Big Easy Murder (The Peyton Clark Series Book 3) (4 page)

When I got to the end of the hallway, I reached for the doorknob, but paused once I wrapped my palm around it. I recoiled at the icy coldness of the metal. I took that as another sign I was somehow interacting with my dream state, another uneasy omen.

Just turn the knob, Peyton,
I ordered myself briskly.

But I remained frozen in place, my undeniable fear restraining me, holding me hopelessly captive.

FOUR

Open the door, Peyton!
I frantically yelled at myself, my attention riveted on the doorknob which I still clutched in my palm. Maybe my internal voice was more forceful this time, or maybe my body suddenly got the program. Either way, I began rotating the doorknob before pushing the door open.

It felt like time stood still as I watched the door swinging slowly inward, revealing part of a bedroom. From where I was standing, I could make out the mint-green striped wallpaper, which matched the green carpeting and, somehow, coordinated with the peach ceiling. My vantage point did not allow me to see the entire room, only a yellow, square bedside table with thick, rectangular legs. There was a white and pink lamp atop it and a fake fichus tree on the side closest to me. To the right of the table was a queen-sized bed. I could only see the edge of the bed, but managed to detect a pink, green and yellow floral coverlet. The print matched the enormous bed skirt, which appeared to start from underneath the mattress before it cascaded in an array of ruffles all the way to the floor.

Remember what you’re here for,
I curtly reminded myself as I instinctively began searching for blood splatters on the walls or any other clue that might hint to a murder most foul. Aside from the awful wallpaper, I didn’t see anything on the walls to indicate a struggle took place. I turned my gaze to the floor, where I imagined finding a pool of blood, ultimately leading to a lifeless body. But, nothing. Of course, from my current position, I couldn’t see the whole room, which meant it was quite possible that whatever I was looking for was still waiting to be found.

You have to walk into the room, Peyton!
I yelled mentally at myself, growing angry that I was stalling so long. I was only making my job much harder. It was a far better plan to just get in and get out.

So get on with it!
I gulped down my fear, suddenly wishing I had Drake’s calming voice inside my head to help me face my fears. Realizing I had no one to rely on but myself, I forced myself onward, beyond the entryway leading into the bedroom and straight into the room itself.

That was when I saw them.

There were two people on the bed, a man and a woman. Both of them were naked, and fully engaged in a serious session of lovemaking. My mouth dropped open in shock because it wasn’t every day that I casually strolled onto a scene of two people obviously engaged in what appeared to be a very fulfilling sexual tryst. The man was on top of the woman, and his stark white derriere greeted me as I faced them. The whiteness of his skin was made all the more evident by the darkness of the woman’s.

Suffice to say, I had a sneaking suspicion that whatever happened to Adele must have had something to do with jealousy and hurt feelings over what I imagined was an affair. The more I thought about it, the more I wondered if this naked man could be Peter?

I wasn’t really sure what to do, so I just continued to stand there, awkwardly gaping at the vision. Now, the woman’s arms and legs were wrapped around the man’s middle. I felt completely embarrassed for standing here and watching something so private. I tried reminding myself that I was just a spectator in this situation and no one could see me. Nope. Still awkward.
Something has to happen soon,
I consoled myself as I wondered what exactly I was waiting for. And that being the case, it was simply a matter of waiting for that crucial moment to arrive. Then I could go back to Peter and explain what happened to his first wife. But speaking of Adele, I had no clue where she was. And then it dawned on me … maybe the woman on the bed
was
Adele? I wasn’t sure why, but I always assumed Adele was a white woman. I had no clue why I expected that, maybe because Peter was white, and from what I could remember, the fifties weren’t exactly as forward-thinking or as tolerant as the world currently was.

Ashamed for my stereotypical assumptions, I focused my attention back on the eager couple in front of me, waiting for the moment that I was here for—the murder. As the seconds turned to minutes and the minutes ticked by, I grew more concerned that the moment I anticipated wasn’t coming.

Maybe I should check out the rest of the house?
I thought.
Maybe whatever is supposed to happen won’t take place in the bedroom?
Then I shook my head as I thought better of it.
Of course it’s going to happen in the bedroom! It’s just a matter of someone walking in here and discovering what’s going on. So you’re just going to have to wait patiently until that happens …

I wasn’t prepared for the moment that the woman on the bed suddenly craned her neck to the side and looked right at me! I felt my mouth drop open as my heart stopped and my breath caught in my throat, my entire body going into shock. And the shock wasn’t due to the woman being able to see me, either. No, my shock was completely reserved for the fact that I recognized her.

Guarda?

