by Erin Wade
Kat hated to admit it but Déjà did have good taste and a gift for eye-catching advertising.
CHAPTER 22
“What did you buy?” Java asked as she and Kat fastened their seatbelts.
“A do it yourself voodoo doll kit,” Kat grinned impishly. “If you’ll just give me a lock of your hair, I think I can have complete control over you.”
“As if you don’t already,” Java chuckled. “Seriously babe, why did you buy that?”
“Take me to a nice quiet place for lunch and I’ll show you.” Kat answered. “Let’s try that new Chinese place in the strip center.”
Java caught Kat’s hand and pulled it onto her lap. “If we ever close this case, I will insist on two weeks’ vacation for the team. We’ve been hitting it pretty hard.”
“Mm-hmm, we both know what you’ve been hitting hard,” Kat giggled. “Where do you get your energy?”
Java blushed profusely as she pulled the car into the parking space in front of the restaurant.
“Kat, I know this isn’t the ideal situation but if you—”
“Let’s not discuss it today,” Kat insisted. “I’m having such a good time with you.”
“Okay, bring your doll and let’s see what you have up your sleeve.”
##
They selected a circular booth that allowed them to sit next to each other. Java pressed her thigh against Kat and opened the menu.
After they placed their order Kat pulled the items from her shopping bag. “Do these look familiar?” She held out the buttons.
“Yes, they look like the two buttons we found at the last two crime scenes,” Java picked up two of the buttons and examined them. “They’re identical.”
“Um-hum and this thread,” Kat held up a couple of strands of the string from Déjà’s, “also identical: same length and same coarseness.”
“You think our voodoo doll killer is connected to . . . surely you don’t suspect Déjà?”
“You must admit your girlfriend has some peculiar ways,” Kat smirked.
“Kat, I don’t think—”
“I’m just jerking your chain baby,” Kat laughed her deep throaty laugh. “I am saying that it is possible that Budro Latour could have obtained the buttons from Déjà’s shop.”
“He certainly had opportunity,” Java frowned. “If he took Kally to work or picked her up. I’ll ask her about that.”
“Let’s see if we can run down the two fellows that alibied Latour,” Kat suggested. “Right now, I’m going to wash my hands.”
“I’ll call Beau and get all the info I can on Latour’s two buddies.” Java said.
##
When Kat returned, Java gave her the rundown on Budro’s friends. “We already knew they work together at the shipyard, but Beau gave me the name of a bar they hang out in and mugshots of them. Beau’s people have been tailing them to see if they show up at anyone’s house with an ax.”
“Why don’t we pay the bar a visit and see if they show up,” Kat suggested. “Maybe chat them up and see if we can learn anything.”
“That’s not a great part of town,” Java pointed out.
“We’ll be fine,” Kat grinned.
“I’ll call Barbie and Chris to meet us there,” Java said. “You know they’ll be furious if we don’t let them in on the action.”
“Yes, you’re right,” Kat laughed.
Java called their teammates and gave them the address of the bar.
##
Java and Kat waited in their car until Barbie and Chris parked beside them. “It’s only five in the afternoon and this place is already crowded,” Chris noted. “Must serve good beer.”
“Everyone put in your earbuds. Kat and I will go in,” Java instructed. “If it sounds like we’re in trouble, come in.”
“You got it, boss,” Barbie chirped.
“Just for the record,” Java added, “do not kill anyone. We’re just here to gather information.”
Kat and Java entered the bar looking around as if they were confused. They sat down at the bar and ordered wine.
“You ladies lost?” The bartender asked.
“I think so,” Kat murmured looking around the room that was filled with single men and a few couples. “I’ve never been here before.”
“I think we have the wrong address,” Java worried her bottom lip. “We should finish our drinks and leave.”
“Eh, stay,” the bartender placed another glass of wine on the bar. “This ones on the house. Sort of a welcome gift.”
“Why?” Java snapped.
“Pretty women always help my business,” the man shrugged. “You want the wine or not?”
