CHAPTER TEN
The next morning, Jennifer awoke feeling more rested than the day before. She got up and got dressed making herself as presentable as possible without her needed supplies...everything was on the Tikaani. Today she would have Mr. Talbot take her into town where she would talk to authorities about Jonathan and about Tom.
After a steaming homestyle breakfast, Jennifer asked Sam about that lift into town.
"Be glad to take ya anywhere ya want." was his response. Thank God for this man and his wonderful wife.
Mr. Talbot was as good as his word. He drove Jennifer into Bettles where she talked to police about Tom. She told them of how Jonathan was thrown from the raft in a dispute with Tom. She told them about the Tikaani being empty of all crew and guests when she and Tom went aboard. They, of course, were already aware of Marcy Shetner being missing and of the deaths of the Baxter brothers. Jennifer told them of the possible food poisoning that the Thomas's experienced also. She remembered the frightening words that Tom had yelled at her when they were alone on the ship... 'You're just like all the others...and you know what happened to them!' She relayed all of these things to the Bettles Police.
"Do you think," Jennifer asked them, that when he said "and you know what happened to them" that he was referring to the people on the ship?"
The Police Commissioner sighed and gave Jennifer a serious look. "No Ma'am, I DON'T think he was referring to your shipmates. You see, Ma'am, we have reason to believe that this 'Tom' as he refers to himself is really a man named Doug Tomplin. Tomplin is a serial killer...escaped from prison four months ago. He's psychotic and very dangerous." He went on to describe the horrible crimes that Doug Tomplin was responsible for...He had stalked and killed seven women in the past fifteen years and was known to get rid of anyone standing in his way. "We highly recommend, Ma'am, that you leave this area immediately. Go back to LA where you will be safe."
"I can't leave the area," Jennifer began,"my husband is missing, remember? I have to wait until we find him."
The Commissioner looked down at some papers on his desk. Jennifer noticed that he couldn't look at her.
"What is it? Do you have news of my husband? Tell me! I know you have something to tell me!" she was nearly shouting now.
"No Ma'am, we don't have anything positive. Just speculation..."
"Speculation? About what?!"
"Ma'am,' the Commissioner sighed. "The truth is...no one could survive in those icy waters. It's just a matter of time until we find your husband's body...sometimes we never find the bodies and we have to call off the search."
"NO! NO! You're giving up too easily! You just want me to go back to LA so you can brush all of this under a rug. Well, I'm NOT leaving without my husband! So, you can just make up your minds to continue the search!" An angry Jennifer stood to her feet and made a quick exit.
She left the police station and stood on the sidewalk out front waiting for Sam Talbot. When he finally joined her outside, they walked to his Jeep. Unknown to them both, they were being watched. From across the road, Tom watched Jennifer as she entered Mr. Talbot's jeep...and he watched the jeep as it made it's way up the winding road that led out of town...
Jennifer spent her days at the Lodge. The days turned into a week, then ten days. Sam and Bessie Talbot were very kind to her...they made sure she had everything she needed and kept her company when she wanted company. But, she could tell that they were starting to believe that the Commissioner was right...they didn't tell her so, but she could tell they had given up on finding Jonathan.
Jennifer had Max wire her some money since her belongings, including her purse, were still on the Tikaani. She bought a few clothes the next time she was in town. She stopped at the police station every time Mr. Talbot took her to town too...and she pressured them with questions...she was NOT giving up.
And each day she made a trip to the lighthouse...for some solitude...some time to think. She found some comfort there. It was peaceful...the only sounds were the wind whistling, the waves lapping the shore and an occasional cry of a bird or the singing of a whale. She looked out over the water and wondered about her Jonathan. He was out there somewhere...she knew it...her heart still told her so...Where are you, my love?...I miss you so...
She was completely unaware that she was not alone. She was being watched...he was beginning to know her schedule. He knew she was in town every two or three days. He knew the places she frequented there. He knew she took a walk around the lodge each morning, and he knew she went to the lighthouse near dusk...
She was so beautiful, he thought, not like the others...she was NICE to him... He began to devise a plan to make her his own. He had decided...she would be his or she would belong to no one...
To be continued...