Missing in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law Mystery/Romance Series) by Jana DeLeon Read Free Book Online

job.  
    Colt slowed and she scanned the brush in front of them. No sign of the trail remained, but Jadyn’s chest tightened when she saw the broken trees and scattered brush with two clear tire tracks running through it. Colt’s gaze immediately locked on the tire tracks and he frowned.  
    One question answered, but not the answer they were hoping for.
    Colt rolled to a stop at the end of the trail, and they grabbed their gear.
    “This way,” he said.
    She fell in step behind him as he pushed a broken sapling aside and hurried into the brush.  
    Jadyn expected the density of the foliage to decline as they approached the water and was surprised when she stepped out of the thick underbrush and found herself standing right at the edge of the bayou.
    “Careful,” Colt said. “The edge of the bank is sandy and could easily give. Just inch along the side here until we get to where there’s more bank.”
    She stepped lightly behind him until they reached hard-packed mud and weeds. A tall, thin man with silver hair stood next to the pond, checking his watch. Jadyn glanced upstream and saw a bass boat tied off to the bank just before the entrance to the pond. As they approached, the man stuck out his hand to Colt.
    “Made good time, Sheriff,” he said, then looked at Jadyn.
    “This is Jadyn St. James,” Colt said. “She’s the new game warden.”
    The man looked her up and down, then shook his head. “Don’t know what the world is coming to. Wouldn’t you rather be home having babies or something?”
    Colt closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead, probably waiting for the explosion he thought was coming. He was wrong. Jadyn knew this man. He existed in every small town across the nation. And nothing he said could ruffle her feathers.  
    “Would you rather be home having babies?” Jadyn asked.
    “’Course not!”
    “Then why do you assume I would? I got news for you, old-timer, a set of ovaries does not automatically make a woman desire the sound of screaming infants.”
    Burton looked over at Colt. “Got a mouth on her, doesn’t she?”
    Colt glanced at her firearm. “That’s not all she has on her. You might want to check a calendar. Women have been making a go of it on their own for quite a while now.”
    “Don’t care if it’s been a thousand years,” Burton said. “I still ain’t got to like it.”
    “How about you show us the boat,” Colt said, clearly trying to navigate away from the current conversation.
    “This way. Hell.”
    Jadyn didn’t bother to hold in her smile as they followed Burton down the bank. She stopped next to Colt where a small channel fed into the pond. About ten feet from the edge of the water she could see the top of something large and black, a couple of inches below the surface. It didn’t look anything like the top of the boats that Jadyn had seen, but it looked exactly like the top of a car.
    “Can’t be that deep if we can see the top.”
    “No,” Colt agreed, “but the water’s murky, so might take some time to inspect. And it’s good he found it now because in a couple of hours, the top won’t be visible from the surface. Something that heavy will sink fast in the mud. Suit up and let’s take a closer look. Mr. Foster, would you mind waiting here while we dive?”
    Burton gave him a derisive look. “You never leave a man in the field.”
    “Of course not.” Colt reached into his duffel bag for two underwater flashlights and handed one to Jadyn. “I’ll check inside. You check the rear for a license plate number.”
    She wanted to argue. Wanted to tell him that she was perfectly capable of peering into that car even though it might mean finding Raissa inside. But she knew if she opened her mouth, he’d know she was lying. The truth was she was scared as hell about what might be inside that car. Scared as hell that she’d have to go back to the hotel and tell Mildred and Maryse that they’d never see their friend again. At least not