The Reunion: The Secret of Cypriere Bayou

by Jana DeLeon

  “Women trouble?” Carter asked.

  Tyler choked on his coffee and Carter slapped his back.

  “Everyone says your mom is psychic,” Tyler said once he could breathe properly. “Did you inherit the ability?”

  “You don’t need to be psychic to know that look. I’ve worn it myself.”

  “Women troubles? You?”

  “Hey, I’m engaged to a LeBeau sister. Do I have to say more?”

  Tyler took another drink of his coffee. “Clearly, you and Zach got the rational sisters. I got stuck with the stubborn one who won’t listen to reason.”

  “Oh, man.” Carter laughed. “You really don’t know Alaina very well, do you? I’m not going to speak for Danae because I’m not the man sleeping with her, but I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that Zach would find that statement as amusing as I do.”

  “I... Who said I was sleeping with her?”

  “Dude, you don’t care how stubborn they are unless you’re sleeping with them. So what kind of ‘reasonable’ advice did you give Joelle that she’s not interested in taking?”

  “I suggested she change careers because the one she has now is too dangerous.”

  “Whooooooo, boy, you’ve put your foot into it big-time.”

  “What’s wrong with wanting her to be safe? Or, for that matter, what’s wrong with my not wanting to be involved with a woman who has a dangerous job?”

  “Asks the guy who’s starting a security firm.”

  Tyler frowned. “I’m not going to do fieldwork. I’m going to run the company and work with hardware.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Tyler threw his hands in the air. “You sound just like my dad.”

  “William’s a smart man.”

  Tyler huffed, then looked over at a grinning Carter. Unable to help himself, he smiled.

  “I’m not trying to give you a hard time,” Carter said. “I know how it feels to be at odd ends career-wise, not really sure what you even want for a future, and then to have it all clouded with stalkers and an incredible woman. I met Alaina at the time of my life when I knew less about myself and what I wanted than I ever had.”

  “Then how did you know you were supposed to be with her?”

  “Because no matter what future I imagined for myself, I couldn’t come up with one where she wasn’t in it.”

  Tyler forced his mind to imagine himself five years from now—running a successful security firm, with a little cabin on the bayou somewhere in Calais, maybe a golden retriever. Then the door to the cabin opened and Joelle stepped out.

  “Crap,” he said.

  Carter clapped him on the back. “The bar’s not open for several hours. Let me buy you breakfast.”

  As he waved for Sonia, Carter’s cell phone rang. He glanced at the display and frowned. “Carter,” he answered.

  Tyler watched his friend’s face as it grew tight, his jaw flexing. Something was wrong.

  “I’ve got to cancel breakfast,” Carter said.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Carter glanced around the café, then lowered his voice. “A fisherman pulled a body out of the east side bayou.”

  Tyler sat up straight. “Who is it?”

  “The fisherman didn’t recognize him.” Carter studied Tyler for a moment. “Joelle’s with Alaina, right?”

  “Yeah, they’re picking out paint or something over at the general store.”

  “I’ll call Alaina and tell her to stick close and stay in Calais. If you don’t mind, I’d like you to come with me.”

  “Sure,” Tyler hopped off the stool and tossed some money on the counter for the coffee before hurrying out after Carter.

  If the fisherman didn’t recognize the body, that meant one of two things—either it was too badly damaged to identify or it was someone the fisherman didn’t know, such as Victor Brant.

  Tyler hoped for option number two.

  * * *

  AS JOELLE AND Alaina wrapped up their paint shopping and made their way out of the general store, Alaina’s cell phone rang. As soon as she answered, Joelle could see a shift in her sister’s demeanor, but Joelle couldn’t extrapolate the problem from only Alaina’s end of the conversation. By the time she hung up the phone, Alaina was frowning.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “That was Carter. He said there’s something he needs to check out and he’s taking Tyler with him. He wants me to stay with you and says neither of us should return to the estate without them.”

  “He didn’t say what they were doing?”

  “No, but I could tell he was worried by the sound of his voice.”

  Joelle shook her head. “Maybe they’re checking up on a suspect. I’m sure they’ll let us know as soon as they finish.”

  “I’m sure you’re right. Come on. We may as well kill some time over coffee.”

  Joelle slid into the corner booth at the café across from Alaina, trying to maintain her composure, even though her heart was completely broken and her pride was annihilated. So far, she’d managed to keep Alaina from figuring out something was bothering her, and that was fairly impressive given Alaina’s track record as a trial attorney.

  They had no sooner slid into the booth than a pretty young woman stepped up to them with a pad of paper.

  “’Morning, Alaina,” she said.

  “Good morning, Sonia,” Alaina replied and waved a hand at Joelle. “This is my sister Joelle.”

  Sonia smiled. “Guess this means you’re all here now. That’s nice. Can I get you some breakfast?”

  “I’ll just have coffee for now,” Joelle managed.

  “Me, too,” Alaina chimed in.

  Alaina glanced back as Sonia walked away, then looked over at Joelle. “You going to tell me what’s bothering you? Please don’t make me work for it. I didn’t sleep all that well.”

