She grabbed his shirt. “But there will be three of them, maybe more.”
“I’ve been to war, Elita. Even a medic in Vietnam has to learn some tricks to stay alive.” He lifted her face. “You have to trust me this time.”
“I can’t lose you.”
He brushed away the tear sliding down her cheek. “And I can’t do what needs doing if I’m worrying about you.” Royce pulled the boat key out of his jean pocket. “Trust me, Cricket. I promise you won’t lose me.”
Elita took the key. She had failed to trust him once. She wouldn’t do so again.
CHAPTER 31
“It’s been dark for hours.” Virginia stood in the corner of the screen porch, stared at the empty dock. “Matt should’ve joined the sheriff’s group at Pine Ridge Lodge instead of going out alone.”
Elita stopped pacing. “Uncle Matt could get to Duck Island in half the time from here. He had to go help Royce.” Her sharp rebuke reflected her simmering anger and escalating dread at a situation she had no control over.
Virginia faced Elita. “I know he had to go. I’m worried about Royce too, but after all these years, Matt and I are finally together and I can’t . . . .” She stopped to wipe tear filled eyes. “I can’t bear the thought of losing him again.”
Susan pulled her mother into her embrace. “He’ll be okay, Mom. Matt and Royce will be okay.” The young girl looked at Pearl, who sat in her rocker on the opposite side of the screened room. “They will be okay, won’t they?”
The younger women turned eyes toward the matriarch of the Dupree family. In spite of her ornery, stubborn nature, Pearl Dupree was a woman of substance, a woman of insight, and above all, a woman of truth.
The three women waited for her assessment, her words of wisdom as if Pearl was the Wizard of Oz, able to sooth fears, heal aching hearts, and make sense of the day’s revelations.
Pearl’s rocker stopped. “Both Matthew and Royce have survived war. No one understands the Caddo better than Jax Boudreaux. All are armed and know how to hit what they aim at.” The rocking chair started up again. “Against three Caddo men, those New Orleans’ jackasses have less chance than a kerosene-dipped cat in Hell.”
Susan giggled. Elita and Virginia each let out the breath they were holding. Mamaw’s words offered them the only comfort to be found this night.
“Would anyone like something to eat?” Susan asked.
“No, thanks,” Elita said.
Virginia forced a smile. “I couldn’t eat anything right now, but thanks for asking, sweetie.”
Pearl tapped her cane on the floor. “Fix us some ice tea.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Susan headed for the kitchen door, but stopped. “Would you mind helping me, Elita? I’m not sure where everything is stored.”
She hesitated, reluctant to leave her lookout post on the porch.
“Go help her, Baby Girl,” Pearl commanded. “Watching the dock won‘t make them get back any faster.”
Unable to argue with Mamaw’s logic, Elita followed Susan into the kitchen. “I’ll get the glasses. There’s a pitcher of tea in the icebox.”
Susan retrieved the pitcher and set it down on the kitchen counter next to the four glasses. “I wanted to talk to you alone.”
“Talk about what?” Elita picked up the pitcher and filled the glasses.
“I hear we’re cousins. Real cousins by blood, I mean.”
Elita stared at Susan, but said nothing.
“Last night, Mom, Matt, and Dad told me that Matt was my biological father. Did you know that when you came to my birthday party?”
“No. I found out recently. It came as a shock to me. You must have been stunned.”
“Overwhelmed is more like it. I didn’t take it too well and said some hurtful things.”
“That’s to be expected. When you find out much of what you took for granted as a kid is a lie, even if the lie was told to protect you and others, it still knocks your world catawampus.”
Susan nodded. “I packed my suitcase and stayed at the hotel with Dad. We stayed up talking almost all night. He explained the whole story to me, including why he and Mom married, and why he made her promise not to tell me the truth until I turned eighteen.”
“Did Darwin tell you anything about your grandfather Sutton?”
“Yes, he said grandfather was a brilliant business man, but a terrible father who bullied everyone, especially my mother.” She ran her finger through the condensation on the tea glass. “Dad said I needed to apologize to Mom and give Matt a chance.”
