Off to the left, she watched two alligators slither into the water and disappear below the surface. Then the motor shuddered and LD cursed a blue streak.
It was then she remembered they were low on gas. LD picked up the gas can with one hand and tilted it on end. “Hold this,” he yelled above the noise.
She reached out and took it with her good hand. Even almost empty, the metal can was too heavy for her to hold with one hand. Gritting her teeth, she grabbed it with the other hand and held tight.
As she watched, LD proceeded to remove his belt. She arched an eyebrow at him, but he ignored her as he looped the belt through an eye-loop attached to the bottom of the boat.
LD glanced over his shoulder and frowned as he gunned the engine. Despite telling herself not to look behind her she did. Black’s airboat was gaining swiftly on them.
“They’re aiming at us!” she yelled as she faced front. Gunfire exploded behind them as LD made a sharp turn to the right. Without her hands to support herself, she toppled over, landing on the gunwale. Searing white-hot pain exploded from her arm, but she held on to the gas can. LD pulled her back to a sitting position as he steered the boat toward some trees. A grating sound erupted as they passed between the trees and Marie closed her eyes.
When she finally opened them, she found they were now in an area with dense undergrowth and large stands of tall marsh grass. She glanced at LD and saw him securing the tiller in place with his belt.
Another barrage of gunfire was directed at them, closer now, and he pushed her head even farther down as the motor gave a heart-stopping cough. She tilted the gas can further up on its end, hoping to get every drop out she could.
They were being chased by a madman, in water infested with creatures that wanted to eat them and to top that off—they were quickly running out of gas. Literally, they were up to their asses in alligators. Things couldn’t possibly get any worse.
“Jump!” LD yelled as he knocked the can from her hands and rolled them both out of the moving boat and into the slime-covered water.
She surfaced to find herself in grass higher than her head. “Stay still.” The words came from beside her and she turned to see him aiming his gun. She turned back to the boat as it hit the trees. LD fired and the gas can went up in flames. He was pulling her deeper into the grass before the last piece of the boat, blown sky-high by the explosion, returned to the water.
“Hold on to my hand tight. If you get lost in this stuff, I might never find you. And I want us away from here before Black widens his search pattern.”
Marie glanced back toward the sound of the other boat and even though they were only a few yards into the grass, her vision was completely obstructed.
“Don’t worry, I have no intentions of losing you,” she replied, turning back to him.
He flashed a heart-stopping smile then planted a quick kiss on her lips. “I’m not losing you either, so let’s get moving.”
The water was up to LD’s armpits and the top of her shoulders. Moving was slow, especially with the need to hold on to one another. Off in the distance, a splash sounded and the cry from a wounded or dying animal was carried on the wind.
Fear clutched at her heart, squeezing it tight. “LD.”
“Not now, Marie.” He didn’t slow his pace. “We only have about a hundred yards of swamp left and then we’ll be on reasonably dry ground.”
“I’m bleeding.”
He swung around so fast it startled her. For an instant, she was sure panic etched his face, but then it vanished in the blink of an eye. “Where?”
“Here.” She indicated her upper left arm with her right hand. “What if an alligator comes after the blood?”
He grabbed the jacket and shirt, ripping them both at the shoulder seams. His jaw tightened as he got a look at the wound. Reaching into his shirt pocket he pulled out a bandana. “Alligators aren’t going to get us, but I’m going to have to wrap it to help stop the bleeding. It’s going to hurt like hell—I’m sorry.”
“Just do it quickly. Don’t drag it out any longer than you have to.” Marie turned her head away from her injured arm. The look on LD’s face confirmed her fear that it was more than a minor injury. As long as she didn’t know exactly how bad it really was, she could keep fooling herself into believing it was only a scratch. So what if it hurt like she was being branded on the arm.
She felt LD’s fingers slide along her skin as he wrapped the bandage around. Then, without warning, he pulled the bandana tight in one swift move before tying it off.
She shoved her free fist into her mouth in order to keep from screaming. Pain washed over her in a wave that threatened to buckle her knees. She felt him run a finger between her arm and the bandage.
“Don’t you dare faint.”
She looked up at him and narrowed her eyes. “I’ve never fainted and I don’t plan on starting now.”
“Good.” Turning away from her, he looked back over his shoulder at her. “Hop on. I’ll carry you from here.”
“I’m perfectly capable of walking.”
“I know you are, but we can move faster if I carry you. Plus we need to keep that bloody arm out of the water.”
“How can I argue with that?” Marie climbed onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and legs around his waist. He stood and began moving swiftly through the water. She rested her head against his shoulder and admitted to herself she was glad she was being carried.
* * * * *
When they finally reached land, LD pushed Marie up the small incline first and then pulled his tired butt out of the water. Dropping down on his knees, he reached for her. “How’s the arm?”
She sucked in a deep, sharp breath as he touched it. “It feels like it’s on fire.”
He was sure it felt a hundred times worse than she let on. Blood oozed from beneath the bandanna. “It’s still bleeding, lie back.”
