Missing in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law Mystery/Romance Series) (16 page)

Colt, who’d been about to start the engine, whirled around. “What the hell was that?”

Jadyn peered over the side of the boat as Helena surfaced, sputtering water like a leaky hose. She grabbed the side of the boat and glared at Jadyn.

“Don’t just stand there,” Helena said. “Get me out of here before something eats me.”

Jadyn blew out a breath. How in the world was she supposed to make that work with Colt staring right at her?

“It was something big,” she said. “It went under our boat toward the bank.”

Colt turned around and leaned over to peer into the water.

As soon as his back was turned, Jadyn reached down and hoisted Helena into the boat, wondering how in the world an incorporeal entity could weigh so much. Helena flopped into the bottom of the boat with a thud. Jadyn cringed, hoping the noise was for her ears only, but no chance.

Colt turned around. “Where did that come from?”

“I think something hit the bottom of the boat,” Jadyn said. At least it was the truth. “Maybe we should get back to the dock.”

“Probably a good idea,” Colt agreed. “I’d hate to get stranded in a leaky boat with something that made that kind of splash lurking around. Whatever it was, it was enormous.”

Helena pushed herself upright and glared at Colt. “I am not enormous.”

Jadyn coughed, trying to keep from laughing.

“And what do you mean leaky boat?” Helena asked. “What the hell is wrong with you people? Why can’t you get equipment that works?”

Jadyn reached into her backpack and pulled out a set of headphones. “My ears are bothering me a bit,” she said. “I’m going to put these on, if that’s okay.”

Colt nodded. “The humidity sometimes bothers people when they’re not used to it. Don’t let things go until you get an infection.”

“Oh no,” Helena griped. “You’re not going to ignore me. I’ve got things to tell you—”

Jadyn popped the earphones on as Colt started up the boat. Helena gave her the finger, then crawled onto the front bench and sat in a huff the entire way back to the dock.

When they reached the dock, Colt helped Jadyn get her boat onto the trailer so she could transport it to Marty Breaux’s garage and have him patch the tear. Jadyn told him she wanted to check in with Mildred, so he headed to the sheriff’s department to get his boat and would be back to pick her up.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Jadyn whirled around. “What the hell is going on? How did you get the FBI’s boat?”

“There was an alligator and then a snake and then people starting shooting, so I ran. It was a long walk to Maryse’s truck and I didn’t have the keys besides, so I jumped in the boat and left.”

Jadyn stared. She’s known Helena alone in an FBI boat couldn’t be a good thing, but this sounded much worse than she’d imagined. “Did Maryse take you to the pond?”

“Yes. We were going to spy on Ross.”

“Where is Maryse?”

Helena shrugged. “She was supposed to be watching from across the pond. I guess when all the fray broke out, she hightailed it out of there.”

“What fray?”

“I got solid.”

“That doesn’t necessarily account for a fray.”

Helena looked down at the ground and sighed. “In my haste to get away from the snake, I might have run over Ross, who might have fired his weapon as he fell.”

“And then you drove off in his boat. Good God Almighty.”

Helena rolled her eyes. “You say that like it’s the worst thing you ever heard.”

“Hold that thought.”
 

Jadyn pulled out her phone and dialed Mildred. The hotel owner must have had one hand on the phone because she answered before the first ring finished.

“Is Maryse there?” Jadyn asked.

“Nooooo,” Mildred said, and Jadyn knew she didn’t want to tattle on Maryse.

“I already know she went to spy on Ross.”

“Oh no. What happened?”

Jadyn relayed Helena’s fun-filled morning.

“What happened to Maryse?” Mildred asked, the panic clear in her voice.

“That’s a good question, and one that I and Dastardly the Panicky Ghost can’t answer.”

“They left here hours ago, and Helena said this happened right after they got there?”

“That’s what she says.”

“She would have made it back here by now. Even crawling she could have made it back by now. Do you think Ross has her?”

“I don’t know,” Jadyn replied, but it sounded more and more likely.

“What do I do if Luc comes looking for her? Should I try to find her myself? I’ve called her cell several times already and it goes straight to voice mail.”

Jadyn heard a boat approaching and looked up to see Colt pulling up to the dock. “Colt’s back so I have to get off the phone. I’m sending Helena to the hotel. Take her with you and see if you can find Maryse and her truck.”

“What if I run into Ross?”

“Tell him the truth—that you know Maryse was working in this area of the swamp this morning but she should have been back by lunch, and you’re looking for her because you’re worried. I’ve got to run.”

She disconnected and shoved the cell phone back in her jeans pocket. “Get to the hotel,” she said to Helena, then turned around and headed down the dock, her creative mind conjuring up all the things that might have happened to Maryse if Ross got his hands on her.

And all the things that might happen to Ross if Luc LeJeune decided his wife had been poorly treated.

The last thought made her smile.

###

Maryse had been held captive in a hospital room for going on six hours and every hour seemed longer than the one before. Six straight hours of CNN. No one should endure such torture. Her captor, whom she’d named the Stepford Agent, for his lack of a single original thought, sat in a chair next to the door as if expecting her to make a break for it.

Truth be known, she would have, but every time he’d used the restroom, he’d handcuffed her to the bed, removing the option. When they’d first entered the room, he’d placed her cell phone on a stand in the corner, inches out of reach when she was shackled. She’d tried to snag it with a bedpan the first time he’d taken a potty break, figuring the risk of breaking the screen was worth it as long as she could still make a phone call. If she had to spend another hour closed up in here with Stepford, she might
need
that psych eval.

