by Emery, Lynn
“I will!” Charice and Sam said. Grinning they shook hands.The foursome spent the rest of the afternoon together enjoying the splendid weather. They even went for a ride in a rented bateau. Sunlight made the water of the bayou sparkle as though diamond chunks floated in it. Savannah held on to Paul’s hand, letting go only when absolutely necessary. A tingle of pleasure and anticipation spread through her whenever they touched. His laugh was the most beautiful sound she had heard in weeks. Watching him move as he walked towards or away from her transformed the tingle into shock waves of desire. Throughout their day on the bayou she thrilled at finding his eyes on her, a glint of passion adding fire to his almond brown eyes.
“I haven’t enjoyed myself like this for a long time. Actually, I know precisely the date and time I stopped enjoying much of anything.” Paul reached out to touch her hair as they sat alone on the landing. Orange washed over the sky as the sun set.
“I’d guess the same day everything I had enjoyed up until then lost its flavor.” Savannah tilted her head back, savoring the way his hand moved in her hair.
“Hey you two, ready to head out?” Sam called. He and Charice, arms entwined, came back from a leisurely walk along the levee.
“Yeah.” Paul’s hand trailed down Savannah’s shoulder to take her hand in his. “I’ve got an idea, why don’t we go pick up my car? It won’t take but twenty minutes to get there from here.” His eyes never left her.
“Good idea, my brother.” Sam pulled Charice closer to him grinning.
*****
“Let’s not ever be apart like that again.” Paul rested his cheek on the top of Savannah’s head. They sat in the cypress swing her front porch.
“It was awful not hearing your voice or being able to touch you.” Savannah breathed deeply of his sweet woodsy scent.
Lifting her face to his, he kissed her long and deeply. Savannah strained to him as his hands sought those familiar places that caused her to vibrate in his arms. Cupping one breast, he gave a short grunt of delight as her hands moved all over him.
“Whew! Isn’t this where we started.” Paul said, sitting back to catch his breath.
“Right on this very porch, cher.” Savannah gave him a playful pinch on the arm.
“Have I told you how good it is to be with you again?”
“Yes, but once more won’t hurt.” Savannah rested her head on his shoulder.
“I want you. Nothing is more important than that. No silly argument for sure.”
“Same here.”
“I better be getting on the road. I’m staying with my parents for awhile. I want to help Mama with Papa. Give her some relief, you know? Wish I still had that trailer here in town.” Paul put his hand or her thigh.”
“There’ll be time enough for that, time enough for all that.” Savannah moaned faintly as he began moving his fingers across her flesh. “You better leave before we embarrass ourselves out here on this porch.”
As she lay in bed later, Savannah wasn’t the least bit sleepy. But this night it was for a totally different reason. The great aching emptiness that had gnawed at her had vanished. Those cold, miserable weeks without him had convinced her she did not want to live without his love. She no longer feared giving herself completely, she reveled in the joy of it. Smiling in the darkness, she imagined the time when they would be alone again. The way she would feel, the things they would do.
*****
Dixieland jazz blared away. The band had the select crowd of well-to-do businessmen and their mistresses snapping fingers in time with the music. Singleton sat at a corner table with pretty young woman. Her long black hair was perfectly held in place. Stiff with hair spray, it did not move even as she tossed her head back to laugh at something he whispered to her. They had been at the New Orleans club for over an hour drinking, laughing, and teasing each other. After whispering again in her ear, Singleton gestured to a waiter. Paying the bill, he took the woman by her hand leading her to the door.
“Cab, sir?.” The driver of a white Chevrolet Lumina with `Mack’s Cab Service’ in black lettering on the side, called to him. He was parked several feet from the entrance to the club.
“Le Crillion Hotel, please.” Singleton said only after making sure the car was clean inside.
Singleton walked several paces behind the woman trying to relight his cigar. Out of the shadows between buildings, a man stepped blocking his path. The pretty woman melted into the crowd seeing him approach.
“Gimme your money, man.”
“What?” Singleton froze.
