Calling the Dead, page 13
Brandi put her arms around Sept’s neck and kissed her cheek. “I’ll do it myself, don’t worry, and when you’re done with Tameka, call me. She’s my responsibility and I want to do right by her.”
“I’ll let Gavin know. Sorry I bothered you so late. I’ll let myself out.”
“So you know, Tameka and Erica became good friends in the short while she’s been here. She’s out tonight, but if I call you after I tell her, I expect you to do right by her.”
Sept kissed her cheek in return before she stood up. “You’ve got my number, but if she’s around tomorrow I’ll talk to her then, no matter what.”
“It’s that heart that makes you one of the good ones,” Brandi said, and this time kissed her on the lips.
Chapter Sixteen
Sept closed the red door gently behind her and leaned against it. She was tired and damp from the rain, yet she doubted she’d sleep if she went home. Pope’s Pub was still open, though, and if she couldn’t fall asleep the old-fashioned way, she’d chase it down in a glass full of vodka.
Her phone rang as she closed her car door, and the melancholy disappeared when she saw Keegan’s name on the display. “I thought you offered me a ride home?” Keegan asked, without preamble.
“I thought you’d be asleep by now.” Sept knew if Keegan was still at the restaurant, she was purposely waiting for her.
“I’m at home and I’m in my pajamas, but I’m too aggravated to sleep.”
“Why, did you burn something tonight?” Sept sat in front of Brandi’s and watched the few stragglers on Bourbon Street.
“I haven’t burned anything since the fourth grade.”
“Does this aggravation have something to do with me, then?”
“I was expecting a call from you, at least, and since you answered right away it means you weren’t busy, so maybe it has a little to do with you.”
Sept laughed and tried to remember when a woman who wasn’t her mother had actually scolded her on the phone. “Would you believe I just finished for the night?”
“Where are you?”
The answer of the Red Door, Sept guessed, would get her a quick disconnect, but her father had told her the only way to make any relationship work was to be honest. No matter how incriminating the answer, it proved you weren’t doing anything wrong. The ending to that lecture was that Savoies had patrolled the streets of New Orleans too long for one of his kids to screw up that legacy by actually doing anything wrong, so honesty won out.
“I’m right outside the Red Door.” Keegan didn’t hang up on her, but there was a long stretch of her breathing on the other end. When Sept’s mother did that, she was usually trying to find less harsh words than “You’re an idiot.”
“Keegan?”
“Is there somewhere else in town called the Red Door that isn’t the Red Door I’m thinking about?”
“Maybe, but I’m sitting outside the one you’re probably thinking about. If you’re interested, I do have a good reason for being here.”
“It’s your birthday and they sent you a coupon?”
Sept laughed again, even though it wasn’t a great idea. “I left today to investigate a homicide. The girl who was killed lived here, so I came by to tell the owner what happened. Now if the Times Picayune calls you tomorrow to ask what you know, I’d appreciate if you didn’t repeat what I just said.”
“Sorry, but I didn’t expect your day to end in Brandi Parrish’s parlor.”
“It surprises me that you actually know Brandi Parrish, but we’ll get to that later. Would it make you feel better if I told you that my day almost never ends like that?”
The question made Keegan laugh. “It’s that almost that makes me worry.”
“True, but I could’ve just omitted the address and told you it was the end of a long day.” Sept started the engine and headed toward Pope’s. “My job and yours are the same in that we can’t pick who we serve. If they show up, we can’t take a pass when we don’t like what they do for a living.”
“Is this my trip to the woodshed?”
“It depends on if you think you need a good spanking,” Sept said. “I was planning to call you, but most people are asleep by now, so I thought I’d be civilized and wait until morning.”
“If my family heard you right now, they’d bring you up on harassment charges for threatening a spanking.”
“Your family, huh?” Sept reached the intersection that would lead her to Pope’s, but she hesitated. “I’m not interested in what they’d do, but your opinion is important. And I didn’t threaten you with anything.”
