Chapter 12
A heavy lump of dread settled in the pit of Lissette’s belly.
“Do you want me to handle this?” Xavier asked.
“No,” Lissette said. “I’ve spent the past few months actively avoiding her.
I don’t think we’ve exchanged three words.
I apologized at the trial, but I know that’s not enough.
” She drew in a deep breath and let it out.
“I can’t live in Bayou Mambaloa and continue to avoid her.
” She squared her shoulders and stepped out of the store, bracing herself for what she deserved.
Hatred. Contemp. Anger.
Xavier followed and stood beside her.
Deputy Taylor, Xavier’s boss’s wife, dipped her head toward Xavier.
“Good morning, Xander.” She turned to Lissette with a poker face, completely devoid of any emotion, which unnerved Lissette more than hatred, contempt and anger.
“Lissette.” She spun, walked back to her vehicle, opened the back door and leaned inside.
Moments later, she straightened, holding her son, Jean-Luc, in her arms. A camera hung from a strap around her neck. Jean-Luc tugged at the strap.
When she returned to stand in front of Lissette and Xavier, her lips twisted.
“Deputy Cleyburn was tied up with an earlier call. I came in to help out. Since Remy had a meeting in New Orleans and my sitter had the day off, I have a sidekick.” She smiled at her son and then turned her professional poker face back on Lissette.
“I brought a recorder to capture your report. I’ll transcribe it when I get back to the station.
” She clicked the device on. “Tell me what happened.”
There wasn’t much to tell. Lissette turned toward the two shops.
“This is how I found both stores this morning. We haven’t touched anything; we’ve only looked around.
” Her gaze swept the nearby rooflines and trees shading the street.
“We can clean up the mess, but Johnny’s missing.
” Her glance returned to Shelby and her son.
“Do you have a video monitoring system in either one of the stores?” Shelby asked.
Lissette frowned. “Actually, I think Gisele had one installed after she was broken into a while back.”
“I’ll need to check the surveillance video.” Shelby cocked an eyebrow. “Do you have access to the footage from the cameras?”
“She showed me how to access the recordings through her desktop computer, except the unit was damaged in the break-in.”
“Show me,” Shelby said in a quiet, firm voice.
Lissette led the way through Mamba Wamba to the room in the back where Gisele had set up a corner with a desk. The monitor lay sideways, the screen and case busted. The computer’s disc drive appeared to have been smashed by something heavy, possibly a hammer.
“I doubt it’ll power up.” Shelby turned to Xavier.
He nodded. “Most likely the recordings are stored online. If we can get the login and password, we can tap into the system at the boat factory.”
“Before she left for Mexico, Gisele texted a list of the logins and passwords she uses for the Mamba Wamba,” Lissette said. “I bet what we need is on it.”
“I’ll want to know what your team finds on that footage,” Shelby said. “In the meantime, I need to photograph the damage to add to the report and dust for fingerprints.” She hefted the boy on her hip and faced Lissette, her gaze direct, emotionless. “Off the record.”
Lissette nodded and held her breath, bracing for Shelby’s anger.
In a low, soft voice, Shelby said, “You tried to kill me.”
Lissette nodded. “I did. It’s one of my greatest regrets.”
Shelby lifted her chin and stared down her nose at Lissette. “I don’t forgive you.”
Lissette swallowed. “I don’t expect you to.”
“My forgiveness would have changed nothing. Your punishment wasn’t my decision. The year you spent in the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women was the judge’s call.” For a long moment, she held Lissette’s gaze. “I think your time there was what you needed.”
Lissette swallowed hard on the lump in her throat and nodded. “I had a lot of time to reflect.”
Shelby gave a brief nod. “I think you did. What comes next is all I have a vote on.” She shifted the baby on her hip. “My advice to you is to do the right thing.”
“I’m trying,” Lissette said.
“I think you are.” Shelby glanced around the office. “I need to take photos.” She lifted Jean-Luc off her hip and held him out to Lissette. “Do you mind?”
Lissette reached out automatically and took the child, speechless. Shelby’s gesture made her chest tight, and her eyes burn.
Jean-Luc stared into Lissette’s eyes and grinned.
His weight and warmth filled an empty space inside Lissette. A single tear escaped and slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away before anyone noticed.
