by Robin Caroll
“Did he say anything?” CoCo asked.
Jackson shook his head. “The tube’s still in his throat. They’ll take it out for the tests.”
“Maybe he’ll be able to tell us who did this,” Luc said.
“Is anyone here from law enforcement?” Alyssa asked softly.
Luc nodded. “Deputy Anderson and one of the FBI agents are in the cafeteria getting coffee. The doctor told them it’d be about an hour or so before they were done running the tests on Bubba.”
“Will he be put in a regular room?” Alyssa couldn’t stand Jackson’s staring. She shifted to face Luc and CoCo.
“Far as I know. Why?” Luc lowered his arm to her sister’s waist.
“Because we have reason to believe someone in the sheriff’s office was involved in the attack on Bubba,” Jackson said quietly, still staring at her.
What was up with him? She’d apologized, and he seemed to have accepted. Then, as if he’d suddenly been doused in printer’s ink, he’d rushed off to run an errand. Ran away from her. A splinter of hurt jabbed her heart. She shoved the feeling aside. Why did she care so much?
Because her heart had already become involved with Jackson Devereaux.
She gave herself a mental shake to concentrate on the conversation. Jackson and CoCo brought Luc up to speed on what they’d uncovered.
“So you think Martin was involved?”
“I do,” Alyssa said.
“Have you shared this information with the FBI agents?”
Jackson shook his head. “They should have run a background check on every person connected to Bubba. If they had, they would know about Martin Gocheaux.”
“But what if they didn’t?” Luc asked. “Shouldn’t you at least tell them? Isn’t it irresponsible if you don’t?”
“The thing is, my friend who gave me the information is in the FBI. They aren’t supposed to share information with anyone outside the agency.”
“Ah. I see.” Luc ran a hand over his face. “So, what can we do?”
“Let me try to talk to Agent Lockwood.” Alyssa surprised herself with her suggestion. “I think I might be able to convince him there’s a threat without breaking any confidentiality.” She didn’t like either of the agents, thought they’d done a poor job of investigating, but she didn’t want to put Jackson in an awkward position.
“What will you say?” CoCo asked.
“I’ll think of something.” Alyssa smiled. “They’re in the cafeteria?”
Luc nodded. Alyssa strode toward the elevators, her mind racing. What would she say? She stepped inside the car. Just as the doors slid shut, a hand pushed them back. Jackson stepped into the elevator with her.
He made the tiny space seem even smaller. She inhaled, drawing in the fresh and spicy hint of his cologne. Her heart twisted into a knot.
“I thought maybe you’d like a little support.”
She did. But could she appeal to the agent with Jackson close by? He already had her all tied up in knots. “Thanks, but I think I should probably do this myself.”
Another one of those unreadable expressions carved into his face. “Then I’ll just ride back up.” The muscle in his jaw twitched.
“Jackson, I don’t know—”
The doors slid open.
“Forget about it, Alyssa.”
She stepped into the hall and faced him. “I don’t know what’s wrong between us. I—”
“Just go do what you need to do.”
The doors closed before she could argue. Her heart sinking into her stomach, Alyssa headed to the cafeteria. Spotting the two lawmen wasn’t difficult. Deputy Anderson wore his uniform, and Agent Lockwood had on a black suit. Big surprise. She approached them with small steps.
“Ms. LeBlanc.” Deputy Anderson stood, color rising to his face. “Have you come to check on the sheriff?”
“Yes.” She flashed him a smile. “I actually need to speak to the agent here in private for a minute, though.”
Confusion clouded the deputy’s face. “Oh. Okay.” He grabbed his foam cup. “I’ll just head back up.”
“May I sit?” Alyssa asked when Anderson had left.
Agent Lockwood waved his hand over the seat. “What can I help you with, Ms. LeBlanc?”
She crossed her ankles under the metal table. “I’ve been doing some investigating in this situation.”
“Have you, now?”
