Chris screamed in Raif's ear, "Raiford Lance Gautier!"
"Be quiet, Chris," Raif said gently. "You knew damned
well we'd pull a stunt like this. It's a good thing we did. We've
got something. We're at the Waffle House. A waitress saw Ray
head south on a motorcycle with a woman."
"Nobody saw anything last night according to Baker."
"Yeah, well. She didn't want to talk to the cops, but she
talked to Larkin."
"Okay. We'll meet you there."
"No, we're going south. We'll call if we spot a motorcycle.
We won't try to go in. Not even Larkin is that stubborn." He
took a deep breath. "Chris, the waitress also mentioned a
drastic temperature change. I thought you should know."
"Shit! You think demonic activity here?"
"I don't know, but maybe some form of spiritual warfare.
Keep it in mind."
Raif and Larkin pulled off at every building they thought
looked promising, to no avail. Larkin asked, "Is it possible she
actually went to a motel? There are four out this way, all really
cheap."
They checked three motels before stopping at the last one
barely within the city limits. Pulling into the parking lot, it was
apparent the business hardly kept afloat. There were only three
cars. Even so, Raif and Larkin went inside. They asked the
desk clerk if there was a woman riding a motorcycle staying
there.
The man replied, "Yeah. She took a room around back.
Said she needed total quiet, like we have enough guests to
make noise. She paid cash for a week. I haven't heard a peep
from her, no complaints, you know, and keeps the 'Do not
Disturb' sign hanging on the doorknob. She looked like she
needed a good long rest."
Raif asked, "Which room?"
"One-twenty-one. All the odds are on that side."
"Thanks"
Walking back to the Lexus, Raif called Chris. "Honey, the
last motel in town, less than a quarter mile before city limits,
room one-twenty-one."
"We'll be there in fifteen minutes. Don't do anything."
"I promise."
Ray gently laid his son on the bed and slipped off his jeans.
He examined the wound to Parker's knee. "The wound is clean,
but he needs a doctor, Mia," Ray said with the slim hope of
appealing to Mia's sense of motherhood.
"Too bad."
"What did you do?"
"He said I'd have to shoot him before he'd call you, so I
did."
"You're a lunatic!"
"Maybe."
Parker clutched Ray's arm. "Ray, don't make her any
angrier. She'll kill you."
"Mia, why are you doing this?" Ray asked, trying to reason
with the woman.
"The little shit betrayed me."
"All he did was come looking for his father. Why didn't
you tell me you were pregnant?"
"You didn't care." She brandished the firearm. "I tried to
tell you, but you just sent me away. Both you and Robert were
heartless bastards. Do you know what he told me? He never
wanted me. He wanted
you
." Mia laughed and pointed the gun
toward Ray. "Robert was a faggot. He was in love with you.
Oh, he never admitted it to anybody that could've made a
difference. After all, I'm a lunatic. Who would believe me?"
"When did he tell you this, Mia?"
"After he threw Parker out. What did he tell you, Parker,
when you asked him to take a paternity test?"
Parker asked, "How did you know I saw him?"
"I was watching. After you left, I talked to him. So, what
did he tell you?"
"He threatened to have me arrested. I left because I don't
ever
want to go back to jail. What did he tell you?"
"The same thing, except that he had always wanted Ray.
Ray, how does it feel to be the object of someone's obsession?
Did you know?"
"No," said Ray softly.
No way will she ever know about
that letter.
"Mia, you know the feelings were not mutual. I'm
not gay."
"Yeah, I know. I recall your being very straight. Then,
again, I didn't suspect Robert either. He was good in bed, but
Robert hurt Parker. He was cruel and heartless. He had to pay
for that just like all the others."
"Mom, what are you saying?" asked Parker.
"Don't you understand, Parker? All the people who made
our lives so miserable, all the people who would've taken you
from me, who hurt you, they've paid for their sins. Well, almost
all of them."
"Mom, did you kill Robert?"
"I showed him for the heartless bastard he was. Look what
he was doing to his family. The woman"—She gave a oneshoulder shrug—"well, she was just as heartless. She was a
willing participant."
"What did you do with their hearts?" asked Ray.
Mia laughed. "I fed them to the first alligator I saw. It's not
hard to find alligators in Louisiana."
Ray asked, "What did you do with the others?"
