Night Magic (39 page)

"Forget it. The last thing I need right now
is rejection." Paul plowed into a mound of papers on his desk.

"She would love to hear from you."

"Yeah, that's why she rushed over to the jail
to stand by me. Right?" Paul snorted.

"Well... Maybe she's hesitant to approach you
no knowing how you'll react. Y'all didn't part on the best of
terms, you know."

"I guess--"

"She is kind of upset about some of that
stuff you said about her and that guy Devin," Sam spoke haltingly,
testing the waters.

"Maybe I overreacted." Paul looked up
sighing.

"So call her. Better yet, go by the shop. Go
on. I'm telling you, she'd like to see you."

"Wait a minute. Have you been talking to her
about me?"

"I, uh, well, er-umm...."

"Have you?" Paul rose from the desk scowling
at his friend.

"No, man. You know me better than that!" Sam
held both hands out palms up.

"Keep it that way if you wanna stay
healthy."

Chapter 17

"Isn't this great?" Charice kept craning her
neck to look around.

"It's a gorgeous day." Savannah sighed as she
adjusted her sunglasses.

The sat at a table on the combination boat
landing and cafe at the edge of Bayou Des Glaises. At Charice's
suggestion, they'd packed swim suits, sunscreen, and a radio
leaving right after Sunday mass. Charice left her girls happily
playing with a large group of their cousins at her mother's
house.

"Yes, just us grown folks. That's one thing
about being a single parent, you're always alone with your
children. Plus teaching twenty kids all week. There are times I
catch myself telling Sam to eat all his vegetables when we're out
on a date." Charice started to giggle then sat up suddenly at the
approach of a car. Seeing the red convertible with a group of
college age kids, she eased back in her chair.

"Why do you keep bouncing up every time a car
passes? And what is this about?" Savannah swiveled her head around
in an exaggerated fashion to imitate her.

"Hey, I'm curious. Okay. Just looking
around." Charice grinned.

"Nosey is more like it." Savannah leaned back
in the lounge chair.

Savannah was enjoying the scenery in spite of
herself. The warm breeze rippled the water. Both wore swim suits
under a pair of shorts in case they wanted to swim or just wade.
They waved at water skiers zipping by recognizing a few friends.
The radio played New Orleans boogie music from a station in Breaux
Bridge. She kept glancing at Charice who seemed to be making a
supreme effort not to peer around.

"I'm telling you we never came here to go
fishing. What is up with you today? Dragging me out here when we
could have just as well gone to Bayou Teche." Paul's voice came
from behind them.

"Look who's here!" Charice yelled waving at
them eagerly.

"Yeah, what a surprise to you I bet."
Savannah hissed under her breath. "Hello." Behind the dark glasses
her expression was unreadable.

"Hi." Paul came to a halt, shifting his feet
awkwardly under her inscrutable gaze.

"Say, Sam, want something to drink." Charice
jerked her head towards the cafe. "They've got a wide variety of
cold drinks."

"Yeah, yeah. That sounds good." He followed
her inside, neither daring to look back.

"Take a good look at her. This is the last
time for a long time you'll see her without bruises all over her
butt." Savannah stared after them.

"Well, I guarantee they'll be a matched pair
when I get through with him." Paul tapped his thigh with a clenched
fist.

"You, ah, doing okay?" Savannah cleared her
throat.She couldn't help but notice the way his yellow cotton knit
shirt stretched across his chest or the way the navy blue shorts
showed off his brown muscular legs.

"Under the circumstances, okay." Paul tugged
at his collar, shifted to another foot, and then cleared his
throat. "You look good-- I mean you look fine-- I mean." Paul
forced his gaze away from her legs.

"Sit down." Savannah finally offered after
long silent minutes had stretched between them.

"Yeah, uh, sure."

"Sorry about everything you're going
through."

"Thanks."

"LaMar Zeno seems to be on it though,"
Savannah said, twirling the straw in her soft drink cup.

"That's what Sam tells me. I haven't talked
to him yet."

"Really? You are in for a treat. He's
different, that's for sure."

"Oh, you've met LaMar?" Paul turned to
her.

