Page 2 of Vanish From Sight (High Peaks Murder, Mystery and Crime Thrillers #2)

I t was a mystery.

Under the glare of the floodlights, Noah Sutherland stood beside the realtor, unable to believe it was true.

He’d only been back in High Peaks a mere two weeks, living out of Aunt Gretchen’s spare room until he could find a place, when he received a call at his work from a local real estate broker.

As Kerri was in real estate, he’d been having her handle the search for a property.

With a limited budget, his options weren’t extravagant.

That’s why this was baffling.

An upscale realtor called him out of the blue, presenting an unbelievable offer to live in a five-million-dollar waterfront property, completely free.

He thought it was a prank, that Hugh or one of his siblings had staged it, but as he stood on the edge of the property on the north side of High Peaks Lake, he realized it was very real .

She was already there when he arrived, standing beside a sleek, fancy SUV that was a reflection of her taste for luxury and success as a broker.

The realtor was the epitome of class and sophistication.

She wore a navy-blue suit that fit her like a glove, paired with black heels that accentuated her long, slender legs.

Her dark hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail, and her makeup was impeccable.

It was clear she took pride in her appearance and her vehicle, knowing that first impressions meant everything to clients.

A quick shake of the hand and she opened the mammoth door and led him in. As she turned on lights, one after another illuminated a magnificent abode.

“As mentioned before, my name is Suzanne Gilford, I’m a broker representing Harland and Stafford, one of the world’s leading real estate agencies specializing in the brokerage of premium residential and commercial properties. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.”

With that, she began the tour.

The house was breathtakingly beautiful, with floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a panoramic view of the lake, hickory flooring and several cozy fireplaces throughout.

There were three spacious bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, and a fourth bathroom on the main floor.

The master bedroom had an unobstructed view of the nearby mountains, a private balcony with a fire-pit, and a skylight above a queen bed for stargazing.

The primary suite spanned the entire second level, offering a walk-in closet as well.

“Who lives here at the moment?” he asked.

“No one. It’s been on the market for over a year. All the furniture you see comes with it. It’s brand-new. So, no need to buy anything. Did you have furniture?”

“Not much. A few things in storage. I sold most of it.”

She led him through a state-of-the-art kitchen, a stunning living room, and then out to a private dock where there were three water bays with motorized boat lifts and two slips, along with a high-end Duffy 21 boat and a smaller one for fishing. “And these boats?”

“For your use.”

“And what’s that over there?”

“A sauna, a bathroom, a changing room and another covered dock.”

Noah had questions. Lots of them, but he could barely form words.

His eyes widened; his jaw went even wider as he soaked in the view from the main deck.

“You should know that it comes with a built-in sound system and a gas hookup to the grill for those nights you want to throw on a steak or entertain guests. And who can forget the 180-degree view of the lake and the Adirondack Mountains. Come along…” she said, leading him from one spectacular view to the next. “Not bad, right?”

“Stunning.”

“You get half an acre. The property has a guest house with two additional bedrooms, two baths, two kitchens and a single-car garage. So basically you are getting a lakeside house, a large cottage and… did I mention the boats too?”

“You did.”

The realtor smiled and led him back into the house over to a kitchen island where she had some paperwork. “Okay. All I need is a few signatures and the keys are yours.”

Noah scanned the paperwork. “Let me get this straight. I would own this place?”

“Not own. You would use it. Ownership still belongs to our client.”

“And this client. Who are they?”

“Client confidentiality. It’s an LLC. All I can tell you is the benefactor wishes to remain anonymous. ”

He nodded slowly, puzzled. “May I ask, what is it they expect from me?’

“Nothing. No strings attached. Of course, like any rental property you would ensure it remains tidy and clean. Any repairs that are needed would be covered by management unless of course you wish to do them. You would pay for heating, water, electricity and so on but there would be no monthly rental charge. In the event our client wishes to change the agreement, you would be notified three months in advance by letter.”

Noah looked around the kitchen. It was astonishing. Considering some of the dives Kerri had walked him through, it would have been insane to turn down the offer, and yet he knew nothing was truly free.

“Did they give you any reason why they are offering this to me?”

She unbuckled a sleek briefcase and handed him an envelope. He opened it and pulled out a single sheet of paper. There was no official letterhead —it was typed — nothing to indicate who the writer was.

Mr. Sutherland,

I’m sure you are a little taken aback by the offer you’ve received today and we would be surprised if you didn’t need some time to think it over.

So, please, take all the time you need. The keys are ready whenever you are.

As for why? I would like to say that associates of mine were very pleased to learn of your involvement in the recent case that saw not only narcotics driven out of our county but also those who might wish to continue to taint the good name of this town.

It came to our attention that you were in need of a place to stay while you establish yourself in the region again.

We hope this property will suffice. If there is anything more you need, please feel free to get in touch with us through Harland and Stafford.

They handle many of our properties in the area and I’m sure they can find you something else if this place is not to your taste.

For now, kindly enjoy.

Noah closed the paper.

“Well. Will you be accepting the offer?”

“It’s hard not to be impressed by the extravagance of it all.

I certainly don’t wish to stay with my aunt any longer than I need to.

” He looked around. In the years he’d grown up in High Peaks, he wanted to live in a home like this, but he couldn’t have imagined it would be possible.

Close to accepting, he felt a nagging feeling in his gut.

