DNA STALKER: Revenge or Justice? (High Seas Mystery Series Book 4) Read online

  DNA STALKER:

  Revenge or Justice?

  By Diane Rapp

  Dedication and Acknowledgements

  This novel is dedicated to the brave men and women who responded to victims during Hurricane Harvey. Selfless acts of compassion make this country great!

  My deepest thanks go to my husband, Corey, who supports my writing efforts and encourages me to keep going.

  Thanks also go to authors Rosemary McCracken and Charles Dougherty, who both agreed to read my first draft and report errors to be fixed. An author needs experts to get the best results.

  Disclaimer

  All the characters in the book are imaginary, and any resemblance to real life people is accidental. The physical descriptions and tourist attractions on each island in the novel are real (see the Facts or Fiction section for specifics). Constellation Cruise Line and all of its ships are imaginary, and Genetics Ultra is a fictional DNA research company.

  ASIN: B0765CLXQS ISBN-13: 978-1978143432 ISBN-10: 1978143435

  Copyright © 2017 Diane Rapp

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this book may be used, reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or distributed by any means (electronic, photocopied, recorded, or mechanical) without prior written permission of the copyright owner and publisher of this book except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Prologue ~ March 24, 1978

  November 19, 1978

  Chapter 1 ~ Houston, April 2017

  Chapter 2 ~ Boarding the Ship

  Chapter 3 ~ Meeting the Client

  Chapter 4 ~ Jeopardy at Dinner

  Chapter 5 ~ Interviewing the Twins

  Chapter 6 ~ Dolphin Tour, Cozumel

  Chapter 7 ~ Natalia’s Performance

  Chapter 8 ~ Sting Ray City, Grand Cayman

  Chapter 9 ~ Private Island Barbeque

  Chapter 10 ~ Key West Drama

  Chapter 11 ~ Confrontation at the Monument

  Chapter 12 ~ Cruising Back to Galveston

  Chapter 13 ~ Evening of Excitement

  Fact or Fiction?

  Prologue ~ March 24, 1978

  Kate pulled back the white lace curtain and stared at San Francisco through the room’s mullioned window. The dark silhouette of the Golden Gate Bridge and seven hills full of sparkling lights were slowly obscured by a dense fog rolling in from the inky water of the bay. As she searched the street below for any sign of Drew’s arrival, the fog surrounded Coit Tower. It resembled a lighthouse floating on a sea of grey mist, but Kate hardly noticed. Drew should have been here an hour ago!

  She had arrived in San Francisco last summer, driving a VW bug with decals of flowers plastered over its dented fenders and sides. The address where her best friend Julie lived turned out to be a four-story “painted lady” Victorian. The shingles were decorated in vivid pinks and purples with blue filigreed trim-work over eaves and balconies. Lethargic hippies lounged on the front porch sucking blue smoke from hand-rolled cigarettes.

  The commune seemed like such a hip place. Julie looked cool with straight black hair and her paisley-print granny dress. She greeted Kate with a kiss and a hug, but smelled of the sweet smoke from those cigarettes. When Julie had first invited Kate to visit Haight Ashbury to join a freedom march, Kate felt like a rebel. She was impressed that members of the Peoples Temple lived for free in Victorian mansions all over the city, and that Julie wanted her to join the commune.

  She moved in with Julie and attended nightly meetings at the Peoples Temple where a number of celebrities demanded equality with raised fists. Reverend Jim Jones welcomed blacks and whites to worship together, and members shared everything they owned. But as the months passed, the Reverend’s sermons sounded more like Marxist propaganda than Christian messages.

  In November of 1977, Jones learned that a local reporter was planning to print an exposé of the Reverend’s sexual abuses and drug use in the Temple. Several hundred disciples abruptly moved to the Temple’s Agricultural Project in Guyana. Kate felt devastated when Julie joined that first group of zealous followers in the initial exodus. Jonestown was touted to be a benevolent communist community, and like other “socialist paradises” members were not permitted to leave.

