“And Erin continued to believe it was helping her?”
“I guess so. She was back to painting before she disappeared.”
“Is there anyone you can think of that may have wanted to hurt Erin or her family?” Red asked.
“No,” Chris answered. “Erin’s the sweetest person I know. She never made an enemy.”
“That’s right,” Melinda agreed. “Erin is always the first person to volunteer at school functions and has a lot of friends. She also spends her time volunteering at local charities. It’s kind of hard to imagine anyone more perfect. And the kids, Mary Kate and Patrick, are just dolls. I love them just as if they were my own.”
She gave a little laugh, and Rachel had the fleeting thought that it wasn’t the laugh of someone grieving. Rachel was beginning to think Melinda might be a little jealous of her sister-in-law.
“Chris, what about the business? You must make some enemies,” Red speculated.
“We’ve had our fair share of problems,” said Chris, nodding. “But like I told the detective who questioned us, I can’t think of anyone who would want to hurt our family. Some people think the bond business is exotic and dangerous. The truth of the matter is that only a portion of our clients are real criminals. The rest of them are regular people who have been caught in extraordinary circumstances and need help getting out of a stressful situation. A lot of people think we deal with ‘bad’ people all the time. Generally, a person who needs to be bailed out is somebody’s sister, father, or close friend. We deal with regular people—like you and me—who have made mistakes and find themselves in a regrettable situation.”
“What about Rupert Meaux?” Melinda asked her husband. “He definitely wanted to hurt our family.”
CHAPTER 13
“Who is Rupert Meaux?” Red asked.
“Rupert Meaux is harmless,” Chris answered, clearly getting more annoyed with Melinda. It was obvious that there was something brewing between husband and wife.
“We had to put a lien on his house because he skipped bail. It’s not something we normally do, but this was an extreme measure. Rupert skipped on bail and went into hiding. His wife, Frances, was pretty livid and showed up on our doorstep with a baseball bat.”
“You told the detective this?” Red asked.
“A police report was filed at the time. They’re aware of it.”
Rachel noticed that Matt looked bored. His eyes were glazed, and he kept rubbing his palms over his eyes like an exhausted kid. Rachel wondered if he was still heavily medicated.
“And if the person skips on bail,” Rachel asked, “like Rupert Meaux, do you always put a lien on their property?”
“We do that as a last resort. Sometimes, depending on the amount of bond, we employ a bounty hunter to track down the fugitive. If that is unsuccessful, and the courts have approved, we are entitled to the full bail amount. We will put a lien on the property that was used to secure the bail bond.”
“What happened to Mrs. Meaux?” Red asked.
“She was able to pay off the bail amount and we removed the lien.”
“Not before she had a heart attack and her oldest son came after Chris with some buddies one night,” Melinda said.
Chris shot Melinda another irritated look. “Melinda! Enough.” He turned his attention back to Red and Rachel. “Look, it was nothing. The family was a little pissed off and I defused the situation. It happens sometimes. The Meauxs had nothing to do with Erin or this situation.”
Rachel was a little uncomfortable with the tension in the room. Thankfully, the doorbell rang. While Melinda went to answer the door, Rachel took the opportunity to ask Matt something she’d been thinking about.
“Matt, I have a friend who is in town this weekend. Her name is Michelle Couch, and she’s worked with amnesia patients before. I thought we might give it a shot and have you talk with her. See if she can help you recover your memory.”
“Sure. That’s why I called you guys to come over. I wanted to see what I could do to help find my family. I feel so helpless just sitting around doing nothing.”
“I know how you feel.” Rachel told him about her missing daughter, Mallory. “I’ve been in your shoes and I know that helpless feeling very well. But there are ways that you can help, and talking to Michelle would be a good first step.”
“I’d be willing to do that,” Matt agreed. “And I’m sorry to hear about your daughter. It must be hard.”
“It is.” Rachel finished her drink. “I’ll set something up in the next day or two with Michelle. We’ll find…” She was interrupted by Melinda coming back in the room with her guests. Rachel looked up in surprise to see Agents Krapek and Phipps standing behind Melinda.