Alyssa ignored the sarcasm. “Yes. I’ve discovered some things I think might be of interest to you.”
“Please enlighten me.”
Okay, now his sarcasm just out-and-out annoyed her. She cleared her throat. “Deputy Martin Gocheaux has been implicated in crimes before. Never charged, of course, but it’s on his record.”
That got the stiff-neck’s attention. “How do you know this?”
“I can’t reveal my sources. But if you run a background check on him, you’ll see what I mean.”
“What’s that got to do with the sheriff?”
Here’s where the situation got sticky. “Well, I believe it’s possible that Deputy Gocheaux’s involved in the attack on Sheriff Theriot.”
“What?” Agent Lockwood laughed. Literally threw his head back and gave a belly laugh. “Why would you even think such a thing?”
She gritted her teeth. “Did you know Martin Gocheaux is the nephew of former sheriff Roger Thibodeaux?”
“So? Lots of families have members going into the same profession. It’s not uncommon.”
“Are you aware of the accusations and unexplained coincidences revolving around Thibodeaux?”
“Hearsay.”
He truly set out to grate her nerves. “What about the missing money from the sheriff’s evidence room?”
“How did you know about that?”
Ah, now she had him. “Sources.” She leaned her forearms on the table. “Don’t you find it odd that evidence—money, at that—comes up missing from the locked sheriff’s office? Unless, of course, a certain deputy removed the money.”
Anger flashed in his eyes. Good. About time he got emotional over this case.
“I don’t know who’s leaking information to you, but you’re interfering in a federal investigation.”
Now she laughed. “Interfering? Tsk, tsk, Agent Lockwood. Seems I know more about your case than you do. Could it be you aren’t exactly doing your job?”
His face turned an interesting shade of red.
“Look, I don’t want to get into a testosterone contest with you. All I’m asking you to do is to dig deeper into the deputy. Check out his connections and contacts.” Alyssa took in a deep breath. “And post an agent at the sheriff’s door. Not one of his own deputies.”
The lines around his eyes had hardened with his tone.
“Please, Agent Lockwood.”
His expression softened. “I’ll post an agent at his door.”
“Thank you.” She stood, her knees nearly knocking together. How she crossed the cafeteria floor and slipped into the elevator without falling on her face was a mystery to her. As she pressed the button for the fourth floor, she mentally celebrated her victory. The door whooshed open and Jackson stood back against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.
The elation joined her heart in her toes.
Did she have to look so vulnerable?
Jackson pushed off the wall and moved in step with Alyssa. “So? How’d it go?”
“He’ll assign an agent to guard the sheriff’s door.” Her gaze darted along the hall.
“What else?”
“He made no other promises. I thought that would be enough.”
Why couldn’t he just ignore the way she seemed to wiggle into his heart? Every time he looked at her, pain sliced through him like a knife. A slow, dull knife.
“Where’s my sister?”
“She and Luc went to talk to the doctors. To see if there’s any new information about Bubba’s condition.”
“Oh.” She opened her mouth, then clamped her lips
shut, as if she reconsidered saying anything more.
“While you were gone, I did what you asked.”
“Which was what?” she questioned.
“I put in a call to one of the old-timers at the paper to see if he could dig up what your mom had been working on before…before the accident.”
“Before she was murdered.” Her voice quivered on the last word.
Jackson’s heart pounded. He didn’t want to be at odds with her. Not when he had a sneaking suspicion he’d fallen for her. “He said he’d get back with me tomorrow.”
“Thanks.”
No longer able to resist the echoes of his heart, he took her elbow and drew her to him. “Alyssa, I need to know something.”
“What?” Her breath fanned his face.
“Are you just using me, or do you care about me?”
Her eyes widened, the green flashing. “Do you really think that—that I’m just using you?”
He swallowed, his Adam’s apple scraping against his throat. “I don’t know. I just want to make sure because I think I’m fall—”
“Jackson, Alyssa, come here. The doctor has something to tell us about Bubba,” Luc yelled.
