Attempt to Locate Read online

  Attempt to Locate

  Lantern Beach P.D.

  Christy Barritt

  Copyright © 2019 by Christy Barritt

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Complete Book List

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Coming in March: First Degree Murder

  Also by Christy Barritt:

  Other Books in the Lantern Beach Mystery Series:

  You might also enjoy …

  Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries:

  The Worst Detective Ever:

  About the Author

  Complete Book List

  Squeaky Clean Mysteries:

  #1 Hazardous Duty

  #2 Suspicious Minds

  #2.5 It Came Upon a Midnight Crime (novella)

  #3 Organized Grime

  #4 Dirty Deeds

  #5 The Scum of All Fears

  #6 To Love, Honor and Perish

  #7 Mucky Streak

  #8 Foul Play

  #9 Broom & Gloom

  #10 Dust and Obey

  #11 Thrill Squeaker

  #11.5 Swept Away (novella)

  #12 Cunning Attractions

  #13 Cold Case: Clean Getaway

  #14 Cold Case: Clean Sweep

  While You Were Sweeping, A Riley Thomas Spinoff

  The Sierra Files:

  #1 Pounced

  #2 Hunted

  #3 Pranced

  #4 Rattled

  #5 Caged (coming soon)

  The Gabby St. Claire Diaries (a Tween Mystery series):

  The Curtain Call Caper

  The Disappearing Dog Dilemma

  The Bungled Bike Burglaries

  The Worst Detective Ever

  #1 Ready to Fumble

  #2 Reign of Error

  #3 Safety in Blunders

  #4 Join the Flub

  #5 Blooper Freak

  #6 Flaw Abiding Citizen

  #7 Gaffe Out Loud

  #8 Joke and Dagger (coming soon)

  Raven Remington

  Relentless 1

  Relentless 2 (coming soon)

  Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries:

  #1 Random Acts of Murder

  #2 Random Acts of Deceit

  #2.5 Random Acts of Scrooge

  #3 Random Acts of Malice

  #4 Random Acts of Greed

  #5 Random Acts of Fraud

  #6 Random Acts of Outrage

  #7 Random Acts of Iniquity (coming soon)

  Lantern Beach Mysteries

  #1 Hidden Currents

  #2 Flood Watch

  #3 Storm Surge

  #4 Dangerous Waters

  #5 Perilous Riptide

  #6 Deadly Undertow

  Lantern Beach Romantic Suspense

  Tides of Deception

  Shadow of Intrigue

  Storm of Doubt

  Lantern Beach P.D.

  On the Lookout

  Attempt to Locate

  First Degree Murder (coming soon)

  Carolina Moon Series

  Home Before Dark

  Gone By Dark

  Wait Until Dark

  Light the Dark

  Taken By Dark

  Suburban Sleuth Mysteries:

  Death of the Couch Potato’s Wife

  Fog Lake Suspense:

  Edge of Peril

  Margin of Error (coming soon)

  Cape Thomas Series:

  Dubiosity

  Disillusioned

  Distorted

  Standalone Romantic Mystery:

  The Good Girl

  Suspense:

  Imperfect

  The Wrecking

  Standalone Romantic-Suspense:

  Keeping Guard

  The Last Target

  Race Against Time

  Ricochet

  Key Witness

  Lifeline

  High-Stakes Holiday Reunion

  Desperate Measures

  Hidden Agenda

  Mountain Hideaway

  Dark Harbor

  Shadow of Suspicion

  The Baby Assignment

  The Cradle Conspiracy (coming soon)

  Nonfiction:

  Characters in the Kitchen

  Changed: True Stories of Finding God through Christian Music (out of print)

  The Novel in Me: The Beginner’s Guide to Writing and Publishing a Novel (out of print)

  Chapter One

  “Moriah, it’s time.”

  Moriah Roberts stood from the stiff bed nestled on the side of her assigned RV and straightened the tunic she wore. A slight tremble raked through her limbs as she tried to comprehend the scope of what was about to happen.

  “Thank you, Ruth,” Moriah murmured to the woman standing in the doorway.

  “There’s no need to be nervous.” The permanent frown on Ruth’s face deepened, and her self-righteous pallor nearly glowed with piousness. “This should be an honor.”

  Moriah lowered her head as the reprimand echoed in her mind. The woman could chide the wind for being cold, and Moriah was certain the wind would feel guilted into changing directions.

  “It is an honor.” Moriah kept her voice soft and nonconfrontational. “But I just don’t know what to expect. Everyone has been so secretive.”

  “They’re secretive because this is special. If people spoke openly about our ceremony, then it would lessen its importance.” Ruth grabbed a towel from a drawer and wiped some mud from the side of the doorway. The woman always acted as the mother hen.

