I lost track of time. I must have fallen asleep. I looked over at Nestor and Belle. They had their eyes closed. Belle was snoring softly. Usually, something like that would make me laugh. But not today. All I knew was we were still alive. But for how long?
Heavy footsteps echoed from the garage tunnel entrance. It sounded like an advancing army ready to attack.
I cringed.
Was this to be the moment of our deaths?
Would I watch my best friend die?
The noise woke up Nestor and Belle. They turned their faces toward the tunnel, dreading, as I did, what horror was on its way.
Louder. Louder. Louder.
Flashlights.
Closer. Closer. Closer.
They burst in. A group of men. Uniformed.
Someone flicked on the light.
“New Orleans Police. You’re safe.” It was the officer from Daisy Dukes.
The officers removed our gags and cut the ropes from our hands and feet. A man dressed in street clothes spoke. “You don’t remember me, do you? I’m Colette’s father, Detective DeBlanc. You boys did a real foolish thing. You’ve got a lot of explaining to do. If it weren’t for Jennifer at Daisy Dukes, we might be sending you boys home to your mamas in wooden boxes.”
“Yeah, but—”
“No buts, Phil. Man up and admit you were wrong,” Detective DeBlanc said.
Then he glared at Nestor as if he were expecting backtalk. “No argument from me, Nestor or said. “Sometimes, Phil just won’t admit his mistakes.”
I guess Detective DeBlanc was finished with the lecture. For the moment.
“Ms. Belle, you feeling OK? Are you hurt?” he asked.
“Just stiff in the bones. Where are Miz Delphine and Mr.Antoine? Are they safe?”
“Yes, they’re safe. By the grace of God.”
“But where’s Angel Not?” Nestor asked. ”He has a gun.”
“Angel Not?” asked Detective DeBlanc.
“Yeah. That’s what we call Angel,” I explained.
“Smart Not is what y’all should call yourselves,” he answered.
Ouch.
“Don’t worry. We’ve got him in custody. He won’t be threatening anybody for a long time.
“I’m bringing all of you to the hospital to have you checked out. Mr. and Mrs. St. Pierre are already there. They haven’t taken their medications for a week, so they might have to stay for a while.”
“Why do we need the hospital?”
“For starters, Phil, you look like hell. All bruised up like you’ve been street brawlin’. Did one of them do this to you?”
“No. I fell on my face trying to escape.”
“Seriously, you’d better stick to being a kid and let the big boys do the rescuing.”
“But I’m not hurt,” Nestor said, “ and I don’t like hospitals.”
“It’s routine. Anyone involved in a hostage situation gets checked out at the hospital. After we get the all-clear signal from the doctors, we’ll take y’all over to the station to take your statements. Let’s get one thing straight. You boys are not in charge here. So don’t y’all be telling me how to do my job.”
He had made his point.
“I never thought being picked up by the police would make me happy.”
“I hear ya, Nestor.”
“F’true,” Belle added.