Flashing lights…too bright. I am…confused. Wailing sirens…too loud. I don’t…understand. Flames burning…too hot. I want…to cry. People running…too fast. I don’t…want to live. Footsteps coming…too close. I can’t…live without him. Pure chaos was erupting at the Cape May Marina. Police were shouting, trying to move the spectators off the dock. Despite their tireless efforts, many people were still lingering. Hoping to capture the God-forsaken aftermath on their iPhones. Bits and pieces of metal were everywhere. On the dock, on the picnic benches, and scattered among the other boats tied in the slips. Yellow crime scene tape flapped haplessly in the wind. This wasn’t an accident. Gunshots had been fired. At least one casualty had been reported from witness reports. Frustration was rampant. Fear was apparent. Rumors were swirling. Was this the work of the infamous Closer? Had he descended upon this Victorian seaside resort and turned it upside down? Was he the one responsible for the murder of the man who had fallen overboard? Too many questions and not enough answers were plaguing every member of the police department and the fire crew. But the main question on everyone’s mind was…why? And in the midst of all the craziness, Jenna Reed felt a surging desolation seep through every pore of her body. He’s gone. Chase is never coming back. I’ve…lost him. She sat motionless on the weathered dock, staring into the deep unknown. Anger, fear, panic, loss…all these emotions had converged, done their damage, and left her battered. Only senseless shock continued to hover over her like the Grim Reaper. She simply existed. Surrendering to the hollowness that threatened to invade and crush her heart. She was so close to caving in. Jenna fell downward, grasping her knees. Amazingly, she could move now, like some type of strange spell had suddenly been lifted. She was still struggling to breathe. That much hadn’t changed. A flurry of uniforms swept past her. The divers had arrived and were unpacking their gear just ahead of her on the dock. A police commander was barking orders, telling patrolmen to keep the spectators as far back as possible. The fire crews were hustling to unwind their hoses. Jenna shut her eyes, hoping to block out the awful noises competing for her attention. Surprisingly, not one person had stopped to see if she was alright. There were other priorities now… Jenna scrambled to her feet. She spun around, trying to avoid being knocked over by the rush of emergency response teams. More than anything she just wanted to scream. Visions of Chase falling overboard kept replaying in her mind. She couldn’t see past them. Frantically she shook her head, hoping for some relief. From the deep down despair of knowing… She was the reason Chase was dead. He had died trying to protect her. But his valiant efforts hadn’t been enough. The Closer had outsmarted him once again. Chase had been shot point blank, and from what Jenna could remember, he immediately lost his balance. He fell overboard, stunning The Closer into retreating. Within seconds, he had slammed the boat into reverse and headed for the harbor. Just past the first marker, the boat had exploded. Debris from the wreckage shot like metal rockets into the night sky, then returned seconds later to litter the dock and nearby boats. Gasoline leaked into the water and quickly caught on fire. It was a true miracle not one other boat docked nearby sustained any major damage. The Closer certainly knew how to make an exit. Or rather a distraction. Jenna had no doubt he had survived. This had been planned. A perfectly executed escape route. Chase never had a chance. He was doomed from the start. Jenna’s heart ached even more now. Her fingers went mindlessly to the pocket of her jeans where she had hastily stuffed the remaining two treasure pieces. Chase had grabbed the gold monkey from her hand, and then insisted she keep the other two. Now, it all made sense. Chase never intended to give The Closer the last three gold figurines. It had been just a bargaining ploy. Apprehending The Closer had been first and foremost in his mind, and Chase knew the only way he had any chance of being successful was to offer The Closer an incentive… The opportunity to obtain the last three pieces of Blackbeard’s lost treasure…Mason Hamilton’s lifelong obsession. Hamilton’s game would be over, and The Closer would be under no further obligation to a man he had come to loathe. Chase knew this and had devised his plan in the hopes of bringing The Closer and Mason Hamilton to justice once and for all. Unfortunately, Chase hadn’t figured on Jenna’s refusal to stay away from the dock. She had broken free from Jonathan Knox’s grip and rushed after Chase. Creating a turn of events causing dire consequences. The Closer now had Jenna in his crosshairs. As he raised his gun in Jenna’s direction, Chase yelled to warn her…right before he fell to his death. Now, as Jenna’s hand clenched the last two treasure pieces, the small giraffe and lion, she felt a burning sensation. It was so tempting to toss them into the water and watch them sink along with the other pieces of the wreckage. To finally rid herself of the burden of keeping them safe. What was the point anyway? There were only two figurines left; Mason Hamilton had managed to acquire the other three with the help of his evil sidekick Hans Kliric and The Closer. What could possibly motivate her now to keep up the fight? Mason had the advantage. In a twisted game she had little or no chance of winning. Jenna withdrew the gold animals and held one in each hand. She walked closer to the edge of the dock and started to raise her arms. This is it. I can’t do this anymore.
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