Chapter 9: Couldn't this have been avoided?

Summary:

New house! (Though still not very furnished) and an unexpected and long-awaited reunion with her childhood friend considering all that Camille has to tell her. All of that added up should have been the perfect happiness for Camille, but everything goes horribly, unexpectedly and tragically.

Chapter Text

It's been over a week now since Richard and Camille's new shack has been finished. The house now needs what it used to have too much of due to lack of space: furniture. But that's good news!

The two of them are now collapsed on an old sofa that Camille had in the flat above her mother's bar. (Camille had already inherited it from her mother, and Catherine, in turn, had inherited it from a relative of Camille's father ...). Another reason to get rid of it.

Camille Bordey wants everything to reflect the new life she and Richard will now share.

They are sitting in what used to be their bedroom. The tree of discord has managed to survive the renovation. Richard's bed and wardrobe have moved into the largest bedroom in the house. A bedroom with a large terrace with French doors that allow for spectacular sea views.

Of course they have their own ensuite bathroom. Camille contributes a small dressing table and some auxiliary furniture where she will place her books and some other personal objects throughout the rooms. She adores their bedroom. Their luxury bedroom with air conditioning.

In the tree room Richard will install his small library and a shared office for both of them. He and Camille think that the magic that surrounds this room, due to its connections with the Loa, is also conducive to its professional use. It will help them to carry out their work - mission in Saint Marie.

Any sand that might come in from outside, they are not too worried about, it will sift through the cracks in the wooden floorboards.

Richard is silent, taking more than one long look at his girlfriend. He considers that two of his plans has already been fulfilled. He has his home, and how he likes it, with the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with and... whatever else comes along.

For days he has been planning how to move on to the third phase of his meticulous plan. Some things will never change. But the problem is that Camille, who has been dressing up to go out with a childhood friend she hasn't seen for a long time, looks more beautiful than ever.

She has tied her hair back a little above her neck to show off a pair of crystal earrings with a certain sparkle that, to him, look like diamonds. Not to mention that blue dress with a strapless neckline that...

Richard doesn't feel able to think clearly, let alone let her leave the house to see her friend. ...

He, trying to break the silence, asks her:

"And are you going to be long in coming back?"

Camille turns her head to look at him mischievously and replies:

"Do you have any idea how long it's been since she and I have seen each other? Notice that you and I still didn't even know each other in our dreams..." she jokes.

He strokes her bare arm with apparent reluctance and asks:

"What does she know about me, about us, can we trust her?"

She smiles rather sadly and, not wanting to break physical contact with him, strokes his cheek and replies:

"She knows the official version, Richard. I was working alongside my boss, who was a stuffy, suit-wearing tyrant until I discovered what was underneath the suit... The rest, as they say, is history. I even told her that "official" story a few days ago, when she suddenly called me to tell me that she was coming to the saddens me because she and I always told each other everything. I haven't even shown her a picture of you. Tomorrow you can meet her, mon coeur."

"Really?" he asks. "If there's nothing else to do..."

Now they are sitting even closer to each other, they could almost, almost be reading each other's minds as they can do when they are "dreaming". Richard's arms have now completely encircled her and Camille, not understanding how she hasn't realized how this could have happened, reluctantly breaks away from him and laughingly admonishes him:

"Richard, I have to go! We'll claim every room in the house as we planned, I promise, just not tonight. Now let me go..."

"But if I keep you..." he jokes.

"No, you won't. If you touch me, I won't be able to get away from you. Goodbye!"

When she is at the door, she asks him somewhat guiltily:

"Where are you going to be tonight?"

He, still laughing happily, answers her:

"I'll be in La Kaz with Catherine and my mother. My father has met up with one of his friends again. And I'll be keeping an eye on Fidel and Dwayne, in case any cases come up and in case they find out about the rum smuggling, you know, the Commissioner's a bit upset. But don't worry, we won't bother you tonight."

And he thinks it will be the perfect occasion to talk to his mother about that something that's bothering him so much.

Camille runs up to him, gives him a quick kiss and runs off before Richard manages to catch her again.

"Don't work too hard!" she warns him.

