Bayou Betrayal (15 page)

Inside the house, Luc bolted the door and grabbed his cell phone. “Spence, watch out the window to make sure you don't see anyone coming back.” He moved into the kitchen, his voice asking for Gary filtering through the space.

Felicia and CoCo led Monique to the new sofa. “It'll be okay.”

She gulped in a deep breath, held it for long seconds, then released it all slowly. “Yeah, I'm fine.”

And she was. But she was also furious.

She stood and joined Spence at the window. She hated hiding in her own house, looking out a draped window.

Who did this guy think he was? She wasn't some mealy-mouthed, scared-of-her-own-shadow type of gal. She wasn't about to let phone calls and a note scare her away from the new life she'd carefully started constructing.

After burning down her house, did this guy think slit tires and threats had any intimidation power?

“The dispatcher said Deputy Anderson is on his way into the station now. She said she'll send him right over,” Luc announced as he closed his phone and returned to the living room.

“Good. I'm ready for this guy to get caught.” Outrage and a sense of helplessness over the situation flooded her veins. She stared out the window, the setting sun casting dancing prisms over the bayou.

So peaceful, yet so menacing at the same time.

H
ad the chair been delivered yet?

What Gary wouldn't give to have seen the look of surprise on Monique's face when the rocker she'd wanted and couldn't get showed up. He'd had to pull a lot of strings to get the sales force at the furniture store to tell her they were out of stock and even unable to sell the display model. He hoped it had made her happy. She didn't have nearly enough happiness in her life.

If she'd only return to God, contentment could be hers. He knew firsthand that just because you walked with Christ didn't mean you had it easier. Not hardly. Truth be told, he figured it was harder because of the striving to do what's right all the time. Probably because Christians tried to do it all on their own strength, instead of relying on God's. But, as Gary reminded himself, this earth was not home for Christians. It was the promise of eternal life that brought such contentment in a Christian's soul.

It wasn't as if Monique didn't believe in God—she'd said she was mad at Him. Maybe now was the time to witness to her more, to help her see she needed to talk to God and work out her feelings.

He silently prayed for just that as he dropped Bob off at the motel, then headed to the station. It'd been a long day, and the stress weighed down his every muscle. Maybe he'd even put off making out his report.

Missy wasn't at her station as he made his way toward the office. He went to his office, slumped into the chair and ordered the background checks on Patterson and Haynie. Maybe they'd get lucky and one of them would have a rap sheet, although he doubted it about Patterson. Probably not on Haynie either, but he could still hope.

Carrying the paperwork to have Missy process first thing, he glanced through the reports Mike had filed for the past two weeks: drunk and disorderly, teenage DUI, domestic disturbance, violation of leash law, robbery—whoa, the homeowner who made the report was one Kevin Haynie. Gary pulled the report and hotfooted it back to Mike's desk. The rookie deputy should still be in the office.

Sure enough, Mike sat in the metal rolling chair, closing down the computer. “Hey, how's your day been?”

Gary waved the report. “Brief me on this, please.” He sat on the edge of the desk.

Mike took the papers and scanned them. “Yeah. Mr. Haynie called in a report that his shed was trashed. Heard some noise out there one night, but didn't think it was anything more than a coon until he went to get a shovel out of there the next morning.”

Gary mentally backtracked. “He's stating this theft occurred on, um…”

“Last Wednesday night. He called and reported it on Thursday morning.” Mike ran a thumb under his chin. “We've been backed up, so I only got around to filing the report today.”

“You went and interviewed him?”

Mike shot him a quizzical look. “Well, yeah. That's policy, yes?”

“It's just this man is someone I'm set to go talk to tomorrow about the arson case.” Gary proceeded to fill Mike in on the details of his day.

“Wow. This is really odd.” Mike glanced back over the report. “Reported missing along with a battery charger and voltage tester was a twenty-five-gallon container of biodiesel fuel.”

Something didn't feel right.

“What was his attitude like when you talked to him? His body language?”

