Washed by the Water, page 19
“Call us if you want an escort over the causeway,” Peter said, glancing toward the bridge. “You should still be okay, but I have a feeling we’ll close it before too much longer.”
Kate blinked in surprise. She hadn’t thought about the wind being so strong they would have to close the island’s only link to the mainland.
Peter offered her a reassuring smile as he climbed back into the car and drove toward the convention center. They met a few cars headed off the island. Some pulled trailers that probably contained as much furniture and other valuables as the family could cram in. Otherwise, the streets were empty.
Along with the wind, a heavy blanket of clouds had rolled in overnight. They pressed down on the island, giving Kate a sense of claustrophobia. Peter switched on the car’s headlights. The palm trees that marched down Broadway in single file swayed in the wind as they drove past.
Several police officers stood at the entrance to the convention center parking garage, directing traffic. Peter pulled around them and parked in the surface lot.
“I doubt we’ll be here long,” he said. “I’m just going to check in and see where they want me out patrolling.”
“I’m going to talk to Vasquez,” Kate said, climbing out of the car. “If he’s got crews going out, I may want to hitch a ride with one of them.”
Peter frowned. “If you decide to do that, I’m coming with you.”
Kate hesitated. “I don’t want to get you in any more trouble with the police chief than you already are. Surely, if I’m with Vasquez and other members of his crew, I’d be safe enough.”
“Not for me,” he said.
All the arguments that sprang to life in her mind died before they crossed her lips. Her independent streak seemed so petty in light of the danger swirling around them. She knew Peter would give anything, even his own life, to keep her safe. How could she argue against that?
She followed him into the back of the convention center, leaving a slight distance between them. She hoped that might tamp down the inevitable whispering their constant togetherness would generate. Police officers filled the hallway, chatting and swigging bottles of water. Peter stopped to shake hands with several of the men.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“First shift should be coming in soon,” said one of the men. “We’re waiting on the mayor and the chief to agree on when to have us come back once the storm gets worse.”
Kate peered around the crowd in the hallway and through the door of the first conference room. The murmur of raised voices filtered into the hallway.
“Let’s go check it out,” she said, heading for the door. “You first. I’ll slip in behind you. Maybe no one will notice I’m there.”
Peter shot her an exasperated look, and she shooed him into the room. Mayor Matthew Hanes stood in the middle of the room, hands on hips. He looked angrily between emergency management coordinator Stephen Rush and the police chief. Kate spotted Eddie Vasquez behind Rush. He had his arms crossed, and a fierce scowl creased his normally cheery face.
“People had plenty of time to leave,” Hanes shouted. “We’ll do what we can to help those who changed their minds. But I am not risking city property, or our employees, for people too stupid to do the right thing.”
“I’m not suggesting we put anyone at risk,” Rush growled. “But you only want our crews out in the streets for a few more hours. I’m saying that’s not enough time. Let our people do their jobs until it really is too dangerous. Then we’ll pull them in.”
Lugar held up his hands. “I’m with Rush on this one. I want all my officers to take every possible precaution. But our job is to serve and protect. We can’t do that sitting around here.”
“Look, chief, with all due respect, I’m the one who needs to call the shots here,” Hanes sneered. “Thanks to the emergency declaration I signed this morning, I’ve got the power to do whatever I think is best under the circumstances.”
Lugar’s face flushed crimson. Kate held her breath for the inevitable explosion, but he managed to wrestle his anger under control.
“My men are not going to stand for abandoning this community when it needs them most,” he snapped. “These are their neighbors and friends. They want to do everything they can to help for as long as they can.”
“And what happens if one of them gets stuck in floodwater, or a tree comes down on one of their cars?” Hanes roared. “We cannot risk having to send a rescue crew out to rescue the rescuers. How’s that going to look on tonight’s news?”
