The Beast of Lake Flourish

By Kathy Smith

This story follows two young critical care nurses, their friends and family, their loves and the patients they care for. The self-described ‘BFF's', although polar opposites, find themselves caring for their beautiful dance instructor (Eve) after she is violently assaulted and then become the obsession of her attacker. They must fight to save her life as well as their own.

Eve's attack brings back memories of a case from six years ago. A mother and daughter went missing and were never to be found. Due to similarities, the agents re-open that case. Determined to find Eve's assailant (and the missing mother/daughter), the agents embark on a hunt that takes many sharp turns.

Beasts come in all forms and lurk in infinite darkness. The town's ‘Beast' becomes obsessed with Davia and Holly, and stalks them at work and home.

Meanwhile, a young teen is being held captive and hidden in a clandestine cellar.

June Lovekin, the town's beloved author wrote, ‘The Magical Fairies of Lake Flourish', which quickly made her famous. Her book is about a community of magical fairies. The princess fairy ‘Violet' clips her wing on a branch and begins falling toward the lake. She must travel miles to find the special glue that will repair her broken wing, but first (and ironically) she too must get past ‘the Beast'.

The captive teen lives vicariously through Princess Violet. After all, Violet's life is much more exciting and magical than hers in captivity.

There are many stories intertwined inside this novel. The unique characters each have their own secrets and stories to tell (stories of love, passion, acceptance, courage and determination). This story will keep you at the edge of your seat, while bringing you tears of laughter and joy and a yearning for more.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9781637104880

Kathy Smith

As a young teenager, I loved to ride my bike. I loved the outdoors to feel the wind in my face as I rode down the hills. I am now a mother of five children and a grandmother of eight. I love to read and hope to pass on my love of reading to them and other children as well. Kathy Smith

Book preview

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The Beast of Lake Flourish

Kathy Smith

Copyright © 2021 Kathy Smith

All rights reserved

First Edition

Fulton Books, Inc.

Meadville, PA

Published by Fulton Books 2021

ISBN 978-1-63710-487-3 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63710-488-0 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Tweety Bird on Steroids

Dazzling Jewels

Just Another Day

The Patients and the Team

Holly

Davia

Coincidence?

The Date

Not Again

The Reunion

Declan

Uber

Get to the Lake House

The Evidence

Fire in the Barn, Part I

Fire in the Barn, Part II

The Aftermath

The Awards Ceremony

Welcome Home, Baby Law

The Venture

The Women’s March

Spring Bling

Till the Wheels Blow

The Final Chapter: 2020

Acknowledgments

To my children—Art, David, Austin, and Bella (and my beloved Leilani too), for filling my heart with love and my life with happiness.

To my husband—Howard. Thank you for always being there for me. I love you!

To all my nurse friends (especially Kathy B and Shella). You have inspired me by your kindness, love, and dedication.

To my dance friends—Andrea, Suzanne, Maureen and Nancy. We shared a strong bond through our love for the art of ATS belly dance.

To Katie, Kevin, and Kelsie—thank you for being a part of my life.

Intro

Everyone has a story to tell…and most often a secret that has haunted them for years. Memories and truths, once buried, often surface later in life leading to severe mental pain and subsequent vices. This story is about two young critical care nurses (Davia Jane and Holly Day), their close friends and relatives, and the patients they care for. Davia and Holly (self-described BFF’s) find themselves caring for their dance instructor after she is violently assaulted and then become the obsession of her psychotic attacker. They must fight to save her life as well as their own.

Meanwhile, as detectives search for the town’s serial predator, a young teen (hidden in a clandestine cellar) also fights for her life. Will she be found before it’s too late?

Chapter 1

Tweety Bird on Steroids

February 22, 2017 (Day 1)

It was a gloomy, overcast day, the kind of day when you just want to find a racy romance novel to read or binge-watch your favorite Netflix show for hours. Headlines read that she was last seen wearing a boho-style circle skirt and driving her yellow 2015 Corvette, with the words Tweety Bird on Steroids written on the license plate holder. Flyers and yellow ribbons were being posted/hung throughout the small, close-knit lakeside town known as Porterville. Her disappearance sparked a city-wide search, complete with cadaver dogs and dive teams. According to news reports, Eve (an alluring and ambitious dance instructor) was last seen leaving after performing at a local café in which she also worked part-time. Deedee, a concerned co-worker, notified the police when Eve did not show up for work Wednesday morning.

