Chapter Five: The Higher the Hair, The Closer to God
"Let's go!" Cayenne accelerated her pace to push the last block of her morning run. She raced her dog Roux down the sidewalk back towards Raven's house. Roux lagged a bit behind her. He had put on some weight from Raven's tendency to beef up his dog food with a little extra gravy here, a burst boudin sausage there, a bit of leftover gumbo there. She beat him easily and he seemed relieved the run was finally over.
Raven lived near the lake, so Cay's morning run was an easy and pleasant route, winding past the parks and the Lake Charles Civic Center. Every morning she also ran past the Harrah's Casino, which was actually a massive riverboat docked on the water. It was still closed for repairs and today she searched the line of workers dribbling into the construction the site to see if she could spot Francisco. She ran all the way up to the Gator Pond and turned around, repeating the route while heading home.
After cooling down a bit, she let herself and Roux back into the house. Roux headed directly into the kitchen. Cay heard the unmistakable sounds of Raven making breakfast.
"Good morning!" She shouted and then she heard her cell phone ringing. She fished it out of her fanny pack.
"Hello?" she breathed, still somewhat out of breath from the run.
"Ms. Del Roi?"
"This is her." Cay didn't recognize the voice on the other end.
"This is Joy Bottell down at the Crime Lab." The voice hesitated, then dropped lower. Cay had to strain to hear. "Listen, I could lose my job talking to you. I'm on a cell phone out in the smoking area behind the building so I don't have much time."
"What did you find out?"
"Listen, there's something weird about this case. My supervisor told me in no uncertain terms that the Terrebonne case was ruled a drunk driving offense and the case was closed. Said they had orders from the higher ups to let this one go."
Cay's hopes fell. "So we'll never know?"
"Well, not quite." Joy whispered into the phone. "Francisco got my curiosity up. So I came in on Sunday to begin some tests. I just assumed it would be fine with the higher ups. But now, I can't do anything with the results because officially, I wasn't supposed to test it in the first place."
Her voice trailed off, then another, more chatty type voice replaced it. "Sally, don't be a silly goose. I'm sure that he'll call you again. You are great, girlfriend, Listen, this is what I would do. Wait a couple days to let things cool down, then … "
Cay was confused. "Joy? Joy?"
Joy's voice returned to normal. "Sorry, someone just came by. I could lose my job if someone knew what I did. That girl drank poison, Ms. Del Roi. That daiquiri was loaded with anticoagulant rodenticides which most people know by the name of "rat poison". I don't think she intended to order her drink with the extra kick."
"What would it take to reopen the case?"
"I don't know. Probably a higher up in the police department or the District Attorney's Office-not just a lab rat like me. You better hurry though before the rest of the evidence gets tossed."
Joy paused again and said apologetically. "I'm sorry I couldn't be more help."
Cay smiled. "You've been a great help. You have more than earned those boudin balls Frank promised you. Listen, hold tight. Let me see what I can do. And Joy. Don't talk to anyone about this case. Play it cool."
She got Joy's home number and hung up. She thought for a moment then was temporarily distracted by the warm, sweet smell of blueberry muffins baking and Roux's whining in the kitchen. Cayenne try to focus her attention back on the task at hand by searching the directory of her cell phone for the number of Rufus Thibodaux's direct line at the New Orleans Police Department. Rufus was not at his desk, but Cayenne left a message sending out an SOS.
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Cayenne planned to pay a visit to Daphne Carter. If the police wouldn't take Elena's death seriously, she had to at least try for Bernard's sake and the sake of the Krewe. She did a web search on Map Quest to get direction for the address Tommy had given her.
Daphne lived in an upscale neighborhood of Lake Charles, once of the newer suburbs that had gone up in the last ten years. Cayenne found the address matched a perfectly manicured two story beige house with chocolate brown trim. She parked her battered Honda in the driveway, walked to the door and pushed the door bell. Glancing down, she noticed that Roux had left dog hair all over her dress pants that morning after his morning petting. She was in the process of brushing the dog hair from her pants leg when the door swung open.
"Yes?" A rich cultured voice with a pronounced accent asked. "May I help you?"
Cay looked up and met the piercing emeralds eyes of a very handsome woman. She had one of those timeless, beautifully unlined faces that rendered it hard to guess her age which could have been anywhere between 35 and 60 years old. She wore a delicate set of pink tinted pearls peeking out over a creamy silk blouse tucked neatly into a pair of pin-striped gabardine trousers. She was petite, though she wore 2-inch heels and held herself charm school straight. The perfect Southern woman.
But it was her hair that was her crowning glory. Teased and frosted the perfect shade of blond with silver highlights, it wrapped around and up off her head. Not quite a bouffant, not quite a beehive. Cay had not seen such a head of hair since last Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
"Yes? May I help you?" the voice repeated with wary eyes, obviously doing her own once-over of Cay's informal dress of a zippered sweater over white tee shirt, black cotton blended pants covered with dog hair, and her red hair pulled back into a pert pony tail.
Cay brushed off her hand and extended it toward the woman at the door. "Excuse me for interrupting, m'am. My name is Cayenne McKenzie Del Roi and I'm a private investigator. Does Daphne Carter live here?"
