Page 49 of The Cajun Doctor

Angus had to be exaggerating. But then, knowing Nick, maybe not.

“In any case,” Angus went on, “there are more nooks and crannies, including several specially equipped birthing and operating rooms. He does the ‘special’ deliveries after hours. Plus, his girlfriend, Misty Beauville, assists him.”

“Misty? Is she a doctor? Or nurse?”

“No. An extreme athlete of some kind. She does marathons. But she has EMS training, or something.”

Samantha rolled her eyes. “You’ve got to go to the police.”

“No, no, no. We can’t.”

“Why? Nick has to be stopped.”

“He’ll kill us. He already showed us his gun collection.”

“Nick has a gun collection?”

Angus nodded. “Believe me, there was a motive in his showing us the weapons. And don’t forget, I have the Dixie Mafia dogging me, too. Literally. If you think Nick has guns, you’ve gotta see what Jimmy Guenot has out on his plantation. Dogs. Big wild rabid dogs . . . pit bulls, I think . . . that he starves and then sics on enemies, or those loan sharkees who fail to pay up on time. That’s what happened to me when I went there yesterday to try and reason with Jimmy.” He lifted his shirt to show bite marks and scratches on his sides and abdomen. None of them appeared to have broken the skin, but just barely. “Good thing I had a tetanus shot last year. Good thing I can run fast. But I think I broke my finger vaulting over the chain link fence.”

“Ang-us! Listen, Tante Lulu’s nephew, John LeDeux, is a cop, and I think he had a case involving the Dixie Mafia a few years back. Let me call him.”

“No!” he said vehemently. “I’m gonna land in jail, or dead, for what I’ve done for Nick, and what I still owe in gambling debts.”

“How about Lucien LeDeux? He’s my lawyer, and as good as they come. Let me call him. I bet he’ll have good advice.”

“No police. No lawyers.”

“Well, if nothing else, Lily Beth has to see a doctor.”

“No doctors, either. It would get back to Nick.”

“What are you going to do then?”

“Hide. Somewhere no one will find us. Just for a while. ’Til we have a chance to think. Regroup.”

“Where?”

“Well, Bruce has that condo in Costa Rica. He just bought it last summer; so, Nick probably doesn’t know about it. Maybe if we could get there and hide out ’til things cool down.”

“Dad would never agree to that.”

“He doesn’t need to know. I hacked his passwords and was able to contact the caretaker. I told him Bruce was my dad. I can pick up the key anytime. Bruce is so busy, he’ll never know.”

Angus underestimated her father. “Have you thought this thing through? Do you have money for airfare? What would you live on while you’re there? Do you plan to get a job? How about prenatal care for Lily Beth, maybe even delivery? And how long would you need to regroup in Costa-freakin’-Rica?”

Angus just looked at her, and she knew he was banking on her being his personal banker.

“It’s not a solution, Angus. You’re just postponing the inevitable.”

“I know. I’ve been a world class loser, and I am going to get my act together, but right now my responsibility is to Lil. She has no one. Just me.” He exhaled whooshily. “I got her into this mess. I have to be the one to get her out.”

“So, if I get you plane tickets to Costa Rica and if I loan you some money, do you promise . . .”

“We can’t go commercial. We need a private plane to get us there so there’s no record.”

“Whoa! Not too demanding, are you, Angus?”

“Don’t you know anyone who could get us there? Doesn’t your friend Tante Lulu have a nephew with an air charter business?”