Terror at Willow Isle: Book Iii of the Sunny Isle Thriller Series

By Hope Hamilton Tate

Albert Jones and several doctors disappear from the hospital along with the blood supply, containing samples of Drulietta and Delamar. While the law is looking for them, Chad moves his family to Willow Isle – their new home. Six months of reprieve tricks him into a false sense of security, and while he is showing the property to his family, gunshots echo through the vastness of the estate. With a pounding heart, Chad runs to Willow Isle, but he is too late. Drulietta is on the lawn, wraps in a rug, and there is no trace of Delamar. Justin tries to gain entrance to the house, but gunshots fly over his head, stopping him in his tracks. With the aid of a blow horn, the marauders announce their demands to gain access to Willow Isle. They give Chad three days to bury Drulietta and bring Delamar to them. Can Chad locates Delamar and saves his family from the new threat on the horizon of their lives?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728322322

Hope Hamilton Tate

Hope Hamilton Tate is the author of The Sunny Isle Thriller Series, which consists of {1} Love and Mayhem on the Sunny Isle of Jamaica, {2} Passion and Turmoil on The Sunny Isle, and {3} Terror at Willow Isle. She attended Kean University in Union, New Jersey, where she obtained a B.S. degree in accounting even though, her passion is writing. Hope chooses the island of Jamaica for the sceneries in her books because of its picturesque beauty, and her knowledge of the island.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

~Willow Isle~

Willow Isle stretched across the Ogilvy estate, a memento of the people slaughtered by the Council of Friends in High Places. Tried and convicted for their crimes, that part of the nightmare was finally over, but James Casanova, Selena Paradise, and Albert Jones were still free to continue their tyranny, leaving Drulietta Ogilvy to wonder where the horror ended, and the living began.

Chad Ogilvy meandered over the parameters of his new abode, pleased that he was finally home. He thought about Drulietta, and the marital bliss they had shared for almost a year. The last attempt to put an end to her existence was six months earlier, and Chad hoped that the enemy was no longer trying to eliminate the Willoweens. Chad gazed at the picturesque horizon, which stretched like a never-ending landscape against the cloudless sky, knowing that his hope was only a daydream, and the enemy was still lying in wait for Drulietta.

Chad took a deep breath, inhaling the clean air that was messing up his dark wavy hair and rustling among the leaves of the Willow trees. Chad was handsome, muscular, and tall, with piercing hazel eyes embedded in a heart-shaped face, and a smile that could pierce the soul and stayed there forever. He pushed his hands in the pockets of his belted blue pants and stared up at the clouds floating around in the firmament, while the sun sparkled on his cream shirt, which complimented his fair complexion.

I will give you a diamond shilling for your thoughts, said Drulietta Ogilvy. She belonged to a race of people known as the Willoweens, and like them, she possessed extraordinary skills and telepathic powers. Her hair was long and black, and it bounced on the soft breeze, mimicking her movements. Drulietta was tall with a svelte frame, and under a darkened sky, her chameleonic eyes would change to incandescent green-almost catlike.

Chad turned, picked her up, and swung her around. They are thoughts of you, Little Angel with the Chameleon Eyes. Therefore, they are worth a lot more, he smiled, highlighting the dimples in his cheeks.

Would you like to share them with me? Drulietta smiled.

I was thinking how much I love you and want you, Chad responded with mischief in his eyes.

Are you feeling neglected? Drulietta queried. There are lots of changes in our lives. We are in a new house; Nana is with Dad; Frank is visiting his family in England; and Delamar is back in school.

Chad held her around the waist and kissed her. Maybe, I have been overlooking you, but since you mentioned it, and we are alone, I will show you how much I love you.

They were still kissing, wrapped in an ardent embrace, when another voice intruded on their romantic moment.

It has been a year, and you are still at it, laughed Justin Davenport. He combed his fingers through his dark hair, his brown eyes dancing with mischief. He was in his early forties and was an ex-basketball, player with a penchant for running, and the Martial Arts. Justin was tall, with a lean frame and a hearty appetite for Clarissa’s sumptuous dishes.

Chad gazed at him. And you are still hanging around, he remarked.

