In the silence of the moment the seconds ticked by slowly. Conrad sucked in a deep breath.
Leroy maliciously looked up at him and smiled. Quietly he opened the car window and threw out the cigarette. “I can’t believe I’m the fucking criminal in this fucking family Conrad!”
Conrad rubbed his jaw and started rocking back and forth. He was scared. “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he looked mystified. “Besides, you’ve caught me with a whore before. You said yourself as long as I was discrete….” his voice broke off as he watched the cold eyes that stared back at him. “I haven’t done anything. I swear…...”
The moment was silent.
Nervously Conrad stared back of Leroy. He could decimate a person just with his bold stare. All at once Conrad knew what he’d just said was as damaging as any confession could ever be.
Leroy leaned over and looked him in the eyes. “You lying ass son of a bitch. Don’t you know what conduct befitting a man who claims to love his wife looks like? You don’t drug my sister and let some bisexual bitch rape her ass and then think your ass is going to get away with that shit!”
Conrad nervously laughed. His mouth was dry. “Leroy I don’t know what you’re talking about, seriously.”
“Wham!” Immediately Leroy’s hand jerked out and landed another blow. “That’s for lying to me a second time!”
On impulse, Conrad’s hand released a blow.
Leroy laughed out maliciously. His face contorted viciously, as he punched Conrad’s face with fierce precise accuracy. He followed the blows with several well placed blows to the gut until Conrad grunted unconsciously.
Chapter 35
At last my lover has come….
At the sound of rapid knocking, Pearl rushed to the door. She stopped briefly at the mirror by the door and checked her appearance. She tugged at the ribbon that held her black negligee tight and released it.
Quickly she opened the door wide and took a step back as she watched Louis enter the suite.
“Baby, I’m all yours,” Louis said thrusting a bundle of red roses into her arms.
He took in the black negligee and whistled loudly.
Pearl smiled seductively as her eyes gleamed back at him. “Let me guess, you never got a chance to give the winner of the pageant her roses?”
“Nor any of the others,” he said nodding. His voice became soft and ameliorating. “Black lace looks good on you by the way.”
She buried her face in the blooms and inhaled. “Thank you for the roses and the compliment,” she walked gracefully toward the bedroom, swaying her hips as seductively as possible.
“I think there’s a vase in here somewhere,” she said.
Louis enjoyed the view as she walked past him. He watched her searching for something to hold the flowers. He closed the distance between them and took the flowers from her hand and placed them down on the table in front of them. His eyes flickered over her body like a starving man ready to eat.
“I need to put the flowers in some water,” Pearl said, her eyes holding his gaze.
“The flowers can wait, I can’t,” Louis said in a husky voice, drawing her into his arms.
Pearl felt like weeping. “Louis you’ve got to make changes next year, The Grand Isle Ball takes up too much of your time.”
“I agree with whatever you decide Pearl. I love you,” he said kissing her. “I love you, you hear. And I’m not going to let anything ever make you think I don’t.”
Pearl helped Louis remove his clothes. She pushed the roses off of the table and hopped up on it.
Louis watched her with wild wide-eyed excitement. It only took a moment for him to take her hint.
“The table-top, what an excellent idea Pearl,” he hoarsely murmured.
“The table-top for now,” she coolly said eyeing him. “But I have plans to make love on every piece of furniture in this suite. Including that bed,” she said kissing him.
Louis groaned.
The two lovers were frantic with need from denying themselves for so long. Fingers and hands reached out probing, touching, possessing, like addicts in need of their next fix.
Pearl continued to kiss him with full inviting lips as she let her fingers trickle down his chest until they reached the erogenous zone of the lower part of his body. It immediately got hard.
Shuddering she felt the fire inside her blazing as she touched him.
With a groan Louis’ hand slid down and cupped her thighs, spreading them wider. His fingers traced, probing, touching and possessing until he heard her gasp with mindless passionate pleasure as he finally entered her. He rode her with deep primitive animal need, as his lips moved down her shoulders to the nape of her neck before he felt the urgency to again possess her lips.
