Big Easy (Cowboy Craze)

by Sable Hunter

  “I know.” He knew she’d try; he just didn’t know if she’d be successful.

  Seeing the hopelessness on his face, Jewel’s heart melted. Her reservations fled. This might not be the wisest thing she ever did, but telling him the truth seemed paramount. “I love you, Easy.”

  Her words washed over him like a cleansing spring rain. Happiness rose in his heart like a seed seeking the sun’s warmth. And along with the joy – came hope. He was just about to tell her how he felt when two armed deputies stepped between them.

  “Time’s up. You’ve got to come with us.”

  “No. Wait.” He looked around them, wanting to prolong the moment with Jewel – but she was gone, pushed aside on the tide of people moving from the room. He could still see his brothers, but they were far enough away that he couldn’t make out what they were saying. When Benjen raised a hand in farewell, he nodded, sending him a silent message that he understood they’d be waiting for him.

  As he was led from the room, Zane walked near enough Easy could hear him. “Listen…I’m going to be busy putting our case together. The FBI agent will arrive today, so we’re going to start running down leads. I’ll be by to see you soon. Don’t give up hope. Okay?”

  Easy didn’t answer him as he was escorted to the police van. There was no use making false promises.

  * * *

  As Jewel watched Easy go, she felt like the world was ending. Seeing him led off in handcuffs like he was a danger to society just broke her heart. She knew how loving he was, how gentle. Yes, he was strong – but he would never use that strength for anything but good.

  “You told him. I heard you.”

  Jewel glanced at Sam, tears in her eyes. “Yea, I did.” He didn’t say anything back – but that was okay. In the last few moments she’d made a pretty big discovery. Her love didn’t come with strings. It was a gift, given freely with her whole heart.

  “I’m glad.” He put a hand to her back. “Are you ready to go?”

  She almost said yes, but at the moment she opened her mouth, her gaze fell on Truman Lawson. “If it’s okay, I need a few minutes. I see someone I need to talk to.”

  Jewel didn’t wait for permission. This was just too important. Moving across the courtroom, she pushed through the crowd, amazed at how many people had come out to see what they thought would be a spectacle. Before she could reach him, he’d pushed through the double doors out into the hallway. “Truman! Hold up.”

  The deputy looked over his shoulder and spotted her. When he did, an odd look came to his face. For a minute, Jewel thought he was going to take off running – to escape her. Instead, he stopped and frowned, then nodded his head to one side, indicating she should follow him.

  Without hesitation, she hurried and made the turn to trail him down the adjoining hall. When he darted into an adjacent room, she was right behind him.

  “What do you want, Miss Baptiste?”

  Seeing his complexion was unusually pale, Jewel surmised he was scared. “Afraid someone will see us talking?”

  Truman didn’t answer, instead he asked again, “What do you want?”

  She looked him hard in the eye. “I’m taking a risk here, but I have to ask. Are you involved?”

  “Involved with what.” Truman Lawson looked decidedly uncomfortable.

  “You’ve seen what I can do. You know I know things.”

  “Yea, so what do you think you know?”

  “I know Easy Blackhawk isn’t guilty. And I know your boss is knee deep in alligators. I don’t know if he’s just covering for his brother or not, but that evidence was planted.”

  Jewel could see a look of guilt pass over Lawson’s face. “Look, I’m one guy…”

  “The FBI is coming in, Truman. They’re investigating a human trafficking ring. I think Everett Hill is involved. Maybe his brothers. I think the murders are part of this too.”

  A look of panic came over Truman’s face. “You’re going to get yourself killed. You don’t know how powerful these people are!”

  In spite of his dire words and warning, Jewel felt elated to hear someone else confirm what she’d known. “Are you guilty?” she asked him point blank.

  “No,” he answered. “I’m not. I just know how this shit works. Sometimes you have to turn a blind eye if you want to keep breathing.”

  Jewel could hear the truth in his voice. She felt so relieved. “Not when an innocent man’s life hangs in the balance. You need to separate yourself from this, Truman. You don’t want to get swept up in the tide when all hell breaks loose.”

