Authors: Debby Grahl
Silence filled the minutes as they slowly ticked by before Miss Dauphine spoke again. “And when exactly were you going to inform me of this change of plans?”
“I wanted to get settled first.”
“Is it true, Caterine, that you’re staying somewhere with Mr. Michaud?”
“Yes, ma’am. He thought I’d be safer here with him.”
“I’m sure he did. Caterine, I wish to speak to both of you in person. I assume this will be possible?”
“Of course, Grandmère. Where are you now?”
“I’m on my way to a meeting, then on to a luncheon appointment. I would like to see you this afternoon.”
“That will be fine. Let me give you the address.”
“Very well, Caterine. I will see you around two o’clock.”
“Yes, ma’am.” White-faced, Caterine disconnected and handed the phone to Remi, who was still reclining against the headboard.
“So?”
“She’s coming here at two o’clock.”
“And?”
“I’ve only heard that tone in her voice a few times, and each of those times she’s been very, very angry.”
Remi ran his hands over his face. “What do you think has her more pissed, the fact we’ve been back and haven’t told her, or the fact that you’re staying here with me? Or perhaps the fact that I disregarded her wishes and put my hands on you?”
“All of the above,” came her soft reply.
“Christ. This is all I need.” Remi got out of bed and headed for the bathroom.
Caterine soon had two mugs of chicory coffee and plates of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast laid out on the small oak kitchen table.
“That smells great.” Remi said, taking a seat. “My eggs are usually runny and the bacon burnt, but I keep trying. Now, if you want some good fried catfish, Princess, I can do that.”
Caterine smiled. “I’ve never had fried catfish. You’ll have to make us some.”
He froze with his fork halfway to his lips. “You grew up in New Orleans and have never had fried catfish?”
She shook her head.
“What about a crawfish boil?”
She shook her head again.
“Well, we’ll have to introduce you to all the delicacies you’ve been missing. The Saturday before Mardi Gras my family all get together and have a big crawfish boil with all the trimmings. Would you like to go with me?”
“Oh yes, Remi, I’d love to.”
His heart did a flip at the pure joy that came over her face. “What the hell did you grow up eating?”
This time she shrugged. “Whatever our French chef prepared, although Elaine and I did take a cooking class during college.”
He smiled. “And what did you and Elaine learn how to cook?”
She ignored his question and concentrated on her breakfast. Then she stood and began to gather the dishes. “You know, Remi, we should have some kind of pastry to offer Grandmère when she gets here.”
He took the plates from her hands and put them in the sink. “Come on, Princess, tell me what you and Elaine learned how to cook.”
She placed her hands on her hips. “Sauces. Now are you satisfied?”
His smile spread across his face. “What kind of sauces?”
She sighed in exasperation. “The kind you put over food.”
He laughed aloud. “The only sauce I’m used to putting on food,
cher
, is hot sauce.”
She rolled her eyes. “If you’re done laughing at me, we have a pressing matter to discuss—how to explain our living arrangement to Grandmère.”
All humor left his face as he leaned back against the sink. “The only thing we can do is tell her why I feel you’re safer with me and hope she understands.”
Caterine dampened a cloth and began to wipe off the table. “What if she expects more than that?”
“Such as?”
She busied herself cleaning the top of the stove. “Like about us.”
He took a deep breath. “What is it that you want to tell her?”
She stared directly into his eyes, and he knew exactly what she was thinking.
I love you and you love me, and we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together.
He opened his arms. “Come here to me, Princess.”
Caterine stepped into his embrace and he held her close. “If your grandmother asks, we’ll tell her we don’t know, but for now we want to be together.” He kissed the top of her head. “But to help us along, I’ll run over to Brennan’s and get a suicide cake.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“Caterine, would you please calm down. You’re making me crazy with all that pacing.” Remi was sitting on the sofa trying to read the paper. He finally gave up, refolded it and placed it on the coffee table, then stood. “Come on, let’s go sit on the balcony and wait.”
He watched in exasperation as she snatched the paper from the coffee table, shoved it in a drawer, then hurried to straighten the sofa cushions.
“For Christ’s sake, will you chill out? The apartment is fine. You look fine. And I look as good as I can with a black eye and swollen nose.”
“God, I hadn’t thought of that! How are we going to explain our bruises?”
Remi threw up his hands, mumbling something rude in Cajun. “Let’s tell her we got this way by having wild sex on the floor bouncing off the furniture.”
“Very funny. I’m serious.”
“I don’t know what to say. Let’s just wing it. She may not even ask.”
“How could she not ask?”
Remi was grinding his teeth as he went out onto the balcony. Caterine was right behind him.
“You’re not going to smoke while she’s here, are you?”
He closed his eyes and counted. “Caterine, if you don’t sit down and stop worrying, I’m going to smoke the entire pack.”
“Oh no, there she is.”
Remi watched as the distinguished black man he’d seen before opened the Lincoln’s back door and helped Miss Dauphine step out.
Taking on the thugs from the previous night was definitely more appealing to him than facing Miss Dauphine. He sighed and rose to greet his guest.
When Miss Dauphine entered the apartment, Caterine kissed and hugged her. “Hello, Grandmère. It’s good to see you.”
Miss Dauphine hugged her back. “I’m pleased to see you as well, Caterine.”
“Come in and have a seat.” Caterine indicated one of the chairs. “Would you care for a cup of coffee and a slice of cake?”
“No, thank you. I’m fine for now. What I would like is for you to be seated while I ask Mr. Michaud to answer a few questions I have for him.”
“I’d be happy to do that, ma’am.” Remi took a seat across from Miss Dauphine.
Caterine couldn’t believe how calm and confident he sounded. She took her seat, waiting for the explosion that was sure to come.
