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It was pure luck that the sun was slowly setting over the horizon, as Noelle realized she wasn’t cut out for stealth, especially since she was wearing a light dress with a flowing skirt and heels. It was her usual look for the office, but didn’t really work forsurveillance. The floral pattern was appropriate, but there was no way she’d risk going home to change, not when she had an insistent feeling she was on the right path to get answers.
One thing that concerned her more and more was that Brandon hadn’t return any of her calls or messages—she made a mental note to try and reach him again as soon as she checked Erin Strait’s house and determined if Reeker was there.
When she reached the address, Noelle stopped in her tracks; it was the same house she and Brandon had stopped by, the one with the vast flower tree. With the setting sun in the background, it gave off a totally different mood in the fading light. Maybe it was because she was alone this time, without Brandon’s strong presence.
Shaking off the dread, Noelle instead focused on her surroundings, finding some of her courage to do what needed to be done.
Lights shone through Erin Strait’s home, and Reinhard Reeker’s car was in her driveway. What to do next? She stood behind the flower bush, not certain what to do. In a lab, she didn’t have to think about it. Her actions flowed from experience and passion. What Brandon and the other cops within the department did day-to-day was a completely different story.
So, Noelle proceeded in the only way she knew, in a logical and organized manner.
The neighbors on both sides of Erin’s front lawn had lights on in their front rooms, and the area seemed relatively calm at the moment as it was dinner time. No fences, thick bushes all around the perimeter, and a shed at the back from what she could see. A higher line of trees blocked the view from any neighbors behind the house, making it easy for anyone to move without being seen. As a car came down the street, Noelle had no other choice but to round the flower tree and go toward the side of the house.
Her heart pumping, Noelle moved close to the wall, as close to the window as she could. Two voices could be heard, one male, the other female. Laughter and clinks from dishes and pots indicated she was next to the kitchen or dining room.
The house wasn’t that big and didn’t have a basement, like most of the houses in this part of Louisiana. However, there was an attic. But what was its purpose?
What was she doing? Panic was rising steadily inside her, squeezing her lungs enough to make breathing difficult, but she wouldn’t let it stop her.
Hunching low, she shuffled toward the back. Grateful for the greenery she could use for cover; she discovered the backyard was arranged in an immense garden. The garden beds were neat and bountiful, just as any worthy gardener would keep them. From her vantage point, she could see a row of medicinal herbs she recognized; Mamou to treat bronchitis, French mulberry for kidney diseases and sassafras for stomach pain. It was a surprise to see those in a common garden. Not everybody knew their use or even how to grow those wild varieties. Even more disturbing was that, even in the dim light, she noticed more and more plants her grandmother had shown her in her youth, many of them poisonous or even lethal.
The more she checked the different beds, the more appalled she was at the variety and number of dangerous specimens in the garden. They should be outlawed or tightly regulated.
Could whatever compound that was used on the victims be among the plants? Her brain tried to scan all the possibilities, but none of them made sense with what she could see in front of her.
Laughter coming from behind her made her jump and huddle even more into the shadow of the house. Risking a peek, she saw figures coming out the front door, heading toward the car.It was impossible to confirm their identities, even though it was obvious it was Erin and Reeker.
Their silhouettes could be seen against the lawn and flower bushes, and when the porch light shone over the pink trumpet-like flowers and realization hit as she finally recognized the plant.
CHAPTER 17
Angel’s trumpets. Noelle wanted to smack herself for not recognizing them the first time she’d seen them with Brandon. The flower was known as a potent poison when ingested. Not only that, but it had been demonstrated that it could turn the subject into a zombie, with strong hallucinogenic effects and memory disturbances.
“It fits.” Noelle didn’t realize she’d murmured it out loud, but everything fell so perfectly into place, she needed to call Brandon and have him meet her there.
Reaching inside her pocket for her phone, she saw Reeker drive away. Exposed, Noelle sprinted toward the shed in a last resort to remain hidden, and she’d been right to move as Erin lit the backyard when she turned on the outside lights. It was impossible to know what she was doing until the sound of the watering system started. The spraying water made Noelle deaf to any other sounds, so she remained crouched, waiting.
Phone in hand, her knees hurting and thighs screaming, she heard someone moving around, but not much more. Leaningagainst the metal siding, she noticed it wasn’t attached to a wooden structure but cement. From her standpoint, with a partial view of the backyard, she could see electrical wiring overhead. Not that it was uncommon, but it raised a possibility that there was more inside the shed than met the eye.
It took a long time for the water to be turned off, and the garden’s spotlight to fade.
For good measure, Noelle remained perfectly still for a few more heartbeats before daring to check if the coast was clear. Removing her high heels, she trod through the muddy ground, phone in hand and ready to dial Brandon’s number.
Everything was calm and peaceful, but a few sounds told her that Erin hadn’t gone to the house yet, and a telling clue was the clicking of a padlock. Another clue was the sound of heavy metallic doors whining open.
What if she took a quick peek? What if she could just see inside for half a second and see if her suspicions were founded or not?
The door was open just a crack, and light streamed out. Noelle knew it was the worst possible idea, but she had to do it for Jordyn and Leanna, and everyone victimized by Reeker and his psycho girlfriend.
Her peek didn’t show much: a wall of boxes, a broken bike, and a fake Christmas tree. And no sign of Erin. How was that possible in such a small space? Without thinking, she slid through the opening. As she moved, Noelle’s found an area that looked less like a spare room and more like a setup. With the concrete floor under her naked feet, the impossibility of Erin having a basement became more probable by the minute. Basements were rare because of the water levels, but a concrete structure would do the trick. Could the efflorescence she’d found on Jordyn come from this very place?
It was behind the many cartons that she found an open trap door.
In that instant, Noelle knew she needed to call for backup, but there were still so many unanswered questions. Pressed by the urgency of the moment, she pressed the emergency button on her cell and put it on one of the boxes.
If she were wrong, she’d lose her job and reputation by breaking into an innocent woman’s property. If she was right, she might have the chance to save Leanna.
Lights led the way down a concrete staircase and straight into a trap.
