Backwater

by Carolina Mac

  “This is awful,” said Catherine. She leaned forward and tapped on the window, “Roddy, just let me out anywhere.”

  “I can’t do that, Governor. It’s not safe with all those pro-gunny lunatics out there. This is a funeral for one of their supporters. I know how these things work.”

  “Wish the short fuse was here,” she mumbled.

  “He should be here,” said Jesse. “This is just the kind of situation he’s fantastic at controlling. Forcing him to take time off right now is a fuck-ass move.”

  “Who’s fuck-ass move was it?” asked the Governor.

  “Not mine.”

  Catherine smiled and winked at Jesse.

  La Grange.

  ANNIE felt a little deflated after all her boys went to the Gulf fishing. Jackson was at his nana’s in Santa Fe and Lucy was with her nana in Victoria. Annie was free as a bird to do anything she wanted to do. She texted Tyler to see if he was busy and he was leaving for an Appaloosa show in Fort Worth with his brother Paul. He invited her along, but she craved something more exciting than a horse show.

  Maybe something would come along. She texted Travis.

  “Hey, sugar, want to play with me?”

  Austin.

  THE GOVERNOR’S LIMO finally made it close enough to the church to suit Agent Roderick and Jesse helped Catherine from the back seat to the sidewalk.

  Surrounded by Gene Wyman and her security team, they walked half a block to the steps leading up to the historic church. Questions were shouted and ignored, and cameras filmed every inch of her short journey.

  Once inside, Jesse escorted her to a reserved pew. He sat on one side, with Gene Wyman on the other and the rest of the men assigned to her took up posts around the interior of the church.

  The service was lengthy and filled with remarks from Congressmen, Senators and many other government officials who had known Mrs. Royce and Charles Junior, either personally, or through the Senator.

  Jesse focused on Royce in the front pew, with his head bowed through most of the service—a bereaved husband and father—at least on the surface.

  At the conclusion of the service, the minister announced that Mrs. Royce and her son would be cremated. He invited guests who had received printed invitations to a formal reception at the Westin Hotel.

  Jesse escorted Catherine to the door of the church and then to the waiting limo. “I guess we’re among the lucky ones who received a printed invitation,” drawled Jesse.

  “Lucky us,” said Catherine as she settled into her car. “We’re going to the Westin, Roddy.”

  “Thanks, Governor. It’s going to be slow going.”

  “Doesn’t matter how long it takes,” said Catherine. “We don’t want to go anyway.”

  Special Agent Roderick chuckled.

  TRAVIS DROVE Annie’s old blue Ram to the Westin and snagged a decent parking space before Royce’s guests arrived from the church.

  “Sure you want to do this, Annie-girl?” asked Travis. “Ain’t sanctioned.”

  “I don’t want your vacation time to go to waste, sugar pop. Sitting and relaxing in your apartment when you could be with me stirring up a nest of hornets.”

  “Yeah, down time would be a fuckin shame.” Travis reached across the console and held her hand. “And you know I’d rather be with you than anywhere else. Just friends is better than nothing.”

  Annie checked her look in the visor mirror and reached for the door handle. “I’ll watch from the bar where nobody can see me.”

  “Don’t let Jesse see you, or I’ll get my ass fired again.”

  Annie shrugged. “I can always use you as my personal bodyguard or on security at Coulter-Ross if you get busted.”

  “Shit,” said Travis, “Now I want to get fired.”

  Annie was giggling as she hopped out of the truck.

  TRAVIS SMOKED for half an hour in the truck and then standing beside the truck while he waited for the funeral car to bring Royce and his entourage. The big black limo pulled up under the porte cochere and the Senator stepped out. Travis thought Royce would go straight inside, but he didn’t. Senator Royce waved the limo off and walked towards a couple of black Escalades that had followed his security unit. The two SUV’s had come into the parking lot behind the others, then veered out of the line and parked a couple of rows back.

  Wonder who those guys are?

  Travis jumped in Annie’s truck, stayed there and watched all the funeral attendees park and go inside, then he went for a little stroll.

