“There were other emeralds?”

  “It seems the cross she had is a mate to the one Alex buried.”

  I wondered what sort of arrangements had been made all these years to have these items smuggled into the country. If Rick destroyed everything except the emeralds, a lot of history had been lost. “Have Rick and Kenny been apprehended?” My anxiety must have shown in my face.

  “No, both are still on the run as of a half hour ago.” He glanced at Rachel and then back to me. “You two need to be very careful until they are taken into custody.”

  “I will.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “You better. You might not be rescued the next time.”

  “I promise. What about the other raid at the stash house?”

  “That I don’t know about. Ronnie told me about the Gallagher raid when I spoke to him earlier.” Danny pushed his chair away from the table. “I need to get to the station so I can find out what’s in store for me today.” He kissed Rachel on the lips. “Ladies, I’ll check in with y’all later. Stay out of trouble.”

  “Don’t worry,” I said. “We’ll be fine. I promise.” The look on his face didn’t indicate confidence in my pledge. “Will you remember to mention to Ronnie about Willow and Kenny Verrett?”

  “I can’t promise the opportunity will come up,” he said. “City Hall could be a mad house by now.”

  After Danny left, Rachel and I sat for a while as I nursed a second cup of coffee in silence. I needed to go over to my house to pick up clean clothes. Then I should check on the kids. They couldn’t stay at the Harts’ house forever. The day had only begun, but I wasn’t anxious to proceed.

  “Rachel, did you hear the noise when Keith broke the door in?”

  “I thought I heard something so I came in the kitchen to look out,” she said. “Your house was dark, which made seeing anything difficult. Then came the shot. That’s when I called nine-one-one.”

  “I wonder if my alarm company called CLPD when the power went off this time.”

  “According to Danny, they did, along with me and several neighbors,” she said, her voice shaking. “I was absolutely terrified that either you or Josh had been hurt...or worse.”

  “Well, we’re okay now, except for being shaken up. I’m sure Josh is worse off emotionally than I am. Even though I’ve never shot anyone, I imagine it would be a terrible experience.”

  She nodded in acknowledgement. “Years ago, Danny shot a man in the line of duty. He felt bad for a long time afterward about having to shoot him.”

  I didn’t want to think about shooting another human being.

  “Would you believe Keith had installed listening devices in several places in the house? Megan phoned Josh to tell us Alex had informed Agent Gorman of the location where he buried the emeralds. Josh put her on speaker.”

  Rachel looked horrified. “And he heard everything she said.”

  “Shortly after we discovered the rest of the bugs, Keith cut the power off.”

  “Can the average person buy those things in a store?”

  “I believe so,” I said. “If not in a store I’m certain any electronic item such as those can be purchased online.” I rose from my chair and carried my coffee cup to the sink. “I have things to do. Time to get moving.”

  Rachel frowned. “Don’t you want something to eat?”

  “No, I’ll grab something from my candy bar stash at the house.”

  “What is so important that you have to rush back to your crime scene of a house?” She eyed me with suspicion. “I hope you’re not thinking about finding Willow to warn her about those men on the loose. I’m sure she’s aware of the situation by now.”

  “I need to at least get some clean clothes from my house,” I said, slightly annoyed. “Then I have to go to Renee’s and get the twins. She doesn’t need two more kids to deal with.”

  I really had considered doing something on the order of going to the Baums’ house. Rachel knew me too well. But that would be a stupid and dangerous move.

  After fifteen more minutes of talking Rachel out of accompanying me next door, I stepped cautiously inside a house that had been two different crime scenes within twenty-four hours. I hoped there wouldn’t be a third.

  Fifty-two

  An eerie quiet greeted me inside the house. Maybe it was my imagination, but I could still smell a hint of gunpowder in the air. I edged my way down the hall and stopped in front of my bedroom door. I didn’t want to look at the floor because I knew there was blood on the carpet. Thank God it wasn’t Josh’s blood, but I still couldn’t bear to see it.

