Rachel's Rebellion (Moss Bayou) (24 page)

Lily yawned
deep once more. “Guess so.”

“Wonder what
bit her on the ass?”

“Don’t know.
You would think we were the prisoners.” Lily slouched down onto a pillow.

“Looks like
we’ll be here for a while,” Rachel told her. “Take a nap.”

“I think I
can,” Lily whispered.

“It’s not
like Wyatt will be here to keep you awake.” Rachel grinned.

“Um, Rach?”
Lily closed her eyes.

“Yeah?”

“He was
definitely worth the lack of sleep,” she smiled and went quiet.

Rachel
smiled. She totally understood.

Aurora
Prescott paced over the expensive rug. Her home was finely decorated with only
the very best things money could buy. After her son Edward’s death, Silas had
informed her of their dwindling bank accounts. How he had hoped to infuse those
accounts with political connections and pay offs once Edward got elected.
Edward Prescott died before the election for US Senate took place. There went
Silas’s great game plan. Being one who likes to take control and handle a
problem, she found a way to take care of their finances quickly, easily, and
illegally. To his credit, when she first began to talk about other means of
generating income, Silas never hesitated. He never let on if her suggestions
shocked him. It had made things run easier. The smooth transition into a life
of drugs, women, and even gambling was fast and painless. Her fine life was not
going to just fade into memory without a fight.

At sixty
years old, Aurora made it her business to look forty-five-ish. That required
money. Lots of money. She kept her dark hair perfectly styled and free of gray.
She let her personal trainer whip her body into a body fit for a much younger
woman. When the time came, her plastic surgeon took care of sagging skin and
sagging breasts. Always on the slender side, at least she hadn’t had to endure
procedures to suck out fat. If any of it ever bothered Silas, he never said. He
had also never mentioned if he’d noticed.

Yes, she
wanted to appear young, firm, and attractive. Silas had taken her ideas and now
made sure there was money for that. But it wasn’t for Silas she endured so
much. She looked to where he sat, reading the contents of a file and sipping
brandy. That wingback chair and that sifter of brandy were his idea of fun.
Glancing through the open study doors at the antique grandfather clock in the
foyer, she saw the time was now just a quarter past two. Where was Russ
Patterson? They needed to get the hell out of Moss Bayou. Now.

“What did
you decide?” She was getting impatient. She needed to move.

“Aurora,
just a moment.” Silas returned to the file.

She started the
pacing once more and mentally ran a checklist of things to do. The luggage had
been packed and sent to the car. Earlier, Silas had had Moose move the luggage
while he had hidden in the study. He had hidden and spoke low into his phone
like there was some big secret. She could have snorted, if she were the type to
do such a thing. She knew Silas was talking to his latest whore. It didn’t
matter to her. They were not that kind of husband and wife anymore. Hadn’t been
since long before Edward’s death last year. She knew he got what he wanted
elsewhere. Truth be told, so did she.

Aurora had
to hide the smile. A vision of Travis Haynes appeared. He was naked and virile
and inside her. His lean body was perfection. The knowledge that he was fifteen
years younger made her pant. Almost. It wasn’t going to be fun without Travis.
But she had to go. Maybe the islands would have a cabana boy who would like an
older, experienced woman.

“Aurora, we
need to make it over to the airport,” Silas broke through her thoughts.

“Where are
we going?”

“How does
Rio sound?”

“Not what I
had in mind, but what choice do we have.”

“At least we
can keep the money traveling from here to there without a problem.” Silas set
down his brandy sifter on the end table and stood.

“Will Travis
be able to keep this going with everything that has happened? What about
Travis, by the way.”

“Darling,
don’t worry about your lover. He’ll be fine.”

She arched a
finely waxed brow.
Silas did know.
Oh well. It was what it was.

“Yes,
Aurora. I know he’s been your lover for the past few months. My only question
is about Felicity. Do you not care?”

She looked
away. She didn’t want to think about their daughter and Travis in the same
thought. Travis had to return home to Felicity after making love to her.

“Let’s not
discuss our daughter. I think she prefers it that way.”

It was true.
Felicity hated them. Blamed them for Edward’s death. Felicity swore they had
murdered her brother even though it had been a suicide.

“I won’t
discuss Felicity. It’s been almost a year since she’s graced us with her
presence. When was the last time we saw our grandchildren?”

“Obviously,
you don’t feel guilty about sleeping with her husband.”

“Silas, I
feel no more guilt about Travis than you do about your latest whore.”

“At least
you haven’t lost your shrewdness. Your business acumen is still bringing it
in.”

She laughed.
What would Moss Bayou think of Aurora Tanner Prescott if they knew? Even her
own sister took her at face value. But then Violet had always been that way.
Once she married Owen Cross, Violet became a real pain in her ass. Her
Pollyanna ways, her insistence on being a true neighbor and friend, Violet was
their mother incarnate. While Violet preferred to be mother’s pet, Aurora had
studied at the knee of their ruthless father. Judge Harlan Tanner had been the
perfect teacher. She had studied hard and learned well.

Aurora waved
her hand at Silas. “Let’s go. We certainly do not have the time to sit and
reminisce.”

“Certainly.”

The sound of
the heavy front door opening and closing echoed through the foyer. She looked
at Silas. Before he could speak, the sound of a gun cocking entered the room.
Russ Patterson was holding the gun.

“Russ? What
do you think you’re doing?” Silas demanded.

“I think I’m
taking care of business.” Russ stepped closer. “You had me do all of the dirty
work. You had me handle every mess. I made sure reports disappeared. I took
care of Anthony Till. I tried to take care of everything after the shipment as
you ordered. For what? I’m a wanted man.”

