Bayou Heat (18 page)

And Teague always phoned after shutting down for the night to make sure she planned
to stop working
long enough to sleep. Then there was the morning phone call …

Erin smiled privately. For an independent woman, she sure was enjoying being looked
after, she thought to herself, reluctantly turning back to her work. But the smile
remained.

She’d pushed all her misgivings and worries about Teague to the back of her mind.
One day at a time. One phone call. One meal. One kiss. One …

Her work was progressing wonderfully well. She had the ritual to attend the following
night—an invitation she was still pinching herself over. And Teague had somehow fit
himself right in along with it all. Rather than question the
why
or the
how long
—or the
should she
—she’d decided for once, just to enjoy it.

A rap on the doorframe snatched her attention away from the microscope again. She
lifted her head, an expectant welcoming smile on her face. It changed to surprise
when Marshall’s blond head poked through the open door.

“Hi,” she said, pleased to see him. He’d dropped by to check on her, too, had shuttled
her things from Beaumarchais to the campus so she could stay in her lab, and generally
made her feel as much friend as colleague.

“How’s it going?” He stepped into the room.

“Really well. I’ve got a few more tests to run, but my preliminary theories are holding
up so far.”

“Good.” His smile seemed almost forced.

Erin shoved back her stool and turned to face him. “Everything okay with you?”

He raked his hand through his already rumpled hair. “Yeah, fine. Long day, I guess.”

She frowned, not convinced. “Well, you timed it just right. If you hang on a few more
minutes, Teague will be here with dinner and he always brings enough to feed an army.”

“You two are getting along quite well.”

Erin hadn’t discussed her relationship with Teague with Marshall or anyone else. She
was half-afraid if she had to explain it to someone else, she’d end up analyzing it.
Something she’d promised her scientist’s mind she wouldn’t do.

“Yes,” she said simply.

“Is he taking you to the ritual ceremony tomorrow night?”

Honestly surprised, she said, “How did you know about that?”

“Word travels. Will he guide you?”

The awareness that strangers knew her agenda reminded her of the threats she’d received
earlier in the week. Since she’d all but sequestered herself in the lab, nothing else
had happened. And even though they hadn’t been able to pinpoint the source of the
threats, the excitement of her research findings had provided a welcome distraction.

Turning her attention back to Marshall, she answered automatically, “No, he has some
other obligation that night. He’ll take me in to Belisaire’s earlier in the day and
I’ll just stay there.”

“Other obligation?”

Erin focused her attention on Marshall. “I don’t know what it is.”

Marshall looked away, fiddling with several petri dishes lining the table next to
him.

“What?”

He turned back to her, opened his mouth, then shut it again.

“Marshall, what is it?”

He hesitated for a second, then shook his head. “Nothing.”

“Are you worried about him? About what’s going on down there?”

“What’s going on down there?” he repeated. “What do you know about that?”

Her mind raced, but she was unable to put the puzzle pieces together. “Nothing really.
Just that when I asked Teague why he came back to Bruneaux, he said it was because
he was worried about Belisaire. About something she might be involved in or some danger
she might be in.”

Marshall’s attention drifted and she knew he was deep in thought. She’d told herself
she wasn’t going to pry or ask questions about his and Teague’s past no matter the
temptation their blooming friendship provided.

But the question begged too hard to be asked. “Marshall, do you know what Teague did
when he left here?”

“What did he tell you?” he countered.

“That he played pool. Was something of a shark, I gather. I really didn’t question
him that closely.” Now
that she thought about it, she hadn’t questioned him at all. He’d distracted her.
Her skin warmed at the recollection.

A private smile threatened to curve her lips. He always distracted her everytime she
got close. No, that wasn’t true. He’d chosen to tell her things she knew he didn’t
discuss with anyone else. He’d purposely given her very private pieces of himself.

Still … She went over the times they’d spent together. When talk turned to what he
was doing in the bayou, or the possibility that something might be happening down
there that wasn’t kosher, he’d answered her vaguely, then diverted her attention.

