kiDNApped (A Tara Shores Thriller) by Rick Chesler Read Free Book Online Page A

out. Dead body, offshore boats: it smacked of some kind of drug smuggling operation gone awry. She holstered her pistol in plain view on her hip and slipped the lanyard attached to her badge around her neck.
    She was heading for the door when her desk phone rang. Thinking it might be her boss, Tara backtracked to answer it. The phone's display told her the call was from an outside line. Her office number was not given out to the general public, so she picked it up and said, “Tara Shores speaking.”
    “Good afternoon, Agent Shores, my name is Kristen Archer, the daughter of William Archer, the missing scientist. You’re in charge of his case, and you had told me to contact you if I had any questions.”
    Instantly Tara’s eyes were drawn back to the Archer case file, the INDETERMINATE stamp lying in wait atop the folder.
    “Hello, Miss Archer. I’m afraid there haven’t been any major developments in your father’s case. Is there something specific I can help you with?” Does she have new information for me?
    “My brother Lance and I are here in Hawaii—we’re just checking into our hotel in Waikiki right now—we came here to see if there’s anything at all we can do to help with the investigation. As I’m sure you’re aware, our father will be declared legally dead in two more days.”
    Tara empathized with Kristen, for she knew that coming to Hawaii was a desperate attempt to reach out to her father before his case was closed and the active investigation ended. She didn’t see what she would be able to accomplish for Kristen and her brother, but since they had come all the way out to the islands, the least she could do would be to meet with them in person.
    “Listen, I'm leaving right now to take care of something on Waikiki Beach. Can you meet me on the beach right in front of Duke's restaurant? We can discuss the case there,” Tara said.
    “How will I recognize you?” Kristen asked.
    “I’ll be the short-haired brunette with an FBI badge around her neck and a gun on her hip.” She gave directions and they clicked off.
    Two birds, one stone, Tara thought as she walked toward the door to head for her car. At least this way the Archers wouldn't have to take a cab all the way downtown; she had no good news to tell them.
    Then, as her eyes caught her camera on the desk, lying next to the Archer case folder, a thought overtook her. Small, at first, but it coalesced into something that made her stop walking. She opened the case folder one more time, then reviewed the TV map image on her camera’s screen. Thirty seconds later, she smiled and left the office.
     

 
     
     
    … GAAA 10 TTGA...
    Duke’s , 5:27 PM
     
    Tara threaded her way through the crowded bar, where the noise of vacationers and locals taking advantage of happy hour almost drowned out the waves thundering on the reef offshore. She headed for the open-air seating area, only slightly less packed than the bar, where she was greeted with a stunning view of the ocean.
    Beyond the umbrella-shaded tables situated on the sand, surfers rode waves across the coral reefs while tourists floated closer to shore on rafts. A three-piece band played island music as people danced nearby, most holding drinks.
    Shielding her eyes from the sun, Tara scanned the tables while she mentally pictured the blond haired man she’d just seen on television. Before long, she fixated on a shaggy haired surfer type in shorts, a T-shirt and flip-flops occupying a seat at an end table. Three other college-aged men sat with him, but as Tara watched, two of them patted him on the shoulder, got up and left.
    Tara made her way to his table.
    “Excuse me, are you Dave Turner?” Tara asked the surfer guy. The other man who still shared his table stood up and smiled briefly at Tara before turning back to Dave. “I won’t keep you from your fan club, bro. Just wanted to make sure I’d still be able to collect on that beer you owe me after I heard about what happened out