Only By Moonlight (3 page)

“Hmm.” LaShaun frowned.

“Oh hell,” Savannah muttered and glanced over
at her husband. “Paul is talking about us moving out of the parish,
not just the town. I mean, serial killers, gossip about loup garou,
and now this.”

“Ah c’mon, he won’t insist on moving. Would
he? Your father and aunt are getting on in years,” LaShaun said.
Not to mention LaShaun would miss her friend.

“He’s worried the girls could get sucked into
some crazy peer group. I can’t argue with his reasoning. Look at
what Allison Graham and her husband are going through. They’re an
upper-class family. One day her blonde-haired boy next door is
playing little league baseball. Then he’s a teenager hanging out in
the woods at night dressed in black from head to toe.”

“Being a parent can be scary, huh?” LaShaun
blinked hard at Savannah.

“You best believe it. So...” Savannah gazed
back at LaShaun.

“The last three or four crimes were plain old
human sin. Maybe these kids got carried away with this role
playing. The news reports say there were possibly other kids
involved. What did Mrs. Graham say about that?” LaShaun asked.

“She’s talked to the sheriff’s deputies for
sure, one of Chase’s guys on the criminal investigation team.
They’re also talking to the kids at school,” Savannah said and
munched on a chip.

“Chase hasn’t said anything to me, but then,
he doesn’t routinely bring his work home. We’ve got more stuff to
talk about,” LaShaun replied and ate a chip from Savannah’s
bowl.

“Sure, like the wedding plans and which house
you’re going to live in.” Savannah smiled at the more pleasant
topics.

“Yes, and how his mother probably won’t be at
the wedding. She’ll probably try to guilt the rest of the family to
boycott.” LaShaun shook her head.

“Well, at least you know which house to pick;
whichever one is farther away from her,” Savannah wisecracked in a
graveyard humor tone.

LaShaun burst out in a loud laugh. Paul
pulled his attention away from the sports channel for a second
before going back to it. She had to wait a few moments before
regaining control. “That was a good one. I needed a laugh about the
Broussard family drama. Whew.”

Savannah grinned. “Girl, please. You’ve faced
down demons. A mean mother-in-law will be like a day at the
beach.”

LaShaun gave a snort. “You’ve never met
Chase’s mother. We’ll deal with her tantrums. Now back to Mrs.
Graham and her wayward boy.”

“Yeah, them,” Savannah replied and lost her
expression of good humor. “Mrs. Graham is hoping to blame somebody
other than her son.”

“Chase’s investigators think he did it?”
LaShaun looked at Savannah with interest.

“Greg was injured, but not as severely as the
other two kids. He was released from the hospital a couple of days
after being admitted that night. I mean, the other two can’t talk.
And he won’t.”

LaShaun faced her fully. “So you’re going to
be his lawyer because you expect the investigators to consider him
a suspect eventually.”

Savannah shook her head. “Mr. and Mrs. Graham
hired a lawyer while Greg was still in the hospital; a top criminal
defense attorney from Lafayette. A couple of their friends
recommended me; because I know you. Remember I was involved in that
adventure with,” she dropped her voice low, “The Blood River
Ripper.”

“Oh my good Lord.” LaShaun rolled her eyes.
“Reassure Mr. and Mrs. All American that Greg slipped into no-good
all on his own. The devil didn’t make him do it.”

“I have a feeling that won’t reassure them,”
Savannah said.

“That’s all I got.” LaShaun shrugged.

“You can’t blame her for asking after some of
the stuff that’s gone on in Vermilion Parish,” Savannah said and
stood.

“Yes, I can as a matter of fact. They’re
looking to build a defense. Well sorry, I’m fresh out of
supernatural beings to give them a hand,” LaShaun retorted. “Now
you and your hard-working hubby go collect your kids. I’ll send you
home with a big container of gumbo, some potato salad and jalapeno
corn bread. You won’t have to cook, and the kids can get to bed on
time. That way they’ll be fresh tomorrow morning for school.”

“Don’t go to any trouble,” Savannah
replied.

“I’ve got a big pot and more than enough.”
LaShaun got up and got busy fixing their take home food.

“Aw, look at you. You’re already preparing to
feed a family.” Then Savannah’s eyes went wide. “Hey, are
you...?”

