle, and large areas of fresh blood remained. Several piles of household items neatly stacked and arranged in a strange order laid near the point of interest.

  “We’re going to process this scene as usual.” Lani said quietly.

  Two police officers searched and photographed the area.

  “Do you think she could’ve survived all that blood loss?” Jordan kept his eyes down and didn’t want the sergeant to see his tears.

  “Two weeks ago, I would have told you no, but now…” He didn’t finish his thought.

  “Do you need anything from me?” Jordan asked, but turned away from the sight where his friend spent her last moments.

  “No, but it will be a while before we disembark due to the current.”

  Jordan walked away, but answered Lani. “It doesn’t matter now.”

  As soon as Jordan stepped onto the sand, he saw Rick standing on the shoreline, unmoving, deep in thought. He couldn’t imagine what he felt at this exact moment.

  Jordan’s own heart had severed and splintered into to million pieces.

  * * * * *

  The waves crashed over Emily and left her gasping for air. The salt water stung her eyes as a continuous flow of tears flowed. It was difficult for her to ascertain the direction to the beach and it compounded her dangerous predicament.

  The waves picked her up and dropped her like a rollercoaster ride. One of the most beautiful coastlines in the world gained more turbulent power wreaking havoc on those who dared to oppose it. Debris from the boat floated precariously as a larger piece of the deck slammed into her back, knocking the wind out of her.

  She swallowed more ocean water as her ears crackled, popped and returned to normal. She could hear the rush of the ocean as she treaded water and noticed bright lights coming from a line of boats. In the other direction, spotlights lined the beach and trail areas.

  A renewed strength filled her exhausted body and she knew that reaching the beach would be next to impossible, but she had to try. The water stung her wounds causing numbness to her arms and legs, but she had no other choice but to push onward.

  * * * * *

  As he watched the ocean not really noticing any details, Rick’s mind went numb. The world stopped. Everything seemed dim and pointless.

  Jordan approached, not quite knowing what to say. “Hey.”

  Rick looked at him and nodded. The pain seared permanently on his face was obvious. “Thanks for your help Jordan, couldn’t have found her without you.”

  “Anything you ever need.” He began.

  Rick watched the ocean wishing he could just be swept out to sea. “You know, she was probably already dead before the explosion with that amount of blood back there.”

  “Don’t think about that.” Jordan looked out at the breakers. “Hey, what’s that?”

  “What?”

  “That!”

  “I don’t see anything.”

  “There’s something in the water.” Jordan walked closer to the beach and squinted his eyes. “Wait for the next wave and keep your eye right there.” He pointed to a section just before the breakers.

  Rick held his breath, but he didn’t see anything.

  “I know I saw something.” He too moved closer to the water. “There! In the wave! Something is bobbing in the waves!”

  Rick pushed past Jordan and saw the flicker of someone in the waves. “Em…” He whispered. He quickly stripped off his windbreaker and shirt and ran into the water.

  “Wait!” Jordan yelled, but his voice was drowned out by the booming waves.

  The waves increased in velocity and size by every advancing second.

  The first two waves slammed into Rick pushing him back toward the shore. He could feel his muscles tighten and fatigue, but he readied himself for the next set. The next wave pushed him under the churning ocean for several seconds, he spun upside down before he reached the surface again. In a frenzy panic, he sucked in water causing him to choke and cough as even more water entered through his mouth and nose.

  Rick’s vision turned distorted with shadows and darkness away from the beach, and all he could see were more waves gaining speed directly at him. He didn’t see the bobbing head anymore. Now, he wasn’t even sure if it was Emily at all. The mind sees what it wants to see, but he wasn’t taking any chances and every second counted.

  Holding his breath, another wave crashed over him. This time, he managed to maintain his distance and kept swimming forward trying to catch the beginning of the wave instead of devastating end.

  He felt his arms and legs numb from exertion, but his determination overshadowed any doubt or fear.

  Emily was still nowhere in sight.

  The sheer power of the ocean took a break momentarily, allowing Rick to catch his breath and search just past the breakers. There, he saw a person bobbing in the waves, slipping under the water but reappearing once again.

  His adrenaline thrust him through the water to meet Emily. The waves forced down on him again, but he pushed every ounce of adrenalin and strength to reach her. It took several attempts, but he managed to inch his way to her.

