A Crying Shame (69 page)

I ... don't believe I understand the question.” She side-stepped, stalling.

Yeah, you understand me, Miss Gray.”

She said nothing in rebuttal.

Linda looked at him, puzzled at his questioning. Then she smiled, patting the couch cushion beside her.
Sit down, Jon.” He did.
The governor knows only what Sheriff Saucier read in my brother's journals. But I think—and so, as it turns out, does Tammy—there is much more to it. I know my brother destroyed some papers just a few days before . . . before he was killed. I think only you know the entire story, and I don't believe you've been totally honest with that knowledge. So why don't you tell us the truth, Jon?”

Jon lit one of his slim cigars and thought for a moment.
All right,” he said quietly.
I'll do that.” As much as I feel I can get away with, that is.

 

Sheriff Saucier looked at the tach team leader and shook his head. He would make one more attempt to dissuade the man, although he knew his attempts would be futile.
You're making a mistake, Burt. You and your men are going off into the unknown without proper preparation. We have no way of knowing how many of those . . . things are in the swamp.”

Lt. Burt Poyson buckled and snapped himself into his gear.
Mike, Governor Parker has ordered Colonel Jeansonne to send in some teams to reconnoiter the area. What would you have me do: tell Colonel Jeansonne the six best-trained tach men in the state refuse to go? Sure. And me and the boys here,”—he jerked his thumb—
come next Monday, would all be directing traffic in downtown Jigger, Louisana—permanently.”

Mike sighed.
I tried. That's all I can do.”

Look, Mike, game wardens have been going into that swamp and prowling for years; they've never seen a thing. All you have to go on is the word of an ex-mercenary, a dead man, and one hysterical woman. Okay, so you found strange . . . prints. Fine. I can also agree the picture of that . . . thing she killed is pretty damned gruesome. All right. There probably are more than one of them in there. Three or four could hide forever. But a hundred or more? No way, Mike.”

Good luck, Burt,” Mike said.