Mellow Yellow, Dead Red

by Sylvia Rochester

  “As for my clothes, I was a regular at the salvage store. That didn’t matter much when I was young, but when I hit my teens, things changed. As a blossoming young lady, I resented being so destitute. I wanted to be like the other girls. That’s when Achille came into my life. He bought me nice things, paid me compliments. For the first time in my life, I felt special. When he said he could give me a better life, I jumped at it. What’d I know?”

  “How long?”

  “I turned tricks for a couple of years, hating it more every time. I wanted to quit, but what could I do? I was trapped. I had no money and no place to go.”

  “How did you get away?”

  “Believe it or not, Dad saved me. He might have been a drunk, but he never stopped loving me. He found out where I was and stormed into that place. I never saw my daddy so mad. He barged into one room after another, calling my name. When he found me, he took my arm and started for the front door.

  “Achille came out of his room and shouted for my dad to turn me loose. I saw him reach in his pocket for his switchblade, but before he could get it out, my dad decked him. My dad was not a violent man, but knowing what Achille had done to me, he was at a breaking point. He told Achille if he ever came near me again, he’d kill him.

  “I think my father blamed himself for what happened to me. He kept saying he was sorry, and he was going to make things right. He said his sister’s health was failing, and he’d made arrangements for me to go take care of her. Achille knew nothing about my dad’s family, so New Orleans offered a safe haven for several years. That is, until my aunt died. She was very prominent in New Orleans’ society, and he saw my name in the obituary. I was horrified when he showed up at her funeral.

  “He pulled me aside, said I belonged to him. But I had left that lifestyle a long time ago and had no intention of ever going there again. We argued, and then he demanded money. How he found out my aunt left me a sizeable estate, I’ll never know. He claimed he had spent a lot grooming me, and that I owed him.”

  Kara’s face turned grizzly, her eyes darkened, and her lips drew tight. Her look was one of pure hatred.

  “I called him a liar, told him I made more money for him than he had ever spent on me. He left in a rage and swore he’d be back. By then, I had already met Edward, and we’d made plans to marry and leave New Orleans. The Bahamas offered an even faster and advantageous escape. With no record of the marriage in the states, and with a new name and location, I thought I was finally rid of him. I should have known better—you can’t hide from the Devil.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I don’t know. He’s asking for an exorbitant amount of money. If I paid him, it wouldn’t be the end. He’d be back for more.”

  “Does Edward know he’s here?”

  “I was hoping I could get rid of him, spare Edward the humiliation, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. Achille is not in his right mind. I’m guessing he’s in some sort of trouble. He was jittery and had a crazy look in his eyes, like he was hyped up on something. No telling what has him so rattled. He said if I don’t pay up, he’s going to put the word out about me all over town. I don’t care about me or my business, but it would destroy Edward, especially in this small community.

  “Worse than that, I’m afraid Edward might go after him. We can’t let Edward know that Achille is here. Edward would die trying to defend me, and I can’t live without him. I know how cruel Achille can be. If he can’t get the money he wants, he’ll settle for a pound of flesh. He’s never without his knife and won’t hesitate to use it.” She winced. “I still carry scars.” Kara hugged her ribs.

  Susan sat stunned as she soaked in Kara’s story. She couldn’t imagine the horror Kara must have endured at the hands of that monster. “We can’t let him get away with this. You say he’s desperate for money? Maybe he’s in trouble with the law. You’ll be glad to hear that Wesley is already checking on him.”

  “That’s good to know, but Achille won’t wait long. He’ll be back, pounding on my door. What should I do?”

  “As long as he thinks you’re getting the money, you should be safe. Promise him anything.”

  Kara gave a sigh of relief. Pulling a tissue from her purse, she blotted her damp face. “I was hoping you would talk to Wesley for me. I know he listens to you. Tell him whatever you want about me. My only concern is for Edward’s safety.”

  “I can’t make any promises, but I know Wesley will do everything he can.”

  “Guess I’d better let you get to work,” Kara said, pushing up from the sofa.