“Give it up!”
The sharp tat-a-tat of automatic gunfire burst forth causing bystanders to scatter for cover. Screams ricocheted through the air from all directions. Singleton lay on the pavement his arms covering his head. Blood spattered his jacket.
“Man, I’m hit! Oh no! Ahh—ee!” The would be robber rocked against a wall holding his arms.
“Get in the car!” The cab driver shouted.
He began dragging a still cowering Singleton across the sidewalk. Throwing him onto the back seat, the driver leapt over the car’s hood and slid behind the wheel. Tires screaming, he took off. After driving for six blocks, he pulled to the curb on a dark side street.
“Let’s see if you’ve been hit. No bloodstains, all in one piece, eh?“The cab driver checked him over with quick efficient hands. A silent figure stepped forward seemingly from nowhere handing the cab driver a set of keys then melted back into the night.
“It’s quite alright, sir. Come with me and you’ll be fine.” The cab driver spoke calmly as he lead a dazed Singleton to a light blue Plymouth.
“But who are you? Listen to me, take anything you want, but please don’t hurt me.” Singleton took out his wallet and began removing his Rolex watch.
“This isn’t a kidnapping, Mr. Singleton.”
“How do you know my name?”
“Oh I know quite a lot about you, sir. Just relax. You’re safe with me. I have something to show you.”
“If you want to help why don’t you take me to the police? My God! Someone tried to kill me.”
“All in good time, sir. All in good time.”
*****
“LaMar always was weird, even in high school. Why are we meeting him at our office? It’s after midnight.” Paul had been complaining ever since Sam had picked him up.
“Savannah is meeting us there, too.” Sam said.
“She shouldn’t be out driving alone this time of night.”
“She made me swear to call her when anything serious went down. Besides, Charice is with her. She’s out of school for the summer and the girls are spending the night with their cousins.”
“Great. They could both be stranded on a dark highway if they have car trouble.” Paul glared at Sam.
“Will you stop acting like a nervous grandmother. Savannah has her car phone. They can call us or the state police in an emergency. Take it easy.”
“Okay. Why are we going to the office again?” Paul fingers made a rapping sound as he tapped the molded plastic on the passenger door.
“For the third time, LaMar wants us to meet him there. I don’t know why. Yeah.” Sam answered the car phone. He listened for several minutes. “We’ll start on it. Forty-five minutes, got it. That was LaMar. How are your hacking skills, brother man?” Sam clapped Paul’s shoulder.
They pulled into the parking lot of their suite of four offices. Located in a medium sized complex near the Evangeline Thruway, the lobby was well lit. Waving to the night security guard, they bounded up the open stairway to the second floor.
“Now do your thing.” Sam sat back with his feet on another chair.
“Well, being suspected of murder makes illegally accessing another company’s computer files seem minor.” Paul laughed as he began the task of outsmarting security codes.
He worked intensely for twenty minutes not even noticing when Sam left. Sam returned with Savannah and Charice. They cut off their chatter so as not to dist
urb his concentration. Watching in fascination, Sam whispered explanations while Paul’s fingers moved rapidly across the keys trying different patterns.
“When we were in school, we got into some of the best on-line systems. The research we accessed was fabulous. Like who had time to hang in the library all night or the money to pay for all those services?”
“But isn’t that considered a form of stealing?” Savannah gave him a disapproving look.
“Hey, we didn’t take anything but a little information. And we didn’t do it for long anyway. Besides, we got busted by the dorm counselor and he confiscated our lap top.”
“Lucky you didn’t get tracked down by the FBI.” Charice pinched his right arm.
“Or kicked out of school.” Savannah pinched his right arm.
“Oww! Cut it out.” Sam massaged his arms.
“Shhh!” Savannah and Charice said at the same time.
“I think I’ve got it.” Paul spoke over his shoulder. “Damn, not yet.” He paused for only a few seconds before continuing.