  ONCE inside the Westin, Jesse and Governor Campbell were escorted to the private room the Senator had booked for the reception. A bar was set up in the corner and Jesse headed there first, steering Catherine by the elbow.

  “I’ll get you a glass of wine. You might need fortification.”

  “Definitely, I will,” said the Governor. “I have to talk to him soon, so it might as well be now.”

  With a glass of red in her hand, she sought out Senator Royce who was huddled with a group of men on the far side of the room. Jesse stuck close as she approached him.

  Royce stuck out his hand. “So lovely of you to come, Governor Campbell.” The men around him immediately dispersed as if they had rehearsed it and left him alone with Catherine.

  Jesse backed away and let them talk.

  “My condolences, Senator,” said Catherine.

  “Appreciate it.” He took a step closer and said in a low voice, “I want you to shut down the Violent Crime Squad. They are dangerous and not needed. We have plenty of other law enforcement in place statewide.”

  “That’s not my call,” said Catherine. “They don’t work for me.”

  Royce raised an eyebrow.

  “I’ll tell you what I want you to do, Senator. I want you to resign your seat immediately. Stokes told me what was going on before he died, and it was all recorded in my office—every word of it. If you don’t retire voluntarily, I’ll make it my mission to bring you down.”

  Royce stood and stared as she walked away.

  JESSE watched as Catherine talked to Senator Royce alone. He saw the look of anger on Royce’s face as she walked away and wondered if Catherine had put herself in the line of fire. She crossed the room and joined Jesse where he stood next to a towering fake palm.

  “That looked intense, Catherine.”

  “I threatened him. Told him to resign his seat or I’d expose him for what he was.”

  Jesse felt his chest tighten. “Uh huh. He and his people are a dangerous group. Do you think that was wise?”

  “Wise or not, it had to be done for the good of Texas.”

  “That’s your decision,” said Jesse, “but I think I’ll speak to Gene and have him beef up your security for the time being.”

  Catherine smiled. “Is that necessary? I’m not afraid of Royce.”

  “Doesn’t hurt to be cautious.”

  ANNIE sat on a stool at the bar in the Westin and watched the activity in the lobby reflected in the mirror in front of her. She saw Jesse come in with Catherine and felt the pain in her heart that always accompanied a ‘Jesse-sighting.’

  Once they went into the private reception room, she ordered another Lone Star and chatted to the bartender.

  She stretched out two more beers and it was enough. The people began leaving and Jesse and the Governor were among the first.

  Royce was last.

  Annie paid her tab. Tipped the young bartender and returned to her truck. “Did you have fun while I was gone?”

  Travis grinned. “Sure did. Tagged a couple of Escalades but I hesitated on running the plates. Figured the Chief might not take to it since I’m supposed to be on vacay.”

  Annie winked. “I can do it later.”

  “Later? What are we doing now?”

  “Following Royce.”

  Travis frowned. “He lives way up near Gatesville. What will that accomplish?”

  “What if he doesn’t go to his ranch?”

  “Okay,” said Travis
. “I’ll follow him if he doesn’t go to his ranch.”

  AFTER the funeral, Jesse rode in the limo back to the Capitol, and once the Governor was safely in her office, he picked up his Range Rover and drove to headquarters to have a chat with Chief Calhoun.

  “How was the double funeral?” asked the Chief.

  “Didn’t you receive an invitation?” asked Jesse.

  “Must have got lost in the mail,” Calhoun said with a smirk.

  “Reception afterwards at the Westin was quite elaborate,” said Jesse. “Big spread and expensive suits.”

  Calhoun shrugged. “See, I made the right choice.”

  “I escorted Catherine,” said Jesse. “She was determined to make a point to Royce and I think she might have gone a bit overboard.”

  “Aw, shit,” said the Chief. “What did the red-head do now?”

  “She told Royce she had a recording of Stokes spilling the beans about his involvement with the gunnies.”

  The Chief raised an eyebrow. “Does she have it?”

