Murder in the Marsh (13 page)

Twenty-Eight

Daniel felt certain he was going to drown as the huge wave rolled the boat over. He couldn’t tell up from down in the troubled waters, and he couldn’t control his movement. The immense wall of water carried him along until the wave finally passed. The life preserver slowly pulled him to the surface, where he blasted out the breath he was holding and inhaled as much air as his lungs could hold. The waves lashed him, making it impossible to see further than a few feet in either direction. Relieved he was still alive, he looked around to see if he could spot Claude. Not seeing him after several minutes, he swam in the direction the wave had surged, figuring this would be the direction of the shoreline, and possibly the direction Claude was taken.

“Claude! Claude!” he called out as he swam. The roar of the storm was deafening, and he knew unless Claude was right next to him, he probably wouldn’t be heard.

Momentarily riding the crest of a wave, he caught sight of the patrol boat ahead. To his amazement, he watched as another wave flipped it upright again. The canopy had been torn off and the plastic windscreen broken. He swam even more energetically, slowly closing the distance between himself and the vessel. Based on the waves, and the direction the waves were driving him and the boat, he knew a very strong possibility existed the boat could be grounded on the shore of the marsh. If that happened, he would be unable to get it off. He needed to get to the craft quickly or all hope would be lost.

As he neared the boat, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Claude swimming frantically. Claude had also seen the boat and struggled to reach it. Daniel called out to him, and he waved desperately back also having spotted Daniel. Daniel reached the boat first and made his way along its exterior to the rear. He stepped on the attached ladder and pulled himself in. As Claude neared, Daniel grabbed his arm and directed him around to the back, where he did the same.

“Claude LeBlanc… I’m Daniel Trahan… Nice to meet you,” Daniel offered his hand as both laid on the floor gasping for air. Claude was a compact man with dark tanned skinned and well-developed muscles from long days working the nets. Despite the ordeal he had been through, he offered Daniel a broad grin.

Claude grabbed his hand and holding on replied, “Ah don’t know what you’re doing out here in dis hurricane, but ahm sure glad to see you!”

“I’m a friend of Rachel Breland—Andre’s teacher. You’re wife reported you missing, and Rachel and I offered to help. Rachel stayed back to help your wife and children evacuate.”

“Oh, tank you! Tank you! Ah’v been worrying dat my wife would stay behind for me and put herself in danger. Dat’s blessed news she’s safe.”

“Yes, she’s been very worried. But if we don’t get up and get this boat running, she may have good reason to be concerned.”

Daniel pulled himself to his feet and clung on tight in the lurching boat as he stepped up to the pilot’s console. Providence had been good to them again, because the key remained in the ignition. However, when Daniel turned it, nothing happened. The second time he tried, the engines whined as if they were trying to start. The third time both engines roared to life. Daniel put the throttle in gear and turned the bow into the waves. He couldn’t head directly across the bay on the return trip. The waters and wind were simply too violent. Once again, he began edging his way along the shore. Visibility was even lower than when he had arrived, making it hard to see the shoreline. Claude acted as a spotter, helping to avoid being grounded. Daniel headed directly into the wind, making the handling of the boat a major challenge. Without the canopy, Daniel and Claude stayed just as soaked as if they were in the water.

Daniel asked Claude why his boat had capsized.

“Ah was returning home wit a nice catch of swimp,” Claude answered. “Ah knew de hurricane was coming, so decided to cut my trip short. Ah was making my final sweep through Bay Batiste when my boat struck something underwater. Ah checked below and water was pouring in. De pumps were working as hard as dey could, but couldn’t keep up wit de leak. De boat started sinking, and ah got on de radio, but couldn’t reach anyone. Short time later, de winds and waves picked up. Soon dey were slamming so hard against de boat dat dey capsized it. Den it just kept getting worse. Ah thought it was over for me, until you showed up.”

“Thank God, you’re safe Claude. Your wife and kids will be so happy. I just hope we can make it safely the rest of the way.”

For the next two and a half hours, Daniel picked his way around the edge of Bay Batiste. His watch said 6:15 pm, which he knew meant he didn’t have many daylight hours left, even though the storm made it seem dark anyway. Several times they slowed down to a crawl as the ferocity of the waves, wind, and rain made it nearly impossible to see. Finally, by 7:00 pm they reached the mouth of Bayou Dulac.

They passed the abandoned fish camp where Daniel had earlier battled with the Sheriff. Daniel explained briefly to Claude what had happened and why he was in the Sheriff’s patrol boat. Claude seemed genuinely shocked by the story, saying he had met the Sheriff several times, and never suspected he could have done such terrible things.

