A Darker Shade of Midnight (6 page)

Hell broke loose. Kinfolks took sides with either LaShaun or Azalei and Rita. Savannah shouted that they could well destroy priceless antiques, and no one would get them. When no one listened, Savannah retreated to a corner of the room. The fighting spilled out to the long front porch and into the yard. Sirens whined closer. Moments later a Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s patrol car pulled into the yard, blue lights flashing.

Devin Martin swabbed sweat from his forehead with one shaking hand. “Thank God for the cavalry.”

Deputy Broussard got out of his cruiser. He took several moments to observe the chaos then took put a handset to his mouth. Seconds later his voice boomed through a loud speaker on the roof of his cruiser.
 

“Everybody that hasn’t settled down by the time I count to five is going to jail.”
 

Deputy Arceneaux stepped out of a second cruiser. She was with her partner, a lanky man the color of dark chocolate. He walked past Deputy Arceneaux to stand on the edge of the front lawn with his feet wide apart. Deputy Broussard’s countdown had the desired effect. Loud curses and name calling gradually died away. Two of LaShaun’s male cousins got into a shoving match. Deputy Arceneaux’s partner barked orders at them. When they broke apart the deputy stood between them.

“Who should I handcuff first?” he said, his voice a deep rumble. His tone indicated he didn’t care which one; just that he would enjoy snapping the steel bracelets nice and tight.

“Arrest her. Me and Rita are going to press charges.” Azalei pointed to LaShaun, and then rubbed a red spot on her left cheek. “She’s going to pay my medical expenses, too. After she gets out of jail that is.”
 

Monmon Odette came through the front door. She held onto a walker moving slowly. A teenaged great-grandson helped her along.
 

“Monmon Odette walked to the edge of the porch with careful steps while she held onto a teenage great-grandson. “I’m old and can’t hear too good these days. Say again, Azalei?”

“LaShaun…” Azalei stopped when she locked gazes with her grandmother.
 

 
“Somebody wanna tell me what happened?” Deputy Broussard said.

“Family discussion that got out of hand. Nobody got hurt, and everybody is going to go home and cool off. Ain’t that right, children?” Monmon Odette.

Uncle Theo cleared his throat and tucked his shirt back into his pants. “Mostly a bunch of yelling, officer. No real harm done.”
 

“Yeah, nothin’ but a little family disagreement.” Uncle Albert put on a tight smile.

“So that’s the story, huh?” Deputy Broussard looked around the crowd, but no one answered. Then he stared hard at LaShaun.
 

“Apparently we’re all sticking to it.” LaShaun looked at Rita and Azalei.

““Then I suggest everybody follow Miss Odette’s advice and go home,” Deputy Broussard said.

He nodded to the other deputies. They in turn walked into the crowd. Deputy Arceneaux and her partner herded people toward the cars parked in the driveway and on the lawn. LaShaun’s two uncles, aunt, and Rita lingered on the porch. The deputies concentrated on moving the younger, more combative relatives out. When Deputy Broussard turned back to LaShaun she shrugged and walked toward him with a smile.

“Thanks so much for being a source law and order. Just what these folks needed.” LaShaun titled her head to one side when he squinted at her. “What?”

“People around town said you were trouble. Looks like you’re eager to prove they’re right.” Deputy Broussard rested a hand on one slim hip.

“What else did they say about me?”
 

“Isn’t that enough?
 
Not much of a character endorsement if you ask me.” Deputy Broussard looked down at her with a stone face.
 

LaShaun felt a rush of heat beneath her skin, the sign when she “saw” clearly what others did not. Deputy Broussard had his will set on not finding her attractive. She could almost hear his thoughts, that Sheriff Triche had lost his edge and the sharp instincts that had served him well.

“You’re wrong about him, the sheriff I mean,” LaShaun said quietly.

Broussard’s gaze narrowed like the laser on a Glock pistol. “Don’t try your magic tricks on me.”

“Relax, Deputy Broussard. I’m not trying to put a spell on you.”
 