City police set up a search-and-rescue operation, in which the FBI and local townspeople joined. The search team combed the area in hopes of finding Eve alive. Leading the search was Leo Benjamin. He and his rescue dog, Tank, a white Labrador retriever, hiked the area often. Eve’s yellow Corvette was found abandoned at a Starbucks parking lot and taken to a lab for forensic testing.

Come on, Tank, commanded Leo as he held a pink hoodie sweatshirt retrieved from the missing woman’s car up to his dog’s nose. Go find her, Tank.

Also participating in the search was Eve’s co-worker Deedee. She assisted Leo in passing out flyers to those joining them in their search efforts.

Nice truck, came a gravelly voice out of nowhere.

Thanks, it’s my work truck, Leo responded to the volunteer.

Beautiful dog too.

Yes, he is a beauty. He’s my partner. He and I have teamed up for many searches. We’re hoping we can find this woman before it’s too late.

Have you found any clues yet? asked the solicitous individual.

We haven’t yet, but we’re very optimistic. First impressions told him that the volunteer may be indigent, as his brown corduroy jacket looked as if it were purchased from the local thrift shop. We’re combing the entire area for clues. Would you mind passing out some flyers for me? We need all the help we can get.

I can do that, he answered with sincere eagerness and tipped his tattered green cap. Closure isn’t closure until someone’s ready to close the door, he quoted (https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/72451.Jonathan Maberry).

Oh, you must be a fan of Jonathan Maberry. I’ve read a few of his books. Leo recognized the quote from Maberry’s book Rot & Ruin. It’s a good read. I was hooked immediately. Leo felt slightly disturbed by the quote but appreciated the man’s desire to help with the rescue.

Leo couldn’t help but be reminded of a past case that went cold. It happened about 6 years ago. A young single mother and her nine-year-old daughter were picnicking at the lake and never returned home. The two were never found, as the few clues they did have led them to a virtual dead end. The family swore that the young woman would never leave Porterville, for Valentia was extremely close to her parents and siblings.

Meanwhile, in a secluded area, a lifeless, half-naked woman’s body lay inches from the turbid waters of the lakeshore. Her flaccid hand swayed back and forth with the waves as the murky water began to ascend under the dusky, caliginous sky. As the moon rose, it began to shine an incandescent light on the woman’s limp body. Only able to open one eye, she is drawn to the lustrous light. She noted a rather large, shiny black spider spinning a web. Fireflies added to the shimmering display of the arachnid’s fine architectural design. Mesmerized by the spider’s exceptional creation, she noticed tiny leaves being dropped into the web as if to shield her from the light. She heard faint voices muttering from beyond the tall grass. The woman struggled to move her cold, mottled hand out of the shivery water but then faded into unconsciousness again.

News of the missing woman was airing on all channels. According to reports, the young dance instructor went missing after performing a belly-dance solo at Naan Cafe. The FBI was following up on tips that she was to meet up with a man she’d met on the internet but that his profile may have been faked as they could not identify him. Deedee was questioned by the FBI for several hours but was only able to give them limited information.

Meanwhile, two nurse co-workers, Davia and Holly, were shell-shocked to learn that the missing woman was their dance instructor and newfound friend, Eve.

Davia Benjamin-Jane, a doughty and devout Catholic, had lost her husband when she was pregnant with their first child. She attended Mass every Sunday that she wasn’t working and prayed with her daughter routinely. She often recited the Psalms and/or other scriptures from the Bible to her patients while sitting at their bedside and holding their hands. She prayed the rosary faithfully every day and proudly wore a Saint Agatha medal around her neck. Saint Agatha was deemed the nurses’ patron saint for her resilience to hardships. Davia described her political views as mostly conservative depending on the issue(s). She was adamantly pro-life but felt that abortion could be allowed in cases of rape or incest, or if the mother’s life was in jeopardy.