  At the front door, Susan gave Kara a hug. “It means a lot that you confided in me, and I’m sorry I didn’t do more to welcome you into the family. I hope you can forgive me.”

  Kara answered with a smile. “Forgive you for what? Loving your brother? We’re going to get along just fine.”

  “When Achille comes knocking, call the sheriff’s office and ask for Wesley. Tell them it’s an emergency. If he’s not in the office, tell them to patch you through to him. Whatever you do, don’t open the door. Tell Achille you’re making arrangements to get the money.”

  “I will,” Kara said, and walked slowly toward her car.

  After Kara left, Susan placed a call to Wesley. “Where are you?”

  “I’m turning into headquarters. What’s up?”

  “I just had a visit from Kara. You were right. The situation between her and that guy wasn’t what I thought. It was worse!” Susan told Wesley everything.

  “You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve heard that story—a destitute girl looking for a better life and along comes Prince Charming. That’s how pimps operate. By the time the girl realizes his promises are all lies, it’s too late. Kara’s lucky she managed to get away. Most of the girls don’t. They’re either beaten into submission or end up on a slab in the morgue. After I ran Cormier’s plates, I contacted the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office. There’s a warrant for his arrest. I’m going to enjoy taking him into custody.”

  “A warrant for what?” Susan asked.

  “I’ll have to get back with you on that. I’m late for a meeting with the chief, and he’s sent a deputy after me. I’m guessing he’s selected my temporary partner. I’ll give Kara a call and let her know I’m on top of it.”

  “But just tell me—”

  “Gotta run. See you later. Love you.”

  Wesley hung up before Susan could ask anything else. That only made matters worse. Every horrible crime in the books crossed her mind. Was it so bad that Wesley intentionally didn’t want her to know? She closed her eyes and whispered a prayer, “Please, keep Wesley safe.”

  Before leaving for the boutique, Susan freshened her makeup. Kara wasn’t the only one who had shed tears. Fifteen minutes later, she arrived at the shop. Even with everything that had happened that morning, it was still early. The clock in the office showed eight o’clock, and the store didn’t open until nine. Susan was on her second cup of coffee when A. K. strolled into the office.

  Her partner was decked out in a royal blue jumper over a paisley knit top. The colors accentuated her red hair, and the snug-fitting jumper defined her seductive curves. Gold dangling earrings and a serpentine necklace added a sparkle to the eye-catching outfit.

  “From the looks of things, I’m guessing you didn’t sleep well,” A. K. said. “Either that, or you and Wesley had a little one-on-one time. No, couldn’t be that. You’d at least have a smile on your face.” A. K. gave Susan a friendly poke on the shoulder and proceeded to pour a cup of coffee. “So, what’s the problem?”

  “The problem is Kara. She was at my door before six this morning.” Susan watched the surprised reaction on A. K.’s face. “Yes, it was about that man.” Since Kara had said it was okay to tell Wesley, why not A. K.? The woman had to know they confided in each other.

  A. K. listened with a solemn face as Susan relayed Kara’s account. “That’s horrible. Thank goodness she escaped! If I’d
been in her place, I’d probably have killed the s.o.b. If not, I would at least have had him singing soprano.”

  “What surprised me was that Kara chose to confide in me. I haven’t exactly welcomed her with open arms.”

  “You do have money, and she needs lots of it. I guess because you were family, she figured she could hit you up for the cash, maybe even keep Edward from finding out about it.”

  “No, it was nothing like that. She didn’t ask me for anything, except that I not tell Edward. She was afraid what might happen to him if he and Cormier tangled. What she wanted was Wesley’s help, and she thought I could influence him.”

  Susan paused while her fingers played a rat-a-tat-tat on the desk. “You know what bugs me? Every time I’ve been around Kara, she has never hesitated to boast about her psychic abilities and how the Tarot cards reveal things to her. Ha! She’s no better than you with a crystal ball. If she’s for real, why didn’t she see this coming?”