“The FBI is here to talk to Matt,” Melinda announced.
CHAPTER 14
Rachel knew immediately that Agent Krapek was bringing bad news. She’d experienced this when working with the FBI in the past. They usually didn’t call the bad news in. They showed up unexpectedly. Like this.
Agent Krapek had her game face on. Dressed in her typical tailored work outfit, she wore navy trousers, a white shirt, and a gray blazer, even though it was a humid day. Everything about her said that she was here on serious business. She was accompanied by Agent Phipps and another law enforcement officer, who was introduced to Rachel as Detective Kerry Jones of the NOPD. Rachel watched the professional but friendly handshake between Jones and the O’Malley brothers and remembered what Red had said about the three having worked together before. It had to be a relief to the O’Malleys that an intimidating FBI agent like Krapek was accompanied by a local officer with a familiar face. Rachel studied Detective Jones. She was about five eight, with mocha-colored skin and slick dark hair that formed a tight bun. Rachel could tell that Jones meant business.
“Sorry to come unannounced.” Krapek directed her words toward Matt. “Something has come up. Can we talk in private?”
“It’s not necessary. You can speak freely in front of everyone here,” Matt told her.
“Okay.” Agent Krapek took a seat next to Matt, while Jones and Phipps stood by. “A woman’s body was found in Houma. We have reason to believe that it’s your wife.”
Rachel held her breath, thinking back to what Madame Verdene had told her about Erin being found in a swampy area.
“Are you sure?” Matt asked in a quiet voice.
“We need you to take a look at a photo.” Krapek nodded to Phipps as he pulled out a Polaroid that was taken at the ME’s office. “I have to warn you that what I’m about to show you is a little shocking.”
Matt held out his hand. “I want to see it.”
Melinda got up and walked out of the room. Rachel heard the back door open and then quietly close. She imagined that Melinda didn’t want to hear the bad news that was likely to be revealed. Or, she thought, remembering the comments Melinda had made about Erin’s perfect life, maybe Melinda just wanted to freshen up her lipstick. There was something so superficial about the woman. Rachel wanted to warm to her, but couldn’t.
“I should clarify that the sheriff’s office in Houma found a body part only,” said Krapek. “Not a whole body. This is the left arm. A wedding ring was still attached.”
Matt studied the picture, and tears welled up in his eyes. “This is Erin’s wedding band. I may not remember the last couple of months, but I remember slipping this on her finger.” He made a kind of choking noise, and Rachel could tell he was trying to keep from all-out crying.
Chris glanced at the photo. “Are you sure, buddy?”
Matt nodded. “There’s one way to know for sure. It has our initials engraved on the inside of the band with our wedding date.”
“Right,” said Krapek, with a grave expression. “The initials E and M were found on the inside, along with an April date.” Agent Phipps handed Matt another photo. “Here’s the other picture we took of the ring.”
Rachel watched as Chris put his arm around Matt. The color was draining from Matt�
�s face.
“Not to sound harsh, but even if it’s Erin’s ring, how do you know that’s actually her?” Chris asked.
“The ME is running DNA and tox reports. We’re not one hundred percent, but with the ring…” Krapek shrugged.
Matt handed the photo back to Phipps with shaky hands. “It’s her. She had a mole on her hand. It always bothered her and she wanted to have it removed.”
“Well, this doesn’t prove Erin is dead,” said Chris. “You just found an arm, right?”
“Right,” Krapek answered. “But you have to admit it doesn’t look good.”
“What about the kids?” Matt asked.
“Nothing yet,” Krapek answered. “With a solid ID on Erin, we can have our crime scene unit assist the sheriff’s office and scour the area. Unfortunately, the weather elements combined with topography will make it difficult to find evidence.” Krapek looked to Detective Jones to see if she wanted to add anything about their investigation.
“We’re still waiting on our crime lab for the results of processing your vehicle and the scene,” said Jones. “So far, we know the only prints we’ve found on the tire iron are yours, Matt.” The woman shifted her heavy frame from one foot to the other.
