Angelique (25 page)

* * * *

Armand and his brothers had spent the past twenty four hours trying to figure out exactly who was trying to sabotage their company and gain some concrete evidence. He met his brothers, and they discussed what their investigation revealed.

“Well, Angelique was right about those public records, and it was a plus that Papa knows the town clerk so well,” Armand stated as he stood inside of the Sheriff’s Department. Remy, Eloi, and Marcel were in the meeting room with the investigator from the DA’s office. Apparently Bruce Vizier and Pierre Williams were wanted for numerous counts of illegal activities ranging from bribes of public officials to tampering with public records and a few other felony charges that would put them behind bars for a long time. It appeared that they were also behind the accidents at the construction site.

“So how the hell do we find him and Pierre Williams? Bruce hasn’t been seen since yesterday afternoon,” Eloi asked the investigator before Armand had a chance to.

“We’ve been following Pierre. He was seen hanging around your place last week,” the investigator told them.

“Our place? Why the hell didn’t you contact me?” Eloi asked. Armand was just as taken aback by the investigator’s admittance, but he allowed his brother to handle this.

“We are doing an investigation, Sheriff. We need to be careful about how many people know what’s going on,” he replied just as Deputy Leon Rue brought Dufrene Benson into the department in handcuffs. They could see through the glass divider in the meeting room.

“What the hell did he do now?” Eloi asked as he headed out of the office.

* * * *

Eloi had a bad feeling since yesterday. He didn’t like knowing that people wanted to hurt his family. He didn’t like not having Angelique nearby so they could keep an eye on her, and he didn’t like how serious she got when they asked her to move in with them. Maybe their papa was right. Maybe she wanted to get married first. That wasn’t a big deal. They could ask her tonight when she came to visit. He would feel much better knowing she was with them instead of so far from town with all this crazy business going on.

“What did he do?” Eloi asked Leon as he noticed Benson’s face was bloody and his clothes were torn. Leon looked out of breath, and his shirt was hanging out of his uniform pants.

“I brought him here right away. He was purchasing some items at the hardware store, and then when I questioned him, he took a swing at me. I had no choice but to put him in his place, Sheriff,” Leon stated.

“What things was he purchasing that got you to question him?” the investigator from the DA’s office asked as he approached behind the sheriff.

“Let’s see now, some duct tape, rope, burlap bags, a case of beer, and he had a wad of condoms hanging out of his back pocket. He was carrying on about getting lucky with a certain lady,” Leon stated.

“Meaning what?” the investigator asked, and Leon looked at Eloi, waiting for approval to continue.

“Go ahead,” Eloi told him.

“I asked him what he was doing, and he freaked out, ran through the store knocking things over, then out to his truck. I grabbed him before he could take off. In the front seat of his truck was your woman’s name and address,” Leon stated, and Eloi freaked.

“What? What are you doing with our woman’s address? What were you planning with the tape, the rope, and stuff?” Eloi yelled as he grabbed Benson by the throat.

“It wasn’t me. It’s Chester. He’s hot for your woman. He has been following her for weeks. He wants her to himself and plans on taking her away with him,” Benson cried out as Eloi shoved him to the ground.

“Lock his ass up and put out an APB on Chester Rousse. Get everyone on this now!” Eloi yelled, and the other deputies in the office began to scatter around.

“We have to call Angelique. We need to know where she’s at and get to her fast,” Armand stated.

“Definitely call her now,” Eloi yelled.

“I’m on it,” Remy stated as he dialed the number, and they headed out to their trucks.

* * * *

Angelique headed down the road out of Orchidea. Her cell phone began to ring, and she debated about answering it. She was determined to get to the Lafont estate.

She peaked at the number and saw that it was Remy. She smiled as she answered the phone.

“Hi Remy!” she exclaimed. Out of nowhere, some shiny black pickup truck pulled from a side dirt road and nearly hit her. She swerved the wheel.

“Hey, watch where you going!” she yelled as she held on to the phone with one hand and the steering wheel with the other.

“Angelique, are you okay? What’s going on?” Remy asked as she put the phone on speaker.

“Some idiot just pulled out of nowhere and nearly hit me. Now he’s riding on my ass,” she told him.

“What type of truck?” Eloi yelled in the background.

She immediately got scared. Something was going on.

“A beat-up black one with patches of grey on it. Why? What’s going on?” she asked in a panic.

“Stay calm, honey. Where are you at now?” Eloi asked.

“On the way out of Orchidea…along the bayou,” she told them, and then she felt the bump to the back of her car. She screamed then cursed.

“Hey!”

“Angelique, what’s wrong?” Armand yelled. They must all be together.
Shit, what is going on?

“He bumped me.”

“Okay, honey. Just take it easy, and whatever you do, don’t stop. We’re on our way. We’re in Eloi’s truck now,” Armand stated.

“What’s going on? Who is it behind me, and what do they want?” she asked in a panic.

