Between Dusk and Dawn (41 page)

“
Never mind, daddy. Go on
back inside with the others,” Chase said.

“
It’s gonna be okay, son.
I’ll talk to her.” Bruce, Sr. hugged LaShaun and went into the
house.

Sharon started to follow her mother,
and then came back. “Thank you. We know you risked your life
tonight.” Then she followed her parents inside.

Chase turned to the deputy and spoke
quietly. The man nodded as he listened, got in the cruiser and
left. Then Chase used his cell phone to call M.J. Ten minutes later
Chase and LaShaun were on the highway in his truck headed to Beau
Chene. They didn’t talk for the entire forty-five minute drive.
When they arrived at LaShaun’s house, Chase parked in her driveway,
but neither of them moved to get out.

“
Your mother is right about
me bringing that evil to her doorstep, Chase. Orin Young followed
me and used those sweet little girls as a weapon. They could have
been killed because of me.”

“
You saved the kids.
Believe me, my brothers and sisters are grateful.” Chase wore a
hard expression. “And Orin got exactly what he
deserved.”

“
This is how it’s going to
be you know. There will be stares, whispers and your family will be
hostile.” LaShaun stared straight ahead into the night.

“
We’ll build our family
from the ground up if we have to. Besides, not all of the family
will act like mama. Adrianna and Sharon think you’re great. I think
you’re Jessi’s new hero.” Chase forced his fingers between
LaShaun’s tightly clasped hands. “What about your family? I haven’t
had the pleasure of meeting them and being insulted
yet.”

When LaShaun looked at him he wore a
smile. “Be serious, Chase.”

“
I’m dead serious. It’s
about time I meet the notorious Rousselle kin folks. “ Chase pulled
her against his body and rubbed his cheek against hers. “Darlin’, I
know all about what we’re gonna face. I’m in. What about
you?”

“
I love you,” LaShaun
whispered.

Chase answered with a light kiss on
her forehead and held her tighter. Suddenly she could let go and
not be strong; his embrace provided a place of refuge. LaShaun
trembled in his arms, and Chase whispered words of love until she
grew calm minutes later.

“
Took a pack of rougarous
to make you say those three little words. Guess I’m gonna have to
find some vampires to get you to say, ‘I do’,” Chase
teased.

She wiped tears from her face and gave
him a playful swat on the thigh. “How can you joke at a time like
this?”

“
Cher, if this ain’t the
time to joke, there’ll never be one,” Chase quipped. He opened the
driver’s side door and got out. “Now come on inside. I’ll get you
all tucked in before I go back to purgatory.”

“
What?” LaShaun slid under
the wheel and jumped down from the truck.

“
That’s what me and some of
my buddies call a crime scene. You know, temporary, but still
painful.”

Chase dialed a number on his cell
phone as they went to the house. LaShaun unlocked the door and
disarmed her security system. As he talked to M.J., Chase went
through the house checking each room. He waved away LaShaun’s
objection, so she gave up and allowed him be her protector. She
went to the kitchen and put on some water to make a pot of
peppermint and chamomile tea. Monmon Odette would surely have been
the first to suggest she have a cup after fighting supernatural
foes. Chase walked back into the kitchen. He put his arms around
LaShaun as she stood at the counter putting tea bags in the
pot.

“
M.J. says I don’t need to
go back to the scene. We’ll go in tomorrow and provide more
detailed reports.”

“
How is Patsy?” LaShaun
turned to face him.

“
She’s in surgery. Orin’s
bullet hit her in the back. The doctor will know more after the
operation, but right now her injuries aren’t life threatening. Orin
won’t make it through the night.”

“
I know.” LaShaun let out
the breath she was holding.

“
Let’s not talk about
anything else grim. We’ll have enough of that to face again
tomorrow.” Chase let go of LaShaun, stretched and rolled his
shoulders to work out the tension in his muscles.

LaShaun put on a serious expression.
“Wait a minute, I’m getting a vision. I see a warm rainfall shower,
soothing cups of tea and a warm bed in our future.”

Chase grinned at her. “I must be
psychic, cher, cause I see it, too.”

They spent the rest of the night
enjoying the warmth of their love, and the happiness of being
together.

*****

The next morning LaShaun and Chase
went to the station, refreshed and ready to face more questions.
After two hours, the deputy assigned to take her statement wrapped
up. To her surprise, Chase’s election opponent sat in. Dave
Godchaux came across as a friendly old boy from the home town.
LaShaun knew that he had ambitions far beyond being the Sheriff of
a rural parish. Still he didn’t say much after introducing
himself.

