Bitter Root (32 page)

“Okay, I think we’re done for now. How are you holding up?” he
asked.

“I’m okay. So, are you going to arrest me?” she asked.

“No. Firstly, we have no evidence that this occurred other than
your story. We have to investigate the crime and see if there’s any evidence
that can tie up Mr. Nerbass. Giddings, here, will coordinate the search for
Ransom and the others. Second, I’m going to ask you to play a bigger role, and
that makes you an informant. I’ll see to it that you’re not implicated in this
due to your cooperation with our investigation. We have to have something
concrete to stop your stepfather. Your information will help, but it’s not
enough,” he said.

“What else can I do?”

“I propose that we go through with the original idea,” he said.

“But—” she said.

“Hear me out. We’re much more likely to get him on this charge if
you can get him to talk about it with you. He won’t be able to stay away if you
tell him you want to meet. We’ll bait the hook just enough so he’ll want to
hear you out.”

“But what’s to keep him from just walking up to me and killing
me? That’s what he wants. He’s used to having his way.”

“That won’t happen. There is a risk, but we’ll minimize it. You
don’t have to worry. It’s our job to protect you, and we’re good at it.”

Adi wasn’t convinced, but the pinprick of light in her soul was
enough to make her willing to try. They would set everything up and this thing
with J.B. would be over.
One
way or another.

“Right. No time like the present.”

From there, everything started happening so fast, Adi barely had
time to register it all. They made detailed plans and explained everything.
Other officers came and went, and the entire situation started to feel surreal.
If it weren’t for Griff’s constant, calming presence, Adi would have bolted and
disappeared into the bayou somewhere. Instead, she sat there, getting ready to face
her demon.

The next challenge was to bait J.B. into a meeting they could
monitor and control. This was where Griffith came in. Once they had the
equipment set up, she called him and admitted to giving him false information.

“I knew you lied to me. What is your angle, McNaulty?”

“It’s about your daughter, Mr. Nerbass. She wasn’t ready to meet
with you, but now she is.”

“Oh, come on. You expect me to believe this shit? What do you
take me for?”

“I’m telling you the truth. Your daughter, Merley, is here right
now. Do you want to talk to her?”

“You better not be playing me this time. I’m not a forgiving
man.”

Griffith handed the receiver to Adi. Her hand shook as she put it
to her ear.

“Papa? It’s me.”

There was silence on the line. For a minute, Adi thought he’d
disconnected, but the agent signaled that the line was open.

“Papa? It’s Merley.”

“Where are you? Where have you been? I’d given up on ever finding
you.”

“I’m here. In New Orleans. I want to see you, Papa.”

“Come to me, baby. Come to Morgan City and I’ll take care of
you.”

“I can’t do that. My life is here. If you want to see me, I’ll be
in Jackson Square tomorrow at ten thirty in the morning. If you don’t show up,
I’ll know disappearing was the right thing.”

“I’ll be there. Don’t you worry, I won’t let you down.”

“Okay.” She disconnected the call.

“Good work. We’ll have everything in place well before sunup
tomorrow. You just come in and get wired, and we’ll handle all the rest. Thank
you for doing this,” Mike said.

Adi felt like someone had thrown a blanket around her. She could
see and hear what was going on, but she was detached, emotionless.
He’s coming. Tomorrow.
She should be terrified, but strangely, she felt nothing.

*

Griffith followed Adi out of the building to the waiting cab. The
flash chill of the air conditioning hit and she shivered. The weighted humid
air and heat of New Orleans corrected by frigid artificial temperature changes
shocked her every time, just like it did in LA. She gave the cabbie their
destination and sat back, watching Adi.

She’d been quiet since the meeting with Mike, even more so after
the conversation with her stepfather. Griffith gave her the space she needed to
digest what they had talked about, and to deal with the coming confrontation.
She would wait as long as Adi needed her to. When she was ready, she would
talk. Until then it was her job to be supportive.
I’m finally learning.

