Sweet Mystery (18 page)

Rae thought her aunt seemed all talked out,
her face tired and sad looking. “I didn’t mean to get you upset,
Tante.”

“I’m okay, baby.” Tante Ina wore a slight
smile. “Fifty years helped me get used to it. But the talk after
Papa left, the way we got treated, was awful.”

“You’d think Monmon Marie would have gotten
sympathy. She was a victim, too.”

“Folks couldn’t take it out on Papa, so...
Besides, Mama had a bad temper, even back in those days. She told
‘em what was on her mind. Said Papa shoulda taken their money cause
they was all fools to trust Henry Jove. They said Papa must’ve left
her some ‘fore he took off. Mama kept us goin’ on hard work. If
there was extra money, I couldn’t tell.” Tante Ina closed her
eyes.

“Will you talk to LaMar?” Rae had to ask.
Everything she’d heard left her wanting to follow any thread, no
matter how weak; there were too many unanswered questions.

“LaMar Zeno? That boy who helped out Savannah
and Paul?”

“Yeah, that’s him. Savannah gave me his
name.” Rae had called her cousin when she remembered how a black
private detective had helped her out three years earlier.

Tante Ina patted Rae’s head. “I’ll tell him
as much as I can remember, cher. Just hope you don’t get your heart
broke fishin’ for the truth.” She started washing the dishes.

A sense of foreboding ran through Rae at her
aunt’s words. She began to wonder if there could be an answer to
this mystery that would not hurt someone.

* * *

The next day, Rae sat on her back porch
strumming her fingers across the strings of her old, acoustic
guitar. She played for at least an hour every day. Not so much for
practice, though that helped, but as a kind of extension of
herself. It was part of her daily routine, much as others had a
second cup of coffee or read the morning paper.

She strummed a Creole tune that Monmon Marie
had taught her when she was four years old. The summer evening’s
still bright sunshine brought a faintly cooling breeze, which
rustled the leaves of the trees. Rae changed to a blues song that
told a sensuous tale of true love finally found. The last notes
faded away; a deep thrumming that implied passionate lovemaking
without one word of lyric needed.

Hand-clapping came from her left. Simon stood
there, wearing a light green knit, polo shirt and cotton pants the
color of wet sand. His muscular body, outlined against the splash
of light took her breath away.

“This is the first time I’ve heard you play
alone. That was beautiful, Rae.” Simon sat down next to her and
kissed her forehead. “I’ve missed you.”

Rae’s skin tingled from the touch of his
lips. “We saw each other the night before last.”

“You didn’t call me at the office yesterday
morning. My day got off to a bad start without the sound of your
voice. And last night you seemed unwilling to talk.” Simon watched
her for several seconds.

Rae’s heart pounded. “Simon, you think maybe
we’re moving too fast after all? The history between our families
can’t be just brushed off.”

“No, but it shouldn’t keep us from being
happy.” Simon cupped her chin with one strong hand and turned her
face to his. “You make me happier than anyone or anything else. I
can’t let you go now, Rae.”

His words hit her with such force that her
resistance sagged. Rae welcomed his arms around her. She held on
tight, half afraid it was only a lovely dream that this wonderful
man wanted her so much.

“Simon, there are some things you should know
about me.”

“I don’t want to hear confessions, Rae.”

She pulled back from him. “Just listen.
Please?”

“Okay,” Simon said softly, wrapping his arms
around her again. “If you need to tell me, go on.”

“When I was just a teenager, Darcy and I
dated.”

Simon did take his arms away, but he tensed.
“Any feelings left for him?”

“No, none at all, but–”

“Then it doesn’t matter. No more than all
those girls I swore to love forever when I was fifteen.”

Rae felt him relax against her. “I felt you
should know. Someone might take great pleasure in telling you about
it.” She knew Toya would paint a graphic picture worthy of a
tabloid newspaper.

“Then they’ll be disappointed when I don’t
faint from the shock.” Simon chuckled.

“I’ve also hired a private detective to find
out what really happened to Pawpaw Vince.” Rae looked at him.
“LaMar Zeno has all ready begun investigating.”

“Good,” Simon said in a firm voice.

“What?” Rae had not expected this reaction at
all. “Everyone else I’ve told, even Andrew, said maybe I should
leave it alone.”

