A Darker Shade of Midnight (9 page)

“Hey, baby. How you doin’ today? Now we can really get this party started.”

Two men, each holding a can of beer, approached squinting against the bright sunshine. Grime and the sun had darkened their otherwise white skin. One of the men tried to put on a charming smile. The effort only made him look sinister

“Hi you doin’, darlin’? Out enjoying the day like us, I see. My names is– ”

“Bob, that’s his name. I’m John,” his friend cut him off. He was a short man with a beard and mustache. He had on a plaid shirt with the sleeves pushed up to the elbow.
 

“Bob and John, huh?” LaShaun faced them with her arms down to her side. A tingle up her spine signaled this was a bad development.
 

“We’ve got cold beer and sandwiches. Even got us a CD player with funky music.” The one called “Bob” stared at LaShaun’s breasts.
 

“No thanks. I’m on my way home.” LaShaun took a step back. John circled to her left in a move that blocked her escape route. “Look, guys, I’m not looking for a party or company.
 

“Bein’ all by yourself ain’t no fun, girl.” Bob walked close to her and stroked her arm.

LaShaun slapped his hand hard enough to rock Bob’s entire body. “You don’t want to mess with me.”

“I like ‘em wild,” John crowed.
 

“Let’s see how much fire you got, girl,” Bob said.

He came in close again reaching for LaShaun breast. What he got was a fist to his groin and pain. Bob doubled over with a yelp. His buddy laughed as he grabbed LaShaun from behind and ground his pelvis against her.

“Looks like it’s just you and me. My friend can’t do you any good in the lovin’ department.” John tried to put his hand under LaShaun’s t-shirt.
 

“Get off me.”
 

LaShaun struggled to get free. John laughed again, but stopped when she jammed a heel into the top of his foot. John grunted but his boot took most of the impact, and he t held on. Bob still lay in the thick grass, both hands cupping his privates. With all the force she had left, LaShaun fought back. Seconds seemed like hours as the man managed to force her to one knee onto the ground.
 
She screamed, but they were in the middle of bayou country. No other boaters or fishers were within sight. Bob put a grimy hand over her mouth. LaShaun twisted her head until she could bite into the flesh below his thumb.
 

“Damn bitch,” Bob shouted. He gripped her harder. “Now you really owe me a good time.”
 

His pal tried to get up, but winced and sank down again. He swiped sweat from his eyes. “Get her good for me, too.”

Bob grabbed a handful of LaShaun’s hair and yanked. But she didn’t feel the pain. Instead, a ball of rage lodged in her chest like a hot chunk of coal. LaShaun focused on the image of the rock as it began to glow red around the edges. The scent of smoke filled her nostrils, and her focus narrowed until the scenery around her disappeared.
 

The burly man hissed in agony and let go of LaShaun. He stared at the palm of his hand. “What the hell? She burned me like a hot poker.”
 

“Don’t be stupid.” His friend seemed to have recovered. He stood. “We’re not leavin’ here until she pays for being such a hellcat.”
 

“Uh-uh, Jerry. Somethin’ ain’t right with this woman. I say we haul ass outta here.”

“Fool, you just told her my real name.” Jerry turned to LaShaun with a nasty smile.
 
“Now you really gotta a problem, baby.”
 

The unmistakable earsplitting crack of a pump action shotgun made them all freeze.
 
Deputy Broussard emerged from the brush nearby dressed in jeans and an army green shirt. “Don’t move fellas.”
 

“We just havin’ a good time on the bayou is all.” Jerry spread his arms wide out as though showing the man he was no threat.

“Just hangin’ out fishin’ and stuff. We got some beer and music. You can join us. Here you go.” The other man started toward the dropped six-pack.

“I said don’t move,” Chase replied. “You make me nervous when you start jumping around like that. I might think you mean me some harm.”

“Just stay calm, man. No need for that shotgun now. We’re all friends out here.”
 
