Chapter Twenty-nine

Tully smiled when she recognized two of the newly arrived cars in Alma’s driveway. The vehicles were bug- and mud-splattered, but the fact that they were there at all made her hope their occupants had fared better.

Roxanne’s husband and her teenage son James had been at the office when Tully had called everyone in to prepare for their evacuation. James had talked about the upcoming football season as his mother made backup disks for her and Tully to take with them. Tully wondered now what would happen to the school year. The flooding had damaged much more than the homes and businesses.

The other car belonged to her junior associate Josephine. Jo was single and had headed up to Baltimore to stay with her parents, but in her few telephone conversations with Tully she’d said she was coming back to her newly adopted home. She said she had heard from the nightly news that cases were still pending and clients were waiting to be represented.

“Carrying on the fun without us?” Roxanne asked from the porch.

“Some fun is hard to resist, and then there’s the kind that’s like having your wisdom teeth removed without meds.”

“Which one were you out having?” Jo asked as she appeared next to Roxanne.

“I just had a short visit with Kara Nicolas. She’s in jail in an attractive orange jumpsuit with a Plexiglas window separating us.” Tully rocked on her heels and laughed. “I haven’t had that much fun at work in a long time.”

“If you’d said in a long time, period, I’m thinking of someone who’d have knocked your head back a few pegs.” Roxanne pointed behind her at Libby, who was walking out of the house carrying two glasses. “Congratulations, by the way. Your mother and I had every faith in you to finally get it right. And this time around you got it right.” She put her arm around Libby’s shoulders and kissed her on the cheek.

“Thank you from both of us,” Tully said. She accepted a glass of tea and a kiss from Libby. “I see you all made it okay. How did your homes fare? Have you had a chance to make it back to the city yet?”

“My house in Lakeview got about twelve feet of water,” Jo said. “After I saw it was close to the eaves, I didn’t really need an accurate figure. My neighbor, who I begged to come with me, didn’t make it. I saw one of those painted messages in front of his house.” Jo shivered and rubbed her hands along her arms.

“Our place in Metairie got six feet,” Roxanne added. “They still won’t let us in, but a policeman who lives on our street called everyone and gave them the bad news. James is still upset over losing the baseball cards he’s collected since he was five. Of all the stuff in the house, that’s what’s got him down.”

“I know a little bit about the way he feels,” Jo said. “Some woman in a gas station on my way back here told me I should be happy because I was safe and my family was all right. She said the rest is just stuff.”

“She’s right about the family part, but hell if it isn’t our stuff and we liked it, huh? Losing it all isn’t exactly a picnic,” Roxanne said with a laugh.

“After so many died, I hate to complain about things, but some of the furniture I had belonged to my grandmother. Pottery Barn can’t replace those memories.” Jo exhaled at length. “But enough morbid thoughts.”

“True.” Roxanne patted her on the knee and turned to Tully and Libby. “Jo and I were in touch the whole time we were on the run, as it were, and we also spoke to Pasco a few times.”

“After that we donned our WWTD bracelets,” Jo said.

“WWTD?” Libby asked.

“What would Tully do,” Roxanne supplied, getting a snort out of Tully. “After we got the information Pasco passed on to us, we made a few appointments.”

“Not without a little difficulty, mind you,” Jo said. “We worked on the case file and have a court date Wednesday in Baton Rouge with a Judge Archibald Raymond. With Pasco’s help we were able to serve Neil Davis at Children’s and their attorney, Victor Williams.”

“I hope you both realize that right now we can’t prove that Evangeline died because Kara was taking an illegal substance. We all know she was, but unless we have a witness willing to come forward to testify to that, all we have is speculation,” Tully said as she flipped through what they had filed.

“That’s why we’re going to court Wednesday—not on the Hebert case, but to argue that Dr. Nicolas should be barred from practicing until all this is sorted out. We have enough evidence to back us up on that one.” Jo got up and flipped to the final page of the brief so Tully could see the meat of the document she’d compiled. “The meeting with Neil and Victor tomorrow morning is merely a courtesy on our part, but I think Victor is going to see that our getting that injunction Wednesday is the first step in winning our case.”

“A little speculation never hurt anyone, huh?” Tully asked with a laugh.

“If you were a gambling woman, you’d be putting your money on us not even needing to go to court tomorrow. Victor’s going to talk the board into settling this as quickly as possible.”

“Let’s roll the dice, then,” Tully said. She stood up and put the brief under her arm. “And let’s get back to work.”

“You need to call Neil and tell him to contact someone on Victor’s staff and get me out of here,” Kara said through the glass. “Once you get through, you should try and get some sleep, Jessica—you’re not looking too good.”

“I haven’t slept in days, so I’m sorry I’m not up to par, and dragging Neil into this isn’t the wisest thing to do right now. We need to get an appearance in court and see if we can’t post bail so we can leave for Texas.”

Kara laughed, but her eyes remained cold. “I’ve never been in jail, but on TV part of the deal is you don’t leave the state, baby. These hicks will most likely outfit me with one of those ankle devices, just to stay on Tully’s good side.”

“I’m trying my best to help you, and I think it’s time you start listening to me.”

“Wait.” Kara put her fingers up to the side of her head and closed her eyes as if trying to read Jessica’s mind. “You gave up everything for me, and I’m supposed to just roll over and play your bitch now, right?”

“I did give up plenty to be with you, and if it isn’t enough, then you need to tell me. This is about both of us and what we have to lose.” Jessica tried taking long, deep breaths to keep her temper under control. “You didn’t believe me about Tully and what she’s like when she gets her teeth into something. It’s bad enough when she has to work for the truth, but you’ve been more than accommodating when it comes to just handing yourself over on a platter.”

“I thought you said not to give her that much credit.”

Jessica laughed, starting softly and gathering steam that ended in tears. “When it came to me, not her job. It was the job that made her forget all about me a long time ago, and it didn’t matter enough to me to fight to get her back.”

“So what are you trying to tell me?”