  With Julie gone, Kate decided to leave the commune and return home. She tried to locate her VW Bug in the Temple’s parking lot, but it was missing. With no money and no friends outside the commune, Kate realized she was trapped.

  Over the following months, communes scattered around the city were quietly evacuated and members moved to Guyana. The Peoples Temple in San Francisco was on the verge of collapse without Jones’s leadership.

  She felt grateful that Drew remained behind in San Francisco to prepare members for their new lives in Guyana. He spent time in the commune where Kate lived.

  Falling in love with Drew had been Kate’s salvation.

  Kate trembled as she recalled the desolation she felt after Julie’s departure. Tears trickled down her freckled cheeks. A familiar click drew her attention as an ornate built-in bookcase swung open. It hid a secret passage that Drew used to visit her room.

  Seeing her tears, Drew rushed to wrap her in his strong arms. “What’s wrong? Did someone hurt you?” he asked in a hushed voice.

  Kate shook her head and nestled against his chest. “I’m okay now you’re here. I just felt so lonely without you.”

  “Shhh.” He cocked his head and listened for noises outside the door. He whispered, “We don’t have much time, Kate. The Reverend ordered evacuation of this commune to start tomorrow morning. All the girls will fly to Guyana. There will be three vans waiting out front, and I’ll drive the lead van.”

  “I don’t want to go to Guyana,” Kate told him emphatically. “I want to stay here with you.”

  Sadness filled Drew’s violet-blue eyes as he stroked her freckled arms. “You won’t fly to Guyana, Kate. I contacted the deprogrammers who were searching for you, and they’re ready to whisk you away.”

  He turned and opened her dresser. Choosing specific items of clothing, he arranged them on the foot of her bed. He dragged a suitcase out of the closet and quickly packed more clothes inside it. “I told the deprogrammers that you’d be wearing a blue sweater and jeans.” He held up the blue sweater for emphasis before placing it on top of the clothes on her bed. He moved close and ran a finger through her red curls.

  “This is important! When your alarm rings in the morning, dress quickly and get down to the ground floor. Make sure you climb into the third van. The deprogrammers know you’re a beautiful redhead, and you’ll board the third van. Don’t let anyone put you in the first two or you’re a goner.”

  She begged to stay with him in San Francisco, but he shook his head. “I won’t remain in San Francisco, must go to Guyana to live with Father. You know that he won’t let me stay here.”

  Pushing him away she growled, “Reverend Jim Jones would never leave one of his sons behind!”

  Drew nodded. “That custody dispute about my half-brother, John Stoen placed too much focus on the Temple and Father’s appetites for sex and drugs. When Father sent John to Jonestown to keep him away from Grace Stoen, it gave the Concerned Relatives ammunition to use in their media battles against the Temple.”

  “So why did your mother have sex with that pervert? She was a happily married woman with other children.”

  Drew frowned. “Mother had no choice but to yield to his advances. Father’s carnal desires run ramp
ant, and he often coerced wives of the inner circle to take part in his ceremonies.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Kate shuddered, remembering how helpless she felt when Jones stared at her in the Temple. “Please don’t let him near me,” she begged Drew. “I love you but your father really creeps me out.”

  “I know.” Gathering her into his arms, he kissed her damp cheek as they sat on the bed together. “To protect you I already told Father we made love and explained that I want to marry you. He agreed we could marry when we reach Guyana.”

  She stiffened and gazed into his troubled eyes. “Then why did you arrange for deprogrammers to take me away? I want to go with you and become your wife!”

  “It’s not that simple, Kate.” Drew pushed trembling fingers through long black hair that hung over his eyes. “I don’t trust his word. He’s motivated by his own urges and will forget you are mine. I’ll never let him get near you.”

  Drew’s tone was serious as they cuddled on the bed. “This is the only way for you to be safe, honey. Cooperate with the deprogrammers and tell them you joined the Temple to be with your boyfriend. It might take a few weeks, but eventually they’ll send you back to Estes Park and your family. If Father thinks I’ve yielded to his control, he’ll be less vigilant. I’ll escape and come find you.” He kissed her forehead, rocking her until she fell asleep in his arms.

