The Devil's Belt Vengeance Is Mine

by Garry E. Lewis

  Richard says, “Well, Madam Juju said you could help me

  locate where the brotherhood of the wolves hang out.”

  “Oh I see, so you’re the one I’ve been expecting.” Pierre

  says, “Climb in Mr. Devine we have a long journey ahead of us my friend. I must caution you to keep your hands inside the boat at all times, the gators are hungry my friend.” Pierre continues while smiling, “And you’ll want to watch over head for low hanging

  vines and branches as well, as the swamp she is full of poison snakes. Sometimes they like to drop down into your boat for a visit.” With that Pierre laughs out loud. Then he says, “I’ll be curious to see how a city boy does out in the Bayou at night.” Pierre smiles as he steers his boat into the swamp.

  Soon they are deep in the swamp. Remembering Pierre’s warnings Richard slumps down low into the boat as he watches over head cautiously. Mr. Leblanc says smiling, “The water temperature will start dropping as we lose day light, and then our gator friends they become frisky at night.”

  “Great!” Richard says, “That’s all we need is some frisky gators.” Pierre Leblanc grins and lights his corn cob pipe and begins puffing away as they continue to travel deeper into the

  swamp.

  Pierre now lights lanterns and places them starboard and aft

  of the boat to illuminate the boat and surrounding area. A full moon over head helps them somewhat to see into the darkness of the swamp as they continue on their journey.

  Soon Pierre starts steering towards the bank. Richard looks

  up to see a beautiful raven haired Cajun girl holding a lantern

  standing on the bank. Mr. Leblanc says, “Mister Devine may I introduce to you my daughter Cheri Leblanc.”

  Cheri says as she climbs into the boat, “Pleasure to meet you Mr. Devine.”

  Richard says, “You can call me by my first name if you’d

  like, it’s Richard.”

  “Ok Richard it is.” Cheri says smiling.

  Once again Pierre steers the boat back on to course and they are off again. Pierre speaks up and says, “Cheri makes the best crawfish pie and gumbo in the state of Louisiana Mr. Devine.

  We’ll eat well on this trip my friend, and there is no cost as everything we eat she comes from the swamp.”

  Hearing that Richard wrinkles his nose while thinking to

  himself, “as nasty as that sounds I’m ready to try just about anything, I’m starving; I could just about eat the ass out of a

  skunk.” Richard thinks I just hope what ever the hell Gumbo is it has meat and potatoes in it at least.

  Mr. Leblanc, looking up at the moon, says, “We had better

  pull in for the night, set up camp eat some supper.” Pierre pulls the boat up to the bank, Cheri jumps out to tie it off.

  Richard watches Cheri work, he can’t help but notice Cheri’s beautiful tanned legs, her Raven hair hanging down over her breast and down her back. Her cut off blue jeans really complimenting her figure.

  Pierre looks up and sees Richard staring at Cheri and says, “My daughter she is beautiful is she not?”

  Richard, embarrassed by the fact he been caught, says, “Yes, a lovely young woman indeed.” Cheri looks at Richard and

  smiles winking at him.

  Pierre says, “All the men around these parts would love to

  lay down with my Cheri, but she is particular about who she wants. She doesn’t like men who don’t take care of themselves.” Pierre continues saying, “She prefers cleanliness, something some of the men down here in the Bayou care nothing about. She could have her pick of any man but she is too damn picky!”

  Cheri turns around frowning looking at her dad and says, “Papa you embarrass me in front of Mr. Devine.” She says, “Now stop it!”

  “Yes my daughter, I hear you, I’ll be good.” He says laughing.

  Cheri, frowning at him, says, “You don’t know how!” Cheri begins to gather fire wood for the night.

  Richard asks, “May I help?”

  Cheri says, “Sure, come on. Just don’t get too close to the waters edge as a Gator could attack you, they grow very big down here in the swamp. We wouldn’t want you to become supper for them now would we?” She breaks out in laughter.

