Chapter 17

Josette slid into a booth and sat watching the door for her Aunt and Uncle. Taking a menu she thumb through it and then glanced up when the pressure changed in the room. A stylishly dressed man entered the room and glanced around. Spotting Josette she sighed and planted her nose back into her menu.

The man moved to the bar and sat at one of the barstools. The conversation was low and then Josette looked up seeing Bob Rooney's son Gerald was holding a tray with a glass of wine. "Um it's from the Gentleman and he was wondering if you would give him just five minutes of your time."

Josette looked at the lovely Rose wine and sighed. "What would it hurt to hear what he wanted although she had spent several years rebuffing advances from the male gender? She had never had one so well dressed and polished. "Sure Gerald but my Aunt and Uncle will be joining me shortly for lunch. When Pearl gets in would you tell her to come and get our order?"

Gerald nodded and left to go back to the bar. Josette sat back and pushed her sweater sleeves up and rested her elbows on the table cupping her chin in her palms. The man who Jo sized up immediately as self-assured, confidence but not ego driven moved to her table on his expensive Johnston Murphy dress shoes approached her table and slid in across from her. 'Hello, I could not help but notice you when I came in and you were pointed out to me as being a member of the Collins Family."

Josette nodded, "May I introduce myself. My name is Gerard Stiles, and I am an associate of Quentin Collins. I was wondering if he was in town by any chance?"

Josette relaxed immediately and smiled more welcomingly. "Oh good you are not a lawyer or a masher."

Gerard laughed and shook his head. "Well I hate to disappoint you but I am a lawyer, Quentin's lawyer and you are?"

Josette flushed, "Sorry, I am Josette Collins." He looked surprised.

"My goodness you are no a ghost are you?"

She laughed, "No I am not a ghost, you should know I am named for the famous Collins Ghost but I am not her."

Gerard smiled and added more charm to his persona. "Well for that I am grateful, I was trying to contact Quentin or do you know Barnabas Collins? I was looking for them and have been unable to get in touch with either of them."

Josette reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Punching in the number for Quentin's private cell she waited and heard the familiar 'Hello, Quentin here."

Josette smiled, "Then why the hell are you not here with me?"

Quentin laughed and then went with the flow of her tease. "Hello Munch butt, where the hell are you?"

Josette laughed, "The Blue Whale where I am going to meet Thomas and Lydia for lunch."

He covered the phone and she knew he was speaking to Daphne his wife. "Hey we are about five minutes away, save us a seat and we will be there in no time."

Josette winked at Gerard and said, "By the way your lawyer is here looking for you."

Quentin sounded surprised, "Oh who would that be."

Josette handed her phone over to Gerard. "Hello Quentin?"

Josette watched his face while he spoke on the phone and he had become animated when he finally had Quentin on the line. "I have been trying for a week to reach you. We have two new contracts from your publisher and there is the matter of your property in Egypt, it appears you have a buyer for the property."

He nodded acting as though Quentin could see him and then he asked, "What about Barnabas? Will he be around this week?"

Gerard must have heard Quentin say to ask Josette since she was his daughter because those penetrating dark eyes shot to her face. Josette had taken time to study the man and found him to be attractive, polished, and confident in his sophisticated big city ways. Dark curly hair that was coiffed perfectly to the shape of his face, clean square cut features and thick kissable lips and for a moment she was doing what she hated other people did to her she was thinking if he would make a nice boyfriend for Kelly.

He handed her phone back and smiled. "It looks like you are going to need a bigger table. Your Cousin Quentin his wife and their daughter Louisa are coming for lunch."

Josette glanced over to Gerald, "Hey Gerald can we have the family room in back and some tables put together? We have a bigger party coming for lunch."

Gerald nodded and disappeared through an archway that led back to the bathrooms that also led to a family room. She could hear the tables being pushed together and the chairs as they were dragged across the floor. "So Quentin says you are Barnabas daughter?"

