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At her quip, his body relaxed, allowing him to chuckle. “I stand corrected. And if I ever taste crawfish, I’ll make sure I havesympathy for the poor crawlers and be grateful I’m not in with them.”
Now her laughter lit up the darkened street, and for the first time since she appeared this evening, he saw what he suspected was her true self emerging, and if possible, it made her even more beautiful. That green dress outlined her curves deliciously, and he wondered if her skin would feel as soft as the fabric. Taking advantage of getting closer to her, he could smell the magnolias in her hair and how it mixed with her perfume.
“It was never directly against you, but my friends and I, we’ve suffered a lot with Reeker. We still do on some level. The commander promised that things would change, but I don’t know if I have it in me anymore to keep waiting. Sorry for dumping everything on you.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m just relieved you don’t see me as the devil in disguise anymore.”
To his utter surprise, Noelle linked her arm with his. “Maybe I have a way of making sure of that. If you’re a man of courage, I mean.”
In the most natural gesture, he put his other hand over her arm. “If that’s all it takes, lead the way, my lady.”
Of all the things to prove his courage he was expecting to have to do, entering a quaint little shop seemed far from raising his adrenaline. Brandon barely glanced at the storefront, with its feminine decorations and twinkling lights.
“Contrary to legend, men don’t faint when they go shopping with a woman. And on that note, isn’t it a bit late to shop for shoes?”
Although smaller than him, she blocked his path before he could open the door. “I should probably give you a heads up ofwhere we’re going, but because of that little joke, you’re on your own, lieutenant.”
With a flourish, Noelle opened the door, and the smell of incense reached his nose. One look at the sign made him realize it wasn’t a clothing store opened unusually late.
“A Voodoo store? Isn’t that like a tourist trap here in New Orleans?”
Without looking back at him, Noelle sashayed inside, leaving him to decide if he was up to the challenge. It didn’t take Brandon long to make his mind, and he crossed the threshold.
At initial glance, it wasn’t exactly how he envisioned such a place. It was always decorated in bright red hues in movies, filled to the brim with creepy items and what-nots with a haze of smoke all over.
Apart from the faint scent of incense, Brandon stepped into a place that looked more like a coffee shop or bookstore than a magical extravaganza.
Noelle was a few steps ahead and went to a woman standing behind the counter.
“Oh, my sweet child! Noelle, I didn’t think you would come tonight as Fridays are for your tours.”
The two women hugged, but over Noelle’s shoulder, the woman’s eyes were on him, curious.
From what he could tell, the woman was of Creole descent, well into her fifties, but a true timeless beauty. Delicate with pale blue eyes, black hair in a low chignon, she was dressed in a classical blue dress, with a shawl artfully wrapped around her shoulders. She wore intricate earrings matching a large necklace. Even in her high heels, she barely reached the top of Noelle’s head.
“Dominique, I’d like you to meet a colleague of mine, Lieutenant Brandon Turner. Brandon, this is my long-time friend Dominique Chassagne, and owner of this little shop.”
When the small woman came closer and offered her hand, Brandon felt something like a punch facing by her powerful charisma. He didn’t believe in magic, but if he did believe, there was no doubt this woman was some sort of witch or would hold an equivalent title. Nonetheless, he took her delicate hand in his bear paw. The woman didn’t fear his size or what he represented. Brandon was beginning to think she didn’t fear anything or anyone at all.
“A pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant Turner. I see you are a newcomer to Crescent City. And you’re very welcome here.”
From the corner of his eye, he saw Noelle frown but didn’t dare look away from the lady whose eyes threatened to swallow him whole. Tongue-tied, Brandon knew he should answer but was scrambling for words. With a mesmerizing French accent, the woman didn’t relinquish his hand. On the contrary, she hooked it to her arm. “This is the first time my chérie Noelle has brought a coworker here. I suppose she has a good reason, and you must be an important friend to her.”
This time, Noelle spoke up. “We’re only coworkers. We were close by, and I wanted...”
But Dominique waved at her words with her free hand. “I know all that, no need to find excuses, my chère amie. I see deeper in you than you care to admit to yourself. Why don’t you go into my office? I’ve received a shipment of silver jewelry, and I want your opinion on some pieces. Go now.”
It was more an order than a suggestion, and Noelle hesitated before sending him a wary look and walking away. Even if he wanted to go after her, Dominique steered him away. “Now, Lieutenant. I’m so glad to make your acquaintance. I think you arrived at the best moment. But that’s no surprise.”
With a stutter, he halted, and so did the woman on his arm. “Please, call me Brandon. What do you mean by the best moment?”
“Ah! Timing! So important and elusive, don’t you think, Brandon?”
Dominique made them stand in front of an antique mirror. The surface wasn’t perfect; there were discolorations and an uneven patina, maybe even a crack. He wasn’t entirely sure of it, but it blurred their image. Not enough so they wouldn’t recognize themselves, but more like a filter that messed with his eyesight.
His first impression was like being drawn into a pool of silver. He could hear Dominique humming softly in the background, but it was hard to pull his gaze away from it. Not that he saw anything, although he’d never felt so fidgety. The hair on the back of his neck pricked up as if danger was creeping up on him, on them. He had an urge to pull Dominique behind his back and to go and make sure that Noelle was safe and sound.
Somehow, he knew it wasn’t real, but he couldn’t help it. That dark swirl in the back of his mind bled into his peripheral vision. Was there a form behind him, reflected in the mirror?