  As he got closer, Rick saw that she looked pale and fragile, unlike her usual resilient exterior.

  “Em!” Rick shouted as water continued to pumm
el his face.

  “Rick…” Her mouth moved, but he couldn’t hear her words drowned out from the sea.

  Emily’s head submerged under the water as her strength gave out.

  Rick made it to where she disappeared and dove under the water. He reached for her and tucked his hands under her arms and pulled her up to the surface. Her eyes closed, she wavered in and out of consciousness. Deep cuts and bruises were visible on her face and arms.

  More waves bashed the couple as Rick towed her toward the beach. He lost his grip on Emily once and had to backtrack to retrieve her again.

  Just past waist deep water, Jordan joined Rick and helped to bring the couple back to the safety of the sand.

  Rick hugged Emily and never wanted to let her go again. “I love you Em… I love you…”

  “Well it’s about time you got here.” Jordan chimed in as he helped bring Emily up to the beach.

  “It’s not like I haven’t been waiting.” Emily replied weakly as she dropped to the sand on her hands and knees.

  “Get some blankets.” Rick ordered just as Lani arrived with a jacket and placed it around Emily.

  Emily took a look at the three men just before she passed out.

  “Em…” Rick looked at the cut on her neck and asked Lani. “We need to get her to a hospital now.”

  “Already on it.” Lani said.

  The sound of a helicopter broke the monotonous sound of the booming ocean.

  * * * * *

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Two Weeks Later

  Leo watched the group say their goodbyes at the airport. Emily all smiles and joked with her three friends as they waited in the loading area. He had missed his opportunity to rape and kill Emily. She had so many cops and people around her at all times, but she would pay the price - soon. His mind wandered off into wonderful thoughts of killing each of them individually. Something he savored.

  In time, he thought, in time.

  He adjusted his San Francisco 49ers baseball cap, now sporting a shaved head and trimmed beard; he bought an airline ticket on the same flight back to California.

  Emily Stone’s time would come.

  Leo Brown merged into the line for the security check, unnoticed, to board the Southwest Flight 367 bound for San Francisco.

  * * * * *

  Lani hated goodbyes. “Ms. Stone, it’s been a pleasure and extremely educational.”

  The group stood together before the security checkpoint. Groups of tourists and families hurried past them to their gates.

  “You can call me Emily… Lani.” She smiled and gave him a warm hug. Her arms and neck were still bandaged.

  “You guys turned my island upside down and shook out some of the criminals, all free of charge too.” He joined their laughter for a moment and then he turned to Emily. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.” Even with her wounds healing on her neck and face, she was still stunning, he thought. “Aloha.”

  “Thank you, aloha.” Emily gently squeezed his arm. Lani wished her touch would linger a moment longer.

  Rick shook Lani’s hand. “Thank you for everything, we couldn’t have done it without you.”

  “It’s been my pleasure.”

  “What’s the status on your department?” Emily asked.

  “Well thanks to you guys, there’s been a complete I.A. investigation launched and they’ve managed to close down the marijuana distribution areas, besides making arrests including the chief. More arrests will follow no doubt.”

  “Ouch.” Jordan commented.

  “The FBI is also taking over and closing the serial murder case. First one in history on Kauai.”

  “Oh, by the way, I called in a few favors at the FBI and…” Jordan handed Lani a business card. “If you ever get the fever to come to the mainland, they’ll be expecting your call.”

  Taking the card, Lani said. “I… don’t know what to say?”

  “Look, the big guy is speechless.” Jordan chuckled. “Anything is possible and the rest is up to you my friend.” He shook the sergeant’s hand.

  “Thank you. Have a safe flight.”

  “Take good care of yourself Lani.” Emily smiled before she turned and walked away.

  “You too.” He whispered.

  Lani watched the group leave. Rick took Emily’s hand and Jordan joked with the couple as they went through the security area. The sergeant waited until they disappeared into the crowd before he walked back to his patrol car.

  THE END

  * * * * *

  ###

  About the author:

  Jennifer Chase is an award winning author, freelance writer, and criminologist. She has authored four fiction/thrillers and one screenwriting workbook. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master's degree in criminology. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is also an affiliate member in the criminology section of the Academy of Behavioral Profiling (ABP).

  Discover other titles:

  Compulsion

  Dead Game

  Silent Partner

  Dead Burn

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