Between Dusk and Dawn (22 page)

“
I did remember sometimes.”
Patsy daintily used a napkin to brush crumbs from her lap and into
one hand. She finished the cookie off and glanced
around.

“
I’ll get you a cup of
coffee,” LaShaun said and stood.

“
Water would be just fine.
Y’all had lunch I see. You got any meat?” Patsy wiped her mouth
with the back of one hand. Her purse slipped from her lap to the
floor.

“
No meat.” LaShaun went
very still as she observed her.

“
Wow, I must really be
hungry.” Patsy blinked at her and let out a musical
laugh.

“
Yeah, I’ll bet your
feeling ravenous,” LaShaun replied and smiled when Patsy glanced at
her sharply.

Instinct made LaShaun keep an eye on
her even as she left the room. She went to the refrigerator and got
a bottle of water from a six pack. When she returned Patsy stood at
the window looking toward the street. She turned when she heard
LaShaun return and took the offered bottled water.

“
Thank you.” With one quick
motion Patsy opened it and drank deeply. She started to wipe her
mouth again, but stopped when she saw her pink gloss smeared on her
hand. “My manners have gotten terrible.”

“
So you remember those
nights when you snuck out of the house.” LaShaun stood with her
arms folded.

Patsy nodded and then sat again. She
waited for LaShaun to sit across from her. “Tommy is so sexy, was
so sexy. I resisted him for a long time,” she added quickly. “But
he had some kind of hold on me. I know you’ve heard about
me.”

“
Not all gossip is
accurate,” LaShaun said.

“
You do understand,” Patsy
said and leaned forward. “I’m not denying how much I enjoy sex with
cute guys. Vince is nice, but...”

“
Predictable,” LaShaun
filled in for her.

“
Exactly. I thought being
with him would settle me down, and it did. But Tommy set his sights
on me, and I gave in to temptation. Then Tommy blackmailed me, and
threatened to hurt Vince. I couldn’t let that happen.”

“
Besides, the sex with
Tommy was exciting. Part of you wanted to break away, and part of
you looked forward to being with him.” LaShaun nodded. “Yes, I can
see how you felt trapped.”

“
At first, but I finally
told Tommy it was over. That’s when he got really pissed off.”
Patsy clutched the bottle of water with both hands.

“
Why didn’t you just remind
him that his wife would find out, too?” LaShaun tilted her head to
one side.

Pasty laughed and put a hand over her
mouth. “Sorry, this is serious. Tommy didn’t care about his wife
finding out. He’s cheated on her since they were high school
sweethearts. She wouldn’t leave him, not for good anyway. Guess she
was under his spell, too.”

“
People do stupid things
when they’re in love, or lust,” LaShaun said.

“
You’re right about that,”
Patsy said, her lips curving up for a second before she assumed her
sober account. “Anyway, I think Tommy was in a cult. Once or twice
we partied with his friends. At first I thought they were just
regular old party folks. We’d go out to this camp way out on the
bayou. I’m ashamed to say this next part.”

LaShaun fought off the impulse to
laugh out loud at that so-called admission. Patsy loved every
minute of her confessional. “Go on, I won’t judge you.”

“
Sometimes we swapped
partners; me and Tommy would swing with his friend Jason and his
girlfriend from New Orleans. That was wild even for me.” Patsy
twisted the cap from the bottle and drank again. She stared at the
floor as if too ashamed to lift her head.

LaShaun felt light-headed for a few
moments. She closed her eyes. Flashes of people partying in an old
house filled her mind. Patsy’s musical laugh echoed. LaShaun sensed
no regret, only the heat of excitement. Suddenly the scene switched
to the woods and a camp fire. Liquor flowed freely, and drugs were
passed around. When LaShaun opened her eyes again Patsy looked up
and frowned at her.

“
Have I shocked
you?”

“
No, go on.” LaShaun’s head
cleared and everything around appeared in focus as though she was
in a high definition.

“
I hear you left your mark
with men and partying back in the day.” Patsy said, her arched
eyebrows going up.