"Sam and Charice got us together."

"I see."

"Arresting you was ridiculous. They haven't
got a case." Savannah waved a hand dismissively.

"You've kept up with it?"

"Yeah, sort of," Savannah said with an
embarrassed smile.

"I didn't think you cared. After, well you
know."

"Yeah." They both stared out over the water,
not speaking.

"I said a lot of stupid things in my life,
but I topped myself that day at the courthouse." Paul looked out
over the water.

"I guess I should have told you I'd be seeing
Devin."

"Telling you about being related to the
Trosclairs scared the hell out of me."

"I wish you had though. Still," Savannah
quickly added hearing him suck in a deep breath."You were right. No
way would I have trusted you after that. You know how I am. But,
you can't choose your relatives. If you could, I know I’d be less
about five of my cousins." Savannah gave a short laugh.

"My dad--"

"I know. Sam told me."

"I really want to make things right with us.
I've missed you." Paul got up to kneel beside her.

"Me too." Savannah took of her
sunglasses.

Savannah wrapped both arms around him.
Pulling him close, she tasted the kiss she'd craved for weeks.
Deeper and deeper she allowed his tongue to explore until they were
both gasping, clutching each other excitedly."Whoa!" Savannah
yelled. With a loud crack, the lounge chair collapsed beneath them.
Her giggle was cut off when his mouth covered hers again.

"Oh non!
Who gonna pay for ma chair,
huh?" The owner of the café, a dirty white apron stretched across
his pot belly, pointed at them from the door.

"I will!" Charice and Sam said. Grinning they shook
hands.The foursome spent the rest of the afternoon together
enjoying the splendid weather. They even went for a ride in a
rented bateau. Sunlight made the water of the bayou sparkle as
though diamond chunks floated in it. Savannah held on to Paul's
hand, letting go only when absolutely necessary. A tingle of
pleasure and anticipation
spread through
her whenever they touched. His laugh was the most beautiful sound
she had heard in weeks. Watching him move as he walked towards or
away from her transformed the tingle into shock waves of desire.
Throughout their day on the bayou she thrilled at finding his eyes
on her, a glint of passion adding fire to his almond brown
eyes.

"I haven't enjoyed myself like this for a
long time. Actually, I know precisely the date and time I stopped
enjoying much of anything." Paul reached out to touch her hair as
they sat alone on the landing. Orange washed over the sky as the
sun set.

"I'd guess the same day everything I had
enjoyed up until then lost its flavor." Savannah tilted her head
back, savoring the way his hand moved in her hair.

"Hey you two, ready to head out?" Sam called.
He and Charice, arms entwined, came back from a leisurely walk
along the levee.

"Yeah." Paul's hand trailed down Savannah's
shoulder to take her hand in his. "I've got an idea, why don't we
go pick up my car? It won't take but twenty minutes to get there
from here." His eyes never left her.

"Good idea, my brother." Sam pulled Charice
closer to him grinning.

*****

"Let's not ever be apart like that again."
Paul rested his cheek on the top of Savannah's head. They sat in
the cypress swing her front porch.

"It was awful not hearing your voice or being
able to touch you." Savannah breathed deeply of his sweet woodsy
scent.

Lifting her face to his, he kissed her long
and deeply. Savannah strained to him as his hands sought those
familiar places that caused her to vibrate in his arms. Cupping one
breast, he gave a short grunt of delight as her hands moved all
over him.

"Whew! Isn't this where we started." Paul
said, sitting back to catch his breath.

"Right on this very porch, cher." Savannah
gave him a playful pinch on the arm.

"Have I told you how good it is to be with
you again?"

"Yes, but once more won't hurt." Savannah
rested her head on his shoulder.

"I want you. Nothing is more important than
that. No silly argument for sure."

"Same here."

"I better be getting on the road. I'm staying
with my parents for awhile. I want to help Mama with Papa. Give her
some relief, you know? Wish I still had that trailer here in town."
Paul put his hand or her thigh."

"There'll be time enough for that, time
enough for all that." Savannah moaned faintly as he began moving
his fingers across her flesh. "You better leave before we embarrass
ourselves out here on this porch."

