A Darker Shade of Midnight (18 page)

Aunt Leah looked away from Savannah. “No. But that doesn’t mean…”

“That’s all. Thank you.” Savannah sat down.

“Your honor, I direct you to the copies of other witnesses we have listed that can verify the on-going hostility Ms. Rousselle showed toward the victims. We believe there is enough evidence to have a trial.” Hazelton stood as though waiting for the ruling.

Savannah’s paralegal came down the center aisle of the gallery quickly, leaned over the bar. and whispered to her. Then he handed her a folder.
 

“Your honor, I have a witness, Mr. Jerry Garland, that we were only just able to locate,” Savannah said.

“Objection, your honor. We haven’t reviewed information from this witness.” Hazelton looked at his young assistant who shook her head and shrugged. Then she started flipping through a file in front of her.

“We weren’t sure we would be able to find him, or if it would affect my client’s right to self-incrimination,” Savannah said. “But we did list his name in the documents as a possible witness sent to the DA’s office, your honor.”

“I’ll allow it.” Judge Trahan leaned forward on both elbows as though intrigued.

“The defense calls Jerry Garland to the stand.” Savannah crossed her arms as the man came forward.

LaShaun shivered as she recognized him as one of the men that had attacked her in the woods. Chase had supplied names and details of the incident. Jerry Garland was dressed in a plaid shirt and dark pants. He had combed his hair, and his clothes looked fairly clean. Yet, he still had a scruffy, unkempt air about him. He did not seem happy to be present, or to be swearing an oath to tell the truth. He mumbled his “Yes” response to tell the truth, and managed to make it seem Savannah would have to pull it out of him by force.

“Mr. Garland, were you near Bayou Teche between the hours of nine and eleven on the morning on April seventh?” Savannah looked at papers in her hand. She seemed to hold them up to make sure he saw them.

“Far as I can remember.” Garland rubbed his jaw.

“Did you see my client on that day?” Savannah continued to look down.

He looked as LaShaun did his gaze slid back to Savannah. “Yeah.”

“Were you alone when you met her in a clearing about a half mile from the roadway?”
 

Jerry twisted in his chair and cleared his throat. “No, I was with a buddy of mine.”

“Were you and this buddy there by accident?” Savannah looked up at him. She took a step forward.

“Uh, nope. We, uh, followed her out there that day.” Jerry’s eyes shifted to the judge then back to Savannah.

“Isn’t it true that someone hired you to follow Ms. Rousselle with the intention of intimidating her, and in fact you came close to sexually assaulting her?” Savannah’s voice cracked like a whip at the man.

“Well, I wouldn’t say all that now.”
 

“I have a statement from a deputy, Mr. Garland. Don’t perjure yourself,” Savannah said.

“We got a little rough with her. Rita told me, Azalei, and her friends said she was a trouble maker that needed a little nudge to maybe get out of town.” Jerry cleared his throat.

“Oh really?” Savannah looked at the DA and his assistant then turned back to him. “How do you know Ms. Shropshire and Rita Rousselle?”

“We’re friends like,” Jerry said, and shrugged.

“That’s a filthy lie,” Aunt Leah blurted out. Several of the cousins with her began talking loudly.

“Quiet. Bailiff, escort those folks out of my courtroom,” Judge Trahan barked.

There was a moment of disruption as two husky officers went to that side of the gallery. Aunt Leah huffed and puffed, and several of LaShaun’s cousins argued, but the court officers shushed them and herded the group out. Aunt Leah took Azalei with her. When the two officers returned, Judge Trahan nodded to Savannah.

“In fact, you and the victims partied together where there was a lot of drinking. In a few instances there may have been drugs on the premises,” Savannah said.

“I don’t know nothin’ about drugs being around,” Garland said quickly shaking his head. “I heard some rumors about ecstasy and stuff being passed around. Some of them girls were wild.” He grinned and turned to the judge. When Judge Trahan scowled at him the grin vanished.

