Eye of the Beholder (35 page)

G
ordy Jameson shook Will Seevers’s hand and patted him on the shoulder. “Thanks for standin’ with me, Will—and for pushin’ till I agreed to meet Pam. I’ll never be able to thank you enough.”

“Seeing you happy is all the thanks I need,” Will said. “Are you lovebirds gonna get out of here, or not?”

Gordy took Pam’s hand and pressed it to his lips. “Ready to go, Mrs. Jameson?”

She turned and looked out at several hundred friendly faces, her own still radiant. “I want to remember every detail of this day. It was absolutely perfect.”

“It really was, wasn’t it? Okay, darlin’, get ready to throw your bouquet, then let’s head up the hill.”

BOOOOM!
A powerful jolt seemed to move the ground, rattling the glassware and evoking gasps and shrieks from the guests.

Gordy pulled Pam to his chest, his heart pounding madly, and saw billows of black smoke rising above the trees.

“What was that?” Pam said.

“I dunno. Must’ve been a humongous explosion.”

“That smoke can’t be far from city hall,” Will said. He grabbed a chair and stood on it, then cupped his hands around his mouth and hollered until he had their attention. “Everybody, stay calm. I know you want to know what happened, but I need you not to leave just yet so we don’t clog the streets with a couple hundred cars and make it tough for emergency vehicles to get
through.” Will jumped down off the chair and looked at the sky over downtown. “I really don’t like the looks of this, Gordy. Would you make sure Margaret and Meagan find a ride home?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Will said something to Margaret, then ran up the hill toward his squad car.

Gordy stood with his arm around Pam and watched his nervous guests milling around. “So much for the festive mood, eh? Not exactly a great ending to a perfect day.”

Margaret Seevers came over and stood with the Jamesons. “I’m sorry this ruined your exit. I wonder what kind of explosion it was?”

Gordy shrugged. “Must’ve been a humdinger.”

All of a sudden, a siren rang out deep and foreboding, increasing to an ear-splitting, almost paralyzing pitch.

Pam put her hands over her ears. “Why is that on?” she hollered.

“I don’t know.” Gordy spotted the civil defense pole just across Beach Shore Drive. The decibel level was almost unbearable.

“It’s a terrorist attack!” someone shouted. “Run!”

Pandemonium broke out, and wedding guests began screaming and knocking over chairs, clambering to get out—many already racing toward their cars.

Gordy tried to spot Meagan Seevers and was relieved to see her clutching her mother’s arm.

“We need to get to safety!” Margaret shouted.

Gordy looked at the black smoke spreading across the crimson sky and wondered if any place they ran for cover would be safe.

Will Seevers stood outside city hall and surveyed the smoldering remains of a charred vehicle and the broken windows and damage to the exterior of the building.

“Tell all these curiosity seekers to go home,” he ordered Jack Rutgers. “Clear the area of all vehicles—now! I don’t want anything within two blocks of here.”

Will got on his cell phone and hit the auto dial.

“Hello.”

“Margaret, where are you?”

“At our house with Meagan and Gordy and Pam. Tell me what happened. Why did the civil defense sirens go on?”

“A car bomb exploded next to city hall, and we don’t know who’s behind it. Nobody’s hurt, but it’s a real mess.”

“Will, the media is already calling this a terrorist attack. Was it?”

“It might be. But considering what these people are capable of, this doesn’t seem like a big enough bang to me.”

“Please be careful. What if they’re planning to do something else?”

“I’m fine. You stay inside until the feds give the all clear. Let me talk to Gordy real quick.” Will heard a shuffling noise and then Gordy’s voice.

“Don’t worry, Chief. Your girls are safe.”

“Why aren’t you and Pam on the road?”

“We thought we’d stay here with Margaret and Meagan.”

“That’s nice of you, but you might as well go on. There’s nothing you can do.”

“It’s not like Pam and I can just take off on our honeymoon without even knowing what happened.”

“Someone exploded a car bomb. Could’ve been much worse.”

“What’s with the civil defense siren? You think terrorists did this?”

“That’s everyone’s gut reaction. But this explosion seems like a firecracker compared to the firepower available to them. I keep asking myself why terrorists would hit some dinky target like Seaport City Hall when they could blow up something significant in Tallahassee or Miami … Listen, bud, I’m really sorry this
happened when it did and messed up your wedding.”

“It didn’t mess it up. The wedding was great. But I’d sure like to know where my bride and I are gonna spend our first night. Maybe we should just go home.”

“Go on to Panama City like you planned. Don’t let this spoil your honeymoon. The worst is over.”

BOOOOM!
The deafening sound reverberated and seemed to pick up the ground and slam it down again, evoking shrieks from onlookers. A billow of black smoke rose above the trees on the far edge of town.

Will picked up his walkie-talkie. “Jack, call and request all units from Port Smyth! Gordy, stay with the girls! I’ll call you.”

Will ran to his car, tossed his cell phone on the passenger seat, and raced down Main Street in the direction of the smoke, wondering if the unthinkable had finally happened and if people here were prepared for what it might mean.

Guy Jones sat with Ellen watching a live report of the explosions on the regional news station.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Ellen said.

“I can. It was just a matter of time. We can’t police every nook and cranny in a free society.” He turned up the volume.

“We’re going live to Seaport High School, which was the target of the second blast. Our reporter Jared Downing is on the scene. Jared, tell us what you see.”

“Shannon, it’s pure chaos here. Behind me, you can see the huge hole in the cafeteria wall and the massive damage to this side of the building. Authorities say a car bomb went off just feet from the building—the identical scenario that played out at city hall about thirty minutes prior to this explosion.

“Firefighters have put the blaze out, but the damage is extensive, and it doesn’t look as though classes will be resuming for
some time. Thankfully, no students or teachers were in the school at the time of the blast.

