Page 56 of Kidnapped in Dark Waters
Daniel opened the door and as he and Luke walked into the office, Burt jumped up from behind his desk. “Chief LeCroix… Officer Madison,” he said with surprise. “What can I do for you?”
“We have a few questions for you,” Daniel replied.
“Questions about what?” Burt asked. He sank back down behind his desk and gestured them to two chairs in front of it. But Luke and Daniel remained standing.
“Dominique Santori,” Daniel said.
Burt once again looked surprised. “What about her?”
“When was the last time you saw her?”
Luke stared at the man, looking for any signs of deception.
“Uh… I guess it was the day before yesterday when I went in for a late breakfast. Why? Has something happened to her?”
“She’s been kidnapped,” Luke blurted out.
“What?” Burt stared at Luke and then back at Daniel. “Oh my God. What can I do to help?”
“Nothing at this point,” Daniel replied. “What were you doing last night around eight?”
“I was at the office working overtime to get things ready for the upcoming fall festival,” Burt replied.
“Did anyone see you there?” Daniel asked.
“I’m not sure but I think Margaret Delaney might have seen me. I think she was working late that night, too,” Burt said.
Luke shifted from foot to foot as a deep anxiety filled him. It was time to get moving…but get moving where?
They finally left Burt’s place and headed to the café. “We need to question all the people who were working in the kitchen last night,” Daniel said. “Maybe one of them saw something that might help us in our search. Whoever took her had to have had a vehicle. Maybe somebody saw it.”
By that time Clay called and told them that Austin was at work in the library. His alibi was that he had been at the Voodoo Lounge the night before and it had been two days since he’d seen Dominique. Clay was headed to the bar now to check out the alibi.
When they reached the café, several of the busboys who had been at work last night were there. Daniel interviewed them one at a time, but none of them had seen or heard anything from the parking lot the night before.
It was almost seven o’clock when they went back into the station. When they walked through the front door, Angelique and Monique were there, both frantic with fear for their sister.
“Any news?” Angelique asked, her light brown eyes simmering with emotion.
“Not yet,” Daniel replied.
It would be dark soon and the darkness crept into Luke’s very soul. If they didn’t find her soon, then this would be the second night she’d be with her kidnapper.
The very idea tortured him. What was she going through? She had to be scared out of her mind. The thought of her frightened tore him up inside.
“Luke, I’ve changed my mind. I think we need to head into the swamp and check out Jacob Benoit and Oliver LeBoeuf. No stone left unturned, right?”
“Right,” Luke replied.
Daniel turned back to the two women. “Go home,” he told them. “I promise I’ll call you both with any news we get. There’s nothing you can do here.”
He reached out and touched Angelique’s cheek. It was the same way Luke had touched Dominique and it brought the sting of tears to his eyes.
The four of them left the station together. Angelique and Monique headed to their homes and Luke and Daniel with three other patrolmen headed for the swamp.
Luke was grateful Daniel turned on his lights and siren, indicating it was an emergency. Itwasan emergency. It didn’t take long for them to reach the swamp entrance.
They all got out of their cars and pulled flashlights against the encroaching twilight shadows. Daniel led the way and the rest of the men followed him on the narrow path.