  Cheri looks over at Richard and catches him checking out her legs. Richard, realizing he’s been caught again, turns away

  embarrassed. Cheri smiles, she likes the attention Richard is giving her. Cheri says, “You men are so funny.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  Richard says, “Yes, we can be at times.”

  Cheri laughs and says, “What do you mean at times.”

  Pierre yells, “Enough playing around you two, I’m hungry!

  Cheri fi x us something to eat.”

  “Ok Papa, I will catch us some channel cat.”

  Richard, looking around, says, “Cheri, I think you forgot to

  bring your fishing tackle.”

  She smiles at Pierre, he smiles back at her and she says,

  “Come, you have much too learn of the swamp.” Richard follows Cheri down to the waters edge.

  Richard says, “Hey, you told me not to get close to the water.”

  Cheri says, “I know what to watch for. Richard stand here,

  hold the lantern towards the waters surface so I can see better.”

  Cheri wades out into the swamp and dives under water, soon she comes up holding a large Channel cat.

  Richard says, “WOW! How did you do that?”

  “Practice,” Cheri says, “now hold the lantern over here again.”

  Richard asks, “Can I try to catch one?”

  “Watch the surface of the water for large ripples,” Cheri

  says, “and walk slowly out here to me but bring the lantern with you.”

  Richard kicks off his boots and slowly steps down into the murky swamp water and walks slowly towards Cheri. Cheri says, “Here, take this one to Papa. While you are gone I’ll catch us another one. Go slowly,” she continues saying, “as if you make too much noise you will draw them to you.”

  “Draw what to me?” Richard asks.

  Cheri says, “The Gators!”

  Richard looks faint and says, “Don’t worry, I’ll be real quiet and I’ll walk slow as well.”

  “Good,” Cheri says. “Now go! Take that fish to Papa.”

  Richard slowly heads back to the bank and takes the channel cat over to Pierre who begins cleaning it. Richard then returns to the waters edge and steps into the water once more and heads out to where Cheri is. “I’ve caught another one Richard,

  come here!” Richard forgets and starts to quickly head out to Cheri, kicking and splashing the water as he goes.

  Soon Cheri looks up and starts laughing as she watches Richard hurrying back to bank as quickly as possible a small Gator hot on his trail.

  Richard climbs onto the bank and runs towards Pierre who is laughing as well. Richard cries out, “Holy Shit, that thing just

  about got me!”

  By now Cheri has made it back to bank with two more channel cat, as she drops them to the ground so does she as she rolls into a ball laughing at Richard and pointing.

  “See Richard, I told you, men are funny.” She says as she

  continues laughing, tears running down her cheeks.

  Pierre says, “Mister Devine, that was but a baby Gator, he

  just wanted to play with you did he not?”

  “No,” Richard says, “he wanted to eat me you crazy old

  fool!” Pierre and Cheri, still laughing, as Richard sets to embarrassed to say anything more.

  Cheri says, “Well Papa, you clean them I’ll cook them.”

  Smiling at Richard she says, “And he can eat them.”

  Pierre lets out a chuckle and says, “He’ll have to change his trousers first.”

  Richard says, “Ha, ha, Pierre very funny, very funny.”

  Soon they all gather around the fire eating their Cat fish,
the sounds of the swamp all around them, the sounds of Owls make their presence known.

  As Pierre sets eating his fish he looks up at Richard and asks, “So this person you look for he is family no?”

  “He is family, yes.” Richard says, “My nephew. I’m concerned that he has gotten himself into trouble.”

  Cheri asks, “How old is he?”

  Richard answers, “Just turned twenty-one.”

  Cheri says, “You must care for him a great deal to come so

  far just to find him.”

  Richard says, “He’s a good kid, has a bright future, he is studying to be an Orthopedic Surgeon, he has a masters degree. I fear he has gotten involved with the wrong crowd of people, if you know what I mean? I have had run ins with their type before in the not so distant past.”

