CHAPTER FOURTEEN
When Trak and Zeke walked into the warehouse, they heard the laughter of a dozen teenagers. Music was playing, and they were belting out the song, whatever it was, dancing around the floats. Even Lottie and Louisa were hand-in-hand like old friends. The two men smirked at one another.
“Trak! Zeke!” smiled Sophia. Rose and Morgan saw them and walked toward them as well.
“Evening,” grinned Zeke. “Nice moves, ladies.”
“Oh, hush,” smiled Morgan. “We were having fun with the kids. We’re just about done here. Just two more floats to complete, which shouldn’t be a problem.”
“That’s great,” said Zeke. “You guys get home, and we’ll handle this.”
Sophia, Rose, and Morgan made sure the kids were on their way and then rode together back to Belle Fleur. Trak and Zeke released the dogs, knowing they would bark if there was something suspicious.
Casually, they walked around the floats, not saying anything. They’d been able to speak wordlessly for years. Grunts, nods, pointing, and ASL. It was creepy and cool all at the same time. Noticing a tear in the wheel cover for one of the floats, Zeke knelt down and inspected beneath it.
“What’s wrong?” asked Trak.
“I’m not sure. Part of the trailer is sticking out and tearing the wheel cover.” Zeke followed the curve of the fabric to the back of the trailer and lifted the edge.
Donated by Trehorn CPA Firm
Trak looked at him and then at the other trailers. Slowly, he lifted the back of each one. Out of twenty-three trailers, seven were donated by Deanna’s family. With the dogs seemingly happy and blocking the front door, the men began carefully inspecting the underside of the trailers.
If there was something to be found. They would find it.
“I’m sorry I ruined your dinner,” said Deanna, looking at the older women across from her.
“Honey, you didn’t ruin our dinner,” smiled Erin. “The truth is, it’s nice to feel needed. Our kids are grown, and they don’t need us as much. Heck, even the grandkids are grown at this point. We’re happy to step in as surrogate mamas.” The women all laughed, and Deanna smiled at them.
“This place just seems to put me at peace. Miss Irene kept trying to get me to come out here, but I was being stubborn. I should have taken more time off work and spent a few weeks out here just collecting myself again.”
“It’s a tough thing losing your parents,” said Alexandra. “I’d lost mine just before I came to New Orleans. You won’t feel normal again for a while. Why don’t you share some favorite memories of them.”
“Oh,” smiled Deanna. “I have so many. They were both members of St. Louis Cathedral and were devout. I wish I could say that I was as well, but I wasn’t. I would attend mass on holidays and special occasions, but they were there almost every day.
“Mom would put on a nice dress and her pearls. Dad used to wear a suit and tie and then started just wearing a button-down shirt. But they always looked so nice. They would walk from our house hand-in-hand, even if it was raining. It was as if the weather didn’t matter.
“I asked Dad once why they did it, and he said because it was twenty-two minutes holding the hand of the only woman he ever loved.” The others smiled at her, nodding. “I hope I’m lucky enough one day to find a love like that.”
“You will, honey. I’m sure you will,” said Marie. She turned to see the men walking toward their table. “What now?”
“Deanna? Honey, could you come with us to the office? We need to show you something.”
“Just so I can be prepared, is this a good something or a bad something?” The four men stared at her, not saying anything at all. She nodded, standing to follow them. “Alright then. To be determined.”