One Love Read online

  “Uh, yes. Maybe someday I’ll own my own business,” Alex said.

  “What is it you do now?” Mr. Pellerin wore the expression of a father examining his daughter’s date, and not being especially impressed with his findings.

  “Computer networks. We also do customized systems for companies.” Alex tugged at his shirt collar. Suddenly it felt too tight.

  “Humph, everything’s computers these days. What happened to personalized service?” Mr. Pellerin was about to launch into a long speech when his wife cut in.

  “Don’t be silly, dear. We can’t stay stuck in the past. Lanessa uses her computer constantly and look how much it’s helped her.” Mrs. Pellerin still smiled at Alex with affection.

  “My daughter hasn’t lost her feel for getting to know people. She uses face to face contact just as much.” Mr. Pellerin still eyed Alex. “Lanessa has always been a good person.”

  “I certainly agree with you, sir.”

  “She’s had her problems but one thing about it, Lanessa doesn’t pass judgment.” Mr. Pellerin’s bushy eyebrows were drawn down.

  “Now, Alton, really!” Mrs. Pellerin glared at him.

  Alex cleared his throat. “Mr. Pellerin, Lanessa is one of the finest women I’ve ever known. I care deeply for her. That’s why I’m here.” He watched the older man consider his words.

  “Jade’s father-in-law called me last night. He told me he’d talked to your father.” Mr. Pellerin leaned back against the cushioned back of his chair. “Go on.”

  “I just want to help Lanessa. Do you know Charles Metoyer?” Alex said.

  “Not him, his uncles. Met his daddy once. Don’t like ‘em.” Mr. Pellerin made his declaration without hesitation.

  “They’re the richest black family in Acadia Parish. I was in school with one of his aunts. Vernise.” Mrs. Pellerin nodded. “They have a lovely home.”

  “Charles Metoyer is trying to destroy Lanessa’s reputation,” Alex said.

  “Why on earth would he do that?” Clarice’s mouth hung open. She looked at her husband then back at Alex.

  “Because she found he’s got some scam going and he wants it kept quiet,” Alton said in gruff voice. “And if I know my oldest daughter, she’s not backing down.”

  “Which is the problem. And she won’t be happy to know I’m talking to you about it.” Alex rubbed his chin.

  “Nonsense. You’re wonderful to want to help.” Clarice wore a serious expression now. “What is this man trying to do to my Lanessa?”

  Alex gave them a short summary of what he knew. He separated facts from what was only conjecture on his part. As he spoke, Lanessa’s father seemed to be taking in every word and weighing it all carefully.

  “So Lanessa is sure to have pieced together some kind of scheme to sell restricted goods. Now they need to destroy her credibility.” Alex shrugged. “At least that’s how I see it.”

  “Sounds like something a Metoyer would do.” Mr. Pellerin wore a fierce look. “They walk over anyone who gets in their way.”

  “My goodness! You have to do something, Alton, Mrs. Pellerin said. “I don’t care who he is, he won’t walk over us.”

  “Oliver and I have already talked about this. He said Joe has some idea. So do I.” Mr. Pellerin gave a sharp nod. “We plan to meet for breakfast tomorrow morning.”

  “You see? Between the three of them, we’ll put those Metoyers in their place.” Mrs. Pellerin wore a slight sneer. “I never really cared for Vernise or her sisters for that matter.”

  Alex suppressed a smile. Mrs. Pellerin reminded him of his mother in that instant “I’m glad to hear it, Mr. Pellerin.”

  “We should be able to fix ‘em but good. Between our three families, we can do him real damage.” Mr. Pellerin wore a dangerous look.

  “Thanks.” Alex started to stand up when Mr. Pellerin waved him back down.

  “What’s this about you and Lanessa?”

  Before Alex could speak, his wife answered “Don’t interfere in their relationship, Alton. After all, they’re grown.”

  “Can’t believe those words are coming from your mouth, Clarice. You’re the queen of dipping in your daughters lives,” Mr. Pellerin grumbled.

  The telephone rang before Mrs. Pellerin could reply. She threw an irritated look at him before crossing the room. “Hello? Hi, Robyn. No, Lanessa isn’t here.” Her voice went down as she continued the conversation.

