“Marie’s the target!” LD shouted into his microphone as the street vendor made his move.
“Repeat.”
“Marie Bernard. In front of the China Moon Café, she’s the target!” LD pulled his gun as he began running full speed.
“FBI! Stop!” He thundered as he saw a squat, scarred thug next to the van ratchet up his arms and aim a shotgun directly at his chest. Christ!
LD dove into a doorway, as brick and glass exploded around him. Crouching, he closed his eyes while debris peppered the top of his head from the continued rain of gunfire. His last sight, before taking cover, was of that bastard manhandling Marie.
“LD. You okay?” Rob’s voice crackled in his ear, as the gunfire changed direction and increased.
“Status on Bernard.” LD barked as he looked around the corner and saw the two men waiting with the delivery van carried guns and were covering the pair.
“The man is dragging her toward the van.”
“Don’t fire, but move in. I don’t want them getting in the van.” LD moved from the doorway, taking position behind a mailbox.
“We can’t stop them without returning fire,” Rob answered as he moved into position beside LD.
The two men watched as Marie was hauled toward the van.
“Are the snipers in place?” LD’s voice was thick with unexpected concern.
“Yes.”
Clearing his throat, he pushed the unwanted feeling away and reminded himself this was work. “Do they have a clean shot?”
“No.”
LD ground his teeth in frustration. A loud command from inside the van put a stop to the gunfire. The unexpected silence increased LD’s apprehension level by ten degrees.
“Carmouche. I know you’re out there.” The voice coming from the van took LD back to a cold, rainy night long ago. The split second of initial shock was replaced by pure terror that reached deep into his soul and twisted hard.
“Black,” Rob whispered as the man stepped out of the van. “This is going to be bad.”
LD heard Rob’s words, but they sounded far away. The only sound he heard was Marie, gasping for air. He forced his attention to stay on the man, who so elegantly stepped from the van and turned his world inside out. Standing, LD knew he could afford no sign of weakness. If he did, Black would swoop in for the kill. LD would not let Black win, not this time.
“Well, Carmouche, you appear to be speechless. Amazing. The last time we met, you had a whole lot to say to me. You do remember the last time, don’t you?” Black’s cultured voice and expensive wardrobe were not what one expected in a cold-blooded killer.
“Why are you here?”
“To pick up a woman, of course. I need a date.” Black inclined his head toward Marie. The man restraining her held her out in front of himself like a rag doll, then quickly jerked her back. Marie made more wheezing sounds as her frightened eyes locked on his, seeking reassurance.
LD turned back to Black, blocking the image of Marie from his mind. “You don’t like girls, or have you gone bi on us?”
“You know me too well, Carmouche. I’ve always liked you, you know. Even fantasized about you once or twice. My favorite is one with you in chains and myself with a long black whip.”
Sirens sounded in the distance along with the whirling hum of an approaching helicopter. Black glanced skyward. With a gesture of his head, the men standing to either side climbed back into the van. Black followed them. “Sorry, I hate to cut our reunion short, but there will be another time.”
With his gun still trained on Marie, he began to close the van’s side door, then paused. “Oh, almost forgot.”
Black fired.
Before anyone could react, the van sped away from the curb. Squealing tires and billowing smoke followed the vehicle as it made its getaway.
“Get the van!” someone shouted.
LD moved quickly to the two motionless forms while an image of another woman lying dead because he’d failed to do his job sliced through his mind. Terrified history was repeating itself, yet propelled by the need to know, LD kicked the assailant’s gun away, then crouched down beside the two bodies. He shoved the man’s body off Marie’s without a second glance. A cold sick sweat coated LD’s skin when he saw the blood splattered across her face. Pushing aside the hair at her neck, he felt for a pulse.
A shaky sigh escaped him. Her skin was clammy but her heartbeat was strong. “Marie.”