"I'm her mother. May I see some identification, please?" Cay fished out her identification from her purse and handed it to Daphne's mother. After checking out Cay's Louisiana Private Investigator's License, she asked, "What is this in regards to?"
"Her name has come up in an investigation. May I come in?"
Cay could see that the woman's good breeding was fighting with her suspicions and fear. Finally, she took a deep breath, and said graciously, "Please come in. We are actually on our way out so we don't have much time." She let her into a oak floored foyer which was filled with light from a skylight two stories above. A large mirror with a intricately gold gilded frame hung on the wall and well cared for hanging plants filled the far right corner in which a set of carpet covered stairs led upstairs.
Cay thought she should try to overcome her obviously bad first impression. She tried on her best Southern manners. "What a lovely home! And I notice an accent you have an little different than the ones I usually hear around here."
"Why, yes! I am a Texan by birth. Just recently moved here to Lake Charles. Ah," she said, "here is Daphne."
A lovely young woman came into the room. She was in her late teens or early twenties and she had the same beautiful, peaches and cream skin of her mother. She was dressed in an expensive looking powder blue cashmere sweater set over a slim fitting A-line skirt. Upon seeing they had company, Daphne flashed a practiced smile at Cay, but she suddenly tripped over the carpet. Cay caught the briefest flash of an exasperated look on her mother's face.
"Daphne, this is Ms. Del Roi. She has some questions to ask you about an investigation that she is doing. "
Daphne extended her hand. "Pleased to meet you, Ms. Del Roi." She actually bent her knee in a slight curtsey, the perfect charm school graduate. Cay noticed that even though Daphne was trying her hardest to project an adult-like charm, she had the sweet, naïve face of a young girl uncomfortable playing the role. She was very pretty, but Cay could see that she would never be the beauty her mother was.
Cay shook her hand. "Your boyfriend Tommy gave me your name. You are as pretty as he says you are." The comment caused Daphne to blush with pleasure and made her mother stiffen. Daphne noticed her mother's response and suddenly became suspicious.
"Why were you talking with Tommy?"
Her mother stepped in. "Daphne, nothing to worry. Ms Del Roi was just saying your name came up in a conversation. I'm sure she is just doing her job." She motioned toward a cream colored, silky couch. "Please sit, Ms. Del Roi. I'm afraid I can't offer you coffee because we need to leave for an appointment in just a few minutes. But I'm sure this won't take long."
"Thank you, Mrs. Carter," Cay sat down.
"Phipps. My name is Star Chamblee-Phipps," she offered. "Daphne's father was killed in an industrial accident when Daphne was just a little girl."
"Star Chamblee-Phipps? Of the Krewe du Lacquer?"
Star obviously was pleased at the recognition. "Yes, You've heard of our little organization?"
Cay caught on quickly that this family thrived on flattery and schmoozing. "Rumor has it that your Krewe is top contender in the Queen's competition."
"Darling, that's so sweet of you. In fact, that's is why we must leave for our appointment soon. We are going to meet with the committee for Daphne's interview."
"You are the Queen's candidate?" Cay directed her comment toward Daphne. "No wonder Tommy was so proud of you."
Daphne blushed again and thanked her.
"Enough about us, Ms. Del Roi," Star redirected the conversation. "What is this investigation that you are doing?"
"Just trying to clear some things up about the death of a woman named Elena Terrebonne who was killed in a car accident near Basile this past week. In retracing her steps, it appears she stopped by the Daiquiri Shack in Mamou and got something to go."
Cay paused and flipped through her notes. It was more for show and effect. Her training by correspondence courses from the Global School of Investigation taught her to introduce potentially loaded questions by using silences to increase anxiety and possible slip ups. "Daphne, according to the police and your boyfriend Tommy, you were there that day the day Miss Terrebonne drove through the stand. Did you see Tommy actually make her pina colada daiquiri?"
Daphne looked at her mother who jumped in. "Daphne didn't see Tommy make the daiquiri."
Cay ignored Star and directed her next question again at Daphne.
"Is that true?"
Daphne nodded her head vigorously. " That's true. I didn't see him make the daiquiri."
"Yet you were there and you were able to see Miss Terrebonne. You told the police later that you remember that she was quite intoxicated. "
Star spoke again, "Tell Ms. Del Roi what you saw, Daphne."
"She was very drunk and smelled like whiskey." Daphne said, then stopped.
"And?"
"And what?"
"What is it that you want to know, Ms. Del Roi? My daughter was there visiting her boyfriend when that drunk woman came through. When we heard that there was an accident, she remembered what she had seen and we called the police. She remembers her being very drunk and smelling to high heaven of whiskey. Isn't that right, sweetheart?"
Daphne nodded.
Cay held her gaze steady with Daphne. "But Tommy says she didn't appear drunk at all. Now why would he say that?"
"Ms. Del Roi, my daughter already told the police everything she knows," Star motioned up the stairs and returned to a sweet, motherly tone. "Daphne, please go get your things now. We need to leave soon."
"One other question I have, Daphne, before you go." Cay interrupted. "Who was the man who drove up behind her? Tommy seems to think you recognized him."
