Page 66 of Landry

“Get us out of here,” Scarface called out to the man at the helm.

The captain started the engine. The big fan on the back of the airboat roared to life.

As the craft backed out into the bayou, Camille sat down hard on the deck next to Billy Ray and reached for his hand.

The boy pushed to a sitting position.

“As soon as we get a little way out, toss the kid,” Scarface shouted to one of the big men standing over them.

“No!” Camille said. “You can’t toss him.” She squeezed Billy Ray’s hand.

“We have you to tell us where to find this bear your husband hid the necklace in. We don’t need the kid.”

One of the men bent, grabbed Billy Ray by the arm and dragged him to the edge of the craft.

“No!” Camille shouted over the deafening roar of the fan. She held onto the boy’s hand. “He’s the only one who knows where the bear is.”

The man dragging Billy Ray stopped and shot a glance toward the man with the scar on his face. His boss did a quick shake of his head and turned to Billy Ray. “Tell us where to find the bear, and we might spare your life.”

Billy Ray’s gaze met Camille’s, then shifted to Scarface. “I can’t tell you.”

“Toss him,” Scarface said.

The big guy lifted Billy Ray off his feet, pulling Camille up with the boy clinging to her hand, a look of desperation in his eyes.

Camille held on. “Billy Ray, tell him where the bear is. Please.”

“I can’t,” he reiterated. “They’ll never find it.”

“Toss him,” Scarface repeated.

As the big guy reared back to throw, Billy Ray shouted. “I can’t tell you where it is, but I can show you!”

Too late.

“No!” Camille’s breath caught in her lungs as Billy Ray flew through the air, landing in the inky water. “He’s the only one who can show you where to find the bear,” Camille shouted, a sob rising up her throat. “Please. You have to go back and get him.”

“Stop the boat!” Scarface shouted.

The man at the helm killed the engine, thus cutting power to the huge fan.

“Go back,” Scarface waved his hand in a circle above his head. “Find the boy.”

The engine revved, the boat spun and headed back. A spotlight blinked on, casting a bright beam at the water ahead.

Camille held her breath, following the beam of light as it panned across the black surface of the bayou until it stopped on a head rising above the water. “Billy Ray,” she breathed, tears slipping down her cheeks.

The beam of light also picked up twin reddish-orange dots just beyond the boy.

“Gator!” the boat captain called out and hit the throttle to increase the speed, heading straight for Billy Ray.

“Sweet pralines and cream,” Camille murmured. If the alligator didn’t get Billy Ray first, the boat would run him over.

At the last possible moment, the captain turned and cut the engine. The airboat skidded across the water’s surface sideways toward the boy, slowing as it did.

Camille couldn’t close her eyes to what would surely be a disaster.

Without the propulsion of the fan, the boat slowed quickly, coming to a halt within a yard of the boy.

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