The journalist in her was chomping at the bit to start writing
this story. But J.B. Nerbass had caused so much damage to her soul, and Griff
wouldn’t make the mistake of jumping the gun and getting shut out of the
healing process. She would be patient, and if supporting Adi meant losing the
story, so be it.

“Why didn’t you tell me what they were planning?” Adi said.

“I’m sorry, but I really didn’t know what they had in mind. I
knew Mike wanted to talk to you, but not that he wanted you to be involved. He
never told me that.”

“I’m glad you didn’t know. I was worried you’d lied to me, to get
me in there. But it’s true. I need to finish this, to be free of J.B. and his
world. I’m tired of being afraid.”

“I promise I didn’t lie to you, and I’m glad you’re ready to move
forward.”

“It’s weird. I should be frightened by what’s ahead, but I’m not.
Oh, I was at first, but now, I’m just numb. I think about what I’m going to do
and expect the cramping stomach and the fear to knock me over, like it usually
does, but it doesn’t come. What’s wrong with me, Griffith?”

“Nothing’s wrong with you. You’ve let go of the fear, now that
you see a solution ahead. You’re waiting. Numb is okay, for now.”

“Will you be there? Tomorrow, when I meet him? Would you be with
me, please?”

Griffith wrapped her arm around Adi and gently hugged her. “Of
course I will, although I don’t know if they’ll let me be right beside you. But
I’m here and I’m not leaving. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

“Thank you.” Adi leaned into her, her head resting on Griffith’s
shoulder.

I’m here
for you, Adi. I’ll be here as long as you allow me to be.
Griff had
been a journalist long enough to know things could go wrong. And that dealing
with people this dangerous had a list of potential outcomes less than optimal.
But sometimes, it was necessary to get the bad guy.
Please don’t let anything happen to her.
She closed her eyes and pulled Adi closer.

*

T’Claude met them at the curb and slid into the front seat. He
directed the cabbie to a place he knew in the Garden District for lunch. When
they were seated, he grilled them about the morning.

“I can’t tell you, T. We have to protect the integrity of the
operation,” Griffith said.

“Come on, you can trust me. I’m not going to do anything that
puts Adi in danger.”

“I know you wouldn’t, but she’s in danger and the way we keep her
safe is to keep quiet and let the professionals handle things.”

“What kind of danger?” He looked at Adi. “What are they making
you do, kid?”

“What I have to do to be free of all this, T,” she said.

T’Claude sighed and looked at the ceiling, his hands wrapped
tightly around his glass.

“I know what you’re feeling right now, T. It’s hard to feel
helpless to protect those you love. You’re going to have to trust that these
guys will keep her safe,” Griff said.

“I’m not okay with that.”

“You haven’t got a choice, T. This will all be over with by
tomorrow, and then Adi will be free.”

“I don’t like this one bit. You sure you want to do this?” He
looked at Adi, who avoided eye contact.

“It’s not a choice. It’s what I need to do to be free of him
forever. I want my life, T. I don’t want to run anymore. Bertie…you know, what
she said in her letter? It’s true. I’m stuck, and I’m tired of being stuck,”
she said.

“I’m on your side, always. If this is how it is, then I have to
accept it. You know you can count on me, right?”

“Of course I do, T. And the moment it’s all over, I’ll call to
let you know. Thank you for coming after me.”

Adi tried to relax and enjoy the beautiful meal, but the looming
events made even the best food tasteless and unappealing. The waiting was the
hardest thing. She willed the day to pass and the new one to dawn. She wanted
resolution, needed it. J.B. had always been her personal nightmare, and she
wanted him out of her life. She looked at Griffith and T’Claude. They were
bantering about the food and trying to distract her.

I’m so
lucky to have you both in my corner. I hope this ends the way I want it to. If
not, I hope you’ll lean on each other.

“What do you say, Adi?” T said.

“Huh?”

“I asked if you and Griffith want to go see some sights, get a
feel for the place. Sound good?”

“Yeah, that does sound good. I need to be distracted. Thanks.”

They left the restaurant and joined a walking tour across the
street. They followed that with a carriage tour, and then a trip down river on
the
Creole Princess
,
a paddle wheeler. The day waned into night and they wound up back in the city.