  The next morning light filtered through the window, casting lacy shadows across the flowered wallpaper. The clock radio clicked and music entered Kate’s dream. In her dream the Eagles sang their most recent hit, Hotel California, while she soared over San Francisco.

  She loved flying dreams and resisted waking. “Be quiet. I’m sleeping,” she groaned and pulled a pillow over her jumble of coppery hair. The words “running for the door” penetrated her consciousness and she woke. Leaving her dream unfinished, she pushed the pillow aside.

  Abruptly Kate sat up, wondering where Drew had gone. She glanced at the bookcase and realized that it was shut tight. Rubbing sleep from her eyes, Kate ignored the radio and pulled on the jeans and tie-died T-shirt Drew had laid out for her to wear. As she pulled on the blue sweater, she remembered the determination in his voice as he explained his plan. She must do what he asked. She stuffed the rest of her meagre belongings into a metal suitcase plastered with flower decals.

  As the song reached the part about checking out but never leaving the hotel, a chill ran up Kate’s spine. Was that song speaking directly to her? “I’m getting out of this place, today,” she whispered. Gazing into the Victorian mirror over the dresser, she checked her blue sweater, combed her hair, and wiped sweaty palms on her jeans.

  Falling for Drew had been the one bright spot in this whole experience. He’d kept her safe and sane, so she must trust in his plan to get her back home. She switched off the radio and headed out the door. “I will get in the third van,” she muttered as she carried her bag downstairs.

  Kate watched as other girls boarded the first two vans. She walked toward the dented blue Ford parked in front, hoping to see Drew once more. She caught his attention but his eyes pleaded with her to follow the plan. She nodded and turned around.

  Walking past the Toyota van with paisley patterns painted on a black background, she finally reached the door of the third van. It was a VW bus with a psychedelic paint job and peace sign on the front.

  Lifting her suitcase, Kate reached for the door handle. Suddenly feet stomped down the sidewalk behind her, and two pairs of strong hands grabbed her elbows. She yelped, but a hand covered her mouth and the men dragged her into a black Buick parked nearby. Angry voices shouted at them as the Buick sped away.

  “Kathryn Hammond?” one of the men asked as she settled into the back seat. What would they do if she claimed they’d got the wrong girl? It probably didn’t matter. She nodded and tears streamed down her cheeks. “We were sent by your parents, Willard and Susan Hammond, to help you escape from the Temple. Please don’t be afraid, Kathryn.”

  She hated the name Kathryn. No one ever called her Kathryn except her parents, so she knew these guys had been sent by her family and relaxed. Overcome by emotion, she stuttered, “Drew told me you were coming.”

  The driver said, “Yeah, he helped. But we’d already tracked you down from the sale of your VW Bug and would’ve pinpointed your location ourselves.”

  “I didn’t sell my VW,” Kate groaned. “Someone must’ve taken my keys and forged my signature on the pink slip.”

  “Yeah, they do that on a regular basis. Several Temple members have complained of having their cars stolen, so we check DMV records often.”

  Kate chewed on her thumbnail. “Where are we headed?” she asked.

  “Oakland,” the driver stated. She gazed through the window at a blur of buildings as the car whipped around tight corners and rumbled over cable car rails in the street. The drive reminded her of the Wild Toad ride in Disneyland, a ride that always made her feel dizzy and sick.

  The driver grinned through the rear-view mirror. “Don’t worry, Kathryn. I’m a good driver. Those jerks won’t catch us.”

  The swaying car made her feel nauseous and the man sitting by the door looked concerned. “You gonna puke, Kathryn?”

  Turning pale, she nodded and clapped her hand over her mouth.

  “Here, lean out the window and get some air.” He gripped her waist, lifted her body, and scooted over to change places. She cranked the window down and inhaled salty, damp air.

