Heartless (9 page)

The next morning brought doubts to Parker's mind about
his fitting in as Larkin rousted everybody from bed at eight to a
breakfast of scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese stirred in,
fruit, cereal, and toast so they could get to church on time.
Parker had only been to one church when he lived with Miss
Maxi. Her church had been dark and had hard wooden pews.
The worshippers had sung hymns but appeared to be afraid of
being struck down if they moved.

Walking into the light, airy space that served as the
sanctuary did not intimidate him. This place had rows of
padded crimson chairs, ivory walls, golden windows, and offwhite carpet. Here, there was a pipe organ that played music
before the service, but there was also a band with guitars and
drums that played during the worship time. The people were
spirited and lively, even clapping and voicing an, "Amen," at
times.

Parker looked around in amazement at the end of the
service. The family he had met the night before were there, as
were Grandma Audrey and Grandpa Walter whom he met.
Grandma Audrey had eyes just like his. She was very pretty at
five-six with blonde hair with a little gray. She had it twisted
into an elegant chignon. Grandpa Walter was several years
older than she was, but he was stately looking with his saltand-pepper ring of hair from ear to ear, gray eyes, and broad
shoulders. Even though he was a big man with a little spill-over
gut, he carried himself erectly to stand six feet, two inches and
he wore stylish clothing. Parker looked at Ray who was
talking to the pastor a few feet away.
God, I'd like to believe
what Larkin said is true. If you can forgive these crazy, mixed
up people, maybe you can forgive me, too. Come live in my
spirit like you live in Larkin. I believe you really do live in her.
She's just like an angel. And, God, please let Ray be my daddy.

The next morning, Ray woke Parker about six-thirty. "Rise
and shine. We have to get you enrolled in school today.
Larkin's dropping off the other two although she's really green
around the gills this morning."

"How are you gonna do that?" asked Parker, rubbing the
grit from his eyes. "You don't have my records."
"I'm Chief of Police. I have a little pull, and we'll have your
records in a few days. Now, move. There are Rice Krispies
with fruit and juice and milk downstairs."
Ray stopped in the bedroom doorway. "Oh, you might want
to use that razor Larkin bought you."
Parker rubbed his scraggly chin and nodded.

Ray and Parker entered the high school before any other
students arrived. Ray looked professional in navy dress slacks,
a light-blue button-down oxford shirt, and a basically navy
paisley tie. Parker wore a royal blue American Eagle sport
shirt, new American Eagle jeans, and new Nike sneakers. Ray
took Parker directly to the principal's office and knocked.
"Come in," responded a pleasant female voice.

A heavy-set, gray-haired woman looked up when the door
opened. "Ray!" The short Weeble-like lady dressed in a brown
skirt and blazer with a gold silk blouse and brown loafers came
from behind her desk.

"Oh, hush," said Dr. Rona Fairchild as she popped Ray's
arm. "You know I'm just a fat old lady who loves you. What do
you want?"

Ray motioned Parker forward. "Dr. Fairchild, I'd like you
to meet my son, Parker."
"Your what?" She arched one eyebrow.
"It's a long story, but Parker is most likely my son. I need
to get him enrolled today. You'll have to get his official
records, but he's a senior, and he's to be enrolled as Parker
Reynolds. Rona, I need your help here. We're gonna have to
bend the rules a little, but I'll tell you the whole story as soon as
we get Parker squared away."
The principal looked at the perspective student and began a
rapid-fire series of questions and answers. "Are you a senior?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Are you a troublemaker?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Should you be at St. Ignatius rather than Eau Boueuse
High?"
"What is St. Ignatius?"
"Alternative school."
"Probably."
"Are you Ray's kid?"
"I hope so."
"What do you think of Larkin?"
"She's an angel."
"Done deal, Ray. Let's get this schedule set." Dr. Fairchild
asked Parker some more questions about what classes he still
needed to graduate and typed some things into her computer.
She handed Parker a schedule and said, "I'll find you a mentor
student and order you a class ring. Welcome aboard." She
extended her hand, and Parker shook it as he looked at Ray
with deep admiration.
As the three left Dr. Fairchild's office, they heard a soft
female voice, "Mr. Ray?"
Ray turned to see a pretty blonde-haired, green-eyed girl.
Parker saw her, too. "Sheena!" said Ray as he gave the girl a
hug. "You get prettier every day."
"Thank you."
"Well, well," said Dr. Fairchild. "Parker, we've just found
your mentor. Sheena Johnson, I'd like you to meet our new
senior, Parker Reynolds."
Sheena looked at Ray questioningly. Ray nodded. Sheena
stuck out her hand. "Hello, Parker. Let me see your schedule."
Parker handed the girl the schedule. She looked at Dr.
Fairchild. "Did you do this on purpose? We have every class
together."
"Providence, I assure you."
Sheena shrugged. "Well, come on, Parker. I'll show you
around. Nice to see you, Mr. Ray. Tell everybody hi for me.
Oh, if you'd like, I'll give Parker a ride home today."
"Ask him. Tomorrow he'll probably ride his motorcycle."
Ray gave Parker a look that said, "Go for it."
Parker stammered, "Um. Yeah. Thanks." He walked down
the hall with Sheena Johnson.
Rona Fairchild commented, "He has your eyes. Who's his
mother?"
"Mia."
"Wow! How's Larkin taking it?"
"She's an angel. Oh, and she's pregnant."
"You're kidding."
"Nope. I found out about my eldest and my youngest on the
same day. Give me a cup of your wonderful coffee, and I'll tell
you the whole story."