Rachel watched Matt closely as he acknowledged Jones’s statement with a nod. He seemed genuinely surprised and upset by seeing the grisly photographs that seemed to prove his wife’s death. But Rachel still had her doubts about whether or not he was truly suffering from amnesia or just hiding the truth of what had happened. She just had to trust that the truth would come out in the end. And pray that the kids were still safe.
“Do you mind if we talk alone now?” Krapek asked Matt.
“Sure,” he answered.
“You can use my office,” Chris offered.
CHAPTER 15
Matt could tell from Krapek’s posture that she wasn’t in the mood to waste any time. She gestured for Matt to take a seat, watched as Agent Phipps and Detective Jones did the same, and then started asking questions from behind the room’s wooden desk. “Have you remembered anything?”
Matt glanced around his brother’s office and spotted the mini-fridge that held some of his brother’s favorite local brews. He opened the door, grabbed a NOLA Blonde Ale, and popped the top. He stared into the bottle as if he’d find an answer there—an answer that would convince Krapek that he was innocent in the disappearance of his family.
“Nope. I’ve looked through countless family photo albums and videos. Nothing has worked.”
“Look, Matt. We’re running out of time here, so don’t pull any shit with us. Your kids’ lives could be in jeopardy. We need something to go on.” Krapek gripped the edge of the desk and leaned over so she was within inches of Matt’s face. A few blond tendrils came loose from her ponytail, and she tucked them behind her ear. “Give me something.”
Matt set his beer down on the desk. “I’m doing everything I can. What do you want from me?”
“We want you to tell us the truth. What really happened that night?” Krapek asked.
“I don’t know. I’m trying my best to remember. But I really don’t know.” Matt ran his hands through his dark hair. He didn’t know what it was going to take to get Krapek to believe him. “Look, I want to find my kids just as bad as you do. They’re my kids, for Christ’s sake. What do you want me to say?”
Krapek stared at him like her eyes might be able to crack him open. Matt’s eyes met hers and he didn’t look away.
“Matt, we’d like to come by your office tomorrow and sit down with you. Go through any cases you’ve worked on that may have had any disgruntled clients,” Phipps requested.
“Fine,” he said, with a hint of frustration. “What time?” Matt tilted back the beer bottle, took another swig, and set it down with a loud clank. He could sense that Krapek didn’t approve of his daytime drinking or his attitude, but he didn’t care.
“We’ll meet you there at nine.” Krapek sighed and slid off the side of the desk. “Sorry again for being the bearer of bad news. We’ll see ourselves out.”
Matt stayed in the room and watched the agents and detective leave. He heard them call out their good-byes. He reached in the fridge and grabbed another beer, this time choosing an IPA. He took a long pull from the bottle before setting it down. He knew time was running out. Agent Krapek was out for blood, his blood, and he could possibly be arrested any time now.
The Holy Bible was sitting on the edge of Chris’s desk. Matt picked it up and flipped through the pages. His eyes settled on Psalm 90:1. As he read the passage, an image of a homeless man popped in his head. A homeless man with perfect white teeth.
CHAPTER 16
Chris O’Malley looked out the living room’s front window and watched as the visitors backed down the driveway. Rachel and Red had made their exit as soon as Matt and his FBI visitors went to talk in private. Now they were gone as well. Closing his eyes in frustration for an instant, Chris went in search of his wife and found her in the kitchen, her back to him as she poured a martini.
“Melinda! What the hell was that all about?”
Melinda startled at his voice, clearly not expecting him. She dropped her martini glass on the kitchen’s marble tile floor. An olive rolled under the refrigerator, and the smell of vermouth assaulted Chris’s nose.
“You scared me!” Melinda grabbed the broom and started sweeping up the bits of broken glass. “What’s wrong with you?”
“What’s wrong with me? Why were you running your big mouth about the Meaux family? You know that company business is confidential. I told you to refrain from speaking about it to any investigators. You leave that to me!”