“That it’s not just you that’s going to lose out big on this one. I have a lot on the block too, and Tully is going to exploit every weakness we’ve exposed, and she’s going to start stripping us of everything important. You have your career to worry about, and I have my kids. Tully might have been a lousy spouse, but she’s a brilliant attorney, especially if she’s pissed at something and someone. Up to now we’ve done an excellent job at ratcheting up her anger, so it’s time to stop poking the bear with a sharp stick and go into survival mode if we’re going to get through this.”

“You can’t walk away from me,” Kara said with her hand on the glass. She appeared close to panicked.

“I’m trying to fix this, not leave. If that’s what I wanted, I wouldn’t be here.”

“Do what you have to, but get me out of here and I’ll do whatever you ask.”

Jessica nodded, then got up to talk to the guard. She knew that the only way to get Kara out was to talk to the sheriff—which wouldn’t be easy; he’d known Tully since kindergarten. To her surprise, she was immediately taken to Carl’s office.

“Thanks for seeing me so quickly, Sheriff,” Jessica said, grimacing when she saw the moose head.

“Anytime.” He waved to the chair across from his so she’d take a seat. “What can I do for you?”

“I need you to help get Dr. Nicolas a court appearance for a bail hearing.”

“Between you and me, if she volunteers to take a drug test I can have her in front of Judge Larkin within the hour.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, ma’am, but we had a storm blow through here not that long ago. Things are moving like molasses these days.”

She glared at Carl, literally biting her tongue, as his smile grew wider. “I believe that’s what’s called extortion.”

“Make accusations like that and our meeting is over. Good luck in getting that court date, and please let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.”

When Jessica stood up abruptly, her chair scraped along the tile floor, filling the quiet room with a screech. “I thought you were innocent until proven guilty.”

“And I thought you and the yahoo you came into town with took an oath to first do no harm. Life’s a bitch, ain’t it?”

“You’ll be hearing from our attorney.”

“Looking forward to that. But before you go off hunting for one, make sure you’ll have a room at that place you’re staying. It’s going to be a long search.”

“I’ll leave the hunting up to you, since it seems to be a barbaric hobby of yours.” Jessica gestured at the moose head.

“Freddie here proves a point of mine, so that’s why I keep him hanging around.” Carl stood up and patted the trophy on the snout.

“That you have the ability to kill a defenseless, stupid animal?”

“That I have the ability to bring down what I’m hunting for. A doctor who likes to use recreational drugs might just be good to keep Freddie company, but I wouldn’t want to stink up the place.”

“Fuck you, Carl.”

“You have a nice day now, Jessica, and happy hunting.”

Chapter Thirty

Tully felt Libby grip her hand as they drove through New Orleans on their way to Children’s Hospital. The streets were still mostly empty, with only a few lost souls walking around as if dazed amidst the police and National Guard troops still occupying the city. With so much debris everywhere, it was hard to figure out where to begin.

“Honey, do you think it’s smart to go home once we’re able to?” Libby asked.

“I’m not going to force you to do something you don’t want, but I don’t want to abandon the city. The kids love it here too, and you have a year of school left, whenever they open it up again. Do you really want to walk away from that?” They were driving past Tulane, which appeared to be locked down tight.

“At least I have a job.” Libby turned away from the window as she teased Tully.

“That you do, darlin’, and while it’s not going to be easy, I think it’ll be good for us to start fresh here together. If we’re going to build a life, this seems like a good time to start. From the looks of this place, we’re at least a little ahead of everyone else, since our damage is minor. For now, though, we’ll stay with Mom and Dad and live on the boat if things get tight.”

Jo looked out the window as they drove along, appearing lost in thought. “Do you think Victor’s going to recognize you without the power suit?”

Libby ran her nails along Tully’s jeans and smiled at the question. When they had evacuated, Tully hadn’t packed any work clothes, so casual was the style of the day. “Maybe when they see your ass in these pants, they’ll give you whatever you want. I know I would.”

“Can I quote you on that when I see Roxanne again?” Jo asked Libby.

“No more comments from the cheap seats,” Tully said. “We’re here.”

The same police officer Tully had spoken to when she’d gone in on the day of the evacuation was again on duty when she stepped into the lobby. With no patients and only a few staff people trying to clean up the storm damage, the hospital was quiet and calm.

“If you’re Tully Badeaux, that short guy said he was waiting for you in the executive boardroom. Said you’d know where he was talking about.”

“Thanks, Officer, and it’s nice to see you’re all right.”

Neil’s appearance stopped her from saying anything for a long while. The man actually appeared older than the last time she’d seen him, and a bone-deep exhaustion clung to him like lint. Next to him Victor wore chinos and was freshly showered, smiling as if he were waiting for a tee time.

“We appreciate you stopping by today, Tully. It saved us from having to call you in for another talk. After all the excitement we’ve all lived through, it’s time to start fresh, without this old business hanging over our heads.” Victor stood up and offered her his hand.

“Considering what you all are facing,” Tully responded, “I appreciate you making the time.”

After shaking hands they sat down and exchanged pleasantries on how they had made out in the storm. Throughout the entire meeting, Neil just stared at her, letting Victor do the talking.

“Like I was saying, Tully, we want to put this to rest and concentrate on getting the hospital back up and running,” Victor said as he retrieved a file from the folder in front of him. “We’re prepared to make another offer based on what you presented to us before the storm. Since Dr. Nicolas is no longer here, we can’t enforce the apology the Heberts wanted, but we’ll try our best to get in touch with her and have her comply.”

It was too easy. Victor never gave in that easily to anything, especially admitting some culpability on the part of one of their doctors. Tully thought about what she’d told Jo and Roxanne the day before. They couldn’t prove Kara’s sobriety the day of the surgery, which was a fact. But sometimes fate gave you the chance to gamble, not because you got a glimpse of the other guy’s cards, but because you could see the beginning of the moisture on his brow. Victor was holding shit for a hand, but he thought he was doing a good job of bluffing.