Feeling the urge to find love again, she posted her bio to Match.com. It read, Beautiful inside and out, smart, sexy, and witty, looking for a handsome, intelligent, and gentle Christian man that loves to cook. She found one man of interest, although she was curious as to why he wore sunglasses for his bio pic. She stayed up late last night messaging him back and forth.

Holly Rose Day, her polar opposite, was a proud feminist who opposed most conservative policies. With an ebullient spirit, she followed the party of Resistance. Her quest for equal pay for women, as well as animal liberation and protection, led her to sign up for the women’s march/movement and proudly sport her new pink pussy hat (as Davia called them). She also embraced a much more liberal (somewhat free-spirited) lifestyle than her BFF. Panic attacks, which Holly attributed to her mother’s abuse, had plagued her for years.

The BFFs once marched in dual rallies. The Taxpayer March, also known as the 9/12 Tea Party Protest March, was held on September 12, 2009. The march began at Freedom Plaza and ended at the United States Capital in Washington, DC. Davia proudly walked for the Tea Party movement, while Holly joined a group of counter-protesters. It was estimated that tens of thousands to possibly 75,000 protesters marched that day (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxpayer_March_on_Washington).

Despite their differences, Davia and Holly maintained a mutual respect for each other’s opinions. The two confidants lived for Friday night happy hour at Pappy’s Sports Bar to decompress over the intense stress that was associated with critical care nursing and to share stories of their lost or failed relationships.

It all started on January 10, 2017 (six weeks prior to Eve’s disappearance). Davia (aka Davi to her close friends and family) and Holly met Eve about six weeks ago while having coffee at the local diner that Eve worked part-time. The three hit it off quickly. Eve was handing out flyers to her customers with Facebook links to (1) join her belly dance class and (2) join her in the women’s march scheduled for March.

It was January of 2017, and Donald J. Trump had just been elected president. In response to Hillary’s loss, Democrats were organizing liberal protests and marches were scheduled throughout the country. Feminists from major cities of America (mostly New York and California) were promoting the #MeToo movement. The left-leaning Democrats feared that a Republican president may overturn Roe vs. Wade.

Conservatives, on the other hand, were organizing their own protests to support the newly elected president. They voiced their opposition to abortion, specifically late-term abortions, and demanded border security. The Republican party feared their constitutional rights were in jeopardy (expression and faith, freedom of speech, gun rights).

You must have a secret admirer, Davia said to Eve, while acknowledging the twenty-dollar bill left by a patron for a cup of coffee. Looks like he also left you a note.

Sparkling sable eyes, fixed upon mine.

Tacit in a catatonic state, an enamored sign.

It’s a poem, expressed Eve. Should I be flattered? It’s very romantic. Did you see the man?

I didn’t, replied Davia, but I did notice his shabby green baseball cap as he turned toward the wall.

I saw the man reading his newspaper, asserted Holly. I thought it was strange, since he appeared to be reading but had these dark sunglasses on. His sleeves were rolled up, and I found myself drawn to his many colorful tattoos. Each one was unique and blended into the other with remarkable and artistic detail. I was once told that one’s body art can reveal certain personality traits. He left in a hurry, so I didn’t get a good look at his face. I did see him pick up your flyer, though.

Eve stuffed the twenty-dollar bill in her apron and thanked Davia and Holly for coming in. I hope to see you two at my dance class next week, and if you want to check out the dance before class, I perform at Naan Cafe every Tuesday. Come check me out. If you join my class, we’ll have six weeks of lessons, and then I’ll have you join my troupe on stage. I always have a class performance at the end of the six-week session. Since this class will end in March, we’ll call this student recital our Spring Bling Hafla. There is nothing more beautiful to me than the elegance and hypnotizing movements of my dancers in their vibrant, flowing skirts. We dance to inspire women of all ages and sizes to join this beautiful art form called American Tribal Style (ATS) belly dance. Men are also welcome, and I’ve seen some amazing men performing ATS belly dance. I also teach and dance the Egyptian form if you prefer.

Isn’t she beautiful? said Holly while finishing her toast and coffee. And I could use a dance class. I know I’ve gained a few excess pounds over the holidays. I hope we never start smoking weed, or we’ll have to face the wrath of middle age before our time comes. Plus, I have always wanted to learn to belly dance.

