Rachel's Rebellion (Moss Bayou) (5 page)

“Velma, I
saw young Miss Emerson here with someone other than the Latini boy as Alden and
I were leaving the reception last night. I was very surprised, to say the least.
I mean, the man I saw her with was a bit rough, if you ask me. I told Alden
there had to be some mistake. Rachel here is a fine young lady. I wouldn’t
expect to see her with someone like that.”

“Rough?”
Velma Toups’ curiosity was obviously piqued.

Again,
everyone’s eyes turned to Rachel. She felt her face turn warm and was sure it
was probably red by now. With nothing else she could do, she averted her eyes
to her untouched plate.

“Mrs.
Cavett, I’m sure you’re mistaken,” Nik said hurriedly.

Mavis Cavett’s
eyes looked at Nik and then back to Rachel. “No, I’m not mistaken. Actually, I
saw Rachel get into a car with that strange man and then I saw that Latini boy
leave only moments later. Alone.”

“Just a
friend, Mrs. Cavett,” she finally spoke, knowing there was no way that old
woman would buy that.

“You kiss
all of your friends that way?” Mavis shook her head. “That was shameful
behavior. Nice girls don’t behave that way in parked cars. Not what I would
expect of an Emerson.”

How was she
going to wiggle out of this? She quickly glanced at Nik and pleaded silently
for help. With a slight nod, Nik stepped up.

“So, Mrs.
Cavett, just how long did you spy on Rachel? Trolling the parking lot is not
what I would have expected from a fine preacher’s wife.”

Mavis Cavett
pushed her glasses up with a quick jerk. “Well, Miss Williams, I guess that
should be expected from someone of your upbringing.”

Velma Toups
stood beside Mavis, letting out a tsk-
ing
sound while
shaking her blue-white head.

Rachel
almost laughed out loud as Nik’s mouth opened and Lily’s hand slammed over it.
On the other side, Leslie’s hand held Nik firmly in her seat as Nik’s eyes shot
daggers at the old bitty.

“Mrs.
Cavett,” Hope said with more sweetness than the woman deserved. “No one is a
secret criminal here. We just live our lives. That shouldn’t be a problem for
you.”

“Or a reason
for gossip,” Heather added. “I thought gossiping wasn’t on the approved list
for the Baptists? My family was almost irrevocably torn because of only half of
the story. You should think of that, Mrs. Cavett.”

Mavis gasped
and Velma grabbed her by the arm. “Mavis we should be going.”

“Velma, you
are absolutely right,” Mavis Cavett said as she turned away. “Heather Jensen
seems to be picking up that Williams girl’s bad manners. I just know Violet and
Owen will regret letting that girl into their family. They should have a frank
talk with Tanner immediately.”

“With her
mother,” Velma Toups was heard saying as they moved away. “Doesn’t surprise me
in the least. A barmaid with so many husbands cannot be good for a child’s
upbringing.”

Rachel
watched the two old ladies maneuver their way out of the café. They continued
to speak to each other as they weaved around tables. Heads were shaking and
fingers were pointing. Why did they behave that way?

“Sorry,
Nik.” Lily’s hand came away from Nik’s mouth.

“Me too,”
Leslie said.

Nik shrugged
off their apologies. “Thanks for saving the lives of those old bats.”

“Rachel,
what was Mavis Cavett talking about?” Hope’s expression sported a raised brow.

“I don’t
want to talk about it,” Rachel mumbled with a shake of her head.

Heather
studied her a moment before asking, “What can you share?”

“I don’t
think Rachel wants to tell anything yet,” Nik said as she looked Rachel in the
eye.

Sending Nik a
silent thanks, she smiled at Heather while trying to decide how to answer the
question.

“Hello
everyone.”

Phillip
Latini stepped toward them and eventually made his way next to Rachel. “Hi,” he
told her as he placed a kiss to her cheek. Phillip’s Italian heritage provided
his dark, good looks and he was often the recipient of approving stares from
the female population. Put those good looks with his friendly, outgoing nature
and it was an awesome combination.