  “Okay, girlfriend, you need to chill. Listen to yourself? You’re jabbering like a junkie on amphetamines. And look at your hands—they’re shaking so much your fingers could pass for castanets. You’re in no shape to wait on customers.”

  Susan placed her elbows on the desk and cupped her face in her hands. “You’re right. I need to get it together.”

  “That’s going to take more than a few minutes. What you need is to take off a few days.” A. K. took Susan’s hands in hers. “I’d be a basket case, too, if I’d gone through what you have. I don’t have to be a psychic to see that you’re stressed out.”

  Susan nodded.

  “My dating a doctor has its perks. If you want, I’ll call Jack and get him to give you something to calm your nerves.”

  “Thanks, just something mild. I’m not much on taking medicine. If I could only get a good night’s sleep maybe that would help.” Susan looked toward the front of the store. “But I can’t just leave my business.”

  “Of course you can. We have a great staff, and Melanie’s capable of running the boutique for a few days. If she needs help, I’m right next door.” A. K. tugged at Susan’s arm. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here. I’ll explain everything to Melanie.”

  Chapter 11

  Susan kicked off her shoes the minute she stepped inside her apartment. She was looking forward to getting some rest. Less than an hour later, she was stir-crazy. Sitting at home alone was not the panacea she thought it would be. If anything, the silence grated on her nerves. She had come to the conclusion that avoiding a problem was never the answer. Confronting it was the only solution.

  She was anxious to hear if Wesley had called Kara or if Achille had shown up at her door. Picking up her cell, she punched in Kara’s home phone.

  Kara answered on the first ring. “I’m so glad you called. Did you talk with Wesley?”

  “Just long enough to explain your situation. He said there’s a warrant out for Achille’s arrest, but he didn’t have time to go into detail. He was late for a meeting with the chief. He said he was going to contact you, and I know he will.”

  “An arrest warrant? I had a feeling he was in trouble. No telling what he’s done.”

  “I gather he hasn’t shown up at your place or contacted you.”

  “No, and I’m worried he might try to get money from Edward. I called the office, and the secretary said he was in conference. I’m not buying that. I tried his cell, but it went to voice mail. I’m about ready to go looking for his car.”

  “Don’t do that. Maybe he is in a meeting. You need to stay home. If Achille shows up at your house, Wesley will want to know. Tell you what. I’m taking a few days off, so why don’t I look for Edward?”

  “If you see him, you won’t say anything, will you?”

  “Of course not, I’ll act as if I ran into him by accident. Edward has never been good at hiding his feelings. I’ll be able to tell if he’s upset about something.”

  “I suppose you’re right. You will keep me posted, won’t you?”

  “Yes, whether I see him or not.”

  Susan hung up the phone and grabbed her purse. This wasn’t what she had planned when she left the boutique, but Edward’s disappearance had put a new wrinkle into this mystery. She hated the idea of her brother confronting the likes of Achille Cormier.

  At the moment, she was glad Wesley hadn’t called. He would have insisted she stay put. She didn’t see how looking for Edward could put her in danger. If she happened to find him, she was only going to watch and report back to Kara. Surely, Wesley wouldn’t be mad at her for that.

  Wesley stepped from his vehicle and called to the deputy who was waving at him. “I’ll be right there.” However, before going to the chief’s office, Wesley stopped by the fax machine. He had several pages from the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Department, including a copy of Cormier’s rap sheet and the warrant for his arrest.

  “Wesley?” Chief Smith called from his doorway.

  “On my way, Chief.” Wesley stacked the pages and hurried past his boss. “I have a lead on this guy,” Wesley said, placing the fax on Chief Smith’s desk.

  Without looking at the information, the chief motioned toward another person seated across from him. “Meet your temporary partner.”

  Wesley was pleased to see a familiar face. “Hi, Reg. You draw the short straw?”

  “Looks like it. Any objections?”

  “None at all.”

  Detective Reggie Satterfield was no stranger to Wesley. They had both joined the force about the same time. Reggie was assigned to narcotics, and the only time their paths had crossed was when a murder was involved.

