Showdown in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law, #3)(72)

“No. Definitely not.” Zach ran one hand across a window seal, then looked down at the floor and frowned. “This room has been cleaned. Spotless, as a matter of fact.”

Raissa nodded. “Yeah, I noticed that. They’re careful.”

Zach shook his head. “You don’t have to disinfect a room to remove prints, and I doubt even the best forensics team would find much, given the dust in the rest of the building.”

“I don’t think it was to erase evidence.”

Zach looked over at her. “Why else then?”

Raissa looked down at Hank and bit her lip. “I think he’s in a hospital bed for a reason. I think maybe they were going to do something to him. Medically.”

Zach stared. “You think someone sterilized this room to perform a medical procedure? Jesus, does he have any incisions?” Theft of body organs was fairly rare, but it still happened.

“No incisions. It’s the first thing I checked. It looks like everything is intact.” Raissa looked up at Zach, a grim look on her face. “Maybe they hadn’t gotten to the surgery part yet. Maybe that’s what Sonny meant when he told me Hank would be removed.”

Zach felt his face flush with anger. “Sonny Hebert has some explaining to do. I ought to go arrest him, now.”

“Don’t.”

“Give me one good reason why not.”

“I overheard a conversation between Sonny and Rico. Sonny’s men put word out on the street this morning that Sonny would pay ten grand if anyone could tell him where Hank was.”

“Why would he offer the money, then tell you?”

“I don’t know. But I get the impression that Sonny knows or at least suspects something about what’s going on here, though he isn’t involved. Not directly, anyway. Even if that’s the case, he took a big risk telling me where to find Hank, which tells me that whatever is going on is too reprehensible for even Sonny to let pass. He may be the only person who can lead us to the answer. If you lock him up, he won’t be able to instruct his men.”

“I can damn well demand the answer.”

Raissa shook her head. “Strong-arming Sonny is the fastest way to get him to dig in his heels. He has to think he’s running the show. It’s the only way he operates. If you put the pressure on him, he’ll back out of this whole mess, and I don’t know what might happen then. To Melissa.”

“Yeah, that’s the part that worries me the most.” Zach told Raissa about the marriage license and birth certificate.

Raissa stared at him, stunned. “Susannah Franco is related to Monk Marsella? So Monk was kidnapping the girls, and Susannah is related to Monk. But now Monk’s gone and so is Susannah’s daughter. What are we missing here?”

“I don’t know. Damn it!” Zach paced back and forth across the room. “Do you think Sonny knows what happened to Melissa?”

“I think he has suspicions, but I don’t think he knows where to find her. Sonny would never tolerate someone hurting a child.”

“Great. A mobster with morals.”

“I know how much you hate it, Zach, but you have to trust me on this one. I know Sonny Hebert, better than most people. You can’t force him into anything or you’ll lose. For whatever reason, he’s looking into this kidnapping, and I have to tell you, he’s likely to get results faster than we can.”

Sirens sounded outside the warehouse and Zach glanced outside to see the paramedics hurrying into the building. “Back here!” he shouted, and waved them to the back room.

He looked over at Raissa, who stood to the side while the paramedics loaded Hank onto the gurney. Her expression was filled with fear and worry. Not that he blamed her. This case had thrown him more curveballs than opening day at Yankee Stadium.

Alien kidnappings, fugitive FBI agents, unauthorized medical procedures, and Sonny Hebert being helpful.

What the hell had they gotten involved in?





Dr. Breaux was leaving Hank’s room as Raissa and Zach made their way down the hall. Raissa closed her cell phone, having just finished telling Maryse to spread the word that Hank had been found and was safe, and that she’d call back as soon as she’d spoken with Dr. Breaux. Zach flashed his badge and Dr. Breaux nodded and motioned them over to the side.

“I’m Dr. Breaux,” he said, and extended his hand to Zach. He nodded at Raissa. “Good to see you again, Raissa. I hear Sabine returns tomorrow.”

“I’m looking forward to it. How’s Hank?”

“Fine. In fact, he’s in excellent condition. I can’t find any indication of trauma—his vital signs are perfect. I don’t understand what’s going on here. Can you tell me anything?”

Raissa hesitated. She looked over at Zach, who took over. “All we really know, sir, is that Hank was reported missing from his job this morning but was likely taken sometime yesterday evening. As for what happened after that, we were hoping you might give us a clue.”

“His medical condition doesn’t tell me anything at all. There’s a small puncture mark on his left arm, but that could be anything. Where did you find him?” Dr. Breaux asked. “All the paramedics could tell me is that he was unconscious when they picked him up. Was he on another job?”

“No,” Zach replied. “He was found in an abandoned warehouse. The room Hank was kept in was totally sterilized, and I found him handcuffed to a hospital bed. He wasn’t conscious.”