miss fortune mystery (ff) - bloodshed in the bayou (8 page)

“That’s where he’s been all this time?” I felt the heat rising in my neck. “Why didn’t anyone tell me? How long have you known?” Anger, disappointment, confusion, all ping ponged around in my brain which was now, threatening to explode.

Gertie shook her head. “We didn’t know that part. Not until we got the folder from Big and Little. Your mother told us when you were little that he had to leave. She’d never said anything more.”

“Mom just told me at the nursing home that there was more to the story. Why didn’t she tell us when we were old enough? And how come everyone in town didn’t know? You’d think it would be in the papers that he’d been arrested and tried?”

If Sinful residents knew about Dad, most would’ve kept silent to protect two little girls. But some wouldn’t. We weren’t different than other towns. There’s always someone who takes pleasure in others’pain.

“Because he was extradited. He didn’t steal the money here. He’d stolen it in Paraguay.” Ida said.

“Paraguay? Who the hell steals money from Paraguay?” I was getting a little hysterical, but Peggy Sue’s breakdown would be epic if she were here – complete with fainting couch and a Xanax martini.

So, Ida Belle told me the story. Turns out, Hugo did some construction work for a company in Texas, that sent him to Paraguay to work on a military complex. During that time, Hugo came across a government stash of money and for reasons unknown, absconded with it. He’d had help from someone – but the authorities never found out who.

At any rate, he was tracked down here and though they didn’t find the money, he was quietly extradited to Paraguay to serve out a lifetime prison sentence. He’d escaped a year ago, living who knows where until he came back here a week ago.

“They never found the money? What happened to it?” I asked.

Fortune held up the key we’d found this morning. “So that’s why Ida gave me this and sent me on that errand.”

“What? Where did you go?” I asked. The key was a clue? And all these years it sat in that box in my childhood cubbyhole in my closet.

“It’s not one of Big and Little’s storage sheds.” Fortune said. “They’ve never seen one like it before.”

“Do we actually think that where ever it is, five million dollars are just sitting there?” I asked. “All this time, there’s been all that money, just waiting?”

Gertie nodded. “It has to be. My guess is your mother knew about it. She hid the key in the box with the letters.”

I sat up. “What do the letters say?”

Ida shook her head. “We thought you should be the one to see them. It isn’t our place to intrude.”

I gave a snort of laughter. They’d been intruding so far – but with my complete approval.

I picked up the three letters, removed them from the ribbon and envelope and started reading. My father’s handwriting was new to me, but I managed to get the gist. Swallowing every word was difficult and I wasn’t sure I’d believed much. One thing I discovered was that the annual, summer portrait of Peggy Sue and me had been for him. Hugo was the reason Mom put us through that ritual each year. To keep him updated on what we looked like.

“There’s nothing here.” I said as I put the last letter down. “Just how much he misses us.” My voice squeaked a little on the last word. Wow. Hugo said missed us. He claimed he hadn’t wanted to leave us. It felt like my heart was being strangled. I’d hated him for so long and it hadn’t been his fault.

But it had been his fault. He didn’t have to steal that money. He could’ve been with us all these years if it hadn’t been for his greed. I wasn’t going to let him off the hook just yet.

“May I?” Gertie asked. I nodded and she began scanning the letters.

“So now what?” I asked. “We don’t know where that money is.” I told them how upset Mom had gotten earlier trying to tell me. “And there’s no guarantee she’ll ever remember it again.”

“We have the key,” Fortune said. “And we know someone – probably the accomplice all those years, is looking for it. And we know they won’t stop until they get it. That’s something.”

“I just want this over.” I said numbly. “I’ll put an ad in the papers offering up the key to whoever it is who wants it just so they’ll leave my family alone.”

By now, Ida was reading the letters. She didn’t look like she was getting any further with them.

The door opened and Ally came in, her arms laden with paper bags. I could smell the chicken fried steak and potatoes. My mixed up and mangled thoughts faded as my stomach growled in complaint.

“Dinner!” Ally announced as she headed for the dining room table. Thank God. I was grateful for the distraction.

We followed as if she was the pied piper. I got the lemonade out and we dove in. Apparently Ally had worked the lunch to late afternoon shift at Francine’s and ordered dinner to go. I gave a silent thanks for having such a thoughtful friend.