As soon as that stunning revelation dawned on me, my heartbeat kicked into overdrive. My breathing was instantly reduced to short gasps and I felt like I could pass out. I opened my mouth as I took in frantic gulps of air, which only made me more light-headed. Still, Guarda continued to stare at me, making it feel like I really were standing right there in Peter’s bedroom, only sixty years earlier.

Guarda appeared much younger, and her flawless skin had yet to see a single wrinkle, while her dark brown hair lacked even a trace of grey. Her deep chocolate eyes would eventually be clouded by cataracts, but I had no doubt that this could be anyone else except Guarda.

I felt rooted in place as I watched Guarda studying me with her penetrating yet cold and soulless gaze. If her facial features hadn’t revealed her identity, the expression in her eyes would have. Her eyes really hadn’t changed; they were every bit as calculating as they always had been.

When she released her arms from around the man’s body, he didn’t seem to notice, and continued thrusting inside her, as if oblivious to anything else. She, meanwhile, didn’t seem to pay him any attention. No, her focus was exclusively fastened on me.

Her hands briefly disappeared from sight, but moments later, she brought them forward again, this time, clutching a candle in each palm. She held a red candle in the shape of a coiled snake in her left hand. I knew enough about voodoo by now to know that a snake candle was regularly used in spells for binding or controlling someone else. And the fact that the candle was red was not by chance either. Red candles were used to promote victory. Together, the color and shape of the candle suggested a clear attempt to control someone and be victorious.

In her other hand, Guarda held a silver candle shaped like the devil. This candle was meant to command someone’s lust. If the situation in front of me were any indication, the spell was obviously working. The silver color meant that Guarda was calling on the power of the moon for aid in her attempts to control this man’s body.

Neither candle was lit. I watched in awe as Guarda focused on each one, narrowing her eyes in obvious concentration. Suddenly, the wicks of both candles lit up in flames as if she’d just used an invisible match or lighter. I gasped as I half wondered if she might accidentally light the man’s hair on fire, given how close the candles were to his head.

Speaking of the man, whom I still had a sneaking suspicion was Peter, he didn’t seem to notice what Guarda was doing. Dutifully, he continued to drill her, looking forward so I couldn’t see his face. From the way he kept holding his head up, he seemed to be staring at the wall right above the square, yellow headboard. He didn’t move his neck or head even once, just continued his repetitive ministrations as if in a trance, which he very well might have been in.

My attention returned to Guarda as soon as she started chanting something. I couldn’t make out the words, and the longer I listened, the more I assumed she was speaking another language. Meanwhile, the candles continued to burn, and the wax started to drip down the sides of each candle until it pooled in the palms of her hands. The wax must have been scalding hot, but Guarda didn’t seem to notice the pain; or if she did, you couldn’t tell by her reaction, or lack thereof. Instead, she continued chanting while the candles burned. All the while, she stared at me as if she couldn’t break our eye contact.

As I looked on, she lifted the candles over the man’s back, tipping them slightly forward so all the molten wax dripped down onto his back. His skin immediately turned bright red as soon as the wax made contact with it. But he didn’t even flinch. He just continued having sex with Guarda as if he could do nothing else. Even as the wax dripped down his back, leaving inflamed, red skin in its wake, the man simply kept thrusting in and out of Guarda as if he served no other purpose.

Guarda continued to chant, her voice growing louder as the man’s thrusting grew stronger, then faster. When she began to scream her words, the man shoved himself deep inside her in repetitive, short spurts before going suddenly still. He was obviously having an orgasm. Seconds later, he released a pent-up sigh before pulling out of her and standing up. Once he was successfully disengaged from her, he continued to face her, standing rigidly still. She was no longer screaming the foreign, odd words she was previously, thank God.

She eyed the man for a split second, offering him a strange, little smile. Then the smile left her mouth as she faced me and her eyes narrowed. She released both of the still-burning candles. The devil candle dropped on the floor, and the wick immediately extinguished itself. The serpent candle fell on the bed, and I instantly feared it would light the linens on fire, but it, too, put itself out.

When I returned my attention to Guarda, I noticed she was still staring at me from the void of her eyes. She lifted her right hand and pointed at me without saying anything, but she didn’t have to. I understood her gist. Whatever power she possessed over this man, she now intended to use it against me.

I started to back up as the man turned around to face me. He was standing completely naked. I recognized him as Peter almost immediately. Yes, he was significantly younger, as in, sixty years at least, but he still possessed the same features. Although I readily identified him as Peter, he definitely wasn’t himself. He looked at me, but seemed to see right through me. There was no recognition in his eyes. Not that I expected him to know me, but I at least thought he would see me as a person; and in doing so, realize that whatever Guarda was commanding him to do wasn’t right. But there was no understanding in his eyes at all.

