by Carolina Mac
“How long can you stay?” asked Blaine. “I have to fly back to Austin to take care of a couple of cases, but I can be back here in two hours if you need me.”
“I’ll stay as long as I need to. I have friends in the city. Many friends.”
“That’s good,” said Blaine. “The coma… her doctor didn’t have any idea when she’d wake up.”
Mrs. LeJeune put her head down and closed her eyes, then she sat up and smiled. “She will awaken at Beltane.”
Blaine’s eyes widened. “She will? When’s that?”
“Last day of April, first day of May.”
“Fantastic,” said Blaine.
New Orleans PD.
AFTER spending a few minutes with Detective Percival in Missing Persons—the only person he knew on the New Orleans’ force—and filling her in on Misty’s condition, she hooked him up with the detectives working Misty’s case.
“I’ve just come from the hospital, Detective Cauldwell, and Misty’s mother gave me a last name for the suspect. His name is Matthias Rush.”
Cauldwell, a forty-something man with a streak of gray through his black hair, raised an eyebrow when he heard the name. “Is that the crazy guy who calls himself a witch?”
“I believe it is, yes. You know him?”
“He’s well known in the city and has a jacket. Thanks. That will put us on the fast track if we know who the perp was.”
Blaine stood up. “Could you copy my office with any progress? I have a couple of hot cases and I have to go back to Austin for a couple of days, but I’ll be back.” He placed a card on the detective’s desk.
“Sure, Ranger Blackmore. Happy to do that. And I hope Miss LeJeune makes it.”
“Me too.”
She’s waking up at the end of April. I’m holding on to that.
Fairfax Inn. New Orleans.
BLAINE took a hot shower and booked his flight for the following morning. He hated to leave Misty, but her mother was there watching over her, and if you could believe Mrs. LeJeune, Misty wouldn’t wake from the coma for two more weeks. The woman seemed sure of the date.
Wish I knew stuff like that. It would make solving cases a helluva lot easier.
He laid on his comfy bed, the aroma of the fresh flowers in the crystal vase on the table lightening his spirit. He made calls bringing everybody up to date, then he called Carm and talked to her in Spanish. “I’m coming home tomorrow morning.”
“How is Misty?”
“She sleeps, and her mother is with her.”
“Good. Her mother will take care of her. I want you to come home.”
“Manana.”
His last call was to Farrell. “Hey, bro. Can you pick me up at the airport in the morning?”
“Sure thing. Everything okay at the hospital?”
“Mrs. LeJeune is here.”
“But should you leave? What if?”
“I know what you’re thinking, and I was worried about leaving too, but Mrs. LeJeune said Misty won’t wake until Beltane.”
“First of May, uh huh,” said Farrell. “And she knows this… how? The date came floating in on the wind?”
“Something like that.”
“Long as you’re good with it.”
“I think I am.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Sunday, April 12th.
Quantrall Ranch. Giddings.
JESSE was enjoying a relaxing Sunday breakfast with his brothers when the call came in. Charity pointed a chubby finger at the phone the way she did when it rang, and Tyler laughed. Everything Charity did was amazing to her Uncle Tyler.
Jesse glanced at the screen then stepped out of the dining room into the foyer to take the call. “Lieutenant Lopez, you working on the weekend?”
“Not for long if I can dump this one on you guys. I tried Blacky, but his phone is turned off.”
“He’s on a flight home. Be back by lunch.”
“Okay, well here’s what I’ve got. A woman identified as Tanya Selecky was fished out of the river near the route one bridge on Lake Austin Boulevard.”
“Mrs. Selecky. Too bad. Yep, she’s mine. Loop one? I’ll be there as soon as I can. I’ll send Travis on ahead. He’s the lead on this one.”
“Okay, great,” said Lopez. “I’ll turn the scene over to Travis when he gets here.”
Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange.
ANNIE was all smiles having her boys gathered around the harvest table for Sunday breakfast. “Everybody is home except for Blaine,” she said. “But he’s on his way. Are we picking him up?”