Fortune was reading the letters as the rest of us filled Ally in on the story and gorged ourselves on what was feeling like my last supper.

“Maybe I should just put the key on Hugo’s tombstone at the funeral tomorrow.” I joked.

“That’s not such a bad idea.” Ida Belle said. “Your father’s accomplice will probably show up at the funeral. Murderers usually do.” She looked excited. I wish I was.

“There’s something here.” Fortune said, finally looking up from the letters. “These sentences are weird.”

“In the letters?” I asked.

She nodded. “At first I just thought this was how Southerners talked. You guys do have some strange dialogue. But it’s not that. At least, I think it’s not that.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Can I keep these for a little bit?” Fortune looked at me hopefully.

“Of course.” I said with a nod. “I’m too tired to figure it all out.” I looked at my watch. “The funeral is tomorrow. I should head home soon.”

As I stood to go, my cell rang. The number was unfamiliar, but had the same area code. I answered.

“If you want to see your mother alive again,” A voice I didn’t recognize hissed, “Bring the key to the place where Hugo’s body was found in the next thirty minutes.”

The call ended.

Chapter 11

“Margaret?” Ally asked. “What is it?”

“You look white as a sheet!” Gertie cried out.

I stared at the cell in my hand. The blood in my veins ran cold. “I think the intruder just called. He has my mom.” I looked up.

“What did he say?” Fortune asked. She didn’t seem as freaked out as I was. In fact, she looked alert…eager…ready to pounce.

Glancing at the others, the only one who was as horrified as me was Ally. Gertie and Ida seemed to come alive at this news.

“He said we have thirty minutes to bring the key out to the place where they pulled Hugo out of the water, or he was going to kill my mother.”

Saying the words left the poisonous taste of fear on my tongue. Was this psycho really going to kill Mom? Over a key? No way was I going to let that happen. I snatched the key from Fortune and headed for the door.

“Do you remember how to get there?” Ida asked as she shoved a pistol into the elastic waistband of her polyester slacks. She was going with me. Okay. That was fine. Whatever it took to save Mom and kill this bastard was all right by me.

“I don’t think I could forget it.” I said grimly as I stopped at the door. “We can use the agency boat. Let’s go.”

Exactly four minutes later, Gertie, Fortune, Ida Belle and I were in the DNR boat, racing to the scene of the crime that had started all of this. We were all armed. And if the kidnapper had any idea what was headed his way, he’d abandon this altogether. My fear had given way to a murderous fury I’d never known before.

Fortune snapped her fingers, “Old place! That’s it!”

I looked at her questioningly. “What are you talking about?”

She was busy tying up her long blonde hair into a messy bun. “The phrase ‘old place’ kept coming up in the letters. But they were used in strange situations, like ‘remember the old place,’ and ‘how’s the house – the old place?’ That phrase kept coming up. It’s a clue to where the money is!”

Ida Belle nodded. “That’s got to be it.”

“But there’s no old place where we’re going.” I protested. “It’s just a muddy shore in the swamp.”

We were no closer to solving this, but I let the two words revolve in my mind. Something about the phrase stood out to me. And then it hit me! That was the clue on the stairs, when I’d been looking at our portraits! Mom had said something about me reminding her of the old place she and Dad went to once. I’d never questioned her about that and had no idea what it meant. Strange how those words should come up at the same time now.

“I think we should stop about five minutes out.” Fortune shouted to me as she looked at her watch. “Gertie and I will get out there and meet you at the site.”

I nodded. They could sneak up behind whoever was holding my mom hostage and stab him in the neck or kidney or some other soft, vulnerable spot. A few minutes later, I dropped them off and Ida and I continued on.

A single lantern cast a small light on the shore as we approached, but I didn’t see anyone there. We’d already decided that Ida would steer the boat to shore and remain inside in case we needed to escape quickly. I would hand over the key and collect my mother. At least, I hoped it would be that easy.

Once the boat hit the shore, Ida cut the engine.

“Hello?” I called out. “I’m here. I’ve got your key.”

There was no reply.

“It’s Margaret Ancelet.” I shouted a little louder. “I did what you asked. Where’s my mother?”

Nothing.  Ida Belle shrugged. Were we early? My watch said we were, but only by a few minutes. The kidnapper had to be here. Who else would’ve set up the lantern?