Mike ran a hand over his hair. “Nothing that triggered any questions in my mind, but then again, I only filed the report. He gave a pretty concise account.”

Something was still off about the situation. “I'll see what I can figure out tomorrow morning when I visit him.” Gary lifted the report. “At least now I have an additional reason to talk to him.”

“Want me to go with you?”

“Nah. Bob Costigan, the arson investigator, will join me. I need you to hold down the fort again.”

“No problem.”

“Deputy Anderson,” Missy's voice shrieked. “I didn't know you'd come back in yet. I've been trying to reach you in the cruiser.”

“What is it, Missy?”

“Luc Trahan called. Said to tell you to get out to Monique Harris's new place. Her tires have been slit and there's a letter.”

How long ago had the call come in? Why hadn't Monique called his cell?

“I'm on my way.”

“Want me to assist?” Mike stood, his hand on his belt rig.

Why not? If Gary didn't make chief deputy, he at least wanted the man who got the promotion to know what he was doing. “Come on. You can follow me in your cruiser.”

“Missy, radio me if you need me.”

“Will do.” She popped her gum, which annoyed him all the more. One of these days…

Off daylight saving time, dusk settled over Lagniappe. The cool evening caused a low-lying fog to hover just over the road.

Not wanting to turn on the lights and siren in the event they would draw even more attention to Monique, Gary still raced through the town toward her home. She hadn't bothered to call him. She'd had Luc call the station. What did that say about her belief in his investigative abilities?

He dialed Luc's cell phone number and waited. As soon as Luc answered, he proceeded to get the information about what had transpired.

Two rights and one left turn later, his tires sang against Wyatt Lane. Mike's low beams flashed in the rearview. Gary slowed and pulled into Monique's driveway. He resisted the urge to slam his foot on the accelerator. Calm and cool, that's what his position dictated. But his heart wouldn't stop racing until he saw Monique was okay with his own eyes.

He parked about ten feet behind her Expedition. Every light in the house blazed, spilling out into the night. Leaving his headlights on, he grabbed the crime scene kit from the trunk. Mike appeared at his side, slipping on latex gloves.

The job had to come first, despite the desire to run to the house and see Monique for himself. Gary opened the case, donned gloves and passed the digital camera to Mike.

The back tires of the SUV had been slit. Had to be with a knife. He pulled out a ruler and measured the slits, noting the measurements in his notebook. Mike clicked away with the camera, the flashes coming so rapidly, it nearly made Gary want to scream.

Finally, the front door opened and Monique stood bathed in the backlight from the foyer. His breath caught in his throat. As if time was moving frame by frame, he slowly straightened, his feet planted into the gravel.

She descended the steps with the Trahan group behind her, but Gary only had eyes for her. Her cheeks were tinged with pink. Her coppery hair flew around her head as the wind picked up. The closer she came, the quicker his heart thumped.

Oh, no. Heart racing at her mere presence. Dizzy when she smiled at him. Urge to protect her no matter what the cost. She'd moved well beyond a victim of a crime and crept closely around the edges of his heart.

Father God, help me. I think I'm falling for her, and I know I can't. I shouldn't. Please give me wisdom and guidance. I'm not strong enough to withstand this alone.

As she drew closer, he noticed something else about her…her eyes, which were shimmering almost an emerald color.

Anger. The woman was madder than a wet hen.

“Can you believe he had the nerve to do this?” She stood mere inches from him. Fury radiated from her like heat around a
cochon de lait.
“The first night at my house, he does this?”

He grabbed her flailing arm, pulling her toward him. She looked into his eyes, and he hoped reassurance—nothing more—shone in his expression. “We're going to do everything we can to catch him. I promise you that.”

“He's acting very fast on his threats. It's only my first night.”

“You had your utilities turned on. Your deed was filed at the courthouse. You ordered furniture delivered. All flashing neon lights to him.”

“It makes me so mad. He's trying to scare me off. Well, I'm not leaving.” She crossed her arms over her chest and stomped her foot.

