by Lynn Emery
After going about another half mile east LaShaun touched Chase’s shoulder. “Time for me to lead.”
His only reply was a nod. The trees thinned out in places. A full moon provided a little light in those clearings. Chase stopped and pointed to the ground. LaShaun looked hard at the floor of dead leaves and twigs. Then she saw it, a narrow path leading northeast. They walked another quarter of a mile deep into the countryside. Only an occasional piece of litter gave a sign that humans ever visited this deep into bayou country. LaShaun mused that could just as well be walking through seventeenth century Louisiana. Chase seemed to read her mind.
“I don’t see a light from not even one house out here. How long have we been walking?” he asked, and glanced around.
“Long enough.” LaShaun stood still. Without saying more she walked past a ring of low palmetto bushes.
“I hear something.” Chase took three long strides to catch up with her. “LaShaun let me go--”
His voice faded as LaShaun listened to another voice that led her on until she was running flat out. She jumped over large fallen branches and wove her way through a stand of trees until she reached the edge of a clearing. She gasped at the sight before her. In a circle of five oak trees, Patsy stood with the two girls. LaShaun eased the short barrel shotgun closer to her body, and then walked forward but stopped when a figure appeared. Orin Young stepped from behind one of the trees a few feet from Patsy and the children.
“Took you long enough to get here. Welcome to my parlor, said the spider to the fly.” Orin wore a nasty grin.
Chapter 22
LaShaun worked on controlling the white hot rage that flooded her veins like volcanic lava. Patsy brushed her hands through Jessi’s honey blonde hair. The smaller child huddled with her face buried in the older girl’s plaid flannel shirt. Both were blindfolded with what looked like torn strips from a red checked table cloth.
“I been taking good care of ‘em,” Patsy said, a strain of defensiveness in her voice. “Nobody touched either of these girls.”
LaShaun followed her gaze to Orin. “Thank you. Now send them over to me.”
“I don’t think so,” Orin said mildly. He waved a .38 revolver. “You just come on in and join the party. The more girls, the merrier. Especially when the other guys get here.”
“Your friend is hugging a tree trunk. He’s not coming,” LaShaun replied. She walked closer and heard Jessi gasp. “It’s okay, sweetie. Everything is going to be alright.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” Orin stood with his legs apart. “Put down any weapons you have.”
“I’m not armed. I came to find the girls just thinking they’d wandered off too far and got turned around in the dark.” LaShaun listened for any sound, but Chase seemed to have melted into the landscape silently.
“Come closer so I can see,” Orin said.
“Not with you holding a gun. You let the girls go. Then you and me can play,” LaShaun said with a smile.
“We’re going to play no matter what, and the young ladies will stay right here with us,” Orin shot back. “You’re on my stomping ground. Two of my boys are going to be here soon enough, now move. I’ll plug one of the girls right through Patsy if I have to. I’m sure your companion doesn’t want that.”
“I’m alone.” LaShaun shrugged. “We split up to search. Nobody thought the girls came this way or so far out.”
“You’re lying,” Orin snapped. He started to go on, but a shout and then gunfire stopped him. “Now you’re alone. I told you my boys would get here.”
“Taking the girls was a bad idea, Orin. Let them leave. None of the killings can be traced to you, and nobody is going to listen to Manny.” LaShaun’s gamble paid off. Orin jerked in surprise.
“What does that mean?”
“He filled in the details that Willie Dupuis didn’t provide for one thing. I know a lot about you now,” LaShaun replied with a calmness she didn’t feel. Her mind reeled with possibilities to get the children away from here.
“Manny wouldn’t be locked up if he’d listened to me. Sloppy; just like my other son. And stupid to let you cozy up to him.” Orin spat on the ground to punctuate his disgust with his offspring.
“You can still salvage this screw up in an otherwise perfect series of crimes. They can’t link you to any of the murders. Far as the sheriff’s department is concerned Willie was the killer. Case closed.”
“That’s great, Orin. She’s right. We just let the kids go and then...” Patsy blurted out.