At the mention of news, Ashleigh Tarver’s head snapped up. As if drawn to Kate’s presence, she turned and looked right at her. As soon as their eyes met, Ashleigh’s mouth puckered as though she were sucking on a fat straw. She waved at the mayor frantically and pointed with wide eyes in Kate’s direction. Kate thought about trying to duck out of sight but decided to stand her ground. When Hanes saw her, his already angry face contorted with rage.
“You!” he bellowed. “How did you sneak in here? I should have you arrested.”
Peter’s face showed no emotion, but his jaw muscle twitched. Lugar glanced their way and his eyes narrowed. Kate braced for him to spew his own vitriol.
“Maybe it’s not such a bad thing to have a member of the media present,” he said, fixing his eyes on Hanes. “What would the public think if they knew you were trying to pull police off the streets too soon? If none of my officers are visible, looters will have a field day.”
“Fine,” Hanes spat. “But I’m going to let you be the one to go in front of the TV cameras if something goes wrong.”
Hanes turned on his heel and stalked off, fixing Kate with a murderous look as he strode past. As soon as he was out of sight, Kate trotted over to Rush and Vasquez.
“I had no idea this storm would come with a lightning show,” she quipped, hoping to break the lingering tension.
“For once, I think we were all glad to see you,” Vasquez retorted with a wink.
Peter tensed as Lugar headed right for him, his mouth set in a grim line.
“For once, your timing was perfect, detective.”
“We really weren’t trying to cause any trouble. We just walked in.”
“Well, I suggest you stay out of the mayor’s way for a while.”
Peter nodded. “Is there anything in particular I can do to help?”
Lugar thought for a moment. “The first shift should be coming in now, and I’m about to send the next shift out. Why don’t you check in with dispatch and see if they’ve had any calls come in that need immediate attention.”
Peter glanced at Kate. She had her notebook out, scribbling down something Vasquez and Rush were saying. He decided not to interrupt, especially since the chief probably didn’t want her hanging around the call center. As long as she stayed in the building, he was sure she was safe.
In the next room, four dispatchers sat around tables, staring with practiced calm at their glowing computer screens. Each woman wore a headset connected to a phone sitting by their right elbow. He caught the eye of the one closest to him and she waved him over.
“The chief asked me to check in and see if you had any calls that needed immediate attention. Second shift is a bit delayed getting out.”
“No open calls at the moment,” she said. “But we have had several calls from the same address where no one says anything. At first I thought it might be a prankster. But the last time I listened for a bit longer, and it seemed like someone might have been keeping the line open on purpose. But I couldn’t hear anything. Ordinarily l would have called it out as a welfare check.”
“I can swing by and check it out,” he said, pulling his phone from his pocket. “What’s the address?”
“2807 Church Street.”
Something about the address sounded familiar, but Peter couldn’t place it.
“The streets downtown were already starting to fill with water before dawn. Maybe it’s someone who’s watching the water rise and getting nervous. Based on what I saw this morning, that area is definitely going to be under water before long.”
The woman nodded, the briefest hint of worry flitting across her normally placid face.
“I’ve heard a lot of things at the other end of these lines over the years. But this is going to be a long night.”
“Hang in there,” Peter said. “We’ll do everything we can.”
“Everything else is out of our control,” she said.
The uncanny echo of his mother’s words filled Peter’s mind. In most other situations, he had no trouble admitting his own limitations. And as he’d told Kate the night before, surrender was both the gateway and the foundation to faith. But with a killer lurking and massive hurricane about to barrel over them at full speed, surrender somehow felt like failure.
When Peter returned to the conference room, Kate wasn’t there. A jolt of panic shot through his chest, leaving him breathless. He dashed back into the hallway and looked around, trying not to look as frantic as he felt.
“She’s on the balcony, detective,” an officer standing nearby called with a smirk. “I saw her head out there with Vasquez and Rush a few minutes ago.”
“Thanks,” Peter muttered, embarrassed to be caught looking like a frightened child.
