Lawrence Dantzler's FBI team, along with Brian Baker,
arrived in the parking lot of the Waffle House to find the GT
with the key in the ignition and Ray's phone lying on the
planter.
"Damn it!" fumed Dantzler. "She somehow got Ray to go
with her. We didn't pass anybody. They had to have gone the
other way. It's time to split up and do some door-to-door
searching. Raiford Reynolds would not disappear without a
trace."
you up and put you in the trunk if you don't get in the car!"
Chris shouted. "That woman has taken Parker, and Ray is
terrified for the rest of you. She's obviously a total whacko. I'm
even making Raif and my kids go. Hell! She might mistake
Raif for Ray. She doesn't know Ray has a twin. I'm not taking
any chances either." She jammed her finger toward the car.
"Now, get in the car!"
"Come on, Larkin." Raif took his sister-in-law's hand.
"Chris will take care of Ray. You're pregnant. Think about the
baby."
Larkin was so angry she could hardly breathe. She
retaliated, "When I told Parker he would leave us only over our
dead bodies, I didn't think it might be a real possibility. I'm not
leaving my husband."
Dorothy Reynolds took Larkin's other hand. "Yes, you are.
Ray's doing what he thinks is best for his family. I know you
love him, but right now is the time to be a mother. Get these
kids somewhere safe. Mia doesn't know where we live. We still
lived here when she and Ray broke up. Come on, honey."
Continuing to argue, Larkin said, "What about Parker? He's
not safe."
Dorothy coaxed, "Ray will take care of Parker. Do you
want that boy worrying about the rest of you? Trust Ray,
sweetheart."
Larkin gave in. The caravan back to the Reynolds's home in
Biloxi, Mississippi, felt more like a funeral procession to her.
Yes, I'll get my kids safely to their grandparents'. Then, I'll
figure out what to do to help Ray.
Following Louisiana Highway 23 running parallel to the
Mississippi River usually lulled the children in the family to
sleep. Christopher complained, "How many swamps and
alligators can a person stand to see?" He closed his eyes and
tried to doze. After only a few minutes, he huffed and put his
head on his mother’s shoulder. "I’m scared, Momma, but don’t
tell Courtney."
Riding in the backseat with her two children, one on either
side of her, Larkin put her arm around her son. "It’ll be okay.
Daddy’s smart."
"I heard you," Courtney sniffled. "
If my brother’s afraid,
how do you think I feel?"
Putting her other arm around Courtney, Larkin pulled her
closer and kissed her cheek. "Try not to worry."
The hundred-seventy-minute, hundred-seventy-mile drive
to Biloxi taxed the travelers. Larkin felt as if they were moving
less than a mile a minute. The three cars snaked up the
driveway of the beach-front home owned by the older
Reynoldses. Albert and Dorothy got out and opened the house.
Larkin, Christopher, and Courtney unloaded from the rear seat
next. Raif, with Patrick and Trista, pulled up behind them.
Chris brought up the rear.
Right behind the caravan, arrived four Biloxi police
officers. All the way on the drive, Chris had made
arrangements for police protection.
As Chris gave instructions to the police officers, her phone
rang. After a short conversation on the phone, she completed
arrangements with the local authorities and came into the
house. The look on Chris's face brought total silence in the
living room.
With drapes still pulled and only two lamps reflecting light
on the dark mahogany floors and furniture, the room seemed
somber. Though the mauve sofa and chairs blended well with
the paint and flooring, it did not lighten the mood which
prevailed the air.
"What's happened?" demanded Larkin.
"We all need to sit down," Chris said.
Everybody except Chris found a seat. Christopher and
Courtney sat on each side of their mother, holding one of her
hands.
Chris started hesitantly. "First, Sheena is safe."
"Did Mia try to hurt Sheena?" asked Larkin.
"No. She just used her as a bargaining chip. I talked to
Terry. He has taken her home. It appears Parker called Ray, but
from what Terry Johnson said, Mia must have gotten on the
phone because Ray left in a hurry."
Before Chris could finish, one of the patrolmen knocked.
She went to deal with the situation on how to set up a watch on
the home.
The second she walked out, Larkin started to get up. Albert
Reynolds pointed a firm, fatherly finger at her. "Stay put."
She argued, "Daddy Reynolds, she's done something to
Ray. I just know it. He needs me."
"So do your children. If something should happen to Ray,
they will need their mother. I know that sounds pessimistic, but
it's fact. Ray is a cop. You married him knowing you could get
that horrible knock on the door. We're worried, too. He's my
son." His voice broke.
