Cry Wolf

Chapter Thirteen

Laurel checked her reflection in the hall mirror, frowning. She hadn't brought a suit home with her. The best she could do was a loose-fitting navy linen blazer over a white silk tank and a pair of taupe trousers. The outfit was more formal than she had ever pla

It seemed she was stuck in a groove of no-win situations. She didn't want to tackle anything more mentally and emotionally taxing than gardening, but had given her pledge to T-Grace and Ovide. She had no intention of getting involved with a man, but had tossed and turned until dawn thinking about Jack, dreaming about Jack. Jack, with his devil's grin. Jack, with his brooding intensity. Jack, with weary dark eyes that had seen too much.

What if she hadn't said no?

"You look very lawyerlike."

Laurel glanced around to find Caroline on her way out for the day. "I don't want to do this," she admitted glumly.

Caroline put her arm around Laurel 's waist to give her a reassuring squeeze. "You don't feel ready?"

"No."

She reached up to tuck an errant strand of ash brown hair behind Laurel 's ear, her heart aching a little. Beneath the discreet makeup, behind the lenses of her oversize spectacles, Laurel had the look of a child braced for the first day of school-trying to be brave, wanting to stay safe at home.

"I think maybe you're more ready than you know, darlin'," Caroline said gently. "More time isn't going to change what happened. You'll never be able to get justice for those children. I think the best thing you can do is go and get justice for somebody else, then."

Laurel heaved a sigh and nibbled her lower lip, chewing off the soft coral lipstick she had just applied. She couldn't think of a thing to say. The feelings were too jumbled. She wanted to stand there forever with Caroline's arm around her, with her aunt's love supporting her. This was what she had come home for, not to jump into trouble with a religious charlatan, not to fend off Vivian's machinations, not to be tempted by Jack Boudreaux. For love, for someone who would judge her far less harshly than she judged herself. For the first time in a long while she felt an acute stab of longing for her father, who had solved all her childish problems with a hug and a kiss and a stick of Juicy Fruit gum. But all she had left of him were a few old snapshots, his crawfish tie pin, and his sister-Caroline.

She drew in a slow, deep breath, tamping down the emotions, drawing up some strength, focusing on the few items scattered on the Chippendale hall table, and cataloging them to give her mind something to do besides wallow in sad memories-an ivory French-style telephone, a blue willow vase holding a spray of fresh-cut flowers, a pewter dish holding an assortment of car keys and a lone earring.

"I'll be all right," she said, her gaze fastening on the earring. It was heart-shaped, large, tarnished silver studded with rhinestones and bits of colored glass. She fished it out of the dish as an excuse to change the topic. "Is this yours?"

Caroline frowned at the gaudy bauble. "Lord, no. It must be Sava

Laurel nodded. Caroline reached up and stroked her niece's cheek gently, her thumb just grazing one of the dark shadows of fatigue that arched beneath her eyes. "I know how strong you really are, sweetheart," she said softly, "and I know you'll be all right. You're a Chandler, after all, and we're made of stern stuff. But don't expect to climb back all in one day, and don't forget that I'm here if you need me."

"Thanks, Aunt Caroline," Laurel murmured.

Caroline straightened her dainty shoulders, a gleam in her dark eyes and a wry smile curling her mouth. "Thanks, nothing. You go kick the figurative shit out of that television preacher."

A chuckle bubbled up inside Laurel, and she smiled. "I'll do my best."

As Caroline went out, Sava

Their eyes met in the mirror, and Laurel bit down on the questions that sprang instantly to mind and the re-criminations that came hard on their heels.

"Is this your earring?" She held up the heart-shaped bob as she turned away from the mirror.

Sava

"Down to the courthouse to see about stopping Baldwin from harassing the Delahoussayes."

"Christ, Baby, you barely know them."

"I know all I need to know."

"You're not supposed to be upsetting yourself with other people's problems." You're supposed to be letting me take care of you.

Laurel opened her pocketbook and dropped in her lipstick and car keys. "So," she said with a shrug, "I'll solve this one and go back to laying low. How's that sound?"

"Like a load of bullshit," Sava

She lifted a hand to rub at her scalp, the sleeve of her kimono falling to her elbow. Laurel 's eyes went round at the sight of her wrist. The delicate, porcelain skin was bruised and raw in spots.

"My God, Sister! What happened to you?" she demanded, snatching at Sava

Sava

"Yes, I do! What the hell-"

"No," she said coolly. "I distinctly remember you telling me you didn't want to hear about my sex life. You didn't want to hear that Ro

"Stop it!" Laurel yelled. Flinging her sister's arm away, she stepped back, as if Sava

"Because I'm a slut." Sava

"You're what you want to be," Laurel fired back. "Ross hasn't laid a hand on you in fifteen years-"

"How do you know?" Sava

"Shut up!"

"What's the matter, Baby? Don't you want to hear about how I spread my legs for our dear old stepdaddy so you wouldn't have to?"

The words stung like nettles in Laurel 's heart. "I didn't have any control over what Ross did to you," she said, her voice choked with emotion. "You can't blame me, and you can't blame yourself. It's stupid to spend the rest of your life punishing yourself for something that was beyond your control."

Sava

Laurel stared at her, stu

Mama Pearl rumbled into the hall, wringing her plump hands in a red checked dish towel, a scowl folding her forehead into burls of flesh. "What the world goin' on out here?" she demanded. "All I hear is yellin' an' cursin' like to burn the Almighty's ears! What goin' on?"

Sava

Mama Pearl looked to Laurel for corroboration. Laurel straightened her glasses and picked up her purse, her hand trembling visibly. "I have to go," she mumbled, refusing to meet anyone's eyes, focusing on maintaining some semblance of control.

She walked out of the house and into the sauna heat of midmorning on wobbly legs, thinking that after what she had just been through, a trip to the courthouse was going to be a piece of cake.

The air-conditioning in the sheriff's office was fighting a losing battle against the afternoon sun that came glaring in through the window. Sheriff Duwayne Ke

"Get the goddamn bracket straight," he growled. "And the left one's half an inch higher than the right. What the hell you boys thinkin'-that y'all can tip the whole goddamn courthouse so the shade'll hang straight?"

The maintenance man on the right shot a glance over his meaty shoulder, blinking at the sweat that dribbled down his shining dark forehead and into his eyes. His blue shirt was soaked down the back and sides, the tails crawling up out of the low-riding waistband of his pants, giving glimpses of a generous tube of fat around his middle. He gulped a breath and mumbled the expected, "No, sir."