“I finally found someone who isn’t in awe or terrified of Della? This is as good as a perfect soufflé.”
Sept laughed and made her decision. “So you forgive me for walking out on you today?”
“It was work, Seven, and work I understand. If you leave me to run over and hang out with Brandi Parrish when it isn’t job-related, we’ll have problems. That seem fair to you?”
“More than fair, and Seven—that’s cute.” The city felt unnaturally quiet as Sept drove with the window open. Her clothes were still damp from the heat of the crime scene and the rain afterward, so she’d rolled the window down instead of opting for the air conditioner. “How was your night?”
“Busy but good, or at least better than yours, from what you’ve said so far. What did you eat besides a veggie pizza?”
“Not a whole lot,” Sept said, and got another long pause. “Keegan, you still there?”
“I’m still here.”
Sept found a parking spot with no problem and let her head fall back when she turned the engine off. “Something the matter?”
“I’m sorting out my plan of attack.”
“Sounds interesting. Who’s on your hit list?”
“You. Strangely enough, you tell me the truth about the Red Door, but taking care of yourself, not so much. Define for me ‘not a whole lot,’ because to me it means not a lot, but something even if it was just a peanut. Is that the case?”
“Let me rephrase, then. I ate pizza and nothing else. Happy?”
“No. That pizza was hours ago, and it was purposely light so you wouldn’t get sleepy.”
“You could’ve arrived with dinner at the right time, and I still would’ve passed. Not that you’re not a great cook, but the scene didn’t stimulate the appetite.” The stretch Sept did when she got out of the car popped her back in a way that made her feel better. “Not that any of them do, but this one was tough.”
“Still, you should eat something. I have stuff in the fridge.”
“Then come open the door and let me in,” Sept said as she rested her free hand on the back door of Keegan’s house. They hadn’t known each other long, but she figured the sight of Keegan and her company would be better than the drinks at Pope’s Pub.
The kitchen light went on, and Sept smiled at Keegan’s pajamas. Blue silk pants with a ratty T-shirt weren’t what she would’ve pictured. “Not too close,” she warned when Keegan opened the door. “I’m sweaty, and the place I spent the day hasn’t been touched since the day before Katrina. I could be a walking mold specimen.”
Keegan ignored her and hugged her. “You look awful.”
“Then I look as great as I feel,” Sept said, and laughed. It didn’t matter that she’d left the crime scene. The images of Tameka’s body would be tough to dispel without a severe blow to the head.
“Come in here,” Keegan said, and walked backward so she wouldn’t have to let go of her. “Sit,” she said, when they reached the stools where Sept had sat earlier.
“Do you entertain here a lot?” Sept put her hand on the U-shaped counter, her eyes taking in everything about the space.
“My great-grandfather built this house, and once you walk through every room you can tell where his heart was.” Keegan’s back was to Sept as she took things out of the Subzero. “This is the largest room in the house and a lot of people have been through here since then, but he wanted a space where he could visit while he did what he loved. He would cook as his friends talked and watched.”
“Family tradition, then,” Sept said, her eyes on Keegan’s butt when she bent down to retrieve something from one of the bottom drawers.
“It is.” Keegan turned around with a few containers in her arms. “Though I doubt anyone leered at him while he did it.”
“How do you know? If his butt was as cute as yours I’m sure he must’ve had some admirers.” Sept rested her head on her fist and winked at Keegan.
“I thought you said you were tired.” Keegan reached for a bowl and cracked three eggs into it with one hand faster than anyone Sept had ever seen.
“I am, why?”
“Because you’re incredibly feisty for someone who’s tired.” Keegan moved on to some peeled vegetables.
“Maybe your butt is like a shot of adrenaline.” Sept smiled lazily as a blush colored Keegan’s neck. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t give you a hard time, considering how nice you’re being.”
