by Emery, Lynn
“He could be in another state by now if he’s run away.” Andrea shivered with fear. “Lord, I hope he’s run away.”
“Promise you won’t go looking for him, Andrea,” Lee insisted.
“Okay, okay. But call me, please”
“I will.” Lee kissed her and left.
Andrea listened to his car start up and the sound of it fade as he drove away. She paced for a few minutes, trying to sort through her tangled thoughts. Her thoughts raced as she reviewed every possibility, none of them good. Finally she glanced at the clock. It was now three-thirty. She went back to bed but lay staring at the ceiling for another hour. The phone next to her bed rang and she snatched the receiver from its cradle.
“Hello?”
“Miss Andrea, it’s me, Denny.”
Andrea gripped the cordless phone tightly. “Your grandmother is worried about you, Denny. Where are you? I’ll come get you right now.”
“No, you can’t do that. I’m leaving. I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I lied to you and—”
“That doesn’t matter now. Just tell me where you are. We can still work this out.” Andrea fought to keep her voice calm. Her whole body tensed with the fear that he would hang up.
“No. It’s not safe where I am. Did you know about Jamal?”
She quickly considered what to say and decided on the truth. “He finally told me about two weeks ago, Denny. The board hired him without telling me. They didn’t know who was stealing from the clinic.”
“So he fooled you, too. You picked the wrong boyfriend and I picked the wrong friend,” Denny said, his voice laced with bitterness.
Andrea chose not to talk about Lee but to focus on Denny instead. “Listen to me, Denny. If you don’t finish this thing, the sheriff can’t charge Ty’Rance with anything. He’ll be free to hunt you down. And you know he will! He’s connected to gang leaders all over this state.” She took a stab at the arguments she thought Lee would use.
“I can’t stay here, awright?” Denny said in a taut voice. “I got a gun. If anybody tries to screw with me—”
“No, no, no! Don’t make another big mistake!” Andrea stood and paced as she talked. “What will you do for money? Your grandmother is barely making it on her pension. You can’t expect her to help.”
“I’ll find a job that pays cash. I’ll go someplace no-body would expect to look.”
“Okay, so maybe I can give you a little cash. Let’s meet somewhere.”
“No,” Denny said promptly. “Maybe you’re in with the sheriff now. You want me arrested because of what I did.”
“I promised your grandmother I’d help you. That’s what I’m trying to do,” Andrea said with intensity. “I want to keep my promise. Please tell me where to meet you.”
She stood rooted to the floor with her eyes closed, praying. He was silent. All she could hear was heavy breathing for what seemed like an eternity.
“Okay. Meet me at the Waffle Shack on Fourth Street in Houma.”
Andrea sat down hard on the bed, her legs weak with relief. “You’ve made the right choice.”
“And don’t bring anybody with you. I’ll sit where I can see you come in the parking lot,” he warned.
She swore silently before answering. “I won’t.” There was a click and he was gone.
Andrea yanked clothes aside in her closet until she found a pair of jeans and a Grambling University T-shirt. She laced up her sneakers, grabbed her keys and raced out the door. She paused only to lock the dead bolt. She sped down Highway 20, praying that Denny wouldn’t change his mind before she got there. The speedometer needled crept up to eighty-five.
“Careful, careful,” she muttered to herself as she eased her foot off the gas pedal.
The last thing she needed was to be stopped for speeding or have an accident. She suffered through a series of stoplights in the small city. She muttered a curse word and drummed her fingers on the steering wheel.
“Come on! Why does the light stay red so long? They roll up the dam sidewalks when the sun sets.”
A police car pulled up beside her on the four-lane highway through the middle of the business district. The officer stared at Andrea with an impassive expression. She stopped talking to herself and avoided his gaze. When the light turned green she waited. The police car did not move. Andrea drove ahead slowly. He followed for two blocks, and then turned.
“Thank you, Lord,” Andrea whispered. “Now go down one more light. There it is.”
She was able to park near the door. At this hour, only one waitress and one customer were in the restaurant. Huge glass windows dominated three walls of the Waffle Shack. Andrea looked around, but did not see Denny’s car outside or Denny inside. She suspected he was not far away. The waitress stood pouring coffee in a brown mug for the customer.
