Bayou Betrayal Read online

  She couldn’t depend on Gary Anderson to adequately question Felicia about the menacing phone call. His entire attitude whenever she suggested either of her cousins could be involved in the call or the arson was laughable. He simply didn’t take the possibility seriously. Sure, the woman was a pastor’s wife, but in Monique’s experience from assisting Kent in his private investigation business, no one—not preachers nor their wives—was above suspicion. Determination to uncover the truth drove her to finish dressing and flip off the bathroom light.

  No more procrastination. She grabbed her purse and keys, secured the motel room door, and shuffled to her SUV. The nice desk clerk had given her instructions to Pastor Bertrand’s church just outside Lagniappe’s city limits.

  The sun shone brightly over the bayou and little sunbeams danced on the cracked windshield of her Expedition. She shook her head. The cracks hadn’t been there before—the heat from the fire must have caused them. Just something else she’d have to handle.

  She pulled into the packed parking lot of the church. Didn’t anyone attend the church in Lagniappe? She hadn’t expected this many cars. How would she be able to pick out her cousin and study her?

  With great hesitation, Monique made her way toward the timeworn church sitting on the edge of the bayou. A burst of wind skimmed over the water, carrying a fishy odor on its wings. Monique crinkled her nose and gripped the handrail. The last thing she needed was to draw attention to herself by falling down the steps. Nope, that wouldn’t be good at all.

  A man not much older than she, with shaggy hair and a big grin, held out his hand. “Good morning.”

  “Morning.” Her voice was barely over a whisper. What was wrong with her? The butterflies in her stomach refused to be still.

  “I’m Spencer Bertrand.” He took her elbow and helped her up the last stair, glancing at her hands but politely making no mention of the gauze.

  Her cousin’s husband, in the flesh. “I-I’m Monique. Monique Harris.”

  “Are you visiting the area?” His eyes were soft, caring, like a preacher’s should be.

  She licked her chapped lips. “I just moved to Lagniappe.”

  “Then, welcome.” He opened the door to the sanctuary for her before turning to greet the next group of people making their way up the stairs.

  Monique let out a slow breath as she stepped into the entryway. The sanctuary loomed before her like a hungry, gaping mouth. She shivered and knew it had nothing to do with the crisp January morning.

  Music surrounded her as she walked down the well-traveled carpet, trying to spot a vacant pew somewhere near the back. She wanted to be able to watch, see if she could spot her cousin, the preacher’s wife. As she eased into an aisle seat, the bass reverberated in her chest so that she actually felt the worship song.

  All around her, people whispered or greeted one another. Some stood and sang along with the music. The old familiar peace beckoned to her, calling into the deepest part of her soul. Uninvited tears filled her eyes. She blinked and shook her head, not ready to let go of her anger, her outrage. Her fear.

  A young woman with honey-colored hair walked up the center aisle, stopping at each pew to speak to someone. Monique couldn’t take her eyes off the woman. Although a noticeable limp marred her movement, there was a quiet grace about her. An ethereal glow flowed from her.

  She smiled at Monique and moved toward her, hand outstretched. “Hello. Welcome to the church.”

  Monique touched the woman’s hand with the tips of her fingers. “Thank you.”

  “I’m Felicia Bertrand.”

  Freezing, Monique struggled to form her own name. This was her cousin! “I’m M-Monique Harris.”

  Felicia’s smile widened. “I’m glad you’re here to worship with us this morning, Monique.”

  “Thank you.” Monique ducked her head.

  “Well, bonjour, Gary.”

  Felicia’s cheerful greeting brought Monique’s head up with a snap. Sure enough, Deputy Gary Anderson stood in the aisle, grinning at Felicia as if she’d hung the moon. In a pair of jeans and a sweater, he looked much more masculine than in that silly deputy sheriff uniform. She stopped her thoughts right there. No, she couldn’t notice how the navy sweater set off his Caribbean-blue eyes.

  The warmth in those eyes was brighter than the overhead lights of the sanctuary. “Good morning, Felicia. How are you?”