“Before I begin, would you like to tell me why both of you look as if you’ve been brawling in the streets?”
“On our way home from dinner last night, we unexpectedly found ourselves in a crowd of rowdy partiers. Unfortunately, Caterine was shoved against the wall and scraped her hands, and I came in contact with some drunk’s fist.”
Caterine marveled at Remi’s ability to lie nonchalantly while appearing perfectly truthful.
Miss Dauphine looked doubtfully from Remi to her before sighing resignedly. Clearing her throat, she turned her attention fully on Remi. “Very well, Mr. Michaud. I’ll proceed with my questions.”
He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
“First, would you please explain to me why, knowing full well that Caterine is in danger here in New Orleans, you disregarded this fact and allowed her to stay here instead of leaving for Atlanta?”
Caterine opened her mouth to explain, but Remi quickly silenced her with a glance.
“Miss Dauphine, Caterine is here in New Orleans because she refused to leave, and I couldn’t change her mind. To be honest, I don’t know that she would have been any safer in Atlanta. It wouldn’t be all that difficult for someone with money and connections to kidnap her there.”
Caterine glanced anxiously at her grandmother, hoping to gauge her reaction to this answer. She said a silent prayer of thanks when it seemed she’d accepted his explanation.
“I do know my granddaughter can be stubborn when she wants to be. If you believed Caterine would be unsafe in Atlanta, you were right not to go there. That leads me to my next question. Why is it necessary for her to reside here, alone with you, when she could have just as easily obtained her own apartment, or a comfortable hotel room?”
“Caterine is staying with me because I feel that’s the safest place for her to be. I can’t protect her if she’s alone in an apartment or some hotel room.”
For long minutes she silently studied Remi. “I have many discreet friends who would have been more than happy to have Caterine stay with them.”
“I’m sure you do, but as you say, discretion is of the utmost importance. The fewer people who know Caterine is in New Orleans, the safer she’ll be. Besides, I’m sure you wouldn’t want to take the chance of putting some innocent person in danger.”
Miss Dauphine’s dark eyes flashed. “Of course I would not, but there are other options. A guard could be hired to stand outside Caterine’s apartment or hotel room.”
“Yes, ma’am, they could, but are you willing to take a chance on Caterine’s life that a guard couldn’t be bribed?”
Caterine watched as her grandmother’s back stiffened and her nostrils flared.
Remi sighed. “Miss Dauphine, you hired me to protect Caterine from harm. I’m doing as you asked, the best way I know how. That’s by keeping her close to me at all times.”
“And safety is the only reason you’re keeping my granddaughter with you, is it, Mr. Michaud?”
He met her challenging eyes. “No, ma’am, that’s not the only reason.”
Again she silently studied Remi before turning to Caterine. “I wish to speak with Mr. Michaud privately. Would you please go and prepare the coffee you offered earlier?”
“Grandmère, Remi and I—”
“Caterine, please do as I ask. I’m sure Mr. Michaud is capable of having a private conversation with me without your assistance.”
Caterine stood and gave Remi a “what can I do?” shrug before leaving the room.
Miss Dauphine folded her hands in her lap. “Now then, Mr. Michaud, I believe you’re being truthful when you say the safety of my granddaughter is your main priority, but it’s not only Caterine’s safety that concerns me. For months after her parents were killed, Caterine was inconsolable. My husband and I tried our best not only to comfort her, but to protect her from ever experiencing that kind of anguish again. Now, I’m afraid by doing so we inadvertently left Caterine vulnerable and ill-prepared to deal with life’s heartbreaks. Also, I imagine my granddaughter is extremely naïve when it comes to knowing how to protect herself against handsome smooth-talking persuasive men.
“I, on the other hand, am neither naïve nor gullible. Obviously, since my granddaughter is residing here with you, and I seriously doubt you’re sleeping alone there on that sofa, I can assume you disregarded my wishes and more happened between you and Caterine than just protecting her. Now I’d like to know how you plan on resolving this potentially hurtful, not to mention compromising, situation you’ve put my granddaughter in.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Caterine reentered the room carrying a tray. “Grandmère, I met Remi at the LaBeaus’ ball. And I can assure you he is in no way taking advantage of me.”
“Caterine, don’t,” Remi said. “It’s not necessary.”
Ignoring both Remi’s and her grandmother’s annoyed expressions, she placed the tray of coffee and cake on the table. She felt a little sick but was determined to see this through.
“Caterine.” Remi’s voice had taken on a warning tone.
Still ignoring him, she addressed her grandmother. “I know you don’t approve of me being here, and if the circumstances were different I wouldn’t be, but I really don’t have any other choice. Besides, staying here with Remi is where I want to be.”
Caterine narrowed her eyes in puzzlement at her grandmother’s triumphant smirk and Remi’s pained expression.
“Well, Mr. Michaud, what do you have to say for yourself now?”
“Grandmère, he—”
“Caterine, if you please, let him speak for himself.”
“But, Grandmère, Remi isn’t to blame.”
“I don’t blame Mr. Michaud entirely for this
amourette
you find yourself in, Caterine. Have you thought beyond the point in time when the person who hired your assailant is identified and this situation is resolved? Like it or not, our family is well known and very newsworthy. Once the story of your attack and the arrest is made public, everything that has transpired from the beginning to the end will be revealed, including your relationship with Mr. Michaud. You are Caterine Doucette. Do you realize what this living arrangement is going to do to your reputation?”
“Miss Dauphine, my intentions from the beginning have only been for Caterine’s well-being. I never intended to hurt or disgrace her in any way.”
“And exactly what are your intentions?”
“To do exactly what you hired me to do: to protect Caterine while discovering who in your family wants her dead.”