  Seeing his indecision, she wasn’t above begging. “Please, Truman. If you know anything that would help, I am pleading with you. I know for a fact that the necklace was planted at Easy’s. The night before they raided his house, he walked in on two men burglarizing the place – he thought. They attacked him, but he fought them off and they escaped. After calling 9-1-1 to report the break-in, the dispatcher called back a little while later and told him all of their units were busy. Since nothing was missing, he didn’t think any more about it.”

  When he didn’t say anything in response, she kept talking – desperate to get through to him. “Willie Mae, Everett’s wife, had been coming to see me for readings. I saw things, Truman. She had jewelry belonging to those dead women. She had Marion’s necklace just hours before those burglars showed up. I’d begged her to get out of town. I told her she wasn’t safe. She’d promised to go to some relatives in Chicago, take the necklace, and turn it over to the FBI.”

  “So, what do you want me to do?” he sighed with resignation.

  “Find out if Willie Mae is safe. I’m afraid to call her. Everett knows I know something. Either he or one of his cronies have been leaving me less than cryptic messages to keep my mouth shut.”

  “Which you’re obviously not doing.”

  As she returned his stare, her eyes pleading, he stood with his hands stuffed in his pockets. “Oh, all right. Dammit! I’ll check on Willie Mae.” He dropped his voice to a near whisper. “I’ll also talk to the FBI. I may have information that might help.”

  “What information?”

  “Never you mind.” He nodded toward the corner. “You’d best get out of here before we both get caught.”

  Jewel felt an immense relief, like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. “Thank you, Truman.”

  “You found my mom,” he admitted, somewhat begrudgingly. “I told you I owed you one.”

  When Jewel started to walk away, he stopped her. “Hey, wait. Tell me one thing.”

  “What?” she asked, looking over her shoulder.

  “Do you see me…surviving this?”

  Jewel narrowed her eyes, accessing the line of energy linking them. “I don’t see any darkness, Truman. So, yea. I think so.”

  “All right. Get out of here. And if you can do anything to help me, witchy woman, do it.”

  With a much lighter heart, Jewel left to go find Sam.

  She didn’t have to go far, before she heard her name called.

  “Hey, Jewel! Over here!”

  Wheeling around, she saw Zane standing near the entrance with the Blackhawk brothers. “Hey.” She hurried over to talk to the lawyer. “Good news, I think.”

  “What?” Benjen asked before Zane could get the word out of his mouth.

  “I talked to Truman Lawson.” Seeing Easy’s brothers questioning expressions, she briefly explained. “He’s one of Sherriff Hill’s deputies that I semi trust. I helped him when his mother went missing a few days ago. I asked him to check on some things for me.”

  “What did he say?” Zane asked, his expression hopeful.

  “He’s going to do it.” She looked around. “Maybe we could talk elsewhere?”

  “Yea, right.” Zane put a hand to her back as they followed the brothers from the courthouse.

  As they walked, Jewel had an idea. “Since these guys are staying next door from me, why don’t you come over and let’s all put our heads togeth
er.” She looked apologetically at the Blackhawks. “I’m not trying to make this into a party or anything…but we have to eat and I have the best cook in South Louisiana visiting me at the moment.”

  “Sounds like a plan to me,” Zane admitted. “I’m already tired of take-out.”

  “Sounds good to us too,” Daniel agreed. “What can we bring?”

  “Just your appetites,” Jewel told them.

  Zane snapped his fingers. “Wade Prescott should be driving in any moment. I’ll snag him and start out that way.”

  “And Philip,” Jewel suggested. “Tell him Wren is welcome to join us too.”

  “Right. He went to check on her.” Zane checked his phone. “I hope she’s okay.” He gave Jewel a nod and a smile. “Good thinking. I’ll call him. I’d like to ask Wren some follow-up questions anyway.”

  “Excellent.” Benjen pointed toward the truck. “After you, Jewel. We can all fit in the double cab.”

  “Great.” Zane waved as he started in the other direction. “I’ll join you as quickly as I can.”

