It was a newspaper article, written ten years earlier about strange events in Louisiana history.
Lauren was perplexed. The event in question dated back to 1870. A plantation owner who had survived the ravages of the “War of Northern Aggression” had been returned to his home for burial after traveling abroad to attend the wedding of his son in Kiev, where he had apparently gone berserk and used a bow and arrow to kill the bride and several of the guests.
On the day of his funeral, the house—a beautiful, graceful home on the river—had gone up in flames. The shell had remained for years. As of the article date, the ruins were still abandoned, and the property had reverted to the state.
Lauren read the article over and over again, unable to puzzle out why Susan had given it to her.
Perplexed, she refolded the sheet of paper and tossed it on the nightstand.
Mark spent over two hours just driving around.
He had been certain at first that Stephan would have chosen a place along Plantation Row for his refuge, but he had apparently been wrong, because he didn’t see anything suspicious the entire time
He headed back to the hospital, anxious to see how Leticia was doing. All seemed quiet when he reached her room.
For whatever good it might do, Sean had stationed an officer on duty outside the door. And Judith Lockwood was right where he had left her, the knitting project in her hands beginning to look more like a sweater.
He noticed there were more crosses in the room. Several of them—all wooden—lined the window frame.
“Hello, Ms. Lockwood,” he said quietly.
She looked up calmly and nodded at him. “He’s been here already, been here and gone.”
“He?” he murmured.
She returned her gaze to her knitting. “Folks can poke fun at some of the old beliefs, but you know, way back in the old days, in the jungles and deserts, folks knew. They knew about good, and they knew about evil. My girl here, she just happened into the way of evil. But she’s a good girl. And I don’t intend to lose her to any spawn of Satan. I was ready.” She smiled. “Well, I have to admit, I’m a little bit afraid to be leaving this place myself now, but I was ready. He showed up at that window. And I gave it to him good. You see that silver cross there? I blazed my light on it just as soon as I saw the golden orbs of his eyes at the glass.” She chuckled softly. “He was gone, lickety split. Yessir, I think we’re going to be fine.”
Mark walked over to Judy and took her hands. “Good for you. You’re saving her life, you know. But you’re right; you mustn’t leave here. Not at all. Not until it’s…safe.”
“Not until you’ve killed the bastard, huh?” she asked.
He nodded. “He needed Leticia because she’s a nurse, but she’s also a very beautiful young woman. You’ve kept her from him. She’s not the one he’s after, but he’ll hurt you, hurt you badly, if he can, because he doesn’t like people denying him anything. You understand, don’t you?”
She stared at him. “Oh, yes, young man. I understand. I understand much more than you imagine I do. And I won’t be leaving. Do you see stupid in this old body? I think not!”
Mark had to smile. “I do not see stupid,” he agreed.
“Get out there, then. Get out there and stop the monster that did this to my girl.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he told her, and left.
Outside, he swore. If only he knew where the hell the bastard was going to strike next.
Deanna still didn’t have much strength, though she was doing much better than Lauren would have expected. By midnight, however, she was sleeping again, apparently peacefully.
In her chair, Heidi yawned.
“You all go on to bed now,” Big Jim said, looking around the room. “I’ll take first watch. Bobby can spell me in a few hours. And Stacey is always up by six.”
“I can watch Deanna,” Lauren said. “You’re already doing enough, giving up your job to stay here with us.”
“You listen to me, Lauren. I know what I’m up against You go get some sleep. You won’t be any good if you’re overtired..”
Heidi stood. “I’m sorry, but I really am exhausted.” She grinned. “It’s very tiring, convincing your fiance that you don’t want to sleep with the entire roster of the L. A. Rams. Big Jim, bless you. I’m going to bed.”
“Okay,. I guess I’ll get some sleep, too,” Lauren said.
“We’ll do it as Big Jim calls it,” Bobby said, rising as well, and holding out a hand to Stacey. “Come on, kid.”
They all filed out of Deanna’s room.
“Maybe I should bunk in with you,” Lauren told Heidi.
“No, thank you.”
“But—”
“Lauren, the room is protected. And I have a feeling someone will come home to you eventually. And though I think it’s great you’re getting some at last, I don’t want to be around for it,” she said, laughing.
“All right,” Lauren agreed. “I’m right next door. If you get nervous, if anything so much as goes bump in the night…”
“I’ll scream my head off so you can come save me,” Heidi swore, then gave Lauren a warm and reassuring hug.