The convention center balcony was built to serve as a viewing platform for local officials to watch the annual Mardi Gras parades. Since it looked out over the gulf, it made a great spot to take in Julio’s building wrath. Kate stood at the edge of the decorative iron railing with Vasquez, her hand shading her eyes from the wind.
Peter stepped out to stand next to her. The muddy brown waves of the gulf churned and frothed, crashing onto the beach with increasing force. About half a dozen people stood on the seawall, watching the display of nature’s power. In front of the convention center, Peter counted seven television crews doing live shots.
“That’s CNN,” Kate said, pointing to the one in the middle. “Over there is The Weather Channel.”
“I’ve already given interviews to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal,” Vasquez said, flashing Kate a grin. “I told them I was a pro at giving interviews, thanks to our relentless local news media.”
Kate rolled her eyes. “Glad I could help.”
“I just got another update from the National Weather Service,” Rush said, holding up his phone. “Wind speed’s increased by two miles per hour. We need to get those people off the seawall.”
“We can send a couple officers out to talk to them,” Peter said. “The wind won’t be the only problem before long. Look at the waves hitting the end of the fishing pier.”
Wave after wave battered the long pier that stretched about fifty yards out from the beach. As they watched, it shuddered. Vasquez let out a low whistle.
“It won’t take much more of that,” he said.
“And when it breaks apart, all that debris is going to wash this way,” Peter said.
“I’m going to go see if I can get those television reporters to encourage people to stay away,” Rush said, ducking back into the building.
“Are you headed out?” Kate asked, turning toward him. Her hair flew around her face, giving her a wild, untamed look.
He nodded. “Dispatch had an address they wanted me to check out. It’s probably nothing, but we can swing by while we’re making the rounds.”
“Maybe I’ll get an exclusive on a dramatic rescue,” she said, flashing him a smile.
“Or maybe we’ll have a nice, uneventful drive and come back here to wait out this monster,” he said. “That sounds like a much better idea.”
Chapter 20
The wind whipped Kate’s face as they stepped out the back door of the convention center. In the short time they’d been inside, it had already kicked up a notch. A long line of city vehicles had formed at the entrance to the parking garage. The police officers directing traffic barked orders and waved their arms like an airport ground crew to keep the line moving. Police vehicles, ambulances, and fire trucks filled the surface lot.
The background hum of the surf, normally a soothing ebb and flow, now roared like a bear caught in a trap. Kate felt every wave as it exploded at the base of the seawall. She could almost sense the island tremble. When they scrambled into the car and closed the doors, the silence seemed unnaturally loud.
Peter stared out at the chaos unfolding around them for several moments before firing up the engine.
“Where to?” Kate asked.
“We’ll head back toward downtown first,” he said. “I want to see how high the water is now. I bet some people closer to Broadway who didn’t think they needed to leave are going to get caught by surprise.”
“What about that call dispatch wanted you to check out?”
“It’s in that direction. I’m guessing that may be why they’ve been calling.”
Peter switched on the headlights as he pulled out of the parking lot. It was only mid-morning, but the storm’s encroaching gloom had the feel of twilight. As they drove down the empty street, debris picked up from nearby neighborhoods skittered across the pavement in front of them. Kate peered out the windshield at the palm trees gyrating in the wind. A dead frond tore loose as though plucked by an invisible hand. It bounced when it hit the street, and Peter swerved to miss it.
As they neared Broadway, a city dump truck lumbered by. In the back sat two men clutching trash bags in their laps.
“Looks like they’re already making some high-water rescues,” Peter said.
Before Kate could respond, his cell phone rang.
“Detective Johnson,” he said in the professional voice that sounded both familiar and foreign. “Yes, sir, we’re still out patrolling. In fact, I’m not far from you right now.”
Kate strained to hear the voice on the other end of the line but could only make out an indistinct murmuring.
