A Sinful Mistake Read online

  Gertie nodded. “We also know that Ida Belle—” her voice choked up “—will stop at nothing to find us. Add in the Sheriff’s Department resources once Carter hears about this, and we’re going to be rescued. Guaranteed.”

  Unless we were killed first. The unspoken reality hung between us as precariously as the dangling lightbulb overhead. I stared up at it.

  “Are we praying?” Gertie asked. “I suppose this is as good a time as any.”

  I looked at her and blinked until the spots disappeared. “Praying’s good but we can do that after we’ve set a trap.”

  Gertie clapped her hands together. “A rat trap. Perfect!”

  “Help me to my feet, please.” Once she did, it only took me a minute to get the circulation flowing through my legs. I motioned for Jean-Claude to come stand beside me. I hoped my encouraging smile convinced him that I was on his side.

  “Tell me what you want us to do,” Gertie said.

  “Better than telling you, I’ll show you. Give me a boost.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “RIP IT, SISTER.”

  “I’m trying, Gertie, but it’s not giving.” I yanked on the electrical wiring again.

  “Just imagine wringing Bullcrap’s neck with the cord,” she called up encouragingly.

  This was what I most appreciated about Gertie. In the darkest moments she never lost her enthusiasm for life. Or, in this case, for surviving long enough to gain revenge. “Okay, this one’s for you, Gertie.” With all my might, I pulled on the wiring. We’d already unscrewed the single lightbulb from the socket. All that we needed to accomplish now was to rip the cord off so we had something to tie Bull up with when he returned.

  If he returned. The success of our plan was dependent upon him coming back for the Haitians. I had no doubt he’d be happy to leave Gertie and I here to rot.

  “I’ve got it,” I called out triumphantly as the wires grew slack in my hand. “Let me down.”

  “Jean-Claude, put her down,” Gertie shouted.

  “Gertie, he’s not deaf. He just doesn’t speak English, use your body language.” Under normal circumstances this would be a dangerous directive to give Gertie but it worked, and I was soon standing on the cement floor.

  “Now what?” Gertie asked.

  “Now we wait for Bull-”

  “Crap,” she interrupted me. “His name is Bullcrap.”

  “Okay, now we just wait for him to come back. Once he does, we’ll jump him and tie him up.” We’d pantomimed this for the other three before we’d removed the lightbulb and they’d all nodded their understanding.

  “What if he doesn’t come back?” Gertie asked, giving words to my earlier concern.

  “Fear not, he will.” I wound the wire up like a lasso. “If not for these three, he’ll at least need to produce your body to collect the insurance money.”

  “Insurance money? What are you talking about?”

  Oh, for the love of red velvet cake, I’d said too much. “Never mind,” I backpedaled. “Just believe he’ll be back.”

  “Insurance money?” Gertie repeated, as if her mind couldn’t process the implication. “Why would he have a policy on me?”

  I reached out for her arm and once I found it, gave it a light squeeze. “The man is insane, Gertie. Let’s focus on escaping.”

  She sagged against the wall. “He was going to kill me,” she said in a monotone voice that was devoid of her usual spunk. “He never loved me.”

  I would have thought the fact he’d thrown her in here to rot would have already spelled that out, but, still, her delayed shock tore at my heart. I desperately wished Aunt Ida Belle was here. She spoke fluent ‘Gertie’. She’d know just what to say. “He’s not worthy of you, Gertie. Right now, we need to focus on survival, okay?”

  “Right.”

  The ensuing quiet worried me more than if she’d dissolved in a fit of tears. “Are we all in our places?” I asked, as much to fill the silence as anything. “Gertie, move back away from the door. Stand here beside Catheline. Good, now we’re all in place.”

  And so we waited. And waited. Just when I thought I was going to lose my mind, I heard the lock turn.

  “Ready?” I whispered.

  “Roger that,” Gertie replied in a hushed tone. “Operation trap-a-rat is underway.”

  We all stood flat against the wall as the door slowly creaked open. The light from a flashlight’s beam shone back and forth along the floor. I held my breath, silently willing Bull to enter the trap we’d set.