Of course, said Justin. Where else can I get a decent meal for free?

Mommy, Daddy! shouted Delamar Ogilvy as he ran to greet them.

Chad picked him up and dangled him around. How is my Little Chad, doing?

I’m doing well, said Delamar. My teacher said I should be in a special school for gifted kids, and he wants to talk to you and Mommy about it. He ran to his mother and hugged her around the waist. I love you, Mommy, he greeted her. Then, he flashed her one of his charismatic smiles, which did not dissipate the underlying somberness in his expression.

Drulietta ruffled the wavy dark hair of the rambunctious seven-year-old. She peered into his piercing charcoal eyes, which seemed to be seeing beyond the obvious. You are getting so big that I can hardly lift you, anymore, she remarked.

Don’t worry, Mommy, Delamar smiled. Soon, I will be lifting you and swinging you around as Daddy does. See you later. I have to help Nana with the food, he waved and took off like a puff of smoke.

Chad placed his arm around Drulietta. Did you see that? he asked. He’s running almost as fast as you.

A man has to think about his stomach, Justin remarked. I think I will help too. See you later, Uncle Merc. He gestured at Mercurio Callaghan and ran after Delamar.

In a few more years, he will be taller than me, and running much faster than me, said Drulietta. Did you hear how excited he was about school? He does not know that he is not like other kids. Dad, how did Daddy handle me when I was that age?

Mercurio Callaghan combed his fingers through his slightly graying hair and straightened the horn-rimmed glasses on his nose. He was in his early fifties, and he was Chamberlain’s best friend. Your childhood was different from Delamar’s, he began. You were not in school long enough for a teacher to realize that you were smarter than all the other kids were. Cilla was different from you, and so is Delamar. They only inherited some of the gifts of the Willoweens, but you acquired all their capabilities, and then some. In many ways, you are also different from Willoweens. You have all the super abilities of Caroline and the spirit of Chamberlain. The Council could not have captured you and forced you to work for them.

Dad, did you study us? Drulietta asked.

Mercurio nodded and looked at Chad. I also found out that she may not survive a pregnancy because she is a bleeder like her mother, and her blood does not coagulate. A transfusion from an immediate family member could save her, but except for Delamar, there is none.

Dad, since you knew all this, why didn’t you tell me, and why did you allow me to marry Chad? I should be living in Freaksville, and he does not deserve that. Chad brought a lot to this marriage, and the only things he gets in return are my needs. She burst into tears and ran for the house with Chad behind her.

They entered a living room that was as an eccentric picture infused with an aura of beauty and nostalgia. Hanging over the artificial fireplace was a portrait of Chad and Drulietta, reminiscent of the one at Van Hamilton estate. Lush burgundy carpeting covered the floors, and the settees of velvety suede added an air of elegance to the décor. Chic crochet pieces perched daintily on the mahogany furnishings, and a cove of pictures swathed the walls on the far end of the room.

Chad grasped her around the waist, preventing her from escaping to the bedroom. He put her on the Chesterfield, bent over her, and kissed her. Now, Mrs. Ogilvy, how would you like me to handle this?

Would you please hold me and never let me go, she said.

Chad sat down beside her and wrapped his muscular arms around her. I know everything about you. That is why I had a vasectomy and is so attentive to every little bruise that you get. Bobby Brooks’ bullet was for you, but I stood between you and that glint because I knew that you could not survive a gunshot, and I could not survive without you.

Why didn’t you tell me? Drulietta asked.

I knew that you would have acted this way, and you would have said no to my marriage proposal. Come along, Little Angel with the Chameleon Eyes, the family awaits us, Chad added.

They entered the dining room, which was another replica of Chamberlain’s architectural legacy. The dining room table was of chipped marble, and cupboards lined the walls in a circle, creating an illusion of tilted cabinets. The appliances stood in one corner of the room, surrounded by linoleum swatches in the shape of roses, and the wooden floors shone like sparkling diamonds. They were smiling, and all eyes were on them. Chad pulled out a chair for Drulietta, and then he sat on the one next to hers.