  “Me, either.”

  Alaina gave her a sympathetic look. “Are you too stressed staying in the house?”

  “Yes, I’m stressed, but that’s not it.” Joelle paused as Sonia pushed cups of coffee in front of them. “I saw something that first night I stayed in the house. I didn’t say anything to anyone, but Tyler got it out of me.”

  Alaina nodded. “Tyler told Carter and Carter told me.”

  “He said you and Danae saw things, too.”

  Alaina dumped some sweetener in her coffee and stirred. “By things, do you mean our mother’s ghost?”

  “Is there more than one?” Joelle tried to joke, but her delivery lacked enthusiasm.

  “Yes, actually,” Alaina said, completely serious. “I saw two different spirits. One was definitely Mother. Danae saw her, too.”

  “And the other?”

  Alaina shook her head. “It didn’t look like anyone, but it felt like pure evil.”

  Joelle sucked in a breath. “Purcell?” she whispered.

  “That’s what I think.”

  “Wow. I hope I don’t see him. I don’t even like remembering him.”

  Alaina frowned. “I can’t remember much about him at all. Things about us girls and Mom are coming back, but Purcell is always like a shadow—like he’s offstage when I’m remembering. Is that how it is for you?”

  Joelle shook her head. “Unfortunately, no. Some of my memories of Purcell are very vivid, and none of them are pleasant.”

  Alaina reached across the table and squeezed Joelle’s hand.

  “Well, isn’t this a pretty picture?” A man’s voice boomed beside them.

  Joelle looked up at a beefy man, probably in his sixties, who smiled down at them.

  “Mayor Dupree,” Alaina acknowledged. “Have you met my sister Joelle yet?”

  The mayor extended his hand to Joelle. “I should h
ave known such a lovely young lady was one of Ophelia’s girls. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  Joelle shook his hand and studied his face. “Nice to meet you, as well,” she said.

  “Is something wrong?” the mayor asked as he released her hand.

  “No.” Joelle realized she’d been staring. “I’m sorry. It’s just that you look familiar, but I can’t imagine when I would have seen you before.”

  “Oh, well, Johnny’s my brother. Some say we favor each other, so that’s probably it.”

  Joelle glanced over at the café owner, but didn’t really see much resemblance.

  “I didn’t know Johnny was your brother,” Alaina said. “Carter really needs to do a better job filling me in on everything.”

  Mayor Dupree laughed. “Well, we’re half-brothers, so different last name. My daddy passed and then Mother remarried to Johnny’s dad. Joelle, if there’s anything I can do while you’re staying in Calais, you let me know.”

  “Thank you,” Joelle said. “I will.”

  The mayor walked across the café to talk to Johnny and took a seat at the counter.

  “I guess Johnny got all the brains in the family,” Joelle said, “since his brother went for politics.”

  Alaina laughed. “I’m so glad someone feels the same way about politicians that I do.”

  “Politicians are the people who keep trying to cut funding at my job so that they can drive fancier cars or have more expensive vacations. It’s hard to like people who only think of themselves.”

  “Isn’t that the truth? So getting back to our previous discussion—what did you see?”

  Joelle told Alaina about seeing Ophelia’s ghost and her theory that she might be too weak to properly communicate.

  Alaina slumped back in her seat. “That makes sense as much as anything else about this does. You know, if someone had told me six months ago that I’d be sitting in a café in a tiny bayou town, trying to psychoanalyze a ghost, I’d have called them insane.”

  “Me, too.”

  “I wish she’d tell us something concrete.”

  “Like where her body is?”

  Alaina frowned. “That would be a really good place to start. It’s all so gruesome, and for a trial attorney to make a comment like that, it’s pretty bad.”

  “This time it’s personal.”

  Alaina gave her a small smile. “You’re right. That makes all the difference. So are you going to tell me what else is bothering you?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Come on. You have that faraway, slightly disconnected look. I mean, you’re in the conversation for the most part, but I can tell that part of you is dwelling on something else. Let me take a stab at it—man problems?”

  Joelle sighed. “Am I wearing a sign?”

  “It’s not so hard to figure out. I’ve seen Tyler and I’ve worn that same look before. So what happened?”

  Joelle didn’t think she’d want to talk about it, not even to her sister, but once she started talking, she poured out everything that had happened the night before and that morning.

  Alaina listened without interruption until she finished, then shook her head. “William was certain Tyler was holding in something big—something preventing him from moving forward the way he should be. What a horrible thing to have happen, especially to someone who will feel responsibility even when there was none.”

  “I know. I wish he’d talk to William, but if it’s all the same, I’d prefer if you don’t repeat any of this.”

  “Of course, but I hope Tyler talks to his dad or someone else soon. That’s a lot to carry around with you.”

  “It is, and I understand completely how bad he must feel, but that doesn’t mean I will give up my work for him. Not that he’s asking me to—he just stormed out and hasn’t said a word since.”

  “I understand how much your work means to you, and I’d be the last person to tell you to change careers. From what I understand from Carter, Tyler isn’t the kind of person who would expect it, either. I think he’s got a lot of anger and grief he needs to work through, but if he really cares about you, he’ll come around.”