She did as he asked with no more than a small whimper of pain. Flat on her back, she cradled the arm to her side. Her eyes were closed and pain etched her face despite the fact she refused to vocalize her discomfort. Bending over her, he kissed her and slowly wrapped his fingers around the wrist of her injured arm. He kept kissing her until she relaxed and sighed.
Then he moved her arm so it stretched out above her. She screamed and he captured the sound with his mouth. She tried to buck him off, but he pinned her down with his body. Finally, she settled down and he moved his mouth close to her ear. “I’m sorry, so sorry, but we have to get the bleeding stopped. Sound carries a long way out here and it would be like a tracking beacon for Black. I need you to remain quiet and keep your arm above your heart. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I’m going to remove your hiking boots and clean them out. I want you to stay here and rest. We have a lot of walking to do. Okay?”
She didn’t speak this time, only nodded her understanding.
“One last thing. Did you get shot in the boat?”
There was a moment of silence and then she spoke as if it took great effort. “No, under the cabin.”
He pushed up off the ground and removed his jacket. After wringing out as much water as he could, he draped it across her. Then he removed her hiking boots and walked to the water’s edge. Toeing his boots off, he knelt beside the slow moving water. They had a few miles to cover and the last thing they needed were blisters or stone bruises within the first ten yards. He cursed as he retrieved Marie’s boot for the third time from the water. Placing it on the ground next to him, he sat down hard. He raised his hands and watched them shake. Fisting them, he pressed them to his eyes.
He’d almost lost her.
That single thought was still running through his mind and had been since she’d told him she was bleeding. His initial panic almost rendered him useless, but the look of pure fear in Marie’s eyes kept him moving. In that moment, he knew they were being strong for each other and if one caved in, they’d both lose it.
So, he sucked it up and did what needed doing, but his strength was nothing compared to hers. There was a good size hunk of tissue missing from her upper left arm. Most grown men would have been whining and complaining with each step they took and rightfully so. Not her though. She ground her teeth and did what was required. She’d endured climbing into the boat, pull-starting the motor, a wild boat ride, holding the gas can and being rolled into the cold water without a complaint.
Her undoing only came when she thought they might be eaten by alligators. He smiled, dropped his hands and looked over to where she was resting. He’d bet a month’s pay the only reason she freaked out was because she believed she was putting him in danger.
The woman was remarkable and he wondered how any man could willingly walk away from her. A knot formed in the center of his chest and absently he rubbed at it.
Off to his left, a loud splash brought him to his feet and he pulled his gun. The sound traveled quickly away from them. Too fast to be human, but whatever it was could have been spooked by someone. He’d been woolgathering too long, he thought as he placed his gun in his holster and secured it.
After a glance back to check on Marie, he continued rinsing the boots, this time quickly and efficiently. There would be time later to mull over what to do about Marie. The more pressing matter was how had Black found them?
He felt around inside one of her boots and pulled out a rock and a handful of mud. He finished rinsing it as he mentally ran down his list of who could have told Black about the cabin.
He finished with Marie’s boots and picked up one of his own. There was no one on his mental list who would give them up. Nate might still feel like an outsider when it came to the family, but even he wouldn’t do something like this.
So, that put him right back at ground zero, without a clue as to which way to go. He was missing something and it was right there, if he could just remember. He finished with the last boot and glanced around. He hadn’t realized how much he missed coming to the cabin on a regular basis. Most who came here fell in love with it.
That’s it, he thought with a combination of elation and horror. Shoving his feet into his shoes, he grabbed Marie’s boots and ran to her.
He couldn’t believe how stupid and trusting he’d been. How gullible they’d all been.
“Wake up Marie, we have to go.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Are we there yet?” Marie wasn’t sure where there was and she’d bitten her tongue numerous times over the last two and a half hours to keep from asking a question she knew made her sound like a child.
“Another twenty minutes. Max.” LD stopped his march through the never-ending swamp to turn and look at her. “Does the bandage need changing again?”
Marie flexed her arm and cringed. “Most of the bleeding has stopped, it just hurts now.”
“Do you need to rest?”
Now there was the understatement of the year, she thought as she trudged by him. “No, let’s keep moving.”
Her body screamed for a break and she was so tired that if given the chance, she was certain she could sleep leaning against a tree. But she didn’t dare give in to the urge because if she did, she knew she wouldn’t be moving again anytime soon.
LD took in her appearance as he began walking beside her. He opened his mouth as if to argue with her and she glowered at him. After a couple of seconds, he closed his mouth, and took the lead again. “Okay.”
Marie diligently put one foot in front of the other and followed him through dark, murky, ankle-deep water. After what seemed like forever, but was probably closer to ten minutes, he stopped.
“Grosdidier, you old reprobate,” he shouted across the water, his words amplified as if he’d used a megaphone. “Point your gun somewhere else!”
“Who are you talking to? The alligators?” Marie stopped beside LD and wished she were on dry ground.