“I’ll be happy to come get you,” Peter said. “Kate Bennett’s with me. I know she’ll be relieved to see you.”
He flashed her a smile, and she raised her eyebrows questioningly.
“Okay, we’ll be there as soon as we can,” he said, ending the call and dropping his phone in his lap. “Looks like you’re going to get to witness a rescue after all, although I don’t know how dramatic it will be. Carl Neal decided he doesn’t want to stick it out at home after all.”
Kate grinned, relief giving her a boost of energy. “About time. This is going to make a great story.”
Peter laughed. “I’m sure he’ll be happy to hear it.”
A sudden gust of wind rocked the car, and Kate instinctively reached for the dashboard.
“I’m glad he called now,” Peter said. “The storm’s really picking up. I don’t know how much longer we’ll be able to stay out.”
As if on cue, the police scanner crackled to life. “All units be advised: the causeway is now closed to traffic. The city is opening a shelter of last resort at Ball High School. Anyone picked up from now on needs to be taken there. Continue to patrol for now, but plan to come in earlier than expected.”
Kate’s pulse quickened. “Surely they won’t pull all the rescue teams off the streets just when they opened a shelter, not if people are still calling for help.”
Peter glanced at her, his mouth set in a grim line. “We’re not out of time yet,” he said. But the urgency in his voice told her it probably wouldn’t be long before they were.
He stepped on the gas and the car lurched toward Bayou Shore Drive. After two blocks, water started to fill the gutters and creep toward the center of the street. In another two blocks, Peter pulled the car to a stop. A narrow strip of pavement stretched out in front of them. But water completely covered the intersection ahead.
“We can’t go any further,” he said. “The water is coming too fast.”
Kate peered out the window, her alarm rising as fast as the water outside. Peter put the car in reverse and backed up to the next block.
“That should buy us enough time to go in and get them out,” he said, killing the engine and opening his door. “We’re going to have to wade. Are you ready?”
Kate nodded and stepped out into the wind. She tucked her notebook into her back pocket and twisted her hair into a knot at the base of her neck, using her pen to hold it in place. They walked down the center of the street on dry ground for about a block. Kate inspected each house they passed, looking for any signs of life behind the shuttered windows. They were still a block away from the Neal’s street when water started to lap around their feet. Kate shivered at the unexpected cold working its way toward her ankles. By the time they had sloshed their way to Bayou Shore Drive, it swirled around her knees.
Peter reached out to her. She hesitated only a moment before grasping his hand. It no longer seemed important who saw them together or what they thought about it.
“The current’s really strong,” she said, tightening her grip. “I’m not sure why that’s surprising.”
“That’s why so many people get in trouble,” Peter said, pulling her closer. “This water has a lot more power than we realize.”
When they turned the corner, Kate spotted Carl Neal standing on his front porch. Water already covered his shoes.
“It must be in their house already,” Kate said. “It’s still hours before landfall. Thank God he changed his mind.”
Peter cupped his hands to his mouth and yelled to get Carl’s attention. He turned slowly and raised his hand in a dejected salute of acknowledgement. He took one more look at his front yard and disappeared through the front door.
Kate and Peter slogged their way up the street. With every step, she expected the Neals to come out to meet them, but they made it to the front steps without another sign of the couple.
“Mr. Neal?” Peter called. “Are you ready? We need to get moving before the water rises much higher.”
“We’re just about ready,” Carl yelled.
Kate followed Peter up the steps, glad to be out of the tugging current for at least a few minutes. The tidy living room she’d seen just a few days before was now in disarray. The couch, chairs, and coffee table sat on concrete blocks, dry for now. But it was clear the water would soon start creeping up their legs. Kate gazed around the room, wondering how high it would eventually climb. As she stood looking around, Gigi Neal bustled into the room, her arms full of a stack of clothes she deposited into two duffel bags sitting open on the couch. She turned to go back down the hallway and bumped into her husband.