“It’s Chester Rousse,” Eloi stated with anger.

“That guy from you mama’s store?” she asked.

“Yes,” he replied.

“Oh no, why? What does he want from me?” she asked.

“Just stay focused on driving,” Armand told her.

“Oh no!” Angelique screamed, and she hit the brakes right before she hit a delivery truck that came barreling out of nowhere. The large white truck blocked the roadway in front of her, she took her foot off the gas pedal.

“What happened? Angelique, are you okay?” Eloi yelled.

Angelique saw the black pickup coming up fast behind her then hit the brakes and skidded. He hit the back of her car, and she jerked forward, hitting her head on the steering wheel. She screamed as she realized what was happening. Through fuzziness she could hear Eloi, Armand, and Remy’s voices yelling to her to answer them. She looked up, and through the windshield she could see two men getting out of the delivery truck and one coming from a limo across the way.

“Talk to us, Angelique. What’s going on? Please answer us!” Armand yelled.

“I hit my head on the steering wheel. There are three men coming towards me. Two came out of a delivery truck that was blocking the road. The guy in the pickup truck hit me from behind. I know you told me not to stop, Eloi, but I had no choice,” she told him as her voice began to shake.

“Lock the doors!” Armand yelled.

“Yeah, baby, lock the doors. Can you start the car? Can you drive out of there?” Remy asked.

“I locked the doors,” she stated as she saw the men by the hood of her car. The two men from the truck went behind her car toward Chester.

“What’s happening?” Eloi demanded to know.

“The two men from the truck are going towards Chester’s pickup truck, it’s smoking behind my car,” she stated as she tried to start her car.

“I can’t start it. It won’t start, Eloi!” she screamed, and then she saw the third guy approach her driver-side window.

“Get away from me!” she screamed.

“What’s happening?” Armand asked.

Two gun shots went off, and she screamed as she covered her head.

“Angelique! Angelique, who’s shooting?” Eloi yelled to her.

She looked in her rearview mirror and saw someone she thought she recognized.

“They shot Chester. One of them shot Chester, and now he’s coming this way,” she told them as she rechecked the locks on the door and tried to start the car again.

The sound of the engine came to life, and she banged the wheel and screamed.

“I got it started. Oh God, I got it started.”

She stepped on the gas and turned the wheel, nearly hitting one of the guys. The other one jumped in her way, and she hit him then screamed.

“What happened?” Armand asked.

“I just ran one of them over. Oh God, I think I killed him,” she cried.

“Good. Get the hell out of there, woman. We are about ten minutes from you now!” Eloi yelled.

The third guy turned toward her, and she saw his face.

“It’s Vizier from the restaurant and that guy who’s always with him,” she yelled.

“Vizier?” Remy yelled, questioning who she saw.

“He’s got a gun!” she screamed just as the sound of the back window exploding filled the air. Angelique lost control of the car and landed in the mud of the bayou off the side of the road.

“I crashed. He shot out the window. I think I’m going to have to run,” she yelled as another shot rang out hitting the window making the glass hit her body and her arms.

“Angelique!” Eloi yelled.

“Shhhh…He’s coming,” she stated as Vizier yanked open her car door.

“You stupid bitch! You cost me time and money. Now I have to kill you either way!” he yelled as he pulled her out of the car by her hair. She landed on the ground, and as her knees hit the pavement, she landed on shattered glass and cried out in pain.

“We are going to have some fun, you and me. I figured you’d make a good ransom but now that your men know about my desire to acquire their land I have no choice but to kill you,” he stated.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked.

“Let's just say that the Lafont family and my family have never been friends.”

“Don’t touch me,” she yelled at him as he caressed her shoulder.

“You are really pretty. I can’t wait to taste you. You must be something good to be fucking four men at once. What do you say me you and Pierre here have a little vacation together?” He ripped her shirt, and Angelique screamed. She knew her men were listening and they were mere minutes away.

“Fuck you!” she yelled then swung her arm up hard hitting him in his groin. He retaliated by hitting her in the face with the handle of the gun. She screamed, but she fought back, kicking him then getting the gun away.

Pierre went to grab it, and she pulled the trigger, missing him and hitting Vizier in the chest. Pierre took the gun, and she ran into the swamp. Bullets whizzed by her head and her body as her feet sank deeper into the mud. She was trying to look for gators or snakes as she headed deeper into the bayou. She could hear sirens in the distance then trucks and cars skidding out. She could have sworn she heard her name as the perspiration dripped from her pores and she continued to struggle through the bayou. Her hair kept getting tangled in branches and Pierre was gaining on her. She heard her name again and recognized Eloi’s voice then Armand’s.

“Over here!” she yelled just as Pierre tackled her to the mud. He forearmed her in the mouth as she tried to fight him off.

“You stupid bitch! You ruined everything,” he yelled as he raised his arms up in the air holding a large, sharp hunting knife.

She grabbed for his wrists and screamed as images of her men flashed into her mind. Then she thought about the baby.