"What others?" asked Parker.
"All the ones who hurt you and tried to take you from me,"
answered Mia.
Parker clutched Ray's arm more tightly. Ray laid his son's
head on his shoulder. "Do you remember the case I've been
working on with the FBI?"
Parker nodded.
"She's the one. Shh. Let me handle this. It'll be all right."
Ray turned to Mia.
I have to keep her talking
. "Mia, tell me
about it."
"What do you care?"
"I care very much. Talk to me."
"I guess I owe you that since you'll be joining them."
"What?" Parker moaned.
"Shh," commanded Ray. "Let me handle this. Talk to me,
Mia. What did you do to Judge Salus?"
"That pompous windbag? Every time we went before him,
he took Parker. He sent Parker to juvey. He never showed any
compassion. He had no heart at all. I watched the alligator
devour that old goat's heart. As bad a shape as it was in as a
two-pack-a-day smoker, he would've been dead in a year
anyway."
"So, it was a mercy killing, huh?" questioned Ray, sarcasm
oozing from his tone.
"You could say that. It was merciful to society to get rid of
him. How many families did he tear apart?" She shook her
head and rolled her eyes. "The bastard laughed at me and
started coughing so hard I almost missed his fat head."
Mia laughed. "Taking out that fat DHS bitch was definitely
euthanasia. She
dragged
Parker from the house twice. Then,
she placed him with those slugs, the Byrds. That was definitely
for the birds. I'm surprised she had not already dropped dead
from a heart attack. I threw her heart, along with about ten
pounds of blubber, in Lake Pontchartrain. Oh, she squealed like
a stuck pig when she saw the gun."
"I'm sure it was a tasty snack for the fish," said Ray as if in
agreement with Mia's actions.
Mia shook her head. "It probably made the poor fish sick.
Alas, that couldn't be helped. Then, there were the Byrds—the
vultures—the buzzards." Mia snorted.
Ray confessed, "Those two I can understand. I saw the
scars on Parker. They did the same thing to other children."
"Thanks for your approval, Ray." She lifted her top lip in a
half-snarl. "Do you know everything that old letch did to him?
I'm surprised it didn't turn him into a little faggot. It's good to
see he actually likes girls. That might be because Robert wasn't
his father. I would hate for his genes to get passed on—oh,
poor little Kyle."
Parker scooted closer to Ray. His head pounding, Ray
closed his eyes and whispered, "Did he molest you, Parker?"
With a weak whimper, Parker barely whispered, "He tried.
That's when I fought back. I don't want anyone to know."
"And that idiot judge sent Parker to juvey!" screamed Mia.
"God! Mia, if you had told me about Parker, none of this
would ever have happened."
"Like you would have married me."
"Maybe not, but I would've taken care of my son."
"By taking him away from me? God! He even changed his
name. Parker should've learned not to leave me after Fritz. He
tried to take Parker, too. Not smart."
"Mom, what did you do to Fritz?" Parker asked, nearly
hysterical.
"I made sure he didn't take you away. Fritz was nothing
more than a common thief."
"Not so common," said Ray. "Not if he was 'Fritz the Cat
Burglar.' He was very skilled at what he did. There was never
enough evidence to pin him down. Fritz was a very wealthy
man."
"I still did society a favor. I got rid of a criminal."
"Where's Fritz?" screamed Parker, trying to rise, but he was
too weak.
"Somewhere in the belly of a shark in the Gulf of Mexico!"
answered Mia.
"You bitch!" bellowed Parker. "He loved me! He's the only
person who ever loved me before I met Ray!"
"No, he didn't. He was just someone who made our lives
miserable. He's the one who gave me my first heroin fix, until
he realized I was pregnant—then he cut me off from
everything
. He even took my cigarettes. I thought I would die."
"Good for him," muttered Ray.
She pointed the gun toward Parker and waved it. "You tried
to call him. He tried to call back, and I made sure I got him to
meet
me
. I couldn't let him hurt you, too."
Parker was as livid as his weakened condition would allow
as he screamed, "He cleaned himself up, and he was willing to
help
both
of us. How could you, Mom? How could you kill
Fritz? Do you want to get rid of the people who made our lives
miserable? Then take that gun and blow your own brains out.
Reality check—you're the one who made our lives miserable—
you and only you!"
