Bayou Sunset (Agents of HIS #4)

Chapter Twenty-Six

AS DAISY MAE gazed at the wreckage in her living room, a pang of despair welled, but she pushed it aside. She had always believed that dwelling on negative emotions was an obstacle to progress. With a deep breath, she resolved to tackle the chaos and continue her life. Yet, tears streamed down her face, and she was sure Steve had noticed them as he walked past.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she strengthened her determination to solve the mystery and restore balance to her life. Mario.

Excited and determined, she eagerly anticipated the opportunity to search Mario’s boat that night because Steve and his friends had refused to assist her. They embraced the virtues of honor, law, justice, and other similar ideals. Their boat hadn’t been the one that exploded, and their homes hadn’t been ransacked not once but twice. Frustrated and determined, she had reached her limit and decided to gather evidence and build a case against Mario, if necessary, to end his actions.

By the time Steve came out of the shower, she had tidied up the living room and her bedroom. Despite its imperfections, her home was a sanctuary she cherished dearly. While material possessions could be destroyed, her unwavering love for her home remained indestructible.

Feeling embarrassed after shedding tears earlier, Daisy Mae could not meet Steve’s gaze. Instead, she lowered her head and made her way to the kitchen. “I be making us some dinner.”

“I be glad to help.”

“ Non! ” She realized she’d already screamed it and softened her reply. “ Non . I’ll cook. Ya relax. Ya worked hard today.” He had bravely worked to halt the spread of the fire and rescued her remaining possessions from the water. He had to be exhausted.

“So did ya,” he said from the doorway to the kitchen.

As she turned, her eyes locked with his, and a surge of heat coursed through her veins at the mere sight of him. He dressed entirely in black, sporting a fresh black ball cap. She assumed it was new, considering it didn’t carry the faint scent of smoke. Did he bring a new one on every trip? How odd and anal.

“I be fine. Now, go. Talk to the people ya need to talk to to get some answers. I will cook.” She lightly pushed him to get him out of the kitchen.

At first, she thought he’d catch her hands, but he let her remove him from the room.

“I do need to catch up with Grits. Are ya sure it be okay?”

“ Oui. ” She turned and opened the small pantry, hoping something was left to cook. All her meat and seafood had been spoiled, so packaged food it was. She looked over her scant options and decided on a meatless jambalaya, peas she’d canned, and homemade biscuits. It wasn’t gourmet, but it would fill their gullets.

The first thing she did was boil some water to make tea. She longed for a tall, chilled glass of iced tea to soothe her parched throat. Despite drinking water all day to stay hydrated, nothing could match the revitalizing taste of sweet, iced tea.

Next, she began working on dinner. It took just over half an hour to prepare everything, but she had managed to crush the powder for Steve’s drink. Despite feeling guilty, she knew she had no choice but to search the boat tonight. With more people arriving tomorrow, she couldn’t wait, no matter how she felt.

“Dinner be ready,” she shouted to Steve, who had been on the phone nearly the entire time she’d been grinding and cooking.

“Hmm. Smells good.”

Daisy Mae was startled as she felt someone sneak up on her. She couldn’t believe he had approached her so silently. She hoped he hadn’t seen her grinding the sleeping powder with the surviving mortar and pestle.

“Grab ya a plate and bring it to the table.” She fixed herself a plate and grabbed water instead of iced tea. She’d had some before she added the sleeping powder to it for Steve. She hoped it was just enough, not too much. She didn’t want to harm him, only make him sleep so she could sneak away.

“Interesting mix of things for dinner, but good,” Steve said, grabbing a mouthful of biscuits. Her brothers had always said she made the best biscuits in the family.

She smiled and served him more iced tea. By the end of dinner, he was yawning.

Steve pushed his chair from the table and stretched. “Rocket, that be the best meal me had today.”

Beaming, she picked up their plates and headed to the kitchen.

“Ya cooked, I clean,” he said behind her.

“ Non. Ya be more tired than me. Go lie down, and I be right there.”

He yawned again, and she inwardly smiled. Not long now. “Go, Steve. I already cleaned all but our plates.”

“Okay. If ya be sure.”

Daisy Mae nodded. “I be there in a minute. I need to wash these real fast-like.” A dishwasher was on her list of kitchen upgrades, but she had become skilled at handwashing quickly.

She carefully scrubbed each dish, letting the warm water and soapy suds soothe her thoughts. After meticulously wiping down the table and counters, she straightened the kitchen towels, purposely taking her time. Eventually, she leisurely made her way to the bedroom, savoring each step as a moment of respite in her busy day.

As she arrived in her bedroom, she smiled at a snoring Steve, still dressed, on the covers of her bed. “Steve?” she called to confirm he was good and out cold.

When he didn’t answer, grunt, or move, she knew this was her chance. Daisy Mae quickly rushed to her ornate wooden dresser, her hands skimming over the smooth surface in search of the perfectly coordinated outfit. She carefully chose a sleek pair of black shorts and a matching black tank top from the neatly folded clothes. A few moments later, she stepped over to her closet, where an array of hats awaited her. After a brief perusal, she discovered a predominantly black hat with striking white lettering, which she knew would complement her outfit flawlessly for the occasion. She almost snorted out loud for ensuring she matched for this outing.

She felt ready when she donned her short, black combat boots with black socks. At least, she’d dressed the part. Once again, when she called for Steve, she was relieved when he appeared out for the count. She didn’t know how long she had, but she had to make the most of each moment.

Grabbing the keys to the truck from by the front door, she quietly snuck from the house. She planned to thoroughly search Mario’s boat tonight, knowing she wouldn’t have any time to herself after the other agents arrived.

As Daisy Mae carefully steered the truck near the dock, she couldn’t help but notice the bustling activity at Duke’s. Clearly, the business was thriving, with customers coming and going steadily. She hoped no one saw her sneaking around the boats.

Daisy Mae’s heart pounded in her chest as uncertainty clouded her thoughts. However, her emotions quickly shifted when she realized the vacant space where Seas the Day had been anchored. Anger surged within her once more.

As she exited the truck, she tugged her cap down low and cautiously glanced around, scanning the empty dock to ensure no one was present. Given that no one resided on their boats, it seemed unlikely that any owners would be nearby.

Using the flashlight from her phone, she made her way to Mario’s boat, Paroles du village . She always thought “Talk of the Town” was a silly name for a boat, but clients loved it.

With her heart pounding so loudly that she couldn’t hear anything but its relentless beat, she leaped onto the bow of Mario’s boat. She stood motionless for a moment, scanning her surroundings for any lingering patrons from the bar. Not a soul was in sight, confirming that she had evaded any potential encounters.

As Daisy Mae approached the cockpit and stepped inside, she knew she was running out of time. Steve could wake up soon and realize that she was gone. Once he did, he would send all the men out to look for her, and more than just the women would arrive tomorrow.

If only she knew what evidence she needed to show them that it was Mario.

Before she could even take a single step toward her search, a strong hand suddenly covered her mouth from behind, sending a jolt of fear through her body.