  Even though the two were officially roommates, the arrangement had never felt equal. Ruth was obviously more strong-willed and, therefore, the boss. She’d also been part of Gilead’s Cove longer. Ruth was the one with robust opinions, unwavering confidence, and a knack for remembering every rule that needed to be followed.

  Moriah took a step toward the door. She still felt nervous, but she wouldn’t tell Ruth that—not unless she wanted another lecture. Besides, Ruth would probably report her shortcomings to the Council, and then they wouldn’t think she was worthy.

  The Council wouldn’t tell Moriah that, but they’d demote her to cleaning the bathrooms again. At least, that’s what she feared. She hated cleaning bathrooms almost as much as she’d hated her now-deceased ex-husband, Vince.

  “Come on now. The Council is waiting for you.” Ruth extended her hand to hasten Moriah outside.

  As soon as Moriah stepped from the RV and into the dark evening, a cold wind hit her. It was April now, but she’d thought the temperatures would warm up here on Lantern Beach. It had, Moriah supposed. For a couple days. Now it was cold again. The warm weather wouldn’t be here to stay until the end of May. That’s what Gilead had told her.

  A smile tugged at her lips at the
thought of Gilead. Moriah had never met anyone like him before. He was smart and charismatic and . . . a gift from God.

  Not just to her. To everyone. To the world.

  The world just didn’t realize it yet.

  He was the reason Moriah had turned her life around, though. She owed him everything. And, one day, she would give him everything.

  Her sandals hit the rocky sand beneath her as she walked toward the water. Though the ocean pounded the other side of the island, Gilead’s Cove was located on the shore of the Pamlico Sound. The waters were much more peaceful here, but she’d heard the bugs and snakes could be bad. She’d find out about that when the weather got warmer.

  “The Council is waiting,” Ruth reminded her, motioning that Moriah should hurry her steps.

  She wasn’t sure why Ruth had been assigned as her roommate. The woman, tolerable at first, had quickly become overbearing. Moriah could hardly wait until they no longer had to live together.

  Love your neighbors because love changes the world.

  She remembered the verse from Makir—a book of the Bible Gilead had discovered.

  It was so hard to put those commands into practice sometimes. But Moriah would try, for the sake of the Cause. She felt certain Ruth had been placed in her life as a trial, as a way to cultivate joy in hard times just as the book of James in the Bible talked about.

  In the distance, Moriah spotted a fire burning. Six silhouettes stood around it, most likely silent, with their bodies stiff.

  The Council.

  The sight reminded Moriah of an archaic ritual full of sacred beauty.

  “Go, girl,” Ruth whispered. “Don’t be scared. You’ll be fine.”

  If Moriah would be fine, then why was there a slight quiver to Ruth’s voice?

  A new fear invaded her.

  Just what did this initiation entail?

  Moriah sucked in a deep breath of courage and stepped forward. One member of the Council—Enoch—reached out his hand for her, and she stepped inside the circle.

  This was it. This was when she’d officially become a Makirite.

  Her gaze quickly scanned the group of men, and her heart thudded with a new realization. Gilead wasn’t here. Moriah had thought he would be, and disappointment bit deep that he was absent.

  No, that’s okay. He trusts his Council to do this, and he doesn’t have to be here. It’s the sign of a great leader.

  Moriah’s eyes flickered to another of the council members. Dietrich. He held something in his hand, something that almost looked like a fire poker.

  A poker?

  Her heart rate quickened.

  What in the world would they use a poker for?

  “Thou shall suffer for the Cause.” Dietrich’s voice sounded solemn with ceremony and decorum. “The Dedicated all bear the markings of Makir. In this way, we can be set apart. Do you agree, Moriah? Do you want to be set apart?”

  “I do.” Her voice trembled at the uncertainties of what she was about to get into, and her eyes didn’t leave the glowing orange metal in Dietrich’s hands.

  “And do you believe in suffering for the Cause?”

  “I do.” Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds . . .

  “Then reveal your shoulder,” Dietrich said.

  Reveal her shoulder? Were they . . . ?

  Everyone waited.

  Hardly able to breathe, Moriah pulled the tunic down from her left shoulder, exposing her skin to the frigid air.

  Dietrich lifted the glowing poker and turned toward her.

  “On your knees,” he directed.

  Her knees? Another tremble rolled through Moriah as all blood left her face.

  You can trust these people. They’re your friends. Your community. Your people.

  With one more shiver of hesitation, Moriah lowered herself to the ground.

  But when she saw the burning hot metal headed toward her, all her strength and resolve vanished.

  What was she doing here? Was this all one big, bad mistake—just like most of the decisions in her life had been?

  As the metal hit her skin, a groan emerged from a part of her soul so deep she hadn’t even realized it existed. The world around her spun as pain captured her in its entirety and tears spilled down her cheeks.