  It worked. She felt marginally better as the car raced along the waterfront. Recognizing the Oakland Bay Bridge ahead, Kate realized they would soon be leaving San Francisco. She felt relieved but sad. Would Drew be able to join her in Colorado as he’d promised?

  November 19, 1978

  It was chilly in the house, and as Kate waddled down the stairs, she saw that snow covered the lawn outside. She was dressed in a long flannel nightgown, fuzzy white slippers, and a green velour bathrobe. She was heavily pregnant and nothing else felt comfortable; moreover, she never went outside. Her parents didn’t want anyone to know about her condition. That suited her fine. She wanted to hide from the world until Drew arrived.

  It took three months of constant babbling before the deprogrammers decided that she was cured. At first she tried to cooperate with them but morning sickness and boredom made her constantly cranky. Finally, her obvious condition prompted them to close her case. She flew to Denver where her family waited to rush her home.

  She felt relieved to be home but depression replaced boredom. She’d heard nothing from Drew and her due date was approaching. Her parents constantly pressured her to put the babies up for adoption but she refused. The twins she was carrying were her only link with Drew.

  Twins. Her belly protruded under the robe, growing larger every day.

  It should not have been a surprise to anyone. Twins ran in the family, and Kate was a twin herself. Her identical twin sister, Emily, should arrive home from college next week, and Kate couldn’t wait to see her. Kate wished Drew would arrive too. They would get married and become a real family.

  As she reached the bottom of the steps, she heard a news report on the television. The words “Jonestown, Guyana” grabbed her attention, and she rushed into the parlor. Her parents sat mesmerized as a newscaster described a massacre at Jonestown:

  “Yesterday at an airport near Georgetown, Guyana, Congressman Leo Ryan and four members of his delegation where shot and killed by members of the Red Brigade from Jonestown. When authorities arrived at Jonestown to arrest the assailants, they discovered a grisly scene. Over nine hundred people lay dead around the compound, apparently from cyanide poisoning. The body of Reverend Jim Jones was discovered, apparently killed by a self-inflicted gunshot.”

  Kate screamed, “No! He killed Drew and all those poor people! That man was truly evil!” She felt dizzy and sank to the floor sobbing. Pain stabbed her belly and water gushed from under her robe as the reporter droned on.

  “Congressman Ryan led
a fact-finding mission to investigate accusations by the Concerned Relatives, a group of Temple defectors who accused Jim Jones of sexual abuses and drug use. Defectors accompanied Ryan back to the airport but two of them abruptly opened fire in a deliberate act of assassination. Although it is believed a few Temple members escaped into the jungle, the majority of the commune succumbed to the poison.”

  She moaned, “No! My babies can’t be born on a day like today!” Kate’s parents rushed to tend their distraught daughter.

  The nearest hospital was in Boulder, nearly an hour’s drive, so they quickly bundled her into the sedan. As the car wound through the canyons, she moaned Drew’s name over and over.

  Kate stiffened and grabbed her mother’s arm. “Maybe Drew escaped! He promised he’d run away and join me. Have they announced the names of the victims yet?”

  Her parents agreed to check with authorities to find out the names, but Kate felt an empty spot in her chest. She knew she would never see Drew again. Kate hardly felt herself lifted onto a gurney at the hospital and rushed into a delivery room filled with anxious faces. It was too late to stop the birth. Those poor babies would be haunted by nine-hundred deaths a continent away.

  Twenty-four hours later, despondent and exhausted, Kate signed adoption papers to relinquish her twin sons. With bleary eyes, she could hardly read the documents but capitulated to the dogged resolve of her parents.

  It was the worst day of Kate’s life.

  Chapter 1 ~ Houston, April 2017

  Natalia tugged a hard-sided bag out of an overhead bin and wedged the luggage into the jam-packed aisle of the airplane. She strapped her make-up kit onto the raised flat handle and waited for bodies to start moving. Metal clanked, vibrations rumbled underfoot, and workmen shouted orders as they unloaded baggage outside. The hiss of air circulating inside the plane died as engines powered down.