Unfortunately, she hadn’t heard Stepford coming out of the restroom and he’d caught her bedpan-handed. He’d removed her phone from the table and slipped it into his front jeans pocket where she wasn’t about to risk going, not even with a bedpan.

“You know it’s been hours since I’ve eaten,” she said.

“My orders don’t include serving you meals.”

“Your orders didn’t include peeing either, but I notice you do that when you’re so inclined. My digestive system didn’t cut off when you kidnapped me. And if something happens to me while you’re holding me hostage, you’re going to be responsible. Not to mention you’re going to look like the biggest dumbass in the world if I have a medical emergency while you’re restraining me in a hospital.”

Stepford rose from his chair and snapped the cuffs back on her and the bed, glaring the entire time. “I’ll get you something from the hospital cafeteria.”

“Oh, goody. Gourmet.”

“Food is food. Eat it or don’t. All I have to do is provide it.”

“Whatever. If they have tuna salad, that would be great.”

He stalked out of the room and Maryse flopped back on the bed a minute, enjoying a moment without someone staring at her. Being detained was hell on introverts. She eyeballed the television remote that Stepford had left on his chair. The bedpan was still within reach so she went to work trying to snag the remote.

It took a couple of tries, but she finally managed to drag the remote off of the fabric-covered chair and onto the floor. From that point, it was easy to drag it across the tile. When the remote was close to her feet, she tackled it like a starving man on a cheeseburger.
 

Fox News, NBC News, CBS News.
 

Good God! Was there anything left on television besides the horrible things people did to one another? Life was already full of reality. What she wanted was a distraction. Finally, she flipped to a repeat episode of
Hell’s Kitchen
. That would work. She liked food and she liked people who yelled, so it was a win-win.

She shoved the remote under her pillow and leaned back to watch.

She was just getting interested in the episode when Stepford returned with her lunch/dinner and placed it on the bed next to her. He closed the door, then released her from the handcuffs before perching in his chair again. Then he noticed the television and frowned.

“Where is the remote?” he asked.

“Somewhere you don’t want to get caught looking or my husband will shoot you.” If she never saw another newscast again, it would be too soon.

“I’m not watching this crap.”

“Then look out the window or stare at the floor. But unless you shoot me, you’re not getting the remote. You don’t have the good taste to use it properly.” She lifted the bread of her sandwich. “Is this tuna salad?”

His jaw flexed as he gave her a nod. She tore open a bag of potato chips and dug in, savoring the salt and washing it down with a soda. Stepford sat in stony silence, still glaring at her. Just when she was starting to not hate life altogether, the door opened and Ross walked in.
 

“There goes the neighborhood,” she muttered.

Ross strode over to the bed. “You and I are going to talk.”

“I can’t wait.”

“How did you get to the pond?”

“I drove.”

He raised an eyebrow. “The truth—how refreshing. We found your truck. If your business was as legitimate as you claim, why did you camouflage your vehicle?”

“Because I don’t want anyone to steal it.”

“And vehicle theft on barely used swamp roads is a big concern in Mudbug?”

“It concerns me.”

“I don’t believe that for one minute. What I believe is that you and your accomplice were trying to spy on my investigation.”

“I’m a botanist. I don’t spy. I study.”

“Studying my crime scene is considered interfering with a federal investigation.”

“I didn’t see any posted signs…no police tape. You expect me to stay off of my own property?”

“I expect you to stay away from me. I know exactly who you are, and I know Raissa is a friend of yours. I also know you like to meddle in police business.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I don’t like to meddle at all, and if you guys did your job, I wouldn’t have to be so pushy.”

Ross’s face reddened and beads of sweat began to form on his brow. He lifted a hand and rubbed his forehead.

“Headache?” she asked. “Maybe you hurt your head when you fell and discharged your weapon without cause.”

“I did not fall! Something hit me.”

“Really? What was it?”

“I didn’t see it.”

Maryse raised her eyebrows. “The marsh grass was only a couple feet high. I don’t know of any living creature that could take a grown man down and leave no sign of passage. Maybe you should think about hitting the gym. Age can catch up with you.”

Ross’s nostrils flared out as he sucked in air. “What I need is for you and your meddling friends to stay out of my business, and if you don’t, I’m going to make things very difficult for all of you.”

“Is that a threat?” Luc stepped into the room and gave Ross a look so stern it had him stepping back from the bed.

Maryse jumped off the bed and threw her arms around her husband. “Thank God you’re here. They bruised my arm, took my cell phone, tortured me for hours with CNN, and refused to feed me. Then this idiot tried to poison me.” She released Luc and pointed to Stepford.

“That’s a lie,” the agent said as he jumped up from his chair. “I brought you perfectly good food from the hospital cafeteria.”

“You brought me tuna salad. I told you I was allergic to mayonnaise.”

“You lying bi—”

Luc took a step toward him. “If you want to continue breathing, you’re not going to finish that sentence.”

Stepford’s mouth slammed shut and he took a step back.

“Is my wife under arrest?” he asked Ross.

“Not at this moment. I have more important things to worry about. But if my boat isn’t returned by tomorrow morning, I’m going to charge her as an accessory to its theft.”

Maryse whirled around to face Ross. “I didn’t—”

Luc put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “Not now.”

It took some restraint, but Maryse managed to keep quiet.

“Then we’ll be going,” Luc said. “But get one thing straight—if you ever touch my wife again, even to shake her hand, or detain her without notifying me, FBI or no, I’ll pin your balls together with your badge. Are we clear?”

Ross’s eyes widened a bit but apparently, he took Luc at his word.