She surrendered to him completely as he felt his body tighten and explode inside her as they climaxed together.
Chapter 36
Home at last….
The next day, the afternoon sun was shining brightly as Louis drove his white on white Cadillac Deville up Mount Hamilton Road.
The entrance to the private road where their family home sat, off of the mountain, afforded some breathtaking views of the San Jose Valley below them.
Louis drove the car into the driveway and set the parking brake.
“Pearl, are these all the bags?” he asked but didn’t wait for a response. “Somehow there seemed to be way less.”
“That’s because I sent the kids bags with them to Mother Kahina Laveau,” she said.
Pearl got out of the car and breathed out a sigh of relief, happy to be home.
“Louis, as soon as I change. How about I fix us a couple of sandwiches for lunch? You’ll be hungry after you carry our luggage into the bedroom,” Pearl suggested.
“That’s a great idea,” Louis said nodding and carrying the suitcases into the house.
Pearl followed him to the room and quickly unpacked. She changed into a pair of jeans and a soft light-weight sweater.
An hour later, downstairs in the kitchen, Pearl retrieved the whistling kettle of hot water from the stove and quickly poured it into a black and gold Royal Dutton teapot.
A few minutes earlier she’d quickly made ham and Swiss cheese sandwiches on sourdough bread.
Louis walked into the kitchen, strolled over and kissed Pearl on the cheek.
He loved tranquil happy moments like this. He took a seat at the table.
Pearl arranged a tea cup setting in front of him and poured. After which she placed a sandwich in front of him.
He took a bite of his sandwich.
Suddenly the ringing of the telephone startled them.
Pearl and Louis stared between each other.
“Damn, I hope Mother Kahina Laveau hasn’t grown tired of the kids already,” Louis said breaking the ice.
The telephone rang again.
“I’ll get it,” Louis said, rising and reaching for the phone.
“Hello”, he said.
“Louis this is Ulysses. There’s been a terrible accident. I need you to come right away. I’m at Central Valley hospital. We’ve got a crisis on our hands. There are reporters here asking questions…..”
“What…..What happened?” Louis demanded, feeling the wind being sucked out of him. He sat down in the chair.
The line went quiet.
“Louis…Louis…Are you still there?” Ulysses wailed into the telephone.
Suddenly Louis felt fear in the pit of his stomach. Something else bad had happened that was connected to the Grand Isle Ball. The event was now starting to leave a bad taste in his mouth. He felt like a man caught in quick sand being pulled under. “Yes, I’m still here. Now what happened?”
Ulysses cleared his throat. “At eleven thirty this morning the maid used her key to open Delilah Deauville’s private suite at the top of the hotel. Apparently she lives there regularly. She owns the suite,” he paused. “The maid found her naked and unconscious. And it gets worse. She was straddli
ng a naked man when she was found and he was unconscious too,” he gave a snort, pausing, letting the shock of his words sink in. “They had been in the middle of having sex before they both passed out. Damn, I bet their bodies all twisted together was a sight,” he joked with a laugh.
“Who was the man?” Louis asked tensely.
“Why it was Monty Wildhorse.”
“What?” Louis said as a puzzled expression crossed his face.
“Louis, that is not all. Another naked woman was found in the room with them. She was lying on the chaise. The other woman was Celica Baptiste.”
“Celica Baptiste! Are you sure?”
Pearl sucked in a deep breath as instant recognition froze her as she sat. “Celica?” she murmured as her eyes sought out Louis’.
Louis watched a flicker of fear cross Pearl’s face as she rose and walked slowly to stand by the kitchen window.
“Okay Ulysses I’ll come right down. You just hold down the fort until I get there. Well Look, I have to go,” Louis said ending the call.
Louis hung up the telephone. He turned and walked over and joined Pearl standing by the window. He slipped his arm around her and hugged her.
“Everything is going to be alright Pearl,” he said as his voice pulled her back from her memories.
