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She wouldn’t forget the expression of shock on his face for as long as she lived. The bullet struck his chest and he fell backward into the water, but she could still see him. The water was shallow and Bobby was big.
The gun’s kick hadn’t been as bad as she’d expected. She was still standing, unlike Bobby. Still, she wasn’t giving him a chance to rise out of the water. He’d never put his hands on anyone, ever again.
She fired again. And again. And again. And again.
And watched as the water turned red with his blood.
Blood. In the water. Get out. Get out.
Because things lived in the water that would be drawn by his blood.
Her ears ringing painfully from the noise of the gunshots, Val dragged herself out of the water and onto the shore, just as two alligators approached, gliding under the dock.
Fitting. Bon appétit, guys.
She was exhausted, but she was too close to the water’s edge. Too close to those gators.
Fucking hell. Fighting nausea, she clawed her way up the riverbank to the grass, where she dry-heaved.
And then collapsed. Bobby was dead.
But I’m alone. No one knows where I am.
Except Corey. And Dianne.
She hoped Dianne found help before Corey came back. If he was anywhere close by, he’d have heard the gunshots. Her ears would be ringing for some time.
Bobby’s Raging Judge had a six-bullet capacity. She’d used five.
That left just one for Corey.
I better make it count.
29
Lake Salvador, Louisiana
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 4:30 P.M.
FARRAH ROMERO’S FATHER slowed the boat and turned to Kaj and Phin. “We’re close to the bayou that connects Salvador to Cataouatche. You’ve got two choices. I can open the throttle completely and cross Cataouatche at full speed, or we can keep to the shoreline. It’ll be slower that way, but you’ll have stealth. Which should I do?”
Oscar Romero had been waiting at his Lake Salvador camp as promised and had them on their way within minutes of Kaj and Phin’s arrival. André’s no-nonsense future father-in-law knew how to drive a boat, and Kaj didn’t have words to express his gratitude.
The NOPD would be arriving soon as well. When Kaj had called Antoine about Molly’s plan, he’d learned that André had woken up and told them that Drysdale had been the one to stab him. André’s commander had been there for both André’s revelation and Kaj’s call and had sent out a team to aid Molly with Drysdale’s capture. Another team had been dispatched to the coordinates of Corey’s property on the water, but Kaj and Phin had had a head start.
I should have told NOPD as soon as we discovered the location of the Lake Cataouatche property in Ivan’s records. But he hadn’t known who to trust. Not with Val’s life.
He’d be facing a reprimand, for sure. But if they got there in time, it would be worth any price he had to pay. Especially since Drysdale had been the first cop he’d seen after discovering Val’s whereabouts. If he’d told Drysdale that they knew where Val was, Corey would have been told. And Val would have been dead. Or moved to where they couldn’t find her in time.
Please, let us be in time. Please.
“I think we cross the lake fast,” Kaj said, “then slow when we get to the tributary that leads to Corey’s property. Our time’s running out. We need to get there before Corey...”
He couldn’t finish the thought, but he didn’t need to. Phin and Oscar had heard his most recent conversation with Corey Gates. If Corey hadn’t taken the bait of the fake address for Bella, then their time had already run out.
Phin nodded. “I agree. When we get close, I’ll take the wheel and, Oscar, you get down.”
“That’s the plan,” Oscar said grimly. He wasn’t a cop, but he knew how to fire a rifle and had brought his own along, just in case. Opening the throttle, he guided them down the waterway connecting the two lakes.