Justin clapped his hands and pointed at Chad. I never thought the day would come when you would use a belt, on your wife. Congratulations, my boy. That is the way to deal with a woman. I wish I had a cigar to give you. Next time, pelt her a little harder. Make her scream and beg you to stop.

What makes you think that I hit her? asked Chad.

Why else would she be crying? Justin replied.

Frowning, Delamar looked at Justin. Don’t be a zero head, Uncle Justin. Daddy would spank me if I did something bad, but he would never hit Mommy.

Chad put his arm around his son and ruffled his hair. That is telling him, Little Chad.

I must say that I am disappointed, Justin admonished. Slapping them is my method, and it always worked. By the way, when are you going to give her a little playmate for Delamar?

If you are so worried about a little playmate for Delamar, why don’t you get him one? said Mercurio Callaghan. It is time you get married and start a family of your own.

Justin laughed. I’m still looking for my dream girl, but I have not found her as yet.

That’s because you are still looking for a green-eyed beauty, said Clarissa. I hate to disappoint you, but they are all extinct.

Clarissa Callaghan was Chad’s mother, and she was one of the best cooks in all Jamaica. Her dishes had an aroma that could invite the most fastidious eaters to feast upon them. She was petite in frame with dark-brown eyes, and a heart-shaped face. She smiled, accentuating the dimples in her cheeks, which was a trait Chad had inherited from her.

Nana, Justin is not just looking for a green-eyed beauty, he wants one that cooks like you, Drulietta laughed.

Your mother was a great cook, said Clarissa. She was artistic in every way, and she did everything to perfection.

Poor Daddy must have missed her, Drulietta said wistfully. He could not even boil water without burning it. Maybe, if she had lived, I would know how to cook.

Mommy, don’t be sad, piped Delamar. We all love you, and you do not have to cook. We have Nana, and she cooks better than everybody in the whole wide world.

Chad placed his hand on the head of his son. When did you get to be so smart? he asked. Then, he switched his acuity to Mercurio. Dad, after dinner, I will show you and Mom the property. You have not yet seen it.

Uncle Merc, what should I call you? asked Delamar. I cannot call you Dad, Grandpa, Grandfather, or Granddad because all those names are taken. How about, Grand Pappy? he added.

Mercurio hugged Delamar. It would be an honor, he smiled.

Delamar turned his attention to his mother. Mommy, I don’t want to go to that special school for gifted children, he blurted.

Why not? asked Drulietta.

It was not my teacher’s idea, said Delamar.

Whose idea was it? Chad asked.

The man who looks like you, Delamar replied.

Drulietta gripped Chad’s arm. Oh God, not again, she uttered.

Chad knew what she was thinking, and he noticed that her temperature was escalating. Please, relax my little angel, he cautioned.

Holding Drulietta’s hand, Chad returned his attention to Delamar. Delamar had an ability to read deception, and Chad trusted his judgments. Have you ever seen this man before? Chad asked.

I think so, but I am not sure, Delamar replied. He smiles a lot, and he wants me to like him, but I don’t like him. When I was a little boy, I would have kicked him.

I need to get this straight. What kind of boy are you, now? asked Justin, trying to suppress his laughter.

Delamar turned to him. Don’t be a zero head, Uncle Justin. I am a big boy, now. I am nearly as tall as Nana, and my beard is growing fast. Soon, I will have to shave like Daddy.

Not so fast, said Drulietta. I would like to enjoy my baby a little longer.

Chad turned Delamar face to his. You look so much like me. I think I will change your name to Chad Jr.

I like that, said Drulietta. Now, Chad Jr., why didn’t you like that man from your school?

He asked about you and Daddy. He likes Daddy a lot, but when it comes to you, he is like a mongoose trying to cross the street. He cannot decide whether to hate you or love you.

How do you know that? asked Chad.

I cannot explain it, Delamar replied. I just know he wants to hurt Mommy.

Did he tell you his name? asked Drulietta.

Yes, Mommy, it is James Casanova, and he said he’s my grandfather.

CHAPTER 2

~The Calm in the Eye of the Storm~

Drulietta placed her hand to her lips to stifle the outcry that scorched her tongue. No, not again, she uttered. Why doesn’t he leave us alone?