“I am,” said Farrell. “I’ll take Neil with me.”
“I hope Misty is going to be all right,” said Annie. “I can’t imagine what it will do to Blaine if she isn’t.”
“Her mother believes Misty will come out of the coma at Beltane,” said Farrell. “Two weeks.”
Annie raised a dark eyebrow. “I hope that’s true.”
“The weird thing is,” said Farrell, “Blacky seems to believe it. He’s a skeptic and it ain’t like him at all.”
“He needs to hang onto something,” said Annie.
“Yeah, I guess that’s it.”
Loop One. West Austin.
TRAVIS joined Lieutenant Lopez, the medical examiner and a number of others on the bank of the river. “Hey, Lieutenant, haven’t seen you for a while.” They shook hands.
“Always glad to see you, Bristol. Even more so when you’re taking a murder off my hands.”
“That’s why you’re looking so happy.”
Lopez chuckled. “Yep, I’m done for the day now that you’re here. Your boss will be along soon, and you guys can have at it.”
Travis studied Tanya Selecky’s corpse lying on the bank. She was a little bloated, her face badly damaged from the bullet wound and the subsequent bashing against rocks in the river. McLaughlin probably dumped her Friday night right after the robbery. The ME readied the body bag and Travis was afforded a better look. Small caliber to the right temple. McLaughlin had shot her from the passenger seat then tossed her off the bridge.
Wonder if the robbery was her idea to get back at her husband and she recruited McLaughlin, or his idea because he heard about the poker money and he cozied up to the wife? Might never find out.
Jesse arrived as the ME’s helper was loading Tanya Selecky into the van at the top of the embankment. “Anything?” he asked Travis.
“Small caliber to the head, then he dumped her. She didn’t drown,” said Travis, “and I’m guessing it happened Friday night right after they took off from Selecky’s house.”
“Uh huh. Makes sense. Once McLaughlin had the money—or all of it he could grab—he didn’t need her anymore. Let’s go see if the next of kin is up to receiving the news.”
Saint Michael’s Hospital. Austin.
JESSE inquired as to Mark Selecky’s whereabouts and was directed to the sixth floor. Selecky was in intensive care.
“He might be in no shape to hear about his wife,” said Travis. “We may have to come back.”
Jesse nodded. “We may have to get permission from his doctor.”
They stepped off the elevator and went straight to the nurses’ station. Jesse showed his creds and posed his question. “Is Mark Selecky awake?”
The head nurse carefully read the information laid out in front of her and said, “Mr. Selecky underwent extensive surgery to remove the bullet and he’s heavily sedated. I’m afraid he won’t be allowed any visitors today.”
Jesse placed a card on the desk. “Could you have Mr. Selecky’s doctor call me?”
“I’ll do that, Ranger Quantrall.”
The Blackmore Agency. Austin.
CARM wore red oven mitts and stood in front of the stove holding a huge pan of enchiladas she’d just taken out of the oven.
Blaine ran across the kitchen and hugged her. “I missed you so much.”
Farrell was next with his hugs, then he introduced Neil, “This is my little brother, Neil. Hermano.
”
“Si, hermano.” Carm smiled at Neil and rattled off a long sentence in Spanish that Farrell got none of.
Blaine grinned. “She thinks you look alike.” He strode over to the fridge and got them all a beer. “Sit down and we’ll eat before we worry about anything else.”
“Rick and Andy moved over to Misty’s house for the time being,” said Farrell. “Maybe later we’ll go over and look for the book.”
Blaine chugged down half his Corona. “We should. We have to find it and put it in a safe or a safety deposit box or something, if people are willing to kill for the damn thing.”
Neil frowned. “What kind of book is it?”
“A book of spells.”
“Uh huh,” said Neil. “Book of Shadows. I wouldn’t mind reading it when you guys find it.”
Farrell smirked at his younger brother. “You cast any spells lately?”
“No, but I wouldn’t mind trying a couple. Could be interesting.”
“Who you aiming these spells at?” asked Farrell. “Anybody in particular?”