Pearl’s eyes brimmed with tears. “Oh Louis, I saw Celica after that fiasco at the queen pageant. She was upset about Monty. I suggested she find another job and stop working for him. She said she didn’t have to, like she knew something was about to happen,” she said soberly.
“Maybe you’re just reading too much into it,” he said.
“No, I don’t think so. Celica was acting strange. Even crazy like,” she suggested and then held his gaze. “And Louis there is more. She was already drunk,” she choked out with a worried expression.
“Shhhhh Pearl honey, please don’t worry. I’ll go down and see what happened.”
Chapter 37
A victim of circumstance
Louis arrived at the hospital within the hour and quickly located Ulysses. The two of them quickly agreed to say whatever was needed to protect the name and reputation of the Foundation and the Grand Isle Ball.
But as fate would have it, they didn’t have to really do much. Delilah Deauville’s name carried quite a position of power.
The story they concocted and gave the local reporter, that the incident was unconnected to the Grand Isle Ball, seemed believable even to them. And the reporter ate it up quickly and went about his way.
The two old friends watched him leave.
All at once Louis gasped and jerked around as a hand touched his shoulder.
“Hey Mister!” A man, in faded scrubs called.
Louis and Ulysses turned around in unison.
A heavy-set man in scrubs approached them.
“Your name is Ulysses right?” the man asked but didn’t wait for a response. “I saw you earlier in Delilah’s room.”
Ulysses nodded.
“Delilah Deauville said to tell you she wants to see you. And she said to bring Louis with you too.”
A few minutes later Louis and Ulysses marched unannounced into Delilah’s room.
A commotion inside stopped them abruptly.
“You’re a deceitful lying slut Delilah!” an angry Jean Baptiste shouted bitterly. “Celica is your little sister for Christ sake. You should look out for her. Instead you were screwing the brains out of Monty Wildhorse and letting him give you and your sister drugs.”
Delilah felt sick to her stomach as she tried to ignore the angry rage spewing out of Jean Baptiste. He was the only person who she had ever felt any real love from in their family. She hated that he was thinking bad of her. She turned, looked past him and saw the men standing in the doorway.
“Jean we have visitors,” she said gloomily.
Jean stopped his barrage and turned around.
The moment was awkward.
He stared embarrassed. “Louis & Ulysses,” he shrugged. “Ignore what I just said. It’s a private family matter. I should get going.”
Impatient to leave, Jean walked to the door and paused. He turned and looked back thoughtfully at Delilah. “Delilah I’m sorry for yelling. You know how I get. Forgive me,” he said meeting her gaze tenderly. “We’re still family. If you need something….”
Even at his most angry and tormented moment Jean’s eyes still held a deep level of warmth, care and love for her.
Delilah’s heart quickened as she stared back at him. She softly smiled. “Thanks Jean, I appreciate that.”
Jean closed the door behind him.
Before the tears could swell in her eyes Delilah turned her attention to the two men standing in front of her.
“Louis and Ulysses I’m so glad you came,” Delilah said with dignity acknowledging their presence.
Both men nodded.
Louis stepped forward and stood at the foot of Delilah’s bed. “You know we couldn’t resist finding out what happened.”
“Guys please have a seat. There’s so much I want to say,” she said.
Ulysses took a step and scooted in closer as he softly chuckled. “And there is so much we want to hear. Like what really happened between you, Monty and Celica,” he softly said. “Oh and please give as much details as you like,” he grinned. “I love a lot of details by the way.”
“Please ignore him,” Louis shrugged.
Delilah sat quietly for a moment. “I’m a victim of circumstance. I know that this tragic affair happened in my suite but it wasn’t my drugs,” she pleaded.
Slowly she filled them in on the details of her rendezvous with Monty. She left out nothing.
Minutes later she looked back at both men. “I told you everything just like I told the detective Manny Rebrand earlier.”
Louis swiveled his head around toward her with a shocked expression. “You spoke with Detective Manny Rebrand?”
“Yes,” Delilah shook her head. “You know him?”
Louis blinked and nodded yes to her. He then turned his head and silently mouthed something to Ulysses.