“Sit anywhere, baby. I’ll be right with ya,” the woman called out.
“A cup of decaf, please,” Andrea said, and chose a booth not visible from the street.
Five minutes later the waitress plunked a brown mug on the table. “Wanna order now or waitin’ for somebody?” Her name tag read MARGIE.
Andrea’s stomach rumbled at the possibility of food. She had not eaten dinner the night before. “Bring me a bagel and fat-free cream cheese.”
Margie giggled and handed her a menu. “Sugar, this is the original greasy spoon. We ain’t got no bagels and ain’t nothin’ fat-free.”
Andrea could not help but smile. “At least you have decaf. Bring me a doughnut.”
“You got it.” Margie winked at her and flounced off. “What you want, baby?” she asked the man seated at the counter.
The man rumbled his order low. Andrea turned her attention back to the expanse of glass. The privacy of her booth was a trade-off since she could not easily watch who approached from outside. She strained to see the small comer of parking lot still visible from her position. Ten minutes later, headlights flashed as a car swung into the parking lot. The lights winked out and a car door slammed seconds later. Tension knotted the muscles in her back as she watched the door.
“Please let it be him,” Andrea whispered between clenched teeth.
The glass door swung open. Andrea gasped in surprise when Lee walked in. His gaze swept the entire restaurant. His jaw tightened when he saw Andrea, but he still did not move. She squirmed nervously when his dark eyes narrowed with anger. The male customer turned his head around. He gave Lee only a brief glance before he looked away again. Lee studied the man for a beat, and then headed for Andrea. His long-legged stride exuded restrained power, as though he could spring to action if needed. There was an animalistic grace in his every moved. This man had been a cop, but had easily passed for a ruthless gang member. Which side ruled tonight, good guy or bad boy? Her body tingled at the possible answer.
“What the hell are you doing out here?” Lee said harshly, his deep voice low and urgent. “I told you to stay home.”
“I couldn’t do that,” Andrea said with just as much intensity, then lowered her voice to a whisper. “I heard from him. Did you follow me?”
“I went back to your apartment to make sure nobody suspicious was hanging around. Ty’Rance has had his gang watching the clinic. I had to make sure you were all right.”
“Thanks.” Andrea smiled weakly, and then sobered when he didn’t smile back.
“And I was going to warn you not to do anything silly.” Lee’s eyes narrowed. “Like go off on your own to meet him.”
“I was going to call you once I talked to him,” Andrea said. “I swear!” she added at his skeptical frown.
“You should have called me before you did anything, Andrea.”
“He was watching to see if I was followed.” Andrea groaned. “He’s probably running off as we speak, thanks to you.”
“I’m in a Ford Explorer, so he wouldn’t recognize that. Besides, I checked out the area for five blocks around. Denny’s not here yet unless he’s invisible.” Lee glanced at the other customer.
“I’ll wait with you.”
“No! He’ll take off for sure then. Slip out before he sees you. I can talk him into coming with me.” Andrea leaned across the pockmarked table.
“Forget it, Andrea. I’m not going to leave you out here exposed.” Lee scanned the restaurant for a third time.
“Don’t play superhero! There’s nobody here.” Andrea chafed with frustration at the stubborn set to his jaw. “I’ll be okay.”
“No.”
“I’ve got my cell phone. I’ll call you the minute—”
“No,” Lee said again in a level tone.
“That’s right, play the big, strong PI,” she muttered. “I’m in this whether you like it or not. I was your number one suspect, remember?”
“And for that I owe you?” Lee’s full lips lifted at one comer. “Nice try.” He settled back in the booth.
Andrea pressed her lips together and crossed her arms. They sat across from each other without speaking for another ten minutes. Andrea glared at him. Lee gazed back at her with an implacable expression. She jumped when his cell phone rang. Lee calmly pressed the call button and answered.
“Yeah? Where? How the hell am I— Right, right. I’ll be there.” Lee ended the call and frowned.