She nodded, "Yep that be me. First born and all that malarkey."

He chuckled, "Well I need to speak with your father, it seems some of those coins he sent to be appraised have come back in the millions and we are not talking about tens of millions but hundreds of millions."

Josette laughed, "Mother will be thrilled, that means she can finally have the addition put on to the old house she always thought was needed."

He shook his head. "Whom did your father marry? The last time I actually saw him and spoke to him was a long, long time ago. I guess I have been out of touch with him for a while, he was interested in a young woman that was the governess to the Collins family was she the one he married?"

Josette nodded, "Yes, my mother's name is Victoria. Her and dad had five children, I am the oldest and then there is Jeanette, Joshua, we call him JB and then twins Daniel and Sarah."

He shook his head and studied his well-manicured hands. "He was always such a meticulous man and when he called me a few months ago, he said he had some coins that were lying around the house and he wanted to see about selling them."

Josette wondered what coins her father had to sell. She had recalled that when she was really young she had found three large bags of golden coins that had Spanish markings on them. When she had asked about them she was told Daddy found them on an island.

"I wonder why he wanted to sell them now, they have been around as long as I can remember and I know he has been very successful in the market lately."

Gerard shrugged. "I just got a call from him from out of the blue and he said he had some coins he wanted to dispose of and would I for a percentage be interested in selling them for him."

Josette shrugged, "Well he is going to be more wealthy and apparently so are you if you are getting a percentage."

Gerard chuckled, "I told him I would do it for five percent and it looks like I am going to be quite wealthy."

Josette lifted her wine glass in a salute. "Here is to you Mr. Stiles. Good fortune coming your way and great success."

Gerald moved to the booth. "Um Miss Josette the tables are together should you want me to tell your family where you are when they come in?"

Josette nodded, "Please Gerald and bring Mr. Stiles a drink and its on me."

Gerard held up his hand. "Does not seem right to have you pay for my drink."

Josette smiled, "I am loaded too Mr. Stiles, I can afford a nice Rose blush wine for a family friend. Come on, my Uncle and Aunt, as well as Quentin should be here soon."

Lydia had cleared the scene of the murder with the bagging of the body. She sat down and looked at the digital pictures she had taken. The victim had been a derelict camping in the woods. It was not uncommon for them to be attacked by wild animals. Looking at the condition of this body she found it hard to believe that a wild animal could rend that much flesh from the body.

She slipped out of her biohazard suit and waited watching the body being put in the back of the ambulance. Tim followed the paramedics to the back of the meat wagon, a name affectionately referred to the ambulance that transported the dead. It was a form of levity to allow them to deal with the horrors of what they were facing. Tim moved to her side. "You going to join me later for the autopsy?"

She nodded, "Yep, but right now I got to go change and meet Jobeth at the Blue Whale for lunch." Tim leaned against the side of her car.

"Have you ever seen so much damage before by a wild animal?" He looked half sickened by the sight he had come upon after being called to the death scene.

"Nope, this is a first for me. It was like something just ripped him apart and the blood was everywhere even sixty feet from the actual death sight."

"I know I followed a blood trail down the path and it was odd that the only prints were really large paw prints."

Lydia nodded, "I know maybe we can figure this out later on down the road once we get State in to collect evidence and I suspect they will be out here most the night." Lydia watched them drag a generator out and large spot lights. "I got to make sure they have security coverage while they are working here, can't have that creature coming back to take out anyone else."

Tim nodded, "Well I will see you around five unless I get swamped in the emergency room. You might want to call me later." He slapped his palm on her shoulder and smiled.

"Okay Tim later then." She watched him move to his jeep and then slid into her car, backed up and turned heading towards her cottage. If she got home she could shower, change and be back at the Blue Whale in time to have lunch with her sister's kid.

