The Best Laid Plans (Brothers of the Bayou) (17 page)

He opened the door directing her to sit in a chair at a round table.  She heard shuffling and looked up to see Mrs. Landon. 

“Aunt Liza! Where have you been? What’s going on?”  The brief rush of seeing a familiar gaze quickly disappeared when she saw the hard glint in her aunt’s eye.

Levi crossed the room, brushing a kiss on Aunt Liza’s cheek. “Hi, mom, mission accomplished,” he said followed by a sinister laugh.

What is happening Lacy thought.  Please tell me I am just in the middle of one of those pregnancy dreams she was warned of.  She pinched herself. No, she was definitely awake, not the she really thought she was in a dream.  Her gaze passed back and forth between her two captors.

“You know, Sara and you brought this on yourselves.  If you had just stayed separated as planned, we could have avoided this confrontation or at least p
ostponed it,” her aunt said.

“What is going on? I don’t understand any of this.”

“Your dad is a damn fool. All these years he went along with us, to keep his brother out of trouble with the law.  He even agreed to pretend an affair with me. That’s a thought to make me sick.” Aunt Liza was laughing like a maniac. Lacy didn’t know if she’d make it out alive, but she slid her hand into her pocket where her phone was.  From memory, she hit buttons, hoping that she tapped the right ones for the voice recorder.

Her aunt continued. “Everything was moving along fine, until you
r dad decided he had a conscience.   When you left in May, he decided it was better to cut you off and let you lose connections. He figured you would be safer that way. He always was an idiot. And then you had to come here. You and Sara got all friendly again and Sara was pregnant. Oscar decided he didn’t want this life anymore and got all sentimental about the grandkid.  He thought he could just stop. My daddy died putting his life into this business growing it so we’d never have to want a thing we couldn’t afford.  I’ll be damned if I let Oden or Oscar suddenly grow a conscience. We’d all end up in jail the rest of our lives.”

Lacy was rendered speechless yet again. Her
aunt’s ramblings didn’t make complete sense but they were coherent enough that the message was clear. Sara’s mom? She had always seemed so sweet, even if a tad distant.

“You killed your husband?!”

Levi stepped up again. “I had that honor sweetheart. He never allowed me around. Said I wasn’t good enough for him to claim a bastard baby. Mom asked me to take care of him and I was happy to oblige.”

Lacy held her breath wondering what they had planned for her. She could see the water
quickly rising and if she didn’t die by their hand, the waters would surely finish it off.  Wind and rain beat against the house howling through the open air.  Lacy was petrified though she did her best to fake an aloof demeanor. How would anyone find her in this storm? She tried to come up with an escape plan, but short of jumping out the window into the bayou which would mean almost certain death she couldn’t see one.

They were close. Beaux could feel it in his blood. Whenever Lacy was nearby he could sense her presence.  The Bayou Courtebleau was quickly rising already flooding parts of the road. The single road was swarmed with trucks, cars and SUVs’ searching with no lights on, for a camp with few clues.  Brad was now sharing a vehicle with him.   They passed another camp and Beaux felt the feeling even stronger.

“Stop” he shouted. “They’re in that one right there.  The only two story one. Can you see a name on it?”

They squinted and searched but the storm was too much.  “Call for back up, I know this is it.” Brad called for backup, making several attempts to get through but the storms were even messing with their radios. Beaux jumped out refusing to wait.  He waded through eight inches of water until he found the stairs leading up to the entrance. For once tonight he was thankful for the wind and rain that it would muffle his approach. He snaked up the stairs, the Kimber in front of him, ready to shoot if needed. He felt Brad approaching behind him. He reached the top and carefully stood, trying to peek in the window.  His instinct had paid off! Lacy sat in a chair facing Mrs. Landon and Levi. The two rogue adults laughed at something, clearly not expecting that anyone would find them in a now category four hurricane.  Somehow, he needed to get in without drawing attention. He saw a gun lying on the counter.  He would have to wait until they were not in reach of it.  He jumped back at the sound of a radio, realizing that Brad’s was working again. Brad stepped down a few steps, quickly alerting of location, asking for back up before the radios could die again.  Suddenly Levi picked up the gun and walked over to Lacy.

“Noooo!” A guttural scream came from Beaux.  He devised a quick plan and prayed to God it would work.  It was a simple plan, but time was of the essence for Lacy.  He took a deep breath and heaved his entire body into the door breaking it open. Levi looked up as he was counting on and in that split second of distraction, Beaux fired a shot and Levi fell to the ground.  Mrs. Landon reach for Levi’s fallen gun and Lacy jumped up kicking her in the back, knocking her over. Beaux ran over, grabbing the gun off the floor before she could come to and reach for it again.  He reached for Lacy enveloping her in his arms as tears of
receding fear and relief came freely from both. Brad was already cuffing Mrs. Landon. Levi was past a point of having life.  Back up arrived, but was no longer needed.   Beaux had promised he would protect Lacy with all means necessary and that he did.

There was work to be done at the scene but the bare minimum personnel remained.  The rest, along with Beaux and Lacy had to return for procedural questioning and statements and they had to go now before the bayou rose any higher. There fight wasn’t over yet as the road out was completely flooded. Lacy grabbed hold of Beaux for dear life, unwilling to give in after they survived all this.   Beaux got back in the truck backing it up and going the other way with no avail.  He saw no other way.  He spoke with the other officers who
also were stranded.  There was only one way out. “Lacy, do you trust me?”

“Yes
,” she answered unequivocally.

“Climb in the back bed of the truck.  That will bide us some time as the water rises.  The sheriff’s department is sending boats in from the other side.  We’re going to have to take them back over.”