Bay Sansbois was not as treacherous as Bay Batiste, but it was still a hazardous passage. The wind and rain blew at tropical storm strength. Since Bay Sansbois wasn’t as large as Bay Batiste, the waves didn’t swell as large. Still, the journey was painfully slow and time consuming. Two more hours passed as they slowly fought their way along the shoreline, which became even more difficult when night finally fell. Normally, they would have been able to see the lights of Port Sulphur in the east, but the intense rain shielded them. Growing weary, Daniel switched out with Claude, and served as the spotter for a while. They finally reached the mouth of Socola Canal close to 9:30 pm. The ride was somewhat easier in the canal, but large waves still rolled through.

“Claude, when I left Rachel and your wife yesterday morning, they were getting ready to leave and head in to safety,” Daniel said, straining to be heard as they battled the elements. “But I’m a little concerned in case something went wrong and they weren’t able to depart. The boat they were taking was your neighbor’s flat-bottom and it wasn’t running too good.”

“De neighbor across the canal from me? Paul Landry’s flat-bottom?”

“Yes. I think that’s the one.”

“Dat boat has a bad motor!” Claude said with a look of concern on his face. “Ah worked on it some for Paul. It was in poor shape. Yes, ah tink we should go by my home to make sure dey are not still there.”

“Let’s try the radio first. If they are there, they may be able to hear my signal since we’re closer now.”

Daniel tried the marine radio. Though it was functioning properly, he received no response after several tries. The two men agreed it would be best to check out the camp just in case.

Twenty-Nine

The walk down the thin gravel drive that serviced the camps along Happy Jack Canal was not very far for Rachel, Adele, and Michelle. But the hurricane force wind and rain made it feel like an endurance test. They clung tightly to one another as the wind buffeted them and the rain lashed their faces and bodies. All of the camps remained completely deserted. While usually there would have been numerous vehicles and boats along the road or in the water, today there were none. The wind peeled shingles and siding off the camps and debris blew dangerously about.

Several times they halted to rest due to the weight of the wet bags they carried, and having to struggle headlong into the wind. Periodically, they took refuge behind different camps, which served as effective windbreakers. However, they also had to keep a lookout for flying debris, which on two occasions came dangerously close to striking one of them. The further they walked down the canal road, the less water they noticed filled the canal. The wind blew so strong from the east that it pushed much of the water out, leaving it much lower than on a calm day.

They reached Rachel’s car parked at the marina at a quarter past five. Daniel’s truck and trailer sat unmoved, confirming he had not returned. No other vehicles were seen. They threw their bags in the trunk and piled into the compact Sentra. For a moment, they just sat in the car exhausted, as the sounds of the storm swirled around them outside. Finally, Rachel started the engine and pulled up the levee to the wire that blocked the drive. Using the key left by one of the poles, she lowered the wire and pulled through. Driving down Happy Jack lane they saw some of the homes had already sustained wind damage. A wooden storage shed had already blown over and partially lay across the road. A power pole also leaned sharply, with the power lines hanging low to the ground.

Rachel turned down the highway toward her apartment. Leaves, branches, and debris lay across the highway. The trees bent and fluttered in the strong winds, and the rain was so intense Rachel’s windshield wipers couldn’t keep the field of vision clear. Reaching the highway, it too was deserted. Deep pockets of rainwater covered portions of the road, rising over half a foot in places. Rachel drove carefully, skirting debris and those areas that potentially could stall her car. The numerous trailers and permanent homes all appeared to be abandoned.

As Rachel focused on the road ahead, suddenly the sound of a siren drew her attention to flashing blue and red lights behind her.

“Mama, what is it?” Michelle asked frightened.

“Ah don’t know, baby. I tink de police just want to check on us.”

“They might be wondering why we’re still here,” Rachel suggested.

Rachel pulled the car over to the side of the road and waited for the officer to come and speak to them. The officer took a few moments then approached her door. She heard a tapping on her window and rolled it down. Standing in the rain was a deputy in a yellow rain coat with a stern look on his face.

“Ma’am. Do you know a mandatory evacuation has been issued for all of Plaquemines Parish?”

“Yes, deputy. We had an emergency situation and were unable to evacuate. We were in the process of heading to shelter.”

“What was your emergency, ma’am?”

“My friend here, Mrs. LeBlanc and her children, were stranded out at Grand Bayou village. Her son had appendicitis and her husband Claude is still missing out in the marsh along with my friend Daniel Trahan.”