TWENTY-ONE
“His trachea sustained damage in the assault. His vocal cords suffered the brunt of the injury. We don’t know the full extent yet, but for now, he can’t talk.”
Alyssa held Jackson’s hand tighter, trying to convey the support she offered him. He squeezed back. “But he’s okay, right?”
Dr. Wahl gave a noncommittal shrug. “We can’t say just yet. His organs are functioning. We were able to remove the breathing and feeding tubes without incident. The preliminary tests reflect a positive prognosis. But until we get the rest of the results back, I can’t estimate the level of his recovery.”
Agent Lockwood and Deputy Anderson exchanged glances in the semicircle. Law enforcement personnel and local townspeople filled the ICU waiting room. News of the sheriff’s awakening had spread across the bayou.
“Can he communicate in any method? Writing or blinking?” Agent Lockwood asked.
“Both of his hands are incapacitated at this time. But his eyes are responsive.”
“Maybe I could get him to blink answers?”
The doctor held up his hand. “Right now, Sheriff Theriot needs his rest to recuperate. His body is drained and the tests have been exhaustive. No one will be allowed to see him for several hours. I’d suggest you all go home and come back later. We’ll know more then.”
Agent Lockwood pulled Agent Ward to the side. They conversed in whispers in the corner. Alyssa studied them. She’d love to be a fly on the wall.
“I guess there’s no point in hanging around,” CoCo said.
People filed from the waiting room until only a few remained.
“I need to let Felicia know what’s going on. She’ll be praying until I get back.” Luc smiled as he mentioned his sister. He hugged CoCo to his side. “Wanna ride home?”
CoCo stared at Alyssa. “You leaving?”
Alyssa glanced at Jackson. “I’ll be home shortly.”
Her sister darted glances from Alyssa to Jackson. “Okay. Well then, I’ll see you at home. I’ll check on Grandmere and Tara.”
Agent Lockwood nodded to Alyssa before moving to stand outside the sheriff’s hospital room. Relief filled her. At least he kept his promise.
Jackson let go of her hand. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears. What had he been about to say before Luc interrupted them? Would he tell her now?
“I’m going to talk to the nurse for a second. She’s let me see Bubba after visiting hours every day this week. Maybe she’ll at least let me slip in and say goodbye.”
Disappointment flooded her as he walked away. She’d really hoped to get the topic back to what Jackson had started before. She needed to make him understand she wasn’t using him. Maybe she’d be brave enough to tell him just how much she really cared. Too much to turn back now.
Alyssa clasped her hands in front of her. Jackson moved from the nurses’ station. He’d understand. But he didn’t approach her. He slipped inside the sheriff’s room.
The room felt colder than Jackson remembered. He stood over Bubba’s bed, staring down at his friend. At least with all the tubes removed from his mouth, he looked more like the buddy Jackson loved.
Bubba opened his eyes. His lips curled into a smile of sorts.
“Didn’t mean to wake you. Just wanted to check on you before I headed out.”
Blink.
Deliberate. Now his friend stared intently at him.
“Are you trying to tell me something, pard?”
Blink.
Jackson pulled the chair next to the bed and sat. “One blink means yes?”
Again, a deliberate blink.
“All right. Two blinks means no, okay?”
Bubba blinked once.
“Do you know who did this to you?”
One blink.
Jackson leaned forward, his toe tapped the floor. “Was Martin Gocheaux involved?”
A fast blink.
It was one thing to suspect, but another to get confirmation. Both of Jackson’s feet bounced against the floor. “What about Roger Thibodeaux—was he involved?”
Blink.
“Anybody else?”
Another blink.
“Someone else in the department?”
Nothing.
“Do you know the other man?”
One blink.
“Do I?”
Blink. Blink.