She rubbed her arms as a sudden chill made the hair on her arms rise. No, there was
more between them than that. She did trust him. He’d told her the truth about his
past, had been open with her in a way she suspected he’d never been before.

But had that been the whole truth, Erin?
a little voice argued.

She turned to Marshall. “Do you know anything about what he did all those years he
was gone?”

“Not much.” He paused, then heaved a sigh. “Once, about three years ago, I decided
to track him down. I guess it bothered me more than I admitted that I had a brother
out there somewhere and no contact with him.”

“What did you find out?”

“He wasn’t easy to trace. He moved around a lot. Mostly the southeastern part of the
country.” He raked
his hand through his hair again. “I finally tracked him to Miami. I know he spent
several years there.”

“Did you go see him? Contact him?”

He shook his head. “He was working at a pool hall, managing it.”

“Didn’t you think he’d want to hear from you?”

“That wasn’t it. I didn’t contact him because he was working there under another name.
Had been for some time. I had no idea what he’d gotten himself mixed up in, but I
was pretty sure he wouldn’t welcome me walking in and lousing up whatever he had going
on.”

“Going on? You mean you think he was involved in something …” she paused, looking
for the right word.

“Illegal?” Marshall supplied. “Erin, he was working under an assumed name in one of
the most dangerous parts of Miami. What was I supposed to think?”

“Did you tell anyone? Belisaire?”

He shook his head. “No. I’d done what I set out to do. I found him. I let that be
enough.”

“What about now? Do you think he’s in danger? Do you think he’s involved in something
here?”

An even longer pause this time. “I don’t know anything for certain, Erin. But something
is going on down in Bayou Bruneaux. I’ve tried to piece as much together as possible,
but it all keeps pointing to one thing.”

“What?” she asked, though she knew—and dreaded—what he was about to say. She realized
now why she had refused to look too closely at their relationship.

God help her, she suspected the same thing.

“As much as it hurts me even to think it, I suspect Teague, and probably Belisaire,
are involved in whatever is going on down there. Right up to their voodoo dolls.”

“Marshall—” Erin’s mind was swimming. Could the man who had lowered his walls and
let her see the most private side of him really be involved in a threat against her?

Marshall slid off his stool, crossed to her, and laid a hand on her shoulder. “I know
you’re involved with him, Erin. I’m worried about you. That’s why I told you this.
And to apologize.”

“Apologize for what?” she asked, still badly distracted.

“For setting you up with him in the first place. I had my suspicions then.” He dropped
his hand and moved away, raking his hair again. “Maybe that’s partly why I did it.
It was the perfect opportunity for us to connect. I guess I was hoping that I’d learn
more about him this way. Prove my doubts were unfounded maybe.” He turned to face
her. “But now you’re being threatened.”

“The threats,” Erin whispered under her breath.

Could Teague really have done that to her? Or had it done? And why?

“When he moved you to Beaumarchais I thought maybe, just maybe …” Marshall trailed
off. “But now, I’m not so sure.”

“What reason would he have to scare me?” she asked, more to herself than to Marshall.

“Maybe you were getting too close.”

“We were,” she whispered, her heart squeezing painfully.

“I meant maybe you were getting too involved. If he thought you’d get in the way or
ruin whatever it is he has going, then it makes sense to get you out of there.”

Erin thought she might be sick. This was making too much sense. And yet her heart
persisted in finding another reason. “He said something about coming back here to
protect Belisaire. That there was some risk she wasn’t taking seriously. He came back
to help.”

“I don’t know how she fits in, Erin. Maybe she tracked him down, asked him for help
if she found herself in a bind, and now he’s involved too. Maybe they’ve been in contact
all along. I don’t know.

“I made it clear you’d go into the bayou with or without a guide. That Teague agreed
to help me so easily doesn’t add up very well.”

“He told me all about his past, Marshall. And yours. I know he carries a lot of scars.
You must too. He took me to his mother’s house. Or what was left of it.”

