Her Chance Encounters (10 page)

"Oh, I love Father Haggarty. He was the first person to help me accept my gift. According to him, all gifts are from the Lord; it's how a person uses them that determines if they are righteous or evil." Lately, desperate to improve her number of clients, Lenore had stepped over a few of those lines. She had not been to church in months, feeling guilty about that fact.

"Try these on," Adrienne ordered, handing the boots to Lenore. "Do you ever wear anything besides black?"

Humoring Adrienne, Lenore put on the boots and walked to the mirror. The leather material stopped right above her knees. "Black helps minimize things," Lenore explained as she turned around to see the fit in the back. "People might assume I wear it because of my line of business, but it's hard to go anywhere with people noticing my cups overflow, if you know what I mean. I've been plagued with the double F twins sense puberty." She cupped her breasts and Adrienne saw they were a lot larger than she first assumed.

"There are colorful prints and patterns that draw the eye away from parts of the body a person wants to minimize. Trust me, I have learned a lot about downplaying my height. Other times, I even accent it, if the situation warrants it." Like when she was trying to stand up to Chance, literally.

"Put yourself in my hands for the next few hours, and you will have your pick of tall, dark and macho men, although I'd rethink that last part if I were you. Macho men can be bossy and... overprotective." She started to say mean, but Chance did not have a mean bone in his body. He really felt the need to keep her safe and the responsibility to make her heed his advice. She was feeling guilty about kicking him.

Lenore bought the ruby boots, while Adrienne special ordered a pair in the correct length. The pain of the principal's ass faded as she helped Lenore shop for bras that gave support without over dramatizing her chest. Dressing her new friend in different outfits, Adrienne marveled at the change in how Lenore appeared. Without the dark clothes, the other woman looked breathtaking. By evening, Lenore carried three packages and Adrienne had four.

"Now for a haircut which will bring out those high cheek bones and full lips," Adrienne announced, refusing to take no for an answer. The hairdresser gave her highlights, enhancing the dark red tint of her hair. The last thing Lenore had to endure was Adrienne's insistence she wipe off most of the heavy eye shadow and blush caking her face.

"People expect someone in my line of work to look a certain way, Adrienne. I feel... naked and exposed right now."

"You aren't working right now," Adrienne reminded her. "Can you see all the guys checking you out? You look gorgeous. From now on, you can only wear your mourning colors when you're giving readings or whatever it is you do. You need to distinguish between Lenore the psychic and Lenore the woman. But no matter which you dress like, promise me you will toss every one of your old bras away. The one I made you toss looked more like a medieval torture device than an article of clothing."

"I am not so sure about this." Lenore was used to standing out because people considered her different. When others judged her, her black outfits helped her feel in control. They warned people she was not trying to be normal, and did not need their approval.

"Since you've been so cooperative," Adrienne smiled, "how about I reward you? Would you be interested in hearing about Chance and my encounter with the ghost of Stanislaus last night?"

Lenore was hooked. "Chance saw this ghost, too?"

"Chance tried to tackle him." She did not mention he had been stark naked at the time, but again smiled at the memory. Adrienne knew she was breaking another one of Chance's rules. He would pitch a fit if he knew she told Lenore about their ghostly encounter. But showing off Lenore in a new, colorful outfit was worth any price she had to pay. The other woman was beyond breathtaking when dressed in clothes that enhanced her figure instead of camouflaging it.

Chance arrived back at River Oaks after dark. He could hear Adrienne telling someone about their recent visit from her long, dead uncle. Darn it to hell, did that stubborn woman ever learn? He stormed toward the living room, his steel toe boots echoing in his path. "I thought you promised to wait for my return to weave your ghost stories."

Stopping abruptly, he found his woman talking to an attractive stranger. At least Adrienne was not giving Lenore any information. The kook must have flown her broom home before he got here. He apologized for his rude entrance, and said he would be back to join them once he changed out of his dirty clothes. Both women waited until he was gone before they started laughing.