“Has the sheriff found him?” Andrea leaned forward. “Go home, baby. Denny isn’t coming.” Lee started to get up, but stopped when Andrea clutched his arm.
“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s happened.” Andrea tightened her hold.
“That was Ty’Rance. They’ve got Denny and won’t let him go unless I deliver the drugs from the clinic.” Lee tapped a forefinger on the table, a restless beat to help him think. “It’s a test. They’ll kill him if I get the sheriff involved. The bastard!”
Andrea now held on to him with both hands. His expression had turned cold and deadly. “You can’t do it alone.” She put everything into speaking with calm, persuasive force.
“Just go home. I’ll handle it.”
“How? You’ve got to give them something and you can’t get into the clinic without me.” Andrea raised her eyebrows. “You don’t know the code for the security system.”
“Then give it to me,” Lee said sharply.
“No, and that slightly insane ex-cop look doesn’t scare me,” she said stubbornly, crossing her arms.
“Damn it!” Lee slapped the table so hard it wobbled.
“Don’t waste time on temper tantrums,” she tossed at him. “Let’s go.” She stood.
Lee stood with her. “You let me in, then leave,” he said, and pointed his finger at her nose.
Andrea pushed her hair from her eyes. “Agreed. You can call Sheriff Boudreaux on the way,” she whispered back, then spun around and walked off.
Lee trotted a few steps before he caught up with her. “So now you’re an expert at this?” he said close to her ear.
“No, but you are,” she said over her shoulder. “I know that’s what you would do anyway.”
“I hadn’t decided. It might not be such a good idea until I know more,” Lee said gruffly.
Andrea pushed through the door. Lee came out right on her heels. “You call him or I will. Good cops understand you can’t hotdog. You need backup.”
“You’ve been watching too much TV,” Lee mumbled.
Andrea did not rise to his taunt. “You know I’m right.”
They both got into their separate cars. With a taut frown, he motioned for her to lead the way. Andrea peeled off. The drive back to Bayou Blue did not take long. Traffic was sparse at four in the morning. Pushing eighty-five miles an hour most of the way on the two-lane highway helped. They arrived downtown fifteen minutes later. Andrea drove into the parking lot of the clinic first, with Lee close behind. Lee jumped out of his car and strode toward her.
“You can still give me the keys and the code.” He held out a large hand, palm up.
Andrea ignored him and opened the door. She went to the keypad. Lights on the panel flashed rapidly and a high-pitched beep sounded. Both stopped once she entered the code.
“I know exactly what they want,” she called over her shoulder as she ran down the hall. “This stuff will get them really excited.”
He locked the door and came up fast behind her. “I don’t want them excited; I want them pounded into the dirt.”
Andrea stopped at the locked pharmacy door but did not open it. “Did you call the sheriff?”
He put both hands on his waist. “Open the door.” “Did you? I don’t want you in this alone, Lee.”
“Yes, now come on!” Lee yelled.
“Good.” Andrea unlocked the back door within seconds.
“Damn it, woman. I’ve been on the street since I was fifteen. I can take care of business—”
“Right, big, strong secret agent man,” Andrea cut him off. She looked around inside at the shelves. “Hmm, painkillers and muscle relaxants. Those should satisfy that scum.” She helped him stack six boxes on a small wheeled cart.
Andrea followed him as he pushed the cart down the hall and out the back door. They loaded the boxes into the trunk of his car. Lee waited while Andrea put the cart back inside the clinic and locked up.
Lee grabbed her by the shoulders. “Now, go home, Andrea. I mean it this time. It’s the best way you can help.”
Andrea wrapped her arms around him and squeezed for a moment. “Okay. Please be careful.”
Lee kissed her forehead. “Don’t worry. I want to come back to you.”
Then she felt something hard and cool. Andrea reached down to his brown leather belt. Lee had a small automatic pistol hooked to it. The gun was hidden beneath the light cotton jacket he wore.