“I ran into
Mavis and Velma as I was coming in,” Phillip told Rachel. “Those two old ladies
tried their best to convince me to stand outside the front door while they
shared information” he raised his hands to give air quotes “that would cause me
pain but would save me heartache in the long run.”

“We heard it
here, first,” Lily retorted.

“I think I
took care of them.”

“I hope so,”
Rachel said. “Thanks, Phillip.”

“You know
I’m with you,” he answered with a smile.

“Okay,
somebody has to fill us in,” Leslie demanded. “How can we be there if we don’t
have a clue?”

“Be there?”
Nik gave Leslie a puzzled look.

“How can we
defend Rachel if we don’t have a clue,” Hope clarified.

“Nothing to
defend,” Rachel tried to assure them.

“That’s
right,” Phillip added as he hugged Rachel close. “I have everything moved, by
the way.”

“You still
haven’t finished moving?” Heather asked with a laugh. “I would have thought you
would have finished unpacking already. You were so excited.”

“Partially
my fault,” Nik confessed. “I took forever moving all of my things out.”

Rachel
joined the others in laughter. Nik had officially moved in with Tanner and she
now had her first home away from home.

“So,
Rachel,” Lily tried once more. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk to us?”

“Not today.
Not yet,” Rachel answered. “Matter of fact, I need to get going. That’s why
Phillip is here.” She stood up and gathered her purse, threw money on the
table, and said. “I will talk with y’all later, okay?”

 “Something’s
up,” Lily said loud enough for her to hear as she left the table.

“Definitely,”
Heather agreed.

“She’ll tell
us eventually,” Leslie called out.

Maybe she
would tell them eventually. But not today, she thought as she and Phillip made
their way to the door. It was bad enough that her little conversation had not
only tipped Nik off, but now Nik had all the confirmation she needed thanks to
Mavis Cavett and Velma Toups this morning.

**********

Gabe and
Hawke, in character as Deke and Wylie, made their way to the front door of
Tellie’s Café. As they approached, several women were arriving at the door.
Hawke held the door open and one by one, the women filed out and mumbled a
thanks. When
the
blonde of his dreams finally walked through, Hawke
pasted a big smile on his stubbled face.

“Well, hello
Fancy Pants,” he drawled. Wearing his best Wylie grin, he looked at her like a
response was expected.

Fancy Pants,
as Wylie called her was not amused. “That is not my name.”

“I know,”
Wylie grinned. “I asked around. You are Lily Quinn. But I think Fancy Pants
works, too”

“Why would
you ask around about me?”

“You’re
going to be the mother of my children,” Wylie spoke confidently. “I figured I
should know your name.”

Gabe shook
his head, unable to hold in the chuckle that escaped.

“You are
insane,” Lily snapped.

“I am
crazy,” Wy told her. “Crazy about you.”

“You don’t
even know me.”

“That will
change, Fancy Pants. That will change. Children remember? How about five or six
of them?”

“I wouldn’t
babysit children of yours, much less have them.”

“Aww… that
will change.” Wy kept grinning. “One day you’ll want me.”

Lily looked
him over from head to toe. “In your dreams.”

“Happening
already, Fancy Pants. Every night, you’re in my bed.”

“Wy, let’s
go. I’m starving.” He gave Hawke a look that screamed STOP.

“Bye,
Darlin’”

Lily Quinn
gave no response and walked away.

Unable to
resist, Wy checked out Lily Quinn’s ass in the tight jeans she wore and let out
a whistle. She kept walking.

“Let’s get
to work, Wy.”

Deke and
Wylie walked into the café looking like a couple of bad asses.

“Couldn’t
resist, could you?” He looked Hawke over as they were led to the last booth in
a row that lined one wall. “You really want her opinion of you to be so low?”

Wylie
grinned and raked a hand through his blonde hair. “God, she rocks my world.”

Deke said
nothing, but inwardly Gabe shook his head.

