Bayou Justice

Luc turned and ambled down the hall, not giving his mother time to voice her panicked concerns. In the past few months, her late-night nip of brandy had become a large glass. He’d have to deal with the drinking issue later, but right now he felt beyond tired.

The hallway walls boasted photographs of him and his sister at varying times in their lives. Birth, christenings, graduations…even his college diploma hung proudly against the white wall. So much of the past stuck here in the present.

Pausing outside Felicia’s bedroom, he rapped on her door with the backs of his knuckles.

“Yes?” his sister asked.

He pushed open the door a crack. “Hey, Boo. It’s me.”

“Luc. Come on in.” Using her elbows, she pushed herself into a semisitting position. The queen-size bed seemed to swallow her, with the lightweight blue comforter and big fluffy white pillows.

She looked even more frail and fragile in bed. He sat beside her. “Got some bad news.”

Her blue eyes blinked in the half-light. “Mom?”

“No, she’s fine.” He patted her hand. “She’s drinking, but that’s another story.”

“Then what?” His sister’s angelic face wrapped in worry.

“It’s Grandfather.”

“What’s he done now?”

“Nothing. They found his body in the bayou tonight.”

“Body?” Her eyes filled with tears, reminding Luc of the Caribbean ocean, so clear in comparison to the murky waters around Lagniappe.

“He’d been shot.”

“I don’t understand.” Tears squeezed from her eyes and trickled down her gaunt cheeks.

He gripped her hand tighter, wishing he could erase the pain from her eyes.

“This is awful.”

“I know.” He planted a kiss on her forehead.

She grabbed his hand as he stood over her. “Luc, I’m mad at him, I mean I was, but I never wanted him dead.”

“I know, Boo. Me, too.”

Felicia wiped away her tears. “Where’d they find him?”

Leave it to his astute sister to ask such a pointed question. He sighed. “Near Grisson Landing.” He waited for the reaction.

She made the connection instantly. “Oh, no. Where Daddy died?”

The irony of the situation hadn’t been lost on her. The pain tightening her features strengthened his resolve to find the guilty party.

“Yes.” His vocal chords strained.

The tears spilled again. “Who found him?”

“CoCo.”

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