Only By Moonlight (6 page)

Thirty-five minutes later, they arrived at
the Metier Mansion. The pictures had done the historic structure
justice. Except for the flower shrubs having no blooms yet, the
house and broad driveway looked just like the photos on the
website. Sunshine made the white paint of the wood columns gleam.
They parked in the lot adjacent to the house. Katie snapped a
picture of the house with her cell phone once they got out of the
car.

“Okay, now we’ll check availability first and
make a tentative reservation in case you fall in love with what you
see. This place is very popular. Ready?” Katie tucked her phone
into a side pocket of her leather purse.

“Yes, ma’am.” Adrianna snapped a salute.

“Should we march in single file double time,
ma’am,” LaShaun added standing at attention.

Katie heaved a long suffering sigh. “I feel
like I’m herding a group of thirteen-year-old girls on a school
field trip. Stop giggling and let’s go. Sheesh.”

LaShaun and Adrianna smothered laughs as they
followed Katie up the front steps. A wreath made with weathered
wood and draped with Spanish moss decorated the front door. The
word “Bonjour” was painted on a half moon sign above it. Katie
opened the front door and strode in. A waist high desk served as
the check-in area on the left. Four stuffed chairs covered in
fabric with blooming roses and camellias were arranged against two
walls.

“Bienvenu, ladies. Welcome to Sweet Olive.” A
woman with her dark hair cut short in a page style beamed at them
from behind the desk. “I’m Marion Saunders, owner and happy hostess
of this establishment.”

“So nice to meet you. We’re wondering if you
have a bridal suite and if it’s available April twenty-sixth
through April thirtieth,” Katie replied looking around.

“Let me see. We have quite a few reservations
so we may not have anything.” Marion lightly tapped the keys of a
computer on a lower shelf of the desk.

“You don’t have an old fashioned
book?”Adrianna asked. She peeked down to see the sleek monitor.

“We keep it kind of hidden to preserve the
nineteenth century ambiance,” Marion replied with a smile. “But we
need twentieth century reservations software since we’ve become so
popular. Ah, here we go. No, sorry. That month is booked
solid.”

“Well, I guess there’s no point in looking
around. Thank you anyway,” Katie said. She pulled out her phone and
began her search again.

“Not so fast,” LaShaun said quickly. “I love
old homes. I’d like to take a tour anyway.”

“What’s the point? They don’t have any dates
available in April. There’s another B&B near New Iberia. I can
call them right now.” Katie was already dialing.

“Fine, you work on that. I’ll look around,”
LaShaun said.

“I want to come, too,” Adrianna put in.

“Excellent. This is my husband Harry. Watch
the desk while I show these ladies around,” Marion said to a
friendly looking man who walked in. His thin hair had gone from
blonde to mostly gray.

“Sure thing. Nice to see you, ladies.” Harry
nodded at them and stepped behind the desk. Just then, a couple
descended the lovely carpeted stairway with a burnish stained oak
railing. Harry was soon busy showing them tourist brochures of area
attractions.

“You know, we very well could get a
cancellation or two. So you should have your friend leave her
contact information. We love hosting newlyweds,” Marion said as she
led the way through an arched entrance. Moments later they were in
a lovely dining room.

“Katie is already married. LaShaun is the
blushing bride,” Adrianna replied.

“Congratulations. You’re from the area?”
Marion smiled at LaShaun warmly.

“Born and raised in Vermilion Parish,”
LaShaun said.

“Oh I really hope someone cancels,” Marion
said in a low confidential tone. “Of course, we value out-of-town
guests, but I have a special fondness for Louisiana folks. Harry
and I have loved it since we moved here. People are so open and
welcoming.”

“The restaurant has a lot of historic charm,”
Adrianna said. She fingered a lace linen napkin on an antique
buffet table.

Katie came in. “My, but I love this room,”
she said.

“Was this the original formal dining room?”
LaShaun walked around pretending to admire the decor. She tried to
pick up any vibrations left from previous residents.

“Actually this was the formal parlor for
entertaining. A smaller ladies parlor was over there, and then
there was a music room. Through this arch was the formal dining
room,” Marion explained.

“This house is huge,” Adrianna murmured aside
to LaShaun.