He immediately started coming for me as I took a few steps backwards until I was up against the wall.

“Peter!” I screamed in an attempt to jolt him out of the trance he was in. But he didn’t even act as though he could hear my voice. He threw himself on me, knocking us both to the ground. When I looked down, I was shocked to find I was no longer dressed as before. Instead, I was wearing a white dress that ended at my knees with a broad skirt and petticoats beneath it.

I nearly had to shake the image out of my head while reminding myself to focus on the here and now and, more pointedly, on my protection and safety. I tried to push Peter away from me, but he was relentless. I no sooner separated us, and he was right back on me again, his hands clearly aiming for my throat. I kicked him in between his legs, which barely fazed him for a few seconds before he launched himself back on me with added gusto.

When he managed to get his hands around my throat, I kicked him with all of my strength, but merely flailed beneath him. He tightened his hands around my throat and started to squeeze.

I threw my hands over his, using all my strength while trying to pry them away from my throat, but his grip was like a vise. He just kept pushing down on my windpipe, and I feared he would collapse it. I dug my fingernails into his hands, and could already feel myself growing dizzy as I rasped for air. There were stars dancing in front of my eyes, and my face grew increasingly hotter.

My vision went blurry as I saw a woman’s leg. Glancing up, I found Guarda smiling down at me, and one of her hands was resting on Peter’s shoulder. As soon as our eyes met, images I had never seen before began exploding behind my eyelids. I could see Guarda in the darkness, surrounded by burning candles as she chanted while mixing up the concoctions for her voodoo magic. That image was replaced by glimpses of Peter and her having sex before the images cleared themselves from my eyes all at once. I found myself staring into the bottomless pits of her dilated pupils. “We will meet again,” she said, the edges of her mouth curving into a knowing smile.

That awful smile was the last thing I saw as my world faded to black.

FIVE

“Peyton!” Hearing Ryan’s voice, my eyes snapped open as I sat up straight and inhaled a huge breath of air. I immediately examined my surroundings and felt confused. Last I remembered, the younger version of Peter was trying to kill me. Now I found myself sitting on the floor in front of a couch? I glanced up and realized I was surrounded by Ryan, Lovie and Peter. All of them had expressions of grave concern on their faces.

I nearly jumped out of my shoes when I spotted the creature standing beside Lovie. But after another second or so, I recognized it as Samuel, Lovie’s familiar. Similar to a witch’s familiar, Samuel was a spirit who guided Lovie in her interactions with the spirit world. He looked almost like a tarsier with enormous, circular eyes, but he was much larger, standing a good two feet tall and with orange fur. Samuel’s arms and legs were almost humanlike, but much longer. I considered Samuel Lovie’s pet, of sorts.

I could only see Samuel when my sixth sense was unblocked, thereby leaving me open to receive and interact with the spirit world.

So that means, what you just walked in on between Guarda and Peter really happened!
I said to myself. Part of me still thought maybe I’d just imagined the whole thing. In all my interactions with the spirit world, I’d never experienced a situation through someone else’s eyes, such as Adele’s. Usually, I was just myself and they were themselves when they told me what I needed to know. End of story. Well, now it seemed like I’d just opened up a whole new book …

“What?” I asked as I shook my head. I immediately brought my hands to my throat as I remembered what I was experiencing before I woke up.

Mon chaton!
Drake yelled inside my head and I dropped my hands back onto the floor beside me to help maintain my equilibrium. I felt strangely dizzy. But dizzy or not, I couldn’t help the relief that washed over me in knowing that Drake was back in his rightful place, inside my head.

I do not understand what just happened! Everything went black and I could not reach you, nor could I see or hear anything!

I know, Drake,
I responded in thought, but he interrupted me.

Are you well? Are you injured?

I think I’m fine, Drake,
I responded, pausing for a second or so to get my thoughts in order. The truth was that I was still pretty shocked and confused.
From what I can gather now, I think I must have entered the visionary state and for some reason, you weren’t along for the ride.

Ah, je comprends. I understand,
he answered before pausing for the space of a few seconds.
Are you certain you are well, mon amour?

I don’t know,
I replied truthfully, shaking my head.

“What did you see, Peyton?” Ryan asked, diverting my attention from my conversation with Drake.

As soon as I recounted everything I remembered, especially the part about Peter attacking me, my heartbeat started racing again. I immediately shook my head while bringing my attention back to the present, and Ryan’s face. I was in no frame of mind to relive the harrowing ordeal I’d just been through. “I can’t talk about it right now,” I managed to reply as I swallowed hard, my throat burning in response. I brought my hands back up to my neck as I faced Ryan again. “What happened while I was under?”