  A human shadow played against the wall opposite the door. I held my breath. Just a few more seconds. I felt Gertie squeeze my shoulder, acknowledging that she too knew it was almost go-time. One, two, three...

  In perfect unison, Gertie and I sprang toward Bull. As we’d planned, Gertie went in for the legs, tackle style, and I shoved hard against Bull’s back. Within seconds, we had him pinned to the floor.

  “Help me pin his arms, Gertie,” I cried out. I couldn’t believe the struggle that he was putting up. For such a pipsqueak, he certainly had some upper body strength. “Don’t go easy, if we break his arms, so be it.”

  “What the hell?” Bull cried out as he twisted and turned. Oddly enough, he sounded just like Fortune.

  Our Fortune. Who’d come to rescue us. I immediately loosed my grip on our captive.

  “Oooff, stop,” she ordered. “Quit kicking me, Gertie.”

  “Fortune?” Gertie’s voice clearly conveyed her confusion. “What the heck are you doing here? You’re ruining everything.”

  Fortune’s answer was not fit to repeat here, but suffice it to say that it wasn’t the kind of English that I thought our Haitian friends should be exposed to.

  “Help me get her up,” I instructed Gertie.

  “Can someone turn on the damn light?” Fortune demanded after we’d hauled her to her feet.

  “No can do,” Gertie said. “We ripped the electrical wiring out so we could truss up the pig when he got here.”

  Fortune held up her cellphone, the flashlight app adding a tiny bit of light to our cement cell. “Didn’t it occur to either of you that exposed wires are a fire hazard?”

  Uh, no, actually it hadn’t. “Of course, it did,” I lied. “But we can talk about it later. We need to get out of here.”

  “Not going to happen,” Gertie said, her voice oddly flat. “The door locks from the outside.”

  I didn’t have to curse, Fortune did it for the both of us.

  “Then Fortune will just have to wait for Bull with the rest of us,” I said in my best camp counselor voice. “Six against one is better than five.”

  “Six?” Fortune shone the light around the small room. She lowered it when Jean-Claude held his hand up to block the light from his eyes. “Holy crap. I’d wanted to believe that I was wrong about Bull’s trafficking. The scum bag.”

  “His name’s—” Gertie began but I quickly cut her off.

  “We can discuss that later. We need to go over our plan.” Once again, I began to gather the wire to have it ready for when Bull showed up again. I shared our plan with Fortune so that she could get up to speed.

  “What if he’s armed?” she asked. “The gun could go off and a bullet in this small a space is going to hurt someone.”

  Irritation flared within me. “You’re right, we should have thought of that. It would be so much better to wait to be executed rather than chance a stray bullet.”

  “Hey, don’t shoot the messenger,” Fortune countered. “But there’s no sense in killing yourself while you’re trying to save your life, is there?”

  This I wouldn’t dignify with an answer.

  “Maybe you should turn off your light in case dipstick comes back and sees it.”

  Considering there wasn’t a window, I didn’t think this was worth worrying about. “Wait, where’s Carter? Who’s with you?”

  Fortune switched off her light, which didn’t bode well for good news. “I’m by myself.”

&n
bsp; “But surely you told someone that you were looking for us?”

  “Not exactly.”

  I resisted the urge to scream, instead I pressed my palms into my forehead. “Isn’t calling in for back-up standard procedure?”

  “I’m not a LAPD cop, Stephanie. I’m a—”

  “Librarian, right. I remember.” The lack of light might well have hidden the frustration on my face, but it did nothing to disguise the sarcasm in my words.

  Gertie clapped her hands together. “Hey, you two knock it off. You’re not the only ones in this little pickle. I’ve been made an old fool of by the scum of the earth. And what about our Haitian friends? They’re probably scared half to death.”

  Fortune and I mumbled our apologies. Gertie was right. It was time to focus on finding a solution.

  “You don’t happen to have cell service?” I asked, hoping against hope.

  “No.”

  Just as I’d thought. “How about a knife?”

  “Go fish.”

  “Save the games for later,” Gertie whispered. “Someone’s coming.”

