by Emery, Lynn
“After we proved we were serious, yeah. We worked like crazy all through high school, summers and after school even. Time passed and all three of us got married. Henry travelled back and forth to Southern in Baton Rouge. I went to trade school and got an associate degree. Vincent, he stayed right here. He’d go live with friends in New Orleans sometimes, making good money as a stevedore. Yep, those were the days. After four years we had seven thousand dollars saved between us.”
“But ten thousand was stolen,” Simon said.
“When folks saw how hardworking we were, several folks kicked in small amounts to invest,” Papa Joe replied.
“Not so small back then. Even fifty dollars took a long time for folks to save. You know what wages for black people were like in those days.” Olivia looked at her husband.
“You’re right. But they knew we’d have good jobs for our people. Folks were looking forward to the progress a successful, black-owned business would bring to our community. Our parents made up the difference until we had ten thousand dollars.” Papa Joe fell silent.
“So that’s why most of the black population was so mad. I thought it was just in sympathy because the Joves and St. Cyrs were highly regarded.” Simon now understood why the anger had continued for years, and from more than just the investors. The entire community felt wronged.
“It was a terrible blow. White businessmen laughed at how us ‘coloreds’ couldn’t trust our own.” Olivia heaved a sigh.
“It was twenty more years until Henry opened his food-distribution operation. Losing Estelle seemed to suck the wind right outta his sales, poor fella.” Papa Joe shook his head.
“What was Vincent like?” Simon wanted a clear picture of the man whose supposed actions had so affected them all.
“Like I said, he was always laughing. Always had a funny tale to tell, half the time stretching the truth.” Papa Joe smiled. “He could sing, too. Guess music is in their blood, eh?”
“And he was a handsome man.” Olivia put in with a twinkle in her eye. “Tall with dark brown skin and big muscles.”
“That’s enough of that now, Liv.” Papa Joe wore a tight expression.
“What’s good for the goose, Joseph,” she quipped.
“Okay, you got me back.” Papa Joe chuckled. “Anyway, he was hardworking and loved his family. But he did have a thing for Estelle. Guess that feeling won out when it came down to it.”
“Strange they just vanished without a trace.” Simon rubbed his jaw. “You’d think somebody would have seen them.”
“Well, they found the car. Another thing, seems like they said something about buying passage on a ship out of New Orleans. Yeah, the sheriff told us they checked the port – had their names on the log of some freighter.”
“Then why didn’t they find them?” asked Simon.
“It was about eight months later. The police were checking for some guy off a ship that had stabbed somebody in the French Quarter. They were checking to see if he’d gone back to Colombia. When they saw the names on the log, they remembered them from a wire the sheriff had sent earlier.”
Simon felt a flicker of excitement. “So they know where they went?”
“The ship went to several countries. They didn’t find them. The captain claimed he couldn’t remember where they landed or find his record book. They probably bribed him,” Papa Joe grunted.
“So many dead ends,” said Olivia, staring ahead, deep in the past.
“Let me see, what was the name of that ship?” Papa Joe frowned in concentration.
“Papa Joe, try hard to remember. This could be the key to ending a big mystery.”
“Let’s see, was it La Marie or Momenta?” Papa Joe scratched his head. “Or lost something or other… Son, I can’t think of it now,” he said in an exasperated voice.
Simon felt a flush of warm contentment at the image of Rae, her hair spread on the pillow beside him. He wanted the past put to rest, so they could build a future filled with love and happiness. The shadow of an old mystery would have to be swept away first.
“That’s okay. But keep trying. Once we find out exactly what happened, we can move on,” Simon said in a quiet voice.
*
“How are things?” Ellis Mouton gazed at Darcy intently. “I’ll have a coffee, thank you,” he added to the pretty receptionist at his elbow.
They sat at a polished oak table in a small conference room, just off Darcy’s office. The dark green chairs had a paisley pattern and a green-draped window looked out on a lovely courtyard, filled with plants. Darcy used the room for meeting clients and top-level staff.
