“Are you okay?” Nat asked, coming from around the counter. “You weren’t hurt were you?” Nat, as usual, wore black jeans and black Doc Marten boots. A black band T-shirt exposed her arms that were covered in tattoos and currently cradling a huge mixing bowl full of cake batter.
“No, no, I’m fine. It wasn’t a very big room, but whoever it was that shot Meredith seemed to be quite certain of what they were doing. One shot and that was it, she was dead. The police think Dr. Jack did it.”
“What? Are you serious?” Nat rolled her eyes. “That Detective Johnson is such a fool. Of course, it wasn’t Dr. Jack. He and Sage are made for each other. She would never go for a murderer!”
“But wasn’t it obvious who shot the gun? You know, when the lights went up?” Elijah was incredulous. “I mean, in the dark, how could they tell who they were shooting? They could easily have missed or even shot the wrong person. Risky.” Elijah popped another pastry into his mouth, frenetically munching as he thought about this.
Nat’s eyes grew wide. “Hey, perhaps you’re right. Perhaps the wrong person was killed. Perhaps the bullet wasn’t meant for Meredith at all?” She looked at Roxy, her eyebrows nearly above her hairline.
“Oooh, very possibly, Nat,” Elijah said. “Not sure we can trust Detective Johnson to work that out, either. He’s not that bright. You need to get a-sleuthing, Roxy. You know, like you have the last two times?”
“No, I do not,” Roxy said. The feverish speculation Elijah and Nat were indulging in was giving her a headache. She most certainly did not want to get involved.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“CHER,” EVANGELINE SAID warmly, walking up to the three young people and cocking her head on one side as she looked at Roxy with her big brown eyes. She hugged Roxy. Evangeline was a very no-nonsense old woman at the best of times, and after the shock of Meredith’s murder and the arrest of Dr. Jack, her concern and affection caught Roxy off-guard.
Roxy gulped back a sudden lump in her throat. She didn’t want to cry. The image of Meredith’s body was accompanying Roxy everywhere she went and what had happened in the past few hours was starting to hit her hard. The room swam a little, but she told herself she couldn’t break down. She had to be strong for Charles and George, for everyone at the Funky Cat Inn. That’s what a leader did, how a leader was. That’s what she was. Roxy cleared her throat. “The air’s spicy,” she said, by way of an excuse for her watery eyes.
The air was spicy. It was filled with Creole and Cajun aromas. The room was hot, too. Nat’s and Evangeline’s cheeks were flushed, and they had rolled-up their sleeves. Condensation formed on the windows.
“Well, at least our guests will eat well,” Nat said. “Everyone feels better after six courses of Evangeline’s finest.”
“Eatin’ at all’s a task when your heart’s been ripped out, cher,” Evangeline said to her. “They may not feel like eating nuttin’. And mind yer mouth, y'hear? Don’t you go sayin’ anything harsh to them good people, will ya?”
“Of course, I won’t!” Nat said. “Why would I do that?”
“It has been known, cher,” said Evangeline. “You can’t deny it.”
Nat sighed and her shoulders sagged. “Look, I know I haven’t always been the most sensitive of people. But I’m different now, I promise. And I’m doing better.”
“Actions speak louder ‘n words, cher,” Evangeline said. “You keep working on holdin’ your tongue. You show Roxy you can do it. You owe it to her.”
Nat’s cheeks flushed even more, her eyes glassy in the spicy, steamy air.
Roxy changed the subject quickly. “So what was the spread planned for tonight? Maybe we can holdover some courses until tomorrow.”
“First course is crudités. You know, carrots, celery, cucumber, asparagus, and some beets, with Cajun chicken dip.” Nat pointed to some trays covered with brightly-colored vegetables aside a pale yellow sauce.
“That might work,” Roxy said. “Light, fresh. They could take some to their room.”
“Next was to be deep-fried crab cakes,” said Evangeline. “We don’t have to fry them until they say so. We can always save them for another night.”
“We have a veggie option if they prefer, deep-fried okra,” Nat pointed out.
“We’d planned a Cajun-spiced beef broth,” said Evangeline.
“That might work, too, if they want to eat lightly,” Roxy said.