“We expanded the room to make two smaller
dining areas. We can use those for private parties or a reception.
Of course, you can rent the entire restaurant if needed. We can
turn what was the library on the east side into a restaurant for
other guests. There’s no private party booked on your wedding
day.”

Marion’s perky voice faded into the
background for LaShaun. Katie and Adrianna became absorbed in
Marion’s sales pitch. LaShaun walked across the lobby. She entered
what had been the library, where Vincent Metier was brutally
murdered one hundred and seventy-six years before. Harry Saunders
smiled at her and nodded as he talked on the phone at the front
desk. LaShaun smiled back. She entered the long room. Beautiful
floor to ceiling bookshelves were on the north facing walls. A fire
place had two large stuffed chairs arranged in front of it. An
archway led into a smaller area. LaShaun started to walk out again
but stopped, pulled to turn back toward a seating area. Four chairs
were arranged around a teakwood table. Four sofas, large and small,
along with chairs were arranged in different parts of the room.
Guests could easily find a comfy corner for conversation, or find a
spot to be alone. Several chairs near windows or in two corners
offered seclusion. Suddenly a strong smell of cigar smoke and
whiskey hit LaShaun. She swallowed hard.

The sunny room faded as though a dark storm
cloud had descended. Gas lamps on the fireplace mantel and tables
lit the room. Instead of the modern setting, LaShaun watched as the
room traveled back in time. A man sat slumped at a massive dark oak
desk. A still smoking cigar rested in a massive bronze ash tray at
his elbow. A dark figure wearing a wide brim hat and long black
coat stood over the man. LaShaun couldn’t see the person’s face.
The figure regarded the motionless man calmly, puffing on a long
cigar. Blood pooled on the desk blotter. Spots had splattered heavy
light brown draperies covering a window behind the desk. After a
while, the figure lifted the man’s head. One of the victim’s eye
sockets leaked gore. LaShaun felt a wave of nausea that made her
gasp. She clapped a hand over her mouth. The figured laughed softly
as he examined his handiwork. A yawning slash across the victim’s
throat caused his head to flop to one side. More blood flowed and
the man made a gurgling sound.

“My God, he’s not dead,” LaShaun moaned.

She grabbed for the phone in her cross body
bag. Silk fabric rustled under her fingers. Looking down, LaShaun
found she wore a deep green taffeta floor length dress. When she
touched her hair, it was pulled back into a prim bun.

“Don’t worry, my sweet. He will be dead soon
enough. Consider yourself free,” the dark figure said.

He turned to face LaShaun. Only bright red
eyes glowed against a coal black face. Not skin, and no facial
features; only a blank void. Suddenly, an opening appeared in the
shape of a grotesquely grinning mouth full of razor sharp teeth.
Dizzy from the sensation of the room spinning, LaShaun grabbed for
a chair nearby. She whimpered as a wave of that horrified remorse
washed over her. When a hand touched her shoulder, LaShaun pushed
away. She stumbled forward looking for a way to escape the
horrendous scene.

“We better call 911. She’s about to pass
out,” a female voice said. “Honey, sit down. Can you walk?”

“I’ve got her,” Harry Saunders replied as he
circled an arm around LaShaun’s waist.

“What?” LaShaun sucked in air and let it out
in an effort to recover. With a jolt she bounced out of her trance
into the present again.

“Don’t worry, we’re calling an ambulance to
get you to the hospital,” Katie said in her in take charge
tone.

“I’m okay. Just let me have some cold water
and sit down for a while,” LaShaun blurted out forcefully. “No
hospital.”

“You look positively green,” Adrianna said
with a worried frown.

“I haven’t eaten since last night. That’s all
it is.” LaShaun allowed Harry Saunders to support her across the
room. He eased her into a cushiony chair.

Marion handed LaShaun a glass. “Here you go.
I put a little peppermint in the water. It settles the stomach. Now
sip slowly.”

“Thank you.” LaShaun forced a smile she hoped
would reassure them all. Worried and skeptical gazes told her they
weren’t convinced.

“I still say you should get checked out,”
Katie insisted. She blinked at LaShaun rapidly.

“I’m a retired nurse. Give me your hand,
dear,” Marion said. She placed two fingers on LaShaun’s wrist, and
then looked into her eyes. “Her pulse is normal. Pupils not
dilated.”

