Read Online Murder in the Marsh by Ramsey Coutta - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ramsey Coutta
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water had been retrieved, tied up, and stacked on the docks. Shrimp and oyster boats were tied down, and windows for the homes boarded. It reminded Daniel of a shuttered up old western town when the villain came riding in.
Thirteen
After he left Daniel and Rachel, Sheriff Holet directed the junior deputy to continue notifying residents of the need to evacuate. He told the deputy he was going to check on the traffic flow to see if everything was going smoothly. He drove north toward Happy Jack and then pulled off an unused side street. He pulled his car far enough down the foliage-covered lane that it would be difficult to see from the road. He then turned the cruiser to face the highway. He wanted to be certain that Trahan left the parish as he said he would. After about twenty minutes, he observed Trahan’s truck pass by and the teacher’s vehicle following. Holet gave them enough time to proceed further down the highway, and then he pulled out and followed at a safe distance. Just when they were about out of the Port Sulphur city limits, he saw Trahan signal to turn left, and then turn on to Happy Jack Lane. The teacher followed.
Holet cursed to himself. “They’re still at it,” he thought. Why can’t they just leave it alone! Let the past remain in the past.” He turned off too. After Trahan and Rachel pulled down into the marina where they could no longer see him, Holet parked along the side of the street. He would wait until they had enough time to put in, then he would follow in the Marine Search and Rescue patrol boat. The boat had already been hoisted high out of the water inside a boat shed to ride out the hurricane, but was fully fueled and ready to go in case of an emergency.
A plan began to form in the Sheriff’s mind. A plan that would rid him of this threat from the past, and preserve his integrity and good standing. A plan that would protect his career and his family. Trahan had to go.
Sheriff Holet rolled down his window and listened for the telltale sound of boat motors starting up. Before he heard anything, someone in a small truck came over the levee and across the drainage canal bridge. Holet got out of the cruiser and pulled the man over when he came near. He motioned for the man to roll down his window. He recognized him as Hank Jaspers, the manager of the marina.
“Did you see a man in a four-door truck and a woman in red Sentra pull into the marina?” Holet asked.
“Sure did, Sheriff. A man and a woman are there right now. They’re in the process of launching.”
“What for? Where are they going?”
“They said they’re going to rescue a woman and her two children stranded out in Grand Bayou village.”
Holet thought about this. It sounded plausible. Probably Mrs. LeBlanc. Then again, it could be a lie and a cover for their continued investigation into the death of James Trahan.
“All right. You can head on Hank. Get that family to safety, you hear.”
“Sure, Sheriff. Will do.” He drove off.
Holet continued to listen for the sound of the boat motors. Shortly, he heard them roar to life and then recede as the boat pulled further away. He started his cruiser and drove over the drainage canal bridge and on top of the levee. Parked near the marina were Trahan’s truck and trailer and the red Sentra. Someone had pulled a thick wire across the entrance and connected it to a metal pole. Holet got out and possessing an extra key to the marina, he unlocked and lowered the cable across the drive. He pulled through, reattached the cable, and then drove down to the marina. The Sheriff’s boat shed was on the opposite side of the canal, but it was easy enough to walk around to it, since the canal did not extend any further than the levee. As Holet looked down Happy Jack Canal, he could see Trahan’s boat in the distance as it neared Grand Bayou Canal. He saw the boat veer to the right toward the
Thirteen
After he left Daniel and Rachel, Sheriff Holet directed the junior deputy to continue notifying residents of the need to evacuate. He told the deputy he was going to check on the traffic flow to see if everything was going smoothly. He drove north toward Happy Jack and then pulled off an unused side street. He pulled his car far enough down the foliage-covered lane that it would be difficult to see from the road. He then turned the cruiser to face the highway. He wanted to be certain that Trahan left the parish as he said he would. After about twenty minutes, he observed Trahan’s truck pass by and the teacher’s vehicle following. Holet gave them enough time to proceed further down the highway, and then he pulled out and followed at a safe distance. Just when they were about out of the Port Sulphur city limits, he saw Trahan signal to turn left, and then turn on to Happy Jack Lane. The teacher followed.
Holet cursed to himself. “They’re still at it,” he thought. Why can’t they just leave it alone! Let the past remain in the past.” He turned off too. After Trahan and Rachel pulled down into the marina where they could no longer see him, Holet parked along the side of the street. He would wait until they had enough time to put in, then he would follow in the Marine Search and Rescue patrol boat. The boat had already been hoisted high out of the water inside a boat shed to ride out the hurricane, but was fully fueled and ready to go in case of an emergency.
A plan began to form in the Sheriff’s mind. A plan that would rid him of this threat from the past, and preserve his integrity and good standing. A plan that would protect his career and his family. Trahan had to go.
Sheriff Holet rolled down his window and listened for the telltale sound of boat motors starting up. Before he heard anything, someone in a small truck came over the levee and across the drainage canal bridge. Holet got out of the cruiser and pulled the man over when he came near. He motioned for the man to roll down his window. He recognized him as Hank Jaspers, the manager of the marina.
“Did you see a man in a four-door truck and a woman in red Sentra pull into the marina?” Holet asked.
“Sure did, Sheriff. A man and a woman are there right now. They’re in the process of launching.”
“What for? Where are they going?”
“They said they’re going to rescue a woman and her two children stranded out in Grand Bayou village.”
Holet thought about this. It sounded plausible. Probably Mrs. LeBlanc. Then again, it could be a lie and a cover for their continued investigation into the death of James Trahan.
“All right. You can head on Hank. Get that family to safety, you hear.”
“Sure, Sheriff. Will do.” He drove off.
Holet continued to listen for the sound of the boat motors. Shortly, he heard them roar to life and then recede as the boat pulled further away. He started his cruiser and drove over the drainage canal bridge and on top of the levee. Parked near the marina were Trahan’s truck and trailer and the red Sentra. Someone had pulled a thick wire across the entrance and connected it to a metal pole. Holet got out and possessing an extra key to the marina, he unlocked and lowered the cable across the drive. He pulled through, reattached the cable, and then drove down to the marina. The Sheriff’s boat shed was on the opposite side of the canal, but it was easy enough to walk around to it, since the canal did not extend any further than the levee. As Holet looked down Happy Jack Canal, he could see Trahan’s boat in the distance as it neared Grand Bayou Canal. He saw the boat veer to the right toward the
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