Page 42 of Bayou Sunset

“Stay here, Rocket.”

She would do no such thing. Instead, she followed him from the living room to each of the two bedrooms, the kitchen, and the bathrooms—nothing but destruction.

“Why?” she wondered out loud.

Steve holstered his weapon and reached out, pulling her into his arms.

Daisy Mae tensed up initially but then gradually eased into the comforting embrace. Despite her efforts, she ultimatelysuccumbed to an overwhelming flood of tears. Why would someone do this to her? She had always been kind to everyone. The thought of Mario crossed her mind. Well, almost everyone. But to toss her place twice? Who would go to such lengths? Were they acting out of pettiness or searching for something they hadn't found and hoped she had hidden after the first ransacking of her office?

Mario had been absent after she went to Duke’s with Alice. He could have done this. She stiffened and pulled from Steve’s embrace. “Mario, he do this.”

“How can ya be knowing dat?” Steve asked. “He be wit us most of the day cleaning up the dock.”

“Yeah, but he be missing when we go inside.” She strode toward the kitchen, ensuring no open food might spoil. She would start cleaning in this room.

Steve followed her. “Surely he go home to shower. We be grimy and sooty.”

Mais oui.She needed a shower. They both smelled like a fire, but her home had to be cleaned.

Touching her shoulder, Steve said. “Daisy Mae, ya shower first, and I’ll start to clean.”

Daisy Mae hesitated.

“Go on. I’ll start here. When ya be done, I’ll shower, and ya can clean.”

Seeing the wisdom in his words and her need for some deep thought that could only happen in the shower or a bath, she consented. “Merci.”

As she left Steve to deal with the mess, she went to the bedroom and found a fresh set of clothes. Stepping into the shower once it was hot and steamy, she stood still under the comforting spray, allowing the warm water to cascade over her, melting away the day’s stress. She reached for the soap bar, ready to wash away the remnants of a long day.

As she washed the soot from her face, she pondered her dilemma. She needed someone to be a friend to her and search Mario’s boat and home with her or for her. She couldn’t ask her friends since it was illegal, and she’d never ask them to do something that could put them in jail.

She stopped and rinsed her face. Would Alice put her in jail if she caught her snooping? Probably not, but Alice wasn’t the only deputy. Thank goodness they weren’t large enough for their own police department and depended upon the overstretched sheriff’s department for assistance. She could be in and out before anyone knew she’d been there.

But how was she to get past Steve?

The inky black color slowly faded as she lathered her hair with shampoo, revealing her tangled thoughts. At that moment, an idea struck her—a daring and potentially risky one if not executed perfectly. Nevertheless, it ignited a spark of excitement within her.

It was enough. She finished bathing until her skin gleamed, then exited the shower to moisturize and dress. She had a plan to implement to prove Mario was behind this mess and get it over with.

Steve would not be the wiser to her plans. Nor would he be able to stop her.

Chapter Twenty-Five

DISCONNECTING HIS CALL to Brad, Romeo had never seen a pair of shorts and a tank top look so good on a woman as they did on Daisy Mae. He loved her with her hair in her iconic ball cap. Yet, as he saw her now, with her hair down, wet and unadorned, an overpowering urge swept over him to take her by the hand and whisk her away to the bedroom…or floor…or wall…. He wasn’t picky with her.

Daisy Mae’s eyes flashed angrily as she placed her hands on her hips. “Did I just hear ya say more people be coming?” she demanded, her tone laced with frustration.

Pulled back from a haze of desire, Romeo gave a confirming nod. After mentally regathering himself, he spoke, “Oui. Two of me teammates will arrive soon.”

Daisy Mae stamped her foot. “Non! Non! Non!This be too much.”

“Rocket, ya need the protection, and I be having to sleep sometime.” He took a step forward and smiled. “Unless ya decided I be staying after all.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Ya know ya get to stay.”

When Daisy Mae admitted her agreement, it felt like a significant win for him. He knew he would stay, but her explicit confirmation made everything smoother.

“After all that be happening, ya must agree someone be out to hurt ya. Ya need protection until we resolve dis thing.”

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