Night Magic (30 page)

"Your soul belongs to us now, p'tite fils." A
husky whisper close to her ear sent shivers through her.

A strangled laugh sounded to her right and
she felt hands roaming her body. Fingers plucked at her clothes
trying to find a way to open her blouse. Savannah struggled to get
free, clawing at the hands over her mouth. She bit down with all
her might tasting sweaty skin. Letting out a high pitched wail, her
captor let go.

"What the--" The other voice shouted in
surprise.

"Goddamn wench bit me, man!"

Before they could react, Savannah bolted
around the voices. Groping madly, she found the door knob and
yanked open the door. As she headed towards the faint light of the
street lamp outside, she crashed into a wide display case."Come on
back, honey." A voice came from her left.

"We ain't done with our party. I might
forgive you for bitin' me if you real sweet to me." Another voice
came from her right.

"Yeah, be sweet to us." The first voice now
came from somewhere in front of her.

Savannah still tried to make it to the front
door, but strong hands clutched her. His grip tightened as she
struggled to break free.

"Since you like it rough, I'm gonna give you
what you want." Hot, fetid breath brushed her cheek. His hold
loosened as his hands squeezed her breast.

Savannah used both arms to push up and out,
breaking free. Running blindly, she dashed away only to realize
with horror that she was back in the office.

"We back where we started, little girl."

"Yeah, and we gonna have our party right
here."

Two dark shapes loomed in the doorway,
blocking any means of escape. Savannah backed away from them, she
bumped into the desk. Suddenly, the six inch blade she used to open
boxes was in her hand.

"Get away from me!" she screamed as she
slashed wildly in the dark.

"Fi de putain!"The curse rang out followed by
a grunt of pain. Savannah could feel the blade connecting with
bodies. She heard fabric ripping as she swung savagely in circles.
The enclosed space that had been their means of capturing her now
became their torture chamber. With loud banging and shouts they
searched frantically for the door.

"I'm cut Teedy, man. Oh Lord, get me outta
here!"

"This bitch done gone crazy! Yeow!"

With a crash, the door flew open. In a
mindless state of fury, Savannah continued her rampage striking out
at any movement near her.

"Freeze! Everybody freeze!" A huge circle of
light appeared.

"Savannah? Is my daughter in there?" Antoine
yelled above the clamor.

"Daddy, I'm here," Savannah cried out as the
light in the shop came back on.

"Come outta here, come on," Sheriff Triche
closed a beefy fist on one man's arm. He motioned a deputy behind
him to grab his groaning, bleeding accomplice.

"My poor baby. Oh, cher." Antoine hugged and
kissed Savannah.

"Oh, Poppy." Savannah, now spent, went limp
against him. She sobbed uncontrollably.

"My little girl. It's all right. They can't
hurt you now." Antoine spoke in a soothing voice.

"Hurt
her
? By the looks of it, dey oughta
be glad we got here to save dem. Mon dieu! Look like a buzz saw got
hold of dere asses! 'Scuse my language, ma'am."

"Thank God you came." Drying her eyes,
Savannah took a shaky deep breath. She was calmer now but still
clung to her father. "How did you know?"

"Charice called for you. Her and Marie got
worried you still wasn't home. 'Bout that time I drove up and we
tried callin' the shop. When the operator told me the phone was off
the hook, I decided to call Sheriff Triche. With all been goin' on,
I didn't wanna take no chance." Antoine kissed her forehead. His
tender expression turned hard when the deputy approached dragging
along a scruffy man.

"Sheriff, this is Teedy Wilson. And this his
buddy they call Boo-Man. His real name is Jules Brunet. Real
undesirables," The deputy said glaring at each in turn.

"What is dis here you wearin'? Look like some
kinda Halloween outfit." The Sheriff plucked at the heavy fabric of
the black robes the two still wore, though now torn and bloody.

"J'ai rien a dire." Teedy growled. Yet his
eyes were wide with fear.

"So, you gonna exercise your right to keep
your mouth shut, huh?" The deputy snorted in disgust.

"We ain't done nothin'." Boo-Man muttered,
then winced as he tenderly touched a cut to his lip.