  The intense fear I had felt last night huddled on the side of the bed came rushing back to me. My legs shook. I plopped down on the side of the bed and took several deep breaths. How was I ever going to be able to live in this house again?

  I needed to take a good look at myself and reassess my priorities. Was getting involved in a murder investigation worth my life or the lives of Matthew and Caroline? They haven’t even recovered from their father’s death. All this disruption might be more than they can deal with.

  Our house would require a professional cleaning service to get rid of the blood stain and the black fingerprint dust marking the doorways and other surfaces that were checked by CLPD. Tomorrow I would call and make an appointment to have that done.

  I glanced at my watch. The morning was half over. Staying here brooding didn’t help matters at all. It might be a good idea to get my clothes and go back next door.

  I opened the dresser drawer and pulled out a pair of shorts. A blue tee-shirt and clean underwear were retrieved from the other drawers.

  After one last look around, I walked down the hall and out of the house. I stood for a long moment staring unseeing out into space. I jumped when I heard Rachel call my name.

  “Is everything okay?” she asked.

  “No, and I wonder if things will ever be okay.” Tears welled in my eyes.

  She put her arm around my shoulder. “Don’t say that. You have to think positively. Come back inside and let me fix you something to eat. You’ll feel better after you’ve eaten.”

  An hour later I had eaten and taken a quick shower, which did help my mood a great deal. I had spoken to Renee earlier and told her I was coming to get the kids. Naturally she wanted to know what had happened last night, but I told her we could talk about it later when the kids weren’t around.

  Rachel stood at the kitchen sink cleaning up the breakfast dishes. “Are you going to get the kids now?”

  “I think Renee has put up with them long enough,” I said. “We’re not going to be able to stay in our house until I can get a cleaning service over there.”

  “You know y’all are more than welcome to stay here. The kids can sleep in the other guest bedroom. There’s also the sleeper sofa in the den if they don’t want to sleep together in the same room.”

  I smiled appreciatively. “Thanks for everything.”

  “No thanks are necessary.”

  I decided to walk to Renee’s so I cut across my back yard toward the street. The sound of a vehicle squealing out cut through the air and startled me. My view of the road had been blocked by that patch of woods behind our house.

  My heart pounded as a familiar black GMC pickup barreled toward me. The truck braked with a loud screech. Although I couldn’t see her face due to the tinted windshield, I knew Marcie Gallagher sat in the driver’s seat.

  A man jumped out of the passenger door. Kenny Verrett! I turned to run but he grabbed me from behind. I screamed and tried to wrestle my way out of his grip. He was too strong. He struck me in the face, then covered my mouth with his hand and dragged me to the truck.

  He threw me into the rear seat of the double cab pick-up and got in beside me, keeping me restrained by waving a gun in my face. Marcie floored the accelerator and the truck roared off down the street.

  Even without the threat of being shot, I couldn’t have resisted anyway. My jaw ached from the blow from Kenny’s fist. I was still seeing stars.

  ~ * ~

  “Oh, no,” Rachel cried. “They took Susan!” She grabbed her cell phone and punched in nine-one-one. “Susan Foret has been kidnapped.”

  After speaking to the operator, she sent a text to Danny. SOS. Susan kidnapped. Black GMC pick-up.

  Fifty-three

  The truck traveled at a high rate of speed, turning several corners and swerving around curves on Richard Road. I had whiplash from being jerked around. I hoped any law enforcement officers who were out searching for these people would come after us if for no other reason than this driver was a danger to society with her erratic driving.

  After what seemed like hours, Marcie whipped onto a gravel road and then made another sharp turn. She drove slightly slower because of the ruts in this dirt road. I had no idea where we were, except out in the woods.

  “Dammit, Marcie,” Kenny yelled. “Take it easy on the ruts.”

  “You want to get back quick or in one piece?” she shouted back.

