Only By Moonlight (7 page)

“You’ve done more than just an ordinary day’s
work on those cases, Deputy. Honey, he’s running for sheriff, and
he’s got my vote. I know a lot of people who feel the same.” Henry
grinned at him and motioned to his wife. “These folks are famous
for catching a load of killers around here. Wow, this is
fabulous.”

“Oh my,” Marion blurted out. “You’re LaShaun
Rousselle. I watch Ghost Team USA all the time and James Shaffer
says you’re a psychic. Is it true those murders were linked to the
supernatural?”

LaShaun cleared her throat loudly to cover
the loud groan from Chase. “No, ma’am. There’s very little reality
in that reality show.”

I’ve really enjoyed meeting you folks, but we
have to leave,” Chase said and grabbed LaShaun’s hand. “We’ll see
you later, Katie and Adrianna.”

“Come on, Marion. We’ve got dinner to plan
and rooms to clean while the guests are out sightseeing. Great
meeting you folks,” Henry said.

Marion kept talking as her husband nudged her
back to the B&B. “You know, I think we can finish renovating
that cabin near the pond by the time of your wedding. That’s it.
You be sure and call me back.”

“Thanks. We’ll be in touch,” LaShaun replied
with a wave.

Katie stepped forward with Adrianna beside
her. “Why did you really drive miles over here?”

“Yeah, what’s up?” Adrianna added. Her Latina
accent grew deeper. “I know you didn’t just happen to drop by this
way. Don’t even try it.”

Chase waved a forefinger at his sister and
sister-in-law. “Official business I can’t discuss. Thanks for
understanding.” He tugged LaShaun’s hands until she trailed behind
him.

“Sorry, girls. I promise we’ll get right back
on the wedding details. Call you.” LaShaun blew a kiss at them.

“Yeah, we want to know more than wedding
details,” Katie shouted.

LaShaun got into the passenger side of the
cruiser. The imitation leather interior was such a deep brown it
looked black. The tough vinyl could stand up to heavy use, but the
seats were comfortable. She sat in the bucket seat. A console
between the passenger and driver held a compact laptop computer, a
wide band radio, and other tools of the cop trade. Chase slid
smoothly into the driver’s seat behind the wheel.

“We still got forty minutes left of the
recess the judge granted the DA. Good thing we’re so close to the
courthouse.” Chase checked for traffic and pulled onto the road. He
soon had the cruiser going up to a speed of fifty miles per
hour.

LaShaun waved a hand in front of her nose.
“What is that trace of stink?”

“Sorry, I don’t even notice it now. Had a
real smelly robbery suspect in here about three days ago. Guess I
better get one of those little scented trees to hang from the
rearview mirror, huh?” Chase grinned.

“What did he steal, road kill? Phew!” LaShaun
hit the button and the car window rolled down.

“Hey, this is way better than it was. I had
it scrubbed out,” Chase chuckled at LaShaun’s pained expression. “I
can see you wouldn’t like police work. We deal with a lot worse
smells, believe me.”

“Speaking of dealing with the dirty side of
crime,” LaShaun said and lost the playful expression. “Manny Young
is trying to get a new trial?”

Chase frowned. “Yeah, and trust me, there is
no clean side of crime. Not in my experience. Killers like Manny
Young and his grandfather make funky smelling petty crooks
something to look forward to.”

“He was convicted of a bloody killing, and
there’s solid evidence linking him to at least eleven other
murders. What lawyer in his right mind would take his case and work
on an appeal for the Blood River Ripper?” LaShaun stared at Chase.
“It’s unbelievable.”

“That’s where you come in seems like,” Chase
replied with a tense set to his handsome jaw. “One of the hot shot
professors from Tulane Law School and his top students. They take
on cases with ‘unique circumstances’ is how they put it. I read up
on them.”

“What?” LaShaun glared at him and slapped his
arm. “How long have you known Manny was trying to get a new
trial?”

Chase heaved a sigh. “Only about two weeks.
We’ve both been happy for the last few months, even with the
political crap that goes with the election. I didn’t want to spoil
it, especially for you. You’ve been so relaxed, like... I don’t
know, like just a normal nervous bride.”

“Yeah, about as normal as you can get with
the notorious LaShaun Rousselle, right?” LaShaun said and smiled at
him. “I wish I could give you even more normal, honey.”

