Between Dusk and Dawn Read Online Free Page A

but believe me I’ve faced that kind of treatment all
my life, and so did Monmon Odette. One crazy pastor spreading
gossip won’t hurt her.”
    “ But Joyelle’s name is
being dragged through the mud,” Miss Clo said with heat. “Joyelle’s
husband has been hearing whispers from his co-workers. One of the
supervisors at that plant is a deacon at that church. She’s worried
he’ll lose his job because of her.”
    “ The big oil refinery the
Trosclairs own?” LaShaun thought of the rich, powerful local family
she’d crossed swords with more than once.
    “ That’s the
one.”
    “ He should sue their pants
off if they fire him over something that crazy. But I still don’t
know what you want me to do, Miss Clo. In fact, your friend doesn’t
even want me involved.” LaShaun shook her head.
    Miss Clo sighed. “So you won’t at
least talk to the boy’s mama, or Patsy? I told them you would try
to help.”
    “ You did what?” LaShaun
squinted at her.
    “ I guess you too busy
managing all that land and money, and thinking about your own
affairs. Sorry to interrupt your mornin’.”
    Miss Clo rose and hooked her purse
over an elbow. She started to leave, then came back to the table
and wrapped two of the fluffy homemade biscuits in a napkin. With a
curt nod, she headed down the hallway toward the front
door.
    On nothing but the strength of M.J.’s
word, Miss Clo had ignored the advice of several of her neighbors
to steer clear of Rousselles, and expecially LaShaun. She’d visited
LaShaun in the days after Monmon Odette’s death to bring comfort in
the form of home cooking and kind words. She hadn’t pushed her
friendship on LaShaun. She seemed to sense that LaShaun was used to
being alone. Still LaShaun knew she had an older woman to turn to,
a grandmother figure, if she felt the need for one.
    “ I’m sure the talk will die
down,” LaShaun said as she followed behind her friend and tried not
to feel badly about dismissing her concerns.
    “ Maybe so,” Miss Clo tossed
back over her shoulder. Once she got to the screen door leading to
the long front porch she turned to face LaShaun. “I hope you have a
good day, darlin’.”
    “ Miss Clo--”
    The proud mother of seven and
grandmother of twenty raised a hand like a school crossing guard
stopping traffic. “No need to beat a dead horse. You’re right.
These two poor things suffering from Lord knows what ain’t your
problem.”
    “ It’s not that I don’t
care, but...” LaShaun looked at a stoic and determined face. “I’ll
talk to one of them. If I say there’s nothing odd or strange that
should be the end of it.”
    “ Of course. Joyelle and I
will be here at two o’clock on Thursday. She said afternoon would
be fine.” Miss Clo started went down the steps then stopped and
turned around. “I mean, if that’s a good time for you.”
    “ Thursday at two o’clock is
fine. Should I bake cookies, too?” LaShaun quipped. Her sarcasm
missed the target.
    Miss Clo waved a hand in the air and
continued on to her little Chevy Traverse. “No, cher. I’ll bring
some of my chocolate chip and walnut oatmeal cookies. You just make
the coffee. Bye, now.”
    “ Yeah, no problem. Make the
coffee, eat a cookie, and get drawn into somebody else’s drama.
Happy to oblige,” LaShaun grumbled, but waved at the departing
force of nature with a smile. Then she burst into laughter at the
smooth way she’d been played.
    *****
     
    The next morning LaShaun went into
town to pick up a few groceries, and maybe a little gossip about
Patsy Boutin. Thankfully there were a lot of new residents in Beau
Chene, people who didn’t seem to listen to local gossip. Or maybe
they were more open-minded. Whatever the reason, LaShaun got an
equal number of friendly smiles mixed in with the wary looks from
residents born and raised in Beau Chene. Still, she had only two
people she could turn to for insider news. Attorney Savannah St.
Julien Honoré was one of them. Since