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“I know who you guys are. What do you want, and if you don’t mind, talk fast, ’cause I’m pretty shaky on my feet.”
Wade could see the guy was sick. His skin was flushed and his eyes were glassy.
“We were just checking on everyone who was at the gym last night when the ruckus started.”
“What ruckus is that?”
“When the police were there, and when Miss Landry was attacked.”
Hershel staggered, then steadied himself again.
“Good Lord. Didn’t know anything about any of that. I left right after we unloaded the last truck. I was already feeling bad, but I thought it was just a passing thing. I came home and pretty much passed out, and I’ve been in bed off and on ever since.”
“So you didn’t see a stranger out in the parking lot when you were leaving?” Cameron asked.
Hershel frowned. “Well, yes, I see lots of strangers every day. I’m not from here, you know. I couldn’t have said who belonged and who didn’t. Look, guys, I’m real sorry, but I gotta go lay back down before I fall down.”
“Sorry to have bothered you,” Wade said.
Hershel closed the door in their faces.
You lied, Hershel. You’re gonna have to stop that. Your mama didn’t raise you to lie.
Hershel didn’t bother answering. He needed to get that water and then get back into bed.
* * *
Wade looked at Cameron and shrugged. “That’s three down and one to go. What’s the last name on that list?”
“Leon Mooney. He’s supposed to be in Lot 9. He has a Dodge truck and a travel trailer.”
“Lot 9 it is,” Wade said.
They got back in the SUV and drove down a few lots, and then came back up on the other side, but to their dismay, the lot was empty.
“Damn,” Cameron said.
“We’ll stop by Jonesy’s again and get the tag numbers on the truck and travel trailer, then put out a BOLO to the Louisiana Highway Patrol. All things considered, this guy took off pretty fast. You’d think the least he would have done was sleep in before getting back on the road.”
“But his absence leaves us with yet more questions. Is he our killer or just a man fed up with the flood and all that came with it?” Cameron said.
“I guess we’ll know for sure if more bodies show up somewhere else,” Wade muttered. “Tate isn’t going to be happy to hear this.”
“What do you mean?” Cameron asked.
“All you have to do is look at him. He’s fallen hard for that girl all over again. He’s not going to want to leave her behind if we get sent to a new crime scene, especially with this threat hanging over her head. I mean, who’s to say the killer won’t sneak back and try to finish her off while we’re checking things out downriver?”
“One thing at a time, partner. Leon Mooney might not be our man, just like Judd Allen wasn’t,” Cameron said.
Wade nodded. “Okay, let’s stop at Jonesy’s, then notify the highway patrol.”
* * *
Nola was lying down in the living room, watching Tate sorting through the groceries and thinking of the time they’d lost that they would never get back. If things had gone the way they’d planned, they would have most likely had children by now, and Tate would have been working with Chief Beaudry, or maybe even have become chief himself. Or…they would have eventually left town together and started a life somewhere else. She was sad for what was gone and sadder yet about what had happened to their families. She didn’t have any parents left, and the one he still had didn’t want him. It was crazy.
Then Tate turned around and caught her staring, and for a moment their gazes locked. They’d come a long way toward reconciliation in a short while, but the future was still shaky. They had to get past this episode with the serial killer before anything else could take place.
“You know what?” he said.