“Shut the hell up.” Orin nodded at LaShaun. “I knew you’d be trouble the minute those two old bitches got you involved. I’ll fix that little problem tonight.”
“You said since I covered their eyes we could let ‘em go.” Patsy blinked at him.
“Orin likes little girls a little too much, Patsy. Ask him about his daughters,” LaShaun said. She risked a glance around in an attempt to locate Chase.
“What’s she talking about?” Patsy frowned at Orin.
“Stop being so damn dumb,” Orin shot back. “She’d say anything to save her own skin.”
“Ask him about how much he enjoyed being alone with his own girls when they were young. Long afternoons with daddy that they weren’t supposed to ever tell anyone about,” LaShaun said. She nodded when Patsy’s eyes widened. “You’ve made a lot of mistakes, but I always heard you love your children. You wouldn’t hurt an innocent child. He’s looking forward to doing exactly that.”
“Another word and I’ll forget about having fun with you first,” Orin said.
“I talked to his daughters, so I’m not making this up. Because of this man and his buddies, you’re connected to murders and worse.” LaShaun prodded Patsy as she kept an eye on Orin.
“My God. I wasn’t there when they... You said Willie and T-Row did all that killing without you.” Patsy backed away from Orin pulling the girls with her. “You’re right. I’ve been really dumb to get mixed up with trash like you.”
“That’s really funny coming from the town slut. I should have known you couldn’t be trusted.” Orin trembled with rage. When he snarled at Patsy, huge canine teeth gleamed as though moonlight reflected on them.
LaShaun eased the derringer from the inside pocket of her jacket. When Orin turned to face her again, LaShaun pointed the Remington at him. “Let the children go.”
Orin uttered a gruff laugh that ended as a rumbling growl like a mad dog. “I ain’t scared of guns, especially not toys pistols. If you’ve talked to Manny you must know that.”
“And if you know about the Rousselle family then you won’t be surprised to hear my bullets are special. By the way, Manny wished me luck. He’s not exactly sentimental about you,” LaShaun said. She smiled when Orin’s cocky grin slipped a notch.
“I should have smothered that little mutt when he was a baby.” Orin blinked hard then quickly swiped a hand across his forehead.
“The pack you so carefully built up is torn to shreds. Willie’s gone. I took out three more at my house the other night.” LaShaun could smell the animal in him, a rancid mixture of sweat and hair, and something else. Fear. She could also sense Chase getting closer. “Your boys haven’t shown up yet. Those shots didn’t sound that far away.”
Orin risked darting a glance around. “Hey, Shawn and T-Row. What y’all doin’? Get the hell out here.”
“They’re not coming, Orin. I’m going to pray you right into hell, Orin Graves Young. Monmon Odette learned the words from her mother and grandmother. You’re not even the strongest we’ve faced.” LaShaun stared at him intently with a fierce smile.
“Get back.” Orin seemed mesmerized by LaShaun’s words. He swallowed so hard his body jerked. “I’m gonna shoot.”
“Let my prayer go up to heaven and rain down divine retribution on this tool of the devil,” LaShaun said.
She switched to Louisiana Creole French as taught to her by Monmon Odette. With each phrase Orin grew more agitated. LaShaun hear
d Patsy’s voice grow shrill with fear. The longer LaShaun prayed, the more Orin cursed. Everything and everyone else faded as LaShaun honed in on her target, the man who stood before her; the one who had chosen to live as a beast.
“Run, baby,” Patsy said to Jessi. She pushed the children behind her to shield them.
“Get back here or I swear, I’ll rip you in half,” Orin shouted.
But he was too late, the girls slipped into the darkness of trees. He spun around and fired. Patsy shrieked and dropped to the ground. LaShaun stammered for a second, but kept praying.
“Stop that racket.” Orin moved in a semi-circle around LaShaun, pointing the gun at her.
“You’ll be able to sit and have a chat with Satan very soon, cher,” LaShaun hissed at him. She started a second prayer.
“I’m going to kill you and deliver the bloody parts to St. Augustine church since you love to pray,” he shouted at LaShaun.