  “Fine. Where’s Ms. Della?”

  “She’s attending services in Lagniappe today. You know how she likes to support both churches.”

  Felicia laughed. “That she does, and she does it so well. You be sure to tell her I said hello and expect to see her here next Sunday, yes?”

  “I’ll do that.” Gary’s hand found its way to Monique’s shoulder. “I see you’ve met Monique.”

  Dread of what he’d say next had Monique fighting the urge to throttle his outspoken self. The pain and gauze were the only things that stopped her. Was he here to protect her, or Felicia? Did he think she’d just openly accuse her cousin, right here in the middle of church? She shrugged off his touch.

  Felicia glanced from Monique to Gary. “You two know each other?”

  “Yes. Monique’s house burned down Friday night.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry.” Felicia stared at Monique with nothing but compassion blinking in her eyes. “I didn’t know. I’d heard about the fire, of course, but had no idea anyone was living there. You bought the old Pittman place?”

  “So I’ve been told.” Monique studied the other woman intently. No shocked expression. No changing the subject. Nothing to indicate any knowledge or involvement.

  “Is there anything I can do for you?”

  Confess to putting someone up to calling and threatening me? “No. No, thank you.” Somewhere in her heart, she already knew Felicia had nothing to do with that ominous call or the fire. The deputy had been right.

  And that irritated her all the more.

  “You must come to my house after church, yes? Spence and I always have a small gathering for lunch. Today it’ll just be my mother since my brother and sister-in-law are out of town. Say you’ll come.” She touched Gary’s shoulder. “You, too, of course.”

  He laughed and rubbed his stomach. “I never turn down an opportunity to sample your cooking, Felicia.”

  She chuckled and shook her head before winking at Monique. “Men. All they think about is food, yes? So, please say you’ll come. I’d love to get to know you a little bit. Nothing overbearing. I promise.”

  How could Monique resist this gentle woman? “Uh, okay. If I can find your house. You’ll have to give me directions.”

  The preacher chose that moment to take to the podium. Felicia straightened.

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ll make sure she gets there.” Gary stepped across Monique to sit beside her.

  “Great. See you both later.” Felicia turned and made her way to the front pew.

  Monique stiffened as the call to worship began. She stood when everyone else did.

  “You’re welcome,” Gary whispered in her ear.

  Oh, she really did want to throttle him.

  Monique sat right next to him, but it felt like she was a million miles away.

  Gary shifted on the pew again, awaiting Pastor Bertrand’s closing prayer. He cut his eyes to the woman beside him. Monique hadn’t so much as breathed in his direction since the service started. She’d inched away from him, practically hugging the edge of the pew, making sure her shoulder didn’t even graze his.

  He didn’t understand the animosity radiating from her. He hadn’t spilled the beans about who she was and why she’d come to Lagniappe. He’d been nice and cordial. What was her problem?

  Maybe she was uncomfortable because she was in church when she’d told him she wasn’t on speaking terms with God. Maybe her demeanor had nothing to do with him.

  He’d had the intention of staying away from Monique, of keeping everything professional, yet he’d agreed to join her at
the Bertrands’? No, that was business. He’d observe the way Felicia reacted when Monique told her of their relations. For his report only, of course.

  She finally glanced at him. He smiled. She sent him a glare that could melt the wax off the altar candles.

  Nope, her manner had everything to do with him.

  The opening bars of the closing hymn filled the sanctuary, the words of praise settling over him like a salve. He ignored the woman beside him, stood and lifted his voice with the rest of the congregation. No way would he allow anybody, not even a beautiful, intriguing woman, to come between him and worship. Besides, Monique was nothing more to him than the subject in his case, right? Right.

  Before the last strand of music died away, Monique hopped out of her seat and hobbled toward the entrance of the church. Gary nodded at friends as he made his way to the door. He slowed his pace when he saw that Pastor Spence had engaged Monique in a conversation of sorts. Smiling, he moved behind her.