“So it’s your testimony that Ms. Shropshire and Ms. Rita Rousselle associated with drug users and dealers.” Savannah ignored the hum this caused from the spectators. The judge tapped his gavel and got silence again. “Isn’t it also true that some prominent local citizens frequented these wild parties?”

Garland’s facial muscles tensed. He glanced around the courtroom and cleared his throat. “We had some pretty big parties. Coulda been anybody there.”

“So any of those people might not be thrilled if either Ms. Shropshire or Ms. Rousselle mentioned their names? Isn’t that right?”

“I dunno,” Garland muttered. He fidgeted in his seat and tugged at his collar. Then he leaned forward to speak into the microphone. “I just went to the parties to have a good time. I didn’t see nobody sell or use drugs. I don’t know nothin’ about no illegal activity.” He blushed when snickers of disbelief came from all sides of the courtroom.

“So Ms. Shropshire wanted you to intimidate Ms. Rousselle, is that right?”

“Yeah.”

“Did she pay you?” Savannah raised an eyebrow when he hesitated. “You’re under oath.”

“Yeah.”
 

“Didn’t you disagree about the payment because she thought you’d failed? On the other hand you wanted extra money because the job hadn’t been so easy.” Savannah drove home the words like nails in Garland’s coffin.

“No, that’s not what we got into a fuss about. And I didn’t try to rape nobody,” Garland blurted out angrily.

Savannah pounced. “But you admit that you quarreled with the victims. It could be argued that you had a motive to harm them.”

“What? No, that’s not what I meant to say. I refuse to answer on the grounds it might incriminate me.” Garland wiped beads of sweat from his forehead.

“You’ve said more than enough,” Savannah shot back. She gave the DA and his assistant a razor thin smile as she sat down. “I’m through with this witness.”

Hazelton strode forward with a look of barely contained rage on his face. He sliced a glance to his right where Deputy Gautreau stood. He got a defiant gaze tossed right back for his effort. Then the DA stared at Chase, who stood behind the last row of benches against the wall. Chase exited quickly before his presence could become the focus of attention. Hazelton smoothed down his tie as though trying to contain his frustration. His expression was composed when he faced Garland.

“Mr. Garland, were you threatened in anyway by a member of law enforcement? You’ve made some statements that could put you in legal hot water. I’m wondering why you’d do that?” Hazelton turned to face the gallery.
 

Garland rubbed his hands together. “I got picked up on some charges in Orleans Parish. They’ll cut me a break for being a good citizen.” His last words brought a few chuckles from the spectators.

“Right, a good citizen.” Hazelton went to his table and sat down. “That’s all.”

Garland scurried from the witness chair and out of the courtroom, head down and obviously happy to be leaving. Aunt Leah’s supporters hissed at him. A few
 
of them tossed heated comments about his character, but low enough not to attract the Judge Trahan’s attention from looking over his notes.

Savannah stood. “Your honor, I contend that to say the investigation of these crimes is incomplete is a gross understatement. The state should not rush to trial on this matter. The victims deserve nothing less than a thorough and totally unbiased look at all possible suspects.”

“Despite theatrics more appropriate for a second rate soap opera the facts remain the same. Ms. Rousselle had the only well-documented motive to commit these crimes. She attacked both witnesses in the past, and she has no alibi for the time of crimes.” Hazelton stood straight.

“The time of the attacks hasn’t been definitively established, and the district attorney knows that very well.” Savannah was about to go on but stopped when Judge Trahan raised a hand.

“I’m going to take this matter under advisement. Court is adjourned.” Judge Trahan gathered up his files, nodded to the two court bailiffs, and left the bench. The officers went to opposite ends of the courtroom and herded out the gaggle of spectators who wanted to linger.
 

“What does that mean?” LaShaun put a hand on Savannah’s arm.

 
“It means I’ve given him a lot more to think about than he expected. So much for the DA’s open and shut case for a trial.”

“You did a fantastic job, boss.” Savannah’s paralegal grinned at her.

“Your investigation skills helped. You’ll be another Magnum PI before long.” Savannah winked at him.

“Who?” Jarius blinked at her.