"I'm sorry. I'm being self-centered." Larkin pushed long red
hair back from her face with both hands. "Of course, you're as
worried as I am."
Raif had been quiet. He said softly, "This family sticks
together. Now is the time to be a family. I can't lose Ray
either." He made eye contact with Larkin. There was an
unspoken agreement.
Chris came back in the house. The sound of the tide coming
in followed her. Ordinarily, the lapping waves would have
been soothing; however, at this time Larkin felt as if she were
drowning and being pulled under by the riptide, crushed by the
weight of the sea. She looked at her dearest friend who still
looked weary with a problem to solve. Larkin said, "What's
going on?"
"I guess I'd better tell you. Ray suspects Mia as the person
who killed Robert and the others." She shrugged. "He thinks
maybe she did it as some form of protection for Parker,
retaliation on those she held responsible for all the pain he's
been through."
"Dantzler told me as much Thanksgiving night," Larkin
murmured.
Sounding tired, Chris explained, "The phone call I had in
the driveway was
from
Lawrence Dantzler. The FBI team was
tracing and following Ray's phone signal when they lost
transmission. They found the GT with the key in the ignition
and Ray's phone wiped clean at the Waffle House on Route 12.
Apparently, Ray is missing, too."
Larkin’s breath began to come in gasps. Her body tensed.
"Momma!" cried Courtney.
"Momma?" repeated Christopher.
Raif sprinted to the kitchen. He filled a glass with water.
The next sound anyone heard was glass shattering in the
kitchen. Chris flew into the room where she found Raif
gripping the kitchen sink so hard his knuckles had turned
white. The glass he had filled with water lay shattered against
the opposite wall. Chris put her arms around her husband.
Raif said through gritted teeth, "Chris, I have never been
this angry in my life, not even with Latrice. I will kill that
woman myself."
She comforted, "It's all right, honey. Go sit with Larkin. I'll
be going back in a little bit. I'll find him."
Chris filled another glass with water. "Take this to Larkin,"
she said gently. "I'll clean up the other one."
Raif brought the water to his sister-in-law and sat down in a
chair with his head in his hands. He looked as if he had one of
his brother's migraines. Chris came back into the living room
after cleaning up the broken glass. She sat on the arm of the
chair where Raif sat and gently, lovingly rubbed his back.
She said softly, "I'm leaving now. I'll call as soon as I know
anything. Larkin,
DO NOT
do anything stupid."
"Like what?" asked Larkin. "The stupid thing was to take
flight. Ray needs me."
"Like sneak back. I know you. Raif, keep her under control.
I love you, but I need to go now."
Chris kissed Raif deeply and then both her children's
cheeks and held them close for a moment. Finally, she hugged
all the others. "I'll call," she assured as she left.
Chris had done all that Ray had asked of her. She had made
sure his angel took flight, but on the drive home, she knew in
her heart that by this time tomorrow she would have unwanted
help in the search for Raiford and Parker Reynolds. She
remembered the first time she, Raif, Ray, and Larkin had
joined forces to defeat another evil woman.
In some way the
combination might actually work again.
She exhaled a long,
worried sigh.
Larkin could not sleep. She dozed now and then, but started
awake so many times she finally got up and went into her inlaws' kitchen. She found Rice Krispies in the cupboard and
blueberries in the refrigerator. She made herself a bowl of
cereal and fruit, her favorite breakfast, and sat down to eat.
She was suddenly joined by her brother-in-law as he made
himself a bowl of cereal. Raif sat down and took a bite. He
said, "The first time I ever ate this combination, I was holding
you prisoner in the wine cellar of the old monastery in Eau
Boueuse. Another crazy woman had turned all our lives topsyturvy. Our unity and the guidance of the Holy Spirit got us
through that. So, what do we do now? Your husband, my
brother, is the target of
this
lunatic. There's also an innocent
child involved. We can't just sit by and do nothing. I know you.
You have a plan. You're too stubborn to sit idly by."
Larkin smiled. "So, you're with me?"
"You bet. I was with you before we ever left to come here,
but we did need to get the kids somewhere safer. Chris might
strangle me, but she knows I'm as obstinate as Ray." He let out
a soft chuckle. "I would put money on her suspecting us to pull
a stunt. She might be lying in wait for us."
Larkin's red hair bounced with her nod. "Well, we know
where Ray was last seen. I'm sure somebody saw something at
that Waffle House. That's where we'll start. Mia has to have
been sleeping somewhere. We'll check the shelters before we
drive out Route 12. We won't be stupid. If we find anything,
we'll call Chris."
