A Bayou Wedding

by Caroline Mickelson

  “Tell them it’s Walter’s cabin. Carter will know the way here.”

  Kase relayed the information and then shoved the phone in his pocket. “I want you to wait here.”

  Acquiescence made complete sense, but instead I got out of the truck and moved a few feet away from him. “Aunt Ida Belle needs me.”

  “Needs you to stay safe, yes, you’re right on that point.” He reached into his truck and pulled out a pair of handcuffs.

  I gasped. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  In answer, he took a menacing step toward me.

  “Kase Mayeux, get that idea right out of your head.” I took several steps backward without taking my eyes off him. “Aren’t you supposed to be savings someone’s life right now?”

  “Don’t get smart with me.”

  Smart? The only smart thing to do was to get moving before he cuffed me to his truck. So, I did. I sprinted toward Walter’s cabin. I reached the door before Kase, and I didn’t stop to think. I flung open the door and stumbled right into a nightmarish scene.

  Walter sat slumped in a chair smack in the middle of the cabin. Fresh blood stained his white dress shirt, the red in stark contrast to the gray pallor of his skin. “Oh, my God, Walter.” I rushed over and dropped to my knees beside him. “Who did this to you?”

  He lifted his head and looked straight into my eyes. His breath was labored. “Ida Belle,” he managed to half-whisper.

  I sat back on my heels. Good heavens, he was in worse shape than I thought if he was hallucinating. My great-aunt would never, never, hurt Walter. She loved him, and even if she didn’t want to act on her feelings for whatever reason, we all knew it to be true.

  He sucked in a deep, shuddering breath. “Help Ida Belle. Please.”

  “Oh, Walter, you love her.” Tears stung the back of my eyes. He wasn’t blaming her. He was worried for her. “I will, but we need to get you help first. Where were you shot?” There was so much blood it was hard to tell.

  He tried to lift his right arm but he grimaced. “Left shoulder.”

  “Help’s on the way,” I told him. I got to my feet and looked around. I needed a clean piece of fabric to press against his wound. No one else appeared to be here, but that couldn’t be right. Where were Aunt Ida Belle and Lenora? Where were Gertie and Fortune?

  More to the point, where in the world was Kase? He’d been right behind me.

  “Oh, my dear child, you shouldn’t have come.”

  At the sound of Lenora’s voice, I whirled around. She stood in the cabin’s only interior doorway. “Mrs. Masters, thank goodness you’re safe.” I rushed to her side. “Help me find something clean to use as a compress on Walter’s wound.”

  Lenora looked up at me, her blue eyes unreadable. Her hands shook. “Are you here alone?”

  The poor woman, she was obviously in shock. “Help’s coming,” I repeated what I’d told Walter.

  She shook her head. “That’s not good.”

  I glanced around the cabin, looking for another chair so she could sit. I’d ask the paramedics to examine her as soon as they’d helped Walter. “Why aren’t there more chairs?” I wondered aloud. A farmhouse table stood in one corner.

  “We’re using them.”

  “Who’s using the other chairs?” Uneasiness began to creep over me. It was too quiet in here. “Where’s my great-aunt?”

  She stepped to the side and swept her arm in the direction of the doorway that she’d just come through as if she were a museum docent giving a grand tour of a stately home. “See for yourself.”

  I heard the cabin’s front doorknob squeak as someone on the outside ever so slowly twisted it. Judging by Lenora’s expression, I doubted she’d heard it. It was Kase, and he was about to barrel into the cabin. I bit my lip. Even though I didn’t see a gun on Lenora’s person, someone had shot Walter. The sickening realization that Gertie had been right about Lenora crept over me. I struggled to keep my emotions from my face. What I needed to do was distract Lenora so that Kase could get in without being shot.

  “Lenora, let me help get you out of here before the kidnappers come back.” I took a few tentative steps toward her so as not to spook her. “We can get help for Walter as soon as you’re safe.”

  Her wrinkled face grimaced as if I’d just offered her a glass of apple cider vinegar. “Walter doesn’t want my help. He’s never wanted anything from me.” The look she shot him was filled with pure malice. “The only woman he’s ever wanted is that crass, tacky, two-bit whore, Ida Belle.”

