Bayou Justice by Robin Caroll

Author:Robin Caroll
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2007-09-25T04:00:00+00:00

CoCo waited until Tara had retired to her room to speak to Grandmere. Her grandmother sat on the couch, flipping through one of her handwritten journals. She glanced up as CoCo plopped beside her.

“What is it, ma chère? You look like you have something on your mind.”

“I do. Can you tell me anything about the history of this house?”

Grandmere closed her leather book. “Anything in particular you want to know?”

How could she extract the information without setting off alarm bells in Grandmere? She licked her lips. “I know it’s pre-Civil War. Has it always been in our family? Like during the war?”

Her grandmother smiled. “My grandpere built this house himself, ma chère, well before the war. My father was born and raised here.” Her eyes became unfocused. “Did you know several families holed up in this here house when the Yankees came?”

“Really?”

“Oh, yes. Many local families had already lost their homes and took refuge here.” She smiled that distant, I’m-not-in-the-present smile. “They brought their silver to bury alongside my family’s in the backyard.”

CoCo fought to not jump with all the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She forced herself to speak calmly. “Silver? Buried here?”

Grandmere broke out of her memories and stared at CoCo. “The Yankees found most of it anyway.” She looked to the floor, the wistfulness covering her expression again. “Some say that money is hidden in these walls, but I’ve never seen proof of such.”

“Money?” CoCo’s heart sped into overdrive. The coin. The coin!

“Oh, ma chère, I think that’s just a story. Legend. Something to tell the little ones.” Grandmere smiled, years taken off her appearance by the gesture.

“You never told us that tale.”

Her grandmother shrugged. “There were other things to occupy your minds.” Her voice held a hint of grief.

The sentiment was contagious. CoCo’s own heart twisted at the thought of the loss of her parents. She shoved the memories and pain from her mind. “People really believe there might be money hidden in this house?”

Grandmere laughed. “Most folk like to believe in treasures, pirates and hidden riches, ma chère.” She lowered her brows. “Why all the questions?”

“Just wondering. Never heard the story before.”

“Wasn’t important.” Her grandmother grabbed her book and struggled to her feet. “I think I’m going to retire.”

CoCo pressed a kiss to her grandmother’s parchment-paper skin. “Good night, Grandmere.”

Her grandmother shuffled down the hall, her steps weighted with age. CoCo closed her eyes and offered up yet another prayer for the woman she dearly loved. Why couldn’t Grandmere understand salvation was hers for the asking? Stubbornness, that’s what stopped her.

A knock rapped on the door, causing CoCo to spin around. Who’d come calling this time of the evening? She cracked the door, her heart tripping as she peered at Luc Trahan’s large form on her porch.

“CoCo, I need to talk to you.” His voice still sent spirals of joy through her.

She toughened her tone. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

His eyes, the ones that always spoke directly to her heart, blinked. “Please, just hear me out.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.