Read Online Bayou Heat by Donna Kauffman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Donna Kauffman
Ads: Link
over her, making her rub her arms.
She closed the disquieting train of thought. She was here as a scientist and tonight
she had had great success. Personal revelations didn’t play a part in her role here.
She’d be wise to get that straight in her head right now.
To that end, she moved toward the edge of the woods, near the trail she and Teague
had taken to this spot. She’d find him, thank him for his help, and ask to be taken
home. She needed to sleep. Tomorrow wouldbring long hours of transcribing the taped conversation Belisaire had approved.
“Teague?” She kept her voice low. The only sounds she heard were the muted cries of
the nutria and other night creatures. She stepped a few feet down the path and called
his name again. Nothing.
She thought about going all the way back to the bateau, but even with her exceptional
navigational skills, she wasn’t foolish enough to enter the tangled web of trees on
her own. Teague had spent the better part of his childhood here, knew these trails
blindfolded.
Erin found it impossible not to give in to her curiosity about her guide, his intriguing
past, and the knowledge he must have of the voodoo practices in this area. She didn’t
even bother telling herself her interest was strictly scientific.
A rustling sound about ten yards to her left, then men’s muted voices, caught her
attention. She walked in that direction and discovered a small trail cut into the
dense stand of oak and gum trees. She’d gone several steps before she realized it
wasn’t Teague’s voice she heard.
“It has to be here by Sunday!”
The heated whisper had Erin stumbling to a halt. Not sure whether to make her presence
known or simply to retreat, she ended up hearing more.
“I’m trying, dammit.” This voice was louder, deeper than the first one. Both carried
an accent. Caribbean. Haitian maybe. Or something close.
“It’s not my fault the damn boat got caught in that tropical depression offshore.”
“Well, I have it set on my end. Unless you want to be gator bait, you get it here
by Sunday. Because if Customs noses in and I go down on this, I take you with me.”
Without realizing it, Erin backed slowly into the trees off the path. Her heart was
pounding. Drug trafficking? Or something just as illegal. She was sure of it.
Only one man emerged onto the path. Short, slight of build, and dressed in the same
white cotton pants and tunic as everyone else she’d seen tonight. Damn. Not much of
a description.
For what, Erin? That stopped her cold. What
was
she planning to do? Run to the local sheriff? Bring local and possibly federal law
enforcement attention here? Belisaire would shut down all communication in a heartbeat
as soon as she learned Erin had made the initial call.
Belisaire
. Erin swallowed. This was her property. Was she in on this? And what about—No. This
didn’t involve her. Whatever those men had planned was none of her business. She was
here to observe, to learn. Not get in the middle of a drug war.
She waited several more minutes, until she was sure she was alone, then stepped from
her hiding place.
And directly into Teague’s unyielding chest.
He balanced her weight against him by holding her shoulders. “What are you doing out
here, Erin?” The demand was cold and unflinching.
“Looking for you.” She wanted to move out of his grasp, but didn’t.
“Well, you found me. Now let’s get the hell out of here.”
Something about the way he said it, or maybe the way he scanned the area around them,
made Erin uneasy.
Just where had he been? What had he been doing back here?
“Where does this path lead anyway?” The question sounded far from casual, so she was
surprised when he answered her.
“To a boathouse another half mile past where we docked.”
She looked from the path to him. “Then why didn’t we dock there?”
“Belisaire was occupied earlier. She asked that we come in from the
She closed the disquieting train of thought. She was here as a scientist and tonight
she had had great success. Personal revelations didn’t play a part in her role here.
She’d be wise to get that straight in her head right now.
To that end, she moved toward the edge of the woods, near the trail she and Teague
had taken to this spot. She’d find him, thank him for his help, and ask to be taken
home. She needed to sleep. Tomorrow wouldbring long hours of transcribing the taped conversation Belisaire had approved.
“Teague?” She kept her voice low. The only sounds she heard were the muted cries of
the nutria and other night creatures. She stepped a few feet down the path and called
his name again. Nothing.
She thought about going all the way back to the bateau, but even with her exceptional
navigational skills, she wasn’t foolish enough to enter the tangled web of trees on
her own. Teague had spent the better part of his childhood here, knew these trails
blindfolded.
Erin found it impossible not to give in to her curiosity about her guide, his intriguing
past, and the knowledge he must have of the voodoo practices in this area. She didn’t
even bother telling herself her interest was strictly scientific.
A rustling sound about ten yards to her left, then men’s muted voices, caught her
attention. She walked in that direction and discovered a small trail cut into the
dense stand of oak and gum trees. She’d gone several steps before she realized it
wasn’t Teague’s voice she heard.
“It has to be here by Sunday!”
The heated whisper had Erin stumbling to a halt. Not sure whether to make her presence
known or simply to retreat, she ended up hearing more.
“I’m trying, dammit.” This voice was louder, deeper than the first one. Both carried
an accent. Caribbean. Haitian maybe. Or something close.
“It’s not my fault the damn boat got caught in that tropical depression offshore.”
“Well, I have it set on my end. Unless you want to be gator bait, you get it here
by Sunday. Because if Customs noses in and I go down on this, I take you with me.”
Without realizing it, Erin backed slowly into the trees off the path. Her heart was
pounding. Drug trafficking? Or something just as illegal. She was sure of it.
Only one man emerged onto the path. Short, slight of build, and dressed in the same
white cotton pants and tunic as everyone else she’d seen tonight. Damn. Not much of
a description.
For what, Erin? That stopped her cold. What
was
she planning to do? Run to the local sheriff? Bring local and possibly federal law
enforcement attention here? Belisaire would shut down all communication in a heartbeat
as soon as she learned Erin had made the initial call.
Belisaire
. Erin swallowed. This was her property. Was she in on this? And what about—No. This
didn’t involve her. Whatever those men had planned was none of her business. She was
here to observe, to learn. Not get in the middle of a drug war.
She waited several more minutes, until she was sure she was alone, then stepped from
her hiding place.
And directly into Teague’s unyielding chest.
He balanced her weight against him by holding her shoulders. “What are you doing out
here, Erin?” The demand was cold and unflinching.
“Looking for you.” She wanted to move out of his grasp, but didn’t.
“Well, you found me. Now let’s get the hell out of here.”
Something about the way he said it, or maybe the way he scanned the area around them,
made Erin uneasy.
Just where had he been? What had he been doing back here?
“Where does this path lead anyway?” The question sounded far from casual, so she was
surprised when he answered her.
“To a boathouse another half mile past where we docked.”
She looked from the path to him. “Then why didn’t we dock there?”
“Belisaire was occupied earlier. She asked that we come in from the
Similar Books