Lydia moved to her cottage and got out. It was probably a good thing she was going to change, she needed a shower now. She had given Roscoe the film to get processed and had gotten in her car backed up did a 180 again and headed to her cottage. Rushing in she checked the time and thought she would just make lunch with Thomas, Jason and Josette if she hurried. Pulling her hair out of the bun she ran her fingertips against her scalp and did a rush shower.

Thomas would want a report from her on the dead body. Moving to her closet she pulled out a pair of black dress pants, a nice white blouse and a black jacket. Taking enough time to add a little eyeliner shadow to enhance her dark eyes and some blush she added a light coat of lipstick and stood back happy with her look.

Grabbing her badge case, she tucked it in her handbag and then found her clip on holster, and her badge clip and badge, sliding it over her belt she tucked the gun on her right side slipped on some low slung heeled shoes. Heading to the door she actually felt good about her self going out the door grabbing her shoulder bag on her way out.

Heading back towards town she was pretty happy with out quickly she had cleared the scene, gotten her shower changed and was on the way to have lunch with her family. Resting her elbow on the doorframe she chewed the edge of her nails and watched the roadway that tie clip had her puzzled. It was the one thing that had been out of place when she had back tracked and found it along the pathway.

She knew she had seen one like it before she just could not place where. The chatter on the radio was mildly distracting as she navigated her car onto the main street of Collinsport. Pulling into the parking spots in front of the Blue Whale she noted that Quentin, her father, and Vicki's cars were all lined up next to each other. Getting out she locked her car and flushed when one of the seaman whistled at her. A whistle had not complimented her in a very long time.

With a lighter pace to her step she moved to the front door and pulled it open. Stepping inside she was immediately over whelmed with the smell of dried wood, old smoke and the sound of the cook calling out orders in the back. Gerald had to look at her twice to recognize her. "Wow Lydia you look great!"

Lydia flushed and smiled, "Geez by the way guys are acting I would think you had never seen me out of uniform."

Gerald had to think and sighed, "Well to be honest the last time I saw you out of your uniform was high school and you looked great then."

Lydia smiled and winked at Gerald "Well I need to keep you around to feed my ego all day long." Gerald looked hopeful but knew with him being a married man that was like a snow balls chance in hell for him to go out with her."

She looked around "Where are they?" Then she heard a loud round of laughter from the back and held up her hand. "No, don't tell me they are in the back. Later Gerald."

When Lydia entered the room she looked at the table and from those present she could see her father, her brother in law Barnabas and her sister Vicki, her nieces Josette and Jeanette, her nephew JB, her brother Jason, with his son Georgie, her brother Thomas, with her sister in law Connie taking a break from the hospital but still wearing her scrubs, and then she noticed this gorgeous man with penetrating dark eyes that appeared to look right through her.

Moving to the end of the table away from the new man she sat down. Thomas smiled, "Hey sis you look nice, especially just coming from a death scene."

She dropped her eyes and studied her hands. "Yeah well I need to write the report and put it on your desk."

Thomas picked up his tea glass and sipped from it. "I heard he was drained of blood and had his throat torn out."

Connie had offered what the local hospital gossip was putting out. "Really can't comment Con, it's an ongoing investigation."

She nodded understanding besides she figured she would learn more later if not from Thomas then from Tim, she did work with him and he had scheduled the autopsy for 5:00.

Pearl came in to get her order and then the conversation went to how Quentin and Barnabas had just stumbled upon the treasure on the island the time Dr. Lang had set them adrift in the ocean. Quentin had cashed his in after he and Daphne were married and they needed to add an addition to the cottage with Daphne being pregnant.

Daphne had sat next to Gerard and they had been discussion cases and making comparisons to outcomes of the court's decision. When Lydia had glanced up she had caught him staring down at her and it made her blush. Dropping her eyes to her soft drink she played with the stem of the drink. Sitting next to her father he spoke softly to her. "Baby you do look nice. You should dress like that more often."

She flushed, "Thank you Dad. Seems like I have no choice, Thomas ordered me into civilian dress to do my investigations."

