Sweet Mystery (16 page)

“Yeah, I’m staying in Belle Rose, if that’s
what you’re getting at. And by the way, we won’t be selling any
land to Simon.” Rae stopped walking several yards from the dance
hall entrance.

Darcy frowned. “What did you say?”

“My brothers and I are not going to sell off
any Dalcour land. Simon is okay with it.” Rae looked at him.

“Is he?” Darcy scrutinized her.

She returned his gaze with a placid
expression. “Yeah, he is.”

Several seconds of silence passed between
them as the question hung in the air. Rae’s silence answered
it.

Darcy lifted both hands. “Then that’s that.
Guess Simon doesn’t plan to do anything more about the
tourism.”

“You’ll have to ask him about that. And tell
Mr. Henry it didn’t work. I’ve got my suppliers lined up just fine.
We’ll open for business right on time.”

Darcy assumed a blank face. “I don’t know
what you mean.”

“Liar,” Rae said in a flat voice.

They studied each other in silence until one
of the workmen called her to come over.

“I gotta go.”

“Rae, wait.” Darcy placed a hand on her arm.
“Belle Rose has changed in some ways, but not that much. Be careful
what you open up here.”

“Are you talking about the business or the
past?” Rae asked.

“Both.” Darcy took his hand away and smiled.
“It was nice seeing you again, Rae. I guess you don’t want to get
together for drinks, maybe dinner?”

“You guess right.”

“Simon works fast. Gotta admire that,” Darcy
quipped.

Rae thought his tight smile held more
suppressed anger than amusement. He spun around and walked off. The
wheels of his red, two-seater Mercedes squealed on the highway
pavement as he raced off.

Rae let out a deep breath once he was gone.
She might not have seen him for a long time, but she recognized
that look on Darcy’s face. He would press to have his way, if only
out of spite. First Toya. Now her brother. Rae knew both could be
real trouble.

Wait a minute, we’re not kids anymore. Simon
has his own thriving business that does not depend on the Joves.
What did they care what a lot of small-town, small minds thought?
They would all just have to get over it.

Yet, even as she decided on wood for the
floors, decorations for the interior and other details, a small
kernel of anxiety stayed with her.

* * *

“So, your boyish charm didn’t work its usual
magic?” Toya snickered.

Shut up,” Darcy snapped.

“Brother, I do believe you still have a thing
for that little swamp trash.” Toya’s eyes were wide. “I would have
thought your more exotic tastes would preclude her now.”

“What would you know about taste? I’ve seen
some of your male companions.” Darcy sat down hard.

They were in Darcy’s home, only a mile down
the road from his grandfather’s house. Toya lived about five miles
away.

“Now that wasn’t nice. But since you’re under
stress, I won’t take offense.” Toya brushed her hair back with her
long fingers. “So, Rae isn’t going into business with Simon and you
won’t have a chance to get your hands on her land. Pity.” She
looked quite content.

Darcy faced her with a nasty grin. “No, Rae
isn’t going to sell the land to Simon. Apparently, their all-night
negotiations still didn’t bring them to an agreement on the
sale.”

“What are you talking about?”

“She was at his apartment until the sun came
up.” Darcy was pleased to see the self-satisfied expression wiped
off her face.

“That’s a lie. You can’t believe stupid
gossip around this town,” Toya bleated in distress.

“It’s true, big sister. Simon and Rae were
together. And, frankly, I doubt they were discussing land prices.”
Darcy put his glass down. His pleasure at upsetting Toya was
short-lived. “Simon has made a big mistake getting in my way.”

“Then what are you going to do about it? We
can’t just sit by while Rae Dalcour ruins everything.” Toya was
about to say more when the doorbell rang. She left and returned
with Marius.

“Man, you two look very grim this evening.”
Marius fixed himself a drink without asking. “Darcy, Grandfather
wants to meet with you tomorrow morning about the Pantheon
deal.”

Darcy wore a sour expression as he looked at
his handsome cousin. “How did you know I was here?”

“I was on my way home and saw your car.”
Marius was not the least bit disturbed by his cousin’s mood. He sat
down and crossed his legs. “Trouble in paradise?”

“Rae won’t sell,” Toya hissed.

“I can see why that would have Darcy upset,
but you should be happy, right?” Marius affected a look of
ignorance.

“She’s seeing Simon. The slut!” Toya set her
glass down hard on the table at her elbow.

