“I’m going to guess that they didn’t,” I said. “Or they would have tried to get Ralph to use his connection to get them out of the country before they went to trial.”
Little nodded. “I can’t imagine that Ralph would offer up the names of his questionable clientele, especially to the brothers, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t have found out at some point. Prison is filled with all sorts of interesting information.”
I shook my head. It just kept getting messier. “All of this cannot be coincidence.”
“No,” Big agreed. “It’s all tied together somehow.”
“Maybe the simplest explanation is the correct one,” Little said. “That the Seal brothers are behind it all. Maybe the only thing hidden in that crypt is a pile of money and the rest is an elaborate story to throw us off track.”
“Time to find out,” I said.
“I will watch all incoming traffic and alert you to anyone entering the cemetery,” Big said. “But I wouldn’t count on the parties we seek strolling in through the front gate. It goes without saying that you should watch your back.”
Big headed for the Hummer and we separated into three groups. Ida Belle, Gertie, and I went first, scanning the crypts. I’d originally figured we would move at a deliberate but unrushed pace and maybe even take some pictures as we went so that we looked like tourists, but given the heat and humidity, the place was empty. Besides, if someone other than the Seal brothers was behind some of this mess, they probably already knew who Ida Belle was. And then there was the fact that Little, in his dress pants and button-up shirt, and Mannie, who resembled a cage fighter in both physique and dress, didn’t exactly blend.
But ultimately, it didn’t matter. The bottom line was that if someone wanted to take us out, it was five against one or two. At least, I hoped it wasn’t more than two. I had no doubts about my ability or Mannie’s, but I didn’t want anyone else getting caught in the cross fire.
The slowest part of the process was the actual walking. Gertie was doing a decent job keeping up with Ida Belle and me. Quite frankly, better than I’d anticipated, but the cemetery was huge and the heat rose with every step we took. I glanced back occasionally and spotted Mannie some distance behind us, but within sight and definitely within firing range. Little had ventured onto the next row and was keeping pace with us there.
In the first two hours of walking, I tried the key in fifteen different Thibodeaux crypts, but so far, had come up empty. But we kept marching along, me clutching the key and Ida Belle a small can of WD-40 to grease up old locks. I had just suggested a water break when Little walked in between two crypts and approached us.
“We have a problem,” he said. “The vehicle transporting the brothers from the storage unit to the warehouse hit a deer. I’m afraid they’ve escaped.”
“Escaped?” Ida Belle said. “I’m surprised your guys didn’t just shoot them.”
“They were both knocked unconscious in the wreck,” Little said, looking aggravated. “I tell them to wear their seat belts but no one listens. Now it will be policy and I won’t get any argument.”
“Okay,” I said. “Let’s not panic. How long ago did it happen?”
“About an hour ago,” he said.
“And how far away were they from somewhere that they could boost a car?” I asked.
“A couple miles,” he said. “Their hands were still duct-taped, but the tape on their feet was removed in order to get them into the vehicle. I’m afraid they also lifted two pistols off of my drivers.”
“Jesus,” I said. “They know where we are, so we can bet they’re headed this way and they’re both armed.”
“It’s still two against five,” Gertie said.
“Which in an open battle would be great odds,” I said, “but given how easy it is to sneak around here unseen, it wouldn’t be hard for them to come up on us and pick a couple of people off to help level the playing field.”
Little nodded. “I’m really sorry about this. I feel we’ve failed you. How would you like to proceed? We can call the entire thing off until we’ve acquired the brothers again.”
I shook my head. “We’d be looking over our shoulders every second anyway since they’ve probably guessed we have the key. I’d rather get it over with now. But anyone who is not completely on board with that plan is free to leave now. Gertie? You’re an easy target with those bad knees.”
“Actually,” Gertie said, “I’m probably no target at all. They’ll see me as no threat and go for the bigger players.”
“She’s right,” Little said, “assuming the brothers use any forethought before they open fire, but that’s questionable.”
“I don’t care,” Gertie said. “I’m seeing this to the end.”
“Me too,” Ida Belle said.
Little nodded. “Mannie and I will maintain position as we have the past two hours. Big has arranged for more backup and it’s on the way. Everyone needs to keep a close watch, and if you see anything, yell. If Mannie or I yell, find cover.”
Little retreated back a row over and we continued our search of the crypts, the water break completely abandoned. The urgency we’d felt before was now multiplied by a thousand. I was certain the brothers were desperate and had no doubt about their ability to use the weapons they’d acquired. The slower, more deliberate walking was abandoned. I walked near one line of crypts and Ida Belle on the other side, scanning the names as we went. Gertie walked down the middle of the row, playing lookout. Fifteen minutes later, I spotted a crypt with “Thibodeaux” etched on the door. I signaled to Ida Belle, who came over to spray the ancient lock with WD-40, then I stuck the key in, expecting the same result as before.
But this time, it turned.
“This is it,” I said.
Gertie waved at Little, who started toward us. I leaned against the stone door and gave it a shove. It barely moved, so I put some more back into it and tried again. This time the door pushed open. Little appeared behind me, gun drawn.
“Check it out,” he said. “I’ll stand guard.”
I stepped inside the crypt, followed by Ida Belle and Gertie. The sunlight from outside streamed in, illuminating part of the small structure, but the back of it was still too dim to see everything. I pulled a penlight out of my pocket and shone it on the back of the crypt.
“There,” Ida Belle said, pointing to the left rear corner.
I directed the light to the corner and saw a small duffel bag on a shelf in the corner. We hurried over, and I handed Ida Belle the penlight. I opened it and we peered down at the stacks of bundled hundreds.
“Holy crap,” Gertie said. “There must be twenty thousand dollars in there.”
“Anything else?” Ida Belle said.
I located a zippered pocket on the side and was just about to open it when I heard gunfire. The first shot sounded as though it was some distance from us, but it could have been muffled by the stone sides of the crypt. The second shot, however, ricocheted off the side of the crypt, sending Little scrambling inside.
He pulled out his phone, then cursed. It was the first time I’d ever seen the highly composed and polished Little lose his cool.