A moan came from the darkness straight ahead. “Margaret…” It was Mom’s voice. She sounded drugged. “Margaret…” She called again. It was good if she was stoned. Then she might not remember any of this. I silently prayed that would be true.

“Peggy Sue…Where are you, Peggy Sue?” Mom cried.

Seriously? She thought my twin would ride to the rescue? How? In Prada heels, brandishing a dry martini and her huge gun? Huh. I guess that didn’t sound too bad after all. I could’ve used her as a distraction. Oh well. Live and learn. Next time my mom is kidnapped by the evil partner of my dead father, I’ll remember that.

“Mom! Where are you?” I took a few steps in the direction the voice had come from.

“Not so fast!” The voice hissed. It was the same voice I’d heard on the phone, but this time, it sounded different. Familiar even.

“It’s a woman!” Ida Belle called out behind me.

“Of course I’m a woman!” The voice answered back. Now it definitely sounded familiar. “You think a man would be smart enough to pull this off? Hugo wasn’t!”

Eleanor Woodruff stepped forward, her right arm curled around my mother’s waist, her left hand holding a Desert Eagle .44 magnum. What the hell was it with these women and these hand cannons?

“Eleanor?” I asked. “You? You’re Hugo’s partner? You’re the one who broke into my house?”

She laughed. It was a mean laugh. Nothing like the nice, sweet woman I’d come to know.

“Yes, I’m Hugo’s partner. No, I didn’t break into your house. But I paid the man who did.”

“Hi, Miss Margaret!” To my complete astonishment, So-So Silas stepped into the flickering light and waved.

“So-So?” I asked. “You’re in on this?” While I was surprised about Eleanor, So-So’s participation caught me completely off guard.

He nodded, grinning happily. “She shot my boat. Then she said you had money for me to fix it but you forgot it at your house. You said I could go find it. Hi Miss Ida!” Silas waved again with a simpleton’s grin. I didn’t look to see if Ida waved back. It would’ve been bad manners if she didn’t.

“Let him go.” I said. “Let him take Mom to the boat. I’ve got your key.”

Eleanor shook her head. “It doesn’t work like that. You only get what you want after you give me the key.”

I threw the key and it landed at her feet. “There’s your damn key. Take it and take your money. I just want my Mom.”

“Thank you.” Eleanor bent quickly and snatched the key, tucking it into her pants pocket. “I didn’t think it would be that easy.”

“What did you honestly think would happen when you took my mom hostage?” I asked. “I don’t want Hugo’s stolen money. You can have it. Do whatever you want with it, I don’t care. I just want my Mom.”

Eleanor narrowed her eyes. “No…no, that’s not what’s going to happen.”

“I did what you asked. I gave you what you need. Now you give me what you promised.” I insisted.

“No. We’re not done yet. You are all going with me to make sure I get my money. And if it isn’t there – your mother dies.”

I held my hands up. “There’s no need for that. Let Mom and the others go and I’ll go with you. Willingly. I won’t make any trouble, I promise.”

Where were Fortune and Gertie? I couldn’t see them Maybe they were waiting for the right time. I had no idea how these things worked. There’s probably a best time to move on a situation like this.

Eleanor shook her head and raised the gun to Mom’s. “So-So, you, Margaret and your friend here,” she nodded toward Ida Belle, “Get in the boat.”

“Where are we going?” Ida Belle asked as we all piled in.

“That’s an excellent question.” Eleanor said. “Where are we going, Sadie? Hugo told me you’d know.”

Mom knew all along? All those years we’d struggled financially, and five million dollars was sitting somewhere? The fact that she’d never touched it made her a saint in my eyes. It had to be a terrible temptation.

Mom mumbled something. I couldn’t hear it. But somehow I knew where it was.

Eleanor ground the gun into my mother’s temple. “A little louder, please.”

“Rousseau House.” Mom said.

Her captor looked expectantly at me. The Old Place. The Rousseau House was very old. That had to be it.

“The old Rousseau House? In the middle of the swamp?” I asked, but I now knew she was right. That house had been abandoned a century ago. Mom always forbid us to go there but as kids with insatiable curiosity, we’d found our way there on more than one occasion. I’d even taken Peggy Sue’s kids out there a few times. And all the while I’d never known that my father had hidden a fortune there.