Marius took a sip of his drink. “Can’t say
I’m surprised. She’s one fine woman. She can really swing those
hips, too.”

“Don’t be disgusting!” Toya shot from her
seat.

“Of course, Darcy could answer that question.
Couldn’t you, cuz?” Marius lifted his eyebrows.

“Rae will toss him aside after a while.”
Darcy spoke in a coarse voice. “I know she will.”

“Isn’t this interesting? Toya is mad because
Simon has a new honey. Darcy wants Rae Dalcour for fun and games.”
Marius chuckled softly.

“If she doesn’t sell the land, we might not
have a deal with Pantheon,” Darcy said. “She’s found
suppliers.”

“More bad news. So, Darcy’s grand plan that
so impressed Grandfather is about to crash.” Marius shook his head.
“Tsk, tsk.”

Darcy wore a feral look as he leaned forward.
“If that deal falls through, we could lose millions. Without that
big expansion there will be no vice-president’s position for you.
Think of that, cuz.”

Marius looked as though he’d been slapped
hard. The smug smile disappeared. “Dammit then, let’s do
something.”

The three of them forgot their rivalry and
sat quietly for several moments.

Marius spoke first. “How badly do we need
those acres for Pantheon?”

“We could go ahead, but it won’t be nearly as
attractive. We’ll have to dredge for sure because the new barge
route will have to be through Bayou Pigeon instead, which, of
course, means more money,” Darcy replied.

“And they’ll get antsy with these changes
since we assured them construction could start in August at the
latest.” Marius frowned.

“We don’t have a choice now that Rae isn’t
going to sell.” Darcy stared into his glass. “She doesn’t need the
money as much as I thought. That dance hall will be a gold mine
with the popularity of Zydeco and blues, plus the draw of being
able to see bayou country.”

Marius rubbed his jaw. “She’s resourceful.
Too bad she won’t just leave.”

“Men are such dogs.” Toya gulped down the
rest of the whiskey in her glass.

“Between the dance hall and Simon, Rae will
be in Belle Rose. You can count on that.” Darcy wore a thoughtful
expression. “But when she tires of him, things could work out.”

“What if it’s true love? They could get
married,” Marius said. “Then you can kiss that land goodbye.”

“Simon wouldn’t! This is just a fling,” Toya
spluttered. She wore a look of shock. “He wouldn’t marry a
Dalcour.”

“I know Rae. It won’t last.” Darcy did not
seem as sure as his words.

“You used to know her, cuz. There is a big
difference between a fifteen-year-old girl and a thirty-year-old
woman. No, we need to approach this problem logically.”

“He’s right. We all want the same thing. Now
how do we get it?” Toya asked in a hard voice. She glanced at
Darcy, then Marius.

* * *

“What’s up, brother? Been a while.” Baylor
clasped Simon’s hand in a firm grip. “Man, this Kinchen job has
been whipping my butt.”

They were in Simon’s office. Baylor had not
been in town for several weeks, as the civil engineering firm that
employed him was constructing a cement plant near Lafayette.

“Rough, eh?” Simon poured him a cup of black
coffee.

“Yeah, but I won’t complain. When I make sure
the plant is not only efficient, but saves money, I’ll get a fat
bonus, as usual.” Baylor winked before taking a sip from his
mug.

“Talented and humble. What a guy,” Simon
said.

“What can I say, I’m good.” Baylor grinned at
him. “So what’s up with you?”

“Nothing much.” Simon cleared his throat.
“Working hard, like you. I’ve got a new job to put up duplex
apartments over in Rougon.”

“Nice. Things been the same old, same old,
huh?” Baylor propped an ankle across his knee. “No new developments
with Ms. Dalcour?”

“Developments?” Simon cleared his throat
again. He shuffled some stacks of paper on his desk.

“Yeah, you two got together to take care of
business?”

“Business? Oh, the property sale. They
decided not to sell.” Simon avoided the other man’s gaze.

Baylor looked at his friend with his head to
one side. “You don’t seem upset about your plans hitting a major
snag.”

“It’s no big deal. I can understand Rae
wanting to hold onto her only family legacy.”

Baylor put his mug down on Simon’s desk. “Oh
man, tell me you didn’t.”

“Watch it! You almost spilled coffee on these
blueprints.” Simon lifted the plans gingerly and moved them.

