Chapter Ten #3
Daniel snorted. “That kid thinks just because his parents have money, no rules apply to him.”
“That’s all I’ve got to report,” Clay said.
“That’s it for me, too,” Luke added.
By that time, they’d reached the café. Luke saw her the moment they walked in. As always, she looked stunning in the pink T-shirt and jeans that was her uniform when at work. She was waiting on an older couple Luke didn’t know.
Daniel chose a booth in her section and they all settled in. Luke didn’t know why anxiety filled him at the prospect of just ordering his lunch from her. After all, he had just seen her the night before.
Then she was there, smiling at them all and his heart expanded with his love for her. “Hi, Luke,” she said, her beautiful chocolate eyes lingering on him for a long moment.
“Hey, Dominique,” he replied.
She took their orders and then left their booth. She returned with their drinks and then a few minutes later with their food.
As they ate, the discussion was about things going on in town. A fall festival was planned in another month. It was a day when the streets filled with people. Not only did the stores run sidewalk sales, but local artists and craftsmen would sell their wares as well.
While they talked and ate, Luke couldn’t help but look at Dominique again and again. In spite of his personal feelings for her, she was a joy to watch as she smiled or laughed with the customers she served.
Was the person who had written her the notes and tried to kidnap her in the café right now? Luke’s stomach muscles tightened as he did a slow glance around the room. There was only one of the regulars she’d named there.
Jacob Benoit sat alone at a two-top. The fisherman had been interviewed concerning his whereabouts on the dates in question. His alibi had been like the others. He’d been in his shanty alone at the times of the attack and when the notes had been left.
They finished eating and then headed back to the station. On the short drive back, Luke decided that was the last meal he’d eat in the café for a while. It was just too painful to see her and know she didn’t love him.
He realized he wanted—he—needed to keep busy. He desperately needed his mind focused on other things. Whenever there was a quiet moment, his head filled with thoughts of Dominique, and the heartbreak would come crashing down on his head all over again.
They had just gotten back and settled in the murder room when Gus called from the front desk. “I got a man here who wants to talk to the person in charge of the Santori murder.”
The three men looked at each other. Was it possible that finally this was the break they’d been waiting for? Could the man tie Pierre to the murder scene? Had Pierre finally made a mistake and talked to somebody about the murder?
“Send him to my office,” Daniel said as he stood. He hung up the phone. “You two come with me. Let’s hear what this man has to tell us.”
The three of them hurried up the hall to Daniel’s office, where Daniel sat behind his desk. Luke and Clay stood against the wall, leaving the chair in front of the desk for the new visitor.
They all had just settled in place when a knock fell on the door. Clay opened it and a tall man Luke had never seen before entered.
Daniel stood and held out his hand. “I’m Chief of Police, Daniel LeCroix, and these are two of my officers, Luke Madison and Clay Caldwell.”
The man grabbed hold of Daniel’s hand and shook it. “Lucien Rousseau is my name and I’m a fisherman by trade.”
“Please, have a seat, Mr. Rousseau.” Daniel gestured to the chair before him.
Lucien Rousseau looked to be in his mid-forties. His long dark hair was tied back at the nape of his neck and his features were bold and well weathered. He was also missing one of his front teeth.
“I understand you might have some information that would help in solving the murder of Mystique Santori.”
“I do.”
“Is this something you heard or learned recently?”
“No, I’ve known about it for months,” Lucien replied.
“Might I ask what took you so long to come in?” Daniel asked.
“A couple months ago I got a gig on an offshore fishing boat. The work was hard but the pay was good. I just got back to my shanty yesterday and got caught up with all the swamp gossip.”
They spoke for a couple of minutes about the name of the offshore boat and exactly who had employed Lucien. Daniel asked him several questions concerning his employment.
“Enough about me.” Lucien suddenly leaned forward in the chair. “I heard you’re wanting to put Pierre Guidry away for killing Mystique.”
“We definitely believe he’s guilty of her murder,” Daniel said.
“Well, you’re wrong. You’re all wrong. He didn’t kill Mystique. He’s not guilty,” Lucien finished flatly. Luke felt as if the bottom of his stomach fell out at the man’s words.
“H-how do you know he isn’t guilty?” Daniel asked, obviously stunned by the man’s words.
“Because on the night and time she was murdered, I saw him fishing in the honey hole he thinks is a big secret. He keeps a pirogue there hidden under some brush. Sometimes, when he goes out in the pirogue to hunt the big gator he wants to catch, I fish off the bank there.”
“Are you sure you saw him on the right night?” Daniel asked.
“Positive, because when I woke the next morning, I heard the Voodoo Queen was dead and then I left to get on the fishing boat.” Lucien flashed his dark eyes to each one of them.
“I got no friendship with Guidry and no reason to come in here except I don’t want to see an innocent man go to jail for a murder he didn’t commit.
Pierre isn’t your man and that’s all I got to say. ”
Abruptly he stood. “And now it’s time for me to go. I got a wife who is mad I stayed out and away from home for so long and kids clamoring to spend some time with me. If you got more questions for me, you can find me at my shanty in the swamp.”
On that note, he opened the door and stepped out and then closed the door behind him. For a long moment, a stunned silence reigned among the three of them.
“Did you believe him?” Luke finally broke the silence.
“I’m not sure,” Daniel replied slowly.
“If he’s right, then we’re no closer to solving the murder than we were on the night it happened,” Clay said dismally.
“Before we jump to any conclusions, we need to thoroughly check out Lucien’s story,” Daniel said. “Clay, why don’t you look into the offshore fishing boat. See if you can find out when he was hired and when he left the boat.”
“Got it,” Clay said.
“And Luke, why don’t you head into the swamp and see what you can find out about the relationship between Guidry and Lucien,” Daniel continued.
“Talk to George and any other men you come across. If it turns out that Lucien and Pierre are close, then I’ll be less likely to believe this new alibi for Pierre. ”
“And if they aren’t close?” Luke’s question hung in the air.
Daniel released a deep sigh. “Then we’ll have to face the fact that we might have been chasing the wrong man for the murder.”
Luke felt as if the entire world was exploding apart. The murder they believed they had solved was no longer a sure thing, and he’d fallen deeply in love with a woman he knew he couldn’t live with and who didn’t love him back.
HE WAS READY. He was so ready to make her his own. Even though he had only communicated with her so far with the notes he’d left for her, she obviously cared about him, too. She’d stopped seeing the lawman, just like he’d told her to do. That proved to him that she wanted to please him.
Every time he saw her, she half stole his breath with her beauty. She was cheerful and lively and that’s what he needed, that’s what his house needed.
Once she was here where she belonged, there would be no more loneliness for him, no more grief to deal with. Her bright energy would fill up all the dark places in his house, and more importantly, all the dark places in his heart.
He needed her and he was ready to take her again. Only this time it wouldn’t matter if she had a knife. Once he pierced her skin with the injection he had ready, there would be no fight. She would fall into his arms and he would bring her here, to be his forever more.
Now it was just a matter of waiting for the right time and place. He would find that right time very, very soon. And he couldn’t wait. A sweet anticipation rushed through his body.
Soon, she would finally be his and his alone, and with enough time he would make her love him. Oh yes, all his dreams were about to come true. The beautiful Dominique would be his. She would fulfill the promises that had been broken by another. She would be his through eternity.