“Couple of girls at school are Wiccan and I might be able to impress them if I knew a spell or two.”
“Oh, I get it,” said Farrell, “this is all about hitting on hot chicks at your college.”
Neil chuckled. “What else is there?”
Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange.
ANNIE sat on the porch and watched Luke park his truck in the row of vehicles near the garage. She was happy that he’d decided to come and stay at the ranch for a while. He wore his sadness on his sleeve like a black mourning band he would never remove. She’d lost so many people she loved, she felt a kinship with him.
He walked towards the porch with a small duffel in his hand. “Afternoon, ma’am. Hope I’m not too early.”
“Time doesn’t matter too much here at the ranch. We’re pretty relaxed.”
Luke smiled, and he was handsome in a rugged way. His long auburn hair was tied back today with a blue bandana.
“Come on in and we’ll get you settled.”
“Are you sure this isn’t an imposition, ma’am?”
Annie shook her head. “Call me ‘Annie’, please, Luke.” She led the way through the kitchen and down the hall to the bedroom wing. “I put you in here.” She opened the door to one of the guestrooms she’d decorated herself and was particularly proud of.
Luke placed his duffel bag on the floor next to the dresser and glanced around. “I don’t need anything this nice, ma… Annie.”
“Of course you do, Luke. You’re just as deserving as anyone else, and I want you to feel at home here.”
“I don’t know how long I’ll stay.”
“Doesn’t matter. Healing takes a long time,” said Annie, “and then it’s never completely done, is it?”
“You sound like you’ve lost someone close to you.”
“Many people I loved, and it’s changed me. Not for the good, I’m afraid.”
Luke smiled. “You seem good and kind to me.”
“Come on. Let’s have a beer to celebrate your arrival, then we’ll saddle up and I’ll take you on a tour of the ranch. A long ride is relaxing and soul restoring.”
“I haven’t done much horse riding. Might have to have a refresher. ‘Specially on the saddling part.”
Annie took two Lone Stars out of the Sub-Zero and handed a can to Luke. “Don’t worry. I’ve got lots of cowboys who can give you a hand. I can saddle Target myself, but the boys rarely let me do it. They like to help the boss.”
After a tour of the barn and the Appaloosas, Annie let Luke choose a horse to ride. “Any one in particular appeal to you, sugar?”
He pointed half way down the row of stalls. “That one I liked a lot.”
“Ranger. He’s a sweetheart. Let’s take him out of his stall.”
Luke struggled a little with the saddle and Wayne was there to help him, but after a couple of mistakes were corrected the saddle was on and Ranger was anxious to get out of the barn.
Monroe had Target saddled and held the door open for them to exit. “Have a good ride, boss.”
“Thanks, baby,” she leaned down and touched Monroe’s long black hair. “I love you.”
They let the horses walk until they passed the garage and headed down the laneway towards the river, then they galloped across open fields, along the river bank past the safe-house, and back towards the barn through the three hundred acres of pine woods.
Annie dismounted at the barn door and smiled at Luke. “How did you like my ranch?”
“Beautiful property. I couldn’t believe how the river runs through it. Amazing.”
“A lot of the boys fish on Sundays. Tradition.”
“I better take care of Ranger,” said Luke. “He’s a little sweaty.”
“Uh huh. Cool him out and give him a carrot. He’s your responsibility now. Take good care of him.”
Misty’s Bungalow. Southeast Austin.
BLAINE parked behind the junk truck and turned off the engine. Misty had purchased a brand new bungalow only six blocks away from Blaine’s old Victorian. She’d bought the house in a hurry when she was mad at Blaine and wasn’t thinking clearly. Now she didn’t like it and rarely stayed there. Lately she’d talked about selling it.
“Let’s try to look thoroughly, but not mess anything up while we’re doing it.”
“I can be thorough and neat at the same time,” said Neil. “It’s a gift.”
“It’s a gift a lot of us don’t have,” said Blaine. “When I’m looking for something I tend to make a bit of a mess.”
