Page 53 of Louisiana Protector

“What a nightmare,” Gramps said miserably. “Honestly, I’ve never been so terrified in my life.”

“The only saving grace in this is that whoever took her wouldn’t want to kill her. He’s done this out of some sort of whacked-out love for her. So, hopefully when she’s found, she’ll be safe and sound.”

“From your lips to God’s ears,” Gramps replied fervently.

The two men fell into a heavy silence, the only sound in the room that of Danny’s light snoring. Johnny’s chest was so tight with fear that momentarily he couldn’t speak.

As much as he didn’t want to think of Mimi getting hurt or worse, he couldn’t forget that the man who held her was probably the same man who had punched her in the jaw. He’d hit her once before. What would keep him from hitting her again with even worse results?

God, he wanted to be out there tearing up the swamp to try to find her. He wanted to hit somebody, to punish him for taking Mimi away from the people who loved her so much.

At that moment Danny awakened. He sat up and looked around, obviously seeking Mimi. When he didn’t see her, his horrified gaze shot to Johnny. His blue eyes welled up with impending tears. “The bad man still has my mommy?” he asked with a trembling lower lip. He picked up Mr. Wiggles and hugged the bunny tight against his chest.

“I’m afraid so.” Once again Johnny pulled his son onto his lap and held him. “But all the policemen are out there looking for her, and I’m sure they’re going to find her. We just have to be really patient.”

“I’m not very patient,” Danny replied miserably. “Just ask Gramps.”

“Right now you have to be patient, my little man,” Gramps said.

At that moment Johnny’s phone rang and the caller ID showed it to be Chief Breaux. “I just wanted to let you know that none of our three suspects are home right now. We heard and saw no indication that Mimi might be in one of their shanties.”

Once again Johnny’s chest tightened with fear. “You’ll continue to look for them?”

“Absolutely. I’ve got men sitting on their shanties as we speak. Sooner or later, they should come home, and the one who doesn’t is probably our guilty man.”

Unless it was somebody else altogether. This thought caused a sharp stab of new fear to slice through him. Was it possible it wasn’t one of the three men at all, but rather an unknown person who had flown beneath their radar?

He hugged Danny close to him as fear welled up inside him.

MIMI AWAKENED SLOWLY. She felt as if her head was wrapped in cotton, making it difficult to think. Her mouth was achingly dry, and as the drugged sleep slowly left her, deep confusion filled her head. She was in a car she didn’t recognize, and they seemed to be traveling at fairly high speed.

She was slumped in the passenger seat. How had she gotten here? And where exactly was here?

Her mind suddenly exploded with images. Oh God, the masked man…the gun in his hand…the hypodermic needle… As the events of the afternoon flooded through her, she shot her gaze to the driver.

“Jean-Luc,” she exclaimed in stunned surprise. The sight of her friend sent shock waves rushing through her. Of the three men, he was the last one she’d suspected.

“Ah, my beauty awakens.” Jean-Luc shot her a smile.

It was at that moment she saw the gun he held in his lap, a gun pointed directly at her. “Jean-Luc, what are you doing? Please, take me back to my shanty right now.”

She fought against the wild fear that threatened to consume her. It was coupled with a deep sense of betrayal. She couldn’t believe he was behind everything… Jean-Luc who had held Danny so tenderly as a baby… Jean-Luc who had been so supportive of her for the past five years.

And now he was the man who had grabbed her in the swamp…the man who had slammed his fist into her face and now had her in a speeding car against her will.

“Jean-Luc, please take me home,” she said.

“Sorry, I can’t do that. I’m in love with you, Mimi. I’ve loved you for a very long time, and now you’re finally mine,” he replied.

“I’m not yours. Jean-Luc, I love you as my friend, but I don’t love you in that way. Please either take me home or stop the car so I can get out.”

She looked out the window where the landscape was whizzing by. She knew if she tried to jump out of the car now, she’d probably be killed or badly injured.

“Don’t worry, Mimi. You’ll learn to love me the way I want you to after some time passes. I’ve rented us a cozy little house in Crystal Cove to live in, and before long we’ll be a happy couple.”

Crystal Cove was a nearby town. “You’re crazy… That’s never going to happen,” she replied. “Take me back to Danny. He needs me.” Hot tears burned her eyes at the thought of her son. Danny was surely traumatized by what had happened. He had to have been terrified at the sight of a masked man with a gun. He’d be scared by her absence. She could only hope his father was with him right now, holding him and comforting him.

“Eventually you can have my baby,” Jean-Luc replied. “Then you’ll be able to forget all about Danny.”