"So, when do we leave?"
"As soon as we finish breakfast. Eat up."
After leaving a note for Albert and Dorothy, Raif and
Larkin sneaked down the driveway in Raif's Lexus with the
lights off. Larkin could make out the deep-etched frown on
Raif’s face.
"What’s wrong?" she asked.
"Cops didn’t even notice us leaving."
Larkin chuckled softly. "Maybe Chris told them to expect
us to do something and to let us go. Of course, we did close our
doors with great care, this car makes almost no sound, and it’s
midnight blue against a sky that’s not even streaking light yet."
Raif’s scowl deepened. "You make us sound like real
professional snakes."
She pushed against his arm with a gentle shove.
Once on the road, travel was easy with so little traffic
before dawn. They arrived back in Eau Boueuse just as the
shelters were sending their patrons out for the day.
Larkin suggested, "Let's start at the shelter where we found
Parker."
The same elderly man who was working the registry as the
night Ray and Larkin had found Parker looked up. "Hello,
Chief Reynolds. The kid ain't here. He ain't been here since the
night you took him with you."
"Play along," whispered Larkin.
Raif let the man think he was his brother. "We aren't
looking for the boy. We're looking for a woman."
"Same last name as the boy?" asked the man.
"Yes. Godchaux."
"Yep. She come in just after y'all left. She was looking for
the boy, too. Said she was kin. She took his slot, but run outa
here to try and catch him. She got back before we locked the
door. Come back three nights, but ain't been back since."
"Thank you, Mister?" Raif extended his hand.
"Lemieux."
"Thank you, Mr. Lemieux. You've been a great help."
The man shook hands with Raif. Thinking he was shaking
hands with the chief of police, he felt important.
"You made that man's day," Larkin said in the car. Then
she asked, "How did that help though?"
"Well, we know she's been keeping tabs on Parker for a
while. Apparently, what set her off was learning he had
changed his name to Reynolds. She feels betrayed."
"So, this is revenge?" She fumbled in her purse for a pack
of lifesavers. She offered Raif one.
He shook his head. "Maybe."
"Well, she hasn't been here in a while. She must have come
up with some money. We need to start checking motels—cheap
ones—close to the Waffle House, although I suppose it's
possible she crashed in an abandoned building."
"There can't be that many of either," Raif said. "Eau
Boueuse isn't that big."
Larkin got out her phone and began a web search. "There
are four motels near the Waffle House. Let's see what anybody
saw at the restaurant." Raif cranked up and they drove to the
twenty-four-hour diner.
They took a booth at the old establishment. A worn woman
who looked as if she might have been there since the place
opened came to take their order. She gave Raif a contemptuous
look, eyes hooded and mouth in a thin line. Larkin noted the
woman's expression and her name tag. She asked softly,
"Lorna, have you seen this man before?"
The waitress seemed startled by the question. She replied,
"I don't wanna get mixed up in a couple's marital
affairs
." She
stressed the last word.
Larkin said, "I really need to know. I promise there will be
no trouble."
"You ain't gonna put your steak knife through his heart?"
"Absolutely not."
"Well, yeah." She placed two glasses of water on the table.
"I worked the night shift last night. I stepped out for a smoke.
He was outside with a sleazy-looking woman. She had him
takin' his clothes off right out in the open, and it was freezin'
cold before they took off. Real weird like. They got on a
motorcycle and rode off together, takin' the cold with 'em."
"Did you tell the police this?"
"No way. I didn't wanna get mixed up in nothin' shady.
They said that was the chief of police and he was missin'." She
glared at Raif. "He don't look missin' to me."
"Lorna, this isn't Chief Raiford Reynolds." Larkin, her eyes
wide with innocence, looked up at the waitress. "This is his
twin brother. My husband
is
missing. That woman kidnapped
his son, and, now, she has him, too. Are you sure they left on a
motorcycle?"
"Yeah. Headed south."
"Thank you." Larkin stood.
"You ain't gonna eat?" asked the waitress.
"Not right now. I'm looking for my husband."
Raif slipped a twenty-dollar bill into the woman's hand and
said, "Thank you." He gave her hand a squeeze.
Outside, Larkin said, "We must still be a pair of lucky
thirteen's, Raif. What are the chances the waitress from last
night would be working a double and come to our table?"
"Slim. Well, we know to look for a motorcycle somewhere
south. It's time to call Chris." He cocked an eyebrow. "Should I
mention the coldness—just like Latrice?"
Larkin nodded. Raif called his wife.