Page 77 of Beau
“It’s about to get interesting around here,” Marceaux said. He nodded to Slash.
The hitman waded into the water, opened the bucket and dumped it a little at a time, backing out of the water and up the bank toward Aurelie.
She could smell the stench of rotten fish entrails. Her pulse raced when she realized what he was doing.
Slash was chumming the water to lure alligators.
Marceaux’s cell phone chirped with an incoming text. “It’s done. Anderson just made an announcement on television that he’s withdrawing from the race.” He looked up. “Our work here is done.”
“What about her?” Slash asked.
“No one will find her in time,” Marceaux said. “The alligators will take care of the rest.”
The five men climbed into the boat and left the island and Aurelie.
She hadn’t untangled the knot, she didn’t have a way off the island other than to swim—and were those eyes reflecting the starlight, floating just above the water toward the chum…toward her?
Aurelie worked harder to loosen the knot. With an alligator eating its way through the chum and moving closer with each passing second, she didn’t have time. Every second mattered, and more floating eyes joined the first pair, all looking for the free meal.
Aurelie vowed that she would not be the next entrée.
“The tracking device hasn’t moved for a while. We’re getting closer,” Beau said. “It should be less than a quarter mile from here. It has to be where they’re holding Aurelie.”
“It has to be the place,” Lucas said. “I haven’t seen any signs along the way that would indicate she’s been there.”
“Should we slow down, maybe cut the engines and float in silently?” Remy suggested.
Beau resisted the idea. The sooner they got there, the sooner they could rescue Aurelie.
Suddenly, the blue dot moved, heading away from them. “They’re on the move.”
Remy pushed the throttle forward, increasing the speed.
They curved through narrow channels, ducked beneath low-hanging tree branches and emerged into a small lagoon, nearly ramming into half a dozen alligators, writhing, twisting and fighting over pieces of something floating in the water.
Some of the creatures were on the shore, also eating.
Beau stared in horror. What were they eating?
Remy pulled out a pistol and fired off several rounds, not aiming at anything in particular.
The noise had the desired effect, or they’d run out of whatever they’d been consuming. The half dozen or more alligators slipped into the water and swam away.
Remy ran the front of the airboat up onto the shore and cut the engine. Silence reigned.
“Aurelie!” Beau shouted. Please don’t let us be too late. “Aurelie!”
“I’m here,” a voice called out from somewhere in the branches of a tree.
Beau leaped out and ran for the tree, keeping a wary eye out for more alligators.
When he reached the tree, he peered up into the dark branches. “Hey, babe, are you all right?”
“I am now,” she said, dropping to the ground and into his arms. “I wasn’t so sure a few minutes ago.” She nodded toward the rope wrapped around the tree. “That was too close.”
Beau crushed her to him and held her there, remembering how to breathe. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “I was supposed to protect you, and I didn’t.”
“No,” she said. “It was my fault. I shouldn’t have gone chasing after criminals. And I shouldn’t have dragged you along.” She cupped his face and kissed him. “I was so worried. I didn’t know what had happened to you.” She kissed him again. “One minute, I was holding Lady; the next, we were flying through the air. I didn’t even see them coming.” Her eyes rounded. “Oh my God. Lady!”