Sheena dropped Parker off around four-thirty. His first day
at this school had been amazing. The kids did not treat him as
if he had a disease. On the contrary, they accepted him. He was
Raiford Reynolds's son. People respected Raiford Reynolds. In
addition, Sheena Johnson was class president and the most
beautiful girl Parker had ever seen. She had asked him if he
wanted to get pizza next Friday night.

Parker entered the house humming. "Well, somebody's
happy," said Larkin.
"I met the most beautiful girl in the world today."
"Uh-oh. Who's this girl?"
"Sheena Johnson."
"Ah. She was our flower girl. Yes, she is pretty."
"She asked me to go out for pizza next Friday. Is it all
right?"
"Sure. Have fun. How much money do you need?"
"I don't know."
You’re gonna give me money?
"We'll talk about it later. Now is homework time. Courtney
and Christopher are at the kitchen table."

"I have some calculus."
This is a normal family. Miss Maxi
did this kind of thing. Even Fritz tried.
He smiled.
I think I like
normal.

Larkin’s voice jarred him back to the here
-and-now. "Get
busy. Ray will be home soon."
Parker joined the other two children and finished the
twenty-five math problems in short time.
Before Ray got home, the door chime reverberated. Larkin
answered to find Lawrence Dantzler on her porch. She
scowled. "Come to interrogate me?"
"No, although you did teach Miss Horn.
"I recognized her picture. As I recall, she was an average
student. I think she got a B in my class. It would have been
three years ago. If you aren't here to talk to me, what do you
want?"
"I need to speak with this kid that Ray told Chris about."
"Without a lawyer?"
"He's a minor. I guess you're his parent. You can be
present."
"I don't like it." She took a step closer to a man that was a
foot and half taller than she was. Lawrence stepped back.
With a huff, she showed Dantzler to the table where the
children were doing homework and shooed Christopher and
Courtney away with a stern warning not to come downstairs
until she called them. Then, she introduced Lawrence to
Parker, who held his breath.
Here goes the ax
, he thought.
To both Parker's and Larkin's surprise and relief, Dantzler
talked casually to Parker and subtly asked questions about a
number of dead people. After only about ten minutes, the big
man stood and shook Parker's hand
. Not a killer. Not a mean
bone in this boy's body.
Larkin escorted her unwanted guest to the front door.
"Relax," he said. "I had to do my job. That kid is not a suspect,
but you are one feisty little lady. I think you could have brained
me if I had tried to take him into custody."
"Damn right," she snarled.
Lawrence laughed. "And Chris and Ray wonder why you
could be a person of interest."
"Am I?"
"Not really." He walked down the steps and chuckled all
the way to his car.
Ray came in an hour later with a manila envelope. Larkin
told him about the FBI's visit. Through clenched teeth he
muttered, "Damn it, but he had to do his job."
A little later, Raif, Chris, and family arrived with Chinese
takeout. Everybody congregated in the living room. Ray held
up the envelope. "Well?"
"You read it," said Parker. "I'm too scared."
Ray opened the envelope and read the DNA analysis. He
looked at Parker who seemed to holding his breath. Almost
inaudibly Parker whispered, "Please, God?"
Ray nodded.
"Yes?" asked Parker
"Yes."
"Yes!" The boy punched the air.
Ray held out both arms. Parker fell into his father's
embrace.