“Good Lord,” she whispered, and gazed up at him. Just then a car pulled up, the sudden glare of the headlights momentarily blinding them. Three men got out of a Chevy Blazer. Andrea blinked against the glare at the dark figures. Then her vision cleared and her heart froze at what she saw. One of the men had Denny by the arm with one hand as he pointed an automatic pistol at Denny’s temple with the other. A big man with a toothy grin that lacked humor strode forward. Lee tried to push Andrea behind him. She held on to him, her arms still around his waist.
“Ain’t this sweet. Sorry we gotta interrupt such a warm moment.”
“What’s up with this, Ty? I thought you wanted me to meet you,” Lee said, forcing a casual tone. He used his body to shield Andrea.
“Yeah, well, I changed my mind. I’m like that, ya know? Especially when I been lied to.” The mean grin turned menacing. “Your boy spilled his damn guts.” “Hold up—”
“No, you hold up!” Ty’Rance snarled. “Good thing I had my boys watchin’ him. We caught him tryin’ to run out on our deal.”
“Don’t do something stupid,” Lee said.
“Uh-uh, not me. Y’all stupid for thinkin’ you could play me! Gonna take it all for yourselves, huh? You, him, and your woman had it all figured out.”
Andrea felt Lee stiffen. Denny had used his street smarts to give them as much time as he could. Ty’Rance thought they were going to steal the drugs and cut him out. She gazed at Denny. No doubt he knew Ty’Rance would understand being double-crossed by another criminal and would come after them. That kept Denny alive a few hours more. Far safer than if Ty’Rance knew the real story. But they were still in serious trouble. Andrea gazed up at Lee. Lee stared at Denny, and then looked at Ty’Rance.
“Well, punk?” Ty’Rance barked.
Lee broke free of Andrea’s grasp. He pointed at Denny. “You lying little piece of shit! I don’t know anything about it.”
“Blow it out your ass, Jamal!” Denny screamed back. “It was his idea, Ty! All of it. He told me he had connections with Li’l Bootsie in New Orleans.”
“I don’t know any dude named Bootsie in New Orleans,” Lee yelled. “You can’t trust Denny, man.”
“Yeah, go ahead, Jamal,” Denny shot back. ‘Try to sell that cheap-ass talk. Ain’t nobody buyin’ it, though.” “
So he should listen to you? Denny, man, you know damn well if it wasn’t for me—”
“If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have no gun in my face, punk!”
Andrea shivered in fear at the dangerous game. She knew he and Denny were playing off each other. The lies were being spun fast and furious. They were improvising like two rap musicians, making it up as they went along. Ty’Rance watched them, his lifeless eyes narrowed to reptilian slits.
“Let’s pop all of ’em, Ty!” The man holding the gun on Denny looked wired. Denny grunted when he jammed it hard against his head. “Then we can get the goods without all this hassle.”
“Everybody just shut up!” Ty’Rance roared. He paced in a circle for several minutes. He stopped and hitched up his pants in a gesture of machismo. “This is how it’s gonna be. I want my stuff. Where is it?”
“In my trunk. All the stuff you wanted. I was gonna deliver it to you, man.” Lee pointed to his car.
“Open it,” Ty’Rance said.
“I was just slippin’ off to see my lady, Ty. I was comin’ back. I want money same as you.” Denny spoke carefully. “There’s lots more where that came from. But we gotta order it.”
Lee opened the trunk with his remote. He did not move until Ty’Rance walked over and opened it wide. Then he started toward the car. “That’s the only thing he’s not lying about, man. You need us.”
Ty’Rance held up one hand to indicate Lee should come no closer. He took out a switchblade and cut open the thick cardboard of one box and examined the contents. He turned around to face them again.
“Yeah. Good stuff.”
“Like I told you,” Lee said.
“Not you. I set it up,” Denny complained.
Suddenly, Ty’Rance turned and looked at Andrea. He raked her with a gaze that left her feeling soiled. “Hey, pretty lady. We ain’t been introduced.”
“She’s out of it,” Lee said quickly.
“That ain’t what Denny told me. Damn, she’s fine, too.” He slowly took her in from head to toe again. “I’ll let you boys go. The dope and the woman are mine.” “Hell no!” Lee took a step forward. He stopped when