So have I, replied Davia. She’s beautiful and curvy. I’d love to have a body like that. This should get us in perfect bikini shape by summer.

I agree, Davi. Let’s give it a try. After all, you know how much I despise going to the gym. I hate the treadmill or anything cardio. I like the idea of having fun while exercising.

Mesmerized by Eve’s beauty and having just made New Year’s resolutions to get back in shape, the two longtime friends agreed to give Eve’s dance class a try, as well as join her in the women’s march. Davia made it clear that she would be marching for her conservative views but that she also stood for animal protection and equal pay for women. The three lovely ladies quickly established a bond based on their mutual admiration for the ancient art form of belly dance.

Chapter 2

Dazzling Jewels

Eve had many talents. Her call to dance came at an incredibly young age. It was her Aunt Jewel that first noticed the grace and elegance of Eve’s every move. With legs that reached to the sky, dance came naturally to her. She learned early on that her beauty was her superpower and her ability to kindle passion for all living creatures was her brand. Her curvaceous hips combined with her seductive dance movements were absolutely mesmerizing. Her long, silky black hair flowed to her waist. She often flipped it from side to side, instantly sending her audience into a heightened state of arousal.

Besides being an expert in dance, she was an assertive animal rights activist and part-time waitress. The brave defender of animal rights once stole a chicken from a chicken processing plant. Her mission was to bring attention to the horrific conditions (overcrowding and cruel treatment of chickens and/or pigs). The animal rights group, led by a veterinarian who gave her career up to solely concentrate on animal rights, resolved to expose and end the inhumane practices of factory farming.

The protestors, knowing they would be jailed for forty-eight hours, as there was not enough money from contributions and donations to post bail money for themselves, agreed that stealing the chicken was still the right thing to do.

Eve and her group waited until dark, and she (since she was the skinniest) dug a hole under the barbed-wire fence. Eve stilly snuck into the cage to steal the chicken when the alarm went off. Holding the chicken in her arms, she ran as fast as she could. Bright lights were flipped on and surrounded her. She raced toward her exit and successfully handed the chicken off to her leader on the other side. Unfortunately, she was caught attempting to crawl back under the fence. She and the group (six total) spent forty-eight hours in jail. Their attorney was able to get the charges dropped.

But that wasn’t all. Eve protested animal cruelty at Santa Anita and Del Mar racetracks, after hearing the horses were breaking limbs and being euthanized. She stood in front of the horse racing barns wearing a horsehead and holding a hand-made sign that read, Save the Horses. There was also the time she snuck into a pig’s pen, while the leader of her group videotaped her wallowing in the mud wearing only a pig snout, bra, and skirt. Her sign read, Animals Have Rights.

Just last month, she and her leader drove six hours to a Lei Lo concert to protest the sale of fur coats, also known as the Fur Ban. Eve rolled up a large sign and put it under her shirt. When she saw opportunity, she ran and jumped up onto the stage and rolled out her sign for the completely filled stadium to see. She was quickly removed by security of course and sent to jail for another forty-eight hours.

Eve loved the outdoors, fast cars, and sexy, sequined costumes. American Tribal Style (ATS®) Belly Dance was her preferred style, but she was fluent in Egyptian style belly dance as well. ATS dance is a unique style of dance, based on improvisation. Carolena Nericcio (of FatChanceBellyDance®) created this dance form in San Francisco in the eighties, which is now taught in sister studios throughout the USA and the world (https://fcbd.com).

Eve had a level of confidence only a diva could have. She graced the stage like a Miss America beauty pageant contestant. Her seductive ebony eyes could captivate any suitor with just one glance. A few scattered tattoos on her wrist and lower right abdomen were so vibrant and colorful that she presented like a pliant peacock.

Eve’s dance troupe often danced at diners and bars throughout their close-knit town. She and her glamorous dancers shimmied their way on stage wearing full colorful circle skirts, coin bras, and tasseled hip scarfs. ATS dancers often wore what is called a flower garden on their heads, as they donned large colorful, glittery flowers. Eve and her dancers also applied a dazzling jewel, or bindi,