“Don’t be such a stick in the mud,” Kat slapped Java’s arm. “Put some money in the jukebox. I want to dance.”
Java sauntered across the room and fed money into the machine and selected five songs. When she turned around Kat was already dancing in the middle of the floor. She joined her moving to the music and dancing without touching.
As they danced Java spotted the two men they were looking for. She smiled at them and continued her gyrations.
As the song ended, one of the men walked toward them. “My buddy and I’d like to buy you two beautiful ladies a drink,” he invited.
“Sure, why not?” Kat sashayed to their table. “Wine for me.”
Java followed wondering how Kat could flirt with men so easily. It was difficult for her to feign interest in them.
“I’ve never seen you two here before,” the one named Albert slurred. Obviously, he’d been at the bar for a while.
“That’s because we’ve never been here before,” Kat’s eyes flashed as if she found Albert amusing and interesting.
“You come here often?” Java asked the man she’d been paired with.
“Every night,” he grinned exposing yellowed teeth.
A smoker, Java thought. “Every night? Don’t tell me you two are single.”
“Yep both of us are,” Albert chimed in.
“Handsome fellows like you,” Kat flirted, “I can’t believe you don’t have ladies waiting for you at home.”
“Nope,” yellow teeth shook his head, drained his beer and ordered another round.
“How about you ladies?” Yellow teeth who turned out to be named Lonnie, asked.
“Nah, I had a fellow,” Kat grinned, “but he didn’t bring me anything for Valentine’s Day, so I kicked him out.”
Kat fell against Albert as if she were reeling from the wine. “Can you believe he didn’t even bring me candy?”
Java was mesmerized by Kat’s performance. Damn she’s good, she thought.
“What’d you take your girl for Valentine’s Day?” Kat demanded. “I bet you took her out to dinner, huh?”
“Yeah,” Albert bragged. “And I got lucky afterwards.”
Everyone laughed gleefully at Albert’s admission.
“You mean she let you spend the night?” Kat giggled.
“Yeah and the next day too,” Albert boasted.
“You must be something,” Kat egged him on.
“My girl let me spend the night too,” Lonnie blustered. “I got her a Valentine’s box of chocolates.”
“Yeah, that’s what I mean,” Kat crowed. “Any decent man would give his girl something for Valentine’s Day. Where’d you take her?”
“That Bayou Burger with its balcony dining,” Albert gloated. “You know the one that has the best burgers in Orleans.”
“The one with the dancefloor and jukebox?” Kat asked.
“Yeah that one. You like that place?” Albert said.
“I do,” Kat glanced at her watch. “Oh, look at the time. We’re going to be late.”
Kat stood but Albert caught her wrist and yanked her back into the booth. “We bought you wine,” he grinned. “We expect a little show of appreciation.”
“Like what?” Kat demanded.
Albert had the decency to bend down and whisper his expectations in Kat’s ear.
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“Not here in front of everyone,” Kat scolded. “Is there an ally out back?”
“Yeah,” Albert beamed as they left the table.
“How about you and me going to my place?” Lonnie suggested to Java.
“How about you and me staying right here,” Java huffed crossing her arms.
Lonnie leaned against her. “You’re not as friendly as your friend, are you?”
“Lonnie, do you feel something sticking you in the side?”
“Damn, hell yes,” Lonnie tried to scoot away but Java had him pinned to the wall.
She pushed the point of her knife into his side. “It’s a knife,” she informed him. “It’s between your ribs. All I have to do is give it a shove and it will pierce your liver. You’ll bleed out in less than five minutes.”
“What do you want?” Lonnie growled.
“I want you to sit here quietly until my friend returns.” Java whispered.
“She may not return,” Lonnie muttered. “Albert is pretty rough with women. You should go see about her.”
“She’s fine,” Java grinned. “Let’s just finish our drinks. Why don’t you tell me the name of the lucky lady you took chocolates to on Valentine’s Day?”
Lonnie gave her all the information she needed including an address.