LD brushed a hand across the side of her face to check for injuries. As he watched, her eyes fluttered, then flew open. Before he could stop her, Marie rolled over and got a good look at the dead man.
“He’s dead.” Her voice was shaky but not defeated. He admired her for that.
“It’s okay. It’s over.”
Panic-filled eyes turned back to him. Then, in a surprisingly swift move, she placed both hands against LD’s shoulders and shoved.
Unprepared for the attack, he landed on his backside. He watched as she stood and started running. She stopped about twenty yards away.
“You okay?” LD looked up to see Rob extending a hand to him. Ignoring his friend’s offer of help, LD stood and brushed off his pants.
“You want me to go get her?” Rob asked.
“No. She’s mine.”
LD approached Marie as one would a frightened animal. Slowly. Any sudden moves might send her bolting again.
She was frantically running her hands through her hair and across her face. He knew what she was doing. She was trying to remove the blood. Grasping her wrist, he stopped her wild motions.
“It’s all over me.” The words were soft, the shakiness gone.
“I know.”
“I want a shower.”
LD searched her face for signs of shock as he released her wrists. “Sure, but first I need to know if you’re hurt. Is any of this blood yours?”
“No. I…I…oh.”
LD grabbed Marie around the waist as she turned away from him to empty the contents of her stomach. When she was finished, he moved her away and slowly lowered her limp body to a sitting position on the ground. She started to shake uncontrollably. Removing his overcoat, he draped it around her then knelt in front of her. He placed his hands on her shoulders.
“Is there anyone we can call for you?” LD asked even though he didn’t want to hear the answer.
“No.”
LD felt, more than heard, the response as Marie rested her head against his chest and almost of their own volition, his arms stole around her until he held her in his embrace. For a few moments, he relished the feel of her body next to his until he looked down and saw her hand resting against his chest. The flash from her diamond ring blinked at him like a warning beacon. She belonged to someone else, not him.
He pulled back, putting distance between them. He needed to think and he couldn’t with her wrapped in his arms. “Are you sure? We could phone a family member or a friend.”
Marie shook her head, “No. Not my family, I don’t want them to worry. Could you do me one favor?”
“Sure. What is it?” Brushing hair out of her eyes, LD saw the first tear slip down her cheek.
“Hold me. Just for a couple of minutes. Please.”
LD took Marie by the shoulders and pulled her back into his arms. Holding her tight against his chest, he felt each and every shudder and sob that tore through her body for the next several minutes. Over the years, he’d comforted more victims than he cared to remember, so this wasn’t new to him. But feeling the pain was.
Chapter Two
“What’s she doing here?”
LD looked up at the sound of Rob’s sharp words to find him standing in the doorway between their adjoining rooms. He really didn’t need this confrontation right now. “Staying the night.”
“Here?”
LD ignored the cutting edge in his partner’s voice and continued to move around the room, gathering his belongings and throwing them into the open suitcase. “Yeah. There isn’t an open roo
m on this floor, so Ms. Bernard’s going to stay in my room. And I’m bunking with you.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“No, I’m not.”
“You can’t do this. Our assignment is Ambassador O’Donnel—not her.”
“Enough, Agent Jackson. I’m in charge and I say she stays.” LD stepped back as Marie wedged her body between the two men. Only then did he realize he was nose to nose with Rob.
Marie’s attempt to distract them caused both men to take a step back. Rob’s gaze slipped down to Marie, but not before LD saw the doubt in his eyes. When Rob’s eyes met his again, they reminded him of the marbles he’d played with as a child—cold, blue and void of emotion. At the moment, that was probably for the best.
“I’m going to make the rounds.” Rob’s words were spoken over his shoulder as he turned back to his own room.
LD rubbed his neck where the day’s tension gathered. Rob returned from his last assignment changed, and not necessarily for the better. Then again, maybe he was the one who’d changed and not Rob, LD thought.
“He’s worried about you.”
LD turned his attention back to the woman invading his space.
