“How are you doing this morning?” she asked him with what she hoped looked like her usual, friendly smile.
“I’m doing just fine,” he replied. “And speaking of fine…you look mighty fine this morning.”
“Thank you, Burt. Now, what can I get you?”
“I’ll take the number two special with coffee.”
“I’ll be right back with your coffee,” she said.
She wondered if he’d picked up on the fact that she really didn’t want their usual flirty banter this morning. She served his coffee and then a few minutes later returned with his food order.
“Everything okay this morning, Dominique?” he asked her. So, he had sensed the difference in her.
“Everything is just fine, Burt,” she replied with what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “I’ve just been really busy this morning.”
“Then don’t let me hold you up,” he replied.
“Thanks, Burt, I’ll check in with you a little later,” she said and then left his table.
About fifteen minutes later Austin came in and the scene repeated itself. She walked by Luke’s table and let him know who Austin was and then went to wait on him.
Luke stayed until just after ten. The only regular who didn’t come in was Jacob Benoit, who she usually saw in the afternoons. Once Luke left, she felt oddly bereft.
Thankfully, the café stayed busy until almost eleven and then there was a lull. The breakfast crowd had left and the lunch crowd hadn’t come in yet.
Annie sent her on break and this time—rather than stepping outside—she sat in the break room and played on her phone and tried not to think about what was going on in her life.
Still, her thoughts couldn’t help but go back to the kidnapping attempt. How close was danger now? Was the person right now someplace plotting and thinking about how to get her?
Given the note and the attack, she was sure the person wouldn’t just give up and go away. So, from what direction would danger come at her again? She could only wait and hope that she would survive whatever might happen.
IT WAS JUSTafter noon when Luke pulled up behind the police station and parked. He was eager to check in with Daniel and let him know his impressions of the two men he’d seen at the café.
He found his boss in his office. “Hey,” he said as he sank down in the chair opposite Daniel’s desk. “I had breakfast this morning at the café and saw two of our suspects in Dominique’s attack case there.”
“Which two?” Daniel asked.
“Burt Stanfield and Austin Colbert,” Luke replied.
“I know Burt because he works in maintenance for the city, but I don’t know Austin. Tell me your impression of him.”
“Austin is about six feet tall and rather thin. I would say that physically he doesn’t look like he would have the strength to carry a woman off somewhere, but I could be wrong.”
“So, Burt is a much better candidate. I know he’s burly and strong and could easily carry a petite woman like Dominique through the swamp,” Daniel said.
“Right,” Luke replied.
“I also don’t know the other two men Dominique mentioned.” Daniel flipped through the small notebook on his desk. “Jacob Benoit and Oliver LeBoeuf.” He looked back at Luke. “Do you know either of them?”
“No, but I’d definitely like to get a look at them.”
“Dominique said they were both fishermen. In fact, I was just about to get Clay and head to the swamp to interview them both. Want to tag along?” Daniel asked.
“Absolutely,” Luke replied. He wanted…he needed to know who all the players were in Dominique’s life. Of course, it was possible that none of the men she’d named was the guilty party. But he thought it was highly likely that one of them was the person who had tried what they now were sure was a kidnapping attempt on the woman he cared about.
It wasn’t like he was in love with Dominique, but he considered her a close friend and he definitely cared what happened to her.
Fifteen minutes later, Luke was in the back seat of Daniel’s car while Clay rode shotgun as they headed toward the swamp. As Daniel and Clay small-talked in the front seat, Luke stared out the window and thought about the men they were about to interview.