Please, don’t get upset, my little angel, Chad tried to comfort her. Your temperature will go up, and this person is not worth it. We will call Dylan and place a restraining order against him. The only reason he is not in jail is that they cannot find him.

Delamar vacated his chair and hugged his mother. Please don’t cry, Mommy, he soothed. I told him that I would never leave you.

Chad looked at his son, What else did he tell you?" he asked.

He said you and Claude are his sons, but Claude is my father. He wants me to come and live with him because Claude died. He blames Mommy for you and Claude.

Did he tell you why he blames Mommy? asked Chad.

Delamar nodded and continued his saga. He said that Mommy is one of the cat people, and her eyes made you and Claude fell in love with her. I was going to kick him, but the bell rang, and I had to go to class.

But you are a big boy now, why would you kick him? Justin laughed.

Because he talked bad about Mommy, Delamar responded.

Drulietta hugged her son. She knew she could no longer shield him from the horrific tale of the Willoweens. She needed to tell him the story in its entirety. Knowledge was the only alternative to protect him from James Casanova. Drulietta turned to Chad with an unusual request. Today, I’ll tell him about the Willoweens, but please promise me that if anything happens to me, you will prevent James Casanova, from getting our son.

I promise, said Chad. But nothing will happen to you. I will kill James Casanova if he tries to hurt my family.

Clarissa looked at Mercurio. The evil beast will not leave us alone, will he? For the last six months, I have been hoping and praying that he would turn his attention elsewhere and leave our children alone. Someday, he may push me too far, and I may be the one to put an end to his miserable existence. Her eyes flashed with the abhorrence she felt for Casanova.

Drulietta wrung her hands. Her palms were clammy from her intensifying temperature. She turned to Chad, tears splashing on her cheeks. He hunts us as though we are species of rare animals for his prized menagerie. He makes us prisoners in our own home. We have not committed any crimes, but we are always on the run. The courts protect his rights to live as a human being, but treat us as though we have no rights. Even our seven-year-old is now a target for his evil games. Where is the justice in that?

Chad took her hands and held them between his. He massaged her fingers, trying desperately to bring some consolation to her tortured soul. Don’t worry. We beat him before, and we will beat him again, he assured her.

She looked into his piercing hazel eyes, and she could feel the tenderness emanating from them. Honey, I’m only twenty-two, and I have been fighting with this man for the last twenty-two years, not to mention my ancestors before me. I am tired of fighting. I will resurrect my Derringer, and when I see him, I will not ask any questions. I will shoot him, step over his dead carcass, and leave him as a feast for the John Crows.

Chad’s concerns for his wife escalated when he realized that she was not only afraid, but she was also livid, and he tried to reason with her. Little Angel with the Chameleon Eyes, I know that you are angry, and I don’t blame you, but please don’t allow your revulsion of this man to destroy you. People like him feed on the pain they inflict on others. His only satisfaction is to suck away all your joy, leaving you as an empty husk. Please don’t allow him to do that to you.

You are right, Drulietta smiled. I should be an example for our son, and right now, I’m not setting a good one for him.

Justin peered at her. I understand what Chad is saying, but please remember that James Casanova knows you as well as you know him. Therefore, please do not underestimate him. Now, let us eat. We will need our strength to deal with this Casanova nightmare. Nana, where did you find ackee at this time of the year; it is out of season, he added.

Merc picked them and froze them when they were in season, Clarissa explained. She served rice and peas, curried goat, roast breadfruit, sweet cassava, yellow yam, steamed dumplings, escovitch fish, and steamed lobster.

Justin stared at the entrée with awe on his countenance. Nana, did you forget that there are only two of them and a little boy? I may have to move in here and bring a few farmhands with me to help them eat all this food.

I don’t want your farmhands near my wife, said Chad. She cannot even go to the mansion without them stopping what they are doing, so they can stare and whistle at her.

You cannot blame them, Justin laughed. She has evolved from a tomboy to a beautiful young lady, and she is getting more beautiful every day.

Yes, Chad smiled. She is beautiful, and they can think that, but I wish they were not so blatant with their whistles.

