Orchid Beach (Holly Barker 1)

Harry Crisp’s car arrived at the airfield. Four FBI vehicles were parked on the runway, and agents surrounded the tower. Harry got out of his car and approached them. “How did it go?” he asked.

“Only one man in the tower,” the agent said. “We took it clean.”

“Are there any aircraft here that could take off?”

“A dozen or so, but there are no pilots here.”

“Put their man back in the tower, under guard, and get those vans off the runway. If any aircraft wants to land, let it, and detain everybody aboard. Got that?”

“Yes, sir,” the man said.

Harry got back into his car. “Let’s go see the com center,” he said. “Have we heard anything from the gun emplacements?”

“We got a report while you were out of the car,” an agent said. “Everything is secure.”

Harry turned to Jackson. “I guess you can get out of that armor,” he said. “You look pretty silly in it.”

Holly rang the doorbell again. No one came. She turned to the nearest agent, flattened against the side of the house. “I guess we’re going to have to go in,” she said.

“Not until you get back into that gear,” the man said, pointing at the jumpsuit and heap of armor. Holly got back into it and stood away from the door. Two men with a ram tore the jamb off with a single thrust, and the group flooded into the house, flashlights and guns out in front of them.

“Daisy, stay with me,” Holly said, then headed upstairs, followed by two men. She stopped at every corner, gun at the ready, safety off. A moment later she was in the master bedroom. Suddenly the bedside lamp came on.

“Power’s back,” somebody called from downstairs.

The bed had been slept in, but the room was empty. “Search the house,” Holly said.

Two minutes later, an agent entered the bedroom, pushing

a beautiful young woman ahead of him. She was wearing a lacy negligee.

“Where’s Barney Noble?” Holly demanded.

“I don’t know,” she said. “He left when the lights went out the second time. He told me to stay here. When I heard you break down the door, I hid in the guest room.”

“He may have gotten out of the house, but he won’t get out of Palmetto Gardens,” an agent pointed out.

Holly picked up her radio. “Marina,” she said. “This is Holly.”

“Marina,” a voice replied.

“Is your location secured?”

“Roger. We were a couple of minutes late, but it’s secured.”

Holly picked up her map and looked. “Jesus, we’re less than a hundred yards from the marina. Barney’s gone.”

“What now?” an agent asked.

“You guys can join the house searches,” she said, “but first, drop me off at the com center. I want to see that.”

On the way, Holly took out her cell phone and called her station.

“Orchid Beach Police Department,” a woman’s voice said.

“It’s Chief Barker. I want a statewide APB on one Barney Noble, white male, late fifties, six-one, two hundred pounds, short, gray hair, armed and dangerous. The charge is murder of a police officer.”

“Got it, Chief.”