“Don’t get me wrong, Mike. I bear the responsibility of Jimmy being on that bridge in the first place. I allowed Lindsey to strong-arm me, but I felt it was my only choice since she seemed to say I’d be protected from her plans to put people in our bungalows and seize the food grown in our greenhouses.”
“All right, listen up,” began Mike in a stern tone of voice. “I can’t help how you feel, but I can try to ease your conscience. Lindsey is a straight-up snake. A master manipulator. A true black widow who has a way of getting men to do her bidding before she injects venom into their system. Trust me, I almost fell prey to her years ago, as you know.”
Hank nodded. “Mike, I can’t decide if she’s lost it or if she honestly believes she’s doing the right thing for the Keys. Either way, I don’t think we’re done with her. She couldn’t’ve cared less about her nephew going missing. Sad, really.”
“Sad unless you understand how selfish she is, Hank. She’s power hungry and will absolutely use these circumstances to advance her agenda. She’s been reelected by fooling people. Now she doesn’t have to answer to anyone. Hell, look at how she thumbed her nose at Washington, or wherever our capital is now. Blowing up bridges? Are you kidding me?”
Hank turned in his seat to face his brother. The glow emanating from the dashboard showed the concern on his face. “You’re more attuned to the happenings in Key West than I am. I avoid the place like the plague. How far do you think she’ll go?”
Mike shrugged. “I’d say the sky’s the limit if I could see the damn sky. Personally, I’ve always believed she was power hungry. Now she has unrestrained power, to an extent. I mean, I don’t think she can shoot somebody on Duval and get away with it. But, hell, this martial law declaration probably gives her that right.”
“I’ve read it,” added Hank. “At least the one issued by the president. She probably does have that power. Keep in mind, she’s got her own executive order, too.”
“I nosed around the department before I left Key West. Deputies and staff are scrambling in all directions, jumping at the sheriff’s orders. I gotta believe he’s working closely with her.”
“He’s an independent, elected official like she’s supposed to be,” interjected Hank. “I’ve never known them to act in lockstep on everything.”
“Yeah.” Mike stretched out the word. “You’d be surprised. They disagree on mundane matters that don’t really have an impact on the people who live here. However, on the big stuff, they see eye to eye. There have been policy changes within the department that have us all scratching our heads but afraid to speak out.”
“I tried to have a conversation with the sheriff, but it was a waste of time. When I went to Lindsey’s office, I felt like the enemy. Not a good feeling.”
The men rode on in silence as Mike was forced to concentrate on their surroundings. The bridge stretching from Lower Matecumbe Key to Marathon had been thrust into pitch darkness. There were cars abandoned in all directions, a few of which were being lived in by homeless people or the displaced.
“Before we get home, let me ask you about Erin,” said Mike.
“Okay. You know, we’re just good friends. Heck, we really barely know each other. We spent some time together while she was here. Then the day she was whisked away, we were having a pretty good time fishing. That’s it.”
Mike looked over in Hank’s direction. His brother stared forward through the windshield. “There must’ve been something more for her to get a Coast Guard escort to Driftwood Key. I mean, why did she leave Wash—um, you know, wherever the hell they were working from.”
“Mike, honestly, we haven’t had time to talk about any of that. She arrived, and I was truthfully glad to see her. I’ve thought about her a lot since she left. Anyway, it had been a long day for everyone, so we all went to bed. Then we put together the search party and took off early.”
“She didn’t explain her intentions on the boat ride up to Florida Bay?” said Mike inquisitively.
“No. Like me, she wanted to stay focused on finding Jimmy.”
“No small talk or anything—”
Hank got annoyed with his brother. “No, Detective Albright, nothing like that.”
Mike laughed. “Okay, I deserved that. It’s just odd to me that she would show up out of the blue and think that (a) it was safe and (b) it would be okay with us.”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” asked Hank, who was now on the defensive. “She’s a good person, Mike.”
“Geez, Hank. I’m sorry. It’s just that I’m a little leery of everything right now. I think we have to move forward with the mindset of, um, trust no one.”
Hank gently slapped his brother on the shoulder as Mike slowed to enter the street leading onto Driftwood Key. “No problem. We’ve all been through a lot.”
“No doubt. I think we need adult beverages.”
“Drinks and cigars,” added Hank.
Mike nodded but threw water on the idea. “I’d love to, but the air quality kinda sucks. I don’t think we should be hanging around outside.”
“Nah, we’ll take over the bar.”
Mike started laughing. “Phoebe will have your ass if you smoke cigars in the main house.”
“It’ll clear out by the time they get home, right?”
Mike shook his head from side to side and grinned. “I hope so for your sake.”
CHAPTER TEN
Sunday, November 10
Driftwood Key
Jessica and Peter arrived at the dock just as Hank and Mike were exiting the unmarked four-door pickup truck owned by the MCSO. Lacey and Erin greeted them all at the dock. Interestingly, all the adults had the same suggestion to help ease the stress and tensions of the day. Cocktails.
Tucker, who’d slept most of the afternoon, was ready to pull an all-nighter at the gate. Mike had picked up a couple of ThunderPower megaphones during his supply run to the sheriff’s department supply depot the other day. Known as the Earthquake Maker, the powerful megaphone was capable of blasting a voice up to two thousand yards, and its shrill warning siren could be heard for a mile or more. Tucker had tested it earlier and found it worked better than the Pyle megaphones they kept on Driftwood Key for marine use.
With Tucker watching the perimeter, the adults raided the kitchen and then made their way into the bar. Illuminated by candlelight, a few windows were cracked slightly so the guys could each have a means to ventilate the smoke from their cigars to the outside, joining the already soot-filled air.
Lacey and Jessica claimed the opposite ends of the leather couch, their legs stretched out so that their feet pressed against each other. While Jessica was older than Lacey, the two enjoyed a sister-like relationship. On the few occasions Lacey had been able to visit Driftwood Key for an extended period of time, she and Jessica had been almost inseparable.
Erin, the inn’s only guest, offered to act as the group’s bartender. She was comfortable with all the members of the Albright family. After the initial shock of her grand arrival via helicopter, the family had welcomed her with open arms although they were anxious to hear why she’d come there instead of her own home.
Of everyone in attendance, Erin was the only person who’d not suffered following the collapse. She’d been fed and protected within the confines of Mount Weather along with the other top-ranking officials of the Helton administration. She’d confirmed with the help of Homeland Security that her immediate family was safe.