“Hey, I got what I want. Darlin’, if I wanted
normal, I could have gotten a job in a local plant and married some
girl next door. Instead, I chose to join the sheriff’s department
and fell in love with a beautiful woman who had me with her first
‘Hello’.” Chase took one hand off the steering wheel and rubbed
LaShaun’s thigh for a few seconds before letting go again.

LaShaun laughed as she slid as close as the
divided seats would allow. “I’d like to see the day Chase Broussard
let any woman rule him.”

“Trust me, baby. You got me body and soul,”
Chase said quietly as he pulled up to a four-way stop intersection.
When the car stopped moving, he took the chance to kiss
LaShaun.

When their lips parted, LaShaun brushed her
fingers through his hair. “Me, too, Deputy Broussard.”

Chase put both hands back on the wheel and
took a turn for the final two miles to the courthouse. “I don’t
want anybody messin’ with you, and that sure as hell includes Manny
Young.”

The warmth from their kiss faded as LaShaun
remembered the serial killer. “What’s the lawyer’s theory, and how
does it involve me?”

“He says because Manny had an abusive
childhood, his grandfather had control of his mind. At first the DA
thought he was going for an added twist on the insanity defense.
But I don’t think so.” Chase pulled up to a stop light on a few
blocks from the picturesque downtown of Abbeville. “I think the
lawyer is going to say Manny didn’t kill anybody, that he may have
been present but...”

“His granddaddy actually did the killing,”
LaShaun finished for him. An intense prickle like electricity
coursed down her arms. Orin Young had been a kind of human evil
that could make even an atheist believe in Satan. “Orin Young did
destroy his oldest son and turned Manny into a monster,” LaShaun
replied.

“Humph, that’s exactly what his legal team
wants to convince the judge. There’s the DA. He’s not looking too
happy,” Chase said and nodded toward the lovely old courthouse.

As they got out of the cruiser Scott Hazelton
strode toward them. He seemed on edge, unable to wait until they
crossed the pavement to reach him. At six feet four inches tall,
the DA made a big impression during trials and before media
cameras. His thick dark hair, slightly gray at the temples, helped
as well. LaShaun could sense that he had a mixture of annoyance and
relief to see her. After all, he’d come close to trying her for
murder less than a year ago.

“Ms. Rousselle; thanks for coming on such
short notice,” Hazelton intoned and stuck out his hand.

LaShaun took it briefly and let go. “I’m very
surprised to be here, to say the least.”

“I can well imagine. I...” Hazelton’s voice
faded away as he glanced past them. “We’ve got company, this
way.”

Chase followed his gaze. “Damn it. How did
Schaffer get wind of this?”

“Tell me you’re kidding,” LaShaun
muttered.

Hazelton jerked a thumb for them to follow to
a side door a few feet away. “At least he won’t be able to follow
us.”

The DA’s long legged-stride made LaShaun
almost jog beside him to keep up as Chase brought up the rear.
Schaffer called out to them as he hustled from almost a block away
to get closer. His videographer stood still shooting footage for a
few seconds longer, no doubt using a zoom lens. Then he moved when
Schaffer yelled for him to follow. Both were too late. Hazelton got
them through the door and inside long before Schaffer could catch
up. The entrance wasn’t for the public, only for official use. A
chunky male Abbeville police officer checked LaShaun’s small
cross-body bag and waved them on. Then the solemn middle-aged cop
scowled at Schaffer, who stood outside tapping on the glass with
the words “Employees Only” clearly painted on it. The officer
opened the door.

“This isn’t a public entrance sir. If you
have court business, please go to the new building across the
parking lot.”

“I only want to speak to the DA and Ms.
Rousselle. I’m with the Fox Network and--”

“Sir, you can’t come in,” the officer
repeated in a monotone that implied he was used to repeating those
words.

LaShaun looked back only briefly as Hazelton
led them deeper into the historic old building. Schaffer’s attempts
at impressing the officer fell on deaf ears. LaShaun smiled as
Schaffer’s voice rose in frustration.

“You can bet he’ll be waiting for us,” Chase
said with a grimace.

“Who is that clown anyway?” Hazelton said. He
waved them into a small conference room. A younger man dressed in a
dark gray suit entered and shut the door.

“The lead investigator of spooky happenings
on a show called Ghost Team USA,” LaShaun started.