As she lay in bed later, Savannah wasn't the
least bit sleepy. But this night it was for a totally different
reason. The great aching emptiness that had gnawed at her had
vanished. Those cold, miserable weeks without him had convinced her
she did not want to live without his love. She no longer feared
giving herself completely, she reveled in the joy of it. Smiling in
the darkness, she imagined the time when they would be alone again.
The way she would feel, the things they would do.

*****

Dixieland jazz blared away. The band had the
select crowd of well-to-do businessmen and their mistresses
snapping fingers in time with the music. Singleton sat at a corner
table with pretty young woman. Her long black hair was perfectly
held in place. Stiff with hair spray, it did not move even as she
tossed her head back to laugh at something he whispered to her.
They had been at the New Orleans club for over an hour drinking,
laughing, and teasing each other. After whispering again in her
ear, Singleton gestured to a waiter. Paying the bill, he took the
woman by her hand leading her to the door.

"Cab, sir?." The driver of a white Chevrolet
Lumina with `Mack's Cab Service' in black lettering on the side,
called to him. He was parked several feet from the entrance to the
club.

"Le Crillion Hotel, please." Singleton said
only after making sure the car was clean inside.

Singleton walked several paces behind the
woman trying to relight his cigar. Out of the shadows between
buildings, a man stepped blocking his path. The pretty woman melted
into the crowd seeing him approach.

"Gimme your money, man."

"What?" Singleton froze.

"Give it up!"

The sharp tat-a-tat of automatic gunfire
burst forth causing bystanders to scatter for cover. Screams
ricocheted through the air from all directions. Singleton lay on
the pavement his arms covering his head. Blood spattered his
jacket.

"Man, I'm hit! Oh no! Ahh--ee!" The would be
robber rocked against a wall holding his arms.

"Get in the car!" The cab driver shouted.

He began dragging a still cowering Singleton
across the sidewalk. Throwing him onto the back seat, the driver
leapt over the car's hood and slid behind the wheel. Tires
screaming, he took off. After driving for six blocks, he pulled to
the curb on a dark side street.

"Let's see if you've been hit. No
bloodstains, all in one piece, eh?"The cab driver checked him over
with quick efficient hands. A silent figure stepped forward
seemingly from nowhere handing the cab driver a set of keys then
melted back into the night.

"It's quite alright, sir. Come with me and
you'll be fine." The cab driver spoke calmly as he lead a dazed
Singleton to a light blue Plymouth.

"But who are you? Listen to me, take anything
you want, but please don't hurt me." Singleton took out his wallet
and began removing his Rolex watch.

"This isn't a kidnapping, Mr. Singleton."

"How do you know my name?"

"Oh I know quite a lot about you, sir. Just
relax. You're safe with me. I have something to show you."

"If you want to help why don't you take me to
the police? My God! Someone tried to kill me."

"All in good time, sir. All in good
time."

*****

"LaMar always was weird, even in high school.
Why are we meeting him at our office? It's after midnight." Paul
had been complaining ever since Sam had picked him up.

"Savannah is meeting us there, too." Sam
said.

"She shouldn't be out driving alone this time
of night."

"She made me swear to call her when anything
serious went down. Besides, Charice is with her. She's out of
school for the summer and the girls are spending the night with
their cousins."

"Great. They could both be stranded on a dark
highway if they have car trouble." Paul glared at Sam.

"Will you stop acting like a nervous
grandmother. Savannah has her car phone. They can call us or the
state police in an emergency. Take it easy."

"Okay. Why are we going to the office again?"
Paul fingers made a rapping sound as he tapped the molded plastic
on the passenger door.

"For the third time, LaMar wants us to meet
him there. I don't know why. Yeah." Sam answered the car phone. He
listened for several minutes. "We'll start on it. Forty-five
minutes, got it. That was LaMar. How are your hacking skills,
brother man?" Sam clapped Paul's shoulder.

They pulled into the parking lot of their
suite of four offices. Located in a medium sized complex near the
Evangeline Thruway, the lobby was well lit. Waving to the night
security guard, they bounded up the open stairway to the second
floor.