“Where’s your son, Mrs. LeBlanc?” the deputy said looking at Adele.

“De Coast Guard Helicopter came and got him. Dey took him to West Jefferson hospital.”

“What about your husband and the other man?”

“Deputy, we haven’t heard anyting from dem since yesterday. Mr. Trahan, he went to find my husband, but we haven’t heard anyting from him either.”

“Alright,” the deputy said thinking for a moment. “I’ll send in a report. It won’t do any good until the hurricane passes, but at least it will be brought to someone’s attention. Where are you heading now?”

“We were going to my apartment by Port Sulphur School,” Rachel said. “I’m a teacher there.”

“Okay, follow me. I’ll escort you there.”

“Thank you, deputy. We’ll stay close behind,” Rachel assured him.

The deputy went back to the cruiser and Rachel rolled up the window.

“Good. At least we know we’ll get to the apartment safely,” Rachel breathed a sigh of relief.

The deputy pulled around them, and Rachel began to follow, trying to stay close enough that she wouldn’t lose him in the heavy rain. The drive was slow, but they eventually reached the apartment. Rachel waved to the deputy, thanking him and letting him know they were at the right place. He briefly flashed his lights in response and drove off. Rachel checked her watch. It was nearly 6:00 pm and growing darker by the minute. She unlocked the door to her apartment allowing Michelle to enter. She and Adele then quickly unloaded her car and finally closed the front door of the apartment to the storm outside. After removing their raincoats, Rachel found some dry clothing for Adele and some oversized pajamas for Michelle. Everyone took a warm shower, and Rachel fixed a small hot meal. After eating, Adele and Michelle curled up together on the couch to watch the weather. Michelle was soon asleep. Rachel tried the telephone, but it was no longer working. She then joined Adele, wondering to herself how long the electricity would stay on. She hoped that Daniel and Claude were safe, but doubts clouded her mind. As they watched the weather, exhaustion overcame them and eventually both women drifted off to sleep.

Thirty

By 10:30 pm Daniel and Claude finally reached the outskirts of Grand Bayou village. They slowly felt their way along the canal in the pitch black, rain swept night. The winds continued to pick up in intensity, making it extremely difficult to control the boat in the rough water. Though they couldn’t see very well, they could hear the clattering of aluminum roofing and wooden siding on the camps as they passed through the village.

Having lived at Grand Bayou all his life, Claude identified landmarks indicating they weren’t far from the LeBlanc home. But just as their hope began to grow, the boat motors started to whine at a higher pitch. Daniel and Claude both knew this meant they were nearly out of gas and were burning gas vapors. Daniel had been watching the gas gauge and knew that at any minute the motors could die. They likely would have made it in to Happy Jack, if they had decided not to go to Grand Bayou, but both agreed they needed to make sure the women had evacuated. After a minute longer, the motors finally shut off.

“That’s it, Claude,” Daniel shouted through the wind and rain. “We’re out. How much further to your place?”

“Not far. Maybe less than a hundred yards.”

“Do you have any gas there?”

“Ah don’t tink so. Ah tink ah use de last of it. Maybe we can find some at de neighbors.”

“The wind is pushing us toward the bank. We can tie off there and make our way up the bank until we’re directly across from your home. Then we’ll have to swim across the canal.”

“Sounds lak our best option. On de way ah can check for gas in some of de other camps.”

The boat struck the muddy bank in-between two camps. Claude jumped out with a tie down rope in hand and struggled to pull the boat along the bank until it was close enough to the dock piling of the nearest camp that he could tie off. Daniel used the other tie down rope to secure the boat even better. They set out making their way up the canal in the direction of Claude’s home. On a normal day, progress through the muddy marsh grass would have been slow and difficult. With the hurricane assailing them, they slogged along as if lead weights had been attached to their legs and feet.

They passed several evacuated camps and searched them thoroughly, without finding any gas. At one point they were forced to cross a shallow side canal, requiring them to enter the water. Staying close to one another, they swam across in their life preservers, making it without incident.

Finally, they reached a position along the canal directly opposite Claude’s home. With the wind continuing to gust fiercely and the rain stinging them bitterly, they sized up the situation as best they could. They didn’t see any lights on in the home, and Daniel didn’t think he saw the flat bottom boat he had left with Rachel and Michelle. Still, they needed to be sure, and began swimming across Grand Bayou Canal. The canal wasn’t exceptionally wide, but it would be more treacherous than the side canal they had just crossed.