“
Thanks for all your help,
Ms. Rousselle. You had a very interesting night,” Godchaux smiled
at her.

“
Interesting is one way to
put it,” LaShaun replied in a dry tone.

“
Well hopefully we can make
sure this parish gets safer with more patrols and strong
leadership,” Godchaux said with a crisp nod. The other deputy
cleared his throat, which earned him a sharp glance from the
candidate.

“
Vermillion Parish isn’t a
hot bed of criminal activity now, so I’d say past leadership has
done a good job.” LaShaun stood.

“
It’s been pretty quiet
until the last year or so.” Godchaux stood with her. “But times
change, and crime is up everywhere. You have a good day
now.”

“
You, too, Deputy Godchaux.
I’ll be seeing you.” LaShaun gave him a big smile. Godchaux blinked
rapidly at her then left the interview room.

Minutes later LaShaun met Chase in
M.J.’s office. The muted buzz of the station went on outside the
closed door. M.J. wore a tired expression. Dark circles under her
eyes made her look older than her thirty-seven years.

“
The last few hours
convinced me, Chase. That election can’t come fast enough. I
haven’t been home to see my kid yet.” M.J. rocked back in the
leather desk chair. “But at least we’ve seen an end to Orin Young’s
brand of badass.”

“
Are you going to charge
Patsy with anything?” LaShaun asked.

“
We’re still investigating,
so that’s yet to be determined,” M.J. said.

“
Those other two guys won’t
talk, one of ‘em is sick and getting sicker. I’d say they were
being cagey, but I think they’re scared.” Chase rubbed his chin and
frowned. “Strangest thing trying to get through to
them.”

“
Orin’s influence is strong
as the pack leader,” LaShaun said softly.

“
Maybe they’ll change their
tune once it sinks in he’s dead. Can we all agree not to mention
packs and rougarou to anyone else?” M.J. looked from Chase to
LaShaun.

“
Sealed lips,” LaShaun
said.

“
Folks in town are going to
whisper about this for years. Not to mention that ghost busting
crew sniffing around. With everything that’s happened, Schaffer may
move his operation to town for a few months,” Chase
retorted.

“
Don’t even say that as a
joke.” M.J. rolled her eyes. “Now you, Chief Detective Broussard,
can take a couple of days off. Out.”

“
Call me paranoid, but I
think you want to get rid of me.” Chase raised an eyebrow at
her.

“
A cooling off period would
do us all some good,” M.J. said pointedly. “A little
peace
and
quiet
, no excitement or
eerie happenings.”

“
She’s looking at me,”
LaShaun said to Chase using a stage whisper.

“
Enjoy yourselves away from
my station. Far away,” M.J. shot back.

Chase and LaShaun grinned at her but
took the hint. Moments later they slipped out a back exit of the
station, but Schaffer had good sources. He appeared around a corner
of the building.

“
Good morning, Deputy
Broussard and Ms. Rousselle. If I could just have a few moments...”
Schaffer lifted a hand.

“
No,” Chase and LaShaun
said at the same time.

“
I could make your election
a done deal,” Schaffer called out as they walked to Chase’s truck.
“Some people believe you’re the hero in this whole series of
events. With one appearance you could be golden in the parish, and
the entire state.”

“
Goodbye,” Chase
said.

Once they were in the truck and
driving away, LaShaun glanced back at Schaffer. His videographer
pointed his camera at them. “He’s right. You could be missing your
chance at political stardom.”

“
Pass. If I’m elected I’ll
do my best to make Vermillion Parish safe. If Dave is elected, I’ll
help him do it. I’ve got the career I want, a great place to live
and you.” Chase winked at LaShaun.

“
You’re my star already,
cher.” LaShaun snuggled close to him.

Chase hummed along with the radio as
they drove. She didn’t want to spoil Chase’s sunny mood. Still
LaShaun thought about the election, his mother’s bitter words and
Manny Young. Her extra sense told LaShaun she would see The Blood
River Ripper again, and face the entity in the glowing mist that
once again dwelled in her woods.

Read the first LaShaun Rousselle
Mystery

A Darker Shade of
Midnight

About the Author

Mix knowledge of voodoo,
Louisiana politics and forensic social work with the dedication to
write fiction while working each day as a clinical social worker,
and you get a snapshot of author Lynn Emery. Lynn has been a
contributing consultant to the magazine
Today’s Black Woman
for three
articles about contemporary relationships between black men and
women. For more information visit:

www.lynnemery.com

Follow me on Twitter:

www.twitter.com/LEmeryWriter

More Books By Lynn:

Best Enemies

One Love

A Time To Love

After All