The night in the dingy hotel room dragged. Mia had stopped
talking and stared blankly at Ray and Parker. There was no
sound but the hum of the furnace and Parker's occasional groan
of pain. The room was frigid. Son lay limply in his father's
arms. Ray racked his brain as he battled a severe migraine
trying to figure the best way to get Parker out without getting
killed himself. Ray really wanted to keep Mia talking. The way
she glared at him made him certain he was to be her next
victim. He tried to find some positive note.
At least the cold
will slow Parker's blood loss.
Ray said, "Mia, how did you know Parker was at the
theater? I've had my house guarded since Thanksgiving when
you scared him to death."
"I started watching the little girlfriend. I followed them that
night. I figured you'd safeguard your family, and I also figured
he'd show up there sooner or later to see the cute little girl. I
actually thought it would be later because I thought you'd keep
him under lock and key for a while."
Mia seemed to drift off again before she asked, "Ray, who's
your look-alike? I saw y'all at the police station."
"My twin brother. His name is Raiford also, but we call
him Raif. We found out about each other fourteen years ago."
"Is he heartless?"
"No, Raif is the kindest, most caring and generous person
I've ever met. I'm a better man with him around."
"Then, he's safe. Don't worry about him."
"Thank you." Ray cringed inside, but he felt it best to make
the woman feel she was in charge. Worse, he felt sick because
she
was
in charge, and he hated feeling helpless. He had to
keep her talking. "Mia, please, tell me how on Earth you
convinced Parker to leave the theater with you," he requested.
"First, I threatened to hurt the girlfriend."
"Her name is Sheena," growled Parker, barely above a
whisper. He was weak. He had lost a good bit of blood. Ray
glanced at his wound. It seemed to have stopped bleeding
thanks to the ice in the air and the wrap he had made from the
pillow case.
"I had no intention of doing anything to the little girl—to
Sheena." Mia offered Parker a condescending smile. "Then, I
told Parker I had the redhead. Boy! Was he ever eager to save
her! I hadn't really planned to hurt her, but she obviously holds
a lot of influence over Parker. She's got to go."
"If you go near Larkin, I will kill you," threatened Ray.
"Oh, Ray, a dead man can't hurt me." She waved the gun in
a circular motion. "Now, be quiet. I have to think about how to
do this."
"Please, don't hurt Larkin," whimpered Parker.
"Do you love her, Ray?" asked Mia.
"Very much."
"How heartless is she?"
"She's an angel. She would find a way to love even
you
."
"Then, I'll think about her. Maybe I'll let her live."
Ray whispered to Parker, "You came with her to protect
Larkin?"
Parker only nodded. He scooted closer to the father he had
just found. Ray held him as tightly as he could.
Until mid-morning not another word was spoken. Parker
had drifted into a fitful slumber. When his mother spoke, he
started awake. Mia said, "Parker, you know, all this is your
fault. Everything I did, I did for you, but you don't
appreciate
it. I think I've got it figured out." She tapped the butt of the gun
in her palm. "You did it all. Yes, that blowhard judge sent you
to juvey when he should've been arresting your foster father as
a sexual predator. You had to get revenge; maybe you thought
you were protecting other boys. That fat social worker picked
out the family. Surely she knew. Maybe they paid her for pretty
little boys. She had to pay. You couldn't let her send another
victim there." She nodded encouragement to herself. "Yes, I've
got it. That pervert and the wife who didn't stop him—even
Ray understands why you had to kill them. What kind of
mother was that—not protecting innocent children?"
Mia was on a roll as she spun her story. "Robert totally
rejected you. He was an awful person. As a public official he
could've protected so many children. You did America a great
big favor. Can you imagine if he had become president? And
Ray—well, he couldn't deal with your sordid past. He doesn't
forgive easily. He was gonna arrest you because he's heartless.
But you couldn't have that. However, the guilt overwhelmed
you. After all, Ray is your father. You turned the gun on
yourself." She made a rolling motion with the gun in the air. "I
will simply disappear."
Ray said, "Mia, nobody will believe that. First, Parker was
still in juvey when Salus and Vaughn were killed. I've proudly
introduced him as my son. My detectives and the FBI are
looking for you." He soothed Parker's hair from his face. The
boy was cool and clammy, even in the frosty air. Ray worried
he had lost too much blood. He had to convince Mia to give up.