Missing in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law #5)(54)

“He fired an entire magazine,” Colt said.

Raissa nodded. “While he was firing, the guy driving my car spun around. It was rocking like crazy because of the flat tire, but that didn’t slow him down a bit. He drove straight at Zach. Zach reached for a magazine but he didn’t have time to reload. He tried to dive out of the way, but they hit him.”

Her eyes reddened with unshed tears. “The driver spun the car around again and they both laughed, then one of them clocked me with his gun and it was lights out.” Her face tightened with anger. “What was the point of that? They had already gotten away. They didn’t have to hit him and now he’s…”

Mildred sat next to Raissa and put her arm around her. “Some people were just made mean. Don’t you worry about it. I’m certain Zach is going to be fine.”

Raissa smiled at the hotel owner. “Thank you.”

She took another breath, then continued her story, telling them how she came to in a camp that fit the description of Bart’s. She told them how two of her captors remained with her and grilled her over the “merchandise.” Apparently, they’d searched the car, but couldn’t find it, and they were growing more agitated as time passed. She tried, but was unable to get them to provide a description of exactly what merchandise they were looking for, which made her wonder if they even knew what they were supposed to retrieve.

She’d faded in and out of consciousness, probably due to a combination of dehydration and the head injury, but recalled all the snippets of conversation she heard—how they’d checked everywhere in the car but the merchandise wasn’t there. How if they botched this job, they wouldn’t get any others, and they could only stall for so long.

Colt frowned. “I don’t understand why they focused on you in the first place. What makes them so sure you have what they’re looking for?”

Raissa shook her head. “I don’t know, but they are convinced.”

“And you never got any inkling of what this merchandise is?” Colt asked.

“No, but clearly, it’s worth kidnapping a federal agent and trying to kill another over.”

“How did you get away?” Maryse asked.

“They got cocky. I found a beer tab in the couch—the old kind, where you pull it completely off the can. Anyway, the boss wanted to meet with them so rather than risk pissing him off with only one of them showing up, they tied my hands and feet even tighter and both left. I grabbed the beer tab and went to work on my wrists. I cut myself a bit getting the ropes off, but it was a small price to pay.”

“That’s the blood we found on the couch,” Jadyn said.

Raissa nodded. “Unfortunately, once I was free, I had no idea where I was or how to get back to town. I knew that time of day the tide was going out, so I started following the bayou the direction of the tide, figuring it would at least get me closer to town. I underestimated how bad my condition was. I don’t even remember collapsing.”

“You’re here now,” Maryse said, “and that’s all that matters.”

“Except for finding those men,” Colt said.

“Luc had work he couldn’t get out of this morning,” Maryse said, “but I’ll call as soon as we get out of here and fill him in. He’s going to ask around and see if the facts ring a bell with anyone. He’ll call you if he gets anything.”

“Excuse me.” The doctor poked his head into the room. “I need to take Ms. Bordeaux for some tests.”

Raissa gave the doctor a nod, then looked back at them. “That’s all I’ve got, guys. I’m sorry it’s not more.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Colt said. “We won’t rest until we find them.”

Mildred and Maryse both gave Raissa a kiss on the cheek and they all filed out of the room and through the lobby, past a still-fuming Ross. No one said a word until they got to the parking lot.

Maryse laughed. “Ross is going to have kittens when he finds out he still can’t talk to Raissa.” Then she sobered. “Luc dropped me off. Can I get a ride with you and Mildred?”

“Of course,” Jadyn said.

“Actually,” Colt interrupted, “if you guys don’t mind, I’d like to have Jadyn come with me. There’s some things we need to check on.”

Mildred squeezed Jadyn’s arm. “Be careful.”





[page]Chapter Thirteen


Jadyn followed Colt out of the hospital, mulling over the information Raissa had given them. “So what do you think?” she asked as they climbed into his truck.

He pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward Mudbug. “I’m wondering how three men Raissa has never seen before know where Bart’s camp is. It’s not like it’s a well-traveled area.”

“True. But if you’re planning on talking to Bart, you better hurry. As soon as Ross finds out where she was held, he’ll be all over that angle.”

Colt pressed the accelerator down a bit more. “The tests they’re doing on Raissa should stall Ross long enough for us to question Bart, assuming we can find him, that is.”

“What do you mean?”

“I asked Deputy Nelson for a list of the people he called last night to join the search party. Bart was called but wasn’t in the party, which I thought was odd, given that he’s usually the first to help with that sort of thing. When I asked Deputy Nelson about it, he said the call went straight to voice mail and that Tyler didn’t know where he was.”