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As Monique walked behind her, she thanked her lucky stars that she hadn’t been caught riffling through the drawers. Still, nerves tightened her stomach at the close call. She couldn’t imagine what Heidi would have done if she had caught Monique red-handed in her bedroom.

“She got lost,” Heidi said to Jacque, who visibly relaxed at the sight of Monique.

“I’m bad with the directions inside a house, imagine how bad it is when I get behind the wheel of my car. That’s why Jacque is driving today,” Monique said with another small laugh as she once again took her seat on the sofa next to him.

“Mr. LeBlanc has been sharing with me the new project he has going in the swamp. I’m definitely all in for literacy no matter where it takes place. I’m assuming you’re here for a donation. Just let me go get my purse.”

“Actually, Mrs. Dupree, we aren’t here for any money donations. What we would like is any books you could give us for the men to use,” Jacque said.

“Oh, I’m sure I can help you out with that. If you both want to follow me, in one of the bedrooms we have a bookcase where we keep what books we have.”

Jacque and Monique followed her down the hallway to the last room on the right. Monique had only quickly glanced into the room when she’d been snooping. She hadn’t noticed the small bookcase on the wall behind the door. She’d have to do better in the future.

Heidi began pulling out books and handing them to Jacque. Monique stood next to him and scrutinized all the books on the shelves, seeking the one she was desperate to find. But it wasn’t there.

By the time Heidi was finished, Jacque had eight hardback books in his arms. “I hope that helps,” she said as the three of them walked back up the hall and into the living room.

“Thank you, Heidi. You’ve been very generous,” Monique said.

“Yes, thank you so much, Mrs. Dupree,” Jacque added.

“And now we’ll just get out of your hair.” Monique walked to the front door with Jacque following close behind her. “And don’t forget I have that new shipment of your favorite brand coming into the store on Wednesday,” she added.

“Trust me, I haven’t forgotten. I’ll be at the store bright and early on Wednesday morning with my credit card in hand,” Heidi said with a wide grin.

Moments later Monique and Jacque reached his car in the driveway. He placed the books in his back seat, then got in behind the steering wheel. “That was a close call,” he said.

“It was,” Monique agreed. “I was totally freaked out when she caught me down the hallway.”

“Thank God you’re a fast thinker and a good actress,” he replied.

“I think we need to come up with a way for you to do something to warn me if somebody comes looking for me.”

“I think you need to forget about this whole thing,” he replied with a scowl.

“Jacque, despite the close call, we did it. And I can now cross Ralph Dupree off my list of suspects,” she said. “I don’t believe he has my mama’s book. Maybe you could have a coughing fit and that would warn me that somebody is coming.”

He glanced over at her, the near-neon green of his eyes seeming to pierce right through her. “Are you willfully ignoring the fact that I just said I think you should forget about this plan and leave things to the authorities?”

“Yes, I’m willfully ignoring you,” she replied. She reached out and wrapped her fingers around his wrist on the gear shift. His skin was invitingly warm. “Please, Jacque, I want you as my partner, but I don’t want you as a doubting Thomas. I need you to be one hundred percent in with me on this.” She withdrew her hand.

He stared at her for another long minute and then put his car into gear to back out of the Dupree driveway. “So who are we seeing next?”

Monique breathed a sigh of relief. There was no question that she felt better with Jacque by her side. She would have been far more nervous if she was trying to do this all on her own.

“Next on the list is Judge Waylan Frankel’s home. Take a right when you come to the end of the street.”

They didn’t speak anymore other than her giving him directions.

He finally reached the judge’s home and parked in the driveway. “This is going to be more difficult for you since it’s a two-story,” he said.

“You’re right.” She frowned as she stared at the large home. It was definitely going to be difficult for her to get away and go upstairs to search. If she got caught upstairs, she wouldn’t be able to use the excuse that she’d gotten turned around.

“We’ll see how things go. Judge Frankel should still be at work. His wife’s name is Isabelle, and she’s always been quite pleasant when she comes into the store.”

Nearly an hour later they left the Frankel home. Monique hadn’t been able to search the upstairs. She was about to ask to use the restroom and sneak upstairs when the judge had gotten home from work.

He had greeted them and then gone upstairs to change into more casual clothes. However, there was a large bookcase in the judge’s study, and Isabelle had invited them into the room so she could donate some books.