  He uttered an expletive. “I’d like to do both. You can slow down now. There are no frickin’ cops after us yet.”

  “No but they will be soon,” I said in an amazingly calm voice.

  He grabbed my face with one hand and squeezed my cheeks. “Shut your frickin’ mouth.”

  Maybe my hope for a quick rescue was wishful thinking. Who knew if Renee or Rachel had seen what happened.

  A wood frame house elevated on ten foot pilings came into view. The building looked to be in good shape. A small porch complete with two wooden rocking chairs crossed the front. Under ordinary circumstances, this place would be a cozy weekend retreat. Today it might end up being a death trap.

  Marcie turned into a gravel driveway next to the house and pulled the truck around the back.

  I couldn’t help but wonder if this house belonged to the Gallaghers. Surely these people couldn’t be that stupid. This would be one of the places authorities would look for Rick and Kenny. Or at the very least they would search here for Rick and Marcie.

  The first person I saw inside the house was Willow Baum. What was she doing here? I couldn’t imagine why. Huddled in a chair, she appeared frightened. Had they kidnapped her too? None of this made sense. Maybe we were to be hostages.

  Rick Gallagher rose from a wingback chair nearby and walked over to where Willow was seated. He held a small pistol in his hand.

  He studied me for a short moment, and then turned his gaze to Marcie. “I see you finally did something right.”

  Marcie clamped her lips tight as if to keep from responding to his belittling declaration. She averted her eyes and tugged at the hem of her sage green halter top.

  When I overheard her argument with Jill at the Gallaghers’ home, Marcie had seemed a more forceful woman. Maybe she was only compliant with her husband.

  Lucie Celestine may have been correct in her comparison of Rick to the likes of a Macoute. Although his comment to Marcie might be characterized as emotional abuse, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was also guilty of physical abuse.

  I stepped closer to Rick. “Why are Willow and I here?”

  His smarmy smile grated on my nerves. “Two reasons,” he said. “First of all, you and Willow make excellent hostages. Secondly, one of you knows where Narcisse buried the emeralds.”

  “What makes you think either one of us knows where the jewels are buried?” I hoped my voice didn’t betray my quaking insides.

  He narrowed his eyes. “Of the two of you, I’d have to guess it’s more likely you know the location.”

  “Keith Parker thought the same when he broke into my house, but he was wrong. How would I know?”

  Rick grabbed Willow by her arm, yanking her out of the chair. He pointed his gun at her head. Her body tensed. “You’re always going to bat for people you believe are innocent. I’m sure you don’t want to see Willow get hurt.”

  His piercing gaze seemed to see inside my head. Did he know about the listening devices Keith placed in my house?

  “You talked to Narcisse several times. Your sister-in-law is his attorney. She must have given you the scoop.”

  “She couldn’t. Attorney-client privilege,” I said.

  He squeezed Willow’s arm tighter until she cried out.

  My first instinct was to rush to her aid. I could feel Kenny’s presence right behind me, waiting to prevent me from making such a move. The conversation from Megan’s phone call raced through my mind. I sure hoped she had passed along the information to Agent Gorman.

  “Okay, I’ll tell you what I know about the location. He told her he buried the emeralds near an old shack out in the swamp. I believe I know how to find the place.”

  “You had best not be leading us on a wild goose chase,” Rick said. “Both of you ladies will regret doing so.” He moved his gaze to Willow. “Is there a shovel in that shed behind here?”

  She nodded. I realized then that this cabin belonged to the Baums.

  Rick ordered Kenny to retrieve a shovel and any other item that might be of use to them. “And hurry up. We don’t have time to waste.”

  Kenny didn’t appear anxious to go back out into the heat. Or perhaps he resented being ordered around by Rick. His walk to the door was slow and deliberate.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement through a small gap in the curtains. “I have to assume Keith Parker worked with you.”

  “He worked for me on one occasion about ten years ago,” he said proudly. His expression suddenly clouded. “Then he decided to go out on his own. We all know how that ended up.”