You invited her into your space.
He reminded himself of this fact as the tension between them came alive. He felt the sizzling crackle of electricity he’d sensed earlier and watched as her eyes widened. “Rob doesn’t worry much about anyone but himself.”
“You’re wrong, he does care. He’s just afraid to say it for some reason.”
If you received a beating every time you opened your mouth as a child, you’d quickly learn to keep quiet too, LD thought as he gathered the remaining items and placed them in his bag. It wasn’t a surprise Rob hadn’t spoken his feelings, but it was a surprise she’d picked up on them.
“Who is this Black person?”
LD looked up as Marie visibly shuddered. The name alone seemed to frighten her. “He’s a gun for hire, a problem fixer—illegal problems.”
“A mercenary?”
He watched as she wrung her hands and waited for his answer. He didn’t want to immobilize her with fear, but she deserved the truth. “Yes.”
Her face paled. Then a second before he thought she was going to collapse, she straightened her shoulders. “Why would he want me? I’m an antique dealer, not a collector with millions.”
“The other agents seem to think you were in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Not you, though.” Her voice rose as she wrapped her arms around herself.
“I’d rather err on the side of caution.” LD suppressed a smile. The woman was terrified, and who wouldn’t be? Yet she wasn’t about to roll over and play dead. He liked that. “It’s not much, but letting you stay here tonight is the best I can offer.”
“I know. Thank you.”
Those simple words and the smile she gave him pushed away the doubts he’d been harboring about doing this. So what if he was bending a few rules? And even though Rob was pissed about it, he would keep his mouth shut. It was only one night, what could possibly go wrong?
Now all he needed to do was put some space between them before he did something really stupid, like pull her into his arms and never let go. Picking up his bag, he walked to the adjoining room, then turned back. “It’s late and I think we could both use some rest. Goodnight, Ms. Bernard.”
* * * * *
Terror clawed at the corners of Marie’s mind as she bolted upright in bed, gasping for air. It was only a nightmare. That’s all it was. Another bad dream caused by an overly active imagination and a tired body. As her pulse slowed and her breathing returned to normal, she glanced at the clock and stifled a groan. One o’clock in the morning. Flopping back on the bed, she pulled the covers up to her nose. From the security of the warm covers, she surveyed the room. Her eyes stopped on the open door joining her room to LD’s.
A silhouette moved across the doorway, stopped, looked at her and then moved on. The intensity of that gaze burned into her and she fought the urge to burrow deeper under the blankets. Time passed and slowly she relaxed. Whoever was there meant her no harm, although they took guard duty to the extreme. Marie smiled. “Mr. Carmouche?”
Her voice was soft, barely a whisper, so when no response came, Marie threw back the covers and grabbed her robe. Even if the figure wasn’t Agent Carmouche or Jackson, she needed to put a name to the figure, for her own sanity.
She approached the doorway at an angle that would keep her hidden from the other room’s occupants. She wasn’t confident or strong enough to barge into the room without knowing who or what waited for her on the other side. Or maybe her survival instincts were running at full force, causing her to be more cautious than normal. LD’s strong, confident voice drifted through the open door, easing her apprehension. It was Agent Jackson’s words that stopped her cold.
“The state police told us the vehicle Black was in sideswiped a tank truck carrying a load of gasoline. The tanker rolled onto the van, crushing it. Then they both exploded.”
“Any survivors?” LD’s voice was remote, cold.
“Miraculously the truck driver was thrown from his rig. He’s in serious condition, but expected to live.”
“The van’s occupants?”
“Dead.”
That one word hung in the air, taking Marie’s breath away. Then as sure as she knew the sky was blue, she knew Black wasn’t dead.
“You’re sure?” LD’s voice shook with emotion.
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
“How many bodies?”
“Four. There were four bodies bagged and tagged as John Doe.” There was finality to Rob’s statement.
“You didn’t ID the bodies?”