He grinned at her as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. “No, old man Grosdidier. We’re now on his land and his house is through that grouping of trees. I don’t want him shooting first and then looking to see who it is.”
Oh great, another crazy man with a gun. She leaned into LD’s solid warm body as they stood there. Lord, he felt strong and dependable standing there next to her.
“You really think he’ll shoot us?”
“Not if we move slow from here on, and I announce our presence every so often.”
“He might not be here.” That thought cheered her.
“As long as he left his truck or boat behind, I don’t care if he’s gone to Mars. Come on, it’s not far now.”
Before she could move away, LD placed a kiss on her forehead. She tried to pull back hoping he hadn’t noticed how sick she really was. He held her in place with one hand, while he placed the other where his lips had been. “God, you’re burning up.”
Actually, she was freezing, but she figured now wasn’t the time to tell him. “I’ll be fine once I can rest, so let’s get moving.”
“You’re right and the sooner we get there the better.” Without warning he picked her up and carried her like one would a small infant. Her arms went around his neck for balance as she spoke.
“I can walk myself…”
His arms tightened around her so much she stopped speaking. His jaw was tight and at the look in his eyes she shut her mouth. Now was not the time to push him. If he really wanted to play Tarzan of the Swamp, she could bite her tongue and play along.
A few minutes later, LD pushed his way through the undergrowth and there it was, a cabin that should have been condemned years ago. The front door opened and a small figure stepped out onto the porch with shotgun raised and ready. “Get off my land or I’ll fill ya full of lead.”
LD never slowed down as he approached the armed figure. “Grosdidier, it’s LD.”
The man lowered the gun, but didn’t put it down. “It’s been a long time, boy. Who’s that you got in your arms?”
LD crossed the soggy dirt to the steps and started up them. “Her name’s Marie and she’s been shot in the arm.”
“Then whatcha doin’ standin’ around here gabbin’? Git her on in the house.” The little man turned and shuffled his way back inside.
LD followed, but Marie chuckled as he muttered under his breath that he hadn’t been standing around talking. Inside, LD sat her in an old straight back chair next to a chrome and Formica table, which was straight out of the Fifties. She reached out to touch the smooth surface. The retro collectors would love to get their hands on this.
Her thoughts were rudely pulled back to reality when the throbbing in her arm suddenly escalated. LD was removing his jacket from her shoulders. He raised her arm so her elbow rested on the table and as he did this, she focused on a ragged coat that hung by the door and gritted her teeth.
She felt him fumble with the bandage as he repeated over and over how sorry he was for causing her pain. The man was going to have her screaming if he didn’t just get on with it, because in his effort to be gentle, he was dragging out the misery. Clamping her teeth together, she managed to keep the screams at bay and only whimper in discomfort.
“Outta of my way boy. You gonna cause her more pain than good with them shaky hands of yours.”
LD backed away from her, giving the old man room to work. He tucked his hands into his front jeans pockets, but not before she saw how unsteady they were.
“Runna long, boy. I’s tended to more hurts than you’ll see in a lifetime. Don’t worry, your purty lady go’n to be just fine.”
Watching LD closely, she felt each and every one of the vast emotions that flashed across his face. The wall she normally kept erected around her senses had crumbled over the last few hours. Her body was drained and she was emotionally spent, unable to block or diminish the intensity of his emotions.
What he felt didn’t surprise her, but the depth of his feeling rocked her to the core. She looked up at him and knew tears glistened in her eyes. Not fro
m pain, but from love. He might not have said the words, or even admitted it to himself, but it was there. She couldn’t have heard it any louder if he shouted it. She smiled. “Go, do what you need to do. I’ll be fine.”
He watched her for a moment more before making his decision. “Where’s your phone, old man?”
“In the truck, charging. It don’t work here most of the time,” Grosdidier answered as he worked on her arm.
LD continued to hold her gaze. “I’m going to walk to the truck and get the phone, but I’ll be back. When he’s done, you rest.”
She started to speak, but the old man spoke instead. “If ya be needin’ a phone, ya best be take’n the truck and head’n on up the road.”
LD shook his head. He closed the distance between them and leaned down so his lips almost touched hers. “I’m not leaving her.”
He didn’t give her time to answer before he leaned forward and gently placed his lips on hers.
I love you.
The words shimmered from his heart to hers as loudly and clearly as if he’d spoken them. Slowly, he pulled back, straightened and walked out.
“He loves ya, ya know.” Grosdidier finished cleansing the wound and began wrapping it in a clean bandage.
“He hasn’t said it.”
“Words are cheap, action can’t be denied. Them who know LD can tell he be in love with ya.”
Marie sat quietly as the old man finished with her arm. He was right. She didn’t care if LD ever said the words aloud as long as he realized they were in his heart.
Marie woke to loud stomping noises above her head, followed by a string of curses that could only come from LD. She sat up, swung her feet off the bed and slipped them into her shoes before standing. Judging by the weakness of the sunlight, she’d been asleep for a while.
Bayou Treasure Page 21