Free In the Shadow of Evil by Robin Caroll Page B

Margie." He flipped open the phone. "Hey, honey."
    From the corner of his eye, Maddox took in the tightening of his partner's jaw.
    "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry." A long silence on Houston's part, then he continued. "That is horrible. I love you." Houston closed his cell and glanced at Maddox.
    "Everything okay?"
    "That baby Margie was all worried about?"
    "Yeah?"
    "The baby died."
    "From what?"
    "Margie says it's baffled the doctors. Family's calling for an autopsy."
    "Man, that's rough."
    "Yeah. Margie's pretty tore up over it. Baby was only a month old."
    Maddox shook his head. Instances just like this proved his point that there was no big, loving God. No way would anything with a heart let a baby die.
    Houston ran a hand over his face. "Anyway . . . you were saying?"
    "Right." Maddox pulled to a stop at a red light and regrouped his thoughts. "We need to find out if LeJeune was the building inspector who approved that Hope for Homes."
    "Yep. That'd be a connection. A good start. I'll see if Dennis LeJeune had a Smith & Wesson registered." Houston nodded as the light turned green. "I'll get our status updates to the commander."
    "Man, that'd be cold. Shot with your own gun."
    "It happens."
    Maddox shook his head. His mother had been murdered with a knife from her own kitchen. "I know," he whispered.

    ONE MORE.
    He stared at the building, letting his imagination wander. How was he supposed to destroy it?
    After burning the Hope-for-Homes house, setting another building on fire wasn't an option. Too bad Hurricane Francis hadn't wiped it out as it had so many others.
    A tree stood off to the side of the main building. If lightning were to hit that tree . . . it could fall right in the middle of the building. With a little help, it could definitely hit the main structure and call for a total replacement. That would be like an act of God. Very ironic.
    He narrowed his eyes. A bayou ran behind it.
    Which could play well in his favor.
    What if the bayou got dammed just a little up from the curve, causing the water to back up and flood the area? The building sat not two hundred yards from the bank. With the hoopla over drainage issues, no one would think twice about the flooding being anything other than a natural occurrence. And with all the rain the area had gotten recently . . .
    His palms slicked with sweat. He had to protect himself. Had to remove every threat so he could get the casino deal. Get his kids. Get out of debt. Start over in life, no matter how old he was.
    Focus, that's what he had to do. He'd already eliminated all the other buildings. Had killed Dennis to keep him quiet. Now he was so close to reaching his goals. His dreams. The desires of his heart.
    And he deserved it all.
    He let out a long breath and started his car. He'd do what needed to be done. He wouldn't back down now.
    He was in—all or nothing.

EIGHT
    "Ignorance is preferable to error."
    —THOMAS JEFFERSON
    THUNDER RATTLED THE WINDOWS. Layla shoved the pillow over her head. Maybe if she was still enough, got it quiet enough in the room, she could fall back asleep.
    Another roll of thunder shook the walls just as the phone rang.
    She threw the pillow across the room and glared at the clock at her bedside. Five twenty-one. Who in her right mind was awake at such an hour? Certainly shouldn't be her. Maybe it was all a bad dream. She groaned and rolled onto her stomach, burying her face in the mattress.
    Just thirty more minutes, God. That's all I'm asking.
    The phone rang again.
    So much for going back to sleep. Layla flipped over and reached for the receiver. "Hello."
    "Good morning. Were you asleep?" Alana's voice grated against Layla's sleepy nerves.
    "It's not even five thirty—what do you think?" Thunder boomed outside.
    "Sorry. I forgot to check the time before I dialed."
    Layla yawned and pushed to sitting with her back against the headboard. She laid her head against the leather and closed her eyes. "Question is, why are you up and calling me