  “I’ll bet he’s telling ICE and local law enforcement about his arrangement with you to attack your family’s boat.” My heart raced. I was really going out on a limb with my accusation.

  Rick frowned, but didn’t deny the charge.

  Kenny came charging back from his spot by the door to confront Rick, uttering one obscenity after another. “What the hell? You sent Parker to murder your whole family? That’s sick.”

  “I can’t believe you actually believed the attack was random.” His voice dripped with sarcasm. “You consider yourself a much better person because you shot and killed Celina and put our half-brother in the hospital?”

  “At least I had a good reason. Both of them were going to blow our smuggling operation.”

  “You were partially at fault in Celina’s case. Like an idiot, you allowed her to seduce you and fed her with confidential information about our operation. If you had left well enough alone, she might not have been at the drop-off spot.” He glanced at Willow. “Even her little sister knew how Celina played you.”

  “You sanctimonious bastard,” Kenny yelled, advancing toward Rick.

  My heart banged against my chest. Both men had guns. Willow and I might get caught in the cross fire, especially if the movement I saw outside was a bird flying past the window. Nothing like me causing havoc among the bad guys to make them turn on each other.

  The back door crashed open. A male voice shouted, “Federal agents, drop your weapons! Get on the floor.” A team of armed men in SWAT gear swarmed into the room.

  Not wanting to get shot, I followed orders for once. I dropped to the floor and folded my arms under my face. I held my breath waiting to hear gunfire, but all I heard was complete chaos, crashing noises and men shouting obscenities and the loud tromping of footsteps. I curled up into a fetal position.

  I felt the presence of someone near me. He called my name. Recognizing the voice, I dared to lift my head up. Ronnie Hart, dressed in SWAT gear, knelt beside me.

  “Come on, I’ll get you out of here.” He helped me up off the floor and ushered me toward the door.

  My mind was a blur as though my brain wasn’t registering what my eyes saw. I couldn’t tell whether our three kidnappers were in custody or not. The hot August air outside felt like an oven, but at least my head started to clear.

  “What about Willow? Where is she?”

  “Don’t worry, we’ll get her out,” he said, holding on to my arm as we walked down the stairs.

  Good thing he held on to me. My legs felt like rubber bands.

  Fifty-four

  A line of police vehicles and an EMS truck all with bar lights flashing came streaming onto the dirt road toward the cabin. I looked at Ronnie with surprise.

  Apparently anticipating my question, he explained, “The team came in on foot. A bunch of cars going over gravel roads would have given away our presence.” He alerted my attention back to the house. “There’s Willow coming out now.”

  An officer escorted her down the stairs and over to our location. We met half way and hugged.

  “I’m so glad to be out of there alive,” she said. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

  “You and me too,” I said, trying to keep from crying.

  She and I walked back to the where Ronnie stood with several other deputies. We spoke to them for a few minutes.

  “How were you able to find us,” I asked.

  “Yes, I’d like to know. I couldn’t imagine y’all would even consider our cabin as the place they would take us,” Willow said.

  Speaking to her, he explained, “Your mother reported your kidnapping a short time before we heard about Susan’s. We first asked Claire if the Gallaghers owned a camp or cabin by the river. She said they did have a fishing camp out on Bayou Shadow.” He turned to me. “Then Miriam told us about this place that was built by her late husband. Even though criminals aren’t always the brightest color in the box, we figured Rick wouldn’t be stupid enough to hold up out at their camp.”

  A number of the officers in the crowd became alert and looked toward the house. “Here they come,” one of them said. Three officers escorted the handcuffed Rick, Marcie, and Kenny down the stairs and into awaiting police vehicles.

  Willow and I exchanged a look of relief.

  “Agent Gorman and I will want to speak to you ladies about the incident,” Ronnie said.

  “Hopefully not today,” I said. “All I want is to go home, even if it’s still a mess from the break-in.”