“I figured with all the excitement around here you haven’t had a chance to put this case on the fast track you threatened me with at our last meeting, so we went ahead and arranged that. I believe you were served with those papers yesterday.”

“If you accept the offer that won’t be necessary,” Neil said, speaking for the first time.

“I’ll even give you a break and waive a jury trial and let the judge decide the outcome.” Tully kept talking over him. “We’re ready to go tomorrow.”

“The papers your people filed were for injunctions against Nicolas, and she’s no longer here, so what does that have to do with the hospital?” Neil asked.

“If you need to find Dr. Nicolas, who’s still in your employ, by the way, since I haven’t seen any evidence to indicate otherwise, she’s sitting in central lockup in Montegut, Louisiana. She was stopped for driving under the influence of some undetermined substance.” Tully took the videotape out of her briefcase and laid it on the table. “This is the tape of that traffic stop and consequent arrest. Before the storm she was documented buying illegal drugs from a known dealer in New Orleans east.” She laid down the pictures Pasco’s team had taken, thumping them on the table in one big wad. “And we have a few more photos and video of her taking those drugs on the campus of this very hospital before the storm.”

“What does this have to do with the Hebert case?” Victor asked.

“On second thought, we’ll wait and have that jury trial,” Tully said as she fanned the photos out. “What does this have to do with the Hebert case? It shows a pattern of behavior, a pattern that was like pointing a loaded gun at an innocent little girl and firing without thought or conscience. Because that’s what a doctor operating under the influence is, a loaded gun. I’ll paint the jury a map that might need to get from point A to point B via points LMNOPQ, but I’ll get them there.” It was as big a bluff as the one Victor had tried, but Tully had a much better poker face.

“You still have to prove that she was high the day of that surgery.” Neil slammed his hand down on the table. “And I really don’t see that happening.”

“Like I said, I need to prove a pattern of behavior, first off.” She raised her index finger. “Then I put the dealer on the stand to see just how long Dr. Nicolas has been a loyal customer,” another finger went up, “and I finish with a witness from the hospital.”

“Who’d you talk to?” Neil demanded.

“And ruin the surprise for you? Where’s your sense of adventure, shorty?”

“You bitch,” Neil said with a sneer. He stopped when Victor put his hand on his forearm and squeezed hard.

“What do you want?” Victor asked.

“Three and a half million for pain and suffering, and Dr. Nicolas doesn’t step foot in an operating room in this hospital again, not even to clean the floors, until we decide on a length of time she can prove sobriety. That means you help me enforce that restriction, even if she decides to seek work somewhere else, no matter the state.”

The room was silent, as if everyone was waiting to see where the dice would land. “Done,” Victor said finally. “You’ll have the papers in the morning.”

“I’ll have the papers now, thank you. The aftermath of the storm will make it difficult to get all the signatures you need, but it’s not impossible. We’ll wait, but if you want the deal and for Josephine here to call off tomorrow’s court appearance, then you’ll get it done.”

“Fine, give me an hour and I’ll have it ready for your signature.”

“That gives me plenty of time to call the Heberts so they can sign as well.” Tully saw Josephine already on the land line, but from the way she was hitting the disconnect button, there was still no dial tone. The deal was really more than they wanted, way more, but she thought the turn of events wouldn’t exactly upset the Heberts.

Tully didn’t know if Victor or Neil knew of Kara’s past, but she had been willing to gamble and guess they did. Having knowledge of such reprehensible behavior made them as responsible for what had happened to Evangeline as Kara. Tully wanted to believe that they didn’t, but they weren’t willing to let Tully weave a tale of such neglect in front of a jury.

“Kara might have problems, but she would’ve made a fine surgeon,” Neil said. The angrier he’d gotten, the deeper the crease in his brow had become. “She’ll never live up to that potential now because of you.”

“It doesn’t sound like you believe she can keep clean. If Kara Nicolas had aspired to be a rock star, then I still wouldn’t have understood her addiction, but murdering a few notes in a song is different from what she did. In this line of work so many things can go wrong, without any outside factors like drugs coming into play.”

“I know all that, so don’t preach to me, Tully.”

“I’m not preaching. I merely mentioned it because you have no idea how many clients I turn away when I think a surgeon did his best and something just went wrong because of the patient’s health or unexpected bleeding.” She accepted the papers Victor’s assistant handed her and placed them on the table in front of her. “You never mention all those cases where I explain to a grieving family that no matter how much pain they’re in, the doctor and the hospital aren’t to blame. It’s just fate.”

“That’s because for all the ones you turn down, some other vulture’s ready to take your place. You lawyers will ruin health care.”

“When it comes to people like Kara, that’s not such a bad thing, is it? I’m sure if one of your kids had been on that table, your thoughts on the subject would be different.”

Ignoring Neil, Tully started reading, not wanting to waste her time trying to convince him of something he would never admit—at least not publicly until, as he said, a vulture like her came along and convinced him it was in his best interest to give a little instead of lose everything he held dear. Three and a half million sounded like a fortune to most, but she was willing to bet four times that amount that the Heberts would trade it for just one more week with their daughter.

“How do you plead?”

Kara blinked a few times, trying to curb the craving for a fix. She was standing in front of an elderly judge.

“Shouldn’t I have a lawyer?”

“You can have a clown on a tricycle if you want, ma’am, but there’s a line of people waiting to see me. If you’d like bail, then go ahead and enter a plea.” He looked up at her over his glasses.

“Not guilty,” Kara said.

“No record, from what I can see,” his attention went back to the papers, “so I’m going to release you on your own recognizance. The district attorney’s office will send you your court date information. Make sure you give accurate information on where we can find you, or we’ll write a warrant to put you back in here so quick it’ll make your tail spin.”

“I can go?”

“As soon as you sign a few things.” The judge signed first, then slid the document toward her. She didn’t read a line before signing, and he shook his head.

