Dangerous Mercy: A Novel (19 page)

“Sure. What’s on your mind?”

“I know you said you’d get back to me in a week or so, but I was just wondering if you’d found out anything yet on Noah Washington.”

“I’m finishing up another job. So no, I haven’t.”

Adele sighed. “Oh dear. I don’t want to seem pushy. But when you start, I need you to look into Noah’s background first. I’m interested in everything you can find and would appreciate your starting on this as soon as you’re able.”

“You sound worried.”

“I have concerns.”

“You want to share them with me?”

Adele played with the bottom button on her blouse. “I told you that Noah had been questioned by the sheriff in the death of Flynn Gillis. Murray Hamelin, who lives at Haven House with Noah, is beginning to question his innocence. Naturally, that bothers me.”

“You think Washington is capable of murder?”

“No, I don’t. But I can’t afford to be naive either.” Adele picked up a pencil and notepad and began doodling. “Danny, do you think it’s possible a man can murder someone and not be a danger to anyone else?”

“I suppose so. There’ve been plenty of people who’ve committed murder and then gone on to live out their lives without killing again. And plenty more who’ve killed a bunch of folks before anyone has a clue.”

Adele sighed. “I know you have other clients, and I wouldn’t normally ask for special treatment. But if you can fast-track this, I’ll pay you double.”

“It’s that important to you?”

“It really is.”

“Then I’ll get right on it, but there’s no way I’m charging you double. Just give me a couple days. Some of Washington’s records may have been lost in Katrina. Especially if he lived in the Ninth Ward, like he told you.”

“I’m convinced he did.”

“We’ll see. I’ll get back to you just as soon as I have anything.”

“Thank you, Danny. I know you will.”

Adele hung up the phone and stared at the open Bible on her nightstand.
Lord, it’s no accident that Noah has come into my life. So what role am I to play?

CHAPTER 20

Jude sat at the conference table in his office at the sheriff’s department, going over all the evidence they had so far in the bathtub killings. He glanced at his watch. It was already 10:00 p.m. He had planned to spend the evening with Colette, getting absorbed in a movie and forgetting about the case. She had called twice and must have finally given up hope that he would make good on his promise.

He sensed someone had entered the room and then felt a pair of hands kneading his shoulders, the scent of White Diamond carrying his thoughts back to his Memorial Day weekend with Colette in New Orleans.

He reached up and took hold of a soft forearm. “So you decided to come rescue me, eh?”

“Someone had to do it.” Colette Prejean put her lips to his ear. “You’ve been working fifteen hours straight. Enough is enough. You can’t possibly be thinking clearly at this point.”

“You’re right. Why do I do this to myself?”

“I don’t know, but you’ve been doing it for twenty-five years. You should know by now that once you pass a certain point, your mind shuts down and you’re wasting your time trying to make headway.”

“You know me too well.”

“I do. You need to rest your mind. Get a good night’s sleep. Go to early Mass in the morning. Then you can hit it again.”

Jude rose to his feet and pulled Colette into his arms, savoring her scent and the peace that always settled over him when she decided to intervene.

He pressed his lips to her cheek. “I stood you up tonight. I’m sorry. Time got away from me.”

“You’ve stood me up before.” She pushed back and looked up at him, her voice surprisingly void of annoyance and sounding almost playful. “You can make it up to me.”

“Sounds like you have something in mind.”

She flashed an elfin smile. “I looked into renting a cabin in Colorado—near Telluride. They’re running a promotion right now, and the rates are outrageously reasonable.”

“Outrageously?”

“Absolutely. We could book now for the third week of September and lock in the price. We can do the entire vacation for almost five hundred dollars less than we budgeted. And it’s the ideal time frame if we want to see the aspens after they’ve turned gold.”

“I see. Are you trying to manipulate me because I’ve neglected you?”

“
Me?”
She giggled. “Of course I am. But the only way you’re going to take a vacation is if you’re coerced.”

He relished the look of sheer delight on her face. She was obviously enjoying this. “All right, sweetheart. Book it. Then give me the dates so I can mark it on the schedule.”

“See how easy that was?”

“It’ll be fun,” he said. “Something to look forward to.”

“Are you about ready to call it a day?”

“I suppose. I’m hung up on Jeanette Stein. She doesn’t seem to be connected in any way to the other victims.”

“Maybe the other victims aren’t connected either. Maybe it just looks as if they are.”

Jude sighed. “Without that premise, I’ll really be stymied.”

“Sorry.”

“I’m probably just trying too hard.” He put his arm around Colette. “Come on, sugar. Let’s go home. I know it’s late, but why don’t we pop some popcorn and watch a movie? You up for that?”

“I could be. If you were to
bribe
me.”

Jude winced in jest. “Please. We don’t use the B word around here.”

“My terms are nonnegotiable—a pint of Scoops Chocolate Chocolate Chunk ice cream.”

“You drive a hard bargain, ma’am. But I’m willing to meet your terms for an evening of exceptional company.”

Jude walked toward the door with his arm around Colette and turned off the light. Maybe for a few hours he would be able to forget the image of Jeanette Stein’s sister driving away from the murder scene with two crying babies in the backseat.

Vanessa stood out on the back deck, the thick night air seeming damp enough to wring out. A curious raccoon started up the steps then scurried away when it saw her.