  The mention of Lanessa’s name made Mr. Pellerin turn his full attention on Alex. “Well?”

  Alex took a deep breath. “Lanessa and I have our… differences.”

  “Humph!” Mr. Pellerin raised his thick eyebrows. “That’s a mild way of putting it. I know her temper. And I also know you had a real noisy goodbye again.”

  “Yes, sir.” Alex wondered how much he knew. The older man’s next words answered the question in his mind.

  “I don’t know details. But the way she’s been so down it must have been bad.” Mr. Pellerin stared at him hard.

  “For both of us,” Alex said with sincerity.

  This time was worse than the last. He could not blame alcohol. The reasons now went to the very heart of why they would not make it together.

  “I see. But you still care very much.” Mr. Pellerin stroked his face as though working through his thoughts. “Tells me maybe one or both of you is being stubborn.”

  “It’s a bit more complicated, sir. We have different values, different views on how we want to live.” Alex shook his head.

  “Uh-huh. So you’re saying my daughter isn’t good enough for you.” Mr. Pellerin tilted his head to one side.

  “Of course not. It’s just she’s not into… What I mean to say is Lanessa is used to a certain lifestyle that I don’t agree with.” Alex could not help it. He had to admit that he did not approve of Lanessa’s need for life in the fast lane.

  Mr. Pellerin pressed his lips together and when he spoke again, his voice was gruff with emotion.” Look, Lanessa was addicted to alcohol and she took pills. When I think of how we almost lost her in that car accident…” He paused and rubbed his hands together.

  “Sir, I realize—”

  “Let me finish,” Mr. Pellerin broke in. “I just want you to know I understand. Sometimes things get broken and can’t be fixed. You just have to go on to something new.”

  Alex nodded slowly. “Yes, sir.”

  “I’m sure she will. Goodbye.” Mrs. Pellerin came back wearing a puzzled look. “That’s odd. Robyn was asking me had I seen Lanessa.”

  “So? Lanessa is always on the go.” Mr. Pellerin looked proud. “My daughter is like a moving target these days.”

  “But I always depend on Robyn to tell me where Lanessa is. I have the feeling she hasn’t seen Lanessa in a while.” Mrs. Pellerin glanced at her husband. Her expression was melting into one of worry.

  “Now there you go. You’d think Lanessa and Jade were babies.” Mr. Pellerin waved a hand at her. “What exactly did Robyn say?”

  “She thought Lanessa might be here,” Mrs. Pellerin said.

  “She stops by here sometimes for lunch if she’s nearby.” Mr. Pellerin looked at Alex. “Nothing strange at all.”

  “Robyn said Lanessa mentioned she might stop by, but maybe she didn’t have time after all.” Mrs. Pellerin blinked rapidly. “But it was something in Robyn’s voice. And Nessa’s been so down lately.”

  Mr. Pellerin patted her knee. “You’ll probably hear from Lanessa later tonight, dear. And she’ll be full of complaints about bad traffic and clients late for appointments.”

  “Yes, yes of course.” Mrs. Pellerin seemed to grasp at his words. She smiled tentatively. “I’m sure she’s just busy as usual.”

  Alex could tell that Mrs. Pellerin was not really reassured. She would not be until she spoke to Lanessa. The fact that her mother’s instinct was not soothed made Alex feel uncomfortable. Yet he did not want to upset her or Mr. Pellerin.

  “Knowing Lanessa, she’s probably too caught up
in business and has forgotten to call.” Alex smiled at Mrs. Pellerin. “I’ve sat by a phone waiting for her more than a few times.”

  Mrs. Pellerin leaned forward. “Alex, don’t hold too much against her.” Now her focus shifted. “Talk to her. I know you two really love each other. Now I—”

  “What did you tell me about getting in their business?” Mr. Pellerin cut her off. “Leave the man alone. He didn’t come here so you can lecture him.”

  “Oh hush. I know what I’m doing.” Mrs. Pellerin was not deterred in the least.

  Alex decided it was definitely time to leave. “Speaking of busy schedules, I have to get going. I have a meeting at my office.”

  “I appreciate you taking time to come here, son.” Mr. Pellerin shook his hand and patted his back. “We know you’re a busy man, too.”