Drulietta was in a reflective mood, and she was not listening to the discussion. The emergence of James Casanova was upsetting for her. What was he planning? Why did he reveal that information to Delamar? What did he hope to gain by it? A multitude of questions clanged around in her brain with only one conclusion. James was back in her life, and like a termite, he was eating away at the foundation of her being.

She looked at Chad. Honey, I know that we have been planning to take Dad and Nana on a tour of the estate, but would you mind if Delamar and I stay behind?

Chad could feel her pain and her concerns. Please don’t worry about Casanova. We are safe here, he assured her. Chad hardly believed what he had said. To them, safety was an illusion – a word used to appease the nightmares of a frightened child, but in reality, it did not exist.

A taint of apprehension pelted Drulietta, and even the aroma of all her favorite dishes, could not wipe away the terror she felt. Long before her existence, Casanova was the root of her ancestor’s heartaches. He helped to destroy her lineage, making Drulietta and Delamar the last of their kind. Drulietta found and brought his co-conspirators to trial, and they were in prison for their crimes. However, Casanova managed to escape the law. Now, he was back to finish what he started those many years ago, and she wondered if Selena Paradise was with him.

Please eat this, Chad coaxed, trying to entice her with a fork of Ackee and Saltfish. If you get any thinner, everyone will think that I am mistreating you.

I have been thinking about that, said Justin. Are you sure that you did not give her a Little Chad? After all, you have been with her for months with hardly any interruptions.

Uncle Justin, our Little Chad is sitting at the table with us, said Drulietta. He is only seven, and I am not ready for him to learn about the birds and the bees. On the other hand, Big Chad is my husband; why are you so concern about what he is giving me?

Well, you are my niece, Justin laughed. I want to make sure he is treating you right. Chad is not always aware of what a woman needs.

Then, you can put your mind at rest, Drulietta countered. Everything Chad gives me is something that I need and want.

Justin looked at Chad and smiled. Our little Spitfire is back. I knew that if I kept harping, I would strike the right chord and she would be all over me like red on a ripe tomato.

After dinner, Chad kissed his wife and child and took his parents on a tour of the property. Chad led them to a secluded area, sheltered by groves of weeping willow trees. He pointed at the trees and enlightened them on the significance of the willows. The dominance of the willows is the reason we named our home Willow Isle, Chad smiled. Dru thought that all these willows made the estate a fitting memento of the Willoweens, and we named our home in their honor.

Later, he took them through a labyrinth of windy paths, and into a clearing where a stream’s blue-green water danced before a tuft of Spanish needles. Watch out for those, he warned. Their yellow and white flowers are beautiful, but their spindly spikes will stick to your clothes like little magnets.

Enthralled, they gazed at the azure water. The pebbles at the bottom shone like diamond shillings, and the clear water rippled when a frog emerged from its resting place. This is one of Dru’s favorite spots, Chad smiled. The first time, I took her here; she took off her shoes and jumped into the water. Then she invited me to join her, even though we were both fully clothed. I told her that I had forgotten my trunks, and she cupped her hand and drenched me with the water. He recalled how curvy she had looked in her wet clothes, and how hard it was for him to keep his hands to himself. He smiled at the memory.

Why are you smiling? asked Justin. Chad is not as innocent as you think. He did something with her.

It was our first date, Chad laughed. I knew that she was not ready for a relationship, but that did not stop me from thinking how beautiful she was. He turned his attention to Justin. I fell in love with her the first time I saw her, but she was more important to me than my feelings.

Justin shook his head. You are stranger than my brother Chamberlain. By the way, you never told me how you met her.

I was going for an interview with Dad when I saw her on Lightning, galloping across the meadows. Her hair was flowing in the wind, undulating with her movements, and by the time, I got to the interview, I could not think of anything but her. She is still having that effect on me, Chad smiled.

We can see that, Justin laughed. You still run after her when she acts like a little girl. I would run after her, but after I catch her, she would not be able to sit down for a week.

Chad looked at Justin. I have a question for you. If I was married to Cilla instead of Dru, would you encourage me to hit Cilla?

Of course not, Justin responded.

Why not? asked Chad.