“Look, I’ve been working with Alyssa LeBlanc in unraveling all this. She’s got me all tied up, but that’s another story. Would she know this other man?” And if she did, why hadn’t she recognized his voice?
No response.
“You don’t know that either.” Leaning back against the chair, Jackson flipped things over in his mind. “Is it someone from Lagniappe?”
A slow blink.
“And he’s connected to Roger Thibodeaux and Martin Gocheaux?”
Another affirmative reply.
“I’m still working undercover on the docks. I found…”
Bubba blinked several times over.
“I’m on the right track with the docks, aren’t I? The money in the bayou is payment for smuggling, isn’t it? From the rice plant.”
Another yes.
“Drug smuggling.”
Two blinks.
Jackson cocked his head. “Not drugs? Are you sure?” He’d been so certain. “But it is smuggling, right?”
Bubba blinked.
Smuggling something other than drugs. What? Something worth a lot of money, obviously. Jackson flipped through his past assignments. Drugs, illegal aliens—which wouldn’t apply here…
A recent article he’d written flared in his mind. Jackson jumped to his feet. “Are they smuggling illeg—”
“You aren’t supposed to be in here,” Dr. Wahl admonished. “My patient needs his rest. You need to leave.”
“Just a second, Doctor.” Jackson turned back to Bubba. “Illegal weapons?”
“You’ll have to leave now, Mr. Devereaux.”
“But—”
“Now.”
Dejection headlined his emotions. He opened the door and cast a glance over his shoulder to his friend.
Blink.
TWENTY-TWO
Jackson came out of the sheriff’s hospital room, his face aglow.
The FBI agent huffed. “No one was supposed to be in there.”
“Bubba communicated with me.” Jackson faced Agent Lockwood. “He confirmed that Martin Gocheaux was one of his attackers. He confirmed Roger Thibodeaux was involved. He con—”
“How did he confirm anything?” the agent asked.
“I did what you said, got Bubba to blink a response. One blink for yes and two for no.”
Agent Lockwood pulled out his notebook and scribbled. “Gocheaux and Thibodeaux involved. What else?”
“Someone else wa
s, too, but I don’t know that person.”
“Anything else?”
“They’re smuggling out of the rice plant, like Alyssa and I suspected, but it’s not drugs.”
“Then what?” Alyssa interjected.
He smiled at her. “Guns.”
“That’s why the DEA dog couldn’t sniff out anything.” Alyssa couldn’t fight her smile.
“Bingo.” Finally, they were getting answers.
“Excuse me,” Agent Lockwood interrupted. “Guns are being smuggled out of the rice plant?”
Jackson nodded and explained about the rice plant and the intercoastal port.
“Haven’t you two just been the busy little beavers?” Agent Lockwood asked when Jackson had finished.
“He’s my friend and called me to help.”
“Is there anything else you need to tell me?”
Alyssa wet her lips. “There have been allegations that Senator Mouton could be involved.”
The agent rolled his eyes. “And the hits just keep on coming.”
“Nothing proven. I haven’t been able to link anything yet.”
“And you won’t, either. As of now, I’m going to order you two to stay out of my investigation. I’ll call in ATF to investigate the gun-smuggling theory, but you two are to stay out of this. Got that?”
Neither Alyssa nor Jackson moved.
“If you don’t, I’ll have you arrested for obstruction of justice. I’m not kidding.” Agent Lockwood threw them a final glare before yanking out his cell again.
Jackson grabbed her hand and headed to the elevators.
“The sheriff’s okay?”
“He looks good. From the way he acted, there’s nothing seriously wrong with his mind. He was totally coherent, knew what I was asking. Always the cop.”
The elevator dinged. They stepped inside and Jackson continued. “I asked Bubba if you would know who the other men involved were, and he indicated he didn’t know.”
“I wish I did.”
“I know.”
The doors slid open. Alyssa led the way to the parking lot. She unlocked the Honda. “What are you going to do?”