“
So these friends of
Tommy’s were rude, crude and lewd. Y’all had some good times until
you started feeling guilty.” LaShaun directed Patsy back to her
story.

“
When I tried to pull away
Tommy grew angry. Then I started blacking out and not remembering.
I was too embarrassed to tell Miz Joyelle the whole truth. But I
didn’t lie completely. When she told me that maybe I was under some
kind of evil influence it all made sense.” Patsy bit her lower lip.
“I could feel something wasn’t right about the whole
thing.”

Yeah, you jumped on the
chance to use Joyelle like a bird on a juicy bug
. LaShaun pursed her lips and frowned. “I can imagine that
upset you.”

“
I was horrified. I’ve
never messed with voodoo or witchcraft stuff. When I was in high
school some of my friends got into Goth. Who wants to dress in
black all the time?” Patsy tossed her glossy reddish blonde hair
back over one shoulder.

“
Good point,” LaShaun said
dryly.

“
Anyway, I told all of this
to that hot chief investigator everybody says is your boyfriend.”
Patsy shot a questioning gaze at LaShaun.

“
Chief Detective
Broussard,” LaShaun replied matter-of-factly, not rising to the
bait.

“
Yes, he was more polite
than his boss.” Patsy grimaced as though she tasted something sour.
“
Acting
Sheriff
Arceneaux treated me like I was dirt under her saintly
feet.”

LaShaun figured that meant M.J. didn’t
pretend to be taken in by her stories. No doubt Chase didn’t fall
for her pert Cajun girl charm either, but didn’t show it. “Sheriff
Arceneaux has to be impartial, that sometimes comes across as being
accusatory.”

“
She all but called me a
bald-face liar. I’d call that accusatory,” Patsy snapped. A spark
of her temper flared up quickly then died down just as fast.
“Anyway, maybe you’re right. Accusing people is part of her job I
guess.”

“
Hmm. By the way you didn’t
say what kind of cult,” LaShaun replied.

“
They didn’t stand around
chanting or cut the heads off of chickens or anything. But they
were real secretive. They’d talk about dark stuff, like murders and
groups that were into rituals. A couple of the girls said they
didn’t trust me with the ‘mysteries’. That’s what they called it.
Like there was some level to their group that not everybody was
allowed to join. One night Tommy and I got high... I’m not proud of
it, but it’s not like marijuana is a hard drug or
anything.”

“
So you and Tommy were
high,” LaShaun prompted.

“
I got him to talk about
his pals that acted so guarded around me and some of the others. He
said he’d show me some really hot times if I proved to him I was
woman enough.” Patsy squirmed in her chair as though imagining the
carnal delights in store.

“
And did he?”

“
We went away together. He
forced me,” Patsy added almost as though it were an afterthought to
keep her story consistent.

“
When you disappeared you
mean,” LaShaun said and sat forward.

“
I did enjoy sneaking off
at first. Vince kept at me all the time about the house and
cooking. The kids were screaming and needed constant attention.
Tommy played on me being a little unhappy. When I tried to go home,
he pretty much held me hostage. We was holdup at this old motel on
Evangeline Thruway in Lafayette. Some of his creepy friends came by
one night, but they didn’t come in our room though. Tommy stood
outside talking to them. Then he came in and said he had some
people to see and for me to stay put.”

“
Why didn’t you escape
then?” LaShaun asked the obvious.

“
I know, I know.” Patsy
shook her head. “But he pulled out the phone so I couldn’t call
nobody, and I didn’t have a car or nothing. Besides, I was real
high and not thinking straight. He made sure we always had some
sweet weed. That was some strong stuff,” Patsy sighed.

LaShaun got the distinct impression
Patsy missed those fun times. Instead she pretended to be
sympathetic. “Sounds awful, feeling trapped and part of it was your
fault.”

“
You understand me in a way
no one else ever has.” Patsy smiled at LaShaun.

“
Thanks,” LaShaun replied
and smiled back. “So Tommy and you went with his friends to find
out about the ‘real hot times’.”