His eyes reached for the ceiling and he sighed, seemingly at a loss for words. “I don’t know. You started actin’ like you were chokin’ or something and then you stopped breathin’ altogether.”

“I
was
choking,” I confirmed as I took in a deep breath and turned to face Peter. Even though I knew the current situation was real and whatever I just experienced was merely a former vision of a time now long past, I couldn’t shake the shock of his attack. As I looked into Peter’s grey eyes, I could only see the younger version of him, the one under Guarda’s influence, the one that was trying to kill me.

“I’ve got to get out of here,” I blurted out as I started to stand up, but Ryan put his heavy hand on my shoulder and kept me in place.

“Pey, you need to sit ah spell,” he retorted as he shook his head. Then he faced Lovie. “I’m wonderin’ if maybe we should call an ambulance?”

“An ambulance?” I repeated while shaking my head and frowning up at him. Now I was worried for a whole other reason. There was no way I could allow anyone to call an ambulance. That was just ridiculous. “I’m fine!”

“Well, you weren’t fine a few seconds ago,” Ryan argued with that stern expression of his which meant I shouldn’t try to argue with him. “You weren’t even breathin’.”

“Well, I’m obviously breathing now,” I replied, taking a huge breath in before expelling it just to prove my point. “Whatever I was going through is over now and I’m good. There’s absolutely no reason for anyone to call an ambulance. You’ll simply be taking the paramedics away from someone who truly needs them,” I finished before taking another showy breath. “See? I’m fine. In fact, I’ve never felt better!” Yes, that was definitely a stretch, but in truth, I wanted to get as far away from Peter’s house as possible.

“Peyton,” Lovie started, no doubt seeing Ryan’s point.

“No, I’m not going to listen to another second of this ambulance nonsense!” I railed. “I’m completely and totally fine!” I eyed the front door longingly. “The only thing I need right now is to get out of this house and breathe some fresh air!” I turned my gaze from Lovie’s sweet face to Ryan’s. “And I mean that as in
now.
Pronto! I can’t stay here another second!”

Ryan frowned at me, but nodded as he helped me to my feet. My heart continued to thud in my chest. My breathing was more like short, ragged gasps as soon as I recalled the expression in Guarda’s eyes … and, at that same moment, I heard the words Guarda uttered just before I lost consciousness.

We will meet again …

Was it possible that Guarda knew who I was? Or was she merely addressing Adele? Was she telling Adele they would meet again once Guarda, too, arrived at the valley of death? I couldn’t explain why, but I believed Guarda was addressing me, Peyton.

But, that’s impossible!
I told myself.
You were merely experiencing a time long past! There’s no way Guarda could have recognized you! She had never even met you at that point! You weren’t even a twinkle in your grandparents’ eyes!

Ma minette, you must calm down,
Drake reprimanded me.
You must not allow this hysteria to overcome you. It is best to proceed with a level head. We will thoroughly weigh the facts once you feel competent enough to do so. And might I remind you that I, too, feel your agitation and find it very unsettling!

Sorry, Drake,
I said with a sigh as I nodded, seeing his point.

“What did you see?” Peter asked from where he stood behind me. But I wasn’t in any shape to discuss what I’d seen. All I knew was I wanted to get as far away from his house and him as I could. “What did she see?” he asked Lovie in a softer voice, when it became pretty obvious that I refused to talk about it.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Lovie shrugging as she offered Peter a little frown as if to say she didn’t have an answer for him. Then she walked up next to me and took my arm, helping Ryan lead me from the house. I had no idea where Christopher was, but I also didn’t care. All I knew was I needed to catch my breath and gather my thoughts in the peace and tranquility of my own home.

###

“Peter killed his wife,” I announced flatly. Ryan, Lovie and I were back at my house and sitting in the kitchen. The sun had abandoned the sky over an hour ago and now the moonlight shone through the windows, bathing us all in a milky white hue. Christopher, as it turned out, had to leave Peter’s house while I was still in my visionary state. Lovie said he was called away on an “emergency exorcism.”

“Peter … wait, what?” Ryan asked, his eyes going wide while his eyebrows furrowed.

“Peter?” Lovie asked at the same time.

The old man killed his wife?
Drake observed from inside my head. I was a bit surprised that Drake hadn’t figured out as much already. I assumed he could just access my memory bank, seeing how he shared the domicile of my mind, but apparently, such was not the case.