  * * *

  Even though her invitation had been met with enthusiasm, the ride home was subdued. Jewel and each of the brothers were lost in their own thoughts about Easy. This round, she found herself riding in the back with Benjen. They were almost home before she felt the need to break the silence. “I understand you have a beautiful family.”

  “I do.” He gave her a slight smile. “My wife, Apple, and our daughter, Nita. Plus, we have a baby on the way.”

  “Soon, we’re going to have to put an extension on the dining room table. My wife, Sara is due in a matter of days,” Daniel said as he made eye contact with Jewel in the rearview mirror.

  “I’m so happy for you both,” she told them. “Easy spoke of all of you with such pride.”

  Her statement was met with silence. A silence so sad, Jewel felt like she needed to fill it. “I know his leaving the ranch and you was a surprise, but I think you ought to know that he misses all of you so much. This move wasn’t to get away from you. I think he was hunting something…”

  “You?”

  Benjen’s question wasn’t harsh, but there was an underlying tension in the word.

  Jewel took her time answering, very aware of the rigidity in the shoulders of the two men sitting in front of her.

  “No. Not at all. I think he was searching for peace.”

  No one said a word, but Daniel’s thoughts were so loud, Jewel heard them as clearly as if he’d spoken. Searching for peace. What the hell does that even mean?

  Before she could think twice, Jewel answered him, “The peace of forgiveness. From his father and from himself.”

  “I think she knows all of our secrets, Daniel.” Sam looked over his shoulder to wink at Jewel. “Hey, watch out up ahead. This is where that tree fell in front of us.”

  “I wish they’d try something now,” Benjen muttered as he watched the edge of the woods as they passed. “We could go all Apache on their ass.”

  Jewel laughed. “I’d like to see that.”

  When they drove up, Jewel welcomed them into her home. As soon as they walked in the door, they were met by the heavenly downhome smell of chicken and dressing, macaroni and cheese, fried green tomatoes, and fried okra.

  Hazel came out of the kitchen holding a three-layer chocolate fudge cake. “I hope you all are hungry.”

  “Oh, man. Starving slap dab to death.” Sam rubbed his stomach. “That looks amazing.”

  “Did you call your mama and tell her we were coming?” Benjen asked Jewel.

  “No, she just knows these things.” Jewel was glad to see Easy’s brothers with happy faces. “Mother, this is Daniel and Benjen Blackhawk. You’ve met Sam, of course. Guys, this is Witch Hazel Baptiste.”

  Hazel laughed. “She doesn’t often introduce me like that…which must mean you all are family!”

  “Sounds good to me.” Daniel came forward to inspect the table. “Damn. Zane and the others better hurry, I might pass out just looking at this spread.”

  “Oh, I’ve got something to hold you boys over.” She placed the cake on the table, then went to the stove to remove a platter of stuffed peppers. “Jalapenos stuffed with crawfish and wrapped in bacon.”

  Sam stepped forward and popped one in his mouth. After savoring the flavor, he got down on one knee. “Will you marry me?”

  Hazel giggled and pulled him to his feet. “You’d best get up; I might sue you for breach of promise.”

  Jewel just shook her head, then walked to the front to watch the road for Zane and the others. As relieved as she was for the Blackhawk boys to accept her mother, she couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty and sad. It seemed almost blasphemous for them to have a good time when Easy couldn’t be there with them.

  For long minutes, she stood there – staring out into the early twilight. Her eyes might be on the road, but what she was seeing was Easy’s face. How he looked when he laughed. How he looked when he rose over her, his body worshiping hers. She clasped her hands to her breast, her eyes filling with tears as her heart ached for the man she loved.

  “Hey, baby, I know you have to be dead on your feet,” Hazel called to her from the kitchen. “Instead of standing and staring down the road, why don’t you sit and watch the camera feed on your computer?”

  “Oh, I’m not tired, Mama,” she began, her head resting against the glass. “I’m just thinking.”

  “Okay, honey.”

  Closing her eyes, Jewel whispered a wish to the heavens. “Please, let me help him. Please. I don’t think I can live knowing he’s being mistreated so.”