  Pierre looks over at Cheri and says, “Daughter, break out the wine lets try to lift Mister Devine’s spirits shall we?” Cheri

  unpacks a bottle of wine from her back pack and pulls out some

  plastic cups. Pouring Pierre a glass he stands and says, “No, no, our guest should be served first.”

  As he walks towards Richard, Pierre slips something into

  Richard’s drink, unnoticed by Richard and Cheri, and hands it to Richard then Cheri pours hers and himself a cup and Pierre says, “A toast; to our new friend Mister Devine.”

  “Here, here.” Cheri says and they all drink down their wine.

  As they all sit around the fire it isn’t long before Richard

  says, “I think I better lay down, I’m feeling a little woozy.”

  Cheri says, “Yes, it’s been a long day I think I will too Papa.”

  “Ok daughter, you and Mister Devine turn in, I think I’ll

  stay up awhile and puff on my pipe. I‘ll keep the fire going as well.”

  Soon Cheri and Richard are fast asleep. It isn’t long before three men come out of the woods, Pierre stands up and says, “What took you so long? I drugged him, he’ll give you no trouble, he’ll be out for several hours.”

  One of the men hands Pierre a wad of cash, as they carry

  Richard away one of them turns and says to Pierre, “If anyone asks, you’ve never seen this man.”

  Pierre says, “What man?” Smiling at them. The men disappear into the woods.

  The next morning Cheri awakes and notices Richard is

  missing, “Papa where is Richard?”

  Pierre awakes and says, “Daughter, that is not your concern, get things packed we’ll be heading back today.”

  Cheri says, “But Papa, what about the nice man Richard, he

  may have gotten lost last night, he was feeling tipsy from the wine remember? We should search for him.”

  Pierre says, “That is not necessary, what your friend was

  looking for, it found him last night.”

  “What do you mean?” Cheri asks.

  “Your friends search is over.” Pierre says. “Now starting

  packing and don’t ask any more questions I was paid well.”

  “You handed him over to his enemy for profit!” Cheri says,

  “How could you do that Papa?”

  “It was easy,” Pierre says, “the man meant nothing to me.

  Now get the boat packed, we’re leaving!”

  Cheri says, “No, you are leaving!” She grabs her back pack

  and shot gun and heads out into the swamp.

  “Suit your self crazy daughter of mine but I’m not waiting

  for you.”

  Cheri yells, “Then don’t!” as she disappears into the swamp. Pierre packs the boat, climbs in and starts back home.

  Meanwhile, back in New Orleans, Susie pulls into town.

  Pulling up in front of her hotel she gets out, checks into her room, and then heads back out to her car.

  Starting the engine she pulls out onto the road and heads for the university. Arriving she parks in the campus lot and heads for the Administration office.

  Once inside she inquires about Richard and Jamie. The

  secretary tells her that Richard came in looking for Jamie but had no luck, but as he was leaving he ran into some of Jamie’s friends. One of girls names was Bobbie Lynn who told Richard something and then out the door he went.

  The secretary says, “If you’d like, I can call her over the PA system and have her report to the office.”

  “That would be great.” Susie says, “Thank you.”

  It isn’t long before Bobbie Lynn appears and the secretary tells her this lady would like to ask you some questions regarding her boyfriend you talked to yesterday.

  Bobbie Lynn says, “Oh yes, I remember him. Really nice

  man, I told him to go talk to Madam Juju.” Bobby Lynn gives her directions to Madam Juju’s shop. With that Susie thanks her and heads out the door to her car.

  Starting it she pulls out of the parking lot, onto the road and heads back into town. Susie soon pulls up to where Madam Juju’s shop used to stand, now a burnt pile of rubble still smoldering from yesterdays fire.

  She shuts of her car, gets out and walks over to the side walk and stands looking at the remains of the shop. A young lady approaches her. “It’s really a shame isn’t it?” The lady asks.

  Susie asks, “What happened?”

  The lady says, “They believe a gas water heater exploded

  yesterday, poor Madam Juju died in the fire. She had helped so many people, did you know her?”