The other three began to get worried as five, ten, twenty, then thirty minutes passed. It was hard for them to keep still and quiet. They snacked on chips and soft drinks from the vending machine down the hall. Sam took them on a tour of the office suites then the rest of the complex. Upon entering the office again, they were surprised to find Paul sitting with his feet up on the desk wearing a self-satisfied grin.
“I’m in.”
*****
“Why am I here? What do you want with me?” Singleton blinked as he looked from one to the other.
“I think you know these gentlemen, Mr. Singleton.” LaMar took off his black cap throwing on a nearby chair.
“Hey, man. What’s happening?” Sam waved as though they were being reacquainted at a party.
“Hi again.” Paul nodded.
“And this is Ms. St. Julien and Ms. Collins. Friends of Paul and Sam.” LaMar sat on the edge of a desk.
“I don’t understand any of this. Some mugger tries to kill me, and my cab driver rescues me and then changes cars and drives me out of New Orleans. Is this a kidnapping?” Singleton wiped sweat from his chin with a linen handkerchief, his hand shaking.
“Certainly not, Mr. Singleton. May I call you Kyle? After all, we’ve been through so much together. Somehow Mr. Singleton sounds so formal. Kyle, I hate to tell you this, but that was no mere mugging.” LaMar sighed.
“No? How do you know that?” Singleton stopped mopping his face.
“I’m a private cop. My investigation of you and Quentin Trosclair has led me to some interesting people.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Singleton’s eyes slid sideways.
“Sources on the street are my life line, sir. And those sources told me exactly when that so-called mugging would go down. That man wasn’t there to take your money.”
“Uh-uh my man.” Sam shook his head slowly.
“Afraid not.” Paul said.
“What are you saying?” Singleton’s breathing became audible.
“We’re saying he was sent to kill you, Kyle. You see, your partner in crime doesn’t like the changes you’ve made at Batton Chemical. He is seeking to dissolve your partnership.” LaMar leaned towards him.
“I-I don’t what you mean by partner in crime.” Singleton’s eyes moved around the room.
“Quentin doesn’t intend to give up money or power to you, Kyle. You know too much about his activities with company funds, about Claude Trosclair’s death. You have to go, Kyle. Plain and simple.” LaMar popped a mint in his mouth and flashed his teeth in a wide grin.
“But he demanded my money.”
“Only as a cover for his real purpose. After all, folks are killed during robberies every day. Routine police paperwork. But not a professional hit of a respectable businessman. That would cause too many questions, too much heat.” LaMar said.
“You’re lying! You’re just trying to get me to confess to something, get him off the hook.” Singleton jabbed a finger at Paul. “Well, it won’t work. Now I demand that you take me home.” Singleton blustered.
“Have you got it?” LaMar turned to Paul.
“Right here.” Paul held up a long computer printout.
“As you can see, according to these documents you have been embezzling company funds. See there? Your access code. And here, it clearly shows that you have profited greatly at the expense of one Señor Juan Carlos. Señor Carlos is an import/export entrepreneur, his main product being cocaine. Quentin gave this information to him. Señor Carlos is a little angry with you, Kyle.”
“But it’s not true! I’ll tell him it’s a lie.”
“Those kind of men are impulsive. You won’t have time to try and convince him, Kyle. Trust me. And he’s got proof.” As LaMar reminded him of it, Paul shook the printout.
“Oh God.” Singleton began to shake as he read the printout.
“We can work it so he gets his money back.” Paul held up the keyboard to the computer.
“Unfortunately, for men like Señor Carlos that’s not enough. An example must be made to discourage others from such actions.” LaMar’s words caused the beginning of a hopeful look to fade from Singleton’s face.
“A matter of honor and respect.” Sam folded his arms across his chest.
“Oh God, you can’t let them kill me! What am I going to do?” Singleton began to snivel. Large drops of sweat poured from his face and stained the underarms of his jacket.
“It so happens, we know exactly what you should do,” Paul said, slapping his back as three smiling faces beamed at him.
*****
“Ain’t dis one helluva mess!” Sheriff Triche wore an expression of disgust. Leaving his office, he pulled the door shut with such force the glass rattled.
