Page 24 of Bayou Knights
“It’s not what I want. Get comfy, you’re going to be here a long time,” he says, before walking out, leaving me to my thoughts.
Who would want me dead? Sawyer? He couldn’t hurt a fly, I don’t think. I know Lyra was pissed about the money, but would she stoop this low? I watch enough crime TV to know how these things go.
Whoever has me thought of everything. There is only a bed and a toilet. No shower. No window. Nothing that I could use as a weapon.
I’m a prisoner and I don’t even know why. I’m a lowly librarian. Other than the inheritance that not many people know about, I am a nobody. If they wanted someone, they should have kidnapped my sister, she’s at least semi-famous.
I pace back and forth for what seems like hours, until my door is opened and a man with a gun pointed at me comes in, setting a tray on the bed and backing out. Seems unnecessary. But I am hungry, though there is really nothing on the tray. I eat the fruit and toast, since I need something and hope that I get more later.
I set the tray on the floor and curl up on the bed, trying to sleep, hoping that I wake up from this nightmare.
After another couple hours, the door opens and I hear two sets of feet. I sit up and freeze.
“Hello, dear,” my mother says, holding on to the arm of my soon-to-be ex-husband. I don’t remember anything after that.
* * *
Zion
“Gage, can you tell us what happened?” Bones asks him. We are sitting in the room we hold church in. Normally we don’t let outsiders in, but I wanted Gage to feel safe and not cramped.
Gage looks at Dixon before speaking. When his grandpa gives him a nod, he turns my way and starts from the beginning.
“My mom wanted to go for a walk down by the swamp and, on our way back, this man stepped out from the bushes, the big bushes by the inn. I think Gator called them cucumber trees. He mentioned something about someone was waiting for her. Oh, and that you found a new toy to play with,” he points at me.
“Then what happened?” Dixon asks him.
“I yelled at him, and he told me to shut my mouth. Mom told me to run, though I didn’t want to. She pushed me away from her as the man lunged at her. I did start, but I turned back to see him smack her in the face with his elbow. I started to go back but I saw her look at me, like she really needed me to find you. I ran straight here,” he said sadly, wiping a tear.
“You did good. Can you describe the man?” I ask him, trying to contain my anger.
“Not too tall, maybe a little taller than me, skinny, looked like he could use a few meals. He did have a cut above his right eye,” he says, “I don’t remember anything else about him. I’m so sorry.”
“You did good. Go out and sit with Noah,” Bones says, and Gage jumps up and runs out. I want to punch something or someone. I start to get up, not even knowing who I’m looking for. I need to do something.
“Sit the fuck down,” Dixon growls.
“Zion, we need clear heads about this. You can’t run off half-cocked,” Bones warns me. He’s right.
“We have teams looking. Dixon, what info can you give us?” Bones asks him.
“You’ve met Plum before,” he looks straight at me.
“What?” I don’t think I heard him correctly, but it sounded like he said I’ve met Plum before.
“Your father and I were good friends. Or frenemies. We kept things civil and I had a lot of respect for him. While I would love to use the swamp to move my shipments, I would never step on your territory without asking. One time I came up here to talk to him and I brought Plum. I think you were smitten. The moment she walked through the doors, you growled in your little voice that she was yours, you were claiming her. We all got a laugh out of that. That was the last time I had her around club business. I hid it well only from her. Not that I was ashamed of who I was, but I felt that she was safer not knowing. Her sister on the other hand, I had to lock her out of the clubhouse. She kept coming by trying to get my men to fuck her. She stole from me, and I cut her out of my life for good. My dad loved Plum, she was always his favorite. His hand in the oil business brought him peace of mind that his family would be taken care of. When Lyra tried the same shit with him, only with the men who worked for him, he cut her off. I know it was wrong to just wash my hands of her, but she wasn’t using the money to buy shoes and diamonds, she was using it to get high. We tried to help her, even sent her to the best rehab and this was after she stole from me. She is my child after all. She kept getting worse, progressed to petty thievery. When I put my foot down, she went off to California and Plum followed. She knew someone needed to keep an eye on Lyra. My father didn’t die of natural causes, but Plum doesn’t know that. I’m trying to get the security footage that the police have to see if I know who is on it. I have a feeling it’s one of the goons that took Plum. My father changed his will after Lyra wouldn’t stay in rehab. She was informed that if she left, she would be left nothing in it. She thought it was a bluff. It wasn’t. For now, the police call his death undetermined. Plum got everything, including his house in Texas, close to the Mexico border. She hardly touches that money, preferring to work to show Gage that hard work pays off. Lyra was pissed. It’s only after Plum dies that Lyra will get some of the money. I don’t want to think that Lyra would hurt her sister, but I don’t know,” he sighs.
“What about Sawyer?” I ask him.
“He was one of my men, thought I could trust him. When Plum followed Lyra to California, I asked him to keep her safe. Somehow, he got her to think they were in love. He made her believe he was a banker at my request. Where he was going when he said he was at work, I don’t know. I was paying him handsomely, he didn’t need a job. My guess is he was hooking up with Lyra. She’s a reality star, though it comes across as actually real, she’s a train wreck on TV as well. Sawyer knew about the money and when Plum told us they were getting married, we encouraged her to get a prenup. She did. I know Sawyer’s pissed now because of everything that happened. He won’t get anything. After I heard the 911 call, I cut him off as well. Have you listened to it?”
I shake my head.
“She told us about it,” Gator offers, “we offered to beat him up. Wish we’d ignored her no.” He sits back in his seat, looking as defeated as I feel.
“What are your intentions?” Dixon asks me.
“With what?”
