by Lynn Emery
“Uh-huh.”
They came to a small bayou. Three men sat on the far bank with fishing poles. The wind caused ripples on the water. One man reached into a cooler and passed cans to the other two. Their voices drifted over the water, muffled by distance.
“They won’t catch much—too windy, and the water seems kinda high.” Derrick stood with his legs apart slapping the grass against one thigh.
“Not the point though. They’re enjoying the day.” Talia walked to the water’s edge. “Brothers sticking together. Doesn’t matter if everything turns out perfect. Life isn’t perfect.”
“Maybe they’re not brothers,” Derrick said as he walked to her. They stood side by side without touching. “Could be three pals playing hooky from work.”
“Brothers by blood or some other bond, it’s the same.” Talia stared at the men. “Being connected is important.”
“Yes it is. We’re so much alike, Talia. I always dreamed of having a stable, loving family.”
They stared at each other. Talia longed to tell him their dreams could come true. She was tempted to take him in her arms. She wanted to feel his strong body, drink in every bit of consolation he offered so willingly. Derrick’s expression was open and inviting. Only a step to him would ease her loneliness. Instead she turned away. The real world wasn’t filled with happy, neat endings like an old romantic movie.
“I need to stand by Monette and stand up to Barron. Let me finish,” Talia said when Derrick started to protest. “I don’t expect to fix our relationship like in some made-for-television family movie. Fact is, I doubt we’ll ever be close. But I have to admire her. She’s got her own kind of courage. No. I guess I’m tired of running.”
“You picked the wrong time to stop.” Derrick dropped her hand.
“Will you listen before I get the full lecture?” Talia said.
“Okay. This I’ve gotta hear. Explain to me how doing something totally insane in an already surreal scenario makes sense.”
“Thanks for keeping an open mind.” Talia arched her eyebrows.
“You’re welcome. Go on.” Derrick crossed his arms.
“We both know Earl Glasper was scum. Not that being scum is a capital offense, but Monette was defending herself.”
“So far we agree.”
Talia sighed. “That night just summed up all the reasons I wanted to get away from her forever. But I was with her then, and I should be with her now.”
“I doubt they’ll find Earl’s body. I can only guess what she did, but Monette found a way to hide him for good.” Derrick pursed his lips.
“She was in a real tight spot. Whom would she call?” Talia squinted as though the action would help her see answers. “Monette had the district attorney panting after her like a dog in heat. He had the power to get things done in this parish. Barron had to have helped her, Derrick. Even if he did it through other people and kept his hands clean.”
“All was forgiven in a few moments? Not him.”
“A nice revenge though. He got her later,” Talia said.
“Why not let her go down for murder right then? Doesn’t add up.” Derrick shook his head slowly.
“Maybe Earl was a problem he needed to just disappear. A murder investigation might uncover some inconvenient facts about their relationship.” Talia spread her arms out. “Huh?”
“I looked at his old files for hours on end. I’d say some of Barron’s cases smelled. Earl was the informant on more than half.” Derrick stared at the countryside, but his thoughts were obviously not on the scenery.
“And he probably knew enough about the other half to make Barron and Jerome Hines pretty uncomfortable.”
“Good reasoning.” Derrick looked at her again. “But there’s no proof.”
“Maybe Jim could get the hearing delayed?”
“Not again. I asked. To make matters worse, Hines is going to be there. Kelsey says Larry insisted. His presence will really add credibility to Barron’s account.”
“Which brings me back to my earlier point. Barron and Hines are the weakest links.” Talia lifted her chin. “I was with Monette during those years. I saw the folks she was hanging with back in the day.”
“You don’t know anything. Look what happened to Hines when Barron thought he would talk.” Derrick’s dark eyes flashed. “No!”
“The hearing is Monday. I’m going show up and have a little talk with Jerome Hines. I found some old hotel receipts, slips of paper Monette made notes about meeting up with Jerry. I can guess enough details to make him talk.” Talia wore a tight smile.