“I’m really feeling much better. I just got a
little woozy, no big deal,” LaShaun said. “Let’s see the upstairs
rooms and cottages.”

Adrianna spoke up before anyone else. “Not a
great idea, LaShaun. We can always come back.”

LaShaun shook her head hard but she stopped,
afraid the faint sensation would return. She needed to find out
more, see more about the dark figure and the woman in the taffeta.
Just as she was about to argue why she should stay, her cell phone
rang. She pulled it out. Chase’s picture and cell number was
displayed.

“It’s Chase,” LaShaun said.

“Her fiancé,” Katie informed Marion and
Harry.

“Hi honey,” LaShaun answered the call in a
cheerful tone.

Adrianna murmured to the others and they
moved away to a discreet distance to give LaShaun privacy. Katie
seemed the most reluctant to leave, but Adrianna cupped Katie’s
left elbow and forced her to move.

“You okay? You sound funny,” Chase said
through the phone.

“I’m fine, baby,” LaShaun assured him. Once
again she wondered if Chase had some psychic ability. Or maybe, as
Monmon Odette had told her once, those who truly love connect soul
to soul. She hoped it was the latter. If he was open to the
spirits... She shook off that thought and said, “What’s up?”

“I need to come get you. I know it’s crazy,
but I’m in court in Abbeville and the DA wants you here just in
case. We’ve recessed for lunch. I’ll explain when I get to the
house.” Chase spoke in a rapid pressured voice.

“I’m a short ride outside Abbeville,” LaShaun
replied.

“I thought you were with Katie and Adrianna
at my place to go over...”

“We changed plans. I’ll explain once you get
here. What does a court hearing have to do with me?” LaShaun asked,
lowering her voice.

“Manny Young hired an attorney. He’s filed to
have his conviction for murder overturned,” Chase replied. “He’s
got a unique defense. We’ll talk in a few.”

“Okay.” LaShaun gave him directions and hung
up.

Manny Young, the serial killer known as The
Blood River Ripper, could be released? Evidence against him had
been strong. His DNA had been on at least two of the dead women
found near Blood River. He was linked to ten other deaths, bloody
corpses found in three Louisiana Parishes and one east Texas
County. LaShaun wondered what kind of madness had been set loose
that had convinced anyone Manny Young should be on the streets
again. Apparently, she would find out soon. The image of the dark
figure with fiery red eyes and saw-like teeth from the Metier
library flashed into her mind.

Chapter 4

LaShaun had explained three times that Chase
was on his way to pick her up. Katie huffed about the strange turn
her day of planning had taken. Chatterbox Adrianna became quiet.
LaShaun could tell she was afraid that more spooky events were
happening. Chase pulled up in his Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s
department cruiser and her future sisters-in law weren’t the only
folks staring. Marion and Henry wore expressions that held equal
parts anxiety and curiosity. Marion spoke up first before Chase
even got out.

“Um, I hope there isn’t a problem,” the
innkeeper said. She looked at all three of her visitors with
curiosity.

“No, ma’am, nothing for you to worry about,”
LaShaun said in her best cheerful tone. Not unless you call
possibly having a serial killer for a neighbor a problem, she
thought grimly. But she kept her smile as Chase exited from the
driver’s side.

Katie turned to the woman. “You know how it
is. He probably got lonesome for his one true love, and since he
was close by...” She winked at the older couple.

“Hey, everybody. This place is pretty nice,”
Chase said with a grin and planted a kiss on LaShaun’s mouth. “I
hope y’all don’t mind me runnin’ off with my lady for a bit. She
said y’all were about to wrap it up anyway.”

Adrianna wore a slight frown of skepticism.
She shot a glance at LaShaun with an eyebrow raised. “We haven’t
seen the rooms or the cabins for your honeymoon. I’d say that’s
pretty important.”

“I was going to suggest that Chase come back
with me for that part of the tour anyway,” LaShaun put in before
Chase could speak again.

“Yeah, that sounds like a plan. So, let’s go
baby. Nice to meet y’all,” Chase said and nodded graciously to
Henry and Marion.

Henry strode forward with a hand out. “Nice
to meet you, Deputy Broussard. You’re a real hero around here.”

“Thank you, sir. Just doing my job,” Chase
said and shook hands with him.