I simply nodded while taking another sip of the sweet tea Ryan was kind enough to make for me. I stirred the ice cubes around the glass while the two, er, three of them, tried to digest my most recent announcement.

“You must be confused, Pey.” Ryan was the first to speak. He placed a concerned hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off.

Looking up at him, I couldn’t hide my irritation. “I’m not confused.”

“But how is what you’re saying even possible?” Ryan continued, shaking his head just as fiercely as I had. He looked, for all intents and purposes, baffled. “Why would Peter ask you to solve the mystery of Adele’s death if he were the one who did it?”

“He doesn’t know he did,” I answered brusquely. I returned my eyes to my sweet tea and the mound of sugar at the bottom of the glass, which still hadn’t dissolved.

“Pey, I know you just went through a harrowing ordeal,” Ryan started as he eyed me with pity, irritating me all the more, “but you still haven’t told us exactly what you
did
go through. I’m betting it wasn’t good.”

“No, it wasn’t good!” I scoffed at him before catching my breath. “I can see where you’re going with this, and I’m telling you very seriously: I’m not imagining any of it and I’m not confused.” I withdrew my attention from Ryan’s disbelieving face and looked at Lovie. “Peter doesn’t remember any of the particulars because he was under Guarda’s spell.”

“Guarda?” they both said in unison.

Guarda?
Drake echoed.
The voodoo witch we had the misfortune of dealing with when you had to return to my time in order to defeat the Axeman?

“Yes, Guarda,” I answered all three of them before taking a deep breath. I fought to forget the memory of seeing her lying underneath Peter and staring at me.

“What does Guarda have to do with Peter, babydoll?” Lovie asked. She reached forward and took my hand in hers, squeezing it as if to tell me she believed me.

“I don’t know exactly,” I started as a shudder traveled down my spine once I started to relive the particulars. “All I can say is that when I entered the dream state, I believe I actually inhabited Adele’s body.” I cleared my throat as I remembered the white dress with huge petticoats, something I didn’t own and which looked like it belonged in the 1950s. “I saw and experienced everything I did through her eyes,” I continued. “At least, that’s what I’m fairly convinced of.”

“Go on,” Lovie encouraged me with one of her compassionate smiles. “Tell us what you saw. Take your time, honey.”

“Peter and Guarda were in the bedroom having sex,” I started.

“Disgusting,” Ryan responded with a frown as he shook his head. The look of revulsion was all over his face. “How could anyone willingly engage in … anything with that old goat?”

“Well, she wasn’t an old goat sixty years ago,” I retorted, shaking my head because I was irritated he’d interrupted me, and also because he wasn’t following along.

“No, she wasn’t,” Lovie agreed. “And from what I’ve heard, Guarda was quite beautiful in her day.”

“Yes, she was,” I answered, the memory of her perfect skin and features returning to me. “But getting back to the point, Guarda was somehow controlling Peter.” I paused and remembered how Peter appeared to be on autopilot. “Once I walked into the room, she saw me. She looked right at me.”

“Is that why you thought you were in Adele’s body?” Ryan asked.

I nodded as I turned to face him. “Part of the reason. I was also wearing something that would have been fashionable in the 1950s.” I took another stabilizing breath and continued. “Guarda ordered Peter to attack me. I could tell by the vacant expression on his face that he didn’t realize what he was doing. She was mind-steering him somehow.” My heart started racing so I took a few deep breaths to calm down again.

“When you say he attacked you …” Ryan started.

“He jumped on me and pushed me onto the floor. Then he wrapped his hands around my throat and started to choke me and … and then I woke up, or came to, or whatever you want to call it.” At that moment, I made a decision. I chose not to mention that Guarda might have recognized me, or might have seen the real me right through Adele. I still wasn’t convinced it was possible, so I decided Guarda’s words should stay with me until their meaning was clearer.

Ryan started to shake his head and his jaw tightened. “That explains why you were sputtering and couldn’t breathe,” he said with a sigh as he looked away, appearing lost in his thoughts. When he faced me again, I could tell by his expression that he wasn’t happy. “I don’t want you involvin’ yourself in any more of this voodoo stuff. I didn’t trust Guarda before, an’ now I trust her even less. An’ who knows what could have happened to you if you hadn’t woken up?”

I took a deep breath but didn’t respond because I didn’t know the answer either.

“I can’t even begin to understand this voodoo ghostly stuff, an’ I’m man enough to admit that it scares me,” Ryan continued. He fell quiet for a few seconds as his eyes searched mine. “I don’t want you puttin’ yourself in any situations where you can get hurt, Pey.” He continued looking at me, his large amber eyes filled with compassion and pain. “I’m sorry I got you involved in all of this.”