Page 70 of The Cajun Doctor

“Samantha, can you give Lucien LeDeux a call?” Daniel asked. “Maybe at home since it’s still pretty early for him to be in his office.”

She got the message in the serious tone of voice he’d used with Lily Beth and Angus, and now her. No more procrastinating. No more excuses. They needed outside help.

“Now wait a minute, dude,” Angus said. “A doctor is one thing, but we can’t risk involving anyone else.”

“You want our help, you’re going to do it our way.” Samantha spoke up before Daniel—clearly annoyed, as indicated by the clenching of his jaw—kicked them all out the door.

“But—” Angus started to say.

“I would suggest you sit down with a paper and pen, or that blasted computer of yours, and tabulate just how much money you owe whom,” Samantha said sternly. “Did you ever sign any documents listing an interest rate or repayment terms? No? I guess the mafia doesn’t work that way.”

“It’s thirty-three percent,” Angus revealed with a reddened face.

“WHAT?” Samantha and Daniel exclaimed at the same time.

“No offense, but are you two idiots?” Daniel asked.

To soften the blow of his insult, Samantha intervened. “You may find this hard to believe, Daniel, but Lily Beth is a physicist, almost has her doctoral degree. And Angus probably has enough college credits to equal a dozen degrees.”

Daniel just arched his brows, probably questioning what they teach in college these days. Not common sense, for sure. And Lily Beth’s strong Southern accent sometimes came across as rather illiterate, bless her heart.

“I was desperate,” Angus said defensively. “I am desperate.”

“I was desperate, too,” Lily Beth added. “I needed the cash for tuition.”

I’m becoming desperate myself.

Samantha tamped down her panic and added, “Both of you should take some notes on the money Nick has given you and any threats he’s made. Also, anything you know about other pregnant girls he’s worked with.”

Daniel left, and Samantha poured herself another mug of coffee and grabbed a beignet. “I’m going upstairs to get dressed and make my phone call. In the meantime, clean up this kitchen when you’re done,” she told them both.

“Is this some tough love crap?” Angus snarked.

“If you don’t like it,” she replied, considering a raised middle finger in his direction, something she’d never done, “tough!”

Chapter Fifteen

Her eyes were opened . . .

Samantha made the bed and put on a pair of Chanel, faded blue, cotton shorts with a matching halter top centered with a big bow of the same color and fabric. For comfort, she put plain white, flat-heeled slides on her feet. She usually didn’t like to leave so much of her freckled skin exposed, but it was going to be especially hot today, even for Southern Louisiana, and there was no AC here. Her attire had nothing to do with Daniel’s remarks about her freckles not being ugly. Nothing at all. Really.

Okay, a little.

How pathetic was that?

She pulled her hair off her face into a ponytail. By the time she applied a little makeup and spritzed herself with some Jessica McClintock, it was eight-fifteen. So, she went out of the bedroom French doors onto the gallery and punched in Luc’s home number on her cell phone.

“Hello,” a woman answered on the third ring.

“Sylvie?” Samantha asked.

“Yes. Is that you, Samantha? How’ve you been?”

She’d been better, she thought, but didn’t want to get into all the details with Sylvie, then have to repeat the story to Luc. “I’m okay. How about you?”

“I’m thinking about going back to work since the girls no longer need me to chauffeur them around.” Sylvie was a chemist who’d gained some notoriety a while back when she discovered a love potion that could be embedded in jelly beans. It had been the impetus for her and Luc getting together. Their girls . . . three of them . . . must be teenagers by now. “By the way, we’re having a pool party on Saturday to celebrate Tante Lulu’s birthday, although she won’t tell us exactly how old she is. Can you come?”

“I’m not sure.” Who knew where she’d be five days from now? “Can I let you know later?”