Kent Conwell - Tony Boudreaux 15 - The Mona Lisa Murders (3 page)

‘Bianchi? I’ve heard that name before. Just this morning.’

She nodded. ‘Probably from Antone. He was fishing with you.’

My jaw dropped open. ‘Antone? You know him?’

‘Oh, yes. He went out with you this morning to learn how much you know.’

I gaped at her. ‘How much I know? About what?’

‘About the Mona Lisa, of course.’ She ducked her head, her cheeks coloring. ‘I feel foolish now, but I didn’t know if I could trust you. Even though you are my cousin, I had to know if you were mixed up with those goons trying to steal the package from me.’ She paused, her cheeks coloring. ‘Sorry.’

Even after I found my voice, my words weren’t too coherent. ‘You mean—Antone—that he—’

She nodded emphatically. ‘He was questioning you. He told me later, he felt guilty about lying to you because you were a nice guy.’ Latasha smiled sheepishly. ‘We had to be sure.’

I couldn’t argue her point. I didn’t know a thing about art. ‘Where is he now?’

‘Downstairs. Around. Whoever that bunch is, they tried to kidnap me before I got out of Miami. Antone ran them off the road. Messed up both cars. Antone told me to get out of there before the cops showed. I ran into him later in New Orleans and he offered to help me.’

I’ve been in crazier situations, but at that moment, I couldn’t remember when. On the other hand, the cathouse murders was pretty crazy, but this one did seem a little more so. ‘What about last night at Bonham’s? What was that all about?’

‘I’m sorry about that, but I had to get out of there. Two of the men who’ve been following me showed up.’

‘Obviously. So, what do you want with me?’

Chapter Four

Latasha’s request was simple. Help her and Antone reach the Steep Bluff Ranch in Texas while being hounded by an untold number of goons intent on ripping out our fingernails with gleeful enthusiasm.

Nothing to it.

‘No way,’ I replied, shaking my head.

Her forehead knit in a frown. ‘But what do I do if you don’t help?’

‘Give them the box. Nothing’s worth getting hurt over. Or worse. You’ll never end up arguing a Supreme Court case from your grave.’

Her dark eyes stared at me, searching mine. ‘You really think I should?’

I smiled gently and sat beside her. ‘Look, I’ll take care of your tuition.’ She started to protest, but I stopped her. ‘I’m not married. I don’t have any vices to speak of, and I’ve got savings I’ll probably never touch.’ I laid my hand on hers. ‘You seem like a nice kid. I—’

She jerked her hand away and jumped to her feet. ‘I am not a kid. I’m a woman— a full grown woman capable of passionate feelings hick rednecks like you could never know.’ Her face twisted in anger.

My ears burned, and then my own temper snapped. I rose and faced her. ‘I wasn’t the one sticking his nose in someone else’s business. I didn’t ask you to come here. I don’t even know you. This might nothing but one big scam.’

The young woman didn’t back down. She set her jaw. ‘Then call Leroi. Unless you think he’s part of it,’ she added, her retort dripping with sarcasm.

‘I don’t need to call anybody. You come barging in here like you’re Patty Hearst and that the Symbionese Liberation Army nonsense, and – ’

‘Like who?’ She frowned up at me.

I glared at her. ‘Patt—’ I closed my eyes and shook my head. That was before her time. I was turning into my old man. ‘Never mind. Just never mind.’

Fire shot from her black eyes. ‘You won’t help?’

Biting my tongue to keep from snapping back at her, I lowered my voice. ‘Look. I don’t know what you’re up to, or what you’ve got yourself messed up in. I will pay your tuition for the next three years if you’ll just forget about whatever it is you’re doing. Give those goons the package. Then tell them to take a hike.’

She studied me. Taking a deep breath, she replied. ‘I can’t do that. I contracted to deliver the package. I—’

‘You’re nuts, that’s what you are if you go through with this.’

Her bottom lip quivered, and her eyes grew teary. In a husky voice, she said. ‘Thanks for nothing.’ With that she spun on her heel and strode from the room.

And left me staring at the door, feeling for some reason like a traitor to my country or something like that. Mixed or not, my family had always helped each other. I muttered a curse under my breath and hurried after her, but when I reached the hall, she’d disappeared.

I cursed again and pulled out my cell, hoping for service out here in the boondocks.

The only service available was roaming, which naturally, was more expensive. I called Leroi.

He was working late in his office at Catfish Lube Headquarters. Each answer I got made me feel more like a heel.