Darcy smiled at him with confidence. “Fine.”
The two men regarded each other for several seconds. Ellis was about to speak when the receptionist came back with a tray bearing cups, sugar and cream.
Darcy flashed a smile that made her blush with pleasure. “Thank you so much, Shanice,” he said.
Ellis raised an eyebrow. “Working hard, I hope. Pantheon should require all your attention these days.” His face did not change, but his tone was peevish.
“I’m on top of it.” Darcy’s lips lifted in a satisfied look.
“I see.” Ellis glanced at the door through which Shanice had disappeared. “I’ve been thinking. Maybe this venture with Pantheon is not for me.” He took a sip from his cup.
Several seconds passed. Darcy sat very still. “Explain.”
“You can’t get the property that would most suit them. There will be delays and they could pull out. With all the problems that other company Shintech in St. James Parish is having, other companies are skittish about making major investments here.” Ellis looked out the window.
“Pantheon is still interested.” Darcy kept his voice level and leaned toward him. “I spoke to them only two days ago.”
“I need more assurance than that for my father and uncles.”
Darcy gave him a wary look. “Such as?”
“I want to attend your next meeting with them,” Ellis said.
Darcy smiled. “No problem. Anything else?”
“Give me a complete report on what your contingencies are, now that different property must be used.”
“You’ll have them by close of business today.” Darcy looked relaxed again. “We’ve worked well together so far, Ellis. I want to do whatever I can to make you feel at ease.”
Ellis shot him a sharp glance. His poise slipped. “So far you’ve fallen short. It took you too long to inform me that the Dalcour woman would not sell. Seems all your intricate planning has been for nothing,” he snapped.
“Maybe, maybe not…”
“Oh?” Ellis studied him through narrowed eyes. “Your mind never stops thinking of ways to get what you want.”
“Never.” Darcy put down his cup. “The plant will be built. We’ll all make a nice profit. Count on it.”
“I’m counting on you.” Ellis put a hand on Darcy’s knee. “And I intend to get what I want, too.”
Darcy stared into his eyes with confidence. “We’ll all get what we want, Ellis.”
“Just be sure you’re objective. I understand this Rae Dalcour has a special, well, interest for you.” Ellis tensed.
“All you need to know is that Pantheon still wants to do business.” Darcy’s voice held an understated, sharp tone.
“So it’s like that, is it? I thought we–”
“Business, Ellis. We’re still in business. Let’s keep the proper perspective.” Darcy pushed his chair back and stood. “I’ll have Shanice start working on printing out my alternative proposal for Pantheon.”
Ellis moved closer to him. “Don’t forget how important Charter Enterprises is to its success.”
“Ellis, don’t even try it. I know how badly your family businesses have been doing for the past two years. You wouldn’t have the chance to bounce back if it hadn’t been for me. Now, let me get back to work.” Darcy’s charming smile flashed back on, as though he’d flipped an inner switch. “We do
n’t want to waste a minute pulling in all that cash now, do we?”
Ellis was pale. “Be very sure you know all the rules in this game.”
“Your concern is touching, but I’m always careful to know just which move to make and the right time to make it.” Darcy opened the door leading back into his office. “Shall we?”
*
Rae walked past St. Anthony Catholic Church, remembering how she’d loved the cool interior when she was a little girl. St. Anthony Grade School was in the next short block. Enjoying the sunshine, she sat down on a wooden bench, beneath a large oak tree, to watch the little girls in identical navy blue jumpers kick a ball around the grass field next to the schoolyard.
For once, Rae was taking a break from the constant task of getting the dance hall ready. In a few short days, Memorial Day weekend, she would get a taste of being an entrepreneur. As word spread of her plans, she received more friendly greetings from folks whenever she came into town.
Rae felt a kind of peace being home that she’d never known growing up. From now on she would learn to enjoy life, she decided. She smiled at the image of Simon sitting on her back steps, the brown skin of his muscular arms painted with sunlight. Who would have thought life in Belle Rose could be so sweet?