After a quick shower, he joined them, taking a seat beside Adrienne. His lips met hers in a lingering kiss, and they looked like any normal, happy couple. "Introduce me to your friend, babe."

The other woman sitting across from them was close to Adrienne's age, probably in her late twenties. Her natural figure was why women flocked to plastic surgeons to pay to achieve. Had the woman at his side not claimed his every waking thought, he would probably be trying to get this lady's number. As it was, he had a few friends who would be indebted to him for an introduction to this hot little number.

"We've already, met Chance. Tell me, how did it feel to meet a genuine ghost? Don't be nervous about sharing your experience with me. I won't judge you negatively because of it. You'll find I am more open to things like this than others."

Brushing his teeth that night, Chance kept giving Adrienne nasty glares as she stepped out of the shower. She set him up, pure and simple. Tomorrow he had to spend another day visiting with Lenore again, thanks to his woman's sneaky tactics. Rinsing, he turned to share his frustration.

"You were right, you know?"

"About?" Adrienne was careful to keep a safe distance between them as she toweled off. Maybe he was getting over his little snit about her sharing their encounter with the ghost of her uncle. Actually, he seemed more pissed off about not recognizing Lenore. He should be thanking her for helping him learn the evils about judging people by their appearance only. Shit, she forgot all about the kick she gave him.

"Corporal punishment does not always work in this day and age. Looks like I will have to find some new ways to modify your sassiness."

His long legs eliminated their distance in seconds. Yanking off the towel she had wrapped herself with, he tossed her over his shoulder and faced the mirror. He ran the fingers of his free hand over her smooth, slender backside. The spoon had left a few oval bruises. "Then again, maybe I just stopped too soon again."

Punching him with the side of her fist, Adrienne protested. Darn it, she wished she had been able to wear those sexy ruby boots tonight. Don't mention the kick, she told herself. Maybe he forgot about it. "You did not say I could not tell Lenore about Stanislaus. You just made us promise not to discuss River Oaks." It was a faulty excuse at best, and he reached up to smack her backside again.

While she could not see it, Chance enjoyed watching the flesh on her ass bounce on impact. The area turned white first, then a satisfying red. It resembled a brand, marking her as his own. "We encountered old Stan on River Oaks property. That makes discussing him a form of breaking your word. The only question is how you are going to pay."

Adrienne reached down to release the towel knotted at his waist. His taut ass gave her naughty ideas. "How about I show you how sorry I am?"

Carrying her to the bedroom, he considered her offer. "It would take a lot of effort to convince me you are sincere and not just horny." Putting her down, he kissed her throat.

"What if I'm both?" she asked, slowly lowering herself down his body. Soon her hands were cupping him. He guided them, teaching her how he liked her to stroke him and how much pressure to apply. Chance’s head leaned back when she tasted him. Her tongue was hot as it sampled him before welcoming him inside her mouth. Unsure of this new form of love making, she fumbled a bit, but her efforts still managed to drive him crazy.

About to climax, Chance did not want to shock her by exploding inside her mouth this first time. He could help her learn to do so on another day. Right now, he wanted to make her ache for him as much as he did for her. Chance pulled her up for a deep kiss before backing her to lie on the bed. He followed her there, entering her in one, swift push. She was hot and ready for him. Grabbing her hips, he pounded in and out of her. He yanked her legs up and encouraged her to wrap them around him. The bed protested with loud squeaks and he entered her faster and harder.

Adrienne's toes started to curl as she felt herself ready to explode, but Chance ordered her to hold off. "Not yet. Don't give in to the wave yet. I want us to go together this time." The need to please him was so strong, Adrienne managed to postpone her release. Her body tensed over and over again, until he finally ordered her to come for him. They both were shouting with release then, shaking from the sheer force of their satisfaction.

"We're all sweaty and dirty again," she cooed into his neck. Did that sound witty or like sarcasm? If he found it sassy, it was his own fault, she decided, snuggling closer as he sank to lie beside her. He kept her off balance and her nervous tongue had a will of its own.

