FBI Agent Jade Monroe: Live or Die 01-Blood in the Bayou Read online

  “If only Sheila hadn’t left early,” Gayle said, “maybe that guy wouldn’t have taken her seat. It’s obvious that he saw an opportunity.”

  “That’s true that he saw an opportunity to talk to a woman and buy her drinks, but it doesn’t mean he abducted her.” I shrugged. “They walked out at the same time, yet we didn’t see Carla use her phone to call a rideshare company prior to that. We’ll follow up with companies around town tomorrow.” I tapped the screenshot I’d printed out. “We’ll also show this picture to Sheila and ask if she remembers seeing the guy in the bar. We’ll let you know about the DNA as soon as possible.”

  Renz walked Gayle out while I called the garage to ask about the Explorer. As I waited for him to return, I packed up our gear for the night, tossed our coffee cups and food wrappers in the trash, and checked my messages. Amber had texted me while I was out, and I would get back to her later from the hotel.

  Minutes later, the door opened, and Renz walked in. “What do we know?”

  “We know the tires are repaired, and I’m ready for bed.” I grabbed my briefcase and laptop and headed to the door. “They said they were bringing the Explorer over right now.”

  “Good enough. Let’s get out of here. It’s been a long day.”

  “We have to drop off Carla’s DNA samples at the forensic lab before we head to the hotel.”

  He groaned. “Oh, yeah, there’s still that.”

  It was ten thirty by the time we parted ways at our hotel rooms. After a relaxing hot shower, I snuggled up in bed and grabbed my phone. I tapped Amber’s name in my contact list and waited as the phone rang on her end. She picked up seconds later.

  “Hey, Sis, how’s the investigation going?”

  “Not getting the leads I was hoping for. It’s a slow process, especially when some of the evidence has been out in the elements for weeks or longer. What’s going on back home?”

  “Same old thing. Unfortunately, we’re getting too many calls for domestic violence cases. Jack says it’s the times we’re living in. There’s been a rash of home burglaries too.”

  “He’s probably right. Their way of life is really different down here. Kind of like what happens in Louisiana stays in Louisiana.”

  “That’s creepy, and it would make your investigation tougher.”

  “Yep, although I met a guy tonight who says he’s the best hunter and tracker in these parts. He could be helpful. Also, the sheriff said something that sticks in my craw.”

  Amber laughed. “Do humans have craws?”

  “Who the hell knows, but he mentioned how some people are into black magic in these parts. I mean, I’ve heard that said about the New Orleans area, so it’s possible, then mix that with the reclusive bayou people who want nothing to do with outsiders and—”

  “And you have a made-for-TV horror movie.”

  I laughed. “That would be funny if there wasn’t a real possibility of it being true. Anyway, I’m beat, and it’s late. I need some sleep, and I bet you do too. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow night.” I said good night and clicked off the call. After punching my pillow, I turned off the light, sucked in a long breath, and released it slowly. I briefly thought about tomorrow then drifted off.

  Chapter 27

  The heavy blanket of humidity prevented the swollen wooden door from closing tightly. Robby sat outside in a camp chair and took sips from his first cup of coffee that morning. He thought about last night and his “accidental” meeting with Agent Monroe. It went exactly as he’d hoped, and he reeled her in like a catfish on a line. His motto was to keep his enemies close. He didn’t need the first half of that proverb since he didn’t have friends to begin with.

  I don’t have a job either for that matter, but that’s something I’ll keep close to the vest. That little missy, Jade Monroe, doesn’t need to know more about me than I want her to. I’ll decide what I tell her, and most of it’s going to be bullshit, anyway.

  With his cup in hand, Robby walked to the bayou’s edge, picked up a broken branch, and tossed it into the murky swamp. A lightning-fast snap of the gator’s teeth and the branch disappeared underwater. It bobbed up seconds later.

  Fooled you once, shame on me, fooled you twice, shame on you. Dumb reptile, I’ve fooled you a hundred times.

  He walked to the camp stove, lit the burner, and pulled the carton of eggs out of the cooler.