“Is that why you agreed to come here tonight?”
“I asked them to bring me. I wanted to meet my grandmother, but we’d just arrived minutes before you came running in and told us about Royce being in danger.”
“So Mamaw doesn’t know Virginia and Matt told you the truth?”
“Not yet. Do you think I should tell her now, with all that’s going on?”
“Maybe you should wait.” She put her hand on Susan’s shoulder. “You’ll know when the time is right.”
Susan wrapped her arms around Elita’s waist pulling her closer for a hug. “It’s going to be great having a girl cousin.”
Elita returned the hug. “We’d better take this tea in.” She set the four glasses on a tray.
“They’re back!” Virginia shouted. “Matt is back.”
By the time Susan and Elita got back to the porch, Virginia was out the door and running for the dock. Two large pole lights illuminated the dockside. Their light filtered down through a swirl of moths and mosquitoes and the translucent haze of swamp fog. Pearl joined Elita and Susan at the northeast corner of the porch.
Elita stared at the boat—Royce’s boat—and waited for what seemed like a lifetime for him to appear. “Where’s Royce?” She turned to her grandmother. “Did you see Royce get off the boat?”
“The only person who got off was Matt.”
A small moan escaped her lips as Elita wrapped her arms around her stomach. Pictures of Marco pointing his revolver at her, Luther’s dead body, and Royce’s face when he told her goodbye exploded across her mind in a dizzying testament to danger and death.
“You don’t think Royce got shot, do you?” The terror in Susan’s voice grew with each word.
Pearl placed a trembling hand on Elita’s shoulder. “You’d best go find out.”
Elita nodded. “You’re shaking. Let me help—
“I’ll help Mamaw.” Susan put a protective arm around Pearl. “Do you mind if I call you Mamaw like cousin Elita does?”
Susan’s words seem to breathe life into an exhausted Pearl. She straightened. A soft smile lifted her lips. “I’ve been waiting for you to call me that for eighteen years.”
Elita pushed the screen door open, hesitating a moment to watch Susan help their grandmother to her rocking chair. Today marked a new beginning for the Dupree family, one Mamaw had been praying for. As she ran down the steps, Elita offered up a quick prayer of her own. “Lord, please bring Royce back to me unharmed.”
When Elita reached the dock, Virginia and Matt were still in a locked embrace. “Where’s Royce? Her question was barely audible due to her dry mouth. She licked her lips, swallowed hard. “Where’s Royce? What’s happened to him?” This time, her voice boomed over the cove.
“Royce is fine,” Virginia said.
“Then why isn’t he here? Why do you have his boat? Where is he?”
Matt grabbed her hand. “Slow down, Elita. Take a breath and I’ll tell you everything.” He turned to his wife. “Go let the others know Royce and Jax are okay. Elita can help me unload the boat.”
“Okay.” Virginia kissed him twice before leaving.
Elita sucked in a deep breath, exhaled slowly in an effort to calm her racing heart and control her growing impatience.
Matt headed to the boat. “Come help me unload these guns, Elita and I’ll tell you what happened.”
“Please, tell me now.”
“Just a minute.”
Matt watched his wife until she reached the house. “I didn’t tell Virginia everything. She’s had enough on her mind today already.”
“If you’re referring to Susan, she told me you and Virginia told her she was your daughter,” Elita said. “And, she asked grandma if she could call her Mamaw. Everything is going to be okay between them.”
Matt closed his eyes, blew out a ragged breath. “Thank goodness. I wasn’t so sure after last night.”
“Susan told me about it.” Elita tugged on his sleeve. “They’ll be fine. Please tell me what happened on Duck Island.”
“I got there about fifteen minutes before the sheriff showed up with a couple of his deputies and two FBI agents. The first thing Virgil did was deputize me and Royce. He said it would look better for him and us if things went sideways.”
“Did the drug dealers show up?”
“Yep. About a half hour after sunset, four of Piccioni’s goons docked in the cove and came up the trail to the cabin.”