  “No.” Susie says. “I never had the pleasure, but my boyfriend was supposed to have come seen her yesterday. God, I hope he wasn’t in there when the explosion happened!” Susie says

  crying.

  “Did your man drive a new Jeep CJ7?” The lady asks.

  “Yes. Why?” Susie says all excited.

  “Because I was in the shop yesterday when he was and I over heard Madam Juju advising him to hire a guide who knows the Bayou well, she sent him to the docks to talk to Pierre Leblanc,

  a local, he is Cajun and has lived in the Bayou all his life. I never cared much for the man.”

  “Why?” Susie asks.

  “He can’t be trusted. Well,” the lady says, “he can be, unless someone else pays him more. His loyalty is to the man who

  pays the most. He has only one true friend, that’s himself. You

  might want to check the docks to see if you can find this man.”

  Susie says, “You said his name is Pierre Leblanc?”

  “Yes,” the lady says, “that’s the one you need to talk to.”

  Susie slips the lady a fifty dollar bill and says, “Thank you

  so much!”

  The lady says, “Be careful of this man, as I said his loyalty

  is to his wallet only.” With that Susie heads to her car.

  Starting the engine she pulls away and heads for the docks following the ladies instructions.

  Back in the swamp Richard awakes with a bad headache,

  looking around he finds he is in some sort of tool shed. His arms and legs tied with plastic tie straps. The only light is that which comes through the cracks in the boards of the walls of the shed. An old boat setting on a trailer sits across from him.

  His vision coming more into focus now he sees a smokey

  haze coming towards him. Soon it materializes into the figure of

  Madam Juju. It reminds Richard of a virtual reality type image, she appears to have solid form but yet is transparent as well.

  Then she speaks to him saying, “Mr. Devine, you are in danger, you and your girlfriend.”

  Richard says, “My girlfriend? She’s back home, how could she be in danger?”

  Madam Juju says, “No, she is here in New Orleans; she looks for you even now.”

  “She was suppose to stay home.” Richard said. “For her

  own safety.”

  Madam Juju says, “You failed to keep in touch with her, out of concern for you she came looking for you.”

  Richard says, “Damn it!
I was suppose to call her, I just

  forgot all about it.”

  Madam Juju says, “Now she is in harms way as are you!

  Even now she is looking for the very man who betrayed you!”

  “Leblanc?” Richard asks.

  “Yes, I’m afraid so.” Madam Juju says.

  “Well, if he couldn’t be trusted why in the hell did you send me to him?” Richard asks frowning.

  “He betrayed me as well.” Madam Juju said. “Susie has been informed of you hiring this man, now she looks for him as well. But you have another girlfriend who searches for you, she is

  a raven haired Cajun girl. Do you know of whom I speak?” Madam Juju asks.

  “Yes,” Richard says, “that must be Leblanc’s daughter,

  Cheri Leblanc.”

  “She’s gone to seek help in finding you, she knows of an old Catholic priest named Father Pitre, he knows the bayou well,

  and she’s seeking him to aid her in locating you.”

  “Why would she care about me and turn against her own

  father?” Richard asks.

  “Cheri has been smitten by you, I think she’s attracted to

  you.”

  Richard says, “Madam, can we keep that a secret between

  you and me? If Susie finds out she’ll not be pleased she is very

  jealous.”

  “Susie’s jealousy is the least of your worries I’m afraid.”

  Madam Juju says, “Stay strong in your faith, stay alert as the Devil walks about seeking whom he may devour, you’ve made enemy out of him. You’ve cost him many lost souls in the recent past, and he seeks revenge on you. I’ve done all I can do I must go now. You’ve been warned!” With that, Madam Juju turns into a bright mist and disappears before him.

  Back at the docks Susie pulls in and parks her car and gets

  out, she looks out and sees a boat approaching the docks, soon it comes to rest and a man gets out and ties it off. He turns and walks down the dock towards Susie, looking up he smiles and says, “Well business is improving, hello my young beauty and what can Pierre do for you?”