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Last year, the city police, aided by men of the fire department, marched on and assaulted the attendees at a Republican convention. When the violence ended, thirty-four Black men lay dead. He knew they weren’t going to help Erma and her son, but he wanted to exhaust all possibilities.
In the meantime, to keep from riding to Atwater’s place and shooting him on sight, Drake went home and fired up his forge. Once the flames reached the proper temperature, he donned his protective mask, apron, and gloves, and pounded his anger into scrap pieces of iron until it became too dark to see.
As he lay in bed the following morning, his mood was as grim as it had been the night before. Seeking justice for Allie’s murdered husband had not only been fruitless but had cost him his position with the Freedmen’s Bureau. In a way, he was angry at himself for leaving the freedmen’s fate in the hands of men like Merritt. On the other hand, slinking back to his desk like a whipped dog and capitulating to Merritt’s order meant Daniel’s death hadn’t mattered, and he’d have had to live with that unfair truth for the rest of his life, just like Allie and her son. Drake’s great-grandfather Dominic had saved an island’s entire population from being re-enslaved. The least a current LeVeq could do was stand up for the life of one man. He could only imagine what Dominic would do to someone like Atwater, but Drake and his brothers had Dom’s blood in their veins, and that pirate blood ran true.
His partially built house had no working kitchen yet, so most meals were cooked out of doors on a grill made of iron and bricks. When he left his bed, he found Erma standing over the grill that held a coffeepot and a few skillets. He knew she was still grieving, so he hadn’t expected her to be tending to her duties.
“Morning, Miss Erma.”
“Morning, Mr. Drake. Did you find any help for my Daniel?”
He shook his head. “Not so far.”
“You probably won’t ever.”
He knew she was right, and it fanned the embers of his anger. Pulling in a deep breath to keep it from having its head, he asked, “How’re Allie and Bailey?” He’d yet to see them this morning.
“Sad. She wants to go home to Texas and be with her family. I’d like them to stay here with me, but she’s determined to leave, so I’m giving her my blessing. Nothing’s going to bring Daniel back to us, but maybe she can find peace for her hurt with her folks.”
“How’s she getting there?”
“She has two brothers living nearby. They’re going to drive her home. They’ll be leaving in a little while.”
That he hadn’t been able to bring Allie the peace she deserved weighed heavily on his heart. He hoped leaving Louisiana would help salve her grief so she could begin adjusting to life without her husband.
Erma pointed to the skillets. “Get you something to eat. I heard you hammering last night.”
“Sorry if I disturbed you.”
“You didn’t. I couldn’t sleep anyway. You pounding on that iron sort of made me wish I knew how to do it. Might have helped me let go of some of this pain.”
He thought about helping her find some peace of her own. “Do you want to go visit your sister for a while?” Her sister, Lena, resided in one of the neighboring parishes.
“I thought I might. Will you be all right if I go?”
“Of course. I can always cook for myself or eat at Julianna’s until you return. Stay as long as you need to.”
Eyes now wet with tears, she whispered, “Thank you.”
They’d gotten to know each other fairly well in the three months she’d worked for him. She was a hard worker, had a pleasant personality, and could cook up an outstanding pot of gumbo. “When do you want to leave?”
“Would today be too soon?”
“No. Do you need me to drive you there?”
“Would you?”
He nodded. Making sure she arrived safely would let him feel as if he’d done something to make her grief more manageable.
“Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“I’m sure. If all goes well, I’ll be back here by nightfall, so it’s no trouble. You go and pack what you want to take, and we’ll leave after I’ve eaten.”
Tears filled her eyes again. “You’re a good man, Mr. Drake. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
She left him to the silence of the morning. He poured himself a cup of chicory-flavored coffee, put some of the bacon and eggs from the skillets on his plate, and sat down on a crate to eat.
