Dangerous Mercy: A Novel (8 page)

“It’s great that Adele has taken such an interest in Grace. What a wonderful godmother.”

“She’s absolutely a blessing,” Zoe said. “Thanks for brunch. You’ve got your crepes down to perfection.”

Vanessa beamed. “I have Pierce to thank for that. The guests are crazy about them, and I can offer them a lot of choices because they’re so easy. Plus they look beautiful on the plate. A fine presentation always adds to the experience. Isn’t that what you and Pierce always say?”

Zoe laughed. “I think we’ve cloned you.”

As the two friends strolled back toward the house, Angel moved toward them across the grounds.

“Well, there you are.” Vanessa bent down in anticipation of the dog jumping on her with excitement. But instead, Angel barked frantically and ran in circles. “What are you carrying on about?” Vanessa tried to pet the dog, but Angel kept pulling away.

“Does she want to play?”

Vanessa shook her head. “She’s trying to tell me something. I’d better go see what she’s fussing about. Let’s talk soon, okay?”

“Definitely. Thanks again.” Zoe gave her a quick hug. “Tell Ethan hello.”

“I will. Give my love to Pierce and Grace.”

Vanessa turned and walked briskly across the grounds, Angel already twenty yards in front of her.

Zoe trudged along the walkway that led back to the manor house, mulling over the morning’s conversation and mentally savoring the shrimp and asparagus crepes Vanessa served her for brunch. Why didn’t she get out like this more often? Few things were more energizing than having good conversation with a friend and sharing something delicious to eat.

She reached her car, which was the only vehicle parked in the guest lot, and had just opened the door when a scream echoed across the Louisiana sky and sent her heart racing.

“Zoe!”

Zoe turned on her heels and raced toward the sound as fast as she could, wishing she had on athletic shoes instead of sandals. She looked out across the rolling green and saw Vanessa waving her arms in the air.

Zoe pushed herself harder, and half a minute later slowed to a stop in front of Vanessa, a little short of breath. “What’s … wrong?”

“He’s dead!” Vanessa’s face was ashen, her sandals covered in mud. “He has no pulse!”

“Who’s dead?”

“The man in the bayou.” Vanessa pointed beyond an open gate to a body lying faceup in shallow water. “Go take a closer look, and tell me if it’s who I think it is.”

CHAPTER 8

Vanessa pulled back the lacy sheers on the parlor window at Langley Manor and saw Zoe leaning against her car, waiting for sheriff’s deputies to arrive.

She picked up her cell phone and dialed Noah’s number. It rang several times.
Come on, Noah, pick up.

“Hey there,” he said. “How was your visit with Zoe?”

“Are you still on the grounds?”

“I’m out in the shed, organizin’ my tools. You sound upset.”

“Have you seen or talked to Flynn Gillis today?”

“Flynn? Why are you asking about him?”

“Have you?”

“No. He didn’t show up for breakfast. He borrowed Father Vince’s car and stayed out all night. He’s on everybody’s list right now.”

“Not anymore. He’s dead.”

“Flynn’s
dead?
How do you know that?”

“Angel discovered him a few minutes ago and came and got me.”

“Are you sayin’ he’s here—at Langley Manor?”

“Yes, his body’s down in the bayou.” Vanessa sighed. “The sheriff’s on his way. Do you have any idea who might have done this?”

“Not really. Nobody could stand the guy. But I don’t know anyone who’d want to kill him.”

Vanessa felt her face turn hot. “Noah, I have a feeling the sheriff is going to press you pretty hard—since you didn’t like Flynn and his body was discovered out here where you work.”

There was a long moment of dead air.

“I’ve got nothin’ to hide. I’ll just come up there to the house and talk to the sheriff.”

“All right. Let’s stay calm. Maybe we should call Father Vince and have him come out.”

“I know how to tell the truth. You think havin’ a priest sittin’ next to me would make me sound more believable?”

She winced. “I’m sorry, Noah. My mom was a cop, and I grew up around this kind of thing. You’re going to be a person of interest until they prove who murdered the guy.”

“Do we even know it was murder?”