Ulysses cleared his throat and said. “Good, he’s handling the case?”
Delilah smiled softly. “It looks like you know him well. I hope he’s good.”
Ulysses shrugged. “Thankfully we do know him. He’s pretty helpful. But don’t tell him you heard me give him a compliment. I like to keep our relationship on the sort of, we both hate each other, side.”
Delilah flashed him a mirthless smile and continued. “Yes, well like I told him. I’ve done a lot of things in my time. But slipping drugs into people’s drinks is not my thing. You see I don’t have to. Because I know I’m beautiful,” she said wryly. “I know that may sound vain. But that’s the reason why I never need to give anyone drugs to want to sleep with me.”
In wide eyed bewilderment Louis and Ulysses looked between each other.
Delilah clenched her fist. “Can’t you see, someone else fed us the drugs? Please, I need you guys to find out the truth.”
“We’ll see what we can do Delilah,” Louis said clearing his throat signaling Ulysses it was time to leave.
A few minutes later outside in the hallway, Louis said. “From the details Delilah gave us. It sounds like something might have been in the bottles of champagne.”
Ulysses stopped abruptly as a frown creased his brow. “I agree with you there. But the lawyer in me wants to know how the drugs got there. If Delilah said she saw Celica open a brand new bottle of champagne, how did the drugs get into the bottle?”
Central Valley hospital is several huge, tan colored buildings that sit in the heart of Silicon Valley on several acres.
Louis and Ulysses walked off of the elevator to the main floor. They headed for the main entrance.
They walked right smack into Detective Manny Rebrand.
“Hey Louis and Ulysses. I was told you two were here,” Detective Rebrand smiled kindly. His eyes crinkled up when he smiled.
&n
bsp; Ulysses’ brows lifted in surprised annoyance. “Well, if it isn’t detective Manny Rebrand,” he said drily.
“Nice to see you again Louis,” Detective Manny nodded.
He then glanced at Ulysses. “I heard you are now officially dating Clare Palling.”
“Yes, I am. What of it?” Ulysses asked fixing him with a questioning gaze.
There was an awkward pause.
“Nothing, I just wanted to shake the hand of the man who won over Clare Palling’s heart. Let me congratulate you,” Manny said extending his hand. “By the way, Clare told me that she is very happy about your dating permanently. And she told me I cannot ask her to dance at next year’s ball unless I first check and see if it is okay with you,” he said solemnly. “So I guess I’m out of a dance partner at next year’s Grand Isle Ball, huh?”
Slowly Ulysses grinned wide, pleased by what he heard. Clare had already let it be known she was his girl. He was happy. “Well maybe I’ll see what I can do for you at next years’ ball. Thank you for being happy for me.”
Louis smiled and shook his head. “Well now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, maybe you could help us with this situation Manny. The one that happened after the ball,” he said. “From your greeting earlier I was hoping you had something to tell us.”
“Yes I do. That’s why I came to look for you,” Manny said. “Did you two know that Delilah and Celica are sisters?”
Louis looked at Ulysses. He shrugged.
“No, she didn’t mention it to us,” Louis said.
“Well it’s a little complicated, Detective Manny said as he decided he’d better hit them with all the details at once. “Delilah was adopted well before Celica was born. In fact their Mother Pandora was married to her first husband, Anubis Baptiste when the two of them adopted Delilah.
Louis furrowed his brows. “Oh really? Did you notice there is a big difference in Delilah’s and Celica’s ages?”
Detective Manny nodded. “Yes there is. There is over ten years between them. But still you know sibling rivalry knows no age,” he paused, stuck his hands in his pockets, and continued. “Once her first husband Anubis died he left Delilah their adopted daughter over half of his property and money. The rest he left to his younger brother, Horus Baptiste. He left Pandora hardly anything,” he paused. “Anyway Pandora married her first husband’s younger brother Horus. Horus already had a son by his first marriage. That son is Jean Baptiste.”
Grand Hotel (A Geek An Angel) Page 14