Marshall’s head came up fast, his face intent. “He took you to Marie’s?”

“Yes. I think he’s come to terms with a lot of what
happened back then. Maybe he’s trying to rebuild a relationship with you too,” she
offered, but her voice lacked conviction.

“And maybe guiding you would make it easier to keep track of your whereabouts. To
him you are an unknown quantity. And Teague is nothing if not careful.” He walked
over to her. “I just think you’d be better off back at Beaumarchais. And maybe you’d
better stay away from the bayou for a while.”

She shook her head. “I’m confused, Marshall. I won’t argue that. But I’m not walking
away from my work.” She fanned a hand to encompass the ongoing research and tests
she was running. “I’m finally breaking new ground. Whatever the truth is here, I’m
not going to be run off from this.”

“Then stay here. Work. But stay away from Belisaire and Teague for a while.”

“Why? What are you planning to do?”

Marshall looked away.

Suspicion and dread crept along her skin, making the hair rise. “Marshall? Tell me
what you’re going to do.”

He turned back. His face cold, almost void of emotion. She didn’t think someone as
seemingly sensitive as Marshall could look so … hard.

“I think something is going to happen Sunday night. That things will come to a head
that night. I plan to be there too.”

“Are you going to confront him? Marshall, if you’re right about this—” She broke off
as her stomach
pitched. Just thinking it made her ill. She swallowed hard. “It could be dangerous.”

“Well, what choice do I have, Erin? I can’t just sit back and let him do it, let him
rip apart this family again.” He stepped closer. “And I don’t want him to hurt you.
Or worse.” He laid a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently.

Erin couldn’t think straight. Too many impressions were racing through her mind. She
covered Marshall’s hand with her own. “I appreciate your concern, Marshall. Really,
I do. I’m not used to having people care.” She tightened her hold on his hand. “And
because of that I’m pretty good at taking care of myself. I’ll deal with this.”

Marshall crouched down in front of her, his expression open and beseeching. “Help
me, Erin. Help me stop him before he does something we’ll all regret.”

“What? How?”

“You said he was bringing you dinner. Find out where he’ll be Sunday night. Maybe
I can intercept him. Talk to him.” He pulled her hands between his. “I’ll be in the
building, right down the hall. Just talk to him, Erin. For all our sakes.”

“Marsh, I don’t know about this.”

You have faced the darkness before, Erin McClure. You will face it again. Here
.

Belisaire’s words from that first morning rang so clearly in her ears she swore the
woman was standing right there.

He stood, still holding her hands. “It’s your choice, Erin.”

The darkness … resides in you and one other. Make no mistake, Erin McClure. The choice
will be yours. May you both find the light
.

Erin shivered.

“You hungry,
ange?
”

Erin jerked her head toward the door. Teague leaned against the frame, a large paper
bag in one hand. Her heart pounded so hard she could barely hear him. She looked around
her. When had Marshall left? How long had she sat there lost in thought?

“You okay?” He stepped into the room.

It was all she could do not to back away from him, and he was still a good twenty
feet away.
Get a grip, Erin
, she told herself almost desperately. She needed time. Lots of it.

The overhead lights cast his shadow across her as he closed the distance between them.
She couldn’t look away from that dark aura creeping over her, covering her body.

He took her chin in one hand and lifted her face to his. He lowered his mouth to hers
and took it. As if it were his.

And in the most brutally honest, unavoidable way, he proved to her it was. Now. A
minute from now. A year from now. Forever.

He pulled back and looked into her eyes. His were black. They glittered in a way that
made her shiver again. Only this time there was fear entwined with the dark seductive
thrill.

And she knew then she was all out of time.

“What’s wrong, Erin?” When she stared at him
mutely, he said, “You were a million miles away when I came in,
chèr
.” He looked around. “Aren’t things going well today? Did you hit a roadblock or something?”

She shamelessly grasped the straw he offered. “It’s been a tough one.” She pulled
as easily from his arms as she could. It only confused her further when doing so left
her more empty and alone than she could ever remember feeling.