And there, in La Kaz, is where, an hour later, DI is to be found with his mother sipping one of her beloved teas, while Catherine takes care of the customers. Although she does pop in more than once to talk to her now great friend Alice. Who knew! The stiff Inspector has a lovely mother and father.

Catherine smiles, what would she do if she didn't think of Richard that way more than once?

Catherine is curious; Alice and her son are engaged in a conversation that seems very interesting. Especially as he seems very interested in talking to his mother about something Catherine hasn't managed to catch on the fly every time she's absentmindedly walked past their table.

Just when she thinks she's finally going to find out, Richard's phone rings. He answers swiftly, ever the professional, and she sees his face change. Something very serious has happened. And she fears that something bad has happened to Camille. Otherwise she wouldn't be able to explain the fear in Richard's eyes.

When he hangs up the phone, he speaks to Alice and they both stand up from the small table. Catherine waits no longer, walks over to them and asks them what she fears most.

"Has something happened to Camille, Richard?"

"Yes and no, Catherine. Her friend... Aimée, the one she was meeting tonight, died suddenly. She was performing on the boat and no one knows what happened. Camille is very upset. My mother is going to accompany me to the scene. She has worked as a psychologist in this kind of situation and could be of help to me. I'll call Fidel and Dwayne before I go to the station so they can be prepared. I'll call you with any news. Bye!"

Catherine watches them leave as she remembers the friendship Aimée and her daughter had as children. Camille must be devastated.

And everything seemed to be going so smoothly lately!

When the three officers and Alice arrive at the ship where the inexplicable tragedy has occurred, Richard finds a Camille who has been able, despite her deep shock and grief, to take charge of the scene of her friends death.

She is so affected that she only seems capable of professional actions. Perhaps she knows that if she were to let her feelings out she would collapse and so now she acts only as a police officer and not a grieving friend. It is the only thing she can do now for Aimée.

Alice takes her son aside and explains quietly, with a professional confidence she has rarely shown her son.

"Richard, you have to let her do her job. I don't think she'd forgive you if you forced her to leave the scene right now. She might break down."

"Mum, she's not even on duty! She shouldn't have to feel bad. Can't you see she's in pain?"

Alice puts a hand on his arm.

"Richard, she doesn't want to be separated from Aimée. If you don't want to cause an emotional scene, do as I say."

Richard takes a breath and approaches Camille as if he were approaching a bomb about to explode. How can he be asked to not even be able to hug his wife, because he already considers her so, to comfort her?

So all he can do is hold her hands and look into her eyes. She manages to calm down a little. That should be enough for the moment. And, of course, he's going to have to control her from afar, because she's not at her best.

He will not allow her career to suffer under any circumstances. If necessary, he will stop her if he sees that any of her police decisions are wrong or hasty. He is, after all, in charge of the Saint Marie police station.

It will be another story when the two of them are alone in their house.

And the investigation continues, thanks also to the invaluable work of Fidel and Dwayne, who also display a professionalism that makes Richard proud. They don't try to control Camille at any point either.

All the while Alice is busy reassuring the witnesses.

When everything is tied up, Fidel, together with Dwayne, take Alice to Arthur, whom they had phoned to tell him what has happened, and Richard and Camille to the shack.

Catherine is now up to speed thanks to Alice. Richard is taking care of Camille who asks him in desperation when they are alone:

"Couldn't this have been avoided? I know some facts have changed, the Loa told us! But why this? Why? You'll never meet Aimee now, Richard. I kept my happiness a secret from her!"

Richard manages to get close to her to hug and comfort her as best he can, trying to reassure her.

"Now is not the time for regrets, my love. I'm so sorry, I really am. You don't know how much."

What Camille doesn't know is that he has slipped a little tranquilizer into her drink. She needs to rest while he needs to start to get his head around the case. Even so, he keeps her always in his sight.

So Richard makes sure she's OK while he works. And so he gets to be the first to arrive at the station to try to solve as quickly as possible this tragic circumstance that almost tore Camille apart.

Catherine will replace him in Camille's care when he is not with her.

That night the Loa's manage to give Camille a good night's rest so that she can begin to recover. The lizard and Erzulie bring about a special peace that makes Camille forget for a few hours the tragedy she has suffered.