  “Said so.”

  “Have you heard it?”

  “Nope.”

  “Do you think she’s lying?”

  “Nope.”

  “Okay, then. She’s in big trouble. Wyman should ramp up her security.”

  “That’s what I said.”

  “I’ll make the call.”

  Jesse left the Chief’s office and strode next door to Ranger Jamie Parnell’s office. He tapped on the door, opened it and walked in. “Hey, there.” He rounded her desk and kissed her lightly.

  “I didn’t expect to see you today. Nice surprise.”

  “Would you come to dinner on Sunday at Quantrall and meet Charity?”

  Jamie grinned. “I’d love to do that.”

  “How about I wait for you to finish and take you out for a steak?”

  “Umm… I’m tired, Jesse. I’d rather go home and make something at my place.” She picked up her purse and gave him the key. “Go have a beer and warm up the sofa for me.”

  Seadrift.

  FARRELL returned the boat to the rental place a little way along the shore from their beach house and jogged back across the hard-packed sand. They’d had a few bites and caught a couple of groupers but tomorrow they were going to rent mud boats and try channel fishing.

  He clunked up the steps to the wrap-around porch and helped himself to a beer out of the cooler. “Do we have plans for dinner?”

  “I Googled the local hot spots on my phone,” said Mary, “and there are quite a few to choose from.”

  “What does everybody feel like eating?” asked Blaine. “You can vote too, Casey.”

  “Can I? I like hanging with y’all. I got a good tan out there on the water all day.”

  “You won’t be as dark as the half-breed,” said Farrell. “He’s three shades darker to start.”

  “You got a burn,” Mary said to Farrell. “Did you have sun screen on?”

  “Hell no. I don’t wear sissy shit like that.”

  “Keeps you from getting all burned and sore,” said Mary. “It’s not a sissy thing.”

  “Seems like it,” said Farrell. His phone signaled a text. He read the message and hoofed it inside to the powder room and locked himself in.

  “Hey, baby. Run these tags for me?”

  “Mom, what are you doing?”

  “Surveillance with Travis.”

  “Holy shit, Mom. Don’t. I’m too far away.”

  “Don’t tell your brother. Okay?”

  “Jesus in a handcart. You make me sweat.”

  “AUSTIN-BERGSTROM,” said Travis as he made the turn onto Airport Road. “He’s going to the airport—the charter side of things.”

  “Let’s go in and see where he’s going,” said Annie.

  “They might not want to tell us,” said Travis. “Privacy and all that.”

  “We’ll wait until he takes off and I’ll go see what I can do.”

  “Maybe we should just let him go, Annie-girl. This ain’t our job and the boss might be severely pissed at us if we mess up.”

  Annie giggled. “It’s been fun so far. Let’s push it a bit more.”

  The senator took a bag and his briefcase from the car and boarded the plane.

  “He’s on board,” said Annie, “he’ll be gone in a minute.”

  “Fuck,” said Travis under his breath as he watched Annie jump out and head for the terminal.

  With a roar, the Gulfstream took off and Senator Royce was gone… wherever.

  Annie flashed her sexiest smile to the young guy behind the counter in the terminal. “Do your charters go all over?”

  “Sure do. Where would you like to go, Miss?”

  “Somewhere fun. I saw one take off as I was arriving. Where did that plane go?”

  “Umm… let me see. That one went to DC.” He frowned. “If y’all want fun, don’t go there. Go to Vegas or New Orleans.”

  “Thanks for the advice,” said Annie. “I think I will go to Vegas, but for tonight, I think I’ll go to DC and see what’s cooking at the White House.”

  The clerk chuckled. “They might not let you in, but I can have a plane ready for y’all in twenty minutes.”

  Annie opened her purse and slapped down a black Amex. “Go for it, cutie.”

  He winked at her. “Yes, ma’am. I’m all over it.”

  “I’ll get my partner.” Annie ran out to the truck and spoke to Travis through the window. “Lock up the truck, we’re going to DC.”

