A Darker Shade of Midnight by Lynn Emery

Author:Lynn Emery [Emery, Lynn]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2011-04-30T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

The next three days went by fast. LaShaun got through the hours by putting one foot in front of the other. She felt trapped in a heavy fog of misery. Yet, she had to keep going for her grandmother. Decisions had to be made about her medical care, the financial mess Rita created, and how to manage the assets left. The lurid details of Azalei’s injuries and Rita’s murder brought a herd of reporters from as far away as Houston, Texas. The locals were only too happy to fill them in on rumors of voodoo. Claude Trosclair’s murder became news again as well. By Thursday morning, LaShaun had to go through another round of questioning, this time at the Sheriff’s station with the DA sitting in.

Savannah met her at the station. Within ten minutes, they were ushered into an interview room. Scott Hazelton, the new DA who had won election with his tough on crime stance, wore a suitably grim expression. Sheriff Triche’s face had deep lines etched into it and dark circles under his eyes. His skin looked grayish. LaShaun wondered if he could make it through the next hour, much less another seven months until he retired. Deputy Gautreau stood to the right of the DA with a satisfied look stamped on his broad features. A young woman with shoulder length blonde hair in a dark gray suit sat next to the DA. Introduced as Brenda Crandall, she was Hazelton’s assistant DA.

Sheriff Triche led the questioning and started with broad strokes, where had LaShaun been and with whom. He didn’t ask about Rita or Azalei at first. Then the DA stepped in. He narrowed the focus to LaShaun’s conflict with both victims. The assistant DA took over with more questions. After forty-five minutes, Savannah stopped writing and interrupted the interrogation.

“Okay, now you’re asking the same questions in a different way. My client won’t give different answers. So just let me sum this up and save us all time.” Savannah consulted her notes on a yellow legal pad. “You have no physical evidence implicating my client. Nothing proves my client had the means to commit the assault or murder. You don’t even know if the two women were together when they were attacked, or if we’re talking about two different perpetrators, and Ms. Rousselle’s motive is shaky.”

“Circumstantial evidence sends a lot of people to prison,” Deputy Gautreau replied. He ignored the way Sheriff Triche frowned at him.

“We’re asking Ms. Rousselle questions so we can follow all leads. Your client did have heated confrontations more than once with both the victims. So it’s only natural that we’d talk to her.” The DA wore an impassive expression. “And we appreciate your client’s willingness to cooperate.”

“Good. So I’d say we’re done here.” Savannah zipped the leather portfolio that held her legal pad, picked up her purse, and stood. LaShaun followed her lead and also stood.

Deputy Gautreau stepped forward to block the exit. “Wait a damn minute, she ain’t just walkin’ outta here.

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