CJ, as Cally
Brown the waitress, arrived with mugs and a coffee pot and handed them menus.

“I’ve heard
a few things,” she whispered as she poured Wylie’s coffee.

Gabe turned
his attention on CJ.

“Anything
helpful?” Hawke’s attention was focused though he pretended interest in his
menu.

“Seems Tyler
Devlin has some secrets. They involve Laurel Cross and Heather Jensen. Be
careful how you play this. Laurel Cross is volatile right now from what I
overheard.”

“Well,
Cally, thanks. I love you, too.” Deke said aloud. She nodded.

“How about I
have the special this morning?” Wylie gave her a grin.

“Make it two,
Honey.” Deke answered her inquiring look. For onlookers, he playfully swatted
her bottom as she turned to leave. He watched CJ walk away like a good
boyfriend should. Her flaming red curls were wrangled into a ponytail and
bounced with each step. CJ was a pretty woman. Gabe found it hard to understand
why she was unattached.

“So,” Wy
whispered. “Figure this has to do with that missing product Ty Devlin can’t
account for?”

“Wouldn’t
surprise me,” he muttered. “I figure Denny’s already aware.”

“Probably,”
Wy agreed quietly.

Cally
returned after a while to check on their coffees. Watching her refill the mugs,
Gabe allowed Deke’s persona to slip away momentarily while he thought about Ty
Devlin and Laurel Cross. A couple of weeks ago, Deke had paid Tanner Cross a
visit. His being a reporter could prove helpful in the operation and it was
decided that using Tanner could be beneficial. By revealing Deke Johnson’s
willingness to talk to the reporter, Tanner Cross was not only interested and
curious, but had also been helpful in return. Now Gabe figured he would have to
visit Tanner again. His sister was a loose cannon.

“Going to
talk to Cross?”

Gabe looked
up at Wyatt Hawke. No longer the loose, surfer bum Wylie, Hawke leaned forward
and waited for an answer.

“Going to
have to. Don’t see any way around it.”

The rest of
the meal was finished in silence and it didn’t take long. Neither man dawdled
because both had things to talk about. They both knew they couldn’t discuss any
real details about the case in the café so rushing through breakfast was the
only option.

After
telling Callie goodbye, Deke and Wylie stopped by the cash register, where
Wylie picked up the tab for breakfast. Deke led the way out of the door and
into the parking lot.

As they
reached the Mustang, Hawke said, “Let’s get to work.”

Gabe nodded
and got into the driver’s seat and started the car. Hawke, after buckling his
seat belt and turning down his beloved music, became Wyatt Hawke and all
business. Not even a hint of Wylie remained.

“I’m
thinking I know why Tyler Devlin went from a small time user to small time
supplier so quickly.” Gabe looked toward Wyatt Hawke.

“Me, too.”
Wyatt looked straight ahead.

“His casual
preference had been the meth, and now…”

Wyatt
scratched his bearded jaw. “Now he’s buying up heroin. Odd.”

“I figure it
has to do with the Cross girl.” Gabe looked around the parking lot. No one
seemed interested in Deke and Wylie sitting in a parked car.

“She’s
trouble,” Wyatt stated.

“No doubt,”
Gabe agreed. “But what’s got the Jensen chick involved?”

“Don’t think
she uses.”

“Me either.
She is a nurse. Medical?”

“Could be,”
Wyatt agreed. “Why don’t you use your connection to your favorite nurse and see
what you can find out?”

“I wouldn’t
if I were you,” Gabe warned him.

“Look, I am
a cop. A fucking detective. I can read a clue or two.”

“We’re not
going there, Wyatt.”

“Yes, we
are. You’re putting this operation in jeopardy for a hard dick. So, I followed
you last night. I saw where you were. I saw you with her. At her fucking
apartment.”

Gabe quickly
turned and fisted Wyatt’s collar in his hand. “Don’t. You know nothing. I
haven’t been lacking when it comes to this operation. She is off limits to any
conversation. Read that fucking clue?”