  I strove to keep my tone of voice soothing. “Walter does care about you, Lenora. All we need to do is get his shoulder looked at and then we’ll sit down and he can tell you that himself.”

  She shook her head emphatically. “I’ve done everything I could over the years to show him that I was the only woman in the world for him. I agreed to work with my idiot granddaughter on this whole cocaine nonsense to make enough money to buy Walter what he deserved. A new boat, a new store, anything he wanted. But he wouldn’t take a thing. I offered him the world but all he wanted was Ida Belle.” Her face crumpled. “What else could I do but shoot him?”

  If I lived four consecutive lifetimes I knew I couldn’t answer that question. Perhaps telling her that her step-son had been killed would pierce through her obsession with Walter. “Lenora, I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, but Donny’s been shot.”

  “Donny? Really?”

  Merciful heavens, the only thing that could justify her dispassionate response was shock. Yes, that’s what it must be. Shock. I nodded. “Yes, your step-son, Donny. He’s been badly hurt.” I couldn’t make myself tell her the horrible truth.

  “Hurt? Not dead?” Lenora shook her head ruefully. “She said she was going to kill him. I didn’t figure her to be such a chicken.”

  This was taking Sinful craziness to a whole new level. I glanced at Walter, the poor man looked as if he were only half conscious. I didn’t know what else to do but keep her talking until Kase got here. “Her? You mean Carmen?”

  She shook her head. “Not Carmen, Cassandra. Donny threatened to turn her into the authorities if she didn’t put a stop to the trafficking.”

  Cassandra? Good God, I hadn’t seen that coming. “You’re telling me that your granddaughter shot her father?”

  “Step-granddaughter.”

  Well, this hardly seemed the time to split hairs. Where in the name of God was Kase?

  “You needn’t look so horrified, Stephanie. She’s a very determined girl.”

  Well, that was one word for her. A murdering bitch was the word choice I would have run with.

  “Did she do away with her brother?” Lenora asked.

  I felt sick in the presence of such cold-blooded cruelty. “What do you mean?”

  She glanced at her dainty wrist-watch as if to check if it were time for tea. “I imagine Shawn should have over-dosed by now.”

  I flinched as I heard the front door hinges creak, but I didn’t indicate that I’d heard anything. Obviously, Lenora hadn’t. But once Kase opened the door, she’d see the light streaming in. The idea that she could possibly get a shot off at Kase terrified me. I couldn’t let that happen. I had to stop her. “Oh, Lenora, I’m so terribly sorry. I feel your pain.”

  Now that I was within arm’s reach of her, I laid a tentative hand on her shoulder. When she didn’t flinch, I mustered what little courage I possessed and grabbed the back of her three-strand pearl choker. Lenora made a horrible gagging sound as I twisted it. Her hands flew to her neck. She clawed at her choker as I pushed her to her knees.

  “Stephanie, get her down flat.” Kase was suddenly beside me, his weapon drawn. “Good, that’s right. Keep a tight hold on her while I restrain her.” In what was obviously a much-practiced move, he dropped to one knee and singlehandedly cuffed Lenora, all the while keeping his gun trained on her. He rose and helped me to my feet. “Great job, darlin’.”

  The look in his eyes was so admiring that I would have lo
ved to have basked in the warmth of his approval, but there wasn’t time. Instead, I pointed to Walter.

  “I’ll see to him,” he said. “The paramedics will be here any minute. Start looking for your aunt.” He motioned to the open door with his head.

  I headed straight for the second room, more than a little afraid of what I’d find. My eyes widened in shock when I stepped in the room.

  Chapter Fourteen

  THERE, GAGGED AND TIED to three chairs as if they were three little bears, sat Aunt Ida Belle, Gertie, and Fortune. Their expressions were a mixture of outrage, embarrassment, and resentment.

  “Kase has Lenora cuffed,” I told them as I whipped off their gags. “The paramedics are on their way.” I untied Aunt Ida Belle first and helped her to her feet. She pulled me toward her in a brief but ferocious hug. “Walter?” she asked, her voice cracking.