“Russ,” Aurora
spoke calmly. “You knew the stakes were high.”

“My wife is
right, Russ. You weren’t led into the fold blindly.”

“I managed
to eliminate just about everyone on your list.” Russ waved the gun at them.
“Problem was, I forgot to protect myself. Now, I’m going to do that.”

“Have you
lost your mind?” Silas stepped forward and Russ took aim.

“Stay put.”

“Tell me
what we can do?” Aurora knew money always soothed the boo-boos. “How much.”

“Don’t
insult me, Aurora. It’s no longer about the money,” Russ growled. “Although, if
that brief case near Silas’s chair holds what I think it does, I’ll take it.”

Aurora
thought of the money in the brief case. They needed that cash. Obviously, Silas
had the same thought.

“Russ, we’re
leaving the country but the business will continue to operate if that’s what
you’re concerned with. You shouldn’t worry about that.”

“Silas,”
Russ raged. “Since you won’t shut up, I’ll shut you up. Permanently.”

The loud
bang rang through the room. Aurora turned in time to see Silas fall to the
floor.

“Your turn,”
Russ said as he calmly aimed the gun toward her.

The sound of
another shot rang in her ears as she fell next to her husband. She never had
time to scream.

**********

Gabe stood
beside a large mirror that allowed him to observe as the scene was worked. They
had arrived at the Prescott home and found no Russ Patterson among the two
gunshot victims. Silas Prescott lay dead in his study. The gunshot wound to his
chest had been deadly accurate. Aurora Prescott was being rushed to the
hospital. She was clinging to life. Law enforcement representing several
agencies filled the house. Russ Patterson was a wanted man. With so many
agencies looking for him, he had still managed to get away. It was the general
assumption that Russ Patterson had been the shooter. An assumption that made a
lot of sense and also none at all. Silas and Aurora Prescott were Russ
Patterson’s golden geese. Why would he want to stop the golden eggs from
falling his way?

Wyatt walked
over to where he stood. “Travis Haynes is being arrested as we speak.”

“Enough hard
evidence to satisfy the prosecutor?”

Wyatt
nodded. “Appears that way. Think they’re still going to put everything before
the Grand Jury, though.”

Gabe nodded
and returned to the puzzle pieces still not fitting together in his mind.

“Something
is definitely off,” he remarked.

“I know what
you mean,” Wyatt agreed.

“Supposedly,
Russ, by order of the Prescotts, shoots to kill everyone at the dock the other
night. We would assume it is because they didn’t want witnesses. I have big
problems with that.”

“Why Denny
was included is my first question.” Wyatt gave him a pointed look. “Doesn’t
make sense. He was high up the food chain.”

“And now we have
the Prescotts dropping like flies.” Gabe put out a hand to lean on the long
table situated below the mirror.

“You think
Russ has gone off on his own, don’t you?”

Glancing at
Wyatt, he tossed the question around a moment. “Sure do. But what? Why?”

Wyatt
shrugged. “The question now is where exactly
is
Russ
?
He’s taking out witnesses, partners in crime. Who are we missing? Besides me
and you.”

Gabe stood
there. Something was definitely not adding up. Something ate at his gut
relentlessly.

“It is a bit
odd,” Gabe thought aloud. “Russ Patterson seems to be able to maneuver around
us lately. He pops up without explanation and then disappears before he’s
caught.”

Thinking of
incidents since the night of the shipment, Gabe shuffled the pieces in his
mind. They had to fit together somehow. Was Russ being fed information? By
whom?

After a
while, Wyatt asked, “What’s on your mind, Gabe?”

He looked at
Wyatt but didn’t answer. How could he answer? He searched his brain for a
calming focus so he could think. Rachel appeared.

“Rachel and
Lily are still at the motel,” he blurted out.

“CJ and a
couple of HPD’s are keeping watch,” Wyatt reminded him.

“I think
I’ll check in with CJ.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. “Just want to
touch base.”

Wyatt stood beside
him as he placed the call. After three rings, CJ’s voice sounded in his ear.

“CJ, how is
it there.”

“Fine.”

Still mad
at me.

“Just wanted
to check in,” he told her.

“Don’t
worry, Deacon. I know you called to check on your girlfriend.”

“CJ, I’m
sorry.” He was sorry, he just wasn’t sure what it was he was supposed to be
sorry for.

CJ snorted.
“For what? Making me look like a fool?”

“What are
you talking about? We were playing an undercover role, CJ. It was an act. Part
of the public display, remember?”

“Never mind.
I have to take care of your girlfriend.”

The call
ended. The abruptness stunned him. Why was CJ so upset with him? It’s not like
they were lovers or anything close. The only time they ever appeared to be more
than co-workers was in public view. He shook his head.

“I take it
that didn’t go well,” Wyatt said.

He related
the brief conversation to Wyatt.

“Can’t
figure her out.” Gabe raked a hand through his hair. “She acts like I did
something wrong.”

“Dude, you
did,” Wyatt smiled, “in her eyes, anyway.”

“Is she
serious?”

“Gabe, she’s
young, it’s her first UC assignment. She misread things. She’ll be pissed for a
while. Call it her revenge.”

“Revenge?”

A cold hand
gripped his heart in its deadly fist.

Rachel
.

“We got to
go.” Gabe took off and hoped like hell Wyatt was on his ass.

Would CJ do
such a thing? It would explain some things that had puzzled the task force in
the past couple of days. His mind raced. When had CJ become upset?

“Dex, I need
a car,” he barked out as he went past the police chief. He kept moving but
heard Dex speaking into his radio. Officer Roger Boudreaux stepped in beside
him and pointed to the waiting cruiser. Roger motioned them to follow.