Latasha was his half-sister, my cousin; she had called him; he’d offered tuition, but according to him, she was one of those hardheaded, independent Melungeons who refused to quit any job once they had taken it on.

‘She tell you what the job was, Leroi?’

‘Yep.’

‘What’d you tell her?’

‘That she was nuts.’

‘What’d she say then?’

Sheepishly, he replied. ‘Told me to take a hike.’

I chuckled. ‘That’s about what she suggested I do.’

‘Look, Tony. Keep an eye on her. I’d go with her, but I’m just a mechanic. You got a lot more street savvy than me. She’s a good kid. You know what a lot of them are like today, into that gangsta rap and bull. She was never like that. Kept a part time job all through high school; interned at the sheriff’s office. Did fine. They asked her to stay on, but she wanted college, says Louis.’

‘Louis?’

‘Yeah. You remember. Louis Mouton. He was in school with us at the Sisters. He’s sheriff here now. Has been last ten years.’

‘Louis? The sheriff?’

Leroi laughed. ‘Crazy, huh? Anyway, do that for me, okay? And hey, watch yourself. A tropical storm has popped up in the Gulf. South of you.’

I glanced out the window. ‘Okay. Thanks.’

‘And talk her out of it if you can, but keep her out of trouble.’

I punched off. For a few moments, I thought about Uncle Theophile. Apparently, he hadn’t gotten himself killed, at least for fifteen or so years after running out on Leroi and his mother. I chuckled. Looked like he’d kept himself busy.

With a soft curse, I headed for the door. I had a lot of talking to do, but from the mindset of my brand-new cousin when she stormed out of my room, I figured I had already dug myself a deep hole. One so deep, I’d be lucky if I could climb out.

To my surprise, Latasha Domingue had never checked in nor had Antone Moretti.

Pausing in the doorway to the lounge, I surveyed the crowded room. Swamp creatures of every sort looked down from mounted positions on the walls, listening without hearing as the fishermen regaled each other with stories of the day’s experiences.

Nowhere did I spot Latasha or Antone.

In the shell-topped parking lot, I found no sign of a red Camaro. Overhead, clouds scudded low, heading southwest. That wasn’t a good sign.

From the tall cane around the periphery of the resort’s grounds came the bellowing of alligators and the harrumphing of frogs in an eerie cacophony of sounds.

I spotted a figure walking back to the lounge. I waved. ‘Hey!’

He looked around. In a wary voice, he asked. ‘You calling me?’

‘Yeah. Hate to bother you,’ I said as I drew near. ‘I was looking for a friend of mine in a red Camaro. I thought you might have seen it.’

He pursed his lips. ‘Nope. I’ve only been out here a few minutes though. She might have left before I go here. Hard to tell how these women will act sometimes.’

I chuckled. ‘Yeah. Hard—’ I hesitated. ‘Hey, how did you know it was a she? I just said friend.’

He stammered. ‘No. You said she.’

‘I know what I said. I said—’ And then my head exploded.

Chapter Five

Somewhere in the dark silence filling my head, I heard a distant voice, its words garbled. I don’t know how long I listened to the unintelligible mumbling, but eventually, I discerned my name and felt something nudging my arm.

I groaned.

The hushed voice muttered. ‘You okay?’

I groaned again.

‘You hurt?’

Another groan.

‘Bad?’

I found my voice. ‘Probably.’

‘It’s me, Antone.’

The name sent an electrical charge through my brain. ‘Antone?’

‘Yeah. What are you doing here?’

I opened my eyes. I could see nothing. I blinked once or twice, hoping the blow on my head hadn’t blinded me. Through the darkness, I spotted a bright string of light under a door. I sighed with relief.

I smelled swamp. ‘Where are we,’ I mumbled.

‘No idea. Out in the swamp somewhere. They blindfolded me.’

I tried to sit up. That’s when I discovered my wrists and ankles were bound. I shook my head hard, trying to clear the cobwebs. And then I cursed, and not just a gentle Christian oath, but a full-fledged, Devil-based, fire-brimmed blaspheme. ‘What in the blazes is going on here? Who are these idiots? What have you and that banana-brained woman got me into?’

‘The package. They want the package.’

I jerked my head around and stared into the darkness that was his face. ‘Well, give them the blasted thing.’

‘That won’t do you and me any good. Not now.’

I squinted into the shadows surrounding the small man. ‘What do you mean by that?’

