Missing in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law #5)(17)

“I didn’t see you,” Jadyn said.

“I was hiding in the bathroom. I heard you and Colt coming up the stairs and thought you were finally going to get some of that hot action, but then you went up another flight, so I followed you.”

Jadyn studied Helena for a minute. “I don’t suppose you thought to stick around after Colt and I left to see what the agents said?”

“Of course I did. Do you take me for a fool?”

“I’m not touching that,” Jadyn said. “What did they say?”

“That Ross did some cussing and stomping, talking about how Colt was a jackass and you were a stone bitch. How his entire career was riding on this case and he wasn’t about to let two small-town amateurs blow it for him.”

“That’s exactly what Colt figured his problem was,” Jadyn said.

“Don’t worry,” Helena said. “I put shampoo in his contact lens solution.”

Mildred coughed and Jadyn could tell she was holding in a laugh. She didn’t even bother to hold back her grin. “Normally,” she said, “I would say that wasn’t nice, but in this case, I heartily approve.”

Helena brightened. “I could do more. There’s this trick with Preparation H—”

“No!” Mildred and Jadyn both sounded off at once.

“But it would be very helpful,” Jadyn said, “if you would find out what their plans are for tomorrow.”

“I already know. They’re going to get a tow truck down to the pond and pull the car out, then their forensics team is going to go over every inch of it, because no way could you and Colt have done a thorough job with it submerged in the pond.”

“In theory,” Jadyn said, “I’d agree with him, but the fact is, the car’s empty. And it’s not like they’re going to get any DNA evidence out of it now. But whatever. At least they’ll get the VIN and we’ll know for certain it’s Raissa’s. And if Ross is distracted with the car, he won’t notice what Colt and I are doing.”

“Good point,” Mildred said. “Are you ready to call Maryse?”

Jadyn nodded.

Mildred pointed a finger at Helena. “You need to stick around and listen to this. I don’t want to have to update you later on.”

“I don’t suppose you could whip up a quick banana pudding?” Helena asked.

“No, I can not.” Mildred put the phone on speaker and dialed Maryse, who answered before the first ring even finished.

Jadyn proceeded to recap everything that had happened that day. She figured they’d already heard some of it through the Mudbug grapevine, but all three women listened without interruption. Mildred’s worried expression, however, told Jadyn everything the older woman was thinking.

“You’re going to start checking camps tomorrow morning?” Maryse asked.

“Yes,” Jadyn said. “Colt thinks if someone’s holding Raissa nearby, one of the camps is the most likely location.”

“I agree,” Maryse said, “but there’s so many.”

“Can we cover them all in a day?”

“No way. Not every one in the game preserve, anyway. You might be able to cover three-quarters. If you move fast and work the channels efficiently.”

“Then that will have to do,” Jadyn said. “We’ll cover the rest the next day.”

“Is there anything we can do?” Mildred asked. “I feel so useless and guilty just sitting here, but for the life of me, I can’t think of anything I could do to help.”

“Helena can help by shadowing the FBI, particularly Agent Ross.”

Helena shook her head. “I was married to an * for over three decades. I’ve had enough of that to last me a lifetime.”

Jadyn narrowed her eyes at Helena. “Mildred told me all about your husband, so I know you could have paid him to go away but were too cheap or stubborn to purchase a better life. But the point is, this isn’t about you. It’s about finding Raissa and you owing Maryse huge…enormously, as a matter of fact. So you’ll follow Ross, even into the restroom, just in case he says something that the FBI has been keeping from us.”

Helena slumped down in the chair and crossed her arms over her chest. “Guess I can see how you and Maryse are related. You’re both rude.”

“Never claimed otherwise.”

“I suppose I could have the rooms bugged,” Mildred said, “but with the rate things get done in this town, Ross would be retired before I got anyone out here to do it.”

“For a change,” Jadyn said, “I’d like to try to stay on the right side of the law. I’m all for bending the ever-living hell out of it, but I don’t think our own personal Watergate is a good move at this point. It’s not like anyone can prosecute us for having a ghost spy on them.”

“True,” Mildred agreed, “but surely there’s something I can do besides sit here and worry. It’s giving me wrinkles and I’ve already eaten an entire bag of Oreos this afternoon.”

“You had Oreos?” Helena asked.

“Forget the Oreos.” Jadyn waved a hand at the ghost. “There is the diner up the highway from where Zach was found. Colt figured the feds would be all over it today, but we were going to hit it tomorrow on the off chance that someone says something.”