Kidnapped in Dark Waters (A Bayou Investigation #2)

Chapter One

Mystique’s Magic. The large purple lettering danced across a seafoam-green background on the sign above the front door of the store. A white banner hung just below it, with big red lettering announcing the grand opening.

Dominique Santori stood in a line of women waiting to get into the interior of the new, small store.

The store was her older sister Angelique’s lifelong dream, and a deep sense of pride filled Dominique at her sister’s accomplishment.

However, the pride and happiness she felt for her sister was tempered with a healthy dose of sadness and grief.

The store had been named after their mother, Mystique Santori. She’d been viciously murdered a little over two months ago and so far, there hadn’t been any arrests for the crime.

She now smiled as she saw Monique, her younger sister, approaching where she stood. “Sorry I’m late,” Monique said.

“When aren’t you late,” Dominique replied teasingly.

As usual, Monique looked sharp. She was clad in a long black-and-white-striped skirt with a ruffled white blouse. Her long, black hair was caught at the nape of her neck with a silver clasp and dainty silver earrings danced from her ears.

“Looks like she’s got a good crowd,” Monique said, obviously ignoring her sister’s jab about always being late. “Have you heard anything from the women leaving the store? Any early reviews?”

“Not really, but I’ve heard snatches of conversations from the women standing in line behind me.” Dominique released a deep sigh. “Some people apparently believe Angelique is setting herself up to become the next voodoo queen, since Mama is gone.”

Before her murder, Mystique Santori was known as a voodoo queen both in the swamp and in the small town.

People came to her under the cover of darkness to her shanty deep in the wetland that half surrounded the small Louisiana town of Dark Waters.

It was whispered that she had dabbled in black magic, and most people in the town and swamp had been afraid of her.

“Well, that’s just ridiculous,” Monique scoffed. “Especially now that she’s moved in with Daniel.”

A little over a week ago, Angelique had left the swamp behind and moved in with the chief of police, Daniel LeCroix.

The two had found love as Daniel had worked on solving their mother’s murder.

There might not be anyone behind bars yet, but Dominique knew Daniel was still hard at work trying to find out who took her mother’s life.

“But you know how people love to talk,” Dominique replied. “Still, it’s an exciting day for Angelique and I hope she sells a ton of items today.”

“I intend to buy something from her, but I’m just not sure what.” The two women took several steps forward as the line moved closer to the door.

The two sisters small-talked and then they reached the shop door and went inside. The interior smelled appealingly of a variety of florals and spices. On one side of the store were candles, bath salts and an assortment of other items for self-care.

On the other side was why Angelique had wanted to open the store in the first place. Shelves held a variety of poultices and tinctures and teas made from the healing plants and flowers from the swamp.

Angelique greeted both of them with hugs. “Thanks for coming in,” she said, her face flushed with excitement. She was dressed in a pair of black slacks and a purple T-shirt with the store logo on the front. Her long black hair was in a high ponytail and tied up with a purple ribbon.

“We wouldn’t have missed it,” Monique said.

“How’s it going?” Dominique asked.

“Better than I could have ever imagined. I’ve sold so much of the swamp-based items I’ll need to head out to restock in the next day or two,” Angelique replied.

“That’s terrific,” Dominique said. “We’re here to shop, so we’ll just look around while you take care of other customers.”

Minutes later, Dominique paid for a candle and Monique bought some scented body lotion, and then together the two said their goodbyes to their sister and they left the store.

“Are you working today?” Monique asked once they were outside again.

“Yes, I’m on lunch duty today so I’m working from eleven to four,” Dominique replied. “What about you?”

“I’m going in to work at five and I’ll be there until close,” Monique replied. “A new shipment is supposed to come in sometime this afternoon so at least I’ll have something to do. I always love to unpack, inventory and then tag and hang new clothes.”

“And you love to spend half your paycheck on the clothes you unpack,” Dominique teased.

Monique laughed. “You aren’t wrong.”

“Then I guess I’ll see you sometime tomorrow,” Dominique said, eager to get into her car and out of the early August heat.

“Okay, sis. See you later,” Monique replied.

