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She grimaced. “Yes. And no.”
Bayou des Allemands, Louisiana
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 8:45 A.M.
Kaj smelled it before he saw it. André had piloted the NOPD boat downriver from where they’d found the vehicles, rounding one bend after another, when the stench of something burning filled his nose. The odor was a mix of the smoky smell of burned wood and the acrid odor of burned plastic. His eyes, intent on watching for Corey’s camp, began to water.
A thin plume of smoke rose over the trees, its source visible as they rounded another bend and four piles of rubble and ash came into view. Two large piles, one medium-sized, and one small. There had been four structures here, just as Jace had said, but they were no more.
Kaj blinked, trying to clear his eyes. “When were they destroyed?”
“We’re gonna find out,” André said, frustration evident. “Fucking hell. What a mess. Jones and Mendez, you guys suit up and start diving. There should be a body down there.”
Whoever had destroyed the structures had left the dock intact, so at least there was that. Burke tied the boat to the dock, and everyone got out except for the divers.
Kaj didn’t relish the thought of anyone going into that water with its resident alligators and snakes, but the divers didn’t seem too worried. He supposed they had a lot of experience diving in murky, reptile-infested water like this. Better them than me.
“It’s still hot,” Burke called over from one of the larger piles of debris. “And I smell the remnants of explosives along with all the other odors. I don’t think it’s been more than twelve hours since detonation.”
“I agree,” Detective Clancy said. “That structure over there has a lot of metal pieces sticking up out of the rubble. Looks like engine parts.”
“Dewey’s workshop,” Kaj said. “How long will it take a forensics team to process this?”
“Days,” André said grimly. “Sons of bitches.”
Kaj stepped aside when the two detectives began taking photos. Lifting his binoculars, he surveyed the riverbanks.
Burke came to stand beside him. “What are you looking for?”
“Any sign of Corey or his friends, in case this is a trap and they’re out there waiting for us.” Kaj wouldn’t put it past them, especially as Corey had tortured Rick and murdered Dewey. “Luring us in and shooting us would be par for the course.”
“Fair point,” Burke murmured.
They were all wearing bulletproof vests, but Kaj was taking no chances.
He froze as an image filled the lenses of his binoculars. “Shit.”
Burke was instantly turning to search in the same direction. “What?”
“There’s an arm stuck on the roots of that tree at eleven o’clock,” Kaj said. He handed the binoculars to Burke.
“An arm with a tattoo,” Burke added. “Same as Dewey Talley’s.”
Which, they now knew, was the same as Jace’s. André had seen it hours earlier, when Jace had given him his clothing for evidence. Jace had admitted that he’d gotten the tattoo because of Dewey, because he’d looked up to the man. Poor Jace. The only person who’d been kind to him was a notorious drug dealer.
“Jace really was telling the truth,” Burke said, lowering the binoculars. “Poor kid.”
“I was thinking the same thing. At least Val will be able to say she told me so.”
“She will, too. That woman don’t take no shit from anybody. Not anymore.”
Kaj opened his mouth to ask what not anymore meant, but André was striding up to them. “What do you see?”
Burke handed him the binoculars and brought him up to speed.
“Fuck,” André muttered. “I hate it when the bodies are in pieces.” He turned to the divers. “Start searching over there.” André pointed to the tree. “Hopefully we’ll find more of Dewey than his arm.”
“Glad we brought the big evidence bags,” one of the divers said, and then the two rolled backward into the water.