“No need to apologize, as long as you find my ass more enticing than Ms. Parrish’s. But if you don’t, then consider this one of those times when I’ll find it acceptable for you to lie.”
“I don’t need to lie about that.” Sept stood up and stretched again, making the leather of her holster creak. “You win that contest hands down.”
“Aha,” Keegan said as she slid the pile of vegetables into a hot frying pan. “That means you have enough data to make a comparison. Are you an ass woman, Detective?”
“I’m a whole-package kind of person.” She wanted to put her arms around Keegan, but the grime of that house bothered her. “And I like the package I’m looking at right now.”
“Are you going to beat your chest to impress me?”
“That did sound rather chauvinistic.” She watched as Keegan added pieces of roasted chicken to the pan to heat before pouring in the eggs she’d beaten with cream. “And that smells really good.”
“I’ve always thought an omelet satisfies your appetite, but it’s not rich enough to keep you up all night.”
Sept leaned against the counter as Keegan flipped it. And when she seemed satisfied with the other side, she flipped it again onto a plate.
“What do you want to drink?”
“Whatever goes with egg,” Sept said when Keegan handed her the plate. “It doesn’t matter, I’m not picky.”
Keegan took out two beers and joined her. “What happened today?”
“You don’t want to know,” Sept said before she took her first bite. “Or at least you’d be better off not knowing.”
“It was that bad?”
“I consider myself a veteran because of all the homicides I’ve worked, and tonight was the worst thing I’ve come across.”
Keegan put her hand on Sept’s back and rubbed a small area, not seeming to mind the damp shirt. “You want to talk about it? It might help.”
“A cook and a shrink?”
Keegan took her hand back. “I’m a chef, and I just wanted to help.”
“I’m sorry again. It wasn’t my best attempt at humor, but I was kidding. I should’ve gone home and let you alone, because after today, I’m not the best company.”
“Why’d you decide to come?”
Sept put her fork down and faced her. “Because I missed you today, and the thought of not seeing you would’ve made what I saw that much worse. You remind me that for all the ugliness, I still have something beautiful in my life to look forward to, and that helps.”
It was too much to say to someone she’d recently met, but again Sept had decided to be honest. Keegan was beautiful, and watching her chest move as she took a breath didn’t dispel the image of Tameka’s mutilated body, but it made it more manageable.
Keegan put her hand back and smiled. “That was sweet.”
“I’m sure it raises some alarms on your stalker radar, but I’m too exhausted to find another way to put it.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.”
Sept went back to her plate, shocked at how hungry she suddenly was, but she couldn’t possibly eat the whole thing. “Does this reheat well?”
“If you want another one tomorrow I’ll be happy to make you one, but sadly this one’s going in the trash.” Keegan emptied the plate. “You want to lie down for a while?”
“Not unless I spend the night. If I fall asleep here I don’t think you’ll be able to wake me up.” Sept raised an eyebrow when she noticed it was almost two in the morning.
“Nothing wrong with that.”
“I’d love to accept the offer, but my father’s expecting me at nine.” Sept drank the rest of her beer and handed the bottle to Keegan. “I should be done earlier tomorrow, so how about dinner? Only you have to let me take you out.”
“You don’t have to do that, but I do want to see you.” Keegan placed her hands on Sept’s stomach and slid them to her back. When she was done they were close enough to kiss. “Wouldn’t you rather a quiet night in?”
“Sure, I’d love that,” Sept said, but tilted her head back and kept her lips out of reach when Keegan tried to kiss her.
“What’s wrong?”
“You’re okay with seeing me, right?”
Keegan couldn’t get Sept to lower her head either. “Of course I am, so tell me what’s wrong.”
“Then why don’t you want to be seen with me in public?”
Keegan laughed at first, then let Sept go when she didn’t join in. “I’ll let that slide since you’re tired and you’re not thinking straight. I realize it’s been a while since I’ve dated, but I didn’t know inviting someone over for a romantic dinner is an insult.”