It took another twenty minutes, but Kara traded her orange scrubs for her blue ones and walked outside the building, blinking in the brightness of midmorning. After a few failed phone calls to Jessica, she figured cell-phone service was still a victim of the storm. Unfortunately, when Jessica had droned on about where she was staying, Kara had tuned her out. Even if she wanted to start walking, she had no idea which way to go.

The oak tree across the street cast a large patch of shade close to Bayou Terrebonne, so, after being locked up for all those hours, she headed in that direction, planning to sit and wait for Jessica to come for her afternoon visit. The car stopping behind Kara made her turn around and squint to try and make out the driver, but with the glare of the sun on the front windshield, all she could make out was the outline of someone’s head.

“Need a ride?”

Kara kept her hand up to her brow. “Is there a place to stay around here? I’m actually trying to find a friend of mine.”

“There’s a place about four miles from here. We can start there if you want. Hop in.”

The voice sounded familiar, but Kara ignored the warning bell, wanting to get back to the small bag she’d hidden in the trunk of Jessica’s car.

“Thanks, I appreciate not having to sit out there for hours.”

The car made a U-turn and headed south, and when they passed the large house with the bed and breakfast sign and Jessica’s car parked in front, Kara decided to turn and study the driver’s face. The fog finally cleared. For what seemed like an eternity she didn’t recognize it; then an arrow of fear pierced her brain, and she reached for a nonexistent door handle. She was thinking she might able to escape when the car stopped, but the fist connecting with the side of her face sent her world into darkness.

“I can’t believe you got that done so quickly,” Libby said as they walked to the car. “And I can’t believe you found a witness and didn’t tell us about it.”

“Oh, there was no witness.” Tully smiled at her. “I guess there were plenty the day of the surgery, since it’s something that doesn’t happen in a vacuum, but none of them were willing to talk.”

“Should I be worried that you bluff so well?” Libby gave her a pointed look.

“You don’t have to worry about that. I don’t think I could bluff you at all, since you have ways of wheedling things out of me that Neil can only dream about.”

“I’m actually more shocked that he didn’t take you up on your offer to go to trial, even with the witness.”

“Neil knows the golden rule of civil law.”

“Another rule?” Libby asked, slipping her hand into Tully’s.

“Well, it’s my rule anyway.” Tully leaned over and kissed her on the side of the head. “This case would’ve been hard to win even with a real witness and all the evidence we gathered on Kara’s obvious habit, if Kara had been the kind of doctor a jury wants to believe.”

“I don’t follow.”

“Good doctors are cocky but human. Confidence is a desirable personality trait for them because they have to believe in themselves to do what’s necessary to get the job done. They should give you a sense that, despite what’s wrong with you, they have the talent and the know-how to fix the problem. But they also have to make you think that they care a little about you as a person. It doesn’t have to be a warm fuzzy feeling, but you have to walk away believing that they connected with you on some level. Kara hadn’t gotten to that place yet. A jury would’ve convicted her on principle, and he realized that.”

“So what happens to Kara now?”

“I’m sure with what she just cost the hospital, she’ll have a hard time finding another job for a long time, even if she does stay clean. If she decides to go somewhere else, our agreement won’t be binding, but since it isn’t a closed settlement, I’ll be happy to write a nice long letter to whoever decides to employ her. We can’t bring her up on any charges unless I do find a witness to testify she was high, but even then we don’t have any blood work or tests to back that up. Elijah and Simone will get what they wanted, just not in the way they thought they would.”

Chapter Thirty-one

A car drove up before they got to Tully’s SUV, and a young blonde waved to Jo from the driver’s seat.

“I’ll find my way back to your folks’, guys,” Jo said, “but I called a friend who I might be staying with until I decide what I’m doing with my house.”

“Have fun,” Libby told her.

After they left, Tully pressed Libby to her and rested her chin on the top of Libby’s head. “I have an idea, Mrs. Badeaux.”

“I’m getting some of my own, Mrs. Badeaux.” Libby bit her gently on her chest just above her heart. “We have a house with a pine tree in the pool, but the new bed looked really good the last time we were there. Care to go have an official christening?”

“We haven’t been together for years, but you can already read my mind?”

“I could spend the afternoon trying to read your mind, or I could spend it trying to memorize every inch of you. I’m sure there are some spots that I haven’t gotten to yet.”

Tully laughed and kissed the top of her head while letting her hand drop down to Libby’s backside. “The parts you have gotten to know well are incredibly happy, though.”

The drive to the house knocked some of the playfulness out of Libby as they went through some areas that obviously had gotten about five feet of water. On one block the houses had stayed like theirs, high and dry; then in the next she saw small piles of Sheetrock already sitting out front waiting for the trash man. While the extent of the damage was disheartening, the little signs of life gave her hope that the misery would eventually end.

“Can I tell you something?” Libby stopped Tully from getting out of the car.

“You can say anything you want, baby, you know that.”

“I want us to come back here, no matter how hard it is at first. You were right about that. We belong here, and I want to build our family in this house.” They had parked in front, and the place appeared as serene as it would on any other summer day. “I love you, and the one thing I admire about you is that you never back away from a fight.”

“Let’s go get started on that. Besides, I want to show you something.” Tully opened her car door and went around to open Libby’s. Libby hadn’t been on her feet very long when Tully picked her up and carried her up the stairs to the porch. “I’ve gotten such a reputation of being a workaholic that I don’t want you to ever think I’m not romantic, so I thought today would be the perfect day to start proving that to you in spectacular form.”

“Planning on sweeping me off my feet, huh?”

“I’m planning on so much more than that.” Tully stopped at the door, and when Libby bent to turn the knob, Tully took a step back. “I think the elves will get it, baby.”

“Elves?” The door opened and Bailey and Ralph stood there smiling, as if they knew a secret that was bursting to come out. “Elves,” Libby said again.

“Elves who’ll be leaving with their grandmother, but helpful nonetheless,” Tully said, giving her kids a wink.