“Was one of them called Aldo?”
Matt eyed his niece. “Yes, but we were ready for them. The sheriff’s two deputies watched the cove and trail, while Royce, Virgil, the two FBI guys and I spread out around the cabin.”
“Where was Jax all this time?”
“Jax kept sitting next to Luther’s body. We tried to get him to hide behind a tree, but he wouldn’t budge, and since he still had his shotgun, we decided it best to leave him be. It was dark anyway. Royce and I took up positions where if necessary, we could stop anyone before they got to him.” Matt chuckled. “I think Jax’s insistence that Luther was a loup-garou and would rise from the dead spooked the FBI agents more than facing armed drug traffickers.”
“A man sitting in a foggy bayou, holding a shotgun and waiting for a werewolf might rattle anyone not born in the Caddo.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “What happened next?”
“As soon as Piccioni’s men realized they were surrounded, three of them threw down their weapons and surrendered. The fourth man ran back down the trail toward their boat. He shot at the deputies, hitting one. But we opened fire on the asshole and dropped him.”
“Are they both dead?”
“Piccioni’s man died instantly, but Foley didn’t.”
Elita gasped. “I know Sergeant Foley. Is he hurt badly?”
“The bullet tore through his side, but didn’t hit a major organ. Royce had seen similar wounds in Vietnam and knew exactly what to do.” Matt gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Royce stayed to care for Foley until a medical team can evacuate him to the hospital. And, Royce didn’t want to leave Jax alone, especially since the feds are bringing in all kinds of people and equipment to block off the island and count the drugs. He said you’d understand.”
“Jax saved my life. Of course, I’m glad Royce stayed. Jax won’t like all the strangers traipsing through his Caddo.”
“He still won’t let us move Luther. He thinks his brother will wake up.”
“Maybe I should go talk to him.”
“They won’t let you back on the island. Besides, the sheriff sent a deputy to go tell the Boudreaux family about Luther and to bring Mr. Boudreaux to Duck Island.”
“If anyone can get through to Jax, it’ll be his daddy.”
“Elita, don’t mention anything about the shooting to Virginia. Between being up all last night fretting about Susan, and the helluva day we’ve had today, I didn’t want to worry her more than necessary. I’ll tell her everything later tonight or in the morning.” He flicked a mosquito off his forearm. “Virgil said you, Royce, and I would have to go in and give our statements and answer questions tomorrow.”
“What kind of questions?”
“Seems the FBI, ATF, and numerous state and federal agencies have had a task force trying to bring down the Piccioni family for years. A plan was in the works for multi-state raids next month, but when you reported what happened on Duck Island, they had to move now.”
“Does that include arresting Marco’s uncle in New Orleans?”
“Virgil said raids were going on tonight in New Orleans, Little Rock, Houston, and other towns. Since the Piccioni’s have smuggled drugs and firearms across state lines and are suspects in several murders, including a federal judge, the FBI will be in charge of the investigation.”
“I suppose they’ll want to talk to Jax and he won’t understand any of it. It will be a damn nightmare for him and his family.” She scraped a hand through her hair. “He won’t be in any trouble, will he? He killed Marco to save my life. They can’t fault him for that.”
“Not for that, but he did know they were hiding drugs in the Caddo, and he may have known about the three murders.”
“Three? There’s Daddy, Dale Butler, and . . . .”
“Awhile back, Texas Rangers found a red-headed woman’s mutilated body on the Texas side of Caddo Lake.”
“Mutilated? How?
Matt shook his head. “Virgil didn’t say and I didn’t ask.”
“Do you think they’ll arrest Jax for not reporting what he knew? It’s not like he was capable of understanding anything. Besides, Luther scared him into believing he was the loup-garou and would kill him if he talked.”
“Yeah, but to be safe, Royce wants Virginia to call a top criminal lawyer and have him represent Jax.” Matt pulled his truck keys from his back pocket. “Royce needs you to go to his house. He’d rather Cliff and Nettie find out about what’s happened from you instead of the evening news.” He handed her the keys. “I don’t think any of us should be alone tonight, so we’ll take Mother home with us.”
