Chapter Two

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Chapter Two

 

Friday

Lake City, LA

 

Randy struggled to compose himself prior to arriving at the Lafitte plantation—his weekend refuge from the Governor’s mansion in Baton Rouge. His ancestor, Luc Lafitte, built the formidable waterfront estate in the early 1800’s. After World War II, his father reclaimed the family’s land and rebuilt the plantation. Upon inheriting the land, Randy erected what he thought of as his “American Chateau.” The only trace of what stood before was the weathered live oak tree just off the driveway that Randy believed would outlive them all.

Randy stared at the tree, oddly named Melinda Weeps, still mulling over the best way to explain Karen’s disappearance to Coral. He decided to cross that chasm when he came to it.

Bill pulled into the circular driveway in an unmarked car.

Randy felt a migraine brewing. He greeted Bill and invited him inside. He sounded calm enough, even though the compulsion to rip Bill’s gun from his belt, shoot him, and then himself nearly overtook him. Instead, Randy opened the sealed envelope Bill handed him, unfolded the paper inside and read:

THE ONLY WAY THREE PEOPLE CAN KEEP A SECRET IS IF TWO OF THEM ARE DEAD BUT SOME SECRETS ARE JUST TOO BIG TO BE CONTAINED IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOURS SAFE GO TO THE PAY PHONE ON AUGUST STREET BEHIND THE 7 ELEVEN AT EXACTLY 11 PM TONIGHT DO NOT BE LATE OR WE WILL KILL HER

 

Randy looked up from the note and studied Bill as if he was a newly discovered species. “Did you or anyone else read this?”

Bill met his gaze. “No. I took it from Officer Abshire and brought it straight here. What does it say?”

Randy lowered his eyes. “Trust me, you don’t want to know.”

“That’s not gonna work this time, Ran. It’s my duty to know.”

“Then arrest me for obstruction.”

Bill stared at him incredulously and then looked away. After a moment he looked back. “I know a couple of good guys in the bureau who owe me favors. They know how to be discrete. Just say the word.”

“Not a chance. Don’t you remember how badly they fucked up with Kristopher? I’ve got my own guys on this one.”

“The same guys who can’t keep tabs on a teenage girl? I know this is a hard time for you, but you can’t trust Karen’s life to a bunch of hired guns.”

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