“Have fun, guys, and we’ll be fine, I’m sure,” Bailey said. She grabbed Ralph by the back of his collar and dragged him out. “Since you’re holding the girl, I guess you don’t have time to recap what happened today, huh?”

“Tomorrow, Bailey Bean, I promise.” Tully kissed both of the kids and nodded in her mom’s direction when she drove up.

“They all know we’re going in there to have sex, don’t they?” As Libby made the comment she felt the heat rise from her chest all the way to her ears.

“In the future we might not make such blatant declarations, but today I think we deserve to have a good time no matter who knows about it.”

“It’s still kind of embarrassing.”

Tully carried Libby through the open door and pushed it closed with her foot. The house was still warm, but a slight breeze came in from the windows the kids had opened since the electricity was still not up and running. Libby didn’t say anything until Tully stopped at the entrance to the master suite. The candles, the bowl of strawberries next to the bed, and the soft music from the battery-operated radio made her heart overflow.

“They’ll most probably tease us mercilessly from now until the end of time, but today they wanted to give us a wedding present,” Tully said. She sat at the edge of the bed, which was covered with fresh new linens, and kissed Libby’s cheek. “It’s their way of showing us how much they love us, and welcoming you into my life.”

“I know sometimes you feel like you could’ve done a better job when it comes to Bailey and Ralph, but they’re great kids.” Libby put her hand on Tully’s cheek and kissed her on the lips. “That shows you did a great job.”

“I didn’t think I’d succeeded in making them proud of me until just now. You made that possible for me.” Tully leaned over and laid her down. “I love you, and I want to show you how much.”

As Tully leaned over her, Libby started on the buttons of the blue shirt Tully had picked to wear with her jeans. The overwhelming urge to feel Tully’s skin pressed up to every naked inch of her took Libby by surprise, but Tully appeared more surprised when, after the second button, Libby just ripped the shirt open, sending a shower of buttons to the wood floor.

“Remind me to order some rugs for this room,” she told Tully. Tully’s deep laugh as she took off her pants made Libby’s nipples harden to the point of pain as they fought the confinement of her bra. Tully sat her up and helped the situation by unhooking the undergarment with one hand.

Any notion of decorating fled Libby’s mind as the rest of their clothes landed on the floor. A groan laced with want escaped her as Tully’s lips latched around her left nipple and sucked it past her teeth and into her warm mouth.

“What else would you like for this room?” Tully asked after she released Libby’s nipple with a soft pop.

“I’d love a few things, but they have nothing to do with decorating.”

Tully had yet to touch her anywhere below her breasts, but as Libby straddled Tully’s legs she could feel her clitoris pulsing in a way that begged to be touched.

“You are so beautiful,” Tully said, her teasing put aside as she stopped and simply gazed at Libby’s face. “I could tell you the exact moment I first saw you.”

“There’s a chance I could sound really sappy, but I can tell you that story too.” Libby ran her fingers along Tully’s jaw, then just under the skin around the bottom of her eyes. “I don’t know how many cups of coffee I served in a morning, but it was enough to make the people I handed those cups to become almost invisible after a while. But when you talked to me over that counter, I fell into your eyes.”

“I felt the same way. You had your hair in a ponytail and looked a little frazzled with the pace, but your smile just set off your face.”

Libby ran her fingers back down until she linked them behind Tully’s neck. “All those days and all those cups of coffee, you were the one thing I always waited for. It’s childish, I know, but you always made me feel that someone thought about me, which made me feel special.”

“You are special, love, and what makes me the luckiest woman alive is that you’re mine.” Libby’s nipples had softened a bit, but at Tully’s declaration they became rock hard again.

“Prove it to me.”

As the words left Libby’s mouth, Tully squeezed her hand between them and in one short thrust had two fingers buried deep inside her. When the palm of her hand brushed against Libby’s clitoris, it instantly sparked the beginning of her orgasm.

With her knees on the bed and her hands behind Tully’s neck, Libby thrust her hips forward and groaned. She tried to pay attention to Tully’s words, but she could concentrate only on Tully’s fingers sliding in and out and how good Tully’s skin felt pressed against her. The last thing she wanted was for the sensations to end, but she couldn’t help speeding up her hips and claiming the touch that was hers. She pulled Tully’s hair as she reached the pinnacle, coming down on Tully’s hand and enjoying the way her clitoris pulsed against Tully as the spasms died down.

“This feels so good that I may demand that the honeymoon not end,” Libby said, feeling as limp as overcooked pasta.

“That sounds like a hardship.” Tully stopped laughing only when Libby pinched her nipple and tugged.

“Don’t make me get rough with you, Badeaux.”

“You might want to remember where I have my hand before you go making threats, beautiful.” For emphasis Tully pushed her fingers in far enough to make Libby gasp.

“If that’s your form of punishment, I might take up threatening you as a hobby.” Libby smiled innocently at her, then put her index finger on Tully’s forehead and pushed her to lie flat on the bed. “Swing your legs onto the bed for me, baby.”

Tully did as she was told. “Comfortable up there?”

“If you bent your knees up for me and put your feet flat on the bed,” Libby leaned back as soon as Tully did it, “I’d be more comfortable.”

The new position made Tully’s fingers go in as far as they could. “I love feeling you inside me,” Libby said, pushing her hips back enough so just the tips stayed inside. “I love it because I know it turns you on as much as it does me.”

With that Libby leaned back enough so her fingers landed between Tully’s legs. “So…so wet,” she said. She was having trouble staying focused as Tully brought her thumb forward, so when Tully moved her fingers back in, Libby felt a delicious stimulation.

Before the sensual haze set in, Libby started stroking Tully slowly but firmly. Her fingers moved easily through Tully’s wetness, and as soft as the path was, it was difficult to miss her hard clitoris.

The thought of bringing Tully the same pleasure she’d just received made the walls of Libby’s sex clutch at Tully’s fingers. Despite her inexperience she tried to hang on so she could watch Tully let go for her.

