Page 101 of The Cajun Doctor

“Does anyone have any questions about the mob case before we move on?”

No one did.

Samantha wasn’t sure what she would have to add to the baby-selling case against Nick, but she certainly could testify about his sleazy character. Lily Beth, on the other hand, was dismayed. “Mah brothers will find out,” she wailed.

Brad was unmoved, probably figured it was her fault for getting involved with Nick to begin with. “It might be advisable for you to contact them yourself, rather than hearing your name on the news.”

“Easy fer y’all ta say!” Lily Beth whined. “If this gets in the newspaper or on TV, everyone will know at the college. Mah career will be over.”

Ninety-nine percent of the people in the room wondered why a girl with her seeming intelligence didn’t think of that before.

“Don’t worry, honey. We can figure that all out later,” Samantha soothed Lily Beth. But she had no idea how.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Trouble always comes in threes . . . in their case, fours, or fives . . .

The meeting was far from over, Samantha soon realized.

Brad had introduced everyone in the room initially. Now, he reintroduced one of them. “Theodore ‘Sonny’ Sonnier, also from our Baton Rouge field office, is in charge of the Coltrane case. I’ll let Sonny give you a status report.”

Sonny was young, under thirty, long-haired, and built like a bodybuilder in a tight black wicking shirt tucked into belted jeans. He wore wire-rimmed glasses, and a cell phone was clipped to his belt. He was the one who’d been pounding away expertly on a laptop. Rambo meets Steve Jobs.

“This baby sellin’ scheme, she is news ta us,” Sonny said in a deep Cajun accent, “but the minute Luc contacted us, we began investigatin’. Bank records. Births. Adoptions. Background checks. With the evidence you two have given us t’day,” Sonny looked pointedly at Angus and Lily Beth, “it’s still not enough ta put the bastard away. We’ll need your assistance, Ms. Starr.”

What? Me?

Seeing her confusion, Sonny went on, “We’d lak ya ta contact yer ex-husband and set up a meetin’, soon as possible. We’ll wire ya up, and help ya rehearse what ta say. If we kin get Mr. Coltrane on record, admittin’ his crimes, then his arrest is a done deal.”

Samantha was stunned. “But why me? Wouldn’t Angus or Lily Beth be the better persons to get him to incriminate himself.” She took one look at Lily Beth’s horrified face as she clutched her belly, and immediately amended, “I mean, shouldn’t Angus be the one to confront Nick?”

Sonny shook his head. “That’s just what Dr. Coltrane wants. To get his hands on Mister Starr. We cain’t take that chance.”

But they could take a chance with me? “I wouldn’t know what to say.”

“Not ta worry. We’ll prep ya, good and proper.”

“I’m not that good an actress.”

“Do ya wanna see Coltrane behind bars?”

“More than you can imagine.”

“Well, then, chère, yer ship cain’t come in if ya doan send out any boats.”

“And I’m the ship?”

“Mais, oui! Do ya agree ta participate?”

“Yes,” she said.

“Hell, no!” Daniel said at her side. He’d been stunned speechless apparently on first hearing the proposal that she be the bait. Now, he was more angry than stunned. “Samantha’s been a spectator at best in this whole mess. It would be too dangerous to put her in close proximity to her slimeball loser of an ex-husband.”

Even Samantha was surprised at the vehemence of Daniel’s reaction.

“I assure you, we will have her back every step of the way,” Sonny assured Daniel.

Who was not assured. “If she goes, I go with her,” Daniel insisted.