  I opened my mouth to dismiss her claim as fanciful when I heard it too. Someone was unlocking the door. As one unit, we all shuffled back against the wall where we waited in silence for Bull to join us.

  “You two wait for me to take him down,” Fortune’s voice was a barely discernable whisper. “Once he’s down, get ahold of legs. Got it?”

  I assume Gertie nodded her agreement, just as I did.

  Once Bull stepped inside, everything happened in a flash. Fortune leapt at him, neatly taking him down. Bull fell so hard, I swear I heard the air escape his lungs.

  “Got him, got him,” Gertie chanted. “C’mon, Stephanie, get that cord around his ankles so the vermin can’t escape.”

  I froze. Something was most decidedly wrong. “Fortune, you’d better turn your phone light on.”

  “Can’t,” she managed to say, sounding somewhat winded at trying to contain her thrashing prey. “Hurry up with that cord.”

  “But that’s not—”

  “Get the hell off of me,” came the growl from under Fortune.

  My heart sank. I was right, although I desperately wished I wasn’t. But I recognized the cologne we’d purchased in Hawaii. “Fortune, that’s not Bull.”

  “Damn straight,” Kase growled. “All ya’all had better get the hell off of me or I’m going to fling you off.”

  Shuffling sounds and heavy breathing proceeded a beam of light from Fortune’s cell. Starting from the pointed tips of his cowboy boots, the light traveled up Kase’s muscular form, past his snake tattoo, before it reached his scowl of extreme displeasure.

  “You’re not Bull,” Gertie stated the obvious.

  Kase’s frown deepened. He ran his hands through his hair as he surveyed us. “Who are they?”

  I glanced at the intimidated expressions of Jean-Claude, Catheline, and young Michael. I smiled my most reassuring smile at them before turning back to Kase. “They’re victims of Bull’s trafficking.”

  Kase swore under his breath. He reached out a hand to me, which I gladly took. He pulled me close to his side and slipped his arm around my waist. I couldn’t put into words how profoundly reassuring I found his presence. Until he spoke. “I haven’t forgotten your little trick with the handcuffs, darlin’,” he whispered in my ear. “As soon as this is over, you’re going to answer for that.”

  “I’m going to turn off the light,” Fortune announced. “There’s no telling how long we’ll need to preserve the battery.”

  We soon stood together in darkness, the only sound was our breathing. Kase’s silence left me feeling strangely bereft. Why wasn’t he reassuring us?

  “Let’s focus,” Fortune said. “Mayeux, what’s the word on Bull’s last known location?”

  “I’ve got someone working on that,” he said, his voice terse. “Gertie, you okay?”

  “I will be as soon as I’m back home in my bunny slippers,” she said.

  “Dozer didn’t hurt you?”

  Her hesitation was so brief that I don’t know if the others picked up on it. “I’m as right as rain during a drought,” she replied.

  Except for my broken heart, is what I believed she left unsaid.

  “Can we reschedule therapy for later?” Fortune asked. In contrast to Gertie’s forced cheerfulness, Fortune’s curt words gave voice to her frustration. “Mayeux, is someone with Ida Belle?”

  “Yeah, don’t worry about her. She’s pretty much a prisoner in her room until we spring her.”

  “Oh, no,” I groaned. “She’s going to hate that.”

  “Too bad,” Kase answered. “The last thing we need is one more person to keep track of.”

  “What did you tell Carter?” Fortune asked.

  “What you should have,” Kase responded. “The truth.”

  Carter! I’d forgotten about him. “He’ll be here shortly?”

  “Yeah, should be,” Kase said. “So, let’s agree not to jump him.”

  “Roger that.” Gertie clapped her hands together. “And for God’s sake, let’s not let the door close either.”

  We waited for what felt like an interminable period but I doubt it was more than half an hour before we saw a flash of light from under the door. No one moved, no one uttered a word, but I don’t doubt we were all experiencing the same galloping heartbeat as the door creaked open.

  Chapter Thirteen

  AN ODD GLOW OF LIGHT illuminating his body, Carter stepped into the bunker.

  “Thank God,” I blew out a long breath of relief. “We thought you might be that horrible Bull.”