“Thanks for making me feel very old. Never mind. You’ve earned an extra afternoon off.”
 
Savannah smiled at him.

“Shoot, I’m not ready to take off early yet. The action is way too interesting.

“Interesting is not the word I would use. But you’re right to use the present tense. We’re not out of the woods yet,” Savannah replied.

LaShaun shivered at her reference to woods. “You’re so right.”

“You okay?” Savannah put a hand on her shoulder.
 

“Sure.” LaShaun stood. “So what’s next?”

“We wait for the judge to decide if there is enough evidence against you for a trial. In the meantime having the real perpetrator dragged kicking and screaming into the sheriff’s station would help.” Savannah sighed and shook her head.
 

“I’m working on it. I didn’t know there were so many rocks to turn over in little old sleepy Beau Chene.” The paralegal shook his head.

“You have no idea,” LaShaun said quietly.

Savannah let out a long sigh. “Well, troops, time to go home and gird our loins for the next battle.”

“I’m ready, general.” Jarius grinned at her and saluted.
 

As they walked from the courtroom, Savannah and Jarius talked legal strategy in a relaxed way. They seemed encouraged. LaShaun knew there was more to come. The next battle would be spiritual warfare. Her night in the woods had only been the opening shot. The diaries warned that the loa, once awakened, would not simply slink away. After all, he’d been with her family for over a hundred years. Its hunger for power and devotion to chaos knew no bounds.
 

* * *

Two days later Judge Trahan made his decision. He informed District Attorney Hazelton there wasn’t enough convincing evidence to take LaShaun to trial. The case, he said in a dark tone, had reasonable doubt stamped all over it. Hazelton took the news with grace while he was in the judge’s office. He didn’t hold his temper when he got Brad Gautreau into his office according town gossip.
 

Meanwhile the media had a great time describing every salacious detail of
 
Beau Chene’s secret underbelly. Headlines like, “Sleepy Bayou Town Has Dirty Little Secrets” sent the mayor into a public rant. Reporters circled around town like flies going from one pile of manure to another, delighted to sniff out more muck.

 
That night LaShaun sat on her front porch rocking back and forth at a lazy pace. Waiting in the shadows.
 
She’d called her Aunt Leah to come out for a meeting. Aunt Leah balked and retorted she had no intention of
 
meeting with a murderer miles from help. When LaShaun suggested she bring Deputy Gautreau for protection, Aunt Leah cursed for a good thirty seconds then slammed down the phone. No matter. LaShaun knew her message would reach the right person.

LaShaun called to give Quentin a personal invitation. Hearing from LaShaun not only stroked his ego, but also incited his insatiable need for scandalous thrills. Quentin wasn’t afraid. On the contrary, he reacted as if LaShaun had invited him to a party. He even offered to bring wine and some of the best marijuana in south Louisiana.

 
Finally, LaShaun called Chase. He vehemently objected, calling her plan both dangerous and foolish. When LaShaun told him she’d already invited the other players in this drama, Chase swore and agreed to be there, but on his conditions. LaShaun agreed to his strategy to minimize the risk of someone else getting killed, as Chase put it. Still she knew he could only deal with the human side of this risky equation. She only hoped and prayed that she had adequately prepared for the unworldly threat.

The antique clock chimed the hour. Twelve times the bells tolled to announce midnight. Inside the house was dark except for one small lamp. LaShaun had considered turning off the large security lamp in the yard, but Chase put his foot down on that point. She worried that the light would keep away a less substantial visitor, she need to deal with him and whatever control he’d taken in these events. Or maybe he had gained more strength than she knew. LaShaun was in uncharted waters. In the last thirteen hours, she had read all ten of Monmon Odette’s diaries, back to the very first one when she was only a girl of twelve. Still LaShaun wasn’t tired. Instead she felt a kind of energy, a tingling in her body like an electrical charge as though she’d tapped into a strange energy source. The young Odette had used her gifts to summon the loa; little realizing she was only reawakening the same spirit her ancestors had called on. But tonight wasn’t about the past. LaShaun had a duty to carry out.