  Pouring out her heart, her words rose, carried away on the power of her prayer. And…as if by magic, her mother’s suggestion clicked in her mind. “The camera feed! It’s recorded!”

  “What are you talking about?” Sam came toward her, wondering why she was holding her hands high in celebration.

  “I know how to help Easy!” Jewel was thrilled. Ecstatic. Relieved. Thankful.

  “How?” Benjen came near, standing by his brother. “What are you talking about?”

  She pointed at the computer. “Easy installed a camera on the front porch. All of the footage is stored in a cloud. We can prove what time he arrived on Friday night and the fact that his vehicle didn’t leave until the next day!”

  “You can substantiate his alibi?” Daniel asked in a whisper.

  Jewel was rushing to the computer. “I can. There’s a date stamp. This is irrefutable evidence that Easy couldn’t have murdered Marion Cole.”

  Hazel clapped her hands. “Thank you, St. Expedite.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  “Look, Daniel. See? I’m sitting on the front step when Easy comes home and the timestamp is eleven thirty-two.” She blushed as her mother and the other two Blackhawk brothers drew near. The tape not only clearly showed their image – there was also audio.

  “What are you doing home so early?”

  “Am I early? I think it’s almost midnight.”

  “I didn’t expect your date to end so soon. Did the Blue Goose close early?”

  “How did you know where I was? Were you stalking me, treasure?”

  “No. I gazed into my crystal ball.”

  “I see.”

  Easy was now visible at the foot of the stairs.

  “Mind if I come up and sit a spell?”

  “I guess. Why are you here? Why aren’t you with her?”

  He moved to sit on the step just beneath the one she was sitting on.

  “I’m right where I want to be. With you.”

  “Easy. Don’t. You were with another woman.”

  She stood up to leave, but he grasped her ankle.

  “My mistake. I didn’t even kiss her, Jewel. I didn’t want to.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  She pulled away from him and he let her go.

  “She seemed willing enough. She had her hand on your ass.”

  Easy could be heard
laughing.

  “Wow. Your crystal ball has twenty-twenty vision.”

  “Oh, stop it. I’m going in. Goodnight.”

  Easy rose to follow her.

  “Not so fast.”

  He clasped her head.

  “She was willing, Jewel, but I wasn’t. I couldn’t get you off my mind. I missed you so much I ached.”

  They kissed.

  “Are you sure you missed me? Your date looked very pretty.”

  “I’m more than sure. Test me. Verify my words. Look into my memories and know I didn’t betray you in thought or in deed.”

  There was a pause as they stared into one another’s faces.

  “So, what did you see, Jewel? Was I telling the truth?”

  “I believe you.”

  “Good. Now, kiss me.”

  Another long kiss.

  “Can I come in? Can we pick up where we left off?”

  “No expectations. No promises. Not a one-night stand…but not…”

  “Forever? You’re the one who can see the future, treasure. You tell me.”

  She took him by the hand.

  “Come with me. We’ll sleep in my bed tonight.”

  They both went inside and the door shuts behind them.

  “Wow.” This breathy comment came from her mother. “He’s…”

  “Mother!” Jewel chided her and Sam chuckled.

  “Fast forward a bit,” Daniel instructed.

  Jewel did so. “See, you can see his truck sitting off to one side.” She fast forwarded again. “And it doesn’t move for the rest of the night.” The fast-moving image showed night turning to day before Easy and Jewel emerged together dressed and laughing as they came down the stairs and left in his truck.

  “All right. This is great.” Benjen slapped Sam on his back. “Surely this means Easy is as good as free.”

  “I can’t wait for Zane to arrive and see this.” Jewel kept the program open, eager to show him what she’d discovered. “I just wish I’d thought about the camera earlier, but it’s new. I’m not used to it yet.” She looked up at Sam. “Easy installed this himself, just to keep me safe.”

  “He did?” Daniel sounded a bit surprised.

  “Yes, he did.” Jewel glanced at her mother. “After I got a visit from a man who was angry…”