Lissette did her best to stay out of the way while Xavier helped Shelby work her way through both businesses, snapping photos and dusting surfaces for prints.
By the time she was finished, Lissette had played patty-cake and peek-a-boo at least ten times each, sung silly songs and trotted around playing horsey with the boy on her shoulders.
Shelby stowed her camera and used the sink in the back of Remedies and Roux to wash the black dust from her hands before she claimed her son.
Jean-Luc happily went to his mother and immediately fussed. “Hungry.”
Shelby laughed. “You’d eat twenty-four-seven if I let you. Say thank you to Ms. Lissette.”
Jean-Luc turned to Lissette. “Thank you.” Then he leaned over and planted a kiss on her cheek.
“You’re welcome, my little man.” Lissette touched a hand to her cheek. “Come by and play with me again.”
Shelby loaded the boy into his car seat and called out to Xavier. “Let me know when you get the footage of the break-in. I’ll swing by the boat factory.”
“Is it okay to clean up?” Lissette asked.
“It is,” Shelby said. “I have what I could get from here. I just need whatever we can see in the video. Hopefully, we find the person or people who did this.” She met Lissette’s gaze. “Does Gisele know?”
Lissette shook her head. “I was hoping we’d find Johnny first.” She looked around again. “I don’t think she’ll be as upset about the shop as she will about losing Johnny.”
Shelby nodded. “I’ll put an APB out on the bird.” Her lips twitched. “Only in a small town, right?”
“Is it possible to get copies of the photos for insurance purposes?” Lissette asked.
“Of course.” Shelby nodded. “I’ll send them to you.”
Jean-Luc called out, “Mama. Hungry.”
Shelby’s lips twisted. “That’s my cue.” She tipped her chin toward Xavier. “I’ll expect a call from the Brotherhood.”
“You’ll get it,” he said.
The deputy drove away, leaving Lissette staring after her, her heart full...and hopeful. “She let me hold Jean-Luc.”
“She did.” Xavier slipped an arm around her waist. “Remy and Shelby are pretty particular about who they let touch him.”
Lissette nodded, her eyes welling. She blinked back the tears and got to work, cleaning.
It took the rest of the day to set the store straight and salvage everything that could be saved, placing the items back where they belonged.
Xavier worked on the broken shelves, piecing together those he could and hauling those he couldn’t out to the trash bin.
Lissette inventoried the items that would need to be replaced in both shops and called the insurance company to file the claims. At the end of the day, she called Gisele with a full account of what had happened, what was lost and what she’d already done.
“Ah, Lissette, I feel awful that all this is falling on you,” Gisele said. “And poor Johnny.”
“The entire town is keeping an eye out for him,” Lissette said. “Somebody is bound to see him.”
“He might come back on his own when he gets hungry,” Gisele said. “I feel like we should come home early.”
“I wouldn’t,” Lissette said. “You might get caught up in the weather headed this way.”
“Rafael and I saw the weather report. I can’t believe the hurricane is up to a Category four. What about Grand-mère? Last hurricane that came through, she refused to leave her island. It was only a Category 3.”
“I’m heading out there this afternoon. I’ll see what I can do to convince her to evacuate.”
“I don’t know,” Gisele said. “We should be there to help.”
“Even if you left now, you wouldn’t arrive in time. We’re supposed to get heavy rain and high winds ahead of landfall. Stay. Come home when you’re supposed to. I’m sure there will be plenty of cleanup to do after the storm.”
“Lissette?” Gisele paused.
“Yes?”
“Weren’t you going to tell me what’s been happening with you?” she asked in an accusing tone. “Rafael has been in daily contact with Remy. We know you’ve been attacked. Twice. Why didn’t you say anything?”
Lissette shrugged even though Gisele couldn’t see her. “I’m okay. It didn’t impact you, so I didn’t see a need to pass on the information.”
“You know, we haven’t always seen eye to eye, but you’re my cousin. Family. I’m allowed to worry.”
“For a long time, I wasn’t nice to you,” Lissette said in a soft voice. “I didn’t think you’d care.”
“Sweetie, you’ve changed,” Gisele said. “It’s like you finally came into the real you. You’re not pushing everyone away, like you used to. I feel like I’m finally getting to know you.” Gisele gave a soft laugh. “And I like you.”