  “If he really cares...” Joelle shook her head. “I was engaged to Brad and he still walked away from me over my work. Maybe I should give up and get a bunch of cats.”

  “No way am I letting you do that.”

  “Still holding out hope for a happily ever after?”

  “No. I’m allergic.”

  Joelle laughed. “So am I. Then I guess I’m doomed to a lonely existence free from cat hair.”

  “Give him some time.”

  “I guess I don’t have a choice. I still have to finish my two weeks, so neither of us is going anywhere.” She sighed, the thought of the long day stretching in front of her. “I’m not looking forward to sitting cooped up in that house all day with him. The drive into Calais was incredibly uncomfortable.”

  “Then I’ll come back with you. I mean, once the menfolk allow us back in our house.” Alaina grinned.

  “I can’t ask you to do that.”

  “You didn’t. I’m volunteering. I don’t have any client work today and it’s high time I got back to helping out around the house. I’ve got a list of purchased assets from the estate accountant that I’ve been trying to match to objects in the house, but so far, I’ve come up empty. I have located quite a few through auction houses, though, so it reinforces our belief that Purcell was selling assets to keep cash coming in.”

  Joelle felt the tension that had been squeezing her all morning start to melt away. A day working alongside her sister was exactly what she needed to get the ground back underneath her.

  “That would be great,” she said and smiled.

  “Good. Then let’s get some breakfast. If Carter and Tyler aren’t back by the time we finish, we’ll head to my house and work there until we can return to the estate. I’ve got a whole box of paperwork that I’m going through for Danae.”

  Joelle nodded as Alaina waved Sonia over to get their order.

  She’d have a pleasant breakfast with her sister, then help her sort through estate paperwork. With any luck, the day would be much lower on the excitement scale than the one before.

  * * *

  CARTER LOOKED AT the body lying on the bank of the bayou and compared it to the image on his phone. “Looks like Brant,” he said, and showed Tyler his phone with the picture of Brant on it.

  Tyler didn’t have to take a long look. The man’s square jaw and crooked nose in the image were identical to the waterlogged corpse. “At least cause of death isn’t a mystery.”

  The bullet hole in the center of the man’s forehead left no doubt as to what had ended Brant’s stalking and wife-beating career.

  “Yeah,” Carter said. “That only leaves the who and the why, but at least it should offer Joelle some comfort.”

  Tyler nodded. “When I left the Middle East, I never wanted to see another body again, but I have to admit that seeing this one doesn’t make me feel anything but relief. Sometimes I wonder what happened to my empathy.”

  “Hazard of the job.” Carter waved at the paramedics who had parked near the dock and were coming down the bank with a gurney.

  Tyler watched as they stuffed Brant’s body into a black bag and zipped it shut.

  One less threat to worry about.

  That was true enough, but someone else was still entering the estate, so they weren’t in the clear. Then there were his feelings for Joelle.

  And that was the biggest threat of all.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Alaina and Joelle sat at the kitchen table in Carter’s cabin and combed through the stack of records they’d taken from Purcell’s office. Frustrated by the tedium and lack of pertinent discovery, Jo
elle tossed a stack of papers on the table and sighed.

  “There’s nothing here,” Joelle said.

  Alaina looked as skeptical as she felt, but apparently was not ready to admit defeat. “There’s got to be something,” she said. “Someone, or more than one someone, is breaking into that house for a reason. Someone besides Brant.”

  “But you already said you haven’t been able to find anything on the asset list the estate accountant sent you. Maybe it’s just someone else worried we’ll find their name in one of Purcell’s payoff notations.”

  “Maybe, but then why not simply pour gas all over Purcell’s office and set it on fire? That’s what Roger Martin intended to do.” Alaina shook her head. “I’ve just got this feeling that something else is going on.”

  “Okay, then let’s change tactics. Can I see the asset list? Maybe that will give us a clue.”

  Alaina pulled a folder out of her briefcase and passed it to Joelle. “The items that I’ve already tracked to auction houses or art dealers are highlighted in yellow. The rest are unaccounted for.”

  Joelle flipped through the papers, noting that a good two-thirds of the assets were already highlighted—at least a hundred assets located. “You located this many already?” Her sister’s research skills were nothing short of amazing.

  “It’s not that difficult when you’re a fairly well-known attorney and start throwing around words like ‘felony theft.’”

  Joelle knew Alaina was understating the amount of effort that had gone into tracking down that many of the estate’s valuables. She couldn’t even imagine the number of phone calls and subtle threats it had taken.

  “Some of the things Purcell managed to acquire are amazing,” Joelle said as she scanned the list.

  “The list of things pre-Purcell is even more impressive. Flip to the end.”

  Joelle turned to the last page in the folder, her eyes widening at some of the descriptions. “I haven’t found any of these things in the house.”

  “They were probably some of the first to go.”

  “Seems like it would have been easier for him to just disappear again. I mean, why stay in Calais, closed up in that house, scamming the estate to pay off blackmailers? I don’t get it.”