“Please don’t tell me you want to wear a hidden microphone. Even if I agreed to do it, and I won’t, Hines wouldn’t be so stupid.”
“His back is against the wall. He’s got nowhere to turn and no one to trust, not even his dear wife. I’ll use the element of surprise. Neither one of them is expecting a long-lost kid to show up.” Talia looked at him hard. “Are you going to help me or not?”
The large conference room in the prison administration building was packed. A contingent representing the Louisiana Victims’ Rights coalition occupied two front rows. Their leader, a tall woman with black hair, wore an earnest expression. She gave comments to a reporter hovering at her shoulder. Talia gazed around the room. The guards hadn’t brought Monette in yet. Three of the six parole board members sat at a long table. Folding metals chairs were set up in five rows for the audience. Another smaller table faced the parole board members. This was obviously for those who would address the board.
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Derrick muttered. He scrutinized everyone assembled like a well-seasoned security man. “I don’t like it.”
“Nothing will happen here. If I play it right, Hines will talk. You sure this thing will pick up his voice?”
Talia shifted the strap on her navy blue leather shoulder purse. A small microphone that resembled a designer emblem was attached to an outside flap. Derrick wore a pair of sunglasses with amber-colored lenses. A small receiver was hidden in the frame behind one ear. The wire appeared to be trendy cord attached to the eyeglasses.
“Yes. Remember you have to wait until the board quiets everybody down. Then—”
“Will you relax? I know the drill. I’ll hang around out here and catch Hines before he goes in. They’re going to review three other inmates before they get to Monette’s case,” Talia said. Oddly enough she felt composed.
“Yeah. I thought they’d change the agenda because of the interest in Monette’s case, put her first.” Derrick turned to the side as he spoke in a low monotone. “Maybe they’re hoping the reporters will get bored and leave.”
“Not much chance of that.”
Derrick glanced at her curiously before he looked away again. “You look pretty cool considering. Acting like you’ve done this kinda thing before. You keeping something from me about your real job in D.C.?”
“What?” Talia whispered. Three prison employees studied her for several moments as they walked by. “Hi,” she said to them in a normal tone. They nodded back and kept going.
“Could be you’re working for the CIA or something.” Derrick’s handsome face was impassive. Yet there was a teasing lilt to his voice.
“Oh sure. And Monette’s thinking about entering a convent.” Talia checked her wristwatch. “I’m going out to be on the safe side.”
Derrick didn’t answer. He walked away and found an empty seat. No one around them seemed to notice they’d been quietly talking. After a few moments he took a small notebook and pen from his pocket. Dressed in a long-sleeved gray shirt and black chinos, he looked like just another reporter. Talia strolled out into the hallway. She pretended to study notes on a pad.
“Excuse me, ma’am. You got a pass?” A short, stocky female prison guard studied Talia intently.
“Sure,” Talia said smoothly. She pointed to the light blue visitor’s tag clipped to her jacket. “I’m waiting for someone if that’s okay.”
&
nbsp; The woman looked at the tag. “No problem. Just checking.”
“I understand.” Talia smiled at her. The woman moved on to scan the rest of the scene.
“Thank God for public meeting laws,” Talia murmured as she watched the woman leave.
Because the meetings were public, Talia and Derrick had been able to attend without arousing too much attention. She made a circle in the hall at least three times before Hines showed up. He strode toward her with a dour look on his chocolate brown face. A butterfly bandage on his left cheek and a slight limp were the only signs of the attack he’d suffered. Talia watched him approach. When he was about three feet away she glanced up from the yellow legal pad she held.
“Excuse me. Jerome Hines, right?” Talia blocked his path.
His ebony eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”
“Talia Marchand.” She held out a hand.
“We’ve never met, and I don’t talk to reporters.” Hines ignored her attempt to shake hands. “I’m running late for the meeting.”
“They haven’t started. Monette Victor’s case isn’t the first one anyway.” Talia didn’t move out of his way despite his forbidding scowl. “And you know I’m not a reporter, Mr. Hines.”