  “Annie, no.” Travis shook his blond head. “Bad idea.”

  “Come on, Travis. You’re my bodyguard. I can’t go without you.”

  “What if I said I wasn’t going?”

  “Bye.” Annie walked back towards the terminal and Travis wasn’t far behind, cursing as he ran to catch up.

  AFTER Jamie’s chicken fried steak and an hour of catching up, Jesse tried out Jamie’s new queen size bed. He hadn’t made love to anybody since he left Annie and wasn’t sure he had the stamina for it, but he gave it his best shot and it didn’t kill him.

  Jamie seemed deliriously happy that they were back together, and he was as happy as he could be—out of breath and exhausted.

  Not as good as I once was…but…

  As he drove home to Quantrall he made a mental note to call his doctor in the morning.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Wednesday, June 17th.

  Giddings.

  JESSE woke to a ringing in his ear. Exhausted from his sexual romp with Jamie, he had slept like a rock. How could he have forgotten how energetic she was in bed? Could he keep up?

  Jesse reached for his cell and saw the Governor’s name on the screen. “Catherine, did something happen?”

  “My office was broken into overnight, Jesse. Impossible, I know with the security the Capitol has, but all the same it’s a goddam disaster.”

  “Get out of there, Catherine,” said Jesse, “and don’t touch anything. I’m sending Sue and her team. I’ll be along soon.”

  “I’ll work in Stokes’ office until you get here.”

  “Good idea.” He sat up and called the crew—the non-fishing crew. First, Fletcher. “Fletch, it’s Jesse. I need you in Catherine’s office in an hour.”

  “Yes, sir. Are we working?”

  “A lot of footage to go over. Somebody broke into her office overnight.”

  “Shit,” said Fletch. “How’d they manage that? Tight security at the Cap.”

  “You would think so.” Next, he called Carlos. “Carlos, hope you enjoyed your short vacay. Something came up.”

  “No problem, boss. Somebody dead?”

  “Not yet, and I’d like to keep it that way. Meet me in Catherine’s office in an hour.”

  “She in trouble, boss?”

  “I’ll lay it down when y’all get there. I’m calling Luke, then Lily.”

  Seadrift.

  TENNESSEE looked up from the boat he was cleaning out when he saw Tanya coming towards him from th
e rental office. He gave her a smile even though she didn’t look so happy today. She’d been walking kind of funny too, since Big Dave tuned her up the day before.

  It was getting to be a habit now. Dave would beat on Tanya and as soon as he left the property she would run straight to his trailer and cry on his shoulder and other places on his body that he didn’t mind. But if Dave found out, they might both be dead. At least Tanya would be. Big Dave had a brutal temper.

  “Got anything to get me through the day?” Tanya stroked his hair and came on to him the way she always did when she wanted more meth.

  “Nope. I gave you the last of it.” He pointed at the rental shack. “You got customers. Go get their money.”

  “You do it.” She shoved her hands in the pockets of her shorts. “My hands are too shaky, and I can’t think.”

  “Fuck, Tanya. You only have one goddam job and that’s to rent the fuckin boats. Can’t you even do that?”

  BLAINE followed the signs from the main road trying to find the place that had mud boats for rent.

  “Are we lost, Beb?” Misty stared out her window at the thick vegetation. “Looks swampy and smells like...”

  “Smells like frogs,” said Casey.

  “What do frogs smell like?” asked Neil, “Don’t know if I ever smelled one.”

  “They smell like a mud and algae combo,” said Casey. “Know what I’m sayin?”

  “Not so much,” said Neil.

  Blaine chuckled. “We might be lost.”

  “Do you know these guys with the mud boats, Casey?” asked Neil.

  “Nope. Never seen ‘em. Don’t think so. I stayed on the beach since I got here. Nowhere else to go. Only guys I seen were the ones renting the big house next to y’all’s. Seen them take a boat out around midnight a couple of times and meet like a yacht or something way out there.”

  “Interesting,” said Blaine. “Are they carrying anything when they come back to shore?”