“Strange how the folks you think would
welcome it get cold feet.” Simon held her tighter. “The truth might
settle all those bad feelings once and for all.”

“Or prove Pawpaw Vince was exactly what folks
said he was – a thief. Then they could spit on us for good reason.”
Rae imagined the self-righteous expressions.

“How is that different from the way some of
them act now?” Simon asked.

“Good point.”

“Actually, most of the people who felt the
most bitterness have died since then. Old man Pitre and his son,
Mr. Wilson and Mr. Leland, all gone home to rest, as my grandmother
says,” said Simon, gently rocking Rae back and forth.

“Except your grandfather and Mr. Henry, who
are still here.” Rae did not add that they were the two most
aggrieved by Pawpaw Vincent’s alleged betrayal. “Mr. Henry lost
more than money.”

“Rae, do what you have to do, and don’t worry
about it. Papa Joe and Mr. Henry survived their loss fifty years
ago. I doubt it will devastate them now. Either your grandfather
did it or he didn’t.”

Rae’s anxiety spiked. “But what happened to
the money if Pawpaw Vincent didn’t take it?”

“Then there was another thief. Maybe Miss
Estelle left with some other man nobody knew about.” Simon offered
the explanation in a casual way, but jumped at Rae’s strong
reaction.

“Cher, you’re brilliant!” Rae kissed him hard
on the lips.

She was relieved beyond belief. Why hadn’t I
thought of that? It did not have to be Mr. Henry or, thank
goodness, Mr. Joe. Maybe the truth did not have to destroy her
new-found happiness.

Simon grinned at her. “Thanks. Uh, what in
particular helped you to see this profound truth? Not that I’m
arguing with the results.”

“You made me see the obvious.” Rae could not
tell him she had suspected his grandfather of not only stealing the
money, but framing her grandfather. “I was just so worried that
since evidence pointed to Pawpaw Vince, it might be true.”

“Baby, that old saying about the sins of the
father has to be put aside by you and the rest of this town.” Simon
brushed her hair with one hand. “Even if you find proof that he did
it, it’s his sin. Not yours.”

“I know. It’s just that it meant so much to
Lucien to prove the father he loved wasn’t a bum.” Rae leaned
against him. “Maybe it’s just as well Daddy won’t be here. In case
we do find Pawpaw Vincent stole the money and left his family
behind for Estelle.”

“From what I hear, Estelle was friendly with
more than a couple of men in this parish.”

“Simon St. Cyr, you’ve been listening to
nasty old gossip.” Rae feigned a look of shocked disapproval and
then winked at him with a wicked smile. “Tell me more.”

“Just that she wasn’t exactly Saint Estelle
when it came to men. My grandmother, great aunts and aunts used to
talk while they were cooking or sitting in the yard after supper.
They said Mr. Henry shouldn’t have been surprised she took
off.”

“So Estelle was generous with her
affection?”

“Very generous from what I overheard.”

Rae shook a finger under his nose. “Shame on
you for eavesdropping, you little rascal.”

“Hey, can I help it if the tree I sat under
to rest was near them?” Simon tried to look innocent.

“Don’t try that boyish charm on me.”

Simon traced the neckline of her shirt to the
top button. “I thought you liked my boyish charm, Ms. Dalcour.”

“Well, maybe just a little.” Rae watched his
finger with fascination as it touched the curve of her breast. She
felt icy hot inside. “Okay, a lot,” she said, her breath short.

“Tell you what, you give me another tune and
I’ll treat you to dinner.” Simon spoke with his lips pressed
against her cheek.

“Dinner? Is that all?” Rae murmured.

“Not even.” Simon grinned. “Come on now, play
for me.”

“You don’t want to hear...” She melted at the
sensation of his finger on her lips, cutting her off gently.

Simon handed her the guitar. “Your music is
an important part of you. I want to share everything. Please, just
you and me.”

“You got it, babe,” she replied.

For two hours all of the music inside her
welled up and out through her fingers. The couple sat side by side,
making love without touching. Simon joined in on some of the old
Creole songs he knew; his voice a deep baritone. Rae watched him
laugh at the funny songs and grow quiet at the sad ones. As the sun
went down, they became one in spirit. Rae marveled that there could
be this kind of heaven on Earth.