Daphne again looked at her mother. Then she mumbled and looked down at the floor. "I don't remember seeing anyone."
Cay pressed her further. "Tommy said that he thought it might have been your mother's boyfriend?" Cay looked at Star. "Ms Phipps, do you know who I am talking about?"
Star stood up and put her hands on her hips. "I am appalled at your rudeness! I am a widow, Ms. Del Roi, and whom I date is none of your business. What a sad and pitiful business you are in, poking into the private lives of good people like Daphne and myself.!"
The sharp brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr of a telephone interrupted Star's indignation. "Daphne, please answer that. That might be Chief Fourchere calling to confirm our appointment."
When Daphne left the room, Star turn on Cay, towering over her, filling the room with her presence.
"Listen closely, Ms Del Roi," she said, poking a perfectly manicured finger in Cay's face. Her voice was totally controlled, but tinged with threat. "My daughter had nothing to do with that drunk driver from New Orleans. They should just send that filth back to that horrible city. Daphne is a good girl and she is going to be the next Mardi Gras Queen in this town, and I do not want her touched by rumors, innuendo and false accusations. God help you, Ms Del Roi, if you mess this up for her."
Cay reeled back from the attack. She felt as if she had been holding a beautiful piece of carved oak that suddenly turned into a vicious cottonmouth. Before she could gather her words, they were interrupted by Daphne's return to the living room.
"Mother, it's for you. It's Mr. Bardot," Daphne said in a subdued voice. Cay noticed she avoided eye contact.
"If there is nothing else, Ms. Del Roi?" Star turned to go and said to Daphne. She was using the sweet, caring mother voice again. "Show Ms. Del Roi to the door, will you? And get your dress out of the closet to take with us. I'm sure Bull will be very impressed by the Claude Vanet dress designed just for you."
"I can show myself out." Cay said. "Thank you both for your time."
Cay walked toward the door slowly, Daphne hovering uncomfortable at her side. Cay stopped at the door, again thanked Daphne, wishing her luck in the competition. She was trying to give Star enough time to finish her phone call. When she heard the phone settle back in the cradle, she quickly said goodbye and let herself out the front door. Then she used a very handy trick she had learned in Lesson 12 from the Global School of Investigation. She gently closed the door, but did not let it latch. She ducked down so she couldn't be seen through the side windows and slowly sang the A-B-C song to herself four times to give the occupants inside enough time to let their guard down.
She cracked the door back open and heard Star and Daphne talking hurriedly in the hallway. She could see the pair reflected in the large mirror on the wall. They were standing in the hallway next to an open closet. Daphne was flipping through the hangers trying to find her dress.
"Anthony will meet us there. He says that Chief Bull is very excited about the interview. Get your dress and let's get out to the car."
Daphne pulled out a long, red silky dress that appeared to be covered in feathers. In pulling it out, she accidentally pulled on a the trailing handle on a dark blue hat box that spilled its contents on to the floor.
"Daphne, be careful!" her mother scolded.
Cay pushed the door a little more open to get a better look in the mirror. Navy and silver speckled tulle spilled over the floor. Cay could see it was some kind of head piece, filled with silver and gold handed beaded decorations. She pushed the door open a crack more and try to look closer.
Suddenly the door swung wide open, almost tipping Cay onto the floor of the foyer. Star glared at her, her eyes and voice hot with fury.
"Ms. Del Roi. I asked you to leave!"
The swing of the door gave Cay a full look, though just a glimpse, of the headdress laying on the floor. She could see that the beaded patterns actually formed a nighttime tableau of suns, moons, stars and comets. Star turned to see what she was looking at then moved her body into Cay's line of sight and closed the door until there was less than a foot of space in which to see into the house.
"Ms. Del Roi, if you ever bother us again, I am going to call the police." The expensive door slammed hard enough in Cay's face that the brass knocker rocked forward and then clacked several times as it bounced back into space.
Cay pulled out of driveway and started driving home, trying to put all the pieces together from her visit to the Carter/Chamblee-Phipps Home. Daphne's dress was red, but the headdress was a dark blue, so they didn't go together. And the headdress was covered in stars. That seemed more like a Krewe of Muses headpiece than a Deuces Wild theme. Cay racked her brain to remember if Elena's headdress from her Aunt Fanny had ever been recovered from the vehicle. Why would Daphne wear a headdress of stars if the theme was "Deuces Wild"? And if it was Elena's, how did it get into Star's closet?
But there was something else was nagging at her. A discordance nibbled at her subconscious, like a Japanese koi toying with a nugget of kibble. Cayenne drove home distractedly, almost running a red light and just missing T-boning a beat up pick up truck turning on to Broad Street. It wasn't until she finally got home safe and pulled up in the driveway at home that she realized what was bothering her.
What a sad and pitiful business you are in! Star had said.
Sad and pitiful.
The same words on Penelope's suicide note.
The same words that Nicolette swore Penny never used.
CHAPTER SIX: Put Some Creole Mustard On It!
Copyright by Aileen M. McInnis, 2006. All rights reserved. Contact the author at aileen_mcinnis@yahoo.com .
