by Lynn Emery
“Oh, baby.” Derrick pulled her into his arms. “Is that what you think?”
“If they dig enough, you don’t know what they’ll find,” Talia whispered.
His heart turned over at the tremor in her voice. “I’ve told you not to worry about me. What happened is gone.”
“Unsolved cases are reopened all the time.” Talia gazed at him steadily. “How can you be sure?”
“Earl’s disappearance was connected to a drug deal gone bad. He stole money and drugs from a big-time distributor.”
“Tell me you didn’t tamper with an investigation.” Talia searched his face anxiously.
“I won’t tell you any details, but it’s okay.” Derrick tried to sound as reassuring as he could.
Talia shook free of his embrace. “You should have told the police. She did it, not you.”
“I couldn’t do that back then any more than I can do it now.” Derrick reached for her.
She dodged his attempt to close the gap between them. “You’re into drama just as much as she is!” Talia tossed out the words like an accusation. “Look at what you’re doing. A quiet life isn’t enough for you, is it?”
“Larry would have known something was strange if I’d refused to read Monette’s file. I’ve prepared reports on old cases over a dozen times since I took the job.” Derrick did not get angry.
“Yes, that job. You could have been a lawyer, anything else. You’re smart.” Talia paced. “Instead, you’re up to your neck in criminals all day long.”
“I’m not in danger.”
Derrick could smell the fear radiating from her. Talia wanted to be far away from the kind of street life Monette had inflicted on her.
Talia stopped in front of him. “I can’t live like that anymore, Derrick. I won’t live like that.”
“Come here,” Derrick said quietly. He held out his arms. “Talia, please.”
She went to him slowly, as if afraid of him. Derrick put his arms around her again, but loosely. He wanted her to know he would not force her into anything. Talia let go of a ragged sigh and rested her head on his shoulder. Dusk had fallen, and the sound of insects in the night seemed oddly comforting to him. He rocked her and softly hummed a Creole tune, his lips close to her ear. It was a song of love they’d often danced to years ago.
“I feel like a terrible monster is waiting behind every tree, every bush,” Talia whispered.
“We can love it away.”
Derrick kissed her forehead, her cheeks, and her lips as if to prove his words. Talia squeezed her arms around his waist as if begging to be convinced. He took her hand and led her inside to his bedroom.
“The food will burn. We’d better—” Talia started for the kitchen.
“The slow cooker will keep dinner for us.”
Derrick sank onto the queen-size bed. Talia looked into his eyes as she lifted her long, full denim skirt. She straddled his lap. Derrick rubbed his face against the red sweater she wore, relishing the full breasts beneath the fabric. His hands eased under it to caress the smooth skin of her midsection. They kissed long and hard.
“Touch me here,” she whispered as she guided his hand.
Derrick cupped her breast, his thumb rubbing the hard nub. Talia whimpered sweet and low in the back of her throat until he could feel the vibration in her body. He found the front hook of her red bra and pushed it aside. She lifted her arms so he could pull the sweater over her head. His tongue circled each nipple.
Their lovemaking started slowly, building like a fire that had smoldered for hours. Talia kissed his neck and shoulders until Derrick thought he would explode. They undressed each other in stages. Wearing only silk bikini panties, Talia rubbed against his erection.
“Baby, baby, baby.” She sighed.
Derrick pushed aside the filmy fabric. She lifted her hips and lowered herself onto him. He lay back on the bed, both palms flat against her breasts. Now that they were joined, the slow rhythm gave way to urgent need. Talia rolled and rocked him until Derrick lost touch with every other sensation. Nothing else mattered except holding on to her forever. His head filled with words that he wanted to say but couldn’t. A slow, all-consuming heat pounded through him. Warm, pulsating flesh lifted him up to heaven until his entire body stiffened. Talia came and pulled Derrick over the edge into a powerful orgasm moments later. They thrashed against each other, frantic to grab every ounce of pleasure they could. Both groaned as they came to rest finally.