  “Felicia tells me you’ll be joining us for lunch. I’m so happy you’re coming,” Pastor Spence said.

  “Hope you don’t mind—Felicia invited me, as well.” He offered his hand to the preacher. “Great sermon today.”

  “Thanks. Yep, she told me. The more the merrier.” Pastor Spence smiled back at Monique. “Do you know how to get to the house?”

  “I’ll make sure she gets there okay.” Gary put his hand on her shoulder.

  She jerked away from his touch and glared at him.

  Spence threw him a confused look, to which Gary only shrugged. “Uh, well, good,” Spence said. “Okay, I’ll see y’all shortly.”

  Monique pushed out the door and walked down the stairs, her escape hampered by her injuries. Gary paced himself alongside her. “Have I done something to offend you?”

  She stopped and stared at him, those wide green eyes of hers flashing with anger or annoyance, he couldn’t tell which. “Did it ever occur to you that I don’t need someone to speak for me? That I’m perfectly capable of introducing myself to my relatives all by myself? That maybe I didn’t want her to know about my house burning down just yet? Maybe I wanted to tell her who I was first. Did you ever think about that?”

  He shook his head. She wasn’t making a lick of sense. “I didn’t tell her you’re related to her, and if you think it’s a secret your house burned down, think again. Small towns thrive on gossip.” Gary struggled to keep his tone light, refusing to match her snippy tone. “Besides, you’re the one who wants me to question her and Luc about the warning call.”

  “But I wanted to tell her in my way, in my time. She didn’t know it was my house that burned, which indicates you hadn’t talked to her yet. You aren’t taking me seriously.”

  She had a point. He’d intended to call Felicia and question her, but he’d just been busy with other things. Regret moved around his spine like kudzu. “Look, I’m sorry if I overstepped any bounds. I was only trying to help you.”

  “I wanted to do this myself,” she said more to herself than to him.

  “If you don’t want me to go to lunch, I’ll just give you directions.”

  Jutting out her chin in that cute, defiant way of hers, Monique paused for a long moment. “She invited you.”

  “So she did, but I can always cancel if you’d prefer to go alone.”

  Time stretched between them. Members of the congregation called out greetings to him as they crossed the parking lot. Car doors slammed. Kids laughed, their feet clomping against pavement. The sun warmed the breeze swirling around the gravestones in the adjacent cemetery.

  “No. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have acted like that.” With a contriteness in her tone, Monique lowered her head. “I really am sorry. It’s just that I was nervous and uncomfortable to begin with, and I’m working on being totally independent.”

  She lifted her head. Moisture had pooled in her eyes. “Ever since Kent died, I’ve wanted to be able to stand on my own, but every time I turn around, I can’t. Something happens that makes me feel helpless again. I’m so tired of having other people’s actions dictate what I do.”

  He swallowed the truth, knowing she wasn’t ready to hear that God would continue to cause things to happen that required her to seek out help. It was a visible sign that Father was calling her back into the fold.

  “No worries. So, shall we go to the Bertrands’?” He glanced over his shoulder. “The lot’s about clear, so it won’t be long until Felicia and Spence head home.”

  “Oh. I need to go back to the motel and change first.”

  “Why don’t I pick you up there, and you can ride with me?”

  A cloud covered her face. “I don’t need a babysitter.”

  She sure was oversensitive. Gary reminded himself that she had just endured a very trying experience on the tail of another one. Maybe he should cut her some slack. “I don’t think you do. Just trying to be a nice guy.”

  “I’m sorry. Man, I keep having to apologize. I’m normally not this snarky.”

  “It’s okay. You’ve been through a lot.”

  She smiled, warming him more than the sunshine bearing down upon them. “Thank you for being so understanding.” She hitched her purse strap up on her shoulder. “I’d very much appreciate you picking me up for lunch. Thank you.”

  “Great. I’ll pick you up in, say, half an hour?”

  “Perfect.”

  He shut her truck door for her, his mind reeling as he walked to the cruiser. Glancing at the cell phone in the console, he noticed that he had missed calls and voice mail. He flipped open the phone and dialed into his messages.