Kat entered the room as if she were a runway model. She strode to Java. “Ready to go?”
Java stood. “See ya’ around, Lonnie.”
##
Chris and Barbie were laughing in their car. “God Kat you almost killed that poor devil.”
“He was pawing me,” Kat defended. “A hard knee in the crotch always gets their attention.”
“Did you get the name of Albert’s girlfriend?” Java inquired.
“Of course,” Kat slid into the car. “We should call Beau and have them picked up immediately before our Romeos get to them.”
“Were you able to record our conversations?” Kat asked Barbie.
“Every word,” Barbie beamed.
CHAPTER 23
Lucille Denoise and Becky Cathaway were in the interrogation room by the time Java and her team arrived at the police station. They were in separate rooms. Both women swore they couldn’t recall what they did Valentine’s Day.
Beau left Lucille’s room and joined Java’s team in the observation room. “Obviously, they’ve been schooled on how to answer us,” he reported.
“Yeah,” Java huffed. “Beau let’s run the other girlfriend routine. Kat, you’re up.”
Kat messed up her long black locks and applied extra lipstick. “How do I look?”
“Like you just got out of bed,” Java grinned.
Kat shot her a sultry look, “As if you’d know,” she scolded.
“Yeah,” Java chortled, “In my dreams.”
“Let’s do this,” Beau stepped out of the room and gave the officer guarding the interrogation room instructions.
“Lucille,” Beau tossed a folder on the table, “Lonnie tells us he spent the night at your place Valentine’s. Is that true?”
“Like I told you, sir,” Lucille drawled, “I don’t remember.”
“How much longer you gonna’ be?” The officer opened the door and poked in his head. “I got this other wild cat out here and all the rooms are full.”
Kat was raising a ruckus in the hall. “I told you I only been dating Lonnie a couple of months. I want a lawyer. You’ve got to provide me a lawyer. I ain’t talkin’ to you freaks without a lawyer.”
Beau walked to the door and opened it. Kat burst into the room in all her glory. She tossed back her wild hair and glared at Beau. “Either arrest me or let me go.”
“Ma’am, I don’t want to arrest you,” Beau assured her. “I just want to talk to you. Um, please wait just a minute. I’ll be right back.”
“I can’t have both these women in the same room,” Beau mumbled to the officer before he closed the door.
“Stupid cops,” Kat raged. “Jesus, they haul me in just because my boyfriend’s done something wrong.”
“Yeah, me too,” Lucille said cautiously. “Who’s your boyfriend?”
“Lonnie, Lonnie Raine.” Kat paced the floor. “He’s a fricken’ loser anyway.” She studied Lucille. “What are you in for?”
“My boyfriend.”
“Yeah, men are worthless,” Kat spit on the floor. “Classy women like you and me, how do we end up with such losers. Who’s your man?”
“Lonnie Raine,” Lucille sighed. “Same as yours?”
“You’re kidding me!” Kat snorted. “He’s gotten both of us in trouble. You ain’t knocked up, are you?”
“Hell no!” Lucille bellowed.
“What’s he done that they’re all hot about?” Kat asked. “He steal a car or rob a store or something? . . . That’s it the son-of-a-bitch robbed a jewelry store. I should’ve known when he gave me this ring.” Kat held out her hand so Lucille could admire the wedding ring Kat always wore.
“Lonnie gave you that?” Lucille gasped.
“Yep, and its real,” Kat preened. “I had it appraised. Genuine diamonds and gold. Hey, don’t tell the cops. They’ll take it away from me.”
“When did he give it to you? Lucille scowled.
“Um . . . the day before Valentine’s Day,” Kat answered. “What’d he give you?”
“Chocolates. A crappy box of cheap chocolates,” Lucille fumed.
“Well, at least they weren’t stolen,” Kat declared. “He told me he had to go out of town Valentine’s night.” Kat narrowed her eyes and glared at Lucille. “Did that slimy little piece of crap spend the night with you?”