“Sorry, but I have no idea who you are, miss. Now if you’ll excuse me…” He started to go around her, but Talia moved to head him off. Hines stared down his nose at her for several seconds. “Honey, this is flattering. Problem is I’m a married guy.”
“Nobody here knows I’m Monette’s daughter. Don’t worry.” Talia spoke in a low voice. “You called me. Does Barron know?”
Hines cast a quick glance around them. “I don’t know what you’ve been smoking, young lady, but give it up. Now please move outta my way.”
“No, he must not, or you wouldn’t be able to walk,” Talia went on smoothly. She marveled at her own audacity.
“Listen, little girl, don’t play grown-up games. You don’t know the rules.” His dark eyes glittered with anger.
Talia noted the sheen of sweat forming on his top lip. “He’ll stab you in the back anyway. Did you know I was living with Monette around the time Earl Glasper disappeared? Those were some wild days. Men coming and going like buses in a busy city. Monette didn’t miss a one.”
Hines licked a dry bottom lip. “What are you talking about?”
“Earl was pimping for the district attorney, your boss. You know, an informant using his pals and getting paid by Barron.”
“You’ve lost your mind. I’ve got no time for crazy talk from some woman I’ve never seen before.” Despite his words Hines didn’t leave. He seemed unable to look away from her.
“Didn’t y’all meet around that old house on Bayou Road? Monette and Earl used to be over there all the time.” Talia had spent hours dredging up memories she’d been repressing for years. She was surprised at the details that flooded back.
“I used to follow them, trying to keep up with her. Just a dirty little kid trying to get attention from my mama.” Talia felt a tiny stab of pain at the grain of truth mixed in with her bluff.
“Oh yeah?” Hines breathed hard.
“Sure did. I grew up fast, had to with Monette for a mother. I learned a lot.” Talia looked left and right before she went on. “I kept a lot of Monette’s old papers from back in the day. Yes, I remember a lot from those days. Stuff like the house on Bayou Road, the long black car that used to come and pick Monette up. If I think hard enough, I might remember seeing you.”
“To hell with this,” Hines snapped, and pushed her aside.
In a panic that she’d handled him wrong, Talia grabbed his arm. “Listen, Barron has already proved he’ll turn on you. Do the right thing, Mr. Hines. You were willing to before. Why the change?”
Hines stopped. He looked around, then motioned for her to follow him outside. Talia prayed the high tech microphone had a long enough range. Hines led her away from a group of three men smoking under a covered walkway. The trio put out their cigarettes after a few seconds and went back into the building.
“I don’t know what your game is, but Winn Barron is a man of integrity and—”
“Skip the speech. I’m not wearing a wire.” Talia took off her jacket and turned in a circle. She patted her white cotton blouse. “See?”
He stared at her hard. After taking a deep breath, he walked back and forth, rubbing his face. “He’s probably got somebody about to show up any minute.”
“To keep an eye on you.” Talia’s pulsed picked up. Here we go.
“Bastard!” Hines paced more. “I’m no angel, okay? But I have never set up anybody for something they didn’t do. Never would.”
“Then tell them what happened,” Talia said with force.
“No way. Barron is really desperate. I’ve been waiting for him to fall out of power. He keeps climbing.” Hines stood still and tapped a fist against one thigh.
“My mother has been in prison for fifteen years. She can’t wait forever! You can knock Barron off that ladder.” Talia walked close to him.
“Forget it. He’d step on me like a bug and still come out just fine.”
“Then help me.” Talia clutched his arm again.
“Barron would know it was me. Nobody else involved can or will talk. They know better. Come to that, so do I.” Hines gazed up at the cloudless sky above the prison buildings. He sighed. “Sorry, but I gotta think about me.”
Without another word or looking at her, he strode back into the building. Talia bit her lip to keep from screaming. She’d done all she could. Maybe she should follow Mama Rose’s advice and go home. Was D.C. truly home? Tears made the scene around her waver out of focus. She felt adrift, lost, with no clue about finding a way to a familiar place. Derrick emerged from the hallway.