LaShaun paused in the act of scooping up
gumbo with a ladle and filling a plastic container. “Am I
what?”

“You know,” Savannah said and nodded at
LaShaun.”

“Huh? No! Don’t you start gossip about me
being pregnant either.”

“I wouldn’t,” Savannah protested and wore an
affronted expression. Then she giggled. “Wouldn’t that chap Mrs.
Broussard’s behind!”

LaShaun grimaced. “You’ll be the first one to
get a famous Rousselle curse in one hundred years.”

Savannah waved a hand. “Relax. I’m only going
to tell a few close friends. I’m kidding, just kidding.” She let
out a squeal when LaShaun pretended to swing the ladle at her
head.

“Y’all need to quit playing around. Hey, we
gonna have gumbo tonight,” Paul said as he strolled in. “Babe, we
better get a move on. Thanks so much for the good food,
LaShaun.”

“You’re quite welcome. Now take your
troublemaker wife home.” LaShaun pretended to swing at her
again.

Savannah burst out laughing. “Don’t spill my
gumbo.”

Ten minutes later, Savannah and Paul were on
their way out of LaShaun’s front door. Paul carried a canvas tote
bag with all the fixings for a down home Creole supper. He went
ahead to load the car and Savannah turned to LaShaun.

“I’m going to assure Mrs. Graham that she
needs human legal advice only, no demon hunter intervention,”
Savannah said. She stared at LaShaun hard.

“What? I said there’s nothing paranormal
going on… that I know of.” LaShaun squirmed under Savannah’s
sharp-eyed legal gaze.

“Oh hell naw. Here we freakin’ go again with
the spooky stuff,” Savannah spat out in a harsh whisper. Then she
turned to Paul who was already sitting in their car. “I’m coming,
sweetie.”

“I swear I’m telling the whole truth and
nothing but the truth,” LaShaun said. She raised her right hand as
though taking an oath on the witness stand.

Savannah started to walk off then came back.
“Anything changes, you let me know ASAP, especially if it means
you’ll need a lawyer again.”

“I’m staying out of trouble,” LaShaun assured
her. After exchanging goodbyes again, LaShaun shut and locked the
front door. “I hope.”

***

At two o’clock the next morning. LaShaun came
awake. She instinctively threw out an arm to feel for Chase. Then
she sighed and rolled over. Determined to get back to sleep. she
tried to ignore the blue glow from her digital clock. Watching the
numbers change would not help her go back to sleep. She closed her
eyes and let her mind drift away. The light seemed to pulse through
her eyelids. LaShaun bolted upright into clear thinking from the
soft haze of drowsiness. She got out of bed. When she drew aside
the curtains of one of the windows that faced her woods, her heart
thumped. A soft silvery blue fog pulsed behind a stand of trees to
the west. LaShaun glanced up at the full, lustrous moon against the
night sky. A wispy cloud drifted across the pearl white disc and
then drifted down to the woods. She blinked at the sight and rubbed
her eyes. Was her imagination playing tricks? With quicksilver
motions, LaShaun got dressed in jeans, waterproof boots, and a
heavy flannel shirt. She pulled on an insulated rain jacket and
retrieved her knife and grandmother’s rosary. She whispered a
fervent prayer, and then headed down the hallway to her back door.
Then she stopped and went back to her bedroom.

“Might as well be well armed,” she
murmured.

LaShaun found her Remington derringer. The
lovely scroll work on the barrel made it look like a fashion
accessory; it was a deadly fashion accessory with silver bullets.
Then she pulled on supple leather gloves she’d special ordered.
They would keep her hands warm but not interfere with her grip on
the knife or gun. Loaded and ready for a fight, she went outside.
Moonlight washed across the backyard, competing with the security
light to the west of her house. She listened to the night.

Leaves rustled as the cold wind blew through
the trees and bushes. Furry creatures did not creep out in the
wintery night. Instead they hunkered down in burrows or hallowed
out tree trunks. So LaShaun didn’t expect to hear the kind of night
sounds that came with spring or summer. The blue mist strangely
retreated deeper into the woods. Suddenly the swish and whispery
noise of the wind changed. A sound like breathing filled the air
around her. If she hadn’t known better, LaShaun would have thought
a huge giant animal crouched nearby… a hunter stalking prey,
waiting in the dark to strike at just the right time. LaShaun
started at a realization of something different. The mist floated
beyond her woods, away from the historic Rousselle family cemetery.
A sharp chill raced along her arms and down her back. If this demon
was no longer tethered to her woods, where else could it travel?
She walked backwards until the heel of her right boot hit the back
steps. LaShaun continued to scan her surroundings as she opened the
back door with her key. Once inside. she wrapped both arms around
her to stop the shivering. A thumping sound made her jump. When she
heard footsteps, LaShaun moved away from the door. The footsteps
caused a crunching sound on the fine gravel driveway. Suddenly the
sound moved away.