“If I apologize again I’m going to sound like a broken record, but I’m sorry. How about if I call tomorrow and we’ll do whatever you want, with the exception of one thing.”
“I can’t wait to hear this,” Keegan said, still sounding miffed.
“Don’t ask me to cook anything.”
Keegan laughed and dropped her head so her chin hit her chest. “You’re like a refreshing cliché.”
“That’s an interesting thing to say. What’s it mean?” Sept took the chance and moved forward, glad when Keegan opened her arms to her.
“You’re a sweet, stylishly challenged idiot who grew up with a mother who’s a genius in the kitchen, yet her daughter can’t cook.”
The weight of grief combined with her day cracked Sept’s veneer, and she opened her mouth to take in a lungful of air. But the tears fell anyway and turned into sobs. She’d never learned to cook because she hadn’t wanted to, so Camille had spent hours sharing her secrets with the one person who wanted to be the one to pass them to the next generation. But Noel had taken all that knowledge with her, as well as the little girl she would’ve taught it to.
When Sept became aware of her surroundings again, she was lying on the kitchen floor with Keegan holding her. This had never happened to her, and she was upset that when it finally had, it was with Keegan. She stared at the small black and white tile on the floor and tried to think of a way to make it out the back door without any more embarrassment.
“Are you okay?” Keegan asked.
Keegan might’ve been smaller than Sept, but she was strong. Sept could tell in the way she held her. “I will be, if we make a deal that this never happened.” She had to clear her throat because it felt so raw.
“How about we make another deal instead?” Keegan tightened her arms but didn’t try to move Sept’s head. “I’m not sure what happened, but it’s nice that you trusted me enough to show me that you aren’t strong all the time. You can trust me.”
“I…thanks for that,” she wanted to tell Keegan, but the words wouldn’t come. “I should go home so you can get some sleep.”
“Not on your life.” Keegan kissed her temple and helped her up. “You’re going to take a shower and lie down.”
“I can’t. I’ve got that meeting in the morning.”
“You’ll be there on time, I promise.” Keegan led her up the stairs and handed her a clean towel when they were in her bathroom. Sept accepted it like she was now running on autopilot. “Take your time and leave your clothes on the floor.”
The hot water felt good as Sept stood motionless in the shower. “Time to snap out of it before you freak this girl out,” Sept said to the rack of shampoo and conditioner. But when Keegan had mentioned her mother and the kitchen, Sept had compared Noel and Tameka.
Both of their final moments had been horrific, and while she would never consider putting Noel in Tameka’s place, at least the people who cared for Tameka had closure. Since Noel and Sophie had never been found, Sept felt cheated.
The water started to cool and Sept washed off before it got cold. When she pulled the shower curtain back, she saw that a pair of boxers and a T-shirt hung next to the towel. The boxers appeared big enough to fit her, which left the question of who they belonged to. She didn’t have any other option than to put them on, though, since her clothes were gone.
When she stepped out Keegan was sitting on her bed, and she appeared tense. “I’m sorry for coming unhinged like that. It wasn’t anything you said.”
“Are you sure? Either you’re really sensitive about not knowing how to cook”—Keegan stood, put her arms around her waist, and smiled—“or there’s something else to that story.”
“There is, but you had no way of knowing, so don’t worry about it.”
“Do you want to lie down and talk?”
The invitation to lie down sounded great; Sept was so tired it hurt to keep herself upright. “I’m not trying to blow you off or hide anything from you, but can the talk wait?”
“You don’t have to say anything to me if you don’t want to. As I said, sometimes it helps if you’re willing to say it out loud. If you share it with someone, then maybe it won’t be so hard to carry the load.”
“Sounds like it might be a good idea to stay in tomorrow night, if you’re still willing. I’ll share all my problems, and that way you can feed me and send me on my way if it’s too much for you.” Sept lay down and smiled up at Keegan when she joined her.