“Then the fourth course is the main: oyster pie, roasted potatoes, greens, and beetroot salad. The cheese course, of course, after that.”
“And what’s for dessert?”
“Berries cooked in red wine, apple juice, and sugar,” said Nat.
“Over homemade macadamia and white chocolate ice cream,” Evangeline added.
Roxy let her mouth drop open. “Wow, that sounds fantastic as usual. How do we eat it all?” she said.
Nat laughed. “We always say that, but we always manage!”
“So true,” said Roxy. “How long ‘til it’ll be ready? I want to offer them food as soon as possible so that Charles and George can get to bed early if they wish.”
“It’ll only be ten minutes or so,” said Nat.
“You find out what they want to do, and come tell us, cher. We’ll work around whatever they want,” Evangeline added.
“Okay, great,” Roxy said. She rang up to Charles and George’s rooms and explained the situation. To her surprise, they both agreed to come down for dinner—all six courses.
“It’s what Meredith would want,” Charles said. “We’ll dress for dinner in her honor.”
After relaying the message to Nat and Evangeline and the others—Elijah, Sage and Sam—Roxy dashed to her room. Nefertiti was curled up on her bed.
“Hi, Princess,” Roxy said, giving Nefertiti a scratch as the cat stretched out her full length, her soft belly fur spreading like a concertina, her claws retracting lazily. “Oh, to be a cat, huh? Just sleeping and eating all day long. How lovely that must be.” Roxy let out a slightly envious sigh. “But there’s no time for cuddles and relaxing now.” Nefertiti sat up and shook her head, looking up at Roxy with her piercing blue eyes. “Oh, okay, just one cuddle,” Roxy said. She bent down to give Nefertiti a squeeze and a kiss on the top of her head. Then she rushed off to shower.
As she let the jets of hot water pound against her, Roxy wondered what to wear. Earlier that day, she had planned on wearing her midnight blue dress, the one that had silver threads all over it, along with an abundance of silver and crystal jewelry, but now it clearly wasn’t appropriate. A black dress felt a little too literal in the circumstances, but neither did she want to dress down in jeans. In the end, she settled on a dark green skater dress that didn’t draw too much attention. She added single pearl earrings, but no necklace, and flat pumps.
A short while later, they were all in the dining room, tucking into their crudités and crab cakes. Elijah, still in his zebra shirt, sat at the end of the table, clearly not knowing what to say to Charles and George, especially after his faux pas in front of them earlier. Sedate and somber weren’t natural states for him, but he sporadically attempted conversation with Sage who sat next to him. Both Elijah and Sage regularly dressed as though they were ready for a formal dinner anywhere, anytime, so they didn’t look ill-suited to the occasion. Sage was in her pink robes from earlier. But now Roxy noticed that her facial expression flickered between serene and stressed, and she wasn’t very talkative, answering Elijah’s questions only briefly. Sam had dressed in a black suit and tie and was gamely making attempts at conversation with Charles. Roxy’s heart warmed to him for the effort he was putting in.
George and Nat were talking earnestly in quiet, gentle tones, their heads close together. Nat looked different. She hadn’t just “booted” it this time. When it came to dressing for dinner, Nat often simply changed her work boots for a pair of snazzier Doc Martens. Today though, she’d put on a fresh pair of jeans and a band t-shirt that was more than simply monochromatic. T
he band logo plastered across the front of her t-shirt had some color in it—green, blue, and yellow to be precise, although the band name was indecipherable to Roxy’s eye. George wore a pair of navy slacks and a Black Watch tartan jacket while next to him, Charles was wearing a blue bow tie and a navy blazer with brass buttons and beige pants. Evangeline had decided to sit the meal out and was busy in the kitchen doing the last-minute food preparations.
As Nat cleared away the first course and they waited for Evangeline to bring out the broth, Roxy heard Sam ask Charles about his work.
“I am a pediatric surgeon at Mercy West Children’s Hospital in Greensboro, North Carolina. I specialize in the surgical repair of birth defects. I’ve worked at Mercy West for forty years, although I travel a lot.”
“He’s a pioneer,” George said breaking off briefly from his conversation with Nat. “Fetal surgery. It’s an emerging field. Charles is a leader in it.”
