Bayou Betrayal by Robin Caroll Page B

parking lot. Car doors slammed. Kids laughed, their feet clomping against pavement. The sun warmed the breeze swirling around the gravestones in the adjacent cemetery.
    â€œNo. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have acted like that.” With a contriteness in her tone, Monique lowered her head. “I really am sorry. It’s just that I was nervous and uncomfortable to begin with, and I’m working on being totally independent.”
    She lifted her head. Moisture had pooled in her eyes. “Ever since Kent died, I’ve wanted to be able to stand on my own, but every time I turn around, I can’t. Something happens that makes me feel helpless again. I’m so tired of having other people’s actions dictate what I do.”
    He swallowed the truth, knowing she wasn’t ready to hear that God would continue to cause things to happen that required her to seek out help. It was a visible sign that Father was calling her back into the fold.
    â€œNo worries. So, shall we go to the Bertrands’?” He glanced over his shoulder. “The lot’s about clear, so it won’t be long until Felicia and Spence head home.”
    â€œOh. I need to go back to the motel and change first.”
    â€œWhy don’t I pick you up there, and you can ride with me?”
    A cloud covered her face. “I don’t need a babysitter.”
    She sure was oversensitive. Gary reminded himself that she had just endured a very trying experience on the tail of another one. Maybe he should cut her some slack. “I don’t think you do. Just trying to be a nice guy.”
    â€œI’m sorry. Man, I keep having to apologize. I’m normally not this snarky.”
    â€œIt’s okay. You’ve been through a lot.”
    She smiled, warming him more than the sunshine bearing down upon them. “Thank you for being so understanding.” She hitched her purse strap up on her shoulder. “I’d very much appreciate you picking me up for lunch. Thank you.”
    â€œGreat. I’ll pick you up in, say, half an hour?”
    â€œPerfect.”
    He shut her truck door for her, his mind reeling as he walked to the cruiser. Glancing at the cell phone in the console, he noticed that he had missed calls and voice mail. He flipped open the phone and dialed into his messages.
    The first one was his mother, asking him to invite Monique over for lunch.
    The next message was from the weekend dispatcher, notifying him the arson investigator, a Mr. Bob Costigan, had arrived in town, and was in the Lagniappe Motel and would await Gary’s call.
    Interesting. They sure had moved fast in getting the investigator to town.
    He called his mother, told her there was no way he could make lunch, then ended the call. His mind went to the other message. About the arson investigator.
    Things could get very interesting with Mr. Costigan and Monique both staying at the only motel in Lagniappe. Yep, sparks could definitely fly, depending on how Mr. Costigan’s investigation proceeded.

SIX
    T he woman was too good to be true.
    Monique stared at Felicia as the preacher’s wife set the table. “Are you sure I can’t help you?”
    The kitchen smelled of spices and aromas that made Monique’s mouth water. Gary hadn’t been kidding about Felicia’s cooking, if the smell was any indication.
    Felicia smiled and shook her head. “You’re a guest, yes? You just sit there and keep me company. I usually have my sister-in-law, CoCo, here to talk to me.”
    â€œWhere are they?”
    â€œCoCo’s sister, Alyssa, had her first baby. A boy. She’s already e-mailed me pictures of the little angel. Alyssa and her husband, Jackson, live in New Orleans.”
    â€œA baby. That’s nice.” Regret nearly swallowed Monique. She and Kent had wanted a large family but had opted to wait until later. When his business was well-established and he could take time off to spend with