Chris watched as his wife used a wet paper towel to pick up the tiny fragments of the shattered martini glass the broom didn’t catch.
“I was just trying to help. Your poor brother is brain damaged, his wife and kids may be dead, and you don’t want me to say anything that may be helpful in finding them?” She threw the paper towel in the trash and then put her hands on her hips. Her normally well-coiffed blond hair was messy, and her lipstick had faded.
“You know what I mean, Melinda. This isn’t the first time we’ve had this conversation. Leave the business end of it to me. I don’t want you to talk about our clients. Period.” Chris threw his hands up. “Just keep drinking your martinis and keep your mouth shut about everything else.”
“That’s the problem, Chris. I’ve been keeping my mouth shut for too long. I’m tired of living in this damn house out in the middle of nowhere. You promised me we would only be here for a few years. Where are our mansion and our fancy cars? That’s one thing I could never understand. Matt has given you plenty of opportunities to invest in stocks and real estate with him, and you never take him up on his offer. He’s made millions on his investments. Millions. And we have nothing because you’re too afraid to take a risk.” Melinda stomped her foot like a spoiled child, her four-inch heels making a clacking sound on the marble tiled floor. “Not only are you afraid, but you let Matt walk all over you. You let him have the mansion when your father died. You let him take control of the business. You are nothing but a puppet on a string. It’s pathetic. I obviously married the wrong brother!”
“Why do you have to make this all about you? My brother has lost everything and you want to talk about why you don’t have all the fancy things you think you’re entitled to? The faster I make money, the faster you spend it. It wouldn’t have mattered whether or not I made those investments, we’d still have nothing to show for it! Because of your reckless spending, we’re hundreds of thousands in debt!” Chris moved closer to Melinda and grabbed her chin with his right hand. “If you married me to get back at Matt, then that was your choice. And if you don’t like things the way they are, then there’s the door.”
Melinda stared at him so coldly that Chris felt himself shudder. He felt close to hating her. When had it all gone wrong? Lately, she had seemed so detached. The more distant they became, t
he more Melinda spent. Or had she always been like this and he’d just never noticed? Her body was incredible enough to distract him from just about anything, that was for sure. Even now, he found himself staring at her curves beneath the tight pencil skirt, the swell of her breasts stretching the fabric of her shirt, and he reached out to caress her.
“I’m not going anywhere, Chris. If you think that, you’ve got another thing coming.” Melinda pushed Chris’s hand away just as he heard a thump. He turned quickly and was startled to see Matt right behind them. He was leaning on the breakfast bar, his hand resting on the Bible he’d found in Chris’s office, a hint of worry on his face.
“I think I remember something.”
CHAPTER 17
Chris heard Melinda let out a deep sigh. He knew she was a couple of drinks away from passing out. Melinda rarely drank, but lately she seemed stressed and had been drinking more than usual, and this had Chris concerned.
“Why don’t you go upstairs and rest?” Chris said, his tone softer. “I’m going to take Matt out for dinner.”
Chris watched as Melinda kissed Matt on the cheek before leaving the room.
“Sorry you had to witness that,” Chris said to his brother. “So. What do you remember?”
Matt shrugged. “It could be nothing, but I was flipping through the Bible and read this passage: ‘A prayer of Moses, the man of God. Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.’ I think it triggered a memory.”
Chris gripped his hand around his beer. “Tell me.”
“Well, after reading that, I suddenly remembered a homeless man asking me for money. I gave him twenty bucks.”
Chris laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Matt asked, confused.
“You think that’s a recovered memory? From when? Brother, you are always giving money to the poor and unfortunate. That memory could be from three months ago or three years ago. You are a magnet for poor, troubled souls. Just a couple of weeks ago we were rushing to the courthouse, and a single mom with two kids approached us at a crosswalk. I couldn’t believe you stopped to listen to her sob story. She said she was hungry and her husband kicked her and the kids out of the house. You marched that woman and her kids to the closest restaurant and bought them all ham and egg biscuits, and didn’t even care that you made us late for our appointment. You probably gave her money, too.”
Cut & Run Page 6