Minutes later Dominique was in her car and headed home. She had a little less than an hour to get ready for her shift at the Dark Waters Café.

It wasn’t long before she pulled up in front of the swamp’s main entrance. She parked in the area where most of the people who lived in the swamp parked their cars and then she got out and headed into the thick tangle of greenery.

She half ran along the narrow path that would take her to the shanty where she’d grown up.

Until a week ago, Angelique had lived there, but when Angelique had moved out, Dominique had moved in.

The shanty was far bigger than the one where Dominique had been living and it filled her with the comfort of feeling as if she was home.

The shanty was one of the largest in the swamp, with three bedrooms, a bathroom, a living room and kitchen area. It was high on stilts above the water that half surrounded it. Tupelos and bald cypress trees rose up majestically around it.

Her mother had slept in one of the bedrooms, with all three girls in another. The third bedroom was where the ‘voodoo queen’ met her clients.

Once there, Dominique went into her bedroom and quickly changed out of the red blouse she’d had on and into the pink T-shirt that had Dark Waters Café printed across the front. Thank goodness she could wear her jeans to work.

Her bedroom was done up in the colors of a sunset. Her spread was in shades of deep pinks and oranges and matching curtains hung at the single window in the room. She loved this room, which had once been the bedroom she’d shared with her sisters. She’d always felt safe in here.

She pulled her long, dark hair into a high ponytail, sprayed on a spritz of her favorite perfume and then she was ready to go once again.

However, before she left, she walked to the door of her mother’s bedroom…the room where her mother’s body had been found by Angelique. Mystique had been in bed and her throat had been slashed.

Dominique opened the door of the room as a deep grief clutched at her heart. The bed was bare, but many of her mother’s items were still there. At some point they all needed to be packed up or given away.

Her mother would never be there again to spray on her favorite perfume or read one of the books in the bookcase near the bed.

She would never be there again to pull Dominique into a hug or share conversations about anything and everything.

With a heavy sigh, Dominique left the room and headed for the front door.

It was time for her to get to work. Once again, she hurried down the narrow paths that would take her back to her car. Minutes later as she drove back into town, she shoved thoughts of her mother’s murder away and instead focused on the workday to come.

Since it was Saturday, the café would be packed. But she didn’t mind. She loved being a waitress and had a bunch of regular diners who always sat in her section. She made good money in tips and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

She found a parking space in the lot at the back of the café and then went in through the back door. The people working in the kitchen all greeted her as she walked through to the small break room.

“Hey girl,” Sunny Herbert, one of Dominique’s good friends and coworker, greeted her. “Ready for another day in the trenches?”

“Always.” Dominique placed her purse in one of the small lockers in the room and then pocketed the little key.

“I went into your sister’s new store this morning. It’s awesome. I bought a tea that’s made from plants from the swamp and is supposed to help with cramps.”

“Angelique is really into the plant and flower cures from the swamp,” Dominique replied. “She’s studied all about them. And now we’d better get out on the floor or Annie will have our heads.”

Annie Fulbright was the owner of the café. She was in her mid-sixties and was a fair—but tough—boss. She had high standards and expected her staff to meet those standards.

The café was very attractive, with three of the walls painted by a local artist. The first wall was of pink bougainvillea flowers and the second was of majestic tupelo and bald cypress trees rising out of sunlit dark waters.

Finally, the last wall was of the colorful storefronts that lined Main Street.

Within minutes, Dominique was busy taking orders and delivering food.

She grinned as she greeted a man seated alone at one of the two-top tables.

“Hey Burt, how are you feeling today?” Burt Stanfield was one of her regulars.

The fortysomething man worked for the city in the maintenance department, and he was a widower.

His wife had passed away two years before due to an advanced case of breast cancer.

“Fine as a fiddle, what about you?” he replied with a big smile.

“I’m doing just fine. So, what can I get for you today, Burt?” she asked.

“I’d like some coffee and the number three special. And even though it’s a bit early, give me a slice of sweet potato pie. I’ve had a hankering for pie since the moment I woke up this morning.”

“Then I’ll make sure you get the biggest piece there is,” Dominique replied. “You know I always take care of you, Burt.”