‘I think they’re going to kill us anyway.’

‘They’re what?’

‘I heard them talking. Once they get the package, they’ve got orders to kill us.’

If my head hadn’t been throbbing already, his words were enough to set it pounding.

He continued. ‘No witnesses. That’s what I heard.’

The rattling of the door handle cut us off. I lay back and shut my eyes, feigning unconsciousness. An opaque glow bathed my closed lids. A guttural voice rumbled. ‘I’ll check him.’

A hand pushed my shoulder, rocking me. Though slitted eyes, I spotted a black octopus tattooed on his forearm. ‘Still out,’ he growled.

‘No matter. Bumper ain’t got back to us yet.’

‘Hope he hurries. This place gives me the creeps, all them alligators and snakes. And now that stinking storm out there.’

‘Give him time. He’ll call.’

‘Maybe we ought to go ahead and do them now. Save time later.’

‘Not me. I don’t want Bumper on my case.’

Sneering, the second voice said. ‘I ain’t scared of Bumper. If he don’t call in the next hour or so, I’ll take care of it myself. I’m more scared of a hurricane than Bumper.’

‘It ain’t no hurricane yet. Besides, it’s supposed to pass us.’

‘No way it’s going to pass. I feel it in my bones. I felt the same way when that one hit New Orleans. I say we do them right now and get out of here.’

‘You’re crazy as a loon. I ain’t never met this Parnchand Nemo. From what Bumper says, he’s one of them rich potheads from Thailand that’s got more money than conscience. Ain’t no place in the world you’re going to get away from him. You’ll be feeding the ‘gators right beside them two if you waste ’em before Bumper gives the word. I want nothing to do with it.’

‘What’s the matter? You afraid?’

‘You bet I am, and if you wasn’t a dummy, you’d be too.’

The door closed.

I jerked my head around.

Antone whispered. ‘See. I told you.’

‘Yeah, you told me. Now shut up and let’s get ourselves out of here.’

‘How? I can’t hardly move.’

Without replying, I pulled my knees up to my chest and slipped my bound arms under my feet. Sometimes, skinny is good. Quickly, I untied my ankles. ‘Give me your hands.’

As soon as I freed us, I reached for my cell phone. It was missing.

Beyond the door, a single light barely illuminated a walkway spanning several feet of black water to a rectangular-shaped cabin on piers. Strains of music and bursts of laughter drifted through the hum of a small generator powering air conditioning units in the windows. Three powerboats sat motionlessly next to the pier below, which was awash with rising water. Overhead, fleeting clouds tumbled through the starlit sky.

Antone looked up at me. I pointed to the boats. ‘The Stratos. The red one.’

He climbed over the side.

Moving silently, I threw off the lines and pushed us away from the pier. Holding my fingers to my lips, I whispered. ‘Row away from here.’

He grabbed an oar, banging it against the gunwale.

‘Quiet,’ I whispered harshly, looking up at the windows in the cabin.

The diminutive man nodded. ‘Sorry.’

When no faces appeared, I let out a sigh of relief. ‘Row. Quiet.’

The courting songs of bullfrogs and the eerie bellowing of alligators filled the night. I had no idea where we were heading other than deeper into the swamp. Over the last couple days, I’d spotted isolated cabins as my guides sped us from glory hole to glory hole. All I could hope for was that we’d stumble across something that would help orient me.

Rowing an eighteen-foot Stratos was awkward, especially with the random gusts of wind pushing us around, but we made fair progress. When the cabin finally disappeared behind the stands of cypress and water oak, I started the engine, and keeping the RPM low, eased through the shadowy swamp, occasionally bouncing off cypress knees. I swept the unfamiliar waters before us, searching for any advantage the unforgiving swamp might be willing to relinquish, however grudgingly.

Rigid on the seat beside me, Antone mumbled. ‘You know where we’re going?’

‘Away from back there,’ I replied.

‘Won’t they come after us?’

I forced a weak laugh. ‘As fast as they can.’

He started to say something, but I cut him off when I spotted canebrake off to our left. I spun the wheel, curving toward the inviting wall of cane. ‘Hold on. We just got lucky.’

From deep in the swamp behind us, two screaming engines roared to life, shattering the stillness.

Antone jerked around. ‘Tony!’

I said nothing, just guided the Stratos up to the cane, then stopped. I jumped into the bow and using the cane, pulled us deeper into the brake. As the powerboat glided through the water, the cane swung back to its original position, showing no sign of our passing.