CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

"Florida is not what I remember," said Marcel, frowning at the others. "It was once lush like Louisiana, beautiful bayous and swamps, wildlife that you could only imagine. All this concrete and steel is horrible."

"We agree," smirked Nine. "Good thing we're only in the panhandle. If you went further east to Orlando or Miami, you'd be very disappointed in how it's all turned out."

"Appalling."

Mercy Hospital was a small-town hospital, which may have been why the man was left there. They didn't have the staff or the ability to track down an unknown. Seeing two police officers leave a room, they knew that they'd probably been there to get a statement from the man inside.

Marcel walked in first, Gaspar and Nine following him.

"Do I know you?" he asked, staring at the men. Then it hit him. These were the men he feared more than Tim. "Robicheauxs. All of you?"

"Not me. I'm just lucky enough to be family," said Nine.

"You got my message."

"We did," said Marcel. "I thank you, but I am curious to know why you would warn us."

"He shot me in the back. Twice. I won't walk again, and that's more than I deserve for helping him. When I found out that his real obsession was with some painting owned by your family, I thought he was crazy. He'd been going after anything and everything that was connected to your name."

"He's not been very successful," said Gaspar. "Why does he want the painting?"

"I don't know. He refused to tell me. I knew that the painting in the office was the original, and I told him that. Once he found out, he knew the woman had lied to him, and he wanted to get to her. Her name is Amy Fontenot. She's done nothing wrong except lie to Tim, and that's not something he forgives easily."

"Her name is Amy Robicheaux," said Marcel with a snarl.

"Shit," muttered Mark.

"What is your name?" asked Nine. "And don't fucking lie to me. You know who we are, and I can find out."

"Mark Banner. I admitted to those officers that I killed Paz Sheffield." He held up one wrist attached with cuffs to the railing. "Tim is so focused on getting that painting and destroying anyone with the name of Robicheaux. He can't see what it's doing to him. He's stolen millions from non-profits, and I've helped him. I've admitted to that as well.

"He doesn't know anything about computers or computer programming. He hires kids from junior colleges who are hungry and want to make a lot of money fast. And they do if they do everything he asks of them. Most are so desperate they don't give a shit that they're working fifteen-hour days, and he's treating them like shit."

"Who develops the viruses? The programs?" asked Nine.

"The kids that work for him. Some work better than others, but they all work to some degree. No one ever knows his name or sees his face. He contacts them via e-mail or phone and conducts all his business remotely. The only ones who ever see him are those in the small office that was here."

"Was here?" asked Gaspar.

"That's where I was shot. The police went in and found it cleared out with another dead body. It was the kid that brought me here. He was told to throw me in the dumpster or something, but realized I was alive. He saved my life but lost his own."

"Where is he now?" asked Marcel.

"I have to guess that he's gone back to New Orleans. He's a man on a mission, and nothing seems able to stop him."

"We're going to stop him," said Gaspar. "We're going to stop him permanently. Do you have a lawyer?"

"Don't need one," said the man, shaking his head. The three men just looked at him. "Look, I know who you guys are. The famous Robicheaux Rangers, REAPER. I know your reputation, and I tried to warn Tim to stay clear of you, but he believes he's invincible."

"How do you know who we are?" asked Nine.

"I was infantry. A long time ago. I did something stupid, and my team suffered because of it. I was found guilty, did my time. But no one wants to hire a dishonorably discharged ex-convict. I just couldn't do what Tim wanted."

"What's that?" asked Marcel.

"To kidnap, rape, and murder the woman."

Marcel moved so quickly Nine and Gaspar weren't sure they would be able to stop him. But something did. Someone did. He gripped the man's neck, then shook his head.

"You are not worth it. But I will kill Jacques Couvillion."

"Jacques Couvillion? Who is that?" asked Mark.

"A man who has no idea what he's done and who he's pissed off. Do you have a contact phone number or e-mail for him?" asked Gaspar.

"Here," he said, reaching beside his bed for the paper. "I've written everything down that I could remember, including his own bank account. It might be nice if you were able to reverse what he's done, and I suspect that you can."

"This is a second chance for you," said Nine. "You can't be more than forty. Take your punishment and change your life. You could do some good even if it's on the inside of a prison."

"You know, it's funny. I've been thinking the same thing," he said, shaking his head. "I'm not sure what I'll do or how I'll do it, but I am going to change my life."

"I hope you do," said Marcel. "Because if I have to meet you like this again, I will end your life." Marcel walked out of the room, leaving Nine and Gaspar behind.

"He could have killed me. I felt his fingers tightening on my neck."

"Yes, he could have, and we wouldn't have been able to stop him," said Nine. "You're lucky he's a man with a great deal more mercy than you deserve."

As the men turned to leave, Mark called out to them.

"Hey. One more thing. Tim, or Couvillion, or whoever he is, wears this really weird necklace. It's important to him, and he believes it protects him. He freaks out if he can't find it, but he pretty much wears it all the time. Might be something to use." Gaspar smirked at the man.

"You know, I believe you've just acquired one redemption point."