“It’s not every day you can get Mamaw to go anywhere.”
“True, but it’s not every day she gets a new granddaughter. I’ll have Susan ask her.”
“That’ll work.” Elita pushed the set of keys into her jean pocket. “Let’s get those guns inside so I can get to Royce’s before the 10 p.m. news starts.”
They walked to the boat. Matt started to get in, but stopped. “Why did you ask if one of the drug dealers was named Aldo?”
“He killed Daddy.” She rubbed her chest. “Please . . . please tell me you caught him.”
“We got him. He’s the one who shot Foley.” Matt’s chin trembled. “I just hope it was my bullet that killed the murdering bastard.”
CHAPTER 32
Royce opened the glass door. “Mind if I join you?” Not waiting for an answer, he stepped inside the master bath’s oversized shower stall.
“Alright, but you have to make yourself useful.” Elita handed him a bar of soap and turned her back to him.
Royce lathered up the cloth. “I can be useful in many ways.”
She chuckled. “So you say.”
“So I know.” He planted teasing kisses on the nape of her neck as he moved the cloth across her shoulders and down her spine, rubbing slow, foamy circles across her skin.
The water sprinkled down on Elita. She lifted her face, opened her mouth wide and caught a few warm droplets on her tongue. “I guess I’m in your hands.”
“Finally, we agree.” Royce slid the washcloth across her firm bottom, taking time to give each cheek a gentle squeeze before continuing down her legs. Tossing the washrag aside, he began kneading her shoulders.
Elita leaned into the shower wall, resting her bruised cheek on the slick gray tile. She sighed in delight as Royce massaged her sore muscles, especially her lower back, still aching from her fight with Marco.
Royce stopped the rubdown. “You’re not going to sleep on me, are you?”
“I might be.” She reached back and rubbed her hand along the outside of his thigh. “You haven’t let me get much sleep the past three nights.”
He laughed softly. “As I recall, you were the one waking me up.”
“It’s always been my job to be there for you.” She leaned back, rubbed the back of her shoulders vigorously against his smooth chest and her hips invitingly against his groin. “I just wanted you to know I was doing my job.”
She spun around to face him, to kiss him.
“I love you,” he whispered. “Only you. Always, you.”
His sweet, seductive words made Elita’s eyes tear. She kissed him again, pressing wet skin against wet skin.
He moved forward, pinning her against the cool shower wall before widening his stance for better balance. His hands cupped her buttocks. He lifted her and pressed her hips down onto him.
Her arms circled his neck.
Royce took her hard and fast until he emptied everything inside her. His lust. His love. His seed.
Elita‘s sweet pain crested, then crashed in a shuddering collapse of her own release. Her head drooped against his shoulder. Her limp body sagged in his arms.
With her legs still wrapped around his waist, Royce slid down the cool shower wall. She uncrossed her legs and he gently placed her on the slate floor and flopped down next to her.
They sat beside each other. Not talking. Not moving, as they waited for their racing hearts and ragged breaths to return to some semblance of normal.
Royce took her hand, laced their fingers together. Both were content just to exist. When they were together, the world made sense. Apart—chaos, confusion, and conflict ruled.
Elita shivered. “We used up all the hot water.”
Royce rose and extended his hand to help her up. She slipped, but he caught her, pulled her close to him. Again, bare skin rubbed against bare skin. He bent to kiss her.
She pushed him back. “I think this was what got us distracted before.”
He grinned. “Feel free to distract me anytime you want.”
Elita opened the door. “Come on. I’ll dry your back off if you think you can behave.”
“Not making any promises.” He flipped the shower knob to off, stepped out of the stall, and grabbed a couple of oversized white towels.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“Royce, are you in there?”
He tossed Elita a towel. “I am going to kill him.”
She put the towel to her mouth to muffle her laughter. “As I told you before, you can’t kill Cliff because he’s your brother.”
Shadows of Home: A Woman with Questions. A Man with Secrets. A Bayou without Mercy Page 32