She whispered, “I love you,” and the words brought Tully to the same peak she was rapidly climbing again. She claimed it readily with one last grunt as Libby joined her. After that they lay together just sharing soft touches and kisses until they fell asleep, making love again when they woke up.

“You know the only problem I didn’t plan for,” Tully said as she tried to get her breathing back to normal after her fourth orgasm of the afternoon.

“What?” Libby asked from where she’d landed on Tully’s chest.

“The shower here doesn’t work.”

“If the kids and your mother being here wasn’t enough to make me die of embarrassment, running into them before we get back to the boat might just do it.”

“I’ll run cover for you, honey.” Tully rested her hand in the middle of Libby’s back and laughed. Though it was getting warmer in the house, she had no desire to move, but the later it became, the more realistic she had to be.

The city authorities had instituted a curfew, but some unsavory characters were still running around, so Tully wanted to get them out of harm’s way before the sun went down. If they didn’t leave soon, they’d be stuck for the night.

“Do you think it’ll be a while before we’re able to come back?” Libby asked.

“I’d love to say it won’t be, but this is the Big Easy, and the only thing moving fast around here is the current of the river.” She sat up after Libby rolled off and searched for her underwear. “Why, ready to move in?”

“It’s just been such a long time since I had a place I really considered home that the timing of this storm really sucks.”

“We’ll make a home on the boat for now, and I promise we’ll be in here as soon as we can.”

Libby put her pants on and went to help Tully with her shirt, laughing when they fastened the three remaining buttons. “I hate to whine.”

“Libby, you were stuck in foster care at sixteen and left to fend for yourself at eighteen. You’re entitled to a little whining.”

They walked around locking the place back up, and Tully felt the temperature rise the second the windows were closed. The silence outside was still disconcerting, making it seem as if someone had bled the soul out of the city.

“Let’s get going so we can stop by the Hebert place after we get cleaned up,” Tully said.

“Are you glad to get this one behind you?”

“I’m thrilled not only to finish it, but also with the outcome. It’s done, and while it couldn’t bring Evangeline back, it’s over.”

Despite the warmth of the room Tully watched Libby run her hands up her still-naked arms and shiver. “I hope you’re right.”

Chapter Thirty-two

“When was this?” Jessica asked the deputy who’d signed her in that morning for her visit with Kara.

“Like I said the last three times, the judge released her this afternoon. I don’t know where she went after that.”

“Why didn’t anyone call me?”

“Because Dr. Nicolas isn’t a minor and you aren’t her legal guardian, from what we could tell.” Sheriff Carl stepped up and waved his deputy off. “She walked out of here under her own steam, so what’s the problem?”

“She didn’t have a ride and had no way of getting in touch with me.” Jessica hit her fist against her leg. “You knew she didn’t have anyone else to turn to.”

“She couldn’t have gone far. Just take a ride and find her, but tell her not to forget her court date before she decides to try anything cute.”

The place where Jessica was staying wasn’t far, but she hadn’t seen Kara on the way to the jail. She tried again before doubling back and heading in the opposite direction, then stopped at every open store, café, and hurricane shelter she came across. No one had seen Kara. Everyone was either helping those who had evacuated out of New Orleans or talking about the storm that had changed the landscape in more ways than just flooding.

By seven that night Jessica was frantic and still hadn’t found the first clue that would lead her to Kara. That desperation led her to the last place she wanted to be. Alma and Gaston’s driveway was loaded with cars, but none of them belonged to Tully. She was debating the wisdom of her choice of turning to Tully again when she heard voices coming from behind her.

She recognized Tully’s laugh first, sounding so carefree that Jessica squeezed the steering wheel until her fingers hurt. She ignored the pain and squeezed harder when she saw her walking up the drive holding hands with Libby. After sharing her life with Tully for such a long time Jessica felt strange at the sight of her being so demonstrative with someone else.

Tully’s and Libby’s hair was damp, and they were chuckling as they walked up the drive. All that ended when Jessica opened her car door and stepped out.

“What’s wrong?” Tully asked, sounding concerned, but she didn’t let go of Libby.

“I need to talk to you and I need your help.” Jessica blew out a long breath, trying to control her emotions.

“Let me go in and tell everyone we’re back,” Libby said. She brought her other hand up and sandwiched Tully’s between hers. “It’s okay, sweetheart.”

“If this has to do with Dr. Nicolas—” Tully started.

“Trust me, Tully, if I could deal with this alone I would.” Jessica started crying, and before Tully could move away she stepped forward and just fell into Tully’s chest. “I just don’t…” She stopped to release some shuddering sobs.

“Come on.” Tully turned her around and led her to the porch. Libby walked away from them, going through the open front door toward the back of the house. “Sit down and let me go get you something to drink, and then you can tell me what’s wrong.”

Libby met her in the hallway just off the foyer of the house with a large glass of ice water.

“I’m sorry about this, baby,” Tully said.

“For what? Caring about the mother of your children?” Libby pressed the glass into her hand. “I have no doubts about where I stand in your life, my love, and I also know the path you had to take to get you to this point.”

“Thanks, and could you keep Bailey and Ralph in the house until I see what this is about?”

“Just try to talk her into staying this time, for their sake.”

Tully nodded before going out and handing the glass to Jessica. Her crying had slowed and she just appeared fatigued. “Try to drink some water and tell me what’s wrong,” Tully said softly.

“They let Kara out today.” Jessica didn’t take her eyes off the ice in her glass as she spoke.

“I’d think that should be making you happy.”

“I can’t find her and I think something’s happened to her, but Carl won’t do anything about it.”

The wood under Tully’s rocker creaked when she sat down and set it in motion. Had this been the afternoon she’d found Jessica in bed with this woman, she would have welcomed the news. “What makes you say that? She could just have caught a ride out of town.”

“I know how you feel about this whole situation, but she wouldn’t have done that. Kara wouldn’t have left without me.”

“Okay, then why automatically assume something’s wrong?”

