“But?” Sylvie prodded, sensing there was more.
Remy took a deep breath, then gave them the bad news. “He’s in jail.”
“For what?” Sylvie asked indignantly, though she had a suspicion.
“A whole litany of offenses, including trespassing…”
That was the one Sylvie would have guessed.
“… and kidnapping…”
“Oh, really! Are they still under that misconception? Did you tell them that Tee-John is with us… oh, I can see why that might be further incriminating evidence. Well, once we explain, they’ll understand.”
“Tee-John’s not the only one Luc is accused of kidnapping.”
“Who else?” She had to think only a second to realize who the other alleged victim might be. “I would hardly classify myself as a victim.”
Remy slanted her a quick glance, then grinned. “So it’s that way with you two, huh?”
She just lifted her chin. “Laugh and you are dead meat, mister.”
He laughed anyway. “Tante Lulu will be so pleased.”
“Don’t you dare say anything to her.”
“Say what?” Tee-John wanted to know.
“Nothing,” she and Remy said at the same time.
Then Remy continued to list Luc’s supposed offenses. “Assault with a firearm. Resisting arrest. Using obscene language to a police officer. Making terroristic threats.”
“Is that all?” she questioned sarcastically.
Remy shrugged. “The bottom line is that Luc is in major trouble. There are some big shots pressing him to the wall this time.”
Sylvie bit her bottom lip with worry. “Trouble of this seriousness is probably nothing new for Luc, but it’s a bone-chilling experience for me, I gotta tell you.”
“That’s what happens when you’re in cahoots with ‘the bad boy of the bayou.’ ” He squeezed her hand to show he was just teasing.
“Well, I’ll tell you one thing. Never again will I complain about my life being boring.”
Soon, the plane was flying over Houma and preparing to land in a small private bayou docking area. It was hard to believe that she’d been gone less than two days, even harder to believe that it had been less than a week since Luc came into her lab for help, and accidentally swallowed the love-potion jelly beans.
Suddenly, the clouds parted in the dawn sky, showing the place of her birth with all its numerous bayous and bridges. The scene was covered with a dreamlike, impressionist haze. Yes, that was what this whole experience seemed like… a dream.
But she feared it was about to become a nightmare.
Chapter Fifteen
Despite her plea to be taken directly to the jail where Luc was being held, Remy took them to Sylvie’s apartment. Stubborn-to-the-bone must be a LeDeux family trait.
She was amazed to find waiting there Tante Lulu, Charmaine, Claudia, and René. And it was only seven a.m.
“Luc gave me specific instructions not to allow you to visit him in jail,” Remy was telling her in an increasingly louder voice, attempting to be heard over Tante Lulu, who was in the corner alternately scolding and hugging Tee-John at the same time. Boy and great-aunt were a sight to see, about the same height, eyeball to eyeball.
Tante Lulu’s helmet of tight curls was dyed red today… bright red. She was wearing a black leather jacket and jeans, claiming to have traded in her purple Impala for a Harley. That must be why the white T-shirt visible under the open jacket read, “Rev My Engine.” A small emblem on the front of the jacket read, “Biker Babes”; emblazoned on the back in huge red letters was, “Born to Be Wild.”
Sylvie had heard of a mid-life crisis before, but late-life crisis? That was a new one. She shook her head to rid it of these extraneous thoughts.
“Why? Why doesn’t Luc want me to go see him in jail?” Sylvie asked Remy. She couldn’t help feeling a twinge of disappointment that Luc would cut her off this way. She’d thought they were partners in this enterprise. And she’d been hoping they might be partners in another way.
“I’m not sure. I just know he was adamant. ‘No Sylvie at the jail!’ ”
“He probably wants to protect you,” René offered, sensing how hurtful those words would be to her. “You know, the Cajun Knight baloney.”