  Something in the way Carter stood with his arms out to his sides and his palms facing up was my first clue that all wasn’t well. The stumbling steps he took toward us, as if being pushed forward, was my second clue.

  “Stop there, LeBlanc,” Bull snapped. “Anyone else moves and I put a bullet between the good deputy’s ears. Got it?”

  In one swift move, Kase swept me behind him. I stumbled against young Michael. In what little light there was, I could see his anguish. The poor child. I was frightened, yet I knew all the people in the room and understood every word being spoken. How must he feel? I took his hand in mine.

  “Listen, Dozer, you don’t want to do this,” Kase’s voice punctured the silence. “You’re in deep enough trouble without adding murder to the list.”

  “Shut up.” Bull’s shaky voice was in sharp contrast to Kase’s soothing tone. “You’re all screwing things up for me.”

  I shot a quick look at Gertie. Fortune had her arm around Gertie’s shoulders. Whether to comfort her or to keep her from going for Bull’s jugular, I wasn’t sure. But, knowing Gertie’s penchant for rebel rousing, I’m glad Fortune was at the ready.

  “We’re the ones who can help make things better,” Kase countered. “The first thing you need to do is take your gun off LeBlanc. Then we can negotiate.”

  “Like hell I will.” Bull snorted. “You fooled me once with Miss Fancy Nancy—”

  I peeked out from around Kase’s side. “Prim and Proper,” I corrected him. “Not Fancy Nancy.”

  My correction was the straw that broke Bull’s back. “Shut up. Who friggin’ cares who you are?” He lowered his gun. “You’re a lying, scheming bitch and I should just shoot you now—”

  In a move that would put a gold medal winning synchronized swimming team to shame, Fortune, Carter, and Kase lunged at Bull. In the short tussle that ensued, they got him to the floor, wrested his weapon from him without a single shot being fired, and had him tied up like a rodeo calf in seconds flat.

  “Let me at him,” Gertie shouted. “I’ll make him pay.”

  Thankfully Jean-Claude grabbed ahold of her before she could pounce. Michael and Catheline threw their arms around each, celebratory tears streaming down their faces. I wanted to join in, but a nagging feeling that all wasn’t well yet pulled at me.

  “What about the door? I asked. “Did it lo
ck behind him?”

  Carter was the first one to reach it. He pushed at it but it didn’t budge. Kase stepped over Bull, but even adding his bulky might didn’t help.

  It was as if an explosion of curse words, in two languages mind you, detonated. I refrained from joining in, but I shared their dismay. I was going to need to powder my nose sooner rather than later, not to mention that a breath of fresh air would be most welcome. I glanced around at the dour expressions my companions wore. “Fear not,” I said. “We’ve got sheriff’s deputy here, an FBI agent, and a—” I noticed Fortune cringe, “—a librarian. Someone will come looking for us.”

  Someone didn’t. Not for hours. I wiped the beads of perspiration (I don’t sweat, not under the direst circumstances) from my forehead. I’d long ago given up listening to Fortune, Kase, and Carter postulate as to where back-up was. I didn’t understand a single word that our Haitian friends were speaking. As for Gertie, she was seemingly finding some relief in ripping into Bull with all of her might. Heaven knew she had the right, and now was the time, before he went up the river. Or down the river, I’m never sure which way the water flows to a penitentiary.

  Just when I thought I couldn’t take another second of waiting, we heard several thumps from the other side of the door. Everyone, except Bull, jumped to their feet. Kase pounded on our side in return until the door opened just a crack.

  “Anyone order a pizza?”

  Aunt Ida Belle! The door swung open and we all rushed toward the fresh air.

  “Watch the arm, watch the arm,” Aunt Ida Belle warned as Gertie threw herself at my great-aunt. She looked us all over, from head to toe and back again. “Geesh, how many law enforcement agents does it take...” but her voice petered out as we took turns hugging her.

  “Why aren’t you at Bayou Gardens?” I demanded.

  Her eyebrows rose. “I’d have expected a prettier thank you from you of all people.”

  I grinned.

  “What the heck took so long?” Gertie asked, as several FBI agents swept past us with a defeated looking Bull.