Bayou Sunset (Agents of HIS #4)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

“SHH,” CAME A whispered voice in Daisy Mae’s ear, unfamiliar to her.

As she braced to retaliate, she suddenly caught a sound from above. A faint noise indicated that someone was present on the deck. Two threats were before her, creating a palpable sense of unease. The overwhelming odds were stacked against her, but she was determined to muster every ounce of strength and resourcefulness to break free from the clutches of the one restraining her and the other ominously positioned on the deck.

The voice whispered again in her ear, a soft, cautionary sound. This time, she recognized it immediately. Ash’s voice echoed in the air, making her wonder if he had followed her. She quickly contemplated if this meant Steve was on deck but dismissed the possibility. She reasoned that Ash wouldn’t silence her from a friend.

As the steps from above approached the stairway, Ash guided them into the lavatory, which was a tight space. She was pressed against him, and unlike Steve, it wasn’t as comfortable.

Daisy Mae interpreted a string of French words that flew through the air. Mario. As he combed through the lower deck of his boat, Daisy Mae couldn’t shake off the unsettling thought that someone else might have maliciously planted explosives on her boat instead unless Mario expected a retaliatory strike from her and her friends.

If Mario wasn’t the one, then who could it be? She was confident it couldn’t be the treasure hunter, as she didn’t possess the map—her brothers did. Then again, their place had also been ransacked.

The beads of sweat trickled down her back, and her heart raced with anxiety. She couldn’t shake the fear that Mario would soon inspect the small lavatory where she and Ash had taken cover. She was consumed with worry about what would happen if he found them. Would he jump to the conclusion that she was the one responsible for planting the explosives?

As Mario meticulously checked the boat, his frustrated mutterings in a rapid string of incomprehensible French words indicated his inebriation. His speech was slurred, making it evident that he had been drinking.

As Daisy Mae slowly realized that Casper’s hand was still covering her mouth, she cautiously raised her hand and carefully removed his. As she did so, her elbow inadvertently knocked against the wall with a soft thud, sending a jolt of dread through her. Her heart raced, worried that the noise may have alerted Mario to their presence.

She stood frozen in paralyzing fear, a sick feeling in her stomach, anticipating the creak of the door opening and the inevitable moment of being caught snooping. However, to her immense relief, that moment never came.

The next sound that reached her ears was initially unfamiliar, but despite this, she made the conscious decision to remain still.

Then Ash—no, he’d earned his nickname Casper by sneaking up on her—murmured, “Well, hell.” He leaned close to her ear, his breath warm against her skin, and softly commanded, “Stay quiet.” She desperately clutched at his arm as he reached for the doorknob, but he callously shook her off. At that moment, she couldn’t help but wonder what kind of bodyguard he was about to jeopardize their safety like this.

Casper whispered, “He’s asleep,” as he slowly turned the doorknob and peered out, checking both directions to ensure it was safe. After confirming that the coast was clear, he carefully emerged from their hiding spot and extended his hand to help her out as well.

She couldn’t believe it. As she entered the room, she saw Mario lying face down on his bed, fast asleep and snoring loudly. She shook her head, amazed at his ability to sleep through anything. She had come perilously close to being discovered while searching through his boat. She felt immense relief from Casper’s unexpected intervention. Nevertheless, she resolved to have a serious conversation with him once it was safe to do so regarding his decision to tail her.

Daisy Mae cautiously halted her search, realizing the danger of continuing further. She quietly trailed behind Casper, following his soft footsteps up the ladder and onto the deck. As they reached the pier, they quickened their pace, their footsteps echoing in the stillness of the night. After a while, Daisy felt they had put enough distance between themselves and any potential eavesdroppers. She came to a stop, preparing herself to confront Casper finally.

“Why do ya follow me?” she hurled at him, anger bleeding into every syllable.

Casper shifted his weight back onto his heels and arched his eyebrows, giving off an air of familiarity with being challenged by a woman. “Because you needed it,” he responded confidently.