  Only two left. Guess I’ll be doing some shopping while I’m in town, courtesy of Carla Moline.

  With his knife in hand, Robby stabbed a chunk of butter and flicked it into the hot frying pan. The butter melted quickly, then he cracked both eggs and dropped them in. As the whites solidified and sizzled, he pushed them to the side with a spatula. Robby needed room for the slab of meat that was going in next.

  After eating, he checked the time—8:42. He had to decide whether to call the agent or not. With his mind made up, Robby drove the short distance into Dulac, made the call, and picked up a few items from the grocery store.

  While on the phone, the agent asked if he was willing to work with them, and if he was, would he be able to meet them at the Houma Sheriff’s Office at nine thirty. After agreeing, Robby dropped off the groceries, tossed Pete a bone to gnaw on, pocketed his flipper knife, and left.

  Grinning as he drove the half-hour distance to Houma, Robby imagined the next few days. Jade Monroe wouldn’t see it coming, and the look of sheer panic that would cross her face when she realized she couldn’t save herself would be photo worthy.

  Too bad I don’t have a phone. I’d have an album filled with pictures by now. They’d be something I could look at and reminisce over while I sit outside and enjoy my evening beer.

  When he arrived, Robby parked his truck in one of the five visitors’ spots at the sheriff’s office, got out, and ran his fingers through his four-day-unwashed hair. He took a sniff of each armpit, shook his head, and continued on. Inside the main entrance, he walked to the counter and asked a deputy for Agent Monroe—she was expecting him.

  “Your name, sir?”

  Shit, I hadn’t planned for that.

  “Bob Hebert.”

  Because Hebert was the most common last name in Louisiana—nearly as common as Smith anywhere else—Robby blurted it out. He’d have to stick with the name.

  “One moment, Mr. Hebert. I’ll see if Agent Monroe is available.”

  Robby nodded and paced the waiting area.

  Seconds later, Jade appeared from the rear hallway with her hand extended. “Bob, it’s good to see you again, and thank you. We definitely appreciate any input you can give us.” She gave him a wide smile. “And thanks again for the ride last night.”

  “It’s my pleasure to do whatever I can for the FBI, ma’am.”

  Jade pointed at the other agent in the room. “Bob, this is my partner, SSA Lorenzo DeLeon.”

  Robby reached out and shook the agent’s hand. He’d already knew him by face after following them around town but couldn’t remember his first name. “Nice to meet you, sir.”

  “Likewise, Bob.” The agent pointed at the chair that faced them. “Have a seat and tell us about yourself.”

  Robby pulled out the chair and sat. He wanted to appear accommodating, informative, and courteous. It would be worth it in the end.

  “Name is Bob Hebert—a relatively common surname in this neck of the woods.” He chuckled. “Likely a hundred men named Bob Hebert in Terrebonne Parish alone, I’d imagine. Keep to myself, a family man, I’d say. Don’t often get in anyone’s business, but when Agent Monroe asked if I would consider consulting with you, well, damn, it would be anyone’s dream come true to help the FBI.”

  “What do you do for a living, Bob?” Renz asked.

  “I work the graveyard shift as a warehouse stocker in Bobtown, about twenty minutes south of here.”

  Jade laughed. “That would be funny if you lived in Bobtown. Guess you can’t make that stuff up. Right, Bob?”

  His face lit up. “No, ma’am, you reall
y can’t make that up.”

  Jade continued. “I’ve noticed there are a number of cities in the area with unique names. I like that.”

  Robby nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

  She wagged her finger. “Go ahead and call me Jade. People call my mom ma’am, and I’m not quite that old yet.”

  “Sure thing, if that’s what you want.”

  Renz continued. “So where do you live, Bob?”

  “Right now, since my wife got laid off, we’re staying with her sister and brother-in-law in Woodlawn, just south of Mechanicville. Fallen on hard times for a bit, but we’ll get through it.”

  Jade cut in. “I’m sure we can work out a fifty-dollar-a-day compensation for you.”

  “That’d be really nice, Jade, and thank you. My sister-in-law will appreciate the help with groceries.”