“Damn! This is all I need.” Daniels came from the opposite office. He took out two antacid tablets and chewed them. A pained frown twisting his face, he clutched his stomach. Without speaking to each other, they both heaved a sigh. Sheriff Triche led the way down a hall to another office. Opening the door, he allowed the district attorney to go first. Savannah, Charice, Sam, Paul, and Gralin looked up expectantly.
“Did they talk?” Paul sprang from the metal chair.
“They talkin’ alright. How we gone sort dis out I don’t know.” Sheriff Triche rubbed his unshaven jaw.“Quentin sayin’ him and Claude found out Singleton was stealin’ from the company the day before the murder. Says he thinks maybe Claude confronted Singleton and Singleton killed him. Claims he been suspectin’ Singleton killed his grandpapa but was too scared to say so. He claims we oughta examine Singleton’s office for evidence.” Sheriff Triche looked up at the ceiling.
“Singleton says he found out Quentin was stealing from the company. He claims Claude found out, too. That Claude confronted Quentin and Quentin killed his grandfather. He says we should check the floor in the rear of Quentin’s car for blood stains.” Daniels sat down heavily and began to rub his temples.
“And Miss Rousselle say dey did it together is how she figure. Quentin told her dey didn’t have to worry ‘bout the old man no more. Says he told her `We took care of it’. She ain’t had no idea he meant he’d murdered the old man. She say she was too scared to talk ‘cause Quentin beat her. Showed Deputy Arceneaux bruises on her body to prove it. Say we oughta check the Singleton’s Lexus SUV if we don’t believe her.” Sheriff Triche said.
“What do you think, Sheriff?” Savannah stared at him then Daniels when he did not answer.
“We don’t know what to think at this point. But we’ve got a real complicated situation to sort out,” Daniels said in a tired voice.
“I got a suspicion about the Kyle fella.” Sheriff Triche rubbed the growing stubble of a beard on his face.
“What about me?” Paul glanced from the sheriff to Daniels.
“You not the only, or even the best suspect now. The strongest evidence we had was motive and your fingerprints. All three of those characters
had a motive and their fingerprints were in Trosclairs office, too.” Daniels stood.
“Lord, I can see now we gone be working into the morning impounding cars, collectin’ carpet samples and the like. Might as well call Clotilde now and tell her not to expect me home tonight either. Better get movin’.” Sheriff Triche walked out. Shortly they heard him irritably barking orders to his deputies.
“Sorry for any problems all this caused for you, Honorè.” Daniels gave a clipped nod before leaving.
“Man, let’s get out of here. This place is depressing.” Sam put one arm around Charice’s waist.
“I’m more than ready.” Paul pulled Savannah to him.On the way out, they passed the offices where all three were being questioned separately. Quentin, his back to them, gestured wildly. A deputy sat in front of him with a tape recorder and tablet scribbling furiously. Singleton sat slumped, head down. His expensive suit was crumpled giving him the look of a bedraggled drunk driving suspect. Noticing them walk by, he turned vacant eyes to them.
Savannah felt a tiny twitching sensation at the back of her neck. She swung around to find LaShaun standing a few yards away between two deputies.
“Un de ces beaux jours, Savannah. Yes, yes. One of these fine days.” Though LaShaun spoke softly, her voice carried through the noisy station room. Her eyes flashed hatred.Turning away, Savannah shook her head in a pitying dismissal. LaShaun let out of stream of obscenities as she was half carried, half dragged away.
*****
“Some night, huh?” Savannah said. They sat in Paul’s car in front of her house. They left Charice and Sam still affectionately teasing each other at Charice’s house.
“Amazing.” Paul smiled shyly.
“Bet your parents were thrilled to hear you’re not a murder suspect now.”
“Mama screamed and dropped the phone.” Paul laughed.
“Poppy told me to give you hug for him and Tante Marie couldn’t stop crying. She says she’s going to start organizing a big celebration party.”
“That’ll be great.” Paul looked at her then quickly away. He chewed his lip in silence.