“Burned beyond recognition. We’ll have to use dental records or DNA testing.”
LD was angry and Marie could feel his rage. The air around her became suffocating, like the heavy humidity back home. Through the open door, she saw him standing with his hands resting on the window ledge, staring out into the night. Fury radiated from him like heat waves off hot summer sand.
The urge to move across the room and lay a comforting hand on his strong shoulders was immediate and intense. Marie started forward, then stopped when his words cut through the silence like an angry scythe.
“I wish I’d been there to witness him burning to ashes. Better yet, I wish I’d been the one to light the fire.”
“It’s over.” Rob’s voice was filled with understanding and sympathy. “You can let go now.”
LD’s laugh was bitter, “Let go? Yeah, I’ve been trying to do that for five years.”
“It’s time to move on. Laura would have wanted you to.”
Laura. Marie’s heart pounded at the mention of the woman’s name. Who was she and what had she meant to LD? LD ran his fingers through his hair, then pressed the heels of his hands hard against his temples. “How am I supposed to do that? Every time I close my eyes I see her in that yard. If I’d only stayed in town, maybe things would be different.”
“Drop it. Laura knew the risks and accepted them. You need to put it to rest before it eats you alive.”
“Too late.” LD’s soft, harsh words tore at her soul. Then he turned and saw her standing there.
“Sorry, we didn’t mean to wake you.” Agent Jackson’s words were rough with emotion.
Marie tore her gaze away from LD to look at Agent Jackson. “You didn’t. A dream woke me.”
For a moment, no one spoke. Then suddenly, LD let out a sigh and headed for the door. “I have things to do.”
* * * * *
The sun was creeping over the horizon when LD returned. He and Rob exchanged a few words and then Marie heard the door open and close and knew LD was alone.
Standing, she stretched sore muscles, which ached from hours of dozing on and off while waiting for his return. The chair she’d placed next to the adjoining door had not been designed for comfort.
The bedside clock read f
ive-thirty and she knew her time was running out. Pushing the door wider between the rooms, she walked in without knocking. “We need to talk.”
LD did not immediately acknowledge her presence. Instead, he took his time removing his jacket and hanging it in the small closet, before turning to face her. “About what?”
“Black. He’s not dead.”
“He’s dead, end of story.”
“No, Mr. Carmouche, it is not the end.”
LD took a deep breath and exhaled through clenched teeth. “I would appreciate it if you would call me Agent Carmouche or LD. But not Mr. Carmouche. It sounds as if you’re addressing my father.”
Marie raised her chin a notch before continuing. She wouldn’t allow this man to intimidate her or change the subject.
“Whatever, Agent. Would you please open your pea-brain and listen to what I’m saying. Or have you worked for the government so long you’ve forgotten how to think for yourself?”
The look he gave her resembled the expression a dog got before it attacked, bared teeth and all. She wondered if she’d pushed him too far.
“You’ve got my attention now, Ms. Bernard. Why don’t you continue?”
“Good,” Marie replied even though having his attention made her more nervous than not having it. “Then maybe you’ll understand when I say I’ve seen things in my thoughts and felt them in my bones. I can’t explain it, but my instincts are seldom wrong. Especially when they are this strong. Black is still alive.”
Marie watched LD jerk his tie loose, then drop it across the hanger holding his jacket. “Believe me, Black’s dead.”
“No, he’s not.” Marie’s eyes drifted to LD’s hands, which were, at that very instant, unbuttoning the front of his shirt.
“Look, I’m tired and dirty. I need a hot shower followed by a pot of coffee if I stand any chance of making it through the day. This might be the end for you, but my day is just getting started. So if you don’t mind…”
LD waved his hand toward her room, dismissing her. During the long hours of the night as she waited for him to return, she’d gone over this in her head. Now she was determined to stand her ground. “We are not finished with this conversation and I don’t like being dismissed like a child.”
Bayou Treasure Page 2
