said through the door.
“Uh, uh.” LaShaun pressed her against the wall, breathing in deep gulps of the humid air caused by her shower.
“LaShaun, honey, say something. Let me know you’re okay.”
When he twisted the door knob, LaShaun’s head cleared. She whispered a hasty short prayer Monmon Odette had taught her as a child. Gathering inner strength, she continued to whisper as she angrily swiped at the image on the mirror. The soft tapping stopped. She took a few moments to steady herself.
“I’m, uh, I’m fine; just still a little tired. I’ll be out in a minute.”
When she opened the door Chase pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead. “Of course you’re not okay. You’ve been through hell.”
Before she knew it LaShaun started to cry and shiver. After a few minutes, she pulled herself together. “I’ve got to stop this. I hate going all weepy like an idiot.”
“You’re entitled to be a weepy idiot,” Chase said softly into her hair.
“Oh, gee thanks.” LaShaun laughed and playfully slapped his shoulder . She pushed him away from the bathroom as she looked over her shoulder. “Where’s that tea you promised? Or is making me feel all sentimental just a sneaky way to get me into a wet t-shirt?”
“Hmm, hadn’t thought of that. But even dry you fill out that thing nicely.” Chase grinned as he looked down at her. “To the kitchen, ma’am.”
“I’m following your lead,” LaShaun replied. “I better check to see if Tasha or the nurse called my cell.”
“I checked already, and no, they haven’t called.” Chase pointed to the two steaming mugs on a hot plate. “Your clothes are in the washer.”
“You’re going to spoil me if this keeps up.” LaShaun breathed in the aroma coming from the cup then sipped.
“The way I see it you’re due some TLC.” Chase sat next to on a stool at the counter.
She put down the mug. “Thank you for being so thoughtful, and I know you mean well…”
“Yeah, I do.” Chase took her hands in his.
“But.”
“I could see it coming,” Chase joked.
“Seriously, Chase. You want to run for sheriff, and you should. This parish could use someone like you. I don’t want to be the reason your dream doesn’t come true.” LaShaun pulled away. “I really should drink this tea, wait for my clothes to dry and let you drive me home.”
“That would seem sensible.” Chase brushed her hair behind her right ear. “Except I’m not feeling sensible right now. I can’t turn away when you need a friend.”
“There’s a little matter of my history, Deputy Broussard. Remember I was a suspect in a murder investigation. A lot of folks still believe I was in on it.” LaShaun glanced at the bay window across from them. Was that a flash of something moving, or her imagination? She blinked and saw nothing. Chase’s deep voice soothed her anxiety.
“That was a real whodunit with all kinds of suspects.”
She tensed and stared at him. “What do you think?”
“The Sheriff and the DA got it right. Everything points to Kyle Singleton. He had motive, Trosclair was not only going to fire him, but he made it clear he was going to ruin his career. Singleton had means, and trace evidence in his SUV put Trosclair in it. I doubt he did it alone, but I don’t think you were his accomplice.”
“They could never prove Quentin was involved either, and Singleton wouldn’t talk. He got an expensive attorney. I’m guessing Quentin’s grandmother paid for that in exchange for his silence.”
“Why would she help the man who killed her husband?” Chase frowned.
“They didn’t have a happy marriage. The old man treated the poor woman like dirt, even in front of other people. He thought Quentin was a spoiled screw-up. My guess is she knew Quentin helped him, and she would do anything for her precious only grandson.”
“Sounds like Kyle Singleton solved a nasty problem for them both,” Chase
“Uh, uh.” LaShaun pressed her against the wall, breathing in deep gulps of the humid air caused by her shower.
“LaShaun, honey, say something. Let me know you’re okay.”
When he twisted the door knob, LaShaun’s head cleared. She whispered a hasty short prayer Monmon Odette had taught her as a child. Gathering inner strength, she continued to whisper as she angrily swiped at the image on the mirror. The soft tapping stopped. She took a few moments to steady herself.
“I’m, uh, I’m fine; just still a little tired. I’ll be out in a minute.”
When she opened the door Chase pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead. “Of course you’re not okay. You’ve been through hell.”
Before she knew it LaShaun started to cry and shiver. After a few minutes, she pulled herself together. “I’ve got to stop this. I hate going all weepy like an idiot.”
“You’re entitled to be a weepy idiot,” Chase said softly into her hair.
“Oh, gee thanks.” LaShaun laughed and playfully slapped his shoulder . She pushed him away from the bathroom as she looked over her shoulder. “Where’s that tea you promised? Or is making me feel all sentimental just a sneaky way to get me into a wet t-shirt?”
“Hmm, hadn’t thought of that. But even dry you fill out that thing nicely.” Chase grinned as he looked down at her. “To the kitchen, ma’am.”
“I’m following your lead,” LaShaun replied. “I better check to see if Tasha or the nurse called my cell.”
“I checked already, and no, they haven’t called.” Chase pointed to the two steaming mugs on a hot plate. “Your clothes are in the washer.”
“You’re going to spoil me if this keeps up.” LaShaun breathed in the aroma coming from the cup then sipped.
“The way I see it you’re due some TLC.” Chase sat next to on a stool at the counter.
She put down the mug. “Thank you for being so thoughtful, and I know you mean well…”
“Yeah, I do.” Chase took her hands in his.
“But.”
“I could see it coming,” Chase joked.
“Seriously, Chase. You want to run for sheriff, and you should. This parish could use someone like you. I don’t want to be the reason your dream doesn’t come true.” LaShaun pulled away. “I really should drink this tea, wait for my clothes to dry and let you drive me home.”
“That would seem sensible.” Chase brushed her hair behind her right ear. “Except I’m not feeling sensible right now. I can’t turn away when you need a friend.”
“There’s a little matter of my history, Deputy Broussard. Remember I was a suspect in a murder investigation. A lot of folks still believe I was in on it.” LaShaun glanced at the bay window across from them. Was that a flash of something moving, or her imagination? She blinked and saw nothing. Chase’s deep voice soothed her anxiety.
“That was a real whodunit with all kinds of suspects.”
She tensed and stared at him. “What do you think?”
“The Sheriff and the DA got it right. Everything points to Kyle Singleton. He had motive, Trosclair was not only going to fire him, but he made it clear he was going to ruin his career. Singleton had means, and trace evidence in his SUV put Trosclair in it. I doubt he did it alone, but I don’t think you were his accomplice.”
“They could never prove Quentin was involved either, and Singleton wouldn’t talk. He got an expensive attorney. I’m guessing Quentin’s grandmother paid for that in exchange for his silence.”
“Why would she help the man who killed her husband?” Chase frowned.
“They didn’t have a happy marriage. The old man treated the poor woman like dirt, even in front of other people. He thought Quentin was a spoiled screw-up. My guess is she knew Quentin helped him, and she would do anything for her precious only grandson.”
“Sounds like Kyle Singleton solved a nasty problem for them both,” Chase
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