Dru is tough, but Cilla was not, said Justin. Cilla needed looking after.

Chad shook his head. Dru is right about you.

All eyes were on Justin as he tried to justify his way of thinking. You don’t understand. Dru and Cilla were different. Cilla was sweet and kind, and in every way, she was a little girl. Dru resembled her mother, but when she looked at me, her eyes sparkled with defiance, and she had a tongue to match. I believe that a woman should obey a man, and when they start to have opinions, it was time to use the leather strap.

I know that is your way of thinking, said Chad. But please remember that Dru is my wife. Don’t try to use a strap on her.

Later, they visited a pond where they watched the swimming ducks, and the blackbirds, flying overhead. They saw swallows, ground doves, and other birds with perked up wings, devouring insects from the water. Chad pointed out the spots where the water was not rippling. They seemed like tiny islands, meandering in the ocean, and his thoughts journeyed back to Drulietta.

Dru thinks that one of these spots was Willow Isle before The Council enslaved the people, and the earthquake finished the job for them, said Chad.

Next, Chad led them to a garden with flowers of many colors. They admired a clump of green shrubbery, and the red blossoms, peeping out at them like tiny eyes, searching for knowledge.

Eventually, they came to a unique cluster of willow trees. This is Lover’s Abode, Chad said, remembering the first time he had introduced it to Drulietta.

They followed him inside, noting that the trees created a nesting place and an ideal shady alcove with an earthy scent and an ambiance of serenity.

Dru loves this place, said Chad.

Impishly, Justin looked at him. Did you take her here before you were married? Chad nodded. Did she go inside with you? Again, Chad nodded. What did you do with her when you got her inside? Justin continued.

She sat on the ground and fell asleep, Chad smiled. While she was sleeping, I sat beside her, and placed her head against my shoulder because I wanted her to be comfortable.

Is that all? asked Justin.

What would you have done with her? asked Mercurio.

Nothing, said Justin. She’s my niece, but Chad was in love with her. If I were in his shoes, I would kiss her and ask her to make love. There is no need for alarm. Dru would never have followed me in here. Knowing Dru, I’m surprised that she came in here with Chad.

She followed Chad because she trusted him, said Clarissa. She knew that he would not hurt her.

I did not want to hurt her, Justin defended himself. There were times when I could not decide whether to hit her or hug her. Then she would look at me with those eyes, and I wanted to hit her.

That’s because you did not look past the green with the flashing lights, said Chad. If you had, you would have seen the sadness, the hurt, the uncertainties, the insecurities, the pain, and most of all; you would have seen that most of the time they are blue.

You saw all that in Dru’s eyes? Justin asked. I never saw any of those things. I saw defiance and distrust. I did not even see her cry until after she met you.

She told me that she did not want you to see her feelings because you would use it as ammunition against her, said Chad.

Justin was reflective. I believe that is my fault, he grinned and enlightened them on an occurrence from his past.

One night, Justin was suffering from a toothache. The pain was so acute that he was crying from the agony, and Drulietta got up and cried with him. Justin saw her green eyes in the semi-darkness, and he smacked her, but he made a grave mistake. Instead of swatting her on the posterior where no one would see the mark, he slapped her across her face where it was visible to everyone, including Chamberlain. When Chamberlain found out what Justin had done, Chamberlain chased after Justin with a stone in each of his hand, and he was aiming them at Justin’s head. Justin ran for the hills and stayed there for days, eating Redwood berries, and drinking spring water, which trickled from a rock.

That is one difference between us, said Chad. When she cries, I hug her until she stops.

Then you make love to her, Justin laughed.

Not always, said Chad. Sometimes, she only wants to talk; or have me hold her, and I do that too.

You seem to satisfy her every need, but what about your needs? Justin countered.

I have never met anyone like her, said Chad. She elevates me; she listens to me; and most of all, she loves me.

Justin gazed at Chad, trying to create a psychological profile of him. After my brother died, and Dru came back to the estate, a lot of suitors came after her. I managed to chase them all away, but I could not get rid of you. What made you stay? he asked.

Chad smiled, remembering the first time he spoke to Drulietta. She threatened to feed him to her dog.