“Yeah, I’ll try to remember that,” he replied in a bland tone. He took sunglasses from his shirt pocket and put them on.

LaShaun became irritated with herself for even having this discussion with him. She kept her temper in check, barely. “Think what you want. You through here or you intend to search me for weapons?”
 

Deputy Broussard looked at her for a few seconds. “Is that an offer, ma’am?”

LaShaun studied him as the minutes ticked by, and the temperature between them rose.
 
She then turned away and walked toward the porch. “Goodbye, Deputy.”

“She didn’t start any of this trouble, Deputy Broussard,” Monmon Odette called out. She was now sitting in a rocker on the porch.
 

“Yes, ma’am.” Deputy Broussard nodded to Monmon Odette respectfully. He looked at LaShaun. “I’ll see you around.”

“Humph.” LaShaun stood next to her grandmother.

She wanted to think of a reply with more pepper in it, but those dark Cajun eyes along with the silken soft burr of his accent threw her. His voice sounded like a pleasant promise instead of a warning from the law. Deputy Broussard’s lean, muscular frame folded into the cruiser with ease. He spoke into the radio handset for several minutes before he drove off.

“Don’t think this is over. Not even close,” Azalei shouted. She marched to her cherry red mustang and drove off.

Rita and Devin Martin stood together speaking softly. After a few seconds, both glanced at LaShaun. Martin left first, backing his BMW down the driveway after another car behind him left.

“You may have this round, but I’m not done with you yet,” Rita said to LaShaun.

“Stop listening to Aunt Leah and Azalei, Rita. They’re poison times two. There’s no need for us fight.”

“Guess again,” Rita snapped cutting her off. “That old woman always favored you over me. I got what was left once she showered you with the best. I’m not taking seconds anymore.”
 

“So that’s how it is, huh?”
 
LaShaun squinted at her.
 

“Yeah, that’s how it is. Don’t underestimate me.” Rita gave LaShaun a heated head to toe glare then strode to her car.

“Hell.” LaShaun took several deep breaths to calm her nerves. She went back to the long gallery where Monmon Odette sat gently moving a cane rocking chair back and forth.

“Still glad you came back, Cher?” Monmon Odette cocked an eyebrow at her.

LaShaun turned to watch Rita’s Honda Accord disappearing around the curve of the long driveway. “Home sweet home.”

Chapter 5

The next day LaShaun went into town. Three blocks into her walk down Main Street and LaShaun had an overwhelming urge to slap somebody. The stares and whispers bothered her more than she thought they would. She’d forgotten the relentless memory of small town folks. In Los Angeles she’d been just one of millions, another transplant chasing California gold in one variety or another. What LaShaun had found was a way to be herself without the claustrophobic definitions of her family’s past or the judgment of others. She had changed, but Beau Chene was the same. The downtown looked like a typical tourist area in rural Louisiana. Quaint antique shops and restaurants featuring Creole cuisine made up most of the small business district. Savannah stood in the door to her father’s curio and souvenir shop, arms crossed in a defensive posture.
 

A feud between the St. Julien and Rousselle families that crossed four generations at least was another legend in the parish. After so many years, the teenage romance between Antoine St. Julien and LaShaun’s mother promised an uneasy truce. When the young Antoine fell in love with someone else, the woman who had become Savannah’s mother, the feud didn’t just continue. Things got nasty. Francine spiraled into self-destruction. Monmon Odette blamed Antoine, and LaShaun saw Savannah as the enemy. Yet, in her hour of need Monmon Odette had reached out to the St. Julien family.
 

“Hello,” Savannah said. She looked into LaShaun’s eyes intently as trying to detect some sign of trouble to come. “So I’m guessing you want to find out why your grandmother hired a St. Julien to be her lawyer.”

LaShaun let out a long sigh. “Hello to you, too, Savannah. We’re gonna skip the small talk I guess.”

“No sense wasting time being phony. So, what’s the deal, LaShaun? You wanna start a riot in town, too?”
 