Thinking about her tongue, Adrienne blushed when she remembered using it to please him. This man was corrupting her. At least he loved her as much as she did him. Or did he? Self-doubt crept up on her as the fire from their love making cooled. Did he love her or the promise of gaining River Oaks?

*****

Lenore arrived shortly after noon, dressed in a lovely blue outfit that highlighted her narrow hips, while reducing the wealth of her bust. Chance welcomed her in, having to admit the change in her attire went a long way towards making her seem quite normal.

It was easier to treat her like a kook when she was dressed like a modern day witch. Her talisman stone blended into her dark shirt, but even that looked like a regular piece of jewelry. She wasn't twirling the stone, claiming it helped her 'tune into the echoes of the past’.

"Adrienne wants to hold our little meeting upstairs now that my contractor says it's safe to go up there."

They found the current owner of River Oaks digging into Wynona's hope chest. Lenore felt guilty remembering removing the dead woman's diary. She was almost finished reading it, and had hoped to return it to the room without anyone noticing. Now its appearance might be obvious when she did.

"Find anything interesting?" she offered, fighting back her guilty conscious.

Smiling, Adrienne looked up to welcome her. "There are a lot of old pictures and personal effects here. I'm surprised my great aunt could bring herself to part with some of these treasures."

Lenore accepted several small photographs. Adrienne wondered if her friend would sense anything, especially about the first one. "I think that one is my aunt's lover. He's not wearing a uniform, but... "

"Ferdinand was definitely her lover." Though Wynona never mentioned his name in her diary, Lenore's natural talents filled in the missing pieces. "They were supposed to run away together the night she died. The riverboat was supposed to be in the area. He was going to sneak her on board so it looked as if Wynona just vanished into thin air. Stanislaus already knew about them by the time they came up with their escape plans. He told his wife she was free to leave, but he would never allow her to take their daughter with her."

"Do you think this is Wynona holding Cherice?" Adrienne saw Lenore move to the next photo. The black and white picture captured Stanislaus' wife in happier times of their marriage, her infant daughter proudly displayed on her lap. Lenore's eyes settled on the necklace around the woman's neck. Her talisman stone got warmer, and recognition almost made her gasp aloud. Handing the picture to Chance, she excused herself to go to the restroom.

"Are you feeling well, Lenore? You've gone very pale." Chance asked when he pointed her in the right direction.

Damn, if Chance Breaux noticed, it was only a matter of time before Adrienne picked up on something. "Long night," she muttered. "You go back to Adrienne. I'll be there in a minute."

After splashing cold water on her face, Lenore studied the talisman stone. She touched its warmth. A blurry vision came into focus. "Your husband will notice if this necklace goes missing. How do I know you will not lie and say I stole it?" Though much younger than now, Lenore recognized her grandmother's voice.

The younger woman with her yanked the sapphire stone from a gold chain. "If Stanislaus even notices it is missing, I will swear the necklace broke. Give me the money, deny we ever met and you can put the stone in a different setting."

The view changed, and Lenore was a young child digging in her grandmother's jewelry case. "Where did you get this beautiful blue stone? Look how it moves when I rub my fingers on it. I can almost see a pretty woman with long, black hair wearing it." The blue sparkles of the sapphire mesmerized her the first moment she saw it. A young Lenore felt it go warm at her touch. "Can I have it, Granny?"

"One day, dear." Granny had promised with a smile. "When you are ready to handle the gifts God gave you. It will help you focus your powers, just like it helped me when I was younger."

Lenore pulled out her shirt and let the necklace disappear inside. She needed to visit her grandmother soon and get the full story. Did she really have a right to the stone, or was it, like the diary the rightful property of the heir of River Oaks? How Lenore wished she had taken the time to finish reading the diary last night. She was so close to the end, but she got side tracked trying on her new wardrobe and enjoying her new clothes. It felt so exciting to look, and feel, like a regular person for a change. Fitting in had always been a challenge for a girl who sensed events from the past.

Lenore decided it was best to get Adrienne away from Wynona's chest in case other photos popped up and helped her new friend connect her great aunt's sapphire with the talisman. "I thought it would be interesting to visit the local newspaper and see if they have any old editions with details about the history of River Oaks."