She truly needed it, although he had no idea at the time. Even as Mario frantically searched his boat, she couldn’t shake the feeling in her bones that it was him. As she needed to search his home, the opportune moment had arrived: he was inebriated and passed out on his boat. How could she possibly rid herself of Casper? Alternatively, was there a way she could persuade him to accompany her on the search?

“What have you done to Romeo? He would never have permitted you to depart unaccompanied.”

She likely couldn’t count on his help when it came to searching Mario’s home, so she contemplated how she could remove him from the situation. With Steve and Mario both sleeping blissfully, now was the perfect time. She had to try to convince Casper of that point.

“He just sleeps.” She silently prayed that he was still deep in slumber. If he were to awaken and find her absent, she knew there would be a storm of fury to face.

“Uh-huh. Did you hit him on the head or something? Is he hurt?”

“ Non. ” She had done the “or something” but wouldn’t admit it. “Ya can go now. I be fine. I be going to visit me frères at the bar.”

“Right, and I’m the tooth fairy.”

“I no see wings,” she teased.

Casper narrowed his eyes. “You’re going to Mario’s house now, right?”

“ Non! ” she nearly shouted, giving herself away.

“That’s it. We’re heading back,” Casper directed.

“I no go, and ya can’t make me,” she said. “Tonight be the only night I can search. Since ya bunch of wusses won’t do it, I must.”

“Wusses? Are you kidding? We won’t do it because it breaks the law, Daisy Mae.”

“Well, I no care about dat. I will prove Mario blew up me bateau .”

“So,” Casper said, narrowing his eyes, “you won’t go home now?”

Daisy Mae shook her head. “I be safe with Mario sleeping. Don’t ya get it? He be the one.”

Casper let out a heavy sigh and addressed Daisy Mae, “We have our doubts about him. After seeing his behavior tonight, I’m even less inclined to believe he’s the one who blew up your boat.”

Daisy Mae was seething with frustration, her urge to throw a fit and stomp her foot almost overwhelming. Why couldn’t they see the truth? She had a history with Mario, but they chose not to believe her. It was clear to her that Mario was trying to push her out of the picture so that his charter could dominate the bayou without any competition.

“I no believe you. I know it be him.”

Casper shrugged. “It doesn’t matter what you believe now. What matters is we get you home and check on Romeo. Now, let’s go.”

She planted her hands firmly on her hips and defiantly held her ground, shaking her head. “ Non ,” she exclaimed. Determined not to return home empty-handed, she would go to Mario’s house to thoroughly search for evidence.

Casper arched a brow. “Is that right? Okay, we do it the hard way.”

In a whirlwind of confusion, Daisy Mae suddenly found herself effortlessly lifted over Casper’s shoulder. As she came to terms with this unexpected turn of events, she gazed down at his broad, T-shirt-covered back.

She pounded on his back, anger flooding her veins. “Put me down,” she exclaimed.

“Not happening. You’re going home like a good little girl, and we’re checking on my friend.”

“Put me down, Casper.”

“Looks like you finally got my name right.”

Daisy Mae rolled her eyes in frustration, wondering who cared about his name. All she wanted was to be set down, and she wanted it to happen immediately.

He paid her no attention as he briskly walked along the pier. Daisy Mae resigned herself to the realization that she would be lifted and carried to her vehicle, feeling like a wayward child.

It finally dawned on her to ask, “How ya know where I be?”

“Didn’t Romeo tell you? I’m your bodyguard while he sleeps. I’ve been watching your place and saw you sneak out.”

When she got home, Steve would have a lot to answer for. She was confident that he wouldn’t be pleased when he discovered that she had drugged him to search Mario’s boat.

She wondered if her actions would drive him away. Although she didn’t seek protection, she longed for Steve to stand by her. Did she make a major mistake tonight?

Maybe her tooth fairy would carry her to a world where things were perfect.