“I’m making that assumption—since he seemed to irritate everyone he came in contact with. What are the odds he just dropped dead in our bayou?” Vanessa wiped her upper lip. “I hate this.”

There was a long pause. “You worried Sheriff Prejean’s gonna look harder at me because I’m black?”

“I didn’t say that. He’s always been a fair man.”

“Look, if I wanted to kill Flynn—which I
didn’t
—why would I do it out here when I’d be the first person they’d suspect?”

“The sheriff is going to say it might’ve been a crime of passion—something you didn’t plan. That maybe you two had an argument, and it just happened.”

Noah exhaled into the receiver. “I’ll be right there. There’s no way the sheriff can hang this on me. I didn’t do anything.”

Vanessa saw a squad car pull up out front. “He’s here.”

“I’m on my way.”

Adele sat in the sunroom with Zoe, listening to her recount details of the awful ending to an otherwise wonderful morning with Vanessa.

“It helps to talk about it,” Zoe said. “It was just so shocking to see Flynn’s body lying in the muck. I told Jude’s deputies what I know, but it’s really not much. I’m sorry. I’m repeating myself.”

“You go ahead and talk, hon. I don’t mind listening.” Adele glanced over at Grace, who had curled up on the love seat and fallen asleep.

“It seems like I should feel
something,
having just seen the body of a murdered man. But I’m numb.”

“I’m not,” Adele said. “I feel quite guilty for having judged Flynn. He made me uncomfortable. Vanessa and I talked about it yesterday, and she encouraged me to tell Murray not to bring him over anymore.”

“Adele, you were probably nicer to him than you think. You’re always nice to everyone.”

Adele wrapped her hands around her Waterford iced-tea glass. “I could have done better—and should have. I suppose if I’d known—”

“Please don’t tell me you’re going to feel guilty because you didn’t want Flynn over here. You were wise to listen to your instincts. He made most people uncomfortable.”

“I should have been kinder when he was here at the house. But I avoided him.” Adele pursed her lips. “Who do you suppose wanted him dead? Goodness gracious, there’s entirely too much killing going on in this town.”

“I doubt this is related to the bathtub killings either,” Zoe said. “Jude is going to have his hands full with two separate investigations.”

“I wonder how Murray’s taking it.”

Zoe shrugged. “Hard to say. Flynn was the least popular guy at Haven House, but this has to affect the others on some level. Father Vince, too. I feel sorry that Noah’s in the middle. Just because he butted heads with Flynn doesn’t make him capable of murdering him.”

Adele traced the rim of her glass. “From what I understand, almost everyone butted heads with Flynn.”

Isabel stood in the doorway with a pitcher of raspberry tea. “Yes, but his body was found on the property where Noah works. You have to admit it looks bad.” She came to the table and refilled their glasses.

“Looks can be deceiving,” Adele said. “Noah Washington is a fine man. I don’t believe he had anything to do with Flynn’s death.”

“Neither do I,” Zoe said.

“Saying it won’t make it so.” Isabel set the pitcher on the table. “He’ll have to account for his whereabouts at the time the murder happened.”

“What about Vanessa and Ethan?” Adele said. “Won’t they have to do the same? Surely his being black won’t be a factor.”

“I doubt this is racial,” Zoe said. “They questioned Vanessa pretty hard. And I’m sure they will do the same to Ethan.”

“But they’re not the ones who had issues with Flynn,” Isabel said. “Noah is.”

Adele bit her lip and glanced up at Isabel. “You’ve never been comfortable with my dealings with any of the men from Haven House.”

“No, I haven’t. I know you just want to give them a break. But it’s risky, and I wish you wouldn’t do it.”

“Nonsense.” Adele waved her hand. “Flynn gave me pause. But Noah and Murray are gentlemen and have been nothing but polite and efficient.”

“You’re not responsible for them,” Isabel said.

“No, but I
am
responsible for how I respond to them.” Adele looked out at the flower beds that Noah had so carefully tended. “If the Lord has opened this door, I don’t need to shy away from it.”