  “I thought I’d give homicide a try. Narcotic suspects keep getting younger and younger, and they can run a lot faster than I can.”

  Even though they were about the same age, the years hadn’t been kind to Reggie. He looked much older. Maybe it was the extra weight he carried around his waist...that and his receding hairline.

  “Chief Smith briefed me on the Hasting’s case,” Reggie said, “but you’re going to have to fill me in on the details.”

  “No problem. Perhaps a fresh set of eyes is just what we need. Before we get started, I’d like to take care of another matter, if it’s all right with you, Chief.” Wesley pointed to the papers on the desk. “I received information this morning on Achille Cormier. He’s wanted for rape and murder in Lafourche Parish, and they’re anxious to get him into custody. As of yesterday, Cormier was in Palmetto.”

  “How’d you get involved with this?” Chief Smith asked, scanning the pages.

  Wesley didn’t want to involve Kara, so he told a half truth, left out some of the details. “Yesterday, I happened to witness an altercation in an up-scale neighborhood. The guy walked away, but it didn’t sit right with me, so I decided to run his plates.”

  “You know where he is now?” the chief asked.

  “He’s from out of town, and the closest hotels/motels are in Hammond. It shouldn’t be hard to find him.”

  “That is, if he’s still here. He could be long gone by now.”

  “If he’s outside Tangipahoa Parish, then someone else will have to make the collar.”

  Chief Smith handed Wesley the pages. “You have until tomorrow, then I want you back on the Hasting’s case.”

  “You got it.”

  Wesley walked out of the meeting and took a seat at his desk. He pointed to Charlie’s empty desk and chair. “You can sit there,” he said to Reggie.

  His new partner remained standing. “Thought we were going to look for Mr. Cormier?”

  “We are, right after I pull the file on Nina Hasting and make a couple of calls. I want to notify the owner of the Rusty Nail that we found his waitress, and I should call the victim’s apartment manager and let her know, also. I was waiting until the family had been notified.”

  After talking with Mr. Banyon and Mrs. McCutcheon, Wesley hung up the phone and removed a folder. “I’ll drive,” he said, handing the file to Reggie. �
��If we find ourselves waiting this guy out, you can start going over the case. In the meantime, I’ll fill you in on this Cormier fellow.” As they drove toward Hammond, Wesley told Reggie about the incident at Kara’s and what she had revealed to Susan.

  “That wasn’t exactly what you told the chief.”

  “I know. Susan and I...well, we’re together, and Kara is her sister-in-law. I’m hoping I can keep Kara out of this.”

  Reggie shrugged. “How you gonna do that if Cormier starts running his mouth?”

  “I have a plan. I only hope it’ll work.”

  “I’ve picked up a few pimps in my time. I find they always play the bad dude around their girls, but when confronted by law enforcement, they’re not so tough. I’m willing to bet this guy is no different. Don’t be surprised if he runs.”

  After checking out the hotels and coming up empty, Wesley made the rounds of the smaller motels. One lower-priced establishment, the Sunset Inn, had only a few cars in the parking lot. Peeling paint and cracked sidewalks explained the lack of guests. If Cormier was strapped for money, he would more than likely choose this type of establishment. Wesley cruised the lot and spotted Cormier’s car parked in front of a room near the far end.

  “That’s his vehicle,” Wesley said, pulling into a space a couple of doors down. “If we knock, it’ll give him time to arm himself. It might be best if we surprise him. Let’s give him a chance to come out. I’ll take up a position on this end and pretend I’m coming out of a room. You approach from farther down. If he’s in a hurry for money, we shouldn’t have to wait long before he heads back to Kara’s.”

  An hour later, Wesley was beginning to rethink his tactics. There wasn’t a dry spot on his shirt, and his suit coat only exacerbated the condition. Hot air rose from the sidewalk in a wavy dance, typical of a summer’s day, and here it was the fall of the year. Adding to his frustration, the dumpster at the end of the motel smelled as if the bowels of the earth had erupted.