"'Course you ain't. Dis is all a big
misunderstandin'. You boys lost your way tryin' to find the all
night liquor store I guess? Get 'em outta here." Sheriff Triche cut
off their howls of protest.

"Do we need to come down to the station?"
Antoine said, still holding Savannah close to him.

"Won't take long, I promise."

Twenty minutes Savannah sat in the local
sheriff’s station. With his two prisoners tucked away neatly in
cells on the second floor of the old station house, Sheriff Triche
played the solicitous host offering them coffee and cracking jokes
to help calm Savannah. Antoine had gone back to the shop with one
of the deputies to see if anything was missing or there was more
evidence.

"Yeah, we got pretty much all we need
tonight," Sheriff Triche said, looking over the two typed
statements his deputy had handed him. "Dem two was runnin' dey
mouths 'til I tried to find out what dey was really up to. Lots of
folks mad wid y'all over protestin' against that plant, yeah."

"You don't think they just broke in to
steal?" Savannah signed her statement.

"Teedy and Boo-Man don't break in while
nobody 'round. No, what dey do is to wait 'til the place empty. Dey
sneak in and clean the place out. Seems like dey knew you was in
that shop by yourself."

"You're right. I guess I was hoping.... And
those robes they were wearing." Savannah rubbed her shoulders as if
cold.

"Sure somethin' funny 'bout dat, yeah."
Sheriff Triche looked at her thoughtfully.

"Yes," Savannah said, her eyes flashed with
anger.

"Those two ain't gone tell who put 'em up to
dis. Too scared." Sheriff Triche shook his head.

"But I think I know," Savannah replied.

"Dem Rousselles?"

"How do you know about that?"

"I been livin' in dis town all my life. I
been sheriff twenty-two years. Ain't much I don't know 'bout what
done happen 'round here."

"Like you said, they won't talk. So there's
nothing you can do." Savannah rubbed her eyes.

"You let me decide that."

"I have plans to deal with this."

"Now I can't let you take the law in your own
hands. Don't go do nothin' foolish." Sheriff Triche shook a warning
finger.

"If you mean break the law, then you don't
have to worry. I promise." Savannah stared straight ahead.

"Now you listen to me--"

"Well, everything all locked up tight. Not
too much was damaged." Antoine came through the station door.

"Please don't mention what we just talked
about to my father. Please,--" Savannah whispered frantically.

"Shush, cher. I know." Like a kindly old
uncle, Sheriff Triche patted her arm in reassurance.

"What y'all sayin'? Ain't nothin' else
happened since I left?" Antoine became anxious seeing the tense
expression on Savannah's face.

"Oh no. I was just telling the Sheriff thank
you." Savannah smiled.

*****

"You sure you want to do this?" Charice stood
well back from the card table set up in Nenaine Shirleen's small
storage shed. She did not like to be too close to the items on
it.

"Yes, I'm sick of these games being played on
me."

"Maybe I should go with you." Charice offered
feebly, her voice squeaky with nervousness.

"No, this I have to do by myself."

"Thought you didn't believe in this
stuff?"

"But they do. I think it's time I used the
same power of the mind they've been using against me."

After a fifteen minute drive to Rousselle
Lane, Savannah stood outside the large house with her heart
pounding. Her resolve wavered now that she had arrived. The long
windows offered no glimpse inside, though they were open. She could
see the curtains inside move slightly in the spring breeze. A long
porch stretched the length of the house. On it were chairs painted
white with gaily colored cushions in them. There were potted plants
scattered along the edge of the porch. Standing in the warm
sunshine, it was hard to imagine that there was anything in such a
tranquil looking home which could generate the fear she felt.
Seeing no car and no sign of movement within, Savannah got back
into her car to leave.

"Come on and sit wid me on the gallery a
while, sha." Monmon Odette came onto the porch, her feet scraping
the wooden floor as she took short careful steps. Choosing the
chair nearest the door, she eased down.

"I was just passing this way on some
errands--" Savannah got out of the car but stood with the door
open.

"You curious 'bout old Monmon Odette, eh?
Been wantin' to see where we live, ah know." Monmon Odette nodded
to herself. She raised a knarled hand and beckoned for Savannah to
come closer.

"Is LaShaun home?" Savannah asked as she
climbed the steps.