“I want to talk to you.”
Toya stood in front of Rae.
Maybe not that sweet. Rae heaved a deep sigh. “What could you possibly have to say to me? Thought up some new insults?”
“Normally I wouldn’t waste my time,” Toya replied with a sour expression. “But you’ve gone to great lengths to cause trouble for me.”
“As much fun as that is, I’ve had more important things to do.” Using a sales flyer from the grocery store, Rae fanned herself with a lazy motion.
“Like sleeping with my husband?” Toya’s face was as hard as stone.
“Ex-husband, sugar.”
“What is it with you Dalcours anyway? You seem to have a sexual obsession with the Jove family. Your grandfather ran off with my grandmother, you slept with my brother, and now–”
Rae shot from the bench and Toya jumped back. “You’ve got it backwards. Your grandmother had a bad case of hot pants. I don’t remember anybody saying she was kidnapped.”
“Of all the nerve!” Toya’s mouth worked in frustrated anger.
As for my teenage fling with Darcy, we both had a good time disobeying our parents. And Simon, well now, that’s a different story.” Rae grinned and lifted her shoulder.
“Just like the rest of your family, you don’t care who you bring down,” Toya said.
“What are you talking about?”
“You decided you wanted Simon, so you went after him. Never mind that his business could suffer because of you.”
“That’s a load of crap.” Rae waved a hand at her.
“Simon’s business has done so well because old family ties connected him to some of the most successful black businessmen in this state. They could begin to doubt his judgment in getting mixed up with you.” Toya lifted her nose in the air to stare down at her.
“People aren’t that narrow-minded,” Rae snapped, but Toya’s words nudged alive her fear that she could hurt Simon.
“You know I’m right.” Toya smiled at her in triumph.
“Simon is established. They’ll do business with him based on his reputation. We’ve all ready discussed it.” Rae brushed back her hair. “Anything else?”
Toya stopped smiling. “Leave him alone. He’s mine,” she snarled.
“Excuse me?” Rae smoothed her short denim skirt down over her hips. “Simon isn’t your property, or mine for that matter. He does what he wants. And right now, he wants me.” She gazed into Toya’s malevolent stare with a half-smile. “Get over it.”
“You’ll be very sorry,” Toya hissed. “I’m warning you.”
“Threats only make me angrier, Toya. And when I get really angry, I bite.” Rae spoke in a low voice, heavy with warning.
“We’ll see.” Toya spun around and stormed off.
Rae let out a long breath. “I’m not going to let that hussy spoil my day.”
She went on with her errands, setting a leisurely pace in an effort to recapture the good mood she’d had before her encounter with Toya. Still, the menace in the woman’s last words stayed with her.
Chapter 11
“Hey, Rockin’ Good Times? Like that name.”
LaMar, wearing designer casual clothes, sat across from Rae in the dance hall, sipping root beer. They had agreed to meet there so that Rae could continue her preparations for the opening. Garret Collins, the bartender she had hired, was busy stocking the bar and kitchen. He had been friends with Andrew since the first grade. Rae took a break and let him deal with the delivery men who were arriving.
“Daddy said any time there was a party or picnic, my grandfather used to say ‘Come on, we gonna have us a rockin’ good time.’” Rae smiled at the memory.
“Well, I’ll be here. So will my pals from New Orleans.” LaMar snapped his fingers in time to the music coming from a jukebox.
“Hope we have a nice crowd,” Rae said.
“Don’t worry. It’s going to be a hit.” LaMar took a swig of his root beer.
Rae looked around. She was very pleased with the work done on the interior. Driftwood, treated and finished by a local folk artist, hung on the walls and there were cypress wood shelves with pecan-shell figurines in one corner. The walls were decorated with posters from the fifties and sixties, advertising blues and Zydeco artists.
“Cross your fingers nothing goes wrong.” Rae frowned. The encounter with Toya three days earlier had left a bad taste in her mouth.
