Wincing, she reached for her torn jacket and gingerly slipped it on before donning LD’s larger coat. The noise above her head continued. She walked out the front door to the porch to investigate. Outside, the ruckus grew even louder. Taking the stairs down to the muddy yard, she crossed it to stand next to the old man. He was seated on an overturned five-gallon bucket, facing the house with his face raised to the sky. Following his gaze, she spotted LD walking along the ridge of the metal roof with a cell phone to his ear.
As she watched, he stopped his frantic pacing and started talking into the phone. A few seconds later, he pulled the phone away and glanced down at it. The rage and frustration exploded from him with such intensity, even down on the ground, she stepped back.
“LD! No!”
* * * * *
Linda’s hands shook so badly she dropped the phone beside the couch.
“Is everything all right, Mrs. Carmouche?”
She looked up from her spot on the couch into warm friendly eyes, eyes that held concern for her and her family. She’d totally forgotten he was here. He’d been there almost around the clock the last few days, quietly supporting them in their time of need. Now, more than ever, she was glad to have him here. Tonight, the Governor was delayed in returning to their home in New Orleans, and was going directly to the evening’s function, where they would all meet later.
“That was LD.” She didn’t hesitate.
“What did he say?”
“The static was really bad, but I caught that he’s worried about his father. He wants more security around the Governor.” She tried to dial the phone again, but misdialed in her haste.
“Is that all?”
“Yes. The connection died and I couldn’t get any more information. I need to call Kevin.”
Her hand shook so badly now, she could barely grip the phone. It was with overwhelming relief she surrendered the phone to him when he reached for it.
Still holding her hands, he smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Linda, I’ll take care of everything.”
* * * * *
“Don’t throw the phone!”
Marie’s words cut through his rage seconds before he tossed the useless piece of technology into the surrounding swamp. Walking across the roof to the edge, he shoved the phone into his pocket, grabbed the top ladder rung and swung himself onto it. He needed to warn his father.
He skipped the last four rungs choosing to jump instead. Once his feet were on solid ground, he quickly made his way to Grosdidier and Marie. Time was running out. Each second that slipped by without him contacting someone felt like a lifetime. He stopped in front of Marie and he gazed into her dark-chocolate eyes. He wished he hadn’t wasted so much time on this earth running from people.
LD pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind. He didn’t have time to think about what might have been. “I’m taking your truck,” he told Grosdidier as he pulled Marie to a crate she could stand on.
“Get up on there and close that mouth of yours right now,” he instructed her. “I’m giving you a ride through the swamp to the truck. We’re in a time crunch and don’t have time to argue, so move it.”
To his surprise and relief, she did as he asked and hopped right up. She was quiet as he carried her to the truck, for which he was thankful, and he used the time to organize a plan in his mind. Reaching the truck, he lowered her to her feet and prayed the truck would start.
“Get in,” he said as he opened the door. Marie scrambled across the driver’s side of the seat and he followed closely behind. The truck started on the first try and LD silently thanked God for this small miracle.
“I’m sorry for being so short-tempered.”
“You’re worried.”
“Yeah, and I’m pissed at myself.”
“Why?”
Anger rolled inside him as he slammed his fist against the steering wheel. “All this time, I thought this was only about you, Black and those damn diamonds. I was so focused on you I missed the bigger picture.”
“Everyone makes mistakes.”
“I’m trained not to. Christ, it’s Dad they’re going after.”
She laid a hand on his arm. “It’s going to be okay, LD. Your father is going to be just fine.”
He prayed she was correct as he dug the cell phone out of his pocket. They continued to bounce down the rutted dirt roads, back toward civilization. “Plug this into the charger and watch for a signal.”
Marie took the phone and did as he asked. He knew it wasn’t easy considering one arm was injured and the rusted-out truck didn’t have seatbelts. Every time they hit a pothole, they were both tossed around the interior of the truck. He, at least, had two good arms and the steering wheel to hold on to.
They hit another hole so hard they both cleared the seat. Marie came down half in the seat, half in the floorboard. “Sorry. Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine.” She fought her way back onto the seat, scooting next to the door where she grabbed the handle with one hand and braced a foot against the dashboard. “If we’re in such a hurry, why did you let me sleep so long?”
“Believe me, it wasn’t my plan. I had to rebuild the carburetor on this truck and that took me most of the afternoon.”
“Why didn’t we take Grosdidier’s boat?”
“Because it’s in worse shape than the truck.”
“How does he survive out here?”
“Usually, the truck and boat don’t die at the same time. If the truck breaks down, he takes the boat into the local dock and someone will give him a ride to the auto shop. If it’s the boat that needs to be repaired, he drives into town and gets what he needs.”
There was a short silence as the truck bounced over a very rough patch.
“Still, once the truck was fixed, you could have taken off and left me behind.”
