Adak's Veiled Justice: An Island of Secrets Legal Thriller (Island of Secrets Legal Thriller Series Book 1), page 1
ADAK’S VEILED JUSTICE
An Island of Secrets Legal Thriller
FREYA ATWOOD
Contents
Two Exciting Gifts Await You
About the book
Before You Start Reading…
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Extended Story
Preview: The Lawyer’s Wife
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Also by Freya Atwood
About the Author
Two Exciting Gifts Await You
Thank you for purchasing my book! It means so much to me and it strongly encourages me to keep writing.
As a gift for your loyalty, I have written a book for you called “The Price of Justice”. It’s only available to people who have downloaded one of my books and you can get it for free by clicking this link here.
And let me not forget about a second gift that you can get for free on Amazon!
“Pursuit of Justice” is available for all of you by clicking this link here.
Freya Atwood
About the book
Everybody knows everybody. No one can hide in this place. But still, no one knows the serial killer lurking…
Haunted by a dark secret, lawyer Benjamin Wolfe leaves his life in Seattle, believing he'll find solace amidst the Adak island's stark landscapes.
But when a terrified young man stands accused of murder and asks for his legal help, Benjamin uncovers a chilling reality: a serial killer prowls these desolate shores, their presence whispered but never acknowledged.
In the heart of the Island of Ghosts, Benjamin must confront his own demons and unearth the truth to save his client before it's too late.
Before You Start Reading…
Before you start reading…
Read what happens when you are minutes before you’re murdered by a serial killer…
Here is a the scene of the last night which will help you understand and visualize the story inside my book better.
Many of my readers requested it and that’s why I am giving it away for free! I believe you will LOVE IT!
It’s not mandatory to read it, but it will be really helpful if it’s your first time with this book.
Read Last night’s scene here!
Just click on the image above!
Chapter 1
“Hey there, neighbor!”
It was a strange thing, hearing a complete stranger call out to me as if we were old friends. Even a neighbor, as the voice claimed, wasn’t something I was particularly used to. Oh sure, I had neighbors where I used to live, but I’d never bothered speaking to any of them. A smile at most, maybe a wave if I was in a good mood. But to call out to one like that? It startled me such that I very nearly ignored it.
“Hey there,” I forced myself to say as I looked up to see who had called for me.
I was walking down my driveway, arms wrapped around my body to keep the wind from freezing me where I stood, my mind still back on the mainland as I processed my new life and what it meant for me. Very much not prepared to be spoken to.
“Ah, nice day we’re having,” I added because I had no idea what to say, and bringing up the weather seemed as good as anything.
“You think so!” He laughed as if at a private joke. Hands shoved in the pockets of his coat, shoulders hunched over because it was in fact freezing, I doubted he agreed with my assessment. “I wouldn’t expect you to recognize it.”
“I was told it snowed here about eighty percent of the time,” I admitted sheepishly as I came to a stop at the end of the driveway. “So, I took a gamble.”
“A gamble, he says!” He threw back his head and laughed again. “It was a good one. You’ve gotten lucky, neighbor. Today is indeed a glorious one. I’m Allen, by the way. Allen Crawford.” He pulled his hand out of his coat and extended it for me to shake. He wore thick woolen gloves, which wasn’t surprising.
I eyed his hand skeptically, as if worried this was some sort of trick. Again, the sheer friendliness of the gesture caught me by surprise, as it was unlike anything I was used to. But one look at the smile on his face, how genuine it was, and I shook my head and took his hand.
“Benjamin Wolfe,” I offered, with a smile to match. “I suppose there’s no need to tell you that I just moved in?”
“Good guess! We saw you come through last night, but I figured you might need the night to settle in. No sense knocking down your door just to say hello, is there? Not when we have all the time in the world.”
“I appreciate it.”
“Truth was, we were surprised to see you come through. Can’t remember the last time we had anyone move into this part of town. Margey—that’s my wife—reckons it’s been over three years now. Most of the new folk that come through here are tourists and fishermen, a couple of hunters, maybe an old history buff or two looking for a story. But they keep to the housing near the docks.” He paused, waiting for my response.
“Is that right?”
“Mhhmm.” He nodded, that big smile plastered on his face as if frozen from the wind. “Which means—and stop me if I’m being too nosey here—Margey says I need to learn to keep my beak out of it. But you’re moving here? A permanent resident, as it is?”
“That Margey is a smart woman.”
“Don’t let her hear you saying that!” he barked, laughing all the while. “Unless you want her coming around here every other day, bothering you. She was right then, aye? You’ve moved in?”
“For the time being,” I offered, wondering where this conversation was going.
A friendly hello from a neighbor was one thing, but to be pulled into a conversation like this one with a person I didn’t know was so beyond my realm of comfort that it was startling.
“Good to hear. The truth is there aren’t many people moving here anymore. Most of them move out. Ha! But a new resident…” He let out a low whistle, as if impressed. “The town is going to be abuzz with it, I tell you that now.” His blue eyes flashed with excitement, and I got the distinct impression he was in no way exaggerating.
“Ah… well, glad I can add to the local discourse,” I said with a nervous laugh.
“Local discourse, he says! You’re going to fit right in.”
Was it obvious that small talk wasn’t really my thing? Funny that, seeing as I talked for a living, and when put to it, if the money was good enough, I could talk my way out of a paper bag. My old boss used to say that if I was ever unlucky enough to get kidnapped, he would feel bad for the kidnappers because the odds were that I’d end up talking them into turning themselves in.
This here was a different kettle of fish. Having spent most of my life in Seattle, living in the heart of the city, speaking with strangers I bumped into on the street wasn’t something I was prepared for or used to. Especially this early in the morning.
A quick glance to my left, however, and then my right, and I was forced to remind myself once again that I was about as far from the city, and my old life, as was possible. Why, if I didn’t know any better, I might have guessed that until I moved in, Allen Crawford and his wife were the only other residents on this street.
“You said you’re my neighbor?” I asked as I looked at the house directly across from mine.
It was a single-story, demountable-style home with tin walls and a flat roof painted blue—probably only one bedroom, much like my own. Every house on the street was the same, and like every house on the street, it looked properly abandoned.
“Technically speaking.” He chuckled. “Me and Margey live four houses down.” He nodded to his right. “But around here, that’s as close to a true neighbor as you’re going to get.”
“And it’s just the two of you on this street?”
“No, no, don’t go thinking this place is that barren…” He clicked his tongue as if in warning, although he laughed as he did it. “The Michaels live another three houses down that way—” Another flick of his head. “And old Harry Iverson is another two houses past my own.” He paused again, and I waited, expecting him to keep listing names.
“Oh.” I blinked. “That’s it?”
“Ha!” He slapped me on the arm. “Don’t act so surprised, Benjamin. Surely, they told you what to expect before coming here?”
“They did,” I agreed awkwardly. “I guess it didn’t really register until now.”
“It’s really not so bad as that. In a town like this one, you get to know everybody as well as anyone you’ve ever met. A family is what we are. Albeit with 170 odd members.” He chuckled.
It was still hard for me to fathom that anywhere this remote, this sparsely populated, could even exist. Technically, the number of residents stood at 171… 172 as of last night. As well as them, there were another hundred or so tourists and fishermen passing through at any given time, rounding that number up to over 300 on a good day. But when the number was that low, that point felt irrelevant.
I looked past where Allen was standing. Past the single-story homes that lined the street. Past the edges of town because from any point in this ‘city,’ as it was called, you could see the outskirts. Green fields tipped with snow rolled to the north and the west, broken by rocky outcrops until they met a lone mountain that climbed high before the cloudy sky swallowed its peak. To the east and south was the ocean, cool grey waters that sat placid and murky and menacing, a sort of barricade that reminded me there was nowhere to run.
And that was it. Literally. That was all.
“How about this,” Allen interrupted suddenly, as if he could see the look of despair on my face. “You’re new here, so I’m guessing you have no plans tonight.”
“What was that?” I pulled myself back into the conversation.
“Plans?” he pressed. “You don’t have any tonight—and don’t say that you do. I’ll know if you’re lying!”
“Oh…” My mind raced to come up with an excuse. “I might be busy with work.”
“You can worry about that tomorrow.” He laughed. “Tonight, you’re at my place. Margey will cook. I’ll pop some wine. And you can tell us a little more about yourself.”
“There’s really no need to—”
“Nonsense!” He slapped my arm again. “I’ll invite the Michaels around too. Lord knows they have nothing important on. Give you a chance to meet the neighbors good and proper. How does that sound?”
Again, I was forced to remind myself this wasn’t the city. I couldn’t keep my head down and blend in. I couldn’t disappear, even if that was the exact reason I’d moved out here. A town of 172 people and there was nowhere to hide or run, and if I wanted to make this work, I needed to at least try.