Even Chance found the suggestion to have merit. He put stock in facts, not things he could not find a logical reason to explain. There had to be a rational explanation for his 'encounter' with old Stan Hymel. Swamp gas was his working hypothesis at the moment. The newspaper's main office was across the river, a good hour drive if they headed back to the Hale Boggs bridge and drove back up river.

"Let's take my speedboat. It's docked at Home Place. We can reach the Herald's office faster that way." Only a few residences owned the batture rights to their property bordering the Mississippi. Chance did, and now Adrienne did. Since they were staying at River Oaks now, it might be a good idea to dock his boat here, so he could run back and forth between the two houses easier.

The St. Charles Herald had been in business since the late 1800’s, rumored to be started by Louisiana's own Governor Hahn. The current editor and chief welcomed them, eager to help them find what they needed and get some information about the new owner of River Oaks.

Ushering them into his office, the thirty-five-year-old man pulled a few extra chairs inside so everyone could have a seat. Chance was well known around the area, and the other man joked around with him. "I see you've wasted no time in getting to know the new owner."

Turning to Adrienne, he gave her a friendly caution. "Watch out, Ma’am, this sweet talker has been trying to get his hands on your property for years now. I've written a few articles about the love-hate relationship between him and your uncle."

"Adrienne knows all about my plans to get River Oaks, Gene." Chance did not smile at the other man's teasing.

"You better hope Madame Lenore doesn't learn about you hanging out with the new owner. Rumor has it the Voodoo queen is hoping to get her hands on the place, too." Gene chuckled as the second woman in the room stiffened. "She might put a curse on you, old friend." Chance coughed to hide his reaction.

"What kind of curse do you think would work best, Eugene?" The editor tensed at the mention of his given name. His friends called him Gene for a reason. "I'm fond of spells that make a man's hair fall out. But then again, sometimes it's more effective to cause a man's family jewels to shrivel up and die, so you can avoid him passing his ignorance to another generation."

Lenore's new fashion might have stopped him recognizing her, but her husky voice and dire threats clued him in fast. "Lenore, when did you start wearing anything but black?" The other man had the decency to look embarrassed. "You look... beautiful, almost normal. What I mean is... I'm just shocked to see you here with Chance. I assumed the two of you were enemies."

"We are here to see what information you might have on file about River Oaks," Adrienne decided to step in before things got any more awkward.

Unable to take his eyes off Lenore, Gene asked a few more questions. "Were you hoping to find out when the house was built, former occupants or something else?"

"I'd like to find out about my great aunt's death. It happened about seventy to seventy-five years ago. Do you have copies of the newspaper from that long ago?"

"My younger sister, Cheryl, just finished converting most of our back copies into some fancy computer program. You remember Cheryl, don't you, Lenore? You graduated from Hahnville High the same year."

Oh, Lenore remembered not only Cheryl, but she remembered one particular time Eugene had confronted her when she had been trying to help his sister out. "She wouldn't be here today, by any chance? Maybe she could help us search for the information we need."

"I'm afraid you're stuck with me," he smiled. "We have two separate stations available. I'd be happy to sit with you on one while Chance and... "

"Adrienne," Chance offered, surprised Eugene even remembered their presence. The poor guy had fallen hard, but he doubted he would be able to dig himself out of the hole he created earlier. "Why don't you two looked up editions from seventy years ago, while Adrienne and I go back seventy- five years? Between the two teams, we should be able to locate some information."

Gene's sister turned up later, offering to take over helping Lenore so her brother could attend a meeting with the parish president about an upcoming election bid. "Call him up and reschedule," the editor ordered, sliding his rolling chair a bit closer to the woman beside him. Lenore looked uncomfortable, but pretended his presence did not affect her.

On the other side of them, Chance and Adrienne had more luck. They located an article detailing the drowning of three people seventy-four years before. Printing a copy, they searched for other information, like death notices. The following week, three death notices appeared in the paper.