The Death of 1977 (Book 3)

The breathtaking slap of warm, salty water brought a crushed and wounded Lynnette to her senses. With her two swollen eyes the woman tried to look around, but all she could make out in front and from left to right were blurry splotches. The salty water that was splashed into her face began to singe the bloody wounds that lacerated her nearly naked body.

She could feel her arms being restrained from above while her naked feet dangled beneath her. From her head all the way to her toes felt as if she had been beaten with spikes. Every inch of her body was in pain. Her face was a blood soaked mess and her clothes were nearly falling right off of her.

"Good evening, my love." She heard Livingston's voice draw near.

The man was actually standing right in front of her. The sun had gone down for the day, which left the cabin bathing in a subdued warmness from a lantern that was burning within a corner of the room. The crashing waves outside weren't at their highest tide as of yet. They sounded subtle and somewhat at ease still.

"Everyone has gone home for the night." Livingston said as he paced back and forth in front of Lynnette. "You'll have to forgive my friends and their not so delicate approach with you. I had to stop them after a while before they ended up killing you altogether." Livingston then caressed her face. "You're a rugged little thing, aren't you? I can tell that you've been through a lot in your life."

Lynnette couldn't even feel her own tongue or face for that matter. Everything around her was nothing but shapes.

Lifting her chin up, Livingston said, "Yes...you were once a lovely little bird."

"Jose." Lynnette gagged on her own blood.

"Oh, your boyfriend took a nice, long dive in the sea." Livingston plainly remarked. "Did you know that this island is surrounded by sharks? Nurse sharks, bull sharks; there's even been some great white sightings here and there. If that answers your question."

Lynnette shut her eyes and tried not to imagine anymore calamity coming to Jose's already dead body that had been discarded like garbage.

"Don't be too distraught, my love. People vanish around here all the time. One more dead body washing ashore won't exactly put a dent in the economy." Livingston stood back. "Now, my friends and I are very busy men, so I'm going to try and make this as painless as possible for you." He began to speak ever so politely. "We're not here to play a round of the Ministers Cat; rather, I want some information from you. You see, ever since I returned, this American girl has been the talk all over town. And I am just dying to know what makes her so popular."

"I'm nobody." Lynnette struggled to cough.

"Oh, come now, just like the old song goes, everyone is someone." He began to pace all over again. "You have to be someone, Lynnette Glover, from Cypress, Ohio."

Lynnette's eyes could make out the three other men standing at various points in the cabin with their weapons drawn. Though she couldn't focus on their faces, she could tell all the same that they were ready at a moment's notice to carry out any order that Livingston had in mind.

"I want to know why you are here all the way from a place called Ohio. And please don't say for the luxurious beaches."

Lynnette dropped her head in agony at that second and slurred, "I was looking for someone."

"Who might that be?"

Lynnette considered her answer at first. Whether wrong or correct, she realized that whatever she uttered would end up getting her killed.

Poking out his right ear, Livingston said aloud, "Who did you say you were looking for again?"

Lynnette held her breath for as long as she possibly could without losing conciseness. "Just take what you want from me, please." She whispered.

"Besides a tight snatch, what do you have that I want?" Livingston's tenor grew sharp. "You came here searching for someone, and I want to know who that someone is. Because the last time I checked, women from the states don't stay as tourists two and a half months just for the fun of it. Who are you working for? The FBI? CIA?"

"I don't

"She lyin', mon," Philippe shouted. "She be lookin' for Arthur

he once again approached Lynnette face to face.

just as many beats as it did months ago inside the old apartment building back home. All the twisting and turning she

again. The doctor once more called out the man's name, and the man opened his eyes and looked at the doctor before he finally bled out, shut

picked up a long butcher knife from off the floor. Lynnette started to

his chin with the tip of the blade. "I have taken both a woman's heart, and her life before." Livingston then reached

require much light in order to see her one and only purpose

wanna see him again? Tell us what we want to

"I'm here for Arthur Bushard!" She

Livingston turned around and began to walk away. "We know

"I know what he

four men paused. Livingston turned around and grinned, "We all know what he

"No...I know

if a bomb had dropped on every soul inside the cabin. Each of the henchmen handed one another penetrating stares while Livingston skittishly stepped

"Come again?" He

"I said...I know what he turns into. Both

on about?" One of

Livingston chided the man without even looking in his

"You

"You know

"Yes...yes, I

you one of Arthur or Demeare's jilted lovers?"

sister came after me and my son. They both tried

refined frown on his blushing face as to say he was at a loss

do you work for?" His

you, I

how do you know about

to kill us. My fiancé was one of them before

"I...I can't, mon! I can't be here!" Another one of the henchmen

"Shut him up!" Livingston screamed at

was as thick as billowing smoke from a blazing inferno. Everyone gathered seemed to be either overwrought

"Hey, mon, how she know

once again. "I'm going to entertain this a bit more. If you know about the Bushards, how is it that you are still here to tell

saw Arthur kill his sister." She strained

stared awkwardly at

"Yes."

what about Demarae," Livingston