They tried to remain close, but the wind blew directly against them, pushing them apart and causing them to strain even more. The wind blew them off course, but they finally pulled themselves out of the canal on the opposite bank and trudged the rest of the way back down to the Claude’s home.

Claude entered first. Walking through the wind torn screened porch, he entered the front door. He flipped on the light switch, but the lights did not come on. He mumbled that the power must be out. He called out Adele’s name, but received no response. Daniel called out for Rachel, but he too only heard only the sound of the wind screaming past the home. Claude searched around in the dark until he located a flashlight. He began looking for evidence of whether the women had departed. As he searched, Daniel noticed the note pinned on the wall by the front door. He called Claude over and they read it together.

“Tank God, dey gone,” Claude said. “Ah hope my boy Andre is awright.”

“Me too, Claude. Check the telephone and see if it’s working. Maybe you can try to call the hospital.”

Claude tried the receiver, but it was dead.

“Maybe we can get some information when we make it in,” Daniel tried to provide hope. “The ladies said they went to Rachel’s apartment. I know where it is. My truck is parked at the marina. If we can get to it, then we should be able to make it to them before the worst of the hurricane hits.”

“It’s going to be hard. De wind and rain are getting worse, and we still got to find some gas. Without gas, ah don’t know how we’ll make it.”

“Are there any other ways to get back to Port Sulphur from here other than through Happy Jack?”

“Yes. Grand Bayou road. It runs along a canal dat goes out to de highway. It comes out about a mile north of Happy Jack lane. De only problem is dat to get to it we will have a long walk through de marsh. It will be very hard.”

“Okay. Let’s see if we can find gas first. It may be easier to go back by boat. If we can’t find any gas, that’ll help us make up our mind.”

They first searched Claude’s home, but as Claude suspected he had no gasoline on hand. They then set through the marsh to a camp a short distance away. After pulling themselves through the wet grass, they stepped up onto the porch of the squat, one story structure and tried the door, but it was locked. Claude thought the owner, a friend of his, might keep gas in the dock shed. They walked out along the dock and tried the shed door, which was unlocked. Inside they found a jumble of ropes, crab traps, fishing poles and other marine items hastily stashed away. They also found a five gallon can half full of gasoline. Excited about their find, Claude picked up the gas container promising to let the owner know he had taken it, while Daniel led the way back across the dock.

Daniel had already stepped off the porch down into the marsh grass when he heard a loud crashing sound behind him. He turned just in time to see the wood porch overhang lifted up by a particularly strong gust of wind, and then partially torn away from the wall. It crashed down on Claude, striking him on the back of the head. Claude went down immediately, dropping the container of gas, and lying motionless under the wood debris. Daniel quickly clamored back up onto the porch and began pulling the wood off Claude while calling his name. Claude didn’t respond.

When Daniel finally removed the last piece of lumber off of Claude, he saw that Claude had a severe laceration to the back of the head that was bleeding profusely. Daniel felt for a pulse, and after a moment found a weak one. He ripped off his raincoat and his wet shirt. He tore a strip out of the shirt and tied it around Claude’s head. The bleeding didn’t stop entirely, but it was less than before. Daniel tried to rouse Claude, but he was completely unconscious and didn’t respond. He needed to get Claude out of the rain, but remaining at the neighbor’s camp wasn’t a good option. He would need to get him back over to Claude’s home.

Daniel decided he would simply have to drag Claude the distance between the two camps. He gently slid Claude off the porch and down into the marsh grass face up. Securing Claude’s raincoat as best he could, he grabbed him under his arms and started dragging him while walking backwards. He managed to cover only a few feet at a time before having to stop and rest. He struggled as much with extricating his feet from the mud as he did pulling Claude. The marsh felt like quicksand as the rain and higher waters softened it up. The winds were so strong they nearly blew him off balance several times. He breathed heavily as he became more and more exhausted. After forty-five minutes, he finally reached the LeBlanc home exhausted, and with one final gasp, lifted Claude’s limp body up onto the wooden porch.

He still had the gas can to retrieve, but he needed to tend to Claude first. He carried Claude into the house and laid him on the couch in the living room. Removing Claude’s rain jacket and wet clothes, he found a blanket to wrap him in. He then located some first aid supplies and did a more thorough job of dressing Claude’s wound. Checking his pulse again, he found it to be slightly improved. Having physically made Claude as comfortable as he could, Daniel sat on the edge of a recliner. With his head between his hands, words requesting God’s intercession came tumbling from his lips. It still felt unusual to pray, but also comforting.