Talia went limp across his body. “Derrick,” she whispered.
“I know, baby. I know.”
Each time they touched, his responsibility tripled to make all his words of reassurance come true.
“Good to see the old place, Larry.”
Winn Barron strode forward with his hand out. Derrick took a good look at the man he’d only seen in newspaper photos. Just over six feet tall, his brawny body had turned soft around the middle. His brown hair was styled and combed back. He still had the polished good looks that had carried him through two election campaigns.
“Made a few changes, Winn.” Larry grinned and shook his hand firmly. “We got the budget to redecorate and upgrade our technology.”
“You were the right man to take this office into the twenty-first century.” Winn glanced around. “I see you’ve got new staff. Put my old standbys like Jerry Hines out to pasture, eh?”
“Mrs. Jenkins retired six months after you did. I don’t think she was very impressed with me.” Larry laughed. “Come on in, buddy.” He slapped Winn on the shoulder and ushered him into his office.
“Humph! Thank goodness that old hen retired. I didn’t think I’d ever get promoted,” Kelsey said once the door closed.
“Before my time,” Derrick murmured. He stared at the closed door.
“Be grateful. We used to call her a few choice names at least once a day.” Kelsey gave a wicked laugh. “There’s a darn good reason I’m the only staff left from those days.”
“Really?” Cheryl forgot about typing and turned from her computer.
“I started the same year Larry first got elected. Mrs. Jenkins was seventy-two, and the others weren’t that much younger.” Kelsey shook her head. “They squealed like stuck pigs when Larry mentioned computers.”
“I heard most of them were relatives of Barron’s pals,” Cheryl said in a low voice.
“Half the time they didn’t know what the heck they were doing.” Kelsey rolled her eyes.
“You’re a mess, Kelsey.” Cheryl chuckled as she turned back to her work.
“Hey, I tell it like it is, sugar.”
The women continued to share gossip about the office under Winn Barron. Derrick paid close attention while he reviewed notes of two interviews he’d conducted the day before. Using one finger, he tapped the keyboard of the computer on his desk, adding comments. His ability to catch details while doing another task served him well once more. Winn Barron had a fondness for flirting and liked to milk the old boy network. Kelsey joked that he could keep one hand on the telephone and the other on his secretary’s rear end.
“Sounds like this was a more colorful place to work back in those days,” Derrick said casually. He pressed the key to print pages.
“Colorful is right. I—” Kelsey broke off when Larry’s door opened again.
“Derrick, step in here a minute,” Larry called out.
“Sure,” he said.
Winn Barron sat in one of the large leather chairs. He looked in charge even though the office was no longer his. Up close, Derrick, noticed the unhealthy flush to his wide face. Barron had the red skin and large pores of a heavy drinker. His breathing was audible. Derrick smelled the faint odor of cigar tobacco when they shook hands.
“The best investigator we’ve ever had, Winn. Derrick Guillory,” Larry said. He sat down at his desk and rocked his chair.
“Hello, sir.” Derrick stood to the right of Larry’s desk near the window.
“You must be good. Larry is damn hard to ple
ase.” Winn gave a curt nod. “You from around here?”
“My family moved from Lakeland to Rougon when I was seven.”
“Sit down, son.” Winn slapped the arm of the chair next to him. “You’re tall, and I’m going to get tired looking up. Played basketball I’ll bet.”
Derrick pushed down his gut reaction of irritation. “Yes.”
“Got a scholarship, too. Right?” Winn wore a faint smile.
“I did.”
“What did you do after your eligibility ended?” Winn glanced at him.
“Got my degree and left,” Derrick replied in bland voice.
“Derrick wasn’t just another jock. He actually studied,” Larry put in.
“Humph, that’s the exception for those kids.” Winn looked at him with a bit more interest before he turned back to Larry.
Derrick knew what he meant. Typical, Derrick thought as he watched him. Here was a member of the Southern gentry used to getting what he wanted.
“How are things in Baton Rouge?” Larry said. He tilted his chair.