  I squeezed her arm. “He’ll be fine. Go on, I’m sure Kase will let you ride to the hospital with him.” When she was gone, I turned my attention to a now sheepish-looking Fortune and Gertie. I cocked my head to the side. “Is the five to seven minutes up yet? Wasn’t that how long you said you needed to handle the situation?”

  “Gloat later, kiddo.” Gertie strained against her ties. “I don’t want to miss what’s going on out there.”

  Clearly, the only thing wrong with these two was a pair of badly bruised egos. I circled their chairs. “What happened? Did Lenora jump you both? At the same time? How’d she simultaneously tie you up?” I really shouldn’t enjoy this so much, but I confess I was. “I just can’t figure it out.”

  “Don’t mess with me, Stephanie,” Fortune growled. “Untie me.”

  I tugged at the ropes around Gertie’s wrists. “You don’t want Carter seeing you like this? I totally understand. How would a federal agent of the United States Government possibly explain how she’d been overpowered by an octogenarian?”

  Gertie rubbed at her wrists before she bent down to untie her ankle restraints. “Okay, you’ve had your fun, Stephanie. But you’ve got to promise not to tell anyone that you found Fortune and me tied up. Not a soul. Ever.”

  “On one condition.”

  Fortune’s frown was thunderous. “What?”

  I reached up and touched my necklace. “Even though you and Gertie were right about Lenora, I was the one to take her down. Therefore, I want to keep my pearls.”

  “Fine, whatever,” Fortune grumbled. “I didn’t want the blasted thing anyway. Untie me.”

  I did. When we stepped into the cabin’s main room, we saw Walter being wheeled out on a gurney. Aunt Ida Belle was beside him, and a hugely relieved-looking Carter stood talking to Kase. I was buzzing with an adrenaline rush that lasted throughout the evening.

  ONCE WE WERE BACK HOME and seated around Aunt Ida Belle’s kitchen table, however, exhaustion settled in. We were all safe, although we were collectively reeling from the news that Cassandra had confessed to her father’s murder. Lenora was in the jail cell next to her granddaughter, facing charges of drug trafficking as well as kidnapping. Word at the hospital was that Shawn would likely recover from his near-fatal overdose. Kitty had confessed to throwing a gun she’d found in Shawn’s room into the lake because she’d been afraid that her son had tried to kill his father. Which of course, he hadn’t. His sister had pulled the trigger. What kind of charges Kitty was going to face for interfering with an on-going police investigation, I didn’t know. Once he recovered, Shawn would be charged for his part in the drug ring, although I knew he needed a trip to rehab more than a stint in jail. With the exception of Donny’s widow, Carmen, the entire Masters family faced quite a bit of jail time. Talk about family bonding.

  What really mattered, though, was the news that Walter’s gunshot wound hadn’t been nearly as bad as it had looked, and he was expected to make a full recovery.

  I shook my head. “I can’t wrap my mind around the idea that Cassandra killed her father. And on her wedding day?”

  Gertie shrugged. “Can’t explain crazy.”

  “Carter said she’s acting as cool as a cucumber,” Fortune said. “She obviously takes after her step-grandmother more than her mother.”

  “How much do you think Kitty knew about the drugs?” I asked.

  Aunt Ida Belle cocked an eyebrow. “She may say she only suspected but I’m not buying. I believe Carmen was clueless and that Donny was the last to know, but Kitty knew something was going on. I can’t prove it, but I’d bet my last bottle of beer I’m right.” She turned her attention to me, a frown knitting her brows together. “Now, let’s just get this over with. Why aren’t you questioning why you found us tied up?”

  “First I’d like to understand why you left the house with her when the wedding was about to start.”

  “She faked chest pains and Walter bought it,” Ida Belle said. “I saw through it, but I decided to tag along to the hospital because I thought she was up to something. She pulled a gun on us once we were on the road.”

  “If I were you,” Gertie said, “I’d be mocking all of us until the sun comes up tomorrow.”

  I shrugged. “I simply assumed that Lenora overpowered you.”

  Fortune dropped her head into her hands with an embarrassed moan.

  “Well, she didn’t,” Aunt Ida Belle snapped. “So you can get that fool notion out of your head.”