* * *

“Now what are you going to do, Mr. Genius?”
Marius sneered at Darcy. He spoke up as soon as the door closed
behind the Pantheon project director’s representative. “Latham was
not happy with the news that you messed up our plans.”

Darcy stared back at Marius from where he sat
in a dark green, leather chair, behind his massive desk. The office
was a study in elegance. Prints of New Orleans jazz bands adorned
the walls and the polished, oak furniture was impeccable. Darcy’s
spacious office was in a modern building that was part of a new
development. Mr. Henry rented the spaces at cost from the owner, as
he had helped him to make quite a few profitable real-estate
deals.

“I didn’t mess up anything.” Darcy spoke in a
deadly calm voice, which should have warned his cousin.

“Really? You got a little too clever. You did
exactly what grandfather predicted: outsmarted yourself.”

Darcy leaned back in his chair. “No one can
ever accuse you of that, can they?”

“What, screwing up a major business
transaction?” Marius asked. His sneer twisted what should have been
attractive features, but were made ugly by his personality.

“No, of being too clever,” Darcy retorted.
“Don’t get any ideas that you can use this against me.”

“Who, me?” Marius spread his arms wide. “I
wouldn’t dream of doing anything like that.”

“Good. Otherwise I might be forced to tell
Grandfather and the U.S. Attorney about that deal you cut.” Darcy’s
voice was cold.

Marius blinked at him. “Wha–”

“You got a contract with DHH to sell them
office supplies. Your buddy made sure you got it, even though you
weren’t the lowest bidder and he got a kickback. Using the mail to
defraud is a federal offense.” Darcy raised his eyebrows. “And
Graydon Bell is a very tenacious U.S. Attorney.”

“I didn’t! You can’t prove–” Marius swore
under his breath and balled up his hands into fists.

“Don’t mess with me. Do we understand each
other?” Darcy’s stare was as hard as steel.

“You wouldn’t dare risk dragging the family
name through the mud.”

“Wanna bet? No one will head this corporation
but me. No one,” Darcy said.

“Grandfather would stand by me.” Marius tried
to recover some advantage. “It wouldn’t even get to trial.
Grandfather knows how smart business is done.”

“No doubt you’d have the best attorney
possible. But do you think Grandfather would let you near a
responsible position of any of the family businesses after that?”
Darcy shook his head slowly.

Both men knew the answer.

Marius pounded the arm of his chair in
frustration. “You bastard!”

“I’m sure you’d do the same for me, cousin,”
Darcy shot back.

Marius sat fuming for several minutes before
his sneer returned. “What about your secret meetings with the
police jury president? Grandfather would not be happy.”

“How did you find out–” Darcy dipped his head
in a slight bow. “Seems we have a stand-off.”

“Let’s be honest, Grandfather is not going to
cut you out and promote me. But he will make sure we’re rewarded
equally. So let’s protect each other, since we both could lose big
time.” Marius adopted a practical tone.

“Agreed. Now do you have any suggestions
regarding Pantheon?” Darcy waited patiently.

After a few moments, Marius brightened. “We
could get the Feds to declare part of the Dalcour property as
wetlands. Then they would lose it.”

Darcy gave him a look of contempt. “So would
we, Marius. That would take the land off the market for any kind of
development. What a stupid idea.”

Marius glared at him. “Well, what do you
suggest?”

“Pantheon wants, no needs, this plant. The
state and the Feds are on their backs about the waste they produce
at other sites. Part of an agreement they made to avoid hefty fines
was to safely dispose of hazardous by-products.” Darcy was back in
control. He leaned back into the rich leather of his chair.

“Really? Hmm, I didn’t know that.” Marius
rubbed his chin.

“Of course you didn’t. But I do. They won’t
squawk if we use a different tract, adjacent to our land.” Darcy
brushed the sleeve of his cotton shirt.

“But what will Grandfather say? He really
wants to get his hands on Dalcour property.” Marius seemed to
hesitate at the thought of Henry’s displeasure.

“He’ll get over it. It’s time he let us
handle the day-to-day affairs anyway.” Darcy looked at his cousin.
“He deserves a rest after all these years.”

“Wait a minute, this means you’ll have to
have Bayou Latte dredged and a road built. You know how he’ll
react.” Marius went from hesitation to obvious fear. Henry Jove was
a force of destruction when angry.