LaShaun let out a sigh of relief. She hurried
to the bay window in her kitchen. Her heart skipped when she
recognized the tall figure walking from the circle of illumination
from the security lamp toward darkness, following the retreating
blue light.

“Oh no.”

She raced to the solid steel door styled to
look like dark wood. Precious seconds ticked by as she clicked the
set of three locks that usually made her feel safe. Moments later
she’d pushed through the screen storm door. Too scared to call out,
LaShaun’s legs pumped as she ran to catch up to him. Chase strode
along, not seeming to be in a hurry. His long-legged stride easily
increased the distance between them with each step.

“Chase. Chase!”

LaShaun spoke in a hoarse whisper, as though
that would help keep some malevolent beast from noticing them. When
he kept walking, she felt a surge of panic. To hell with stealth,
she decided. LaShaun skidded to a halt, pulled out the small gun,
and fired two shots in the air in rapid succession. Chase stopped
in mid-stride. Oddly, he lowered his leg slowly, like a robot that
had suddenly been turned off. Seconds later his head turned from
left to right looking into the night. Then he faced LaShaun.

“Hey girl. What the hell...” When he walked
into the circle of light, Chase blinked rapidly.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” LaShaun ran to
him as he walked to her. Panting, she still held the gun above her
head. Then she stepped to her right and pointed it at the landscape
bathed in gloom beyond the beam of the security lamp.

“No, I-I’m okay,” Chase replied, but his
voice sounded unsure. He rubbed a hand over his forehead. “I
thought I heard something, and plus this night air seemed so sweet
I...”

LaShaun got close to him. He wore a puzzled
expression. She looked past him again. The blue mist faded away.
She engaged the cross bolt safety on the derringer and put it into
her jacket pocket.

“Let’s go inside; get out of this frosty air.
I’ll fix you something warm to drink.”

As she walked with him, LaShaun rubbed his
cold hands while glancing over her shoulder. No trace of blue or
anything out of the ordinary appeared against the night sky. The
full moon looked down on them like a placid face giving no clue
about what he’d seen. Chase remained silent as LaShaun kept up a
stream of chatter. Her nerves became even more rattled by the odd
blank expression he wore.

“You’re shouldn’t be wandering around in the
dead of night. It’s almost three o’clock in the morning. Why didn’t
you come on home or go to your place to get some rest? Talk to me,
sweetie,” LaShaun said, her voice breaking with anxiety. She fought
the urge to cry, to shake him violently until he lost that look on
his face. Something in her tone must have gotten through to
him.

“Hey, girl, you sound upset. Nothing happened
out here, did it? There’s been some wild stuff going on.” Chase
pulled her tight against his side.

“No, nothing.” LaShaun said no more until
they were inside the kitchen.

Chase removed his thick, dark brown jacket
with the words “VP Sheriff” on the back. He glanced around as
though checking for threats. Then he took off his felt hat with The
Vermilion Sheriff’s Department emblem. He hung both on wall hooks
near the back door.

“You’re not telling me something, like why
you out in the backyard with a gun. It sure as hell ain’t hunting
season, and that little pistol ain’t legal for hunting.” He placed
both hands on his waist and waited for an answer. His dark eyebrows
pulled together in a severe expression.

“I heard a noise and… I know, I know. You
think it’s a bad idea for me to go outside,” LaShaun said cutting
off his lecture.

“Yeah, darlin’. Especially since we don’t
know what particular kinda freaks are roaming around,” Chase
replied. Only then did he take off his duty belt. He carefully put
it in a locked drawer of the wooden cabinet next to the small desk
in her kitchen.

“I thought you said drug dealers and
burglars. Just the garden variety lowlifes. You want something to
eat? It’s breakfast time now.” LaShaun pointed to the clock.