“Tully, no offense to your hometown, but there’s one way in, and the only way out is to turn around and head in the opposite direction. If you’re looking for someone, it’s hard to miss them, even if they’re walking on the opposite side of the bayou.” She lifted her head and looked Tully in the eye. “I’ve been driving up and down the road all afternoon. She’s not here, and since she wouldn’t have left without me, then something’s wrong.”

“What would you like me to do about that?”

Jessica put the glass down and put her hands over Tully’s. “Talk to Carl and have him look. It’s getting dark, and if she’s hurt I want to find her before it’s too late. He knows you and would do it for you if you ask.”

“I’ll talk to him, but I want you to stay put here with the kids after I do. You’re tired. There’s no sense in something happening to you too.” She stood up and waved Jessica into the house. “Actually, I’m going to have to drive over to the sheriff’s office since the phone isn’t working yet.”

Bailey and Ralph came out and faced Jessica. “Grandma set up the room upstairs for you to get some sleep after you take a shower,” Bailey said.

After hearing Bailey’s flat tone, Tully put her hand at the back of Bailey’s neck and kissed her on the forehead. Bailey’s lack of emotion signaled that she had figured out Jessica’s sudden return had nothing to do with her and Ralph.

“Tully, I think I should come with you,” Jessica said, ignoring Bailey’s offer and grabbing Tully’s bicep.

“Mom said she’d do it, so let her,” Ralph told Jessica as he jerked her hand off Tully and pointed her into the house.

Tully could tell that Jessica’s continued indifference had really upset Bailey and Ralph. “Try to get some sleep, and I’ll wake you if there’s any news,” she said as they stood at the foot of the steps inside.

“Thank you, Tully. I know this is the last thing you want to be doing, but I really appreciate it.”

Tully nodded and held her hand out to Libby. “Want to come with me?” she asked when they were outside.

“Sure.” They crossed the street to the Land Rover. “What do you think could’ve happened to her?”

“What was it Chase called her? A crankhead? Well, someone with a habit who’s been in jail for a couple of days would probably make for the nearest dealer to get a fix. We may be in the middle of nowhere, according to Jessica, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t drugs around here. Someone in jail could have told her who to call, and she made for an address after she got out.”

“It’s really depressing to think someone can be so dependent on something that she can’t live without it.” Libby picked up Tully’s hand and kissed her knuckles.

“You mean you’re not addicted to me and can live without me?”

“No, I’m a certified Tully junkie, but you’re not exactly bad for my health, lover.”

They arrived at the sheriff’s office as Carl was walking out the front door, and he stopped at the driver’s side window and smiled. “I might have to start hanging out with you, Tully, if this is the kind of company you keep.”

“You told me I couldn’t flirt with your wife, so the same goes for you.” Tully introduced the two before telling him why they were there. “I’m sure she’s sleeping off her high somewhere, but in case I’m wrong, could you send out a directive to the deputies on patrol to keep an eye out for her? If they find anything, send them over to Mom’s and let us know. I left Jessica over there taking a nap.”

“Sure thing. Can’t be too careful since the woman couldn’t shut up about having everyone’s badge for what she thought was unfair treatment. All I need is for her to fall into the bayou and float on out to the Gulf.”

“Thanks, Carl. If you need me I’m going over to Elijah and Simone’s place to talk over a few things.” They both waved as Carl headed back inside.

“If she got out this morning and something happened to her, she could be in trouble now that it’s dark. Walking out here at night is a dangerous proposition even for the locals, and if she’s not sober it could be suicide,” Tully said as she turned back to the main road.

When they drove up, Elijah was sitting outside mending a net, which he dropped into his lap when Tully got out of the car. She knew Jo had been able to get in touch with them that afternoon, by some miracle, so he already was aware of the settlement. Still, he didn’t look like a man who had just won his case.

“Came by to see if you or Simone had any questions,” Tully said as they reached the porch stairs.

“She’s inside watching television.” He tilted his head that way as his line of sight came to rest on Libby.

“Why don’t I join her?” Libby took the obvious hint.

“Something on your mind, Elijah?” Tully sat close to him and picked up a casting net that was next to be fixed. In their talks she had learned that Elijah mended equipment as a sideline to his fishing. She wasn’t as practiced as he was, but she had the skill to do a good job, and she guessed he would open up if she wasn’t staring him down.

“Are you still my attorney?”

“Unless you want other counsel, I am.”

“So nothing we talk about, you can tell anybody, right?”

Tully worked the needle through the edge of the hole and started to make new webbing. “That’s correct.”

“I was brought up to think your life was like the seasons.” Elijah gripped the wooden block that held the line he used to repair nets and kept his eyes on Tully’s hands as she tied and wove. “You sprout, you grow, you bear fruit, and then you enjoy watching the seeds you sow grow and continue the process.”

“That’s a good way to think about life.”

“I’m not going to have that last part now. My baby, she’s gone, and Simone and me won’t have any more.”

“I was brought up to believe that God works in mysterious ways, my friend, so don’t count yourself out on a family just yet. None of us know what the future holds in store.” Tully double-knotted the last stitch and cut the line before standing up and folding the net to hand back to him. “Why do you think you need an attorney for that story?”

“Because we might not know what the future is, but sometimes our pasts come back to haunt us when we least expect it. If that happens to me, I want to know you’ll help me out. I don’t want Simone left alone. She’s suffered enough.”

“Is there something you want to tell me? Like you said, the conversation would be just between the two of us.”

Tully stepped off the porch and waited for him at the bottom of the stairs, and they walked to Elijah’s boat, moored across the street like her father’s. It was the most private place to have this conversation since Tully didn’t have the use of her office.

“I don’t need to talk with you now, Tully, but the day might come when I do.”

“Did you understand Jo today when she explained that Dr. Nicolas is going to be let go from Children’s Hospital?” She felt like she had cast her line and was looking for a bite. “It’s not the jail sentence you were hoping for, but you took away the one thing she loved.”

