Page 39 of Jethro

“Take her back,” he said to Cowboy.

“No. No, I want to hear the rest of this,” she said staring at Dustin.

“Aurora, this won’t be easy to hear.” She nodded at Dustin to continue. “She found your exact location. She placed a story in the local newspaper that a wealthy American southern heiress was in the region performing good works.”

“An-an heiress? I’m not an heiress,” she said.

“To them you were. They were planning to ask for ransom but when your parents refused to reply to them, things got ugly,” said Lawrence.

“Ugly? Ugly?” she yelled. “Is that what you call killing two innocent women? Beating, raping, torturing three more? Ugly? You knew and could have stopped it!”

“W-we’re sorry,” said Lawrence.

“Sorry? Sorry, doesn’t cut it. You were part of the problem. Part of the reason why I was left in that hut and watched my friends be brutalized. Two died there and one has since committed suicide. Were you even aware of that?” The two men said nothing, then Cade slammed a bat into the back of their knees. They both fell to the floor, on all fours like a dog.

“No! No, we didn’t know,” cried Dustin. “Please, don’t kill us. We’ll give you whatever you want!”

“You met with her parents after her father returned today,” said Ham staring down at them. Both men looked up, shocked that they knew. “What was said?”

“Her father was resigned to declare bankruptcy. Her mother was not. She wants it all and she doesn’t care how she gets it. I think your mother was always the one pulling the strings, she just did it behind the scenes in the most southerly, polite, lady-like way possible,” said Lawrence.

“For what it’s worth, we never wanted you harmed,” said Dustin.

“You’re lying,” said Aurora stepping closer. Cade pulled both men to their feet. “You planned to rape me, beat me, and keep me as a prisoner in whatever farce of a marriage was created for us. I know both of you. I know what kind of men you are. Don’t play innocent with me.

“You purchased me. You gave my parents money because you thought you would get me, do what you want with me, then kill me for the inheritance and trust. Lie to yourselves, lie to them, but you can’t lie to me.”

“Whatever money was owed to you is forgotten as of today,” said Ham.

“No! That money is ours!” yelled Lawrence.

“Yours?” frowned Gator gripping the man by his throat. “Shall I call the district attorney and give him the files about your businesses? The money you paid for a human being? That’s trafficking you sick little fucker. Shall I tell them about the rooms on the top floor of your hotel that are for special clients and their disgusting games with kids? Kids! Children as young as thirteen!”

“O-okay. Okay. I get it,” he said. “The money is forgotten.”

“You’re going to leave the state,” said Ham. “You’re going to leave New Orleans, you’re going to leave Louisiana. If I hear of you still having an address within a thousand miles of Aurora, I will end your life.”

“Understood,” said both men in unison. Behind them, Bodhi opened the door.

“We don’t have a car,” frowned Dustin.

“That’s right,” smirked Bodhi. “Better start walking. It’s getting cold out and the gators are hungry tonight.”

The two men left the diner and heard a buzzing behind them. When they turned a drone was following them, it’s bright lights suddenly turned directly on their faces.

The two men froze, unsure of what to do or if the drone was armed in some way. Then the silence of the night broke. A voice echoed in the swamp.

“Run.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

Carter pulled into the driveway a little after nine that night. For the second time in as many weeks, he sat in the dark car for twenty minutes before he could make himself go inside. The house had belonged to Missy's grandmother once, a white Greek Revival with black shutters and a wrought-iron gallery, and it had passed into Aurora's trust before Aurora could walk. He had never thought of it that way. He had always thought of it as his.

Missy was waiting in the front parlor beneath the portrait of her grandmother, a glass of Sancerre in one hand and her phone face down on the arm of the settee. She did not get up.

"You didn't answer," she said. "I called eleven times."

"I know."