  “Yes, but we need to take fast action with Metoyer on the prowl. Goodbye.”

  Alex chatted with them as they walked him to the door. He kept up a cheerful face even as the questions Mrs. Pellerin had repeated in his head. Why would Robyn call Lanessa’s parents? Why not just wait for her to come back to the office? He waved to Mr. and Mrs. Pellerin and drove away. When he was stopped at a red light, he dialed his office number on cellular phone.

  “Hi, Trina. Any messages?” he asked his secretary. “Great. Tell Tri-State Industries is back online. I’ve got another stop, okay? Great, see you soon.” He punched the off button and placed the small phone in his leather case.

  Alex headed for Lanessa’s office. He would satisfy himself that there was nothing to worry about.

  ***

  Lanessa moaned and shifted. Half asleep, she winced at the pain in her neck. Her first thoughts were fuzzy, half-formed. Part of her wanted to stay in bed while a voice in her head told her she needed to get up. For some reason her pillow seemed especially hard. It was a struggle to get her eyes open. When she did, the light was blinding. After a few seconds of blinking, she realized sunshine was in her face and she was not at home in bed. Knocking came from somewhere to her left.

  “Ma’am, are you okay?” A tall white policeman stared down at her through the car window. “Open the door if you can.”

  Lanessa gazed around her. She was in her car. “What in the world…” She tried to sit up but did not quite make it.

  “Ma’am, open the door,” the policeman said in a more insistent voice.

  “Alright, alright,” she mumbled. When she did not move, he knocked again. “I said alright!”

  Lanessa wanted to close her eyes and go back to sleep. Maybe the spinning and pain behind her eyes would go away. Obviously the policeman would not allow her peace. It was a struggle, but she managed to get up from the seat. She unlocked the door and swung it open.

  The spinning got worse.

  “I don’t think standing up would be a good idea.” Lanessa’s stomach churned. “Just give me a minute.”

  She looked down at her clothes. Her blue and green pants set were wrinkled. Lanessa glanced up to look at herself in the rearview mirror only to find she was on the back seat. Now she was really confused.

  “What happened?” Lanessa rubbed her face in an attempt to clear her head.

  “Ma’am, have you been drinking?” The officer scrutinized her from head to toe.

  “No, unless you count ginger ale and club soda. Something’s wrong.” Lanessa tried to remember where she’d been.

  “Let me see your driver’s license and registration, please,” the policeman said.

  Lanessa took deep breaths to steady herself. “Is that it? I’ve been robbed and left for dead? I can’t find my purse.” She looked around her. The fog inside her head was very persistent.

  The policeman gave a grunt of impatience. “Can I look inside the car for your registration and purse?”

  “Yes, please.” Lanessa gripped the gray cloth upholstery of the car seat. She had to get a handle on what was going on.

  After a few minutes he found her purse under the front seat. He handed it to her then searched the glove compartment. Once he found her registration and proof of insurance, he stood reading them for a moment.

  “I’ll be right back. Just stay in the car.” The policeman walked to his patrol car.

  In the ten minutes he was gone, Lanessa had a chance to look around. Her car was parked along a side street in front of what looked like an abandoned building. Several curious people stood at a distance watching.

  “Where is this? What street?” she called out to a thin, hard looking woman holding a smoking cigarette between two fingers.

  “Easy Town, 49th Street. Baby, musta been some party you was at.” The woman let out a guffaw.

  “I wasn’t at a party. At least I don’t think so.” Lanessa ran the fingers of one hand through her hair.

  The woman looked at the policeman. Seeing he was intent on his task she moved closer to the car. “Good thing you wasn’t drivin’ when he caught ya. Course them trashcans done for. Old man Kent gonna be mad as hell ‘bout his mailbox, too.”

  It was then that Lanessa noticed three smashed aluminum trashcans. They lay several feet from the front bumper of her car. She felt a jab of fear.

  “Was anybody hurt?” Lanessa throat closed tight so that her voice rasped.

  “You clipped Chantel’s cat looks like.” The woman pointed to a young girl holding a dirty brown lump of fur.” Ain’t too many gonna feel bad if that mangy pest dies. My name’s Edna, by the way.”

  Lanessa gazed into the hostile eyes of Chantel. “Oh God,” she whispered.

