Bayou Betrayal (23 page)

Her copper curls sprang out all over her head. She lowered her gun to the podium and grinned. “About time you showed up.”

He drew her into his arms and, ignoring the EMT and fire department personnel filtering through the church, dipped his head and kissed her. Long. Thoroughly. With as much emotion as he could put into a kiss.

She blinked when he backed away. “Wow. Remind me to get taken hostage more often if you'll run to my rescue and kiss me like that.”

“Bite your tongue.” But he lowered his head and kissed her again.

“Y
ou know, I bet you'll be promoted next week after the sheriff gets back.” Monique sat on the swing beside Gary, looking out over the bayou from her backyard. “You did a great job.”

“Look at you—you're the one who caught Haynie.”

“Only because of information you uncovered.” She glanced at their interwoven hands. “You realize your gift saved my life.”

“Huh?”

“The rocker. I threw it out the window to get out when the house was on fire and Haynie had me trapped inside.”

“Good thing the house was old or it would've never made it through double-paned windows.”

“I'm just sick that the rocker burned up.”

“I'll buy you a new one.”

She laughed and glanced to the house. “They'll finish all the cleanup tomorrow, and will be able to start rebuilding next week. It's a blessing only the front part of the house was damaged.”

“I talked to Spence this morning. He said the church's all done, thanks to your funding the job.”

She shrugged. “I figured Justin owed them that. I'm quite certain he was livid when he heard I'd pulled all the cash out of the special fund and given it to the church.”

He chuckled. “Oh, I'm sure he was.”

She snuggled closer, relishing the warmth of his embrace. “And thank you for getting his request for early release denied so quickly.”

“Hey, it was easy to do with all the evidence. Ogburn and Haynie's statements alone sank Justin's ship.”

“I'm glad.” She stood, tugging him with her. “You know, if I'm going to build a home here, Lagniappe's pretty much stuck with me forever.”

He turned her toward him, staring into her face. The warmth in his eyes made her knees go weak. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

Now her knees
really
went weak.

Gary pulled back and smiled. “I love you, you know that?”

Happiness surged through her like a wildfire over timber. Tears stung her eyes. “Oh, Gary. I love you, too.” And she did. A part of her heart would always belong to Kent, but Gary was in the present. And the future.

He kissed her again, then hugged her. “Yeah, but you just remember who said it first.”

Dear Reader,

Thank you for trudging along through the Louisiana bayou once again. I've enjoyed introducing you to the newest member of the Trahan clan, Monique, and sharing her story with you. She's a welcome addition to Lagniappe, wouldn't you say?

Some of Monique's struggles in her anger at God were struggles I've encountered over the past few years. Thank you for allowing me to share part of my spiritual journey with you. I hope you laughed a little, cried a little, and your faith was strengthened by Monique's story.

I love hearing from readers. Visit me at www.robincaroll.com and drop me a line, or write to me at P.O. Box 242091, Little Rock, AR 72223. I invite you to join my newsletter group and sign my guest book. I look forward to hearing from you.

Blessings,

Robin Caroll

1. Monique lost her husband and had to deal with the additional burden that he had died so violently. How do you handle grief?
   
2. Gary wanted a promotion and set out to prove himself worthy. Have you ever wanted a promotion or a particular job? How did you conduct yourself?
   
3. Justin denied that he was Monique's biological father. Have you ever been rejected by someone you're related to? Close to? How did you handle the emotions rejection brought up?
   
4. Felicia and Luc accepted Monique into their family with open arms—no questions asked. If faced with a similar situation, how would you react?
   
5. Gary appreciated all the sacrifices his mother had made for him as a child. Has anyone made sacrifices for you? How did you show your appreciation?
   
6. Monique was angry with God because she'd lost both her mother and her husband. Have you ever been angry with God? How did you deal with your emotions?
   
7. Justin Trahan would stop at nothing to satisfy his greed. Do you know or have you ever known someone who was insatiably greedy? How do/did you interact with this person?
   
8. Della was a nurturer by nature, but Gary worried Monique might find her overbearing. Do you know someone with a personality similar to Della's? How would you describe her or his attitude?
   
9. Gary appreciated his fellow deputy's skills and talents, even though he might be in competition with Mike. Have you ever felt competitive toward a coworker? Were you able to appreciate your coworker's skills and/or talents? Why or why not?
   
10. Monique had to learn to let go of the past to move on to love again. Whether a love is lost by death or other means, losing love can be difficult. Have you ever lost love? What did you do to overcome your loss and move on to the future?
    
11. Small towns often have a gossip mill, fed by people like the character of Anna Grace. How do you deal with gossip?
    
12. Gary fumbled around Monique—saying the wrong thing, blurting out things he shouldn't have, and so on. Have you ever acted like that around someone? Share.
    
13. Parker Fenton gave Monique an odd feeling for no apparent reason. Have you ever felt that way about someone? How did you handle the situation?
    
14. Even during trying times, and trials we don't understand, God is our protector. How can you back up that statement with Scripture?
    
15. The rocking chair Gary gave Monique, which later helped her save her life, was special to her. Does something someone gave you have a special meaning to you? Explain.