Sheriff Jude Prejean walked out on the back deck at Langley Manor after being briefed on the facts in the Gillis murder case by Deputies Stone Castille and Mike Doucet.

He spotted Noah sitting in a rocking chair, facing the cane fields, and walked up behind him. He coughed to avoid startling him.

Noah stood and turned around. “Sheriff, I’ve already told the deputies everything I know.”

“Mind if we sit for minute?” Jude went over and sat in the rocker next to Noah. “First time I’ve been here since the deck was added. Pretty amazing view from back here.”

“Yes, sir. I cleared out a few trees and opened it up. Now you can see a country mile.”

“You’ve done an amazing job of landscaping.”

“Thanks. But I had nothin’ to do with those cane fields. They sure do make a nice backdrop though.”

Jude looked out beyond the live oaks to a sea of tall green stalks bathed in sunlight and undulating in the breeze. He enjoyed the postcard picture for a few moments before continuing.

“My deputies tell me you have no idea how Flynn Gillis’s body ended up in the bayou.”

“That’s right.”

“The coroner places the time of death between eleven last night and one this morning.” Jude turned to Noah. “Flynn didn’t drown. He was strangled.”

Noah’s hands turned to fists.

“It takes a lot of pressure to break someone’s hyoid bone, Noah. You have strong hands.”

“A lot o’ men have strong hands. And I imagine plenty o’ them disliked Flynn as much as I did.”

“My deputies just finished talking with the other residents at Haven House. They all agreed that Flynn was a real pain.”

“That’s right.”

“In fact, Murray mentioned something that happened the other night. He said that Flynn smarted off to him, and right afterwards he overheard you tell Flynn to watch his back—that he couldn’t keep ticking people off and expect them to roll over. Is that true?”

Noah wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Yes, but I was just mad that Flynn was hasslin’ Murray, that’s all.”

“I see. Do you remember Flynn telling you to get your ‘stinking hands’ off him?”

“Somethin’ like that,” Noah said. “I didn’t hurt him. I was up in his face, makin’ my point.”

“And when Flynn told you he was here to stay and that you’d better get used to it, did you say, ‘We’ll see about that’?”

“Yes, but I didn’t plan to do anything ’bout it myself. I figured Father Vince’d get sick of his game playin’ and throw him out.”

Jude pursed his lips and linked his fingers together. “Murray also mentioned that the two of you talked about Flynn at breakfast this morning.”

Noah nodded. “He stayed out all night with Father Vince’s car. I figured it was just one more way he was thumbin’ his nose at authority.”

“Did you tell Murray that maybe y’all would get lucky and Flynn wouldn’t come back?”

“Yes, sir. I meant it too. There’s not a guy at Haven House who didn’t feel the same way.”

“But Flynn was found out here—where
you
work. Where you have easy access.”

“With all due respect, Sheriff, it’s easy to get in and out o’ here. It’s a bed-and-breakfast. People come and go all the time.”

Jude stopped rocking and leaned forward, his hands clasped between his knees. “From what I understand, Flynn Gillis was about as obnoxious as they get. It’s easy to see how this could happen.”

“I didn’t kill him.”

“When’s the last time you saw him?”

“Last night. I was in the lounge watchin’ the ten o’clock news. He borrowed Father Vince’s car to go to the convenience store. I went to bed when the news was over. That’s it. Never saw him again.”

“Anybody see you go to bed?”

“I doubt it. Murray was already asleep.”

“You’re sure about that?”

Noah nodded. “I saw him in his bunk.”

“Well, the thing is, he didn’t see you in yours. And neither did the other guys.”

Noah turned, a row of lines on his forehead. “I was there, Sheriff. What do you want me to say? I only have two roommates. One was asleep, and the other was at the convenience store.”

“Why didn’t any of the
other
guys see you go to bed?”

“They’re in different dorm rooms. Why would they notice when I went to bed?”

“You’d think with thirteen other residents and a priest, someone would’ve seen you go to bed—or to the bathroom. They didn’t.”

Noah closed his eyes and slowly shook his head, his lips curled with disgust. “And, o’ course, why suspect any of
them
when you can go after the black man?”