The man that called himself “Bob” tried a smile. His left eye twitched when Chase swung the barrel in his direction.

“I’m having a hard time believing the lady considers you boys her
friends
. You okay?” Chase asked without taking his eyes off the two men.

LaShaun brushed dirt from her jeans and blouse. “Yeah. I’ve got a whole list of names for these two, and friends ain’t one of ‘em.”

“You gentlemen will be going to jail so we can sort this out. I’m Deputy Broussard, Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s Department. My badge is my left back pocket,” Chase said to LaShaun.
 

She stared at his butt, shown to great advantage in the well-fitted blue jeans. LaShaun raised an eyebrow at him, but he continued to focus on the two men. Using the tips of her fingers, LaShaun slid his wallet from the back pocket. She flipped it open to show his badge. She looked at the driver’s license opposite it. Chase wore a crooked grin in the photo, and a lock of his black hair was across the right side of his forehead.
 

“You boys got more trouble than you bargained for today,” LaShaun murmured, but continued to gaze at handsome picture.
 

Chase glanced at her briefly. “Turn around. I have some rope in my tackle box back on the ground there. We’re gonna tie them up until I can get the plastic cuffs from my truck.”

“Oh, now wait a minute, buddy.” Bob looked at his companion.

 
“Deputy Broussard,” Chase snapped back at him.

“Listen, how ‘bout we apologize to the lady and just let bygones be bygones. We saw a pretty woman and got a little too flirty is all.” Jerry rubbed his jaw nervously. “We’re real sorry, ma’am. Ain’t we, Wally?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Wally nodded with fervor.

“We made a few sassy remarks, but that was all. You know how it is with us guys, buddy. I mean Deputy Broussard.”

Before LaShaun could speak, Chase replied in a voice cold and hard as steel. “She scratches on her wrists and her clothes were messed up.”

 
“Let ‘em go, Deputy Broussard.” LaShaun smiled at the men, causing them to look even more worried.

“Are you sure?” Chase frowned.

“I don’t need the hassle of pressing charges. At least not this time.” LaShaun brushed more dirt from her jeans.

 
“I wrote down the plate number on that raggedy blue truck of yours. It’ll take me maybe five minutes to find out everything about you two, right down to what you had for breakfast this morning. You get what I’m sayin’?” Chase lowered the shotgun a bit.

“Yes, sir,” Wally muttered, a sullen expression stamped on his scruffy face.
 

He bumped into his friend as they both left quickly, first at a trot that turned into a full run through the thick underbrush. When they disappeared. Chase lowered the shotgun until it pointed at the ground. LaShaun let out the deep breath that she’d been holding.

“Maybe you should go to the hospital and get checked out.” Chase gave her swift once over like seasoned lawman trained to pick up details.

“I’m okay. Thanks for coming to the rescue again.” LaShaun started to shiver. She folded her arms in an attempt to regain control.
 

Chase looked around quickly then rested the shotgun against a tree trunk nearby. He wrapped one muscular arm around her. “They’re gone. The way they took off outta here, they may be ten miles down the road by now. Between the two of us, we scared the spit outta of ‘em. You’re safe.”

LaShaun could only shake her head. After about a minute she could feel his solid presence calm the trembling sensation that had taken over her. “Are hugs part of your deputy training?”

“Right there in section five of the lawman’s handbook.” Chase smiled at her. Then he stepped back and picked up his shotgun again. “At least let me put some antiseptic on those scratches.”
 

“I’ll survive.” LaShaun rubbed her arms to get rid of the last bit of tension.
 

“Okay you’ve proven to me you’re tough. Now how about showing me you’ve got some sense? Brushing the grass and dirt off those won’t stop infection.”

LaShaun looked at the smears of dirt on her forearms. “Guess you’ve got a point.”

Chase nodded for her to follow him. He led the way back through the woods away from the bayou. “Take me to my truck, and you can follow me.”
 