“You having problems with the locals?” LaMar asked. “Savannah filled me in on some recent history. Toya Jove is a mean piece of work.”
“We do seem to keep getting in each other’s way.” Rae mused on the irony that she should come to love Toya’s ex-husband.
“The Jove family is quite interesting. Henry Jove’s great-great grandfather, Harbin, was brought to this parish as a slave. He’d been sold right off the docks in New Orleans, not three days after arriving from Santo Domingo. Seems he earned favor by curing his master’s only son of a deadly fever.”
“Hard to think of any Jove being selfless,” Rae snorted.
“In gratitude, Jean-Luc Bienville set him free and gave him a large tract of land. That’s how they got to be an old-money family.” LaMar leaned forward. “They’ve got a long history of being devious, even ruthless.”
“No!” Rae’s eyes opened wide in mock amazement. “I never would have guessed.”
“There are some old accounts that say Harbin made the boy sick and then cured him, so he could be rewarded. You know how male heirs were prized back then.”
“Now that sounds more like it. How in the world did you find out all this?” Rae stared at him in open admiration.
“The Joves donated some old family papers to the Armistad Museum in New Orleans. I have a passion for researching family history, and your Tante Ina gave me a lot of juicy stuff.” LaMar grinned.
“So the Joves will do anything to get what they want? Well, Toya came by being ruthless honest.”
“Let’s fast forward. Estelle Fazandes was not just pretty, she was gorgeous. She met Henry in college. He fell hard and they got married about a month after they graduated. And they would have lived happily ever after, except–”
“Estelle liked variety when it came to men,” Rae put in.
“Right. Henry was so nuts about her that he blamed it on the men. He got into a few fistfights from what I understand.”
“Pawpaw Vincent was one of those men. The papers I found prove that.” Rae wore a frown of dismay. She stopped when Simon came in.
“Simon St. Cyr, meet LaMar Zeno, ace private eye.” Rae winked at LaMar. “He found out all kinds of neat stuff. Though I don’t know how it’s going to help us find Pawpaw.”
Simon came in and shook LaMar’s hand.
. “How are you? I might have something. I talked to my grandfather and he told me a few things,”
“Fantastic! That’s the next best thing to me being able to interview one of the principles in this drama.” LaMar looked eager. “Tell us everything.”
As Simon ran through his grandfather’s account of the events, Rae and LaMar sat listening without interrupting.
“Too bad he can’t remember the name of that ship,” Rae said.
LaMar wrote the names down on a small notepad. “I can track it down. When I get some leads, I’ll let you run them by Mr. St. Cyr. He might recognize one.”
Simon nodded and they shook hands again. . “Good idea. Just give me a call.”
LaMar put on his sunglasses. “Well, I gotta go. I’ll see you this weekend. It’s going to be a blast, babe. Don’t worry.” He strolled out, waving to Garret as he left.
Simon went to the bar and then came back with a can of soda. “Your cousin was right. LaMar is good at what he does.”
Rae tapped on the table. “Yeah.”
Simon grabbed her hand to stop her nervous movement. “Okay, tell me what’s bothering you.”
“I’m getting a funny feeling about all this.” Rae looked at him. “I don’t want you to have problems because of me, Simon.”
“Forget that. I can take care of myself.” He put an arm around the back of her chair. “Don’t let Toya tell you different.”
“How did you know?”
“This is Belle Rose, remember? Miss Essie was downtown to see Doctor Picard. She saw you talking and could tell you weren’t having a friendly chat. She told Mrs. Broussard who has coffee with the second cousin of my grandmother’s best friend, who told–”
“I get the picture.” Rae grinned at him. Still she wondered if their affair had moved too fast. She grew serious again. “Maybe we should take things slower.”
Simon studied her for a few seconds. “Are you having doubts because of family conflicts or because you’re not sure your feelings for me are real?”
Rae touched his face. “My feelings for you are the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
“Then you doubt me?” Simon took her face in his hands and kissed her.