Orin stumbled and started to shake violent. He blinked hard as sweat stung his eyes. His gun wobbled, and he grabbed his with both hands in an attempt to steady his aim.
Then Orin winced as a thin line of smoke rose from his hands. A hissing sound grew louder, like meat on a hot skillet. He dropped the gun and fell to one knee. The .38 landed several feet and out of his reach, so she took a few steps closer to him.
“You’re nothing, and your God is a weakling.” Orin sprang from his crouched position like a rabid dog, his lips pulled back and teeth exposed.
LaShaun shot him in the throat and jumped to the left to escape his forward motion. Orin clawed at the hole in his flesh, eyes wide as his mouth worked to form words or suck in air. His hideous gurgling sent chills through her. He dropped to his knees again.
“Please,” he hissed. “Don’t want to die.”
“I know,” LaShaun said, not an ounce of pity in her tone. “I’m glad to deliver you into the hands of the one you’ve followed so faithfully for most of your miserable life.”
His glazed eyes widened in terror and seemed to be looking at something beyond LaShaun. Then he focused on her face again. “No, no stay away... help me,” he croaked.
“Go to hell,” LaShaun whispered in reply.
Chase rushed into the clearing but skidded to a stop when he saw Orin lying on the ground. Blood bubbled through Orin’s fingers as he held his throat. His mouth stretched wide as he tried to speak. Seconds later two more Vermillion Parish deputies arrived followed by M.J. She let out a low whistle at the scene.
“Lord have mercy. LaShaun, you got to stop having these kinds of night time adventures.” M.J. checked on Patsy, who had managed to crawl a few feet into the woods. She covered Patsy with her jacket and issued orders. The men rendered what first aid they could.
M.J. used her walkie-talkie to direct emergency medical techs to the area. Then she gave orders to her men to start securing the area as a crime scene. “She’s been shot, but she’s still breathing. Do the best you can, guys. Go back the way you came. Maybe we’ll avoid tromping all over evidence.”
“The girls okay?” LaShaun said to Chase.
Chase nodded and slung the shotgun over his shoulder. “I had to shoot one guy after I practically tripped over him sneaking this way. When the girls took off running I caught up with them. Dave is taking them back to the house.”
LaShaun raised an eyebrow at the news that Chase’s opponent in the election was on the scene. “Interesting.”
“He’s a senior detective,” Chase replied. He shrugged when LaShaun continued to look skeptical. “Yeah, reporters are at the house. They somehow found out, probably a scanner. When they mentioned my name and yours, well, you know.”
“Okay,” LaShaun said. Politics. No doubt Dave didn’t want Chase to grab the glory. She brushed that aside when two medical techs arrived.
The next four hours stretched on as Chase and M.J. took charge of the area. The medical techs got help from a second team. They carefully lifted Orin on to a stretcher. With a lot of work they took him down the rough path to a waiting ambulance. Another tech worked to stabilize Patsy. Ten minutes later they moved her as well. Blue lights flashed through the trees from two sheriff’s vehicles. Red lights from the ambulances flashed as well. After detailed questioning M.J. allowed LaShaun to go home. Chase walked with her to one of the cop cars. A deputy drove them. Chase’s father met them when they arrived at the Broussard house.
“Y’all okay?” Bruce, Sr.’s faces had deep lines of worry that made him look every bit of his sixty years.
“We’re fine. What about the girls?” Chase put a hand on his father’s shoulder.
“They’re shook up, especially Melanie. Jessi seems to be coming around a little bit. She says you kicked butt, LaShaun.” Bruce, Sr. managed a weary smile.
“I don’t know about that,” LaShaun replied.
Mrs. Broussard strode down the steps toward them with Sharon close behind. “You brought danger to our doorstep, no, right into our home.”
“Mama, please don’t,” Sharon said.
“None of this would have happened if she hadn’t come here,” Mrs. Broussard said to Chase.
“Liz, c’mon.” Bruce, Sr. shook his head. He put an arm around his wife and spoke gently to her. “Those sick bastards lured them away. You can’t blame LaShaun...”