“You’re right.” Elijah stepped closer and put his hand on her shoulder. “Kara Nicolas got what she deserved, and her sentence was no less punishing than what my little girl got.” He squeezed her shoulder, but his face showed no expression. Then he just let her go and started walking down the road, staying close to the water.

Tully watched him leave and knew that no matter how much she pushed him, he wasn’t going to say anything else on this subject, and most probably wouldn’t for the rest of his life. Her gut was warning her, though, that there was plenty more to this story and that Jessica’s worries weren’t unfounded. “Her sentence was no less punishing,” she repeated softly. “What in the hell is that supposed to mean?”

A patrol car was driving slowly toward her, and the deputy rolled his window down and stopped. “Evening, Tully.”

“Any luck with Dr. Nicolas?”

“We drove up about twenty miles and came back on both sides of the bayou, but no one’s seen her. Even stopped and talked to most of the old-timers who like to sit outside and watch the world go by. They promised they’d be watching for her, but they hadn’t seen her either.”

“Thanks for stopping. I’ll take a drive myself before I head on back home.” Tully said the words, but she was willing to bet a month’s salary that she wouldn’t find anything either.

At midnight, after an extensive drive through some of the less populated areas of Montegut, she and Libby found Jessica waiting for them in the living room wearing a new T-shirt and jeans. When Tully just shook her head, Jessica didn’t ask anything.

“Get some sleep and we’ll start looking in the morning. I talked to Carl’s night commander, and he said they’ll keep up the patrols tonight. If she’s still in the area they’ll find her.”

“I’ll go back to the bed and breakfast.”

Alma stepped in from the kitchen and took Jessica by the hand. “Nonsense, there’s no reason for you to be alone, so go upstairs. The kids fixed up one of the beds for you. Tully, the kids are waiting for you across the street. Your father’s over there keeping an eye on them until you two got back.”

When they stepped on board the boat, Gaston was sitting in a lawn chair peering out at the water. He kissed them both and headed off to bed.

They carefully stepped around the air mattress they’d put out for Chase on the floor, with Bailey and Ralph sleeping in the bunks.

“Is something wrong?” Libby asked. She’d tried the same question a couple of times while they were riding around in the car, but Tully had just shaken her head and turned down another street. “And please don’t tell me it’s nothing.”

“I just have a bad feeling about this, and I have a clue as to why, but I don’t want to believe I might be right.”

“Right about what, baby?” Libby asked.

“We can’t have this conversation now.” Tully pointed to the kids sleeping around them. “Because when we do, it’s going to be as attorneys talking about our client, not as partners.”

“You don’t have to tell me at all if you don’t want to. I just thought you’d feel better if you talked about whatever’s bothering you.” Libby snuggled closer to her; the air conditioner was set low enough to hang meat.

“When we’re out looking again tomorrow, we’ll discuss it as much as you want.” They shared a long kiss before Libby drifted off to sleep.

Another deputy stopped by in the morning to tell them they still hadn’t had any luck in finding Kara. Tully wasn’t surprised—the real shock would’ve been if they’d found any evidence of Kara at all.

Jessica joined them and Tully gave her the job of trying to get in touch with Kara’s family in Texas while they went out to look again. The phones were still sporadic, but the assignment would keep Jessica busy while they continued their search.

“I don’t think we’ll find Kara Nicolas no matter how hard we try,” Tully told Libby as soon as the car door closed. They were going to drive to some of the more out-of-the-way locations that hadn’t been covered yet because Carl lacked the manpower.

“What makes you so sure?”

“My talk with Elijah yesterday. He didn’t come out and say it, but I think he had something to do with her disappearance.” She told Libby verbatim the words Elijah had used when he talked about punishment and his daughter.

“What are you going to do?”

“There isn’t anything I can do. He was smart enough to make sure I’m still his attorney. I can’t tell Carl about this because of privilege. My hands are tied until Elijah decides to say something or Carl puts together a case.”

“Did you try to talk to him about it?”

Tully took a road with marsh on both sides, and because of the storm, the water was lapping over the edge, which made her take it slow. She was sure, though, that if Elijah had done something to Kara, she was currently somewhere well offshore feeding the crabs and the fish. If that was the case, Kara would never be found, and for as much misery as she’d brought into Tully’s life, Kara wasn’t some rabid dog to be taken out back and disposed of. If that was what he’d done, Tully understood his motivation, but it wouldn’t be easy living with the fact that she hadn’t tried to do something about it. Kara’s parents deserved better.

“This is the part of this career path that’s going to take some getting used to.” Libby placed Tully’s hand in her lap and rubbed her fingers as she scanned the area. “You must get tired of carrying the weight of other people’s secrets.”

“I try to always do right by my clients, but I also steer them to do the right thing. Problem is, darlin’, you can drag them to the pool, but you can’t always make ’em swim.”

“Does it bother you?”

Tully nodded. “I don’t go out of my way to help people break the law and get away with it.”

“That’s not what I meant. I know you better than to believe that about you.”

Seeing a tree that the storm had more than likely put across the road, Tully turned the SUV around. “It bothers me that if Elijah is involved, he would gamble with his future like that, because Simone loses here too. But in his soul he blames Kara for the death of his child. If it was Bailey or Ralph that I’d lost, who knows what my grief would push me to.”

“I guess I spoke too soon when I said this is over. If something happened to her, this is just the beginning. And you know Jessica will find some way to blame you.”

“Jessica’s going to have to accept that karma came back to bite Kara in the ass, and I certainly didn’t have anything to do with her choices.”

Tully turned down another road with a few homes built up at least fifteen feet in the air, keeping them out of harm’s way when it flooded. Everyone they passed waved, but stayed on their porches watching them.

By the end of two days, Tully and Libby had covered the same territory four more times, with still no luck.

When they returned every afternoon they found the kids sitting with Jessica, who would start a fresh bout of crying when Tully shook her head. It was as if the ancient land with its cypress knees and moss hanging from the tree branches had opened up and swallowed any sign that Kara Nicolas had ever existed.

Date: 2016-01-03; view: 572