LaShaun walked behind him, but she kept looking over her shoulder and around. The encounter with the two men had frightened LaShaun more than she cared to admit. She wanted to tough it out, to tell him she could leave on her own. The truth was she didn’t want to be alone just yet. After a ten minute hike down the path they arrived at LaShaun’s SUV.
 
Chase climbed into the passenger side and gave her directions. His blue and gray Chevy truck was parked in another clearing not far away.

“I got one stop to make, and then we’ll be on our way.” Chase swung the passenger door open.

“This is turning into a big mystery, Deputy Broussard,” LaShaun said.

“I’ve got to pick up a few supplies. Not sure I have everything I need at home,” Chase replied.

LaShaun’s felt a pleasant flutter when he shut the door firmly. She watched his lanky stride as he went to his truck, wondering if she’d lost her mind consorting with the law. Of course, she could simply drive home and ignore his invitation. Chase put the shotgun in the rack in the truck cab’s back window. He turned, smiled, and waved to her. The pleasant flutter came back, and LaShaun turned the Mariner in his direction.

Chapter 7

They pulled up at the Black River Landing ten minutes later. Boaters milled around the parking lot. A few were preparing to launch boats. Others seemed to be coming in for the day. Cavalier’s Country Store, constructed of weathered swamp cypress logs, sat to the left of the pier. The Cavalier family had been operating the store sixty years. Five or six people stood on a long wooden pier spaced out, taking their chances at catching a something tasty. Chase couldn’t have chosen a more public place to be seen with her, outside of in the middle of town.
 

LaShaun pulled up beside his truck and let down the window when he walked over to her. “You sure this is a good idea?”

“Why wouldn’t it be? I’ll be back in a minute.” Chase seemed so intent on his goal that he missed her meaning.
 

“If you say so,” LaShaun mumbled as he left. Several people from Beau Chene looked at them and chattered away.

As he said, Chase came back with a plastic shopping bag.
 
“Got what I need. Now I’m set.”

“Uh-huh.” LaShaun stared down several women who gawked at her.

Once again, she thought about turning around for home. At that moment Chase looked at her in his rear view mirror and waved, so she followed him again. Maybe he was the one with psychic powers. They drove down Highway 273,
 
one of the small roads that crisscrossed Vermillion Parish. They were a good ten miles from the eastern boundary of her grandmother’s land. They finally arrived at a gravel driveway that ended under a carport attached to a two-story house. The rest of the driveway curved off into a semi-circle in front of the house. Chase pulled onto it, and gestured for LaShaun to park under the carport.

“Don’t want your car to get hot sitting out in the sun,” he called. “Stay there and I’ll be back after I put this in the kitchen.”

“I can come in with you.” LaShaun was talking to the air because Chase was gone. Seconds later he opened the front door and stood aside as she entered.
 

The parlor was a mixture of styles. Crocheted lace mats covered two tables. Two lovely antique lamps framed the sofa on end tables. She walked across a pretty rug of deep red, green and blue swirls lay on the floor. But masculine touches told her that he must live alone. Leather work boots sat in a corner next to the fireplace. An oak footstool with a lovely fabric cushioned top sat next to a chair, with a pair of socks draped across it. A wrench sat on the coffee table next to a stack of sports magazines.
 

“Nice, homey atmosphere,” LaShaun said.

 
“Thanks. Have a seat.” Chase disappeared down a hallway.
 

LaShaun took the liberty of following him to the kitchen. “You don’t have to be so formal.”

“My mama would be put out with me if I didn’t entertain company right,” he said over his shoulder.
 

“Your mama would be put out if she knew you had me in your house,” LaShaun wisecracked. She took a few seconds to study several photos on the wall as she went down the hallway.
 

An arched doorway led into a wide kitchen with a panoramic view of the countryside. Cabinets of honey brown oak lined the walls. She guessed two doors in a corner opened into a refrigerator. The kitchen also featured a white cook top and a center island with copper pans. A matching oak breakfast table and chairs sat in an alcove to her left. Deep green granite covered the counters.