“Wow, that’s impressive, important work you do, Doctor. Where does your work take you?” Sam responded.
“I travel to different parts of the country to help out where I’m needed, but I also have a foundation that provides surgery to children around the world, especially in poverty-stricken areas.” Charles' voice shook. He looked away and blinked. “I—I…,” he said quietly. He stood suddenly and flung down his napkin. “I was wrong. I’m sorry, I just can’t do this!” he burst out. He threw the dregs of his white wine down his throat. “I’m going to my room. Sorry, I’m sorry. I just can’t…”
Sage stood up quickly. “May I come with you? As one spiritual person to another? Perhaps we can provide each other with some solace?”
“Oh, I’m not really spiritual. That was M—Meredith’s thing. I’m all about science, me.” Charles was speaking in a big rush. His words came out harshly.
The conversation in the room died, and everyone looked at Charles. Evangeline came through the kitchen door carrying the broth but stopped abruptly when she noticed the scene in front of her.
“B—But, thank you,” Charles said more graciously now. “I would, however, prefer to be alone.” He sniffed and walked awkwardly out of the room as the others watched him in silence.
“Would y’all like some broth? It’s pipin’ hot and hearty. Just what y’all need on a night like tonight,” Evangeline chirped brightly. The awkward silence broken, the remaining diners gratefully allowed her to ladle the steaming liquid into their bowls. Cutlery and crystal rattled as they turned their attention once more to their food.
The evening continued in a subdued mood. Later when Nat softly crooned I’ll Be Seeing You, accompanied by Sam on the saxophone and Elijah on the piano, it felt slightly eerie. It was a beautiful song, but it wasn’t cheery. It had a bittersweet melody that went right into Roxy’s bones and stayed there.
CHAPTER NINE
“HELLO?” ROXY SAID blearily, picking up her phone.
A peal of light bells had floated across the light of the early morning that streamed into Roxy’s bedroom. She had stirred as the tinkle of musical notes woke her gently. Roxy had purposefully chosen the ringtone for its subdued, discreet quality. She had found over time that shocking her nervous system early in the morning with something as ordinary as a phone call was violent and unnecessary. Trouble was, the low volume and mellow nature of the sound meant it often took some time to rouse her. Nefertiti meowed indignantly as Roxy moved to sit up, waking her cat as she lay curled in a furry ball behind Roxy’s knees.
“It’s Sage, Roxy. Sorry to wake you up so early, honey. Dr. Jack has rung from the police station. He’s still in custody. He wants you and me to go over there. Right now.”
“Okay,” Roxy said, sliding from between the sheets and shaking herself awake. “Did he say what was happening? Like why they are still holding him?”
“No, nothing. Look, I think we should just get over there ASAP. I’m very anxious about him.”
“I’ll get dressed and meet you on Main Street.”
“Perfect,” said Sage. “I’ll be there in two minutes. He sounds terrible, Roxy. Be quick, won’t you?”
“As lightning,” Roxy promised.
Roxy quickly fed the ever-hungry Nefertiti and slipped into jeans and a sweatshirt. She sat on the bed to lace up her tennis shoes, and within moments, she was stepping out of the hotel into the early morning light. The sidewalk glistened, a result of the overnight rain, but the sun was just beginning to peek over the tops of the buildings, promising a beautiful day. Glancing across the alleyway, there were lights on in Elijah’s bakery, and she could see him filling his display cases with fresh pastries and loaves of bread. Despite their late dinner the evening before, he would have been up since the early hours, kneading, and proofing, frying, and assembling his baked goods. He looked remarkably fresh and alert, and on seeing her, gave her a wave.
As she promised, Sage stood at the corner of the alleyway where it met Main Street. She wore brilliant white flowing robes. A soft gray wig of long curls cascaded down her back, and she stood tall and proud. She looked like a Grecian goddess. After embracing Roxy in a quick hug, Sage announced, “Let’s go. It’s only a short walk.”
They hurried down the street. It was so early that there was barely any traffic, and the only people they saw were dog walkers, runners out for their morning jog, and those on their way to an early shift.
Sage said, “He said he only had a second to talk. He’d had to beg Johnson to let him use the phone. He just told me things were really bad, and he needed to see us.”