“No! Don’t do this!” she screamed when suddenly two shots were fired. She ducked as Pierre dropped the knife, and someone pushed him to the side and off of her.

As soon as she saw Eloi, she cried.

“You came. You got to me in time,” she cried as he, Armand, Remy, and Marcel gathered around her.

“Oh, damn, baby, you’re hurt,” Eloi stated as he lifted her up into his arms.

She cried as they each caressed her and Eloi carried her out of the bayou.

When they got to the clearing by the side of the road, the place was swarming with police and paramedics.

“She’s injured. We need a medic,” Armand yelled to the paramedics.

They carried her over to the medics and placed her on the gurney. Immediately they looked her over.

“She should go to the hospital. She may have a concussion and her pupils are dilated,” the paramedic stated.

“Oh God,” she said, holding her hands over her belly.

“I don’t want to leave y’all,” she told them as she cried. Her head was hurting as well as her mouth and her legs. There were cuts and bruises all along her knees and thighs from falling onto the glass.

“Armand and Remy will go with you. Marcel brought his truck, and I got the sheriff’s truck. We’ll meet you at the hospital,” Eloi told her then kissed her softly on the lips.

“Let’s get her there, Sheriff,” the paramedic said as he strapped her in, and they helped him get the gurney into the back of the ambulance.

“We’ll be right behind you,” Marcel stated as they closed the doors.

“We’ll take care of this, Sheriff. That’s one tough woman y’all got you, and brave, too,” the investigator told him.

Eloi thanked him, and then he and Marcel headed after the ambulance.

Epilogue

Marcel, Eloi, Armand, and Remy stood in the waiting room talking with Angelique’s sisters. Eloi had contacted them and sent two deputies to pick them up. They were just as good looking as their sister Angelique but had totally different personalities. It appeared to Eloi and Marcel that Deputy Leon Rue was interested in the older one Ellena. Finally the doctor came out and said that Angelique could have some visitors and that they would determine in the next hour whether they would admit her overnight for observations or release her.

The men went in to see her first.

Immediately they saw the bandage on her head, her swollen eye and swollen lip, and the bandages on her legs.

“Fuck!” Eloi stated, and she moaned.

“Eloi?” she asked as she tried to smile.

Armand and Remy were by her side caressing her cheeks and giving her light kisses.

“How are you feeling, sugar?” Marcel asked.

“I feel like I got hit by a truck. It’s just my head really that’s throbbing,” she added as she opened her eyes best she could.

“Damn, baby, I wish we could have got to you sooner. You scared the crap out of me,” Armand stated.

“I was pretty damn scared myself,” she told them as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

Eloi cleared his throat, making her look at him.

“I’m real proud of you, woman. You were strong and fought hard. You’re our bayou goddess with a Cajun kick,” Eloi stated, and they all chuckled. He felt his cheeks warm as he smiled. But then there was this annoying beeping sound.

“What is that noise?” he asked, more so trying to get the attention off of him for acting like a sap. Only Angelique could make him smile and get him to admit his emotions. He was straight faced now as he waited for an answer. His gut clenched as Angelique looked at all of them then at the monitor.

“Is that your heartbeat or something mixed in with some drums?” Remy asked then smiled as he patted her arm.

She gripped the sheets and smiled at them.

“No, that’s the sound of the baby’s heartbeat,” Angelique told them then moved the blanket aside to where the monitor wires attached to sensors on her belly.

“What?” Armand and Remy asked.

“Did you say baby?” Marcel asked.

She nodded her head, and they all cheered then kissed her, making her laugh and cry out in pain.

Eloi stood there staring at her in amazement. She was pregnant with their baby.

“How long did you know this?” Eloi asked firmly, and the others looked at him as Angelique stared back at Eloi.

“I found out last night. That’s why I was headed to town today to tell you. I wanted us to talk, Eloi, and try to work out all this crazy stuff. I took one of those tests, and also Mama Cherise told me I was pregnant. I didn’t believe her, but now the doctors say sometimes you can hear a heartbeat pretty early,” she stated.

“Well, first things first, we getting married. We want you as our wife, and now with the baby coming, it’s important you know how we feel about you. We should have asked you to marry us, not just move in,” he admitted, and she smiled.

“Y’all really feel that way?” she asked.

“Yes. We love you, baby,” Armand told her then kissed her cheek.

“I love you, too. I’m so happy that we can work it all out. There’s so much to figure out.”

“Well, we don’t have to do it all today. You need some rest and we’ll figure everything out when we’re back at the estate. First about the wedding, then the business, and then the baby,” Armand stated.

“Babies,” Angelique stated with a smile.

“Babies?” Eloi asked as he moved closer to Angelique and gently laid his hand on her belly. She covered his hand with her soft delicate one and his heart soared.

“Babies, Eloi. They think at least two.”

“Yeah, brothers, I think we got a lot to talk about,” Remy added, and they all smiled.