  “Child, don’t get upset. Half the time she didn’t feed the damn thing.” Edna cackled. “Chantel just likes hating folks.”

  “I’ve got to think, got to remember what happened,” Lanessa whispered. She clutched her forehead with one hand. The pain seemed to sharpen with the effort to think clearly.

  “By the looks of this car and your expensive clothes, you can afford a sharp lawyer. No public defender for you. Even better, can’t nobody prove you done it,” Edna said in a cheery voice.

  Lanessa gazed at the woman. Edna could have been any age between thirty and fifty. She recognized the signs. Edna was a heavy drinker.

  “Don’t let him bluff you, girl.” Edna gave a sharp nod toward the policeman. “He ain’t got nothin’ on you. I know.” She winked at her.

  Lanessa was more interested in how she’d gotten here than proving her innocence. “Did you see me drive up?”

  “Nah, heard the crash though I think. Didn’t even look outside. Round this neighborhood ya liable to hear anything.” Edna grinned. “Hell, me and my old man cause some racket every once in a while.”

  Lanessa frowned. “About what time was it? That you heard the noise I mean.”

  “I dunno. Coulda been close to midnight.” Edna took several steps back. “Here he comes. Remember, don’t let him bluff ya,” she mumbled.

  “Ms. Thomas, you have one conviction for Driving While Intoxicated. Were you drinking last night?”

  “What’s your name?” Lanessa squinted in the late afternoon glare.

  “Officer Robertson. Can you tell me where you were going?” Robertson opened the driver’s side door and scrutinized the car’s interior.

  “Officer Robertson, I was not drinking. And I don’t remember anything. I must have been robbed or something.” Lanessa tried to grab hold of an image but it slid away too fast.

  “Is anything missing from your purse or car?” Officer Robertson looked down at her.

  Lanessa took the leather wallet from her purse. A twenty-dollar bill and all her credit cards were there. Her cell phone was still in a pocket. She glanced around the car.

  “No, nothing’s missing. I don’t understand.” Lanessa closed her eyes.

  “Ma’am, if you’re having blackouts, you need to get treatment.” Officer Robertson’s voice droned on warning her about the dangers of mixing alcohol and driving.

  To Lanessa his voice was background noise to her own thoughts. She wa
s desperate to figure out what had happened to her. The unknown, a vast blank when she tried to recall where she’d been, terrified her more than she could say. But somehow she was sure of one thing; the obvious answer was not the right one. At least not an answer that she could face.

  “No, no, no.” Lanessa hit her knee with a fist. “I wasn’t drunk. I’ve been dry for…” Her voice faded.

  “Let’s be frank, ma’am. You smell of whiskey and I found you passed out in your car. And right next to it we’ve got smashed up property.” Officer Robertson swept an arm out. “Look at how this vehicle is parked.”

  Lanessa could not deny the evidence. The Concorde was half in the street and half in someone’s front yard. She gazed around. There was no reason she would have chosen this route to go home. This neighborhood was miles away from her house. Even in her worse drinking days, Lanessa never slept in her car. A hard core of resistant to the obvious formed inside her.

  “I can’t explain all this now. But I wasn’t drinking. I’m sure of it,” Lanessa said.

  “Right.” Officer Robertson sighed in resignation. He wore a “seen and heard it before” expression. “Listen, I’m going to cite you for public drunkenness and simple damage to property.”

  “I didn’t do—” Lanessa shook her head. A sharp stabbing pain was the result. “Lord!” She winced.

  “Let’s see if you can safely drive home.” Officer Robertson took no notice of her protest or distress.

  For another twenty minutes he went through what Lanessa assumed was police procedure. Another officer arrived and questioned onlookers. Meanwhile, Officer Robertson put her through several tests to see if she was intoxicated. The owners of the trashcans and mailboxes made it clear they expected to be reimbursed. Lanessa watched it all as though it was happening to someone else. Nothing about the scene seemed real. Finally Officer Robertson held out her license and registration. Lanessa took them from him. Then he tore a sheet off a small pad.

  “Here’s your copy. Please note the date and time you have to be at City Court. If you do not appear, the judge will issue a bench warrant for your arrest. Do you have any questions?”