“Yep,” Lucille beamed as if she’d won the lottery, “and all next day too.”
“He was with you Valentine’s Day and all that night and the next day too?”
“Sure was,” Lucille declared.
“I don’t believe you,” Kat declared. “You’re just saying that to make me jealous.”
Lucille pulled out her cellphone and jabbed at the screen. “What’s your phone number, honey?”
Kat said the numbers slowly and jumped when her phone dinged the arrival of a message. It was a picture of Lucile and Lonnie holding a box of chocolates. Kat almost squealed when she saw the time and date stamp on the photo.
Beau swept into the room and grabbed Kat’s arm. “Come on I’ve found a room for you.”
“Get your hands off me,” Kat yelled yanking her arm from Beau’s grip and slipping out the door.
“Damn woman, you’re good,” Beau exclaimed when they joined the team in the observation room.
“And you thought she was just another pretty face,” Java quipped. “There’s much more to Kat than meets the eye.”
“I don’t know,” Beau smiled. “There’s an awful lot that meets the eye that’s really nice.”
“Kat made it to first base,” Java threw down the gauntlet, “let’s see you bring in the winning run, Beau.”
Beau bowed ceremoniously, “Send Lucille’s picture to my phone. Then follow me.”
The team moved to the observation room connected to the room holding Becky Cathaway. “Prepare to be amazed,” Beau laughed. He left the observation area and joined Becky.
“Now Becky, I’m going to give you one last chance to tell me the truth,” Beau smiled. “But before you say anything, I want to remind you it is against the law to lie to me. So, you decide if Albert is worth doing time in prison.
“I thought you might like to know that Lucille not only admitted she spent the night and next day with Lonnie, she provided a date and time stamped photo to prove it.” Beau held up the picture so Becky could study it.
“Yes, Albert was with me,” Becky blew air through her lips. “We live together. He was with me all week. I fixed him breakfast in bed Valentine’s Day and he took me out to dinner that night.”
“So, Albert was with you all night Valentine’s Eve?” Beau reiterated.
“Yes,” Becky deflated.
Be
au pushed a legal pad and pen to Becky. “Please write down exactly what you’ve just told me, and I’ll let you go.”
“Albert can’t find out,” Becky pleaded. “He’ll beat the hell out of me.”
“We’ll have him in custody before you leave here,” Beau promised.
Beau showed Lucille the statement from Becky and Lucille caved giving him all the information he needed to prove Lonnie was lying.
“We need to get to the club,” Java informed Beau. “Please join us when you finish and let us know where we stand.”
“I will,” Beau nodded. “Is it okay if I bring Penny along. She needs to be brought up to speed on this case.”
“Of course,” Java agreed.
CHAPTER 24
“Everyone, the server will take your order then let’s go to the balcony dining,” Java instructed. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”
“I am so proud to be a part of this team,” Barbie beamed as they gathered around the table. “I mean, Kat . . . Wow! Just wow! I had no idea you had that in you. You had everyone eating out of your hand: the men and their girlfriends. I’m so impressed.”
“Thank you,” Kat blushed. “I’ve no doubt you could pull off the same thing.”
“I don’t know,” Barbie shook her head, “but I’d sure like to try. Can I Java? Next time can I be the bitchy floozy?”
All eyes turned to Kat to see her reaction to Barbie’s statement.
“Bitchy floozy!” Kat yelped. “I prefer to think of it as convincing seductress.”
“That too,” Java laughed as everyone joined in, relieved that Kat hadn’t taken offense to Barbie’s remark.
Penny and Beau joined them as drinks were being served and gave the server their orders.
“I talked to Karen on the way here,” Java informed them. “As far as she’s concerned, we can consider Latour The Basher.”
“I spoke with the ADA,” Beau added. “She’s getting skittish about the case. After all we had Latour locked up tight when the San Antonio murders happened. She’s also concerned about the recanted, then reversal of the statements from his children. She said any good prosecutor will make them look like liars on the stand.”