“My wife loves that show,” the younger man
said. He shrugged when Hazelton sighed. “Sorry, but it’s kind of
popular. I’m Josh Labadie by the way, assistant DA.”

He grinned at them and nodded. His honey
blonde all-American-boy-next door good looks contrasted with
Hazelton’s dark, somber facade.

“Nice to meet you,” LaShaun said. He seemed
less keyed up, and more accessible than his boss. Yet she also
sensed he used his charm as a weapon to disarm. “So why am I here
gentlemen?”

“Right to the point, eh? I like it,” Labadie
said, the good-humor radiating from him.

“Emanuel Young’s new lawyers intend to argue
that his grandfather or someone in his grandfather’s gang did the
killings,” Hazelton said, just as direct.

“They haven’t come out and said as much, but
based on comments they’ve made so far…” Josh added and looked to
his boss.

“That’s where they’re headed. Neal Montgomery
is one of the top defense attorneys in this state, in the country
even. He teaches part-time at Tulane Law School and started the
True Justice Project. He selects six students from the top two
percent of the class.” Hazelton’s dark eyebrows went up. “And
that’s saying something, because all the students at Tulane are top
notch.”

“Full disclosure, sir. You’re a Tulane alum,”
Josh quipped. “I’m from LSU. We hold our own.”

Hazelton’s grave expression cracked for a
second when one corner of his mouth lifted. Then he grew serious
again. “Back to the reason you’re here, Ms. Rousselle. Montgomery
has you on a list of potential witnesses. I know you visited Young
at the forensic facility twice. Tell me what you discussed.”

LaShaun glanced at Chase. His dark Cajun eyes
gave no clue as he sat across from her. Still, she felt a wave of
protectiveness from him. The DA and his assistant glanced between
them as though trying to read body language.

“Your exchange isn’t covered by any kind of
professional privilege,” Josh said quietly. When Chase shot a sharp
look at him, the young attorney cleared his throat. “In case you’re
wondering.”

“I know that, and I want to help. I sure
don’t think Manny should be out, or even in a minimum security
setting,” LaShaun replied with a frown.

“How did you know that he’s...” Josh’s voice
trailed off. He turned to his boss.

Hazelton continued to gaze steadily at
LaShaun. “Ms. Rousselle?”

“We didn’t talk about his conviction. Mostly
we talked about his family, a little about his childhood. I’m
surprised he would go for an appeal. He mentioned that he knew the
evidence against him was solid. He even implied that he needed to
be locked up.” LaShaun shook her head. “Then there’s the other side
of him.”

Hazelton sat forward on the edge of his
chair. “Tell me more.”

LaShaun thought back to the lightening quick
change Manny could make. She switched off from her surroundings as
she relived sitting across from the serial killer. “Manny can be
charming, even look totally harmless. But he’s a cunning, ruthless
predator. He enjoys the physical sensation of overpowering his
victim. Emotionally he feeds off their struggle to survive, like a
psychic vampire. Manny even likes the taste of his victims.”

“He’s a cannibal?” Josh asked, eyes wide with
repulsion.

“No, not eating their raw flesh, though I
suspect he bit several of them. He likes licking their sweat. The
flavor excites him sexually.” LaShaun’s stomach lurched as she
pushed against making a telepathic connection to the monster. Her
skin tingled and itched so intensely that she rubbed her arms hard.
“I don’t think bringing Manny outside for court is a good idea. At
all. He’s a master manipulator.”

“Baby, calm down. Manny ain’t even in the
parish. I promise you,” Chase said quickly and put an arm around
the back of her chair as he moved closer.

“He’s at Feliciana Forensic Hospital, ma’am,”
Hazelton said.

“But he’s been watching the hearing using
video conference equipment we set up,” Josh added. “His attorney
insisted. Look, is it true he’s got some kind of paranormal
abilities?”

“We’re not going down that mumbo jumbo path,”
Hazelton clipped back before LaShaun could react. “I don’t give a
damn what some crew of boogey-man chasers say. Manny is a sadistic
killer. Human evil exists. I’ve seen enough of it to know.”

“We don’t want to sensationalize this case
anymore than it’s already going to be. Manny lured his victims in
and murdered them. Plain and simple,” Chase added in his deep, firm
voice as he gazed at the assistant DA.