Lissette swallowed hard on the lump lodged in her throat. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
“We need to share a bottle of wine and talk when I get back,” Gisele said. “Be sure to evacuate before the storm hits so we have that chance.”
Lissette ended the call and stood for a moment, silent tears trickling down her cheeks.
Xavier came in through the back door of the Remedies and Roux, brushing dust from his jeans. When his eyes met hers, he frowned and hurried toward her. “What’s wrong? Is it Johnny?”
She shook her head and gave him a watery smile. “No.”
He pulled her into his arms. “Whatever’s wrong, we’ll work through it.”
“I’m okay. I just got off the phone with Gisele.”
“Is she okay?” He leaned back to stare into her eyes, his forehead creased. “Did Rafael get bit by a shark?”
Lissette laughed. “They’re fine. They’re worried about Johnny and sad about the store, but fine. They want to come back early.”
Xavier shook his head. “They probably wouldn’t make it in time, and then they’d get stuck somewhere in an airport until the storm passes.”
“That’s what I told them. They should stay and come back when they were scheduled to.”
He tipped her face up. “Then why the tears?”
She shook her head. “I must be tired. I still need to go out to my grandmother’s and see if she needs anything and if she’s getting packed for the evacuation.”
“I think we’ve done as much as we can here.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Let’s close up and head out before it gets dark.”
Lissette did her best to lock the shops, though the doors had been compromised and the deadbolts were busted. If anyone really wanted in, it wouldn’t be hard.
She was past caring. Anyone who needed a souvenir, spices for their Cajun cooking or a poultice for poison ivy could walk right in and take what they needed. Lissette was too tired to give a damn. She walked to Xavier’s truck, pulled open the door and hauled herself up into the passenger seat.
Xavier stood beside the door, waiting for Lissette to settle in her seat. When his cell phone chirped, he glanced at the screen and frowned. “It’s Mitch.”
Lissette paused, halfway into the passenger seat of his truck. She sank down, buckled her own belt and watched Xavier’s face as he read the text message.
“Mitch just came in off the bayou. He saw Nub LeJeune outside his house on the north shore of Bayou Mambaloa. He dropped a link. We can get there by truck or boat.”
“Which would be faster?” Lissette asked.
“Boat,” Xavier said, rounding the truck to climb into the driver’s seat. He headed for the marina where they’d left Grand-mère’s skiff.
When he parked, he reached into the console, pulled out a handgun, checked the magazine and tucked it into his waistband.
“I hope we don’t need that,” Lissette said. “I’ve never known Nub to carry.”
“Maybe he doesn’t, but those he does business with do.”
Lissette squashed a ripple of trepidation and nodded. “You’re right. He might not be alone.”
“Or, he might be scared enough to want protection,” Xavier pointed out.
Energized by the chance to confront Nub LeJeune for his part in luring her out for her attackers, she hurried across the dock, dropped into the boat, and started the engine.
Once Xavier was settled, she spun the boat around and took off toward the location pinned on Xavier’s GPS.
Her previously exhausted body hummed with a combination of anger and anticipation. Nub ran a salvage business and had never been charged with theft or fencing stolen items. Yet he was known for finding almost anything, whether it moved through legal or illegal channels.
As they skimmed the bayou, the sun dipped low over the treetops, casting long shadows and making the still water look dark and inky.
Lissette couldn’t help but feel the calm before the storm.
The wind would pick up as the hurricane drew closer to shore, sending the first bands of rain slashing through.
She’d really like to be out of Bayou Mambaloa with the rest of the evacuees before it got too bad. She worried it would be a challenge to convince her grandmother to go with her.
The missing reliquaries and the attacks on her might be the least of her worries as the hurricane moved ashore.
She followed the tributaries through the bayou and rounded a sweeping bend into a cove. A weathered cottage stood on stilts, with enough clearance below to shelter trailers, a mower, and a rusty older model car. Beside the house was a large truck, like those used to deliver furniture.
A man with scraggly gray hair and an equally gray beard hefted an ice chest into the cab and turned to watch as Lissette guided the skiff to the dock. She could tell the moment he recognized her.
Nub stiffened but stayed where he was. The man who’d set the lure for her attackers didn’t run.