“A new challenge for you, bro,” said Farrell. “Let’s do it.”
Rick opened the side door and let them in. “We’re settled into our little bungalow, boss. Nice big flat screen and air conditioning that works like a charm.”
“Glad you guys are happy,” said Blaine. “You won’t be so happy when the nutbar man-witch comes calling.”
“What’s he look like?” asked Andy. “Any pictures?”
“I’ll check the internet,” said Blaine, “but no. None at the moment.”
“How big is the book we’re looking for?” asked Neil.
“Large,” said Blaine. “I Googled it and its about twelve inches high by ten inches wide, and it’s thick—like two or three inches thick.”
“Can’t be in a small space then, can it?” asked Farrell. “It’s a big fucker.”
“Okay,” said Rick, “We’re only looking in places where a really big book could hide.”
After an hour of searching, and a half hour of cleaning up after themselves, they decided the book of spells was not in Misty’s house.
“Why wouldn’t it be here?” Blaine asked no one in particular. “Her mother said Misty always kept the book with her.”
“Lately she’s been spending all her time at your house, bro,” said Farrell. “Think she might have toted it over there?”
Blaine shrugged. “If she did, I never saw it.”
They said goodbye to Rick and Andy who remained at Misty’s lying in wait for Matthias Rush, and returned to Blaine’s Victorian.
The Blackmore Agency. Austin.
BLAINE blazed through the front door and he could smell a roast in the oven. “Oh, I’m starving. Carm,” he hollered, “and that meat smells so good. I need to ask you something.”
“What?” she answered him in Spanish.
“Did Misty ever bring anything over here from her house—like to keep it safe?”
She nodded. “Si.”
“What was it?”
“Libro.”
Blaine’s eyes widened as he asked her in Spanish. “Where is the book now?”
“Secreto.”
“Right, it’s a secret.”
Farrell was grinning.
“Can you show me where it is?”
“Un lugar seguro.”
“It’s in a safe place?”
Carm headed towards the staircase and all the boys followed her to th
e second level. She walked along the wide hallway and stopped at the door to the top floor.
“It’s up there? I haven’t started fixing up that floor yet. It’s all dirty and dusty.”
Carm opened the door and climbed the stairs—considerably narrower than the first flight. At the top of the stairs she opened the door to the right of the landing and walked into the empty room. She stopped and pointed to the wall.
“It’s in the wall?” asked Blaine. “Do I have a fuckin secret room too?”
Farrell snorted. “This house is as old as Misty’s house in New Orleans. Why wouldn’t you?”
Carm pressed something with the toe of her shoe and the wall slid back.
“You knew this was here?” he asked in Spanish.
“Si.”
Blaine squinted into the darkness of the small space and couldn’t see a thing. He reached his arm in and his hand touched the book. “Uh huh.” He picked it up and showed it to Farrell and Neil.”
“Can I look at it?” asked Neil.
Carm shook her head. “Magia.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Monday, April 13th.
The Blackmore Agency. Austin.
“MONDAY MORNING meeting,” said Blaine. “Hope everybody had a great weekend. If you didn’t, don’t bother telling me about it because mine was worse.” He wasn’t smiling.
Lil smiled at him anyway and wrote the date at the top of her page. “Jesse couldn’t be here. He has a nine o’clock doctor’s appointment.”
“That’s okay,” said Blaine, “I’ll catch up with him later.” He pointed at Travis. “Give us the lowdown on the Selecky robbery.”
Travis gave details of everything that went down on Friday night and finished with Tanya Selecky’s watery demise. “The notification ain’t done. We can’t do it until the doc let’s Selecky wake up.”
“ID on the two robbers shot during?” asked Blaine.
“Not yet.”
“I’ll have Farrell talk to Sue. ID should be quick and easy if they have sheets.” He turned and winked at Farrell. “The best we can hope for is McLaughlin gets flagged at a border crossing. He’s had plenty of time to get to Laredo and we’ve heard nothing. He could be in the wind.”