  The first one was his mother, asking him to invite Monique over for lunch.

  The next message was from the weekend dispatcher, notifying him the arson investigator, a Mr. Bob Costigan, had arrived in town, and was in the Lagniappe Motel and would await Gary’s call.

  Interesting. They sure had moved fast in getting the investigator to town.

  He called his mother, told her there was no way he could make lunch, then ended the call. His mind went to the other message. About the arson investigator.

  Things could get very interesting with Mr. Costigan and Monique both staying at the only motel in Lagniappe. Yep, sparks could definitely fly, depending on how Mr. Costigan’s investigation proceeded.

  SIX

  The woman was too good to be true.

  Monique stared at Felicia as the preacher’s wife set the table. “Are you sure I can’t help you?”

  The kitchen smelled of spices and aromas that made Monique’s mouth water. Gary hadn’t been kidding about Felicia’s cooking, if the smell was any indication.

  Felicia smiled and shook her head. “You’re a guest, yes? You just sit there and keep me company. I usually have my sister-in-law, CoCo, here to talk to me.”

  “Where are they?”

  “CoCo’s sister, Alyssa, had her first baby. A boy. She’s already e-mailed me pictures of the little angel. Alyssa and her husband, Jackson, live in New Orleans.”

  “A baby. That’s nice.” Regret nearly swallowed Monique. She and Kent had wanted a large family but had opted to wait until later. When his business was well-established and he could take time off to spend with the children. Now it was too late.

  “Yeah. Luc and CoCo will head back Wednesday, but Tara, CoCo and Alyssa’s baby sister, will come back the following week. Tara’s married to the sheriff here.”

  Monique shook her head. “I think I need a diagram to keep up.”

  Felicia laughed. “It is a bit convoluted, isn’t it? I guess I never really thought about it.”

  A man’s chuckle interrupted them. Pastor Bertrand, who had told her that he preferred being called Spence, sat in the living room with Gary, watching some sporting event on television. Their voices blended with the program’s, but their bursts of laughter broke out every so often.

  “Tell me about yourself.” Felicia placed silverware on folded linen napkins.

  Wasn’t that just a lo
aded question?

  Better to go ahead and get the whole story out—it wasn’t as if her past was some big secret. And if she wanted to have a close relationship with her cousin, she needed to trust Felicia. Start at the beginning, that’s what her mother always told her. Monique let out a sigh and told Felicia all about Kent, their marriage and his murder. Long after Felicia had set the last plate, she sank into an adjacent chair at the table and stared intently at Monique as she laid out the tale.

  “That’s terrible. I’m so sorry.” Felicia patted Monique’s hand. “I can understand some of what you’ve been through.”

  “How’s that?” Monique fought to keep the tears at bay, having grown extremely tired of crying over the past.

  “Before I married Spence, I was engaged to a man. A wonderful man.” Emotions laced Felicia’s words. “He was murdered.”

  “How awful.” Monique could so relate. “What’d you do?”

  “My brother refused to let me wallow in misery.” She smiled. “I went ahead and had the surgery that gave me use of my legs so I could get out of the wheelchair I’d spent my life in.”

  “You were in a wheelchair?”

  Again, Felicia’s soft smile filled the room. “I have cerebral palsy, diagnosed at birth. Until last year, I’d never walked a step in my life.”

  Admiration grew in Monique. And respect. “Thank you for sharing this with me. It means a lot.”

  “You’re most welcome. Sometimes it’s nice to talk about the painful parts of our past to help us appreciate life and all we have, yes?” Felicia gave Monique’s shoulder a squeeze. “But if I don’t pull this fricassee off the burner, it’ll scorch, and my mother will have a hissy fit.”

  Monique watched her cousin, her mind replaying Felicia’s words. Appreciate life? How? Monique didn’t have anything, not even a home anymore. No friends she could depend on. No job to keep her busy during the long days. Not even a pet to keep her company at night. She should really look into getting a cat. Or something. Anything.