“Hey, baby girl. I’m real sorry. You gave it your best shot.” Derrick forgot about being cautious. He put one strong arm around her shoulder.
“I was hoping he’d give some hint, something you could track down.” Talia sniffed.
Derrick went inside for a few seconds and came back. He handed her a wad of tissues. “He’s a hard-ass.”
Talia dabbed her eyes and blew her nose. She tossed one tissue into a nearby trash bin with an angry snap of the wrist.
“I was kidding myself, playing at detective. Barron wouldn’t crack either if I tried my stupid idea with him,” she said bitterly.
“Probably not,” Derrick agreed. He put a hand under her arm. “Like I said, he’d get someone to scare you, and we’d never be able to connect him to it. With his influence he might even try to destroy your career.”
“I hate feeling this way, Derrick,” Talia blurted out. “When I was a kid, all the kids with money and status treated me like dirt. They could step on us poor kids, and the teachers would back them up. I swore nobody would make me feel like less than nothing again!”
“Nobody can without your permission. It’s about feeling good, knowing who we are. I had to struggle with that for a long time. Still do on bad days,” Derrick said. “You can go back to D.C. knowing you did all you could. I’m going inside. You coming?”
“In a minute.” Talia gave him a weak smile.
Derrick gave her arm a squeeze. His dark eyes reflected caring and empathy for what she was going through. Talia watched his graceful stride as he left.
“Can I have a minute out here to smoke?” Monette said to the female corrections officer with her.
“Yeah, they’re on the third inmate anyway. I figure you have time, but not much. Nobody came to speak about them others.” The officer took a pack from her pocket. “Here ya go.”
Monette took out one cigarette. The officer lit it for her. She didn’t look at Talia. “Thanks.”
“I’ll be listening to the board.” The officer strolled a few feet away. She stood where she could listen to the proceedings and still see Monette.
“I ain’t goin’ nowhere,” Monette quipped. When the woman disappeared through the doorway, she turned to Talia. “
I told you not to come. Mama Rose and Derrick should have stopped you.”
“They tried, but I wouldn’t listen.” Talia looked away.
“Nothing you can do. I wanted to see you, but not this bad. Get out of here.”
Talia ignored the command. “What about Earl?”
“If it comes out, I’ll talk.” Monette gave a gruff laugh that lacked humor. “Screwing up been my life’s work. I got it down to a fine art.
“I can’t argue with you.” Talia bit back more biting words. She heaved a deep sigh. “I shouldn’t have said that. Here you’re fighting for your freedom, and I’m giving you smart remarks.”
Monette laughed again. Her voice sounded lighter. “Hey, you ain’t my daughter for nothin’. ’Sides, we both know you meant it.”
Talia smiled and shook her head. “Yeah, I did. But I want you to know…” She couldn’t go on. Without warning the tears came back.
“Derrick and Karl told me all you’ve done for me. You made me feel real proud, and loved, too,” Monette said softly. “Ain’t felt loved a lot in my life before now.”
“I know.” Talia clenched her teeth. She’d felt that way herself more times than she could count. What a sad inheritance.
“I didn’t deserve such great kids, didn’t have anything to do with it really. But I’m damn lucky to have good kids like y’all.” Monette puffed on the cigarette. “Nah, it wasn’t luck. It was a blessing. God had angels watchin’ over my children even when I didn’t.”
The guard appeared in the doorway. “Hey, Monette, they just finished with Yvonne. Come on, you’re the star of this show.”
Monette cleared her throat. “Okay. How’d it go for her?”
“They approved her parole. Maybe they’re in a generous mood,” the officer replied.
“Humph! That’ll change once I get in there,” Monette said with dark humor. “I’ll be there in a minute. Got a couple of puffs to go.”
“Alright.” The officer turned and started talking to someone.
“Don’t hang around. I think we both know how this is gonna play out. Get on a plane and go back to the good things you earned. You stand out like a sore thumb in my world.” Monette swept a gaze around the prison grounds. “Thank the Lord.”