  Renz took notes as he asked questions. “Do you know why we’re in Houma?”

  “Not entirely, sir, but I’d expect it to be a serious situation. Agent Monroe said Mark LaFleur and Billy Bennett showed you something they stumbled across while hunting.”

  “So you know them?”

  “Yes, sir. I’ve shown most everyone in this parish where the best hunting spots are and how to track wild boars.”

  “Can you track people too?”

  Robby gave him a confident nod. “Yep, I’m the best. All I need is information and a location, and I can tell you when a person was last there, which direction they went, and what means they used to get in and out of the area.”

  Renz raised a brow. “That could be helpful. Unfortunately, the sites we’ve been to have been compromised by law enforcement trampling the area.”

  “Can you give me more information on what I’d be helping with?”

  “We were called down here because numerous human bones have been discovered by hunters. They’ve been found off the beaten path, far back in bayou country, and would probably never have been found if it weren’t for the hunters’ dogs catching the scent.”

  “Ah, makes total sense. I’d imagine the dogs made a mess of the area too.”

  “They had a good start yesterday because the bones were fresh. The ones found previously may have been weeks old.”

  “And you’re sure they’re human and not pig bones?”

  “They’ve been examined by the parish forensic lab, but the skulls confirmed it,” Renz said.

  Robby grimaced for effect. “Who on earth—”

  “That’s what we’re hoping you can help us find out,” Jade said. “We can take you to the locations and show you around. We’d like your opinion of the hunters in the area too. We need to know who exhibits unusual behaviors and may possibly have bad tempers.”

  “Uh-huh, but why would you think the killer is a hunter? Maybe he’s just a local who knows where to hide bodies.”

  “That’s the problem. There were no bodies or even evidence of decomposition. The killer stripped off all the muscle before disposing of the waste, similar to what a butcher would do when separating the cuts of meat from a steer or pig.”

  “Holy shit. Excuse my French, Jade. I shouldn’t talk that way in front of a lady. My mama would have slapped me upside the head for less.”

  “It’s okay. Billy and Mark told us yesterday that we’d be looking for a hunter.”

  “Or a butcher.” Robby stared at Jade, and she looked at Renz.

  “That was mentioned, too, and there are butcher shops in the area, right?”

  “Yep, plus there are people who have butchering services set up right in their own home.”

  Renz groused. “Damn it, just another avenue we’ll have to follow up on.”

  Jade spoke up. “The sheriff’s office can run point on that, and Conway’s deputies can pull permits and do background checks on everyone who butchers meat in the parish.” She returned her focus to Robby. “Have you ever heard of anything like this happening before?”

  “That the sheriff’s office wouldn’t already know about?”

  “Well, Conway did mention occult practices being prevalent down here.”

  Robby scratched his chin. That was a gimme and something he could definitely work with. “Ah, I understand what you mean now. Kind of like that dark lifestyle people know of but don’t dare talk about.”

  Jade nodded. “Exactly.”

  “Yep, I can dig into that further and find out things for you.”

  “Great. So can you spend the day with us? We’ll show you the dump sites first and get your feel of them.”

  “Sure thing, and I have all day. Just have to be somewhere at seven o’clock tonight.”

  Jade smiled. “That’s perfect, and we’ll make sure to wrap up with you by six thirty, then.”

  Chapter 28

  “Looks like you got your tires fixed.” Robby climbed into the passenger seat of the Explorer. “That’s got to be a real pain in the butt. Darn kids these days. I’ve taught my kids better than that.”

  “So, how many kids do you have, Bob, and how old are they?”

  He looked over his shoulder at Jade. “Two. Brent is sixteen, and Leanna is twelve. They’re good kids, and that’s all on their mama. She cracks the whip when need be.”

  Renz redirected back to the first comment. “So, you don’t think somebody is targeting us specifically because we’re outsiders?”

  “Who would know that unless you’ve been prodding folks? People around here don’t take kindly to that type of treatment.”

  “The only people who seemed irritated with us were the manager and one bartender at Bubba Mike’s,” Jade said.