“Well at least you have a sense of humor these days.”
 

“Not seeing you for ten years helped,” Savannah shot back.

 
“I’m back to visit my grandmother. This may be my last chance to spend time with her,” LaShaun replied quietly.

Savannah’s expression softened a little. “Of course. So you must have plenty of questions about this dramatic peace treaty between the St. Julien family and your grandmother.”
 

“You betcha I do,” LaShaun said and shook her head.

“Come over to my office. It’s on the other side of the building.” Savannah turned back and waved to two employees in the shop. Then she led the way to the south side of the building. Gold letters on a glass window had her name and “Attorney” under it. They went into the small lobby. A young man was on the phone.

“That’s Jarius. He’s my part-time paralegal, and full-time criminal justice student. Mostly he’s a student.” Savannah waved to him. She went into her office then shut the door when LaShaun followed. “Let’s start with the biggest mystery I guess, why Mrs. Rousselle would call me of all people.”

“I’m all ears.” LaShaun sat down in a dark red leather chair opposite its twin in front of Savannah’s desk.

Savannah laughed and sat down next to her. “Actually she called my daddy.”

LaShaun fell back in the chair. “This just keeps getting stranger.”

“I know, I know. When she called, I actually begged him not to go see her. He told me to stop being silly. Daddy always thought that talk of her being a voodoo woman was a bunch of nonsense.”

“You didn’t. I used to really creep you out.” LaShaun started to smile at the memory of her childhood antics. But, she stopped. “I’m really sorry about all that.”

“Gee, thanks. Scaring me into nightmares is really amusing,” Savannah shot back.
 
Then she sighed and shrugged. “But that was a long time ago.”

“And the Claude Trosclair murder?” LaShaun studied her closely.

“Okay, I’ll admit it. I thought you were at least in on it at first. But the investigation didn’t produce any credible evidence to support that you were involved.” Savannah used lawyer speak.

“So you’re not completely convinced I’m innocent,” LaShaun replied.

“Oh I know you’re not
innocent
,” Savannah said with a snort. “But I don’t think you killed him. And by the way, slapping around your kinfolk is not the way to prove you’ve changed.”

“They provoked me, especially that loud-mouthed Azalei.” LaShaun frowned then looked at Savannah. “Which brings me back to you representing Monmon.”

“Daddy and Miss Odette talked a long time, not sure when. I don’t know what they discussed either, he wouldn’t say. Just came in one day, and said she needed my help. The next day he brought her to my office, and she apologized for causing me any pain. We talked about my mother, and how Miss Odette took her grief out on us for all the wrong reasons.”

“I can’t take much more of these shocks to the system, girl.” LaShaun placed a hand on her chest.

“I was pretty damn near speechless myself. Thing is my father acted like it was no big deal.” Savannah shook her head. “Anyway, your grandmother wanted to be back in control. Once she got stronger, Rita made it clear that she didn’t plan to give up power of attorney. ”

“My grandmother probably didn’t like that much,” LaShaun said.

“Now that is an understatement. But, she didn’t make a big fuss. She just quietly planned to deal with her ‘problem’. First, she called my daddy. Then she hired me. We got an order from court to force Rita to disclose financial records two weeks ago. We think money was withdrawn from one, maybe two, of her investment accounts.”

LaShaun stood up. “I’m going to talk to Rita right now. If she thinks I’m going to just sit around while she steals from her own grandmother…” She went to the lobby.

“That’s a bad idea. We’ve had enough Rousselle family drama.” Savannah followed her. “LaShaun, let’s arrange a meeting with Rita and Devin Martin.”
 

“Uh-huh, this calls for some straight talk woman to woman, family to family.” LaShaun went through the front door, but Savannah’s hand on her arm stopped her.

“Don’t track Rita down while you’re fired up,” Savannah said in a level tone.
 

LaShaun shook her head and let out a long slow breath to calm down. “Which might be exactly what Rita, Azalei and my aunt want me to do.”