“That damn woman!” Winn’s thick eyebrows formed a straight line above his watery brown eyes.
“Remember your blood pressure.” Larry pursed his lips in amusement. “She’s doing her job as chairwoman of the Judiciary Committee C.”
“Like hell! Eloise Bertrand just likes pushing my buttons,” Winn thundered. “Senator Jackson has hired some smart-assed consultant out of Washington. I can’t believe you buy into their crap.”
“Mandatory sentencing, like most worthy ideas, started out good. But now we know the unintended negative effects.” Larry kept his tone reasonable despite Barron’s fearsome expression.
“Hell I say!” Winn sat forward suddenly. His eyes narrowed. “Like that crew going before the parole board next month. Look me in the eye and tell me they deserve to get out.”
“So they weren’t model citizens.” Larry lifted his hands. “But we’ve got to use our resources wisely.”
“You’ve been hanging around liberals too damn long.” He glanced at Derrick, then back at Larry. “I’ll tell you one thing, the people agree with me.”
“I’m not the only conservative who has reexamined this issue. Why spend all our time reeling in small fry while the sharks swim away?” Larry sat up straight and looked his mentor in the eye. “It’s a matter of working smarter, not harder, when it comes to catching the bad guys. I’d rather use tax dollars to lock up major distributors.”
“You get the big fish using the small ones as bait,” Winn said, jabbing his forefinger in the air at Larry.
“Maybe, but often as not the big fish just let them take the fall and keep swimming,” Larry countered.
“Or scare them into taking the fall,” Derrick put in. “The last couple of years we’ve had a tough time getting them to take deals. A lot of these guys and women wind up dead. Even in jail.”
“Look at the Vincent case. We sent him to prison for life and shut down the biggest drug network in Avoyelles Parish.” Winn talked to Larry as though Derrick hadn’t spoken. “A coordinated effort between the state police and sheriff departments in three parishes.”
“True,” Derrick said before Larry replied. “But Lloyd Vincent operated for six years before we got him. His conviction was the result of a change of focus, the same change that led us to realize mandatory sentencing doesn’t help.”
Barron turned to Derrick after a few moments of silence. “You seem to know a lot about the big picture for a part-time investigator.”
“Derrick has a degree in criminal justice. He’s gone to special Justice Department training seminars since I hired him.” Larry nodded to Derrick. “And it’s paid off for this office. He’s looked over the files on those prisoners you called me about.”
“I see.” Barron studied Derrick with a less-than-happy expression. “And what do you think, son?”
Derrick maintained a cool pose despite Winn’s intense stare. “The three men have long records, two have previous convictions for assault.”
“Not exactly candidates for leniency,” Larry said with a scowl.
“The other guy had multiple theft convictions, mostly petty stuff.” Derrick looked back at Barron. “I think he was sacrificed by the big guys.”
“He’s scum,” Barron shot back.
“The woman had a history of drug offenses, some were dismissed for lack of evidence,” Derrick went on smoothly without mentioning Monette’s name. “I understand she’s hired Jim Rand to help her.”
“The governor will take care of those law school social engineers,” Barron said with a grim smile of satisfaction. “They blocked the opening of a huge Japanese plastics plant in St. James Parish. He’s pissed, and I don’t blame him. Rand and his crew cost this state much-needed jobs.”
“So far his efforts to punish Tulane Law Center have backfired,” Larry replied.
“Now these people are working to get drug dealers out of prison. Disgusting!” Barron’s cheeks puffed up in outrage.
“Rand doesn’t take on lost causes. He has reviewed the case and trial transcripts extensively.” Derrick kept his casual pose. “There are a few points in her favor.”
Barron’s beady eyes narrowed to slits. “Such as.”
“Her codefendants testified against her, but their accounts conflicted. Plus they had closer ties with the cocaine distributors.” Derrick lifted a shoulder. “Just from what I’ve read she looks like the classic sacrificial lamb.”
“The deals we made with those bums sickened my stomach, but they’ll stand up to scrutiny,” Barron said with an edge to his tone.