“
No, Tommy didn’t come
back. That’s the last time I saw him alive. I swear it.” Patsy’s
bottom lip quivered. She even managed to squeeze a single tear out
that slid down her rosy cheek.

“
Here you go, calm down.”
LaShaun handed her a fresh napkin even though she was sure that one
tear would dry up soon. “You told this to Chief Arceneaux and
Detective Broussard, I take it.”

Patsy shook her head. “No. I was
afraid they’d arrest me for drugs. Anyway, that acting sheriff
woman already treated me like trailer park trash. I was ashamed to
tell it all. But I told them the important part; that those weird
friends of his might have gotten him killed.”

“
Okay, so why are you
telling me?” LaShaun gazed back at her waiting for the other shoe
to drop.

“
Please tell that hottie
Chief Deputy Broussard that none of this was my fault. He’ll
believe you. And you know how to deal with that supernatural
stuff.” Patsy let out a long, noisy hiss of air. She retrieved her
purse from the floor and stood. “I feel better already.”

“
You’ve given me a lot to
think about,” LaShaun stood as well and continued to study
her.

“
I’ll bet,” Patsy replied
with a bright smile. She glanced at the wall clock. “I better get
moving or my sister will start to wonder. I don’t want her involved
in any of this. She still thinks of me as her kid sister needing
protection.”

LaShaun wondered just how gullible
that sister could possibly be. The entire town knew Patsy’s
misdeeds. Even they had no idea just what this little hometown girl
had been up to though. Reverend Fletcher could preach a year’s
worth of sermons based on Patsy.

“
It means a lot that you
trust me enough to share all these details,” said LaShaun,
reverting to her old self, the one who could put on an award
winning acting performance. She placed a hand on Patsy’s shoulder.
“My personal history isn’t squeaky clean either. But people deserve
a second chance. Call me if you ever need to talk again. Will you
do that?”

“
I most certainly will,
LaShaun. I feel such a connection to you.” Patsy blinked and
sniffed. She brushed her eyes.

“
I’m glad. Take care.”
LaShaun wore her best benevolent smile as she rubbed Patsy’s
shoulder.

“
Thanks for being so kind.”
Patsy turned to go then paused and faced LaShaun again. “One more
thing.”

“
Yes?” Ahh, LaShaun
thought, here it comes.

“
Tommy and his friends
stopped going to that old house to party. They found this old place
farther down the bayou. I think very strange things go on in those
woods. That’s in case you want to look into it one night.” Patsy’s
eyes sparkled as she gazed back at LaShaun.

“
I just might visit those
woods one night.” LaShaun smiled at her.

Chapter 13

Two days later and a week before
Halloween, Chase’s dark eyebrows pulled together as he drove his
Ford truck. LaShaun sat in the passenger’s seat humming along with
a song playing from the radio. The scenery along I-10 outside
Lafayette flowed by. Sunlight warmed up the extended cab and
banished the early morning chill. The Friday seven o’clock morning
commuter traffic caused a steady stream of vehicles on both sides
of the divided interstate highway. Mixed in with the smaller cars,
eighteen wheelers moved in and out of lanes. But LaShaun knew
watching the road wasn’t the reason for Chase’s intense
contemplation. He was thinking ahead to their interview with
Emanuel “Manny” Young, the Blood River Ripper. The bright morning
and blue sky above contrasted with their mission, to visit a secure
forensic facility filled with those judged to be criminally
insane.

LaShaun looked at the green and brown
vegetation flashing by as they drove. Occasional glimpses of swamps
could be seen. They approached the elevated portion of I-10 over
Whiskey Bay. As they got over the water she stretched forward to
see more of what lay below. A string of four flat barges pushed by
a white tugboat chugged through the muddy water way.

“
This is another beautiful
day. Kinda nice having fall weather even if it doesn’t last all
that long.” LaShaun got one last look before their seventy mile an
hour speed took them over the top of the twin span and down onto
the ground level stretch of pavement.