George kissed her cheek. "You should and then you should charge the county for a clothing replacement fee. Dressed like that in the field you are going to find your clothing can get messed up pretty quick."

She nodded and was rescued when their meal was delivered to the table. Picking at her meal she tried to rush through lunch and rose before anyone else. "I have to get back to the office, I will have that report on your desk tonight Tom, it was nice seeing everyone."

She picked up her purse and moved to the bar and the door. "Excuse me Miss Patterson?" It was he, he had jumped up excusing him self from the table and to the knowing looks passing between the family members as he chased after Lydia.

She stopped and turned. He smiled and asked, "Um, we were not properly introduced. I am Gerard Stiles Quentin's lawyer, I was um wondering, wow this is so awkward I usually am not at a loss for words, but what I was wondering was if you would like to um go out with me sometime."

Lydia blinked and looked around to make sure he was talking to her and then she smiled. "Yeah, sure. Tonight is kind of bad I have a long report to make and some evidence to go over."

His smile lit up his entire face and he whipped out his card with his cell phone number. "Please call me and let me now when would be a good time, I plan on being in town for a while."

She reached into her purse and pulled out her business card with her department cell number on it. "You can reach me here and at the department. I don't have a home phone."

He took the card and smiled flicking it between his fingers. "I look forward to seeing you soon and getting to know you better."

Lydia blushed and smiled in return. "Me too, you will excuse me." She turned and when she turned he boldly grabbed her wrist pulled him against his chest and placed a light kiss on her lips. "Just something to think about before we meet again."

Lydia flushed deeper and schooled herself so she did not rush from the room. Moving out into the humid warm day she had to refocus her attention back to the murder of one Dale Lee Watson of Roanoke Virginia, vagrant murder victim. She slid in behind the wheel of her car and thought it was going to be a long day and night. Turning the ignition on she slid the car into gear and with a lighter heart she drove back to the office.

Darkness blanketed the small community of Collinsport Lydia sat at her desk and concentrated on her report and the evidence that had been found by the forensic team. They had taken rooms at the Collinsport Inn and were planning on one more sweep through to make sure nothing had been missed.

Lydia stretched from the small of her back then she sat back and rubbed her neck. She had sat at her desk for hours and she was tired, her eyes were beginning to blur. Getting up she walked to the little kitchenette that had been built in the late 80's. Looking at the coffee pot she thought she needed something stronger.

Glancing around she realized she had not eaten. Looking at the clock she frowned. "Well that report can be finished tomorrow." Moving for her jacket, gun, badge and purse, she headed to the door stopping by dispatch she told Ethel she would be home if she was needed, but she was going to the Collinsport diner for a bite to eat.

Looking around she noticed the night was winding up to be a typical rainy night in Maine. Moving to her car, she opened the door and then looked around. She could have sworn someone was watching her. Grabbing the snap of her gun, she undid the snap, and then she slid into the car and started it. Moving it down the street she parked out front.

Getting out she moved around to the door to the café when from behind she felt a strong pair of hands come around covering her mouth and arms that physically lifted her and carried her into the alley. Once she felt the tension on her waist lesson, she kicked back rolled her shoulder and sent the assailant flying over her shoulder to land with a sickening thud against the wall.

Before she could move the figure had jumped up and slammed her back against the wall causing her head to hit and sending shards of pain and blackness to consume her body and she slumped to the ground. Before the assailant could move on the unconscious woman a darker figure moved to the alley. A low growl emitted and the figure dove and hit the attacker square in his chest knocking him backwards.

The sounds of ripping flesh and the smell of death filled the air and the strangled cries of the attacker were silenced with his blood. He was strangling on the blood. The figure that had attacked turned and bent over Lydia's body he turned her face and smiled then lifting her he carried her to the doorway of the café and laid her on the porch. Knocking loudly he stepped back and became mist when the lights from inside split the darkness of the night.