LD glanced over at her then turned his attention back to the road. “Okay, now I’m officially PO’ed. I thought I’d made myself perfectly clear I’m not about to leave you behind. Not to mention, you’d be unprotected and in leaving you, I’d have put the old man’s life in more danger than I already have. I need you to understand from this point forward, it’s you and me together like Siamese twins.”
His words were sharp and he knew it, but the urgency he felt was quickly eating away at his demeanor. He chanced another quick look in her direction and his gut knotted. “Oh jeez sweetie, please, please don’t cry. I don’t think I can handle your tears at this particular moment.”
“I’m not crying.”
Her voice was thick and shaky as she spoke and from the corner of his eye, he saw her wipe tears from her cheek. She was strong, independent to a fault and quite possibly more stubborn than he was.
God, he loved her so much it hurt.
Loved?
His hands tightened on the wheel as they started into a blind curve. He looked over at the woman next to him. She was intently watching the cell phone and even though she looked like hell, she was beautiful to him.
Understanding dawned. All the changes he was willing to make to be with her weren’t about lust, but about love. The bachelor in him put up a good fight, but love won the battle after all. Good thing he never realized what was happening or the single man in him would have requested a transfer to Fairbanks, Alaska—ASAP.
God, he wished there was enough time to tell her.
Marie lifted her head, looked out the front window and screamed. “LD!”
He jerked his attention back to the road in time to see a few head of cattle wandering across the road. There wasn’t time to stop. Yanking on the steering wheel, he jerked the truck into the steep banked ditch on the left side of the road.
Marie slid across the seat, slamming into him and knocking him into the old truck door. It swung open. Marie screamed and LD cursed as their combined weight threatened to push them out of the moving vehicle. LD didn’t know how she managed, but Marie anchored her feet on the dash and pulled herself off him. With her weight gone, he positioned h
is left foot against the side of the truck to secure his position. Once he was sure they weren’t about to fall out and they were past the cattle, he maneuvered the truck back onto the road.
“That was close. What on earth were you looking at?” Marie moved back into a more suitable sitting position.
LD felt himself blush as he watched the road more closely. He hadn’t been this distracted by a woman since sixth grade. The only people in his life he’d ever said those three magic words to were immediate family members. Now, he felt totally lost. How did he tell this woman he loved her? He hadn’t a clue. So, instead of saying what he wanted, he asked, “Do we have a signal?”
She glanced down at the phone she’d retrieved from the floorboard, then back up at him. Her smile warmed him inside and out. “We’ve got a signal.”
“Great. Now dial this number and when Rob answers, hand me the phone.”
It was about time things went their way, LD thought as he gave the old truck more gas. Next to him, Marie did as he’d instructed, and then held the phone up to her ear. After a few seconds, she frowned and his gut knotted. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure.” She dialed the number again. “I hope we only lost the signal but…”
The phone beeped three times then nothing. His heart plummeted as he watched her push buttons on the cell phone. Then she unplugged the cord from the cigarette lighter and after playing with it for a few minutes, plugged it back in.
“Any luck?” he asked, even though he was pretty darn sure what the answer was going to be.
“No. The charger doesn’t appear to be working. Maybe, we could find a pay phone and call.”
He gave a short bitter laugh. “My wallet is at the bottom of the swamp. Not sure when I lost it, but it’s history. Besides, by the time we track down a pay phone that actually works, find some money or manage to get a collect call connected, we could be at my parents’ house.”
Marie gripped the door handle as tightly as she could and prayed they would make it to the governor’s house in one piece. The traffic was getting progressively worse as they neared the center of the city. With Mardi Gras parades and parties in full swing, the streets were congested with both pedestrian and automotive traffic. She watched as LD flashed his badge to another traffic officer and they were allowed to drive down another alleyway that was closed to most. “I’m really glad you didn’t lose your badge.”
“You and me both.”
Marie looked out the windows and tried to get her bearings. “You’ve taken so many side streets and alleyways, I haven’t a clue where we are.”
“Directionally impaired, are we?” His voice was strained and his attempt at humor failed.
“It’s not funny. I grew up in this town. In fact, I still live here, unlike you, and I’m totally lost.” Marie looked around. “Are we close to your parents’?”
He turned down a narrow lane and pulled into a small gravel drive that was blocked by a large iron gate. “We’re here,” he stated as he cut the engine.
She followed him out of the truck and waited as he entered the security code into the system. As the gate opened, he took her hand in his, gripping it tightly and muttering under his breath in an impatient tone. As soon as there was enough room between the gate and wall, he squeezed them through. Together they quickly maneuvered through the back garden, entering the house through the kitchen door.
The house staff was seated at a large round table. As they entered Mr. Sanders, the butler, rose from his chair and came forward. LD didn’t give the man time to speak.
“Where are my parents?”
“At the Midnight Hour Ball. Is there a problem, Mr. Carmouche?”
LD let out a string of oaths that brought the staff to their feet and Marie noted their concerned looks. It was obvious the staff truly cared for the Carmouches.
“When did they leave?” Marie hoped they had not made it to the party.