Adi stopped to check out of her old place. She needed to do
something about the apartment, but that could wait a while. She had also called
Tujague’s and let them know she wouldn’t be returning for now. Maybe when this
was all finished, she would stay in New Orleans for a time. It was nice to know
she had options.
And then
there’s Griff, and whatever happens with that.

She considered booking her own room, but Griffith urged her not
to. They would all check out after tomorrow to head back to New Iberia, and it
wasn’t an issue for her to stay with her. When the door to their room clicked
shut, Griffith made it clear that this was exactly where she wanted her to be
as she led them straight to the bed.

The feel of Griffith against her, the clean fresh smell of her,
intoxicated Adi. This was the place she wanted to call home. Here, in
Griffith’s arms. When their lips met, it was with the familiarity of a lover’s
kiss and the tenderness of the known.
If
kissing you were the only thing left in my life, it would be full and happy. In
you, I feel whole.

“Would you hold me tonight? I want to feel you around me until I
wake tomorrow.”

“I will, indeed. Nothing would make me happier.”

They slipped out of their clothes and lay on the big comfy bed.
Griffith turned into Adi’s back and held her, and Adi felt the strength of
their connection as she drifted into sleep. The morning would be punctuated by
fear and tension, but the night would be golden. She eased into the world of
dreams.

*

The filtered light through the partially open curtains announced
a morning come too soon. It would all be over by the day’s end. She would have
to confront her past and overcome her fear. Today would mark the beginning of
her forever. If all went as she hoped, she would walk away free and with
Griffith still beside her.

So much rode on the actions of others, though. If the DEA did as
they said they would, she would be safe and free. If they failed her, she would
be dead. But she wasn’t afraid of death anymore. Stopping J.B. was more important
than worrying about her own life.

Griffith stirred behind her, and the sounds she made while waking
touched Adi like nothing she’d ever imagined. She rolled toward her and kissed
her sleepy face.

“Good morning,” she said.

Griffith stretched like a cat, long, languid movements of her
arms and legs followed by an amazingly drawn-out yawn. She opened one eye and
regarded Adi.

“Morning. How are you so awake?”

“Just lucky, I guess. Well, that and I have a few things going on
today.”

Suddenly, Griffith was wide-awake. She sat up, dislodging the
comforter.

“That’s right. We have to be at the DEA by nine. We better get
moving.”

They showered and met T’Claude in the restaurant for breakfast.
He was going to drive them to the office and stay as long as he could. They
weren’t sure how Mike would feel about his being there, but Adi was glad to
have him along. She felt anchored with T and Griffith beside her.

Once at the office, the officers explained the body wire she
would be wearing. It was concealed in the buckle of a belt. She just needed to
flip a discreet switch in the buckle mechanism to turn the microphone on. The
broadcast range was one hundred and fifty feet. She wouldn’t have to worry
about him finding any wires or attachments where they shouldn’t be.

The weight of the belt felt normal, and it was actually something
she would wear, so that eased her nerves a bit. T would stay at the office, but
Griffith would accompany her to the square. She would serve as the go-between
with J.B. When Mike explained this, Adi protested, not wanting her in danger,
but he overruled her, saying there was strength in numbers, and given the
amount of years elapsed, he might not recognize her. Griffith was fine with the
situation. He pulled out a schematic of the square and showed her where all his
people would be.

As they drove across town to the square, Adi felt like her
insides were turning to water.
This
is too risky. Griffith could be hurt, or worse. What have I done?
He’s going to kill us. We’re dead.
Why did I think this was possible?

Her heart raced and her palms started to sweat. “I’m going to
throw up. Stop the car.”

She jumped out of the car and ran to the bushes, and Griffith was
right behind her, rubbing soothing circles on her back as she lost her morning
coffee.

“Stop thinking the worst, Adi,” she said, “You have to do this.
You can’t let him control you anymore. Think of Bertie, what she wanted for
you. You can do this. I know you can.”

Adi collapsed against a wrought iron fence, her stomach heaving.
Griffith continued to gently rub her back.