“I most certainly do blame her. Misfortune follows her, and everyone knows it.” Elizabeth glared at Chase. “I want her away from this house and my family.”
“Liz, lower your voice. The kids will hear you talkin’ like this.” Chase’s father glanced at the deputy, his face red with embarrassment.
Elizabeth stood rigid and did not look at her husband. “Don’t ever bring her here again.”
“I’m sorry... I mean she’s just close to hysterical about the kids.” Bruce, Sr. said and rubbed his face hard. “We’re all keyed up and exhausted.”
“Don’t speak for me, Bruce. I know exactly what I’m saying.” Elizabeth stared at LaShaun.
“We’re leaving, mama. If you don’t want us here, then we won’t be back.” Chase grabbed LaShaun by the hand.
Elizabeth transferred her gaze to Chase’s face. Her chin trembled and her eyes filled with tears. “Then you made your choice.”
“And you’ve made yours,” Chase replied quietly.
“This isn’t right, Elizabeth, and you know it,” Bruce Sr. said, his shoulders slumped even lower from the stress of more conflict. His wife ignored him as she walked away.
“Never mind, daddy. Go on back inside with the others,” Chase said.
“It’s gonna be okay, son. I’ll talk to her.” Bruce, Sr. hugged LaShaun and went into the house.
Sharon started to follow her mother, and then came back. “Thank you. We know you risked your life tonight.” Then she followed her parents inside.
Chase turned to the deputy and spoke quietly. The man nodded as he listened, got in the cruiser and left. Then Chase used his cell phone to call M.J. Ten minutes later Chase and LaShaun were on the highway in his truck headed to Beau Chene. They didn’t talk for the entire forty-five minute drive. When they arrived at LaShaun’s house, Chase parked in her driveway, but neither of them moved to get out.
“Your mother is right about me bringing that evil to her doorstep, Chase. Orin Young followed me and used those sweet little girls as a weapon. They could have been killed because of me.”
“You saved the kids. Believe me, my brothers and sisters are grateful.” Chase wore a hard expression. “And Orin got exactly what he deserved.”
“This is how it’s going to be you know. There will be stares, whispers and your family will be hostile.” LaShaun stared straight ahead into the night.
“We’ll build our family from the ground up if we have to. Besides, not all of the family will act like mama. Adrianna and Sharon think you’re great. I think you’re Jessi’s new hero.” Chase forced his fingers between LaShaun’s tightly clasped hands. “What about your family? I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting
them and being insulted yet.”
When LaShaun looked at him he wore a smile. “Be serious, Chase.”
“I’m dead serious. It’s about time I meet the notorious Rousselle kin folks. “ Chase pulled her against his body and rubbed his cheek against hers. “Darlin’, I know all about what we’re gonna face. I’m in. What about you?”
“I love you,” LaShaun whispered.
Chase answered with a light kiss on her forehead and held her tighter. Suddenly she could let go and not be strong; his embrace provided a place of refuge. LaShaun trembled in his arms, and Chase whispered words of love until she grew calm minutes later.
“Took a pack of rougarous to make you say those three little words. Guess I’m gonna have to find some vampires to get you to say, ‘I do’,” Chase teased.
She wiped tears from her face and gave him a playful swat on the thigh. “How can you joke at a time like this?”
“Cher, if this ain’t the time to joke, there’ll never be one,” Chase quipped. He opened the driver’s side door and got out. “Now come on inside. I’ll get you all tucked in before I go back to purgatory.”
“What?” LaShaun slid under the wheel and jumped down from the truck.
“That’s what me and some of my buddies call a crime scene. You know, temporary, but still painful.”
Chase dialed a number on his cell phone as they went to the house. LaShaun unlocked the door and disarmed her security system. As he talked to M.J., Chase went through the house checking each room. He waved away LaShaun’s objection, so she gave up and allowed him be her protector. She went to the kitchen and put on some water to make a pot of peppermint and chamomile tea. Monmon Odette would surely have been the first to suggest she have a cup after fighting supernatural foes. Chase walked back into the kitchen. He put his arms around LaShaun as she stood at the counter putting tea bags in the pot.