“All through the trial she repeatedly denied knowing the details of their operation. From her record she was always a user, not a player on the distribution end,” Derrick went on in an even voice.
Larry rubbed his chin. “One of the guys went back to prison last year. He was on parole when the state police in St. Charles Parish stopped him. They found an automatic weapon in his Jeep Grand Cherokee.”
“He’s serving time,” Derrick added. “Andre Louis hit another dealer who tried to stiff him. Because he took weapons and money, they sent him up for robbery.”
“What does it matter? The point is she knew about his operation,” Barron said.
“Knowing about it and being an integral part of the business are two very different things,” Derrick said. His words caused Barron’s cheeks to turn red.
“Listen to me, young man.” Barron leaned forward and stabbed a thick forefinger at Derrick. “You’ve got one helluva nerve suggesting that I put together a sloppy prosecution!”
“Hey, Winn, cool off here.” Larry shot from his chair and came around his desk. “Derrick isn’t suggesting any such thing.”
“Damn right he is!” Barron spat. “I was reciting criminal procedure while you were still in diapers.”
“No one is questioning the fine work you did as district attorney. Right, Derrick? Certainly no one in this office.” Larry glanced at Derrick with a frown.
“I’m identifying the likely points I think Rand will make.” Derrick wondered at the man’s fiery reaction.
“I assigned Derrick to review the files after you called,” Larry said in an even voice. “That’s what you wanted. We have to know what our opponent will do to counter his claims.”
Barron huffed in silence for a few moments before he spoke. “My political enemies would like nothing better than to attack my record, Larry. You know that.”
“Then we’ll fight back with your excellent conviction rate. Derrick, tell us about the evidence against her.” Larry raised one dark eyebrow as a subtle signal to smooth things over.
Derrick cleared his throat. “Ms. Victor was a known associate of the men involved. She traveled with them to Florida several times, and Jamaica.”
“See?” Barron said loudly. “We tracked her running with Landry and another guy, can’t remember his name. Doesn’t matter he took off.”
“I didn’t see an
y other guy mentioned except the three that testified against her and Devon Landry.” Derrick’s gut tightened. Could he be talking about Earl?
“Some lowlife street dealer. These people are transients.” Barron waved a hand. “I’m surprised we didn’t get him. He hung out with the rest.”
“The point is we think Rand has an uphill battle.” Larry nodded to Derrick to go on.
“It won’t be easy for sure. She’s been denied every year because of her record,” Derrick said.
“Of course,” Winn said with grim satisfaction. “Once we gave them the facts they had to.”
“This isn’t the first time you’ve contacted the parole board about this case? I thought you needed to refresh your memory on the facts.” Larry wore a puzzled expression.
“It’s been years, man. Of course I don’t remember every detail of every case.” Winn stood and slapped Larry on the shoulder. “Good seeing you. You’re doing a fine job.”
“Thanks, Winn. You and Barbara should join Marilyn and me for dinner at the Ox Bow Friday night.”
“Let me take a rain check on that one. I’ll be down at my camp this weekend. I’ll give you a call.” Barron smiled at him.
“Sure thing,” Larry said.
“You’ll get me a report in say another week? Not that I’m rushing. I just like to be prepared.”
“No problem, Winn,” Larry replied.
“Good man. Look, Larry, there are no small cases to me.” Barron stood tall and closed the one button of his dark brown suit jacket. “Even though I’m dealing with larger issues, public safety is still my number one concern.”
“Which is why you would make an excellent governor or United States Attorney, whichever comes first.” Larry faced him with a wide smile. “I know you’re ready to move on. Being appointed U.S. Attorney would be a nice stepping-stone to national office.”
“We’ll see, we’ll see.” Barron flashed a smile back at him, then became serious again. “Right now I’m working hard as attorney general of this great state,” he boomed as though giving a fund-raising speech.
“And you’ve done an outstanding job, too,” Larry replied. “Good seeing you. Now you call me real soon.”