  “Have you ever been there, to Bubba Mike’s?” Renz asked.

  Robby looked at Renz. “No, sir. I’m not a drinking man, and my wife would have me by the short hairs if she ever caught wind that I was in a bar.”

  Jade laughed. “Sounds like she cracks the whip on you too.”

  “Yep, she sure does. So where is this dump site?”

  “Ten miles out of town, so just a few more miles beyond Theriot.”

  “On Bayou Dularge Road?”

  Jade leaned forward. “Yes, off a gravel path that used to be a road, I guess. It goes back to the water. Why?”

  “Not a good sign. Nope, not a good sign at all.”

  “Are you going to tell us more or keep it to yourself?”

  Jade frowned. “Renz.”

  Robby let out a longer than necessary sigh. “Sorry. It’s just one of the stories I heard growing up about that area, back there by the water. Very disturbing things. You know—”

  “You mean voodoo, black magic stuff?” Jade asked.

  “Well, according to my mama”—Robby made the sign of the cross—“God rest her soul, there was a crazy woman who lived back there. Had a stilt house on the water that was burned to the ground after the police found the bits and pieces of what remained of her family. She’d killed her husband and kids—all of them. In her mumblings to police, she said something about how the spirits would torture her soul if she didn’t do it. She shot every last one of them and tossed them in the bayou for the gators to devour.” Robby shook his head. “I heard there were bones all over the place back there. That woman went completely off her rocker, some said. I guess she couldn’t handle being poor with a drunk for a husband and too many kids that she couldn’t feed. Others said she talked one too many times to Lakita Blanc.”

  Jade’s eyes widened. “Who the hell is Lakita Blanc?”

  “A soothsayer who used to live in these parts. She passed years back, thank God. She’s the one who told the woman—Olivia Broussard—that when she died, her ghost would haunt the area forever if she didn’t commit the deeds. Her kids were suffering from hunger, and the old man needed to die, anyway, because he was just that mean, and if Olivia didn’t do it, she’d never rest in peace. Some say they’ve seen her wandering the edges of the bayou, looking for the bodies of her babies.”

  “Who would know that if nobody goes back there?” Jade asked.

  “Hunt
ers, I guess, although a gun can’t do much good against a ghost.”

  “Sounds like an urban legend to me,” Renz said.

  “Well, I don’t know the truth either way, just repeating what the locals have said over the years, but I’d almost want to be sprinkled with holy water before going back there. Those kinds of stories are told far and wide in these parts.”

  “So what exactly are you saying? You don’t want to help us?” Renz asked.

  Robby held up his hands. “No, no, no. I made a commitment.” He looked out the window as they slowed down. “And at least it’s daylight.”

  Renz turned onto the gravel path that Robby was plenty familiar with, and the brush that had taken over what used to be a driveway scraped the sides of the Explorer.

  Robby knew Jade believed his story, but convincing the other agent would be tougher. He’d have to win his trust too—somehow. Planting evidence wouldn’t be the worst idea. No matter what, he planned to have fun with those two big-city FBI idiots, and in the end, they’d be dinner for the gators. At least Lorenzo DeLeon would.

  “You know this gravel path used to be the driveway to the Broussard home.”

  “I thought it was an overgrown road,” Jade said.

  “Nope. It dead-ends at the water.”

  “So you’ve been back here?” Renz asked as he stopped in the road and parked.

  “Yep, back a number of years ago, I’d hunt here, just never alone. That story gets in my head and kind of spooks me. Anyway, it looks like we’re as far as we can go.” Robby opened the passenger door and stepped out.

  Jade climbed out on the same side, and Renz rounded the front of the vehicle.

  “Where to?” Robby asked and then sniffed the air. “Never mind, I know where to go.” He cut through the brush on the path that the deputies and forensic team had created. It was worn down to the bare ground from people tracking in and out. “There’s no way I can find anything back here as far as clues the killer might have left behind. The scene is obviously contaminated beyond hope.” He continued on for a hundred feet then stopped. “This is it, right?” He sniffed the air. “Yep, I smell dogs, pigs, and human remains along with body sweat.”