Between Dusk and Dawn by Lynn Emery

back
in his chair. He scowled when LaShaun insisted it was her turn to
pay, but gave in. They put the remains of their dinner in the
containers and left. On the ride back, Chase seemed distracted. He
turned on the radio and tried to make small talk, but lapsed into
long silences.
    “ Anything you can tell me?
I won’t gossip,” LaShaun quipped.
    He put a hand on her thigh and smiled
at her. “I didn’t want to spoil the last few minutes we have of our
weekend.”
    “ Last few minutes, huh?
Must be bad.”
    LaShaun put her hand on his. There was
danger, but LaShaun couldn’t see if the threat was to Chase. When
she noticed he wasn’t wearing the necklace she’d given him, LaShaun
started to ask. Then she saw the pendant hanging from a leather
braided strap holding his keys. She sighed with relief. The
sterling silver wolf’s head set in onyx with a lapis lazuli stone
beneath it had been given to her by her grandmother. Monmon Odette
said the wolf was a symbol of power, and the onyx provided
protection. Their Choctaw ancestors had handed down this wisdom.
LaShaun touched the silver as she said a prayer of protection for
him.
    “ Bad enough. We identified
the dead woman. She disappeared from Baton Rouge about three years
ago. She had a history of drug use and running off with men.” Chase
watched traffic as they turned onto Highway 14 and back into
Vermillion Parish.
    “ Sad, but common. Her
family got in touch when they saw her picture, huh?” LaShaun
remembered in time to make that a question. She already knew the
answer.
    “ Yes, and you’re not
fooling me.” Chase squeezed her thigh then put his hand back on the
steering wheel.
    “ Okay, so maybe I sense a
few things. But don’t forget I know just like everyone else that
y’all spread that drawing far and wide.” LaShaun sometimes wished
she didn’t see things ahead.
    “ Your gift doesn’t bother
me, honey,” Chase said and smiled at her reassuringly.
    LaShaun moved closer to him until
their hips touched. “I sense that call had to do with the dead
woman.”
    He nodded and his jaw set into his “on
duty” look. “It sure does.”
    “ What?”
    “ She’s a member of a rich
old Baton Rouge family. The kind of people that have a lot of money
passed down from three generations back. These folks don’t want to
be in the news, not even the fancy society pages,” Chase
said.
    “ Okay, but... oh-oh.”
LaShaun let out a low whistle.
    “ Exactly. The media is
swarming because someone has been spreading rumors about a
supernatural serial killer.” Chase glanced sideways at her then
back at the road ahead.
    “ Well don’t look at me.
I’ve been with you.” LaShaun poked his big bicep.
    “ What about your two
buddies, Miss Clo and her sidekick?” Chase turned down the tiny
highway that was a back route connecting to Rougon Road that would
take them to Rousselle Lane eventually.
    LaShaun shook her head. “No way.
Joyelle had to be convinced to come see me, and she could barely
talk about Manny Young. Miss Clo wouldn’t gossip. She’s worried
about the backlash against her friend.”
    “ Well somebody has been
talking. I’ll get the details when I meet M.J. at the station,”
Chase said.
    “ But why do they need you
back? You’ve been working so hard,” LaShaun protested. “They’ve got
that other ambitious detective, Dave Gouchaux. “
    “ Yep, he’s sharp. But M.J.
wants me there, too. Dave can be a little too take charge
sometimes,” Chase said.
    “ I’ve seen him talk down to
M.J.” LaShaun gave a snort. “She’s got more patience than me. I’d
put that snot in his place quick. She’s in charge, and you’re going
to be elected Sheriff.”
    “ There’s a little thing
called an election, honey. Besides, M.J. can handle herself. She’ll
know when the time is right to check Dave.” Chase smiled. “M.J.
might decide to run for Sheriff. It’s not too late for her to fill
out the papers.”
    “ Oh, no. I don’t want