Thad nodded, slowly getting a grip on his laughter. Wiping his eyes with his handkerchief he told Stella, "My mother was part French Creole and let's leave it at that. But you know, Faucheaux isn't that common a name. I haven't heard it in years … at least not around here. When I was a boy there used to be a shipping company along the water run by a family of that name. Is she kin to that bunch?"
"Uh … the way you say it doesn't make them sound like good people."
"Aw, I don't mean it that way … jus' they were … well … could be strange or so I heard. Used to be a lot more of 'em but they started dying out say about two generations back. Last couple I heard of were twin brothers that didn't much care for one another. If you want I'll ask my grandmother if she remembers the rest of it. I can't remember the story but seem to recall it was some type of scandal back in the day."
Stella nodded thoughtfully. "Yes. But … keep it quiet."
"You don't trust the girl? You think maybe she's put a cunja on the young man?"
"A spell?" Stella asked with a laugh. "No. Even if Adam didn't catch such a thing I have a feeling Mac would have put a stop to it as soon as he got wind of it. And I don't distrust her exactly, but I don't like so many strange things going on around her."
"Maybe not her fault Cher, some people just attract trouble whether they want to or not."
With a wry grin Stella said, "You're thinking of your brother."
Thad snorted. "As much as I try not to … yeah. Gabe is one of those that attracts trouble and not even going into the priesthood has stopped it. But enough of my family … I'll ask Mamere. There's nothing she likes better than talking about the old times, unless it is a juicy bit of gossip from back then."
Stella smiled, "I love your grandmother. She's nice and spicy."
"She's fond of you too; keeps askin' for me to bring you 'round to the next fais do do."
Stella grinned and said, "Why I'd love to Thad. Thank you for asking." With that she walked … sashayed really … back into the lab leaving poor Thad to try and figure out what had just happened.
# # # # # # #
Emi was beginning to feel really ill when the car made a wide swing and then finally pulled to a stop. The trunk was nearly suffocating and she'd had nothing to eat or drink for over twenty-four hours. The trunk lid was opened, light temporarily blinding her, as Jimmy pulled her out by her braid.
He snickered at her grunt of pain and said, "Makes a nice handle. Maybe you'll swing from it pretty soon."
Jewel, looking bored told him, "Shut up Maggot. Time for her to meet Mother."
"Aw Jewely …"
"Enough," she said in a dead voice that shut him up right away. It gave Emi a queasy feeling to know the woman could create that much fear even in her crazy siblings.
That's when Jewel turned and simply backhanded Emi hard enough to knock her down and draw blood. "Consider that a warning. Be grateful for it because you won't get another one. I'll kill you and damn Mother's plan and damn Jeannie too. You'll do as I say or else. And what I say is there's no use causing a scene; no one in this neighborhood will care. You could strut naked down the middle of the street and they still wouldn't care. You do what you're told, when you're told, how you're told. Any disobedience will result in consequences not just for you but for everyone you care about. Now get up and walk."
Emi had to fight the desire to do the exact opposite of what was being demanded of her because it was the same carrot and stick routine that Jeannie had used back when they were kids. Do what I say … or else. But Jeannie had been good at following through on the "or else" so she figured Jewel would be as well. The last thing she wanted was to bring more trouble down on Adam. But the feeling did reignite her anger, almost to the point of making her lightheaded.
As they marched Emi to the house she recognized they were in what would be known as a blighted neighborhood. Many of the houses on the block were boarded over, had unkept yards, and trash littered the street. The only thing that looked new were the street signs and with one glance she knew exactly where she was … the lower 9th ward of New Orleans.
# # # # # # #
Willis watched the man as he finally succumbed to fatigue. His hands stilled and his head nodded lower and lower until his whiskered chin rested against his chest, moving in time to his breathing, and his eyes closed and stayed that way. Jorge had arrived for the day shift and went to shake the man awake so he could finally get to his desk but Willis stopped him with a hand on his arm and a shake of her head. Quietly she told him, "Use mine and let him sleep."
"Yours? You never let anyone use yours."
"I just offered didn't I? Accept it while you can. This guy …" She stopped and then shook her head. "Let him sleep. I'll go see if his boss is still in the conference room. And don't turn on that techno/punk crap you normally listen to. I have a feeling that today might be the day that Stella grabs your … er … speakers … and tosses them in the dumpster. This is not the time to be testing your boundaries Jorgey-Boy."
The young man thought about it for a moment then nodded, accepting that she might be right. Willis was weird but she usually knew the best times to duck and cover and if she said to walk lightly then it would definitely be a good idea.
Willis walked quietly out of the lab. She was tired herself but it had to be nothing compared to their guests. Stella had gone home for a few hours of rest but had come back the same time as the rest of the day shift then had to leave almost immediately again. Just because the feds were here on this case didn't mean their normal workload stopped delivering itself to their door. Thad and Josef weren't around either so Willis was left looking for the guy that looked so stiff he ironed his shirts by putting them on. There he was. Now to get up the courage to approach the man with the forbidding frown.
# # # # # # # #
Mac sipped on the scalding hot coffee and grimaced at its bitterness despite the cream that had been poured into it. He wasn't fond of cream in his coffee, normally he took it black with two sugars, but apparently this was the native drink so he'd suffer through. Chicory. Mac resisted the urge to shiver. Adam had been swilling the stuff all night but this was the first cup that he had tasted. Good Lord … even the precinct coffee didn't bite back this much. Stella had called it an acquired taste. Mac prayed they weren't here long enough for him to acquire it.
He looked up to see that pale woman … Willis was her name … hovering and trying not to be seen. Stella was right, she was a bit like Adam used to be when he first came to the lab.
"Miss Sparks? Willis isn't it? Did you need something?"
Mac saw her sigh and then square her shoulders like she was about to face an ogre. Not very complimentary to him but he accepted that that was how people often viewed him.
"Uh … your man … Ross … I think he's finally crashed and burned. But … I'm afraid to move him or anything 'cause it might wake him up and we'll just have a big fuss budget on our hands. God he reminds me of my brothers. Pig headed that's what. There's a half way decent cot in the supply room but he wouldn't stop and go take a lie down like a normal man would."
Mac nodded then asked, "Is he in the way?"
"Er … not at the moment."
"Then unless he's in danger of falling out of the chair can I ask you to leave him be for a while longer?"
"Oh … yeah … sure. What I usually do to my brothers. I just figured maybe you'd want to know."
"I do and thank you."
A fiery blush stole across the young woman's pale face and she made a hasty retreat leaving Mac to shake his head.