The attendance at Robert LaFontaine's funeral held at Christ
the King Catholic Church in Baton Rouge ranged from actual
homeless victims to foreign dignitaries. On top of the closed
coffin, Deanna LaFontaine placed a flattering portrait in which
Robert's hair had not begun to thin and his pale blue eyes
looked wistful. Even in the end, she maintained the illusion that
Robert was a family man as she and her two children and
Robert's parents, Evan and Alexis, sat together in solidarity.

The words of the priest brought little comfort to those who
knew the Senator intimately. Kimberly cried softly on her
mother's shoulder as Alexis LaFontaine dabbed her eyes.
Deanna looked tired, but she held up well under real pressure.
The men in the family seemed stoic. Evan LaFontaine looked
dejected with dark circles beneath his eyes and deep lines in his
forehead while Kyle glowered at the picture, but shed no tears.
Raiford Reynolds thought
if the boy were not only ten, the
expression on his face would bump him to the top of the suspect
list.

Some of the officials at the service seemed genuine about
their feeling of loss. Others appeared to be performing a duty
as required of their office. Among the common folk, the
sentiment seemed to be that they had lost an advocate. Some of
Robert's ideas for social reform had held merit. Even Ray had
liked many of Robert's political stances except his views on
government involvement in family matters came as too liberal
to Ray's way of thinking.

Six state troopers served as pall bearers. It was fitting since
Robert had been quite supportive of law enforcement, fighting
for increased safety measures and better compensation and
benefits, a stance Ray had really liked. One young trooper with
close-clipped chestnut hair and hazel eyes seemed particularly
moved as he unabashedly wiped tears from his cheeks. Ray
thought
this must be one of the state troopers often called upon
to guard the LaFontaine family,
though Ray paid little close
attention to most of the mourners. He was feeling a real sense
of loss himself.

Bagpipes played "Amazing Grace" at the solemn interment,
and Larkin prayed that, perhaps, the man had found Grace. The
coffin was draped in an American flag instead of flowers,
which was fitting for Robert had been a weekend warrior of the
National Guard from the time he was eighteen. The young
trooper who appeared to be the leader of the state police
contingent presented the flag to the Senator's son who glared
with as much hatred at the officer as he had at the portrait of
his late father.

After the funeral, only family and close friends were
invited to the LaFontaine's home for a traditional wake.
Deanna personally invited Ray and his family to come back to
the house.

As Ray placed a scoop of hash-brown casserole on a plate,
Kyle brushed against him and raced up the stairs, presumably
to his room. This child's face flushed scarlet, but his light blue
eyes appeared glazed.

Deanna stopped by her husband's old friend. "He refuses to
cry," she murmured to Ray. "Maybe you can talk to him a
moment before you leave."

"You know it." He looked up the stairs. "He looks so much
like his father."
Deanna nodded. "Thanks. Saul needs to speak to you a
minute. Apparently, Robert left you something to be opened in
case of his death." She shrugged. "I have no idea what it could
be. Instructions are for your eyes only."
Ray set the plate back on the buffet table. "I don't have
much appetite anyway. Where's Saul?"
"Robert's study."
He dipped his head toward Deanna and found the family
lawyer.
"Saul, what's this about?"
Saul Blackwell held up a sealed envelope. "Robert told me
to give this to you when he died."
"Was he expecting something?"
"No. Nothing like that. He even said if you died before him
to burn it and to never open it." Saul handed Ray the
communication. "So, now I've done my duty. Ray, Deanna told
me the whole story. You'll find out soon enough—she and I are
lovers. Just in case I'm a suspect, I didn't kill the ass. I would
have strangled him and watched his eyes grow cold if I had. He
was a heartless bastard. Now, I'll leave you to whatever secret
he deemed you worthy to know."
"You know I have to add you to the suspect list now,
right?"
"Yeah." Saul gave a curt nod and left the room.
Ray weighed the envelope. "What now, Rob? Even from
the grave you torment me. Do I even want to read this shit?"
He sighed and broke the seal.
He unfolded the paper and read: