The Sisters McFadden

Chapter 38 - Fire Storm

The horseman sat on his tired horse on the edge of a ridge high above the water overlooking the Catalina Channel with Catalina Island twenty-six miles out across the passage. As the red sun prepared to set in the now clear evening sky, he made a deep menacing sigh before he directed his stead back inland onto the bridle trail.

***

Rex and Kurt drove through the open gates into Rolling Hills with lights flashing as Sheriff's Deputies waved them into the guarded neighborhood. Dalton followed closely behind in his truck with Jimmy in the passenger seat. Rex and Kurt drove directly to the McFadden Estate at the end of Saddle Road as Dalton and Jimmy parked at Lexie's house up the street. While the boys grabbed Lexie and walked down to the party at the McFadden's, the detectives would knock on the door and demand Warren entertain a conversation. As Rex and Kurt drove up, it was obvious the modest dinner party had morphed into a more ambitious event with fifty plus guests. The private front gate was open and hired valets tended to parking the expensive cars of the privileged guests. Rex bypassed the valets, drove straight up the driveway and parked ten feet from the front door with no attempt to be discrete.

The towering double front doors were open. Western gothic. There in the illuminated entrance way stood Warren and Aneke McFadden greeting their guests upon arrival like royalty. It was easy to discern that if you were on the guest list, you were somewhere near the top of the Palos Verdes social hierarchy. Warren was clearly trying to reconnect with the PV elite. Rex felt Aneke's energy in his core as if she was an angel greeting him at the gates of heaven. Once Warren caught sight of the two detectives approaching with badges and guns visible, his welcoming demeanor disappeared, replaced by a scowl. Aneke eyed Rex, noticeably surprised, but forced herself to quickly look away and mask her emotions. Rex thought she looked stunning with an elegance Warren was clearly proud to show off to his American friends and acquaintances.

It was at that very moment Rex was struck with a powerful vision. It only latest a few seconds, but it was vivid and transformative. Too real to dismiss. He stood on a wooden pier in a bustling harbor of some kind. He heard the nautical birds and smelt the salt air. Ahead was a striking young girl, maybe sixteen years old, wearing an elegant white Georgian era dress. She stood next to a distinguished gentleman old enough to be her father. The girl looked directly at him with innocent flirtation. He recognized her. It was a young Aneke, there was no question. Behind her, above in the distance, stood an unmistakeable landmark. The flatness of the expansive top of the massive rock formation dominated the landscape. It was Table Mountain. He was standing at False Bay. The eighteenth century Dutch settlement known as Cape Town at the southern tip of Africa.

Then in an instant, Rex was back in the present, stunned. He realized that he had shared a part of Aneke's cherished memory of their moment in time together from his point of view. He now believed they were in fact somehow connected through an experience in another time and place.

"Detectives," said Warren. "As you can see, we are hosting an event tonight. Is there something we can help you with?"

"Yes," said Rex. "This my partner, Detective Kurt Ward."

"Detective Ward," said Warren as he extended Kurt a firm handshake. "Warren McFadden. This is my wife, Aneke."

"Apologies for the interruption," said Rex, "but we just need a few minutes of your time in private."

"This is not a good time," said Warren. "We have sixty guests to attend to. We spent three days getting the old house ready for tonight. Can this wait until tomorrow morning?"

"Afraid not, Mr. and Mrs. McFadden," said Kurt.

"Give us ten minutes," said Rex, "and we will be on our way. We have no intention of disrupting your get together."