“Mrs. Carmouche left shortly after speaking with Mr. LD,” Sanders answered, turning a troubled look at LD.
“And my father?”
“He was late getting away from Baton Rouge, so he’s meeting your mother there.”
“Where is this party being held?” Marie knew LD wanted to be there an hour ago.
“The Manning Inn,” one of the housekeepers replied.
“Let’s go.” Marie turned and headed out the back door. Behind her, LD asked for a cell phone and then caught up to her at the gate.
LD entered the code so the gate would open. “Do you know where the hotel is?”
“Yes.” Slowly the gate began to open.
“Good. Give me directions.”
Finally, the opening was wide enough to slip through. “I can do that in the car.”
She started forward, but he stopped her by taking hold of her good arm. “You’re not going, so tell me.”
For a moment, she thought he was joking, but one look at his face told her otherwise and that struck a nerve. She didn’t like being told she couldn’t do something. “Of course I’m going.”
He shook his head. “No, this is official business. Now tell me where this place is.”
She struggled uselessly against his iron grip and narrowed her eyes him. He was close enough that she could see the shadow of whiskers. “Why am I not going?”
LD looked at her then looked away, “This is official business and …”
“Oh, please don’t feed me that line and expect me to believe it. I’ve been threatened, beaten and shot and not an hour ago, you told me we were in this together. What’s changed?”
He yanked her against his chest. She could feel his heart beating against hers, feel the heat radiating from him, and his breath fanning her cheeks. He looked down at her and heat flared in his eyes. Her pulse quickened, but even her gift could not prepare her for the impact of his next words.
“I love you. If anything happened to you, they might as well drive a stake through my heart and end my life—because it wouldn’t be worth living without you.” He looked away but continued to hold her.
Marie stared at him, surely she hadn’t heard what she thought. She watched as he ran a hand over his jaw before turning back to her. There it was, his feelings were written all over his face. Tears filled her eyes as he searched her face for some response, but for once she was speechless.
He started talking in a voice that was filled with uncertainty. “If it makes a difference, I was planning to break the news to you after a romantic evening starting with roses at your front door and a candlelit dinner at a five-star restaurant. After dinner, I was going to take you to a hotel and ply you with champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries before making love to you on a bed covered in silk sheets. Then, after I’d worn your willpower down, I was going to show you the ring hidden away in my pocket and beg you to marry me.” He gave a half-smile that nearly broke her heart. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like this, here and now.”
Even though she wanted to do nothing more than wrap her arms around him, she didn’t. There was one part of his fantasy that bothered her. “Why do you want me defenseless when you ask?”
“Because I’m scared to death you’ll say no.”
She reached out a hand and gently cupped his cheek as a tear ran down her face. “How can you not know how I feel?”
“You haven’t said it.”
“I. Love. You.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
His heart stopped.
Then restarted and he felt the difference immediately. For the first time in his life, he was where he wanted to be, at the exact moment he wanted to be there. His heart beat stronger than ever, but at the same time there was an underlying belonging which was never there before.
He pulled Marie into his arms and kissed her, hoping to echo with actions, the feelings in his heart. How he wished there was time to pull her down to the ground and make slow passionate love to her. Breaking the kiss, he pulled back. “I’ve got to go. Where’s the hotel?”
>
She didn’t answer him, but instead cupped his face and pulled him down for a kiss that scorched him all the way to his toes. His body responded as she moved, rubbing against him like a cat wanting to be scratched. The world slipped away as he lost himself in her.
When he returned to the world of the living, he found himself standing alone. Marie was standing by the open truck door.
“Remember, you’re the one who said we were sticking together like Siamese twins. Besides, it’ll be faster to let me direct you to the hotel than you trying to convince me to stay. Especially after what you just said.”
He walked to the truck and climbed in after her. Resigned to the fact she was going with him, he handed her the cell phone.
“You’re going to phone Alan Conrad and tell him you’ll turn yourself in, along with Black, at the ball.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No, now dial this number.”
He rattled off the number and listened as she spoke. He slowly made his way through traffic, following her directions. The parade was scheduled to start at seven and they were within a few minutes of the start time. The closer they got to the French Quarter, the more congested traffic became until it wasn’t moving at all. It was almost dark when he pulled the truck onto the median. He stopped and they got out.
“We walk from here.” Taking her hand in his, LD led them through the crowded streets, all the while praying his plan worked.
Considering the trouble they had getting down here, he figured the FBI’s time getting to the hotel wouldn’t be any better. He’d also called the local police, but with most of their force on crowd control, he doubted they had many officers to spare. The last call he made was to Rob, and even though he’d assured LD he’d be there soon, LD seriously doubted that. The odds were stacked against them.
With any luck, he and Marie would walk into the ball, find his parents, and get them out without anyone noticing. It seemed doubtful. Other than the love of the woman next to him, nothing was going his way today. He hoped he wasn’t forced to choose between saving his father and the woman he loved.
“Once we’re inside, I want you to stay glued to me. Okay?”
Bayou Treasure Page 22