  And, then, as the realization about what was happening reached her brain, she screamed. And screamed. And screamed.

  Chapter Two

  “I promise, it’s going to be the best—and classiest—bachelorette party ever.” Skye Lavinia grabbed a gallon of milk from the refrigerator at the general store and wedged it between her arm and side. “Right, Cassidy?”

  Cassidy Chambers gave an affirmative nod. “Absolutely.”

  “I’m sure it will be great.” Lisa Garth grabbed a goofy-looking pink hat from a display at the end of the aisle and tugged it on. She made a face at herself in the small mirror before placing it back on the display. “I trust you two almost as much as a trust my taste buds.”

  Cassidy and Skye exchanged a grin.

  They were having a little too much fun keeping Lisa in the dark about what they were planning. The event would be classy and fun, just as they’d promised. But they also needed to do something that screamed “Lisa,” the queen of unique, quirky, and smart.

  Right now, they were wrapping up a girls’ night out. Here on Lantern Beach, there wasn’t much to do for a girls’ night out, especially not in the still chilly early spring. But tonight, Cassidy, Skye, and Lisa had gone to the lighthouse beach and had a bonfire.

  Lisa had brought a s’mores kit, filled with all kinds of goodies—but not your typical s’mores. Nothing with Lisa was typical. No, they’d had peanut butter cups and fudge-striped cookies and strawberry-flavored, homemade marshmallows.

  The three friends had talked and laughed about the goofy antics of their male counterparts, about island quirks, and the most memorable tourists they’d encountered. All in all, they’d really had a great time.

  But now they were headed home, and Skye had needed to stop by the store to pick up a few things. Since Cassidy also needed a few groceries, they’d all gone together.

  Cassidy grabbed a bag of freshly ground coffee from the shelf in front of her. If it wasn’t ten o’clock at night, she’d make herself a cup when she got home. But she’d never sleep if she did, and she had to work tomorrow. Being police chief wasn’t a job you wanted to do with only half your wits about you.

  She’d taken only one step toward the checkout counter when the front door flew open. Cassidy jerked her gaze toward the sound and sucked in a deep breath when she saw who stepped inside.

  Three masked men.

  With guns.

  “Everyone, put your hands up!” One of the men sliced his gun through the air until its barrel pointed at everyone.

  Skye gasped and dropped the milk. The plastic cracked, sending white liquid all over their feet.

  Instinctively, Cassidy reached for her gun. Her stomach sank as she remembered she hadn’t brought it. No, she’d locked it away in her car since she wasn’t working tonight.

  Regret bit deep.

  Her gaze went to Lisa. Her sweet friend had hurried ahead of them to grab some chewing gum near the register. Right now, she was closest to the men—which meant she was the most in danger.

  Lisa looked terrified—like her lungs weren’t filling with air. Like her muscles were uncontrollable as her limbs shook and trembled.

  “Cassidy . . .” Skye whispered, her voice as fragile as porcelain.

  “It’s okay.” Cassidy kept her gaze on the men. “Just don’t make any sudden moves.”

  But Cassidy didn’t really know if this would be okay. She felt confident these three men were the ones police all over the Outer Banks were searching for. On their last hit up in Nags Head, a person had been shot and killed.

  “Everyone, out where we can see you,” one of the masked men yelled.

  Skye and Cassidy stepped out from the aisle where they’d been
standing. The clerk behind the counter had his hands in the air, as did Lisa. To Cassidy’s knowledge, there were no other customers here.

  Cassidy hoped no one would try to be the hero. That the robbers would take what they wanted and leave. That no one would get hurt.

  Stuff could be replaced. People? They couldn’t.

  Even though Cassidy was the police chief, a feeling of helplessness washed over her. Not only did she not have a gun, but she couldn’t reach her cell phone to call or text anyone.

  Let this run its course, and then try to track these guys down.

  She had to temper not only her words and actions, but her thoughts as well. The best thing she could do was be compliant.

  “Put your purses down here,” the leader said, pointing to the floor in front of him. “Right where I can see them. If I see any cell phones, I’ll shoot the person holding one. And the person beside them. No games.”

  Cassidy let her purse slide from her shoulder, and she placed it on the floor, just as the man had said. Another robber—a shorter, chubbier one, grabbed the wallets from their bags.

  “You need to empty your cash drawer.” The man threw a bag at the clerk. “No games. Understand?”

  The clerk nodded. “Understood.”

  He opened his register and began pulling out cash, stuffing it into the black cloth bag.

  As he did that, the third masked man began pacing the aisles. This man was on the shorter side and walked with light steps. He held another bag and grabbed things to put inside—things of value, Cassidy supposed. Cell phones. Batteries. Sunglasses. But he said nothing.