“There’s a strong feeling here that these were terrorist attacks and that authorities aren’t doing enough to uncover the terrorist cell they believe exists somewhere in the region. And considering the carnage that could have resulted had this been a Monday instead of a Saturday night, people are wondering if this is just a prelude to something worse.

“It looks like Chief Will Seevers is about to make a statement. Let’s listen.”

Will Seevers, still dressed in the Hawaiian shirt he wore at Gordy’s wedding, walked over to reporters, his face determined, his voice controlled. “I assure you my department will work twenty-four/seven with the FBI, ATF, sheriff’s department, and Homeland Security until we bring to justice the person or persons responsible for these acts of violence. I encourage all citizens of Seaport to stay calm, and to stay alert. No one has yet claimed responsibility. You are urged to call the police department if you have information that might assist us in determining who is responsible. I also urge everyone to refrain from making assumptions about who’s behind these attacks. Let law enforcement do its work. I’ll update the media periodically and when it’s appropriate. Right now, I need to get back to work.”

Guy put the TV on mute. “So much for the beautiful little seaside town I talked you into. You may want to move to Tallahassee after all this.”

“Hardly.” Ellen held tighter to his hand. “But I won’t pretend I’m not scared about what’s happening. Poor Gordy and Pam. What a horrible way to end their wedding.” Ellen paused and seemed to be thinking. “Speaking of wedding, you never said what you and Ali were talking about.”

“Does it matter?”

Ellen turned to him. “It might.”

“We started out chitchatting about how we came to know Gordy, but it got intense after that.” Guy relayed to Ellen the entire conversation, including Guy’s venting his frustration over American Muslims not denouncing the violence. “He asked and I told him. I suppose you’re mad?”

“No. Actually, I’m glad you cleared the air.”

“I don’t know how clear it is. Ali didn’t have a chance to answer my question. He said radical Muslims don’t represent true Islamic values. I’d like to know what he perceives to be true Islamic values.”

“Then have lunch with him and ask.”

“This is the wrong time to be Muslim friendly.”

Ellen arched her eyebrows. “Maybe it’s the perfect time. Is that what you are?”

“I don’t know
what
I am, honey. But I’m tired of all the Mickey Mouse game playing. American Muslims are either for us or against us. They can’t have it both ways.”

Will Seevers walked in the front door and listened. The house was completely quiet except for the sound of Margaret’s scuffs on the wood floor.

She walked into the entry hall and put her arms around him. “You must be exhausted. You want something to eat?”

“No, thanks, my stomach’s upset. Where’re Gordy and Pam?”

“In the family room, sacked out on the couch.”

“Some honeymoon. How’s Meagan?”

“Scared. We entertained her by playing dominoes till she got sleepy, but she didn’t want to be alone and brought her sleeping bag in the family room. I guess we all feel a sense of safety in numbers. Will,
were
these terrorist attacks?”

“I don’t know, honey. I don’t have another explanation right now.”

Will peeked in the family room and saw Pam sleeping in Gordy’s arms, and Meagan curled up in her sleeping bag on the floor.

“I’m glad someone can sleep,” Will said. “Maybe I should try to eat something light. Got any of your homemade chicken noodle soup left?”

“Sure. Come sit and I’ll heat it up.” Margaret took a Tupperware container out of the refrigerator and poured soup into a mug and put it in the microwave. “I can’t believe Gordy and Pam insisted on staying.”

“What happened at the reception after I left?”

“That blood-curdling siren went on, and one of guests yelled out that it was a terrorist attack. Everyone panicked and ran in all directions. Gordy took us under his wing and drove us home.” Margaret paused and smiled. “The only fun thing in all of this was that Meagan got to ride in Gordy’s car—complete with the ‘just married’ on the back window and the tin cans tied to the bumper. She thought that was pretty cool for an eleven-year-old.”

“I just hope that by the time she gets married, the terrorists haven’t succeeded in spoiling our freedoms.”

Margaret took the mug out of the microwave and sat it in front of Will with a soupspoon. “Give your mind a rest, Chief. You’re not going to solve this tonight.”

Gordy appeared in the kitchen doorway and covered his yawn with his hand. “Hey, when’d you get home?”

“Just a few minutes ago. Thanks for staying with the girls. I’m really sorry you got stuck here.”

“No problem. Any idea who set off the car bombs?”

“Not yet. But we’re going to tear this town apart until we get them. Several branches of law enforcement have already pulled together to help.”

Gordy moved out of the doorway to let Pam squeeze past, then stood with his arm around her.

“I keep thinking how much worse it could’ve been,” Pam said.

Will nodded. “It’s a miracle there weren’t any casualties. Can you imagine if this had happened when school was in session?”

“Or if
you’d
been standing outside city hall!” Margaret shuddered. “I don’t even want to think about it. Let’s change the subject. Wasn’t it a beautiful wedding? I’m so glad you two thought of getting married at the lighthouse. The backdrop looked like a picture postcard.”

“Yeah, I’ve loved that place since I was a kid,” Gordy said. “The only thing more breathtakin’ than the setting was my new bride.”

“Pam did have a certain glow. Still does.” Will looked at Gordy and prodded him with his eyes.

Gordy glanced at his watch. “You know what? It’s only ten after eleven, and I’m so wired I could drive all the way to Panama City without battin’ an eye. Whaddya think, Pam?”

“Are you serious?”

“Absolutely. We’re only about three hours behind schedule. A couple double espressos, a little time to reminisce about the wedding, and we’ll be pullin’ up to the Pembrooke House before you know it.”

Pam smiled. “Actually, I’m wide awake now.”

“Well, you’re not leaving without throwing your bouquet,” Margaret said. “Let me go wake Meagan up. She had her heart set on being the one to catch it.”

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