She heard the door open and close. Did she want to have this conversation? Did she have a choice? She knew better than to let the day end before dealing with her anger at Ethan.

“There you are,” he said. “Carter’s sound asleep, and the guests are settled in for the night. Can we talk now?”

“I suppose so.”

“You didn’t end up asking Noah for his keys,” Ethan said. “So why are you angry?”

“Because you asked
me
to do it. That was really unfair, especially since it was your decision and you knew I didn’t agree with it. Do you think that just because Noah made the first move I wasn’t stressed out? I worried all morning about how I was going to approach him. My neck is still so tight I’ve got a splitting headache.”

“I didn’t realize it would affect you this way. I’m sorry.”

Vanessa heaved a sigh. “You should’ve seen the look on his face when he put the keys in my hand. It was like he was giving away part of himself. This is where he belongs, where his ancestors …” Her voice failed, and she didn’t try to finish her sentence.

“I respect Noah for having sense enough to leave until things are settled,” Ethan said. “I want to believe he didn’t kill Flynn Gillis. But we need to be
sure
before we expose our son, our guests, and ourselves to someone who’ll be living on the premises. You know I’m right.”

“Doesn’t it boil down to trust? How we can ever be sure?”

“We need to be a lot more sure than we are today.”

“All I know is that Zoe, Pierce, and I would probably be dead if it hadn’t been for Noah. He put his life on the line for us. And this is how we repay him?”

Ethan tilted her chin until she met his gaze. “We can never
repay
him. His bravery at that moment in time was a gift. But he can have a good heart and still be guilty of a bad deed—a lapse in judgment or control.”

“Oh, stop being a psychologist for a moment. He didn’t kill Flynn and you know it.”

“No, I don’t. Not yet.”

“I believe him.”

“And I
want
to. More than you know.” Ethan’s eyes were wide and filled with resolve. “But it’s my job to protect this family. It would be irresponsible of me not to insist we put a little distance between us and Noah until Flynn Gillis’s killer is found. Or at least until Noah’s no longer a person of interest. Apparently he agrees since he chose to leave. Besides, you told me earlier that the deciding factor for his decision was all the cancellations—that he didn’t want to jeopardize the future of Langley Manor.”

“That’s what he said. But he also asked me how
you
felt about him. I tried to cover for you and put things in the best possible light. But Noah could see through me.”

“All right. So he knows I’m the bad guy. I don’t know what you want from me. You know how fond I am of Noah. And you know the bond I have with him because our ancestors worked together to help free the slaves. But none of that changes the present. Fair or not, Noah has to ride out the investigation of Flynn Gillis’s murder. Once he’s cleared, business will pick up again, and things can go back to normal.”

“But will they? Noah will never be able to forgive you for not trusting him after he saved our lives. Could you blame him?”

Ethan brushed the hair out of her eyes and wiped her tears with his thumbs. “Look, why don’t I go talk to him? Man-to-man. I’ll commend him for having the courage to leave while Flynn’s murder is in question and assure him I want him cleared as much as you do. Would that help?”

“It might.”

She turned away from Ethan and placed her hands on the deck rail. The moon shone brightly, illuminating the landscape and the ghostly haze that hovered over the cane fields that lay between Langley property and the neighboring plantation.

How would Josiah and Abigail Langley have handled the situation with Noah? Would they have stood by him—or waited until the law had proven his guilt or innocence?

Ethan stroked her hair. “Vanessa, I love you. I really don’t want this to be an issue that divides us.”

“My feelings matter too.”

“Of course they do. It was insensitive of me to saddle you with the responsibility of getting Noah’s keys back. Thankfully, it didn’t come to that. But I really don’t want to cause a rift between Noah and me either. Our families’ history together is too important.”

“I agree. And I think he needs to hear that from you.”

Adele sat in the overstuffed chair in her room, her Bible clutched to her chest. She opened her eyes. How long had she been sitting there, hoping for a word of knowledge? Did she really think that God would speak audibly and tell her what to do? She had to rely on His Word and whatever wisdom she could find there.

It wasn’t right to prejudge people. She knew that much. But Isabel made it sound as if her way of reaching out was irresponsible and risky. That both irritated and concerned her. Where did she draw the line? Wasn’t she supposed to love her neighbor as herself? Noah had been nothing but kind to her and the Langleys and efficient in his work.

She put the Bible on the table and rose to her feet. She shuffled over to the window seat and sat, looking up at the moonlit sky, words from the Psalms instantly coming to mind.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.

Murray’s uneasiness about Noah and his reference to Moses’ act of murder wouldn’t leave her alone. Given the right circumstances, wasn’t anyone capable of being pushed over the edge? How could she discern such a thing?

What good would it do for her to worry about it? She belonged to God. Wasn’t every breath and step she would take known to Him? How could she be salt and light unless she was willing to shine and to bring out the best in those around her? Without that, her life didn’t have much meaning and she was just taking up space.

Was she naive for trusting people? Was she leaving herself wide open for someone to take advantage of her? Was she putting Isabel at risk?

Lord, I don’t know what to do. It’s just not my nature to distance myself from people. You didn’t.

She heard the floor creak in the hallway and then the door to Isabel’s room close. Isabel had been quiet all evening. If it came down to letting Noah and Murray go—or losing Isabel—what would she do?