  I dunked an oatmeal raisin cookie in my coffee. “I don’t see why you’re all so upset. It could happen to anyone.”

  My great-aunt’s only answer was a growl.

  “Remember in the car how I told you that I feared that Lenora planned to frame Ida Belle for Walter’s murder?” Gertie asked me.

  I nodded.

  “One summer, when we were in our early twenties, the Mudbug library offered a creative writing class. Lenora and I both took the class. One of our assignments was to write a short story about a murder. I read Lenora’s story, and that was it in a nutshell. Sure, she changed the names, but it was clear that the main character was Lenora, and the man who was killed was Walter. His true love was framed by the main character, and even though she was innocent she was sent to prison for his murder.”

  My head was spinning. “And this got you and Fortune tied up how exactly?”

  Fortune blew out a long breath. “We crawled in through the window and found Lenora with a gun at Ida Belle’s temple.”

  My stomach dropped. Poor Aunt Ida Belle.

  “Gertie and I were both afraid that Lenora would kill one or both of us and find a way to make Ida Belle look guilty.” She glanced at my great-aunt. “And I know Ida Belle well enough to know that she’d rather lose her life than her freedom.”

  “Lenora Masters may not have murdered her step-son, but she’s a mad cow.” Aunt Ida Belle pushed her coffee cup away. “I just want to forget the whole thing. I’m heading back to the hospital. Don’t wait up for me.”

  Gertie grinned. “Going to spend the night with lover boy? Because we could whip you up a sexy nurse’s outfit.”

  “Can it, Gertie. Nothing’s changed between Walter and me. I’m just concerned that those young nurses are scribbling on his chart in crayon.” She stood. “Someone’s got to keep an eye on him. Seeing as Carter’s busy at the station, I volunteered.”

  “Give him a kiss from us.” Gertie lifted her hand and blew a loud smooch.

  I shook my head as a smile stretched across my face. Gertie, bless her, just couldn’t help herself. She, too, got to her feet. “I’m going to catch up with Bull. You want a ride, Fortune? I’m guessing you’ll want to check in on Carter.”

  I was relieved when Fortune accepted the offer. She and I were going to have to work out the issues between us, but I’m sure neither one of us was in the mood tonight. I also wanted a chance to talk to Aunt Ida Belle about Fortune sometime very soon. My gut instinct told me she knew something about Fortune that I didn’t, something that I needed to know if I was ever going to understand her. Besides, Kase had texted to say he was coming over and I wan
ted some time to make myself presentable. I waved the girls off, promising to meet up with them at Francine’s in the morning for an early breakfast.

  Kase arrived just as I’d applied a light stroke of lip gloss. I grabbed a bottle of beer and a glass of lemonade and joined him on the front porch steps. He looked refreshed and smelled divine. Priscilla, the little traitor, ran straight to him and demanded to be admired. He sat down and settled my precious Persian on his lap. “You okay, darlin’? It was a heck of day.”

  “I’m fine, just relieved everything ended the way it did.” I watched him take a long, slow sip of beer. Really, this man was simply too handsome for his own good. It was hard to concentrate on what I wanted to say while looking at him, but that didn’t mean I wanted to look away. “I’ve got a couple of questions for you.”

  His lips turned up in a slow, satisfied smile. “I’ve got a question for you myself.”

  “Me first.” Heaven only knew how long I would be able to remember what I wanted to ask if he kept smiling at me like that. “How did you know where to find us? We didn’t see you following us out to Walter’s cabin. It’s like you were magically able to track us down.”

  Just as I thought, he winced ever so slightly at my use of the word “track”. “Guilty as charged. I confess that I used a tracking device to keep tabs on you just in case things went crazy, which they did.” He gently stroked Pricilla’s head. “It was wrong of me, and I believe you could bring charges against me if you saw fit.”

  “I would never do that.” I saw that he was relieved at my words. “I know you wanted to make sure I was safe. But tell me how you did it.”

  “I stopped by a couple of days ago and asked Gertie if I could see the shoes you were planning to wear to the wedding. I managed to slip a tiny tracking device in the very tip of one of the toes.”