Who was this anonymous benefactor? What did they really want from him in return?

No one but no one gave away something like this without wanting a little something back.

He wanted to run it by Kerri. If anyone might know who was behind the offer, it would be her.

She had her finger on the pulse of those who were buying and selling.

Noah turned toward Suzanne. “I will need some time to think about it.”

Suzanne smiled sympathetically and said, “Of course. Take all the time you need. But if I might offer a suggestion.”

“Go ahead.”

“I’ve been working in this business for close to twenty-three years.

Our company deals with a lot of high-end clients.

People with deep pockets and even deeper ties to the community.

They are successful because they know their worth and can leave properties on the market for years until the right buyer comes along.

This is a rarity. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. ”

“That’s what concerns me,” Noah replied.

He thanked the realtor for her time and headed back to his black Ford Bronco .

As he climbed in, his phone chimed. The caller ID came up for Savannah Legacy.

The steady throb of emergency lights from High Peaks Police Department cruisers and an EMT van illuminated the night. Noah swerved into the lot of the marina just as several uniformed officers were hauling a body bag out of a boat.

They had cordoned off the area with yellow tape that was flapping in a gentle breeze. Curious onlookers, illuminated by the flashing blue and red lights, strained to catch a glimpse of what was happening inside. They whispered among themselves, speculating.

High Peaks Marina was normally a bustling hub of activity during the day, with boats bobbing up and down in the water, and tourists laughing and chatting across the docks as they prepared to take one of the tours in the famous enclosed pontoon boats.

But now, it looked very different in the darkness, it was eerie and foreboding.

Police officers paced, some talking on radios, a few taking down statements and the rest conferring with each other in a hushed tone. As Noah worked his way through the crowd, he caught the eye of his older brother Ray.

“Looks like we might be working this one together,” he said, lifting the yellow crime-scene tape so Noah could duck under.

“This isn’t going to be good for business,” Noah muttered. “Is it a drowning?”

“Not exactly.”

Ray fell in step as they made their way over to the ambulance.

EMTs were loading the body to be taken to the medical examiner.

Ray asked for a minute or two. The crew walked a short distance away as Noah climbed into the back of the ambulance.

Ray unzipped the black body bag just enough to see the victim’s face.

“Unknown female. Married by the looks of the wedding band on the finger.” Ray unzipped the bag a little more to reveal rope tied around the victim’s waist and legs.

“That’s a lot of rope,” Noah muttered.

Noah snapped on some blue latex gloves, then moved some of the soggy hair out of her face. She was middle-aged, no more than forty-five, if that. Her once vibrant brunette hair clung to her face, a tangled mess, her skin was a ghoulish shade of blue.

Having seen numerous floaters, he estimated from the state of the decomposition and bloating of the body that she’d been in the water for longer than a few days.

Of course, other factors came into play such as water temperature, body weight, size, and if there were any injuries.

The bloating occurred due an accumulation of gases from bacteria that originated as the body’s tissue broke down.

The gases would then cause swelling and the body would eventually rise to the surface.

As Noah scanned, a bullet wound in her chest caught his attention. He rolled her and noted that it had gone straight through. A clean shot.

“Someone shot her,” Ray muttered. “Then dumped the body.”

“Maybe. Or she offed herself in the hope someone wouldn’t find her,” Noah replied, glancing out across the lake.

Both were possible theories that would need to be explored by forensics techs, who would check to see if there was any water in the lungs.

That would allow them to see if she was dead or alive when she went in.

“Whereabouts was she found?” he asked.

“Near Pulpit Rock.” Ray lifted a piece of colorful rope. “We figure this had some kind of weight attached to it. We have divers out in the lake right now to see what else they can find but with night and the depth, they’ll probably have to go back out in the morning.”

Noah took hold of the rope, noting the end. “Looks clean.”

“Yeah, like it was cut or the weight came loose,” Ray said. “Which would explain the body rising.”

“Interesting style,” he said, noting it wasn’t the run-of-the-mill kind of rope but was bright blue with flecks of orange and other colors in it.

Noah noted the amount of work that had gone into wrapping the waist and legs.

It was tight, all on top of her clothes.

Overkill for someone trying to take their own life.

Noah lifted his eyes, his gaze landing on a young couple huddled together near the front of a cruiser. The girl was crying, her face buried in her boyfriend’s chest.

“They the ones who found her?”

Ray glanced out. “Yeah. Caitlin Dowling. Billy Crawford. A couple of tourists from Albany. They are renting an Airbnb for the weekend on the north side. A quick getaway. They were out for the evening on the lake. They spotted the body and called 911. Crawford said he wanted to show his girlfriend the lady of the lake.”

Noah cut Ray a glance.

“I know. I know. But it is what it is.”

The lady of the lake was one of the many stories that had worked its way into the region’s history. The death was true, the ghost story, debatable.

“That will be a memory they won’t forget,” Noah said.

“That’s for sure.”

“Did they touch the body?”

“Only with the oar.”

“Were they the only ones on the lake?”

“That we know so far. We’ve got officers canvassing the surrounding area, questioning home owners and businesses around the lake and trying to gather what information they can.”

“Check the department for reports of a missing person.”

“We’re looking into it,” Ray replied.

“I’ll contact County and see what they have.” Noah looked back down at the victim, wondering who she was and how she came to find her way into the murky depths of High Peaks Lake.