Monmon Odette ignored her question. "Sit
right here," she said, patting the arm of the chair next to her.
She smiled with satisfaction when Savannah sat down. "See on that
table, some lemonade. Knowed you was comin, mais yeah."

"No, thanks." Savannah was perched stiffly on
the edge of her seat.

"Go on now." Monmon Odette pointed a crooked
finger at the picture of pale liquid.

"No, really." Savannah stared at it with
obvious suspicion.

"What? You tink ah put somethin' in dere,
sha? Monmon Odette don't pull no trick like dat. No? Suit
youself."

"Where is LaShaun?" Savannah resisted the
urge to peer into the windows.

"Not here. Off somewhere runnin' round. She
off every other Thursday. Switch turns working on Sundays with Miss
Eveline down at dat museum. You didn't come to see her. Knowed
already she wasn't here." Monmon Odette shifted so she could get a
better look at her. "You is pretty, yes indeed."

"Thank you." Savannah fidgeted beneath her
scrutiny.

"My Francine was pretty, too. Look here."
Digging into the basket next to her chair, Monmon Odette pulled out
faded photographs.

"Look, can't see so good dem old picture done
fade, but her hair was coal black. Hung down her back. See? Skin
like warm coffee wid just a bit o' cream." Monmon Odette was quiet
for several minutes letting Savannah study the picture. "Know what
killed her? Broken heart. Sho, dey say she die in dat fire. She die
long 'fore dat."

"And you blame my father." Savannah's back
became taut sensing confrontation.

"She loved him so. Tried to tell her she have
anybody she want, but no. Got to have Antoine."

"My father didn't make her do the things she
did," Savannah said in a firm voice.

"Oh, here come LaShaun. You gone git to visit
wid her after all."

"So, you've accepted our invitation?
Welcome." LaShaun said after getting out of the Cadillac, a bitter
smile twisting her lips.

"I only--" Savannah stood up.

"Wanted to see if we have a huge black cat,
burn incense, and have cobwebs hanging from the rafters. Sorry to
disappoint." LaShaun threw a large canvas bag on the floor.
Standing on the top step, she blocked an easy exit.

"I don't want a fight with you, either of
you. My father feels badly about Francine, has for years. He cared
for her and really cared that she suffered so. You must believe
that. To carry on a grudge because a young man fell out of love
with one girl and in love with another is senseless. They were all
children together, but children grow up and infatuations fade away.
My father has to learn not to live in the past, as do you."
Savannah tried reasoning with her.The lighting change of LaShaun's
expression from scorn to wrath warned that she could not hope to
succeed."You through with your high tone speech making? Let me tell
you something, starting with you everybody in this town has been
treating me like trash for years. You with your sappy sweet self,
got nerve to come here telling us what we have to do. Your daddy
screwed my mama in more ways than one. She wasn't good enough for
the all mighty St. Juliens. Humph! The St. Juliens are nothing but
a group of uppity ex-maids and yard men sniffing the ground for the
white man's scraps. Well, honey you got some surprises coming to
you. Everybody in Beau Chene is going to be falling over each other
to get on my good side." LaShaun's eyes blazed as she spat out the
words in a rush.

"You're an even bigger fool than you were
when we were kids. Nobody looked down on you until you started
shooting off your mouth insulting people because of that ten pound
chip on your shoulder." Her resolve and anger back, Savannah
brushed past her to stomp down the steps.

"You no good bitch--" LaShaun growled.

"By the way, those little presents you've
been leaving around for me?" Savannah threw them on the porch. All
were scorched. "Nice try, but don't get your hopes up. And the next
time you send some of your playmates after me, I'll send them back
to you in pieces. If I even think you or you," Savannah said
looking past her to Monmon Odette, "are trying anything like that
on me again, I'll lay something on you so strong you'll be pissing
in your pants for days. Oh, and one more thing. That little party
you had a few nights ago in the woods won't work either."
Savannah's lip curled in a contemptuous smile.

"Who told you--"

Savannah stretched herself to her full
height. Taking a deep breath, she spouted the string of patois
Nenaine Shirleen had taught her. She spat three times on the
ground. To her amazement, a fine gray mist rose from the ground.
The sunlight dimmed for a few seconds, then the mist disappeared as
quickly as it had formed.