He avoided Spence and Luc's grins, sure she'd go ballistic if she caught him laughing at her. But it was hard to resist. “We're going to process the evidence and see where it leads.” He nodded to Mike. “Go ahead and bag the letter.”

As Mike moved to do just that, Gary took Monique a few steps away from her vehicle. “Did you get any calls today? Any other types of threats? Anything unusual?”

“No, my phone service won't be on until tomorrow. But I didn't get anything on my cell.”

“It's harder to get those numbers.” He glanced over her head to see Mike slipping the letter into a large envelope. “Go ahead and radio for a tow truck to take the Expedition.”

“You're taking my truck?”

“Evidence. He might've touched the glass, or the side panel by the tires. We'll dust everything.”

“Great. So I'm without a vehicle now?”

“I'm afraid so. It should only take us a day or two.”

“First he takes my house, now my truck.” She clenched her hands into tight little fists.

“Monique, I need you to calm down for a minute and think. Did you have any visitors today, aside from your family?”

“Delivery people from the furniture store and some people from Spence's church. Oh, and Parker dropped by earlier with a cheese and cracker tray.”

Gary froze. “Estimated time between his leaving and your car alarm going off?”

She shrugged. “I don't know. An hour or so, maybe. Why?”

“Just making sure I have everything down right.”

“That's about it.”

“Okay. I need you and everyone to go back into the house. Mike and I will finish up out here, then come in to take everyone's statements.”

She hesitated, looking past him to Mike and his flashing camera.

“Monique? We have to do our job.”

“Fine. Do your job.” She spun and marched back toward the porch. Felicia ran after her and CoCo, too, but not before she tossed Gary a disgusted look.

“What?” Gary looked to Luc.

Luc and Spence both chuckled.

“What?”

“You've got a crush on her, don't you?” Spence asked.

There that heat came again, spreading across his neck. Good thing it was night out. “Please. I'm just doing my job.”

Both of the other men laughed.

“Yeah, that's what I said, too.” Spence clapped him on the shoulder. “Good luck. She's a live one.” He headed toward the house.

“Really. I'm just doing my job.”

Luc shook his head. “Keep telling yourself that, okay?” He followed the preacher into the house.

Gary exhaled sharply. If those two could see his feelings so easily, had Monique?

Please, no.

 

How could she be attracted to such an infuriating man?

Seriously? Gary had all but patted her on her head and sent her on her merry little way, as if she were a child.

Wait a minute—had she just admitted to herself that she was attracted to him? That stopped her fuming.

She paused, letting her mind wrap around the realization, waiting for the guilt to come.

Seconds ticked by. The guilt never came. Matter of fact, only exhilaration filled her after her acknowledgment.

She was attracted to Gary Anderson, and she didn't feel guilty about it. Didn't feel as if she were cheating on Kent.

What was happening to her?

Stress, that had to be it. Her mind and emotions were playing tricks on her because of everything that was happening. Yeah, that's the ticket.

“Here, have some hot tea.” Felicia put a cup into her hands.

Monique took a sip, nearly scalding her tongue. She set the cup on the linen place mat she'd carefully picked out today. She loved it. Loved everything about her house and the day she'd spent decorating it.

No, she wouldn't allow some faceless man to invade
her
space. Make her jumpy in her own home. She'd vowed to stick it out, to stand on her own, and that's exactly what she would do.

She crossed to the kitchen island and opened the cabinet.

“What're you doing,
Boo?
”

She plopped the Vermilion parish phone book onto the counter with a thud, grabbed a notepad and pen from beside the phone, and boosted herself onto the bar stool. “I'm going to get numbers for a security system company, a surveillance company and the pound.”

CoCo smiled. “I get the security system and surveillance, but the pound?”

“I'm going to adopt a dog.”

Laughing, CoCo clapped her hands. “Oh,
Boo,
I'm so glad you're in our family. You fit right in.”

“How's that?” She chewed on the cap of the pen.