“Man,” Roxy said, “I can’t believe they’re still holding him. I mean, why would Dr. Jack kill Meredith Romanoff? Unless…”
“Don’t even think that, Roxy. He wouldn’t do such a thing,” Sage said her voice firm and resolute. “No ‘unless’ about it.” When she turned to face Roxy, fire blazed in her eyes. “Seriously Roxy, I know his heart. It’s not him. It’s really not. Someone else murdered Meredith Romanoff.”
“Okay,” said Roxy softly. “I hear what you’re saying.”
Some doubt must have crept into her voice because Sage said, “Honey, please trust me on this one. Yes, people are complex. No one’s perfect. But I have psychic powers, and I know Dr. Jack’s complexity and his imperfections. I can promise you that the ability to kill another human being doesn’t exist in him. Not even a little bit. He wouldn’t harm anyone or anything.”
“I believe you,” said Roxy. “I trust you…your powers.”
“Thank you.” Sage reached out and squeezed Roxy’s hand. It felt large and warm and soft as it wrapped around Roxy’s cool, small, slight one. “Now, just give me a moment. I need to prepare my energy for walking into that police station. They are terrible places from an energetic perspective. All sorts of tortured spirits roam about, just like hospitals, but at least hospitals are healing places. There are strong, positive energies trying very hard to do good there. Police departments are just—ugh.” Sage shuddered.
They walked the rest of the way in silence. As they got closer, Roxy felt her anxiety mount. Her palms began to sweat, and her pace picked up. She did not relish the prospect of coming across Johnson at any time, but first thing in the morning was especially tough. Perhaps Trudeau would be there. He wouldn’t be so bad, but not by all that much. As it turned out, neither Johnson nor Trudeau were anywhere to be seen.
A young woman officer stood at the front desk. She looked startlingly young. In fact, Roxy suspected that the woman was younger than her, and that made Roxy feel old.
“Jack Lavantille requested our visit,” Sage said to the police officer.
The young woman looked bored as she checked a list of names on a clipboard. She punched some numbers into a phone and spoke quietly into it. “You can meet him in the visitors’ room,” she said when she put the phone down. “I’ll escort you. One second. Please sit.” She gestured toward some scuffed utilitarian chairs in the waiting area.
Roxy and Sage both sat down. Now that she was paying attention, Ro
xy realized what Sage meant by the police station being filled with weird energies. Just sitting in the lobby made her feel uncomfortable and on edge. Stale air hung around the room, the noticeboard was filled with torn, faded, or out-of-date notices and the strip lights above were far too bright. They were threatening to give her a headache.
It seemed an age before the young woman police officer appeared from behind a heavy blue metal door at the side of the counter. She nodded at them in an unfriendly way. “You can come through now.”
Roxy noticed the woman appraise Sage, taking in her long mermaid hair and her white robes, clearly disapproving of them in all their floaty, exotic glory.
They followed the policewoman down a corridor and were led to a side room. “Go in,” she said. “You have fifteen minutes.”
Sage and Roxy walked over to a small booth. There was only one chair. On the other side of the glass partition sat Dr. Jack. He looked pale and defeated, his body slumped in his chair. As he caught sight of them though, he sat up, a nervous, desperate energy enlivening him. His eyes sparkled although there was no accompanying smile to soften his features. Another police officer stood against the wall behind him.
“Jack,” Sage said. She ignored Roxy and slipped onto the chair in front of him.
“Sage,” he said. He mustered a smile and looked behind her. “Hello, Roxy. Thank you so much for coming, both of you.”
“Of course we would come,” Sage said. She shifted over a little. “Roxy, do you want to take half the seat next to me?”
“No, I’m fine,” said Roxy. “I’ll stand here.”
Sage gave her a grateful smile and repositioned herself in the middle of the chair. She put her hand on the glass, tilted her head to one side, and pursed her lips. Her big brown eyes were moist. Dr. Jack lifted his hand on the other side of the glass to match hers. Roxy looked down at the floor. She felt the moment too intimate for her to witness, but Sage and Dr. Jack didn’t mind her.
3 Louisiana Lies Page 5