Lacy nodded in agreement. Normally, riding a small boat down a flooded road in the middle of a category four storm would scare her. After tonight, this was mere survival without a thought to the fear. What seemed like hours, but was only minutes passed before the boats arrives.  The boat rocked from side to side as the wind whipped the water this way and that. At long last they made it to the other side, letting out a long sigh of relief. They were ushered into SUVs and given towels to dry off with and were still dripping wet when they reached the sheriff’s department and a kind receptionist brought them out a change of clothes. 

Beaux and Lacy gave their statements and were informed her father was also arrested tonight thanks to the truth of Levi coming to light. Mrs. Landon would be facing a host of charges once she was released from the hospital.   Detective Martin called and they spoke with him over the phone.  “We believe you two are no longer in danger.  It’s over now.” They hung up the phone in dire relief they had reached the end and now they could start on their beginning.

There in the Sheriff’s Office, wearing simple sweats and no shoes or socks, Beaux got down on one knee taking Lacy’s hand in his.

“Lacy Katelyn Landon, I promised you when this was over I would make you my wife. Now it’s over and I don’t want to wait another second. Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” she squealed as she jumped up and wrapped her arm around his neck, showering him in kisses.

Chapter 14:

Blue skies and calm wind greeted Southern Louisiana the following morning in a stark contrast to the hours prior.  Jared had driven through the night and met the newly engaged couple at the sheriff’s office.  He would take them home until the water receded and Beaux’s truck could be recovered.  They drove home surveying the damage around them.  Many houses were destroyed and trees were down creating an obstacle course on the road.

Beaux and Lacy sat together in the rear bench seat of Jared’s crew cab, too in love to notice the damage around them and finally able to release themselves completely to the gifts they were given. Jared glanced in the rearview mirror, pushing back the longing to find what his brother had found.

“Do you want to swing by the bar on the way home to check the damage?” he asked.

Beaux looked at Lacy before answering. “We may as well. Once we’re home, I’d like to stay home.”

The instant the bar came in view they knew it was a complete loss. The roof was gone, and a large tree had fallen, leaving only two walls standing.  They walked closer to investigate, confirming the extent of damage and that they would have to rebuild from scratch.

“I’m so sorry,” Lacy said to the brothers.

Beaux looked her straight in the eyes as he placed his hands on her shoulders. “The bar can be rebuilt.   There is nothing today that could take away from having you back with me, knowing that soon, you will be my wife.”

They left the bar with no intentions of dealing with it further for the day.  Beaux’s home had miraculously escaped all but minor damage and had no flooding. Lacy wanted to be alone with Beaux but they
still had matters to take care of.  Sara and Justin were on their way over, and Lacy knew that reunion was important as well as needed for all of them.

She put a pot of coffee brewing despite the warm temperatures and the three sat around the table while
waiting for Sara and Justin.

“Hey Jared, did you say Monica was the one who discovered Levi’s iden
tity?” Beaux asked his brother as bits of discarded thoughts from yesterday returned.

“Yes, I don’t know all the details yet though because I left for here before she was fully coherent.”

“So you’ve been in South Carolina with her all this time?” Beaux asked with raised eyebrows.

Jared’s face turned red as he realized his admission. Lacy grinned, knowing there was hope yet for him. 

“Have you talked to mom?” he asked his little brother, trying to change to conversation.

“Yes.  You need to call her
ASAP.  She hasn’t heard from you since your drunken phone call to her last week and she’s worried.  Thanks for spilling the beans again by the way.”

“Sorry little bro, I was in a rough spot, but I told you she’d be happy about the baby. I promise I’ll call her today and smooth things over.”

“She wants to have a family dinner soon.  Rafe is coming home and mom expects us all there, including Mary.”

“Sure thing.”

A knock on the door announced Sara and Justin’s arrival. Beaux let them in and Lacy and Sara ran to each other, clinging both to the joy in liberation they had found from their parents and grief as survivors from a traumatic ordeal. As Lacy relayed the details Sara flinched often, as she heard the truth about her mom and faced that her long awaited brother was now dead.

“Sara, there is something else I have to tell you. For what it’s worth, your dad wanted to come clean. He was going to break away from everything to do better for you and his grandchild.”

A single tear rolled down Sara’s cheek. Her heart was too hardened to grant any forgiveness for now, but a seed of healing had been planted.

That evening Lacy and Beaux were finally alone, cherishi
ng their every moment.  They sat outside on the patio, unable to walk through the rain-drenched yard.

Beaux knelt beside Lacy and pulled out a small box.

“Ma chère, I asked you last night if you would marry me.  You promised me a life together and you deserve to have a proper memory for the beginning of that life. We have had anything but a traditional romance. Time matters little when you know you have the found the answer to your prayers.  In our short time together we have faced trials that bonded us and will only make us stronger in the days ahead.   You are my life and my breath Lacy Katelyn. Will you accept this ring?” he opened the box to reveal a perfect princess diamond solitaire set in a platinum band.

She held her hand out for him
to slip the ring on, and then whispered in his ear, “You by dear Beaux are my Joie de Vivre.”

Epilogue:

Lacy and Sara set the table while Beaux and Justin debated the best way to carve the turkey. 

“Come on you two, the rest of the food is getting cold. Don’t make the women show you how to do it.”  Sara placed the bait and the men took it.  The final tray was added to the table and they sat down to eat.

Each couple beamed at each other, having so much to be thankful for this year. 

“Ouch,” cried Lacy.

Beaux’s eyebrows wrinkled in concern. “Are you okay Lacy?”

“Sorry, little Beaux soccer punched me in the ribs.” She took Beaux’s hand placing it where the baby was still kicking.  His hand remained, until the kicking subsided.

“Our boy will be strong and healthy,” he declared, interrupted by a knock on the door.  “That must be Jared. He said he was bringing a surprise.”

The End