“Don’t even try it, Simon.” Baylor pointed a
finger at him. “If you’ve done what I think you’ve done–”

“Man, you’ve been working in that hot sun
without a hat. You’re not making a bit of sense.” Simon scowled,
but still did not look at Baylor.

“Okay, play me for stupid. You go from ‘Miss
Dalcour should sell her land’ to ‘Rae should keep her family
legacy’ in less than a month. You and her...” Baylor clasped his
hands together, holding them high.

Simon’s jaw jutted out in a stubborn
expression. “We are seeing each other. And it’s nobody’s
business.”

Baylor’s eyes were wide. “That serious? Man,
oh, man. And I’m out of town for at least another two weeks.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

“Brother, you are gonna need me at your back
when this hits the fan.” Baylor nodded to himself, as though
thinking aloud. “Now, if you could just keep it on the down low a
little longer, we can deal.”

“Will you cut it out?” Simon drummed his
fingers on the desktop. “I don’t care about a bunch of stupid
gossip or popular opinion.”

“She’s a special lady, eh?” Baylor lost the
teasing tone. “Sounds serious.”

Simon could not stop the smile that came with
the thought of the last three weeks with Rae. Serious? He could not
sleep at night without calling one last time to hear her voice.
Resisting the urge to leave his office and go out to the dance hall
to be with Rae was a daily struggle. The mere memory of the taste,
scent and feel of her brown, satin skin sent his temperature up by
ten degrees. Serious is an understatement.

“Yeah, man. You could say that,” was all
Simon could manage to murmur. Even now he felt the hunger for her
growing.

“I gotta meet the lady. Can’t remember this
reaction over any woman you been with, including your lovely
ex-wife.”

Simon came back down to earth with a thump.
“Toya will be a little upset. But then she’s always throwing a
tantrum about something.”

“A little upset? That’s like saying a
hurricane is a little bit of wind.” Baylor looked alarmed at the
prospect of being faced with a wrathful Toya Jove.

Simon shrugged. “I’ve dated a few times and
Toya had to get used to it.”

“Nah, man, she has never gotten used to it.
Besides, this is something entirely different. And if I can see it,
so will she,” Baylor said.

Simon sighed. Living in a small town meant
you were likely to see those you’d prefer to avoid frequently, in
the grocery store, at church or downtown. There was nothing left in
his heart for Toya. It was over long before Rae came along.

“I can’t help that. I want someone to spend
my life with.” Simon stared out the window. “I want children, a
dog, the whole bit.”

“Me too.” Baylor rubbed his face.

“I’ll even drive a station wagon for the
right woman.” Simon grinned at him. He knew how Baylor felt about
his white Corvette.

“Let’s not get totally crazy, brother.”
Baylor gave a shudder. “Don’t take this wrong, but the quiet family
scene doesn’t sound like something Rae Dalcour is into. Folks say
she likes the free life of a blues musician.”

“Stupid gossip,” Simon said with force. “Rae
is strong willed and not afraid to speak her mind. But she’s got a
soft, sweet core. Family is important to her, too. But she doesn’t
have to give up being a musician. She’s opening the dance hall, you
know.”

“Sounds like you’re thinking long-term. I’m
glad for you, man. Straight up. But, fasten your seat belt, life is
about to get real bumpy.” Baylor nodded slowly.

Simon wished he could make a convincing
protest, but Baylor was right. “I know, my brother, I know.”

* * *

“Ooo, Raenette!” Marcelle cradled baby
Felicia in one arm while holding a tumbler of iced tea in the
other. “No, you didn’t!”

“I did.” Rae shot her a look that was a cross
between defiance and annoyance. “What’s the big deal? We hit it
off.”

“He is too fine. I can’t say I blame you for
fallin’ hard.” Marcelle made soothing sounds at the fussing baby
until she settled back into slumber. “He’s got a body that begs for
attention, child.”

“I did not fall hard. Like I said–”

Marcelle gave her a knowing look. “Rae, this
is me you’re talkin’ to.”

“I... He... Damn! Why didn’t I just pack up
and leave after the funeral?” Rae got up to pace her friend’s front
porch.

“Because you made a promise to your daddy,
that’s why. Wait a minute.” Marcelle eased out of the rocker, took
the baby into the house, and returned. “She’s all settled in the
crib. Now, about you and Simon…”