Besides, Allen’s friendly demeanor was hard to resist. My guess was that he was somewhere in his sixties. His hair was as white as the snow. Skin weathered like old leather. Blue eyes like ice. But a big and friendly smile that told me that at the end of the day, he was just being nice, and right now, a friend was something I could use.
“Sure thing,” I said to him, forcing a smile that I hoped looked genuine.
“Perfect! I’d ask for your number, but phones don’t much work out here. So how about this—when I see you come home, I’ll pop over and let you know what the plans are?”
“Sounds good.”
“That’s the spirit!” He slapped me on the arm and then jumped on the spot. “Oh! What time is it—” He looked up at the sky for the answer, taking note of the sun, which was slowly working its way over the horizon. “I told Margey I was just popping out for a walk, and she worries. Best be getting back to her. But I’ll give her my best from you.”
“That would be lovely, thank you.”
He beamed at me. “It was nice meeting you, Benjamin. If you need anything, anything at all, do not hesitate to ask. It can be hard getting used to it here, but I promise that once you settle in, you’ll wonder how you ever lived anywhere else.”
“I really do hope so.” I chuckled.
He shook his head and smiled. “You’ll see. You will see…” He turned and started back down the road before looking back over his shoulder. “Oh! And welcome to Adak!”
I offered him a wave, partly stunned by what had just occurred, partly relieved because, despite the cold, there was a warmth running through me that I hadn’t expected.
Forced to move here for reasons beyond my control. Dreading every second of it right up until I stepped out of my house this morning. For the first time since I was told what I needed to do—moving here that is—there was a sense of hope flowing through me. That maybe I could make this work.
Welcome to Adak, Alaska. As remote a city that existed in America. My new home. My new life.
My walk through town quickly changed my perception of what this new life of mine might bring.
Although I’d only just arrived last night, today was my first day of work, and I figured an early start was what I needed. Whenever I was stressed or feeling down or needed a distraction, work was my saving grace. And if I ever needed a distraction… it was now.
Once I said my goodbyes to Allen, I shoved my hands into my coat, hunched my shoulders to protect myself from the icy cold wind that blew like a gale, and started into town. A three-minute walk was how long it took, and those three minutes were all I needed to seriously question every decision I’d ever made that saw me move here in the first place.
It was just so empty.
And isolated.
And did I mention empty?
A ghost town was what it felt like. Which made enough sense, seeing as Adak was known to many as the Island of Ghosts. A town that was no more than a five-minute walk from end to end, so small there wasn’t a center or square or main shopping complex, where the biggest building was the school, which was a damn palace compared to most of the buildings that made the small town.
It might have been bearable had the weather been any nicer. But today was freezing cold, winds that stung like knives, clouds that blotted out the sun so that even with it being well into the early morning, it was still dark, and a general sense of loneliness hovering in the air that made me miss the big city.
At least the people were friendly. That was my main takeaway, and I clung to that fact as I felt the depression set in. A person could live anywhere if they had the right people around them, and Adak seemed to be made up of those exact sorts.
“Hey there!” called out the very first person I saw. He stood outside his home, one street from mine, and waved as if we were old friends. “New in town?”
“Yep!” I shouted back with a wave.
“Me and Claire will have to have you over for dinner!” he announced. “Name’s Randy!”
“Benjamin!”
The next man I saw was a big, burly type. A beard as thick as a beehive. A stomach as large as a keg. A look on his face that might have had me crossing the street if I passed him at night in the city. He was carrying a sack over his shoulder as he stumbled down the road, and the glare he fixed me with had me shaking… not from the cold.
But then, “Howdy!” he called suddenly.
“Oh, hello.”
“You must be the lawyer who moved in? Tell me I’m wrong!”
“I don’t want to lie to you.”
“Ha!” He threw back his head and laughed, his great, big belly shaking. “And he’s a funny one. Name’s Marvin Bluestock.”
The sack he carried looked to weigh a ton, but he held out his big hand for me to shake anyway.
“Benjamin Wolfe,” I greeted and took his hand.
“Wolfe, aye? Yeah, a few of us heard you were coming through—don’t be surprised if half the town already knows you’re here.”
“I’m beginning to get that sense.” I chuckled.
“Don’t be alarmed. That’s just the way things are here in Adak. For me, especially.” He stood up proudly. “I’m UPS.” He slapped the bag on his shoulder. “And the head of sanitation. And the civil liaison back with the mainland—most of us work a couple of jobs around these parts. But you’ll get used to it.”
