Ghost River by Jon Coon (romantic books to read .TXT) 📗

the rest of the home and made Gabe wonder again how Alethea could ever leave here. The home was as Gabe remembered. Glossed hardwood floors, floral-papered walls, high windows with plantation shutters inside and stylish storm shutters outside. The antiques were priceless, most from decades before the Civil War and some from the original Glapion home before misfortune and poor planning destroyed Marie’s common-law-husband’s family wealth.

“Brennen’s or Court of Two Sisters?” Cas asked from where she sat at the wrought iron garden table. The fragrance of honeysuckle and flowers whose names Gabe couldn’t remember was heavy. Herbs and spices grew along one wall, and ivy clung to ancient brick across the back.

Broken wine bottles were cemented along the top of stone garden walls, an early defense precaution. A large moss-coated, three-tiered fountain gurgled cheerfully, while cardinals and hummingbirds flitted among the feeders and flowers.

“I really should be getting back—” Gabe said.

“Nonsense,” Cas pounced. “The least we can do is treat you to a welcome home meal. Tell me you wouldn’t love some crawfish étouffée and shrimp remoulade. When was the last time you had real oysters Bienville or Cajun redfish and rice?”

“You had me at crawfish étouffée. I’ll need to make some calls.”

His childhood memories, living just outside the French Quarter, were usually focused on only the horrific death of his mother. But as they walked Bourbon and Royal streets and saw familiar storefronts and heard the music, he found himself looking at Cas and remembering their time together. She guessed what he was thinking and returned his smile by wrapping in his arm. They entered the Court of Two Sisters and read again of duels fought over dark-eyed ladies and imagined the blood on the floor.

Well after midnight, in the upstairs bedroom he’d lived in following Katrina, he sank into a real feather mattress and a deep sleep.

CHAPTER 18

1540

The Greenly Home

Carol had taken Emily and Paul for dinner and a movie. Zack was looking forward to the time alone with Mickey, who currently sat on the couch with the dogs reading, but his thoughts kept returning to Gabe’s comment that his father, Richard, had not died accidentally. Contrary to what the police report stated. Zack paced in front of the fireplace, “Dad’s old computer is at my mom’s house, up there in the attic,” he said to himself as much as to Mickey.

She looked up from her book, “What?”

“I said my dad’s old computer is up there in the attic, and there are boxes of floppy disks I haven’t read. There might be stuff on those disks that would help us. Especially now that we don’t have the stolen reports.” Zack picked up his cell phone and made a call. When there was no answer, he said, “Mom’s not home. Let’s go.”

“Okay, let me get a sweater. I’ll meet you at the truck.”

When she came out, she was wearing a snug fitting sweater, jeans, and sandals and carrying a small overnight bag. “Can I take a shower at your place? It would be nice to soak and not have to worry about running out of hot water.”

“Sure. And we can stop for dinner on the way back.”

“That sounds almost like a date. It’s been a while.”

“Yeah, I miss our alone time.”

“Me too.” She slid next to him on the truck’s bench seat and kissed his cheek.

They came to the end of the gravel road and turned left. Zack might have been distracted by Mickey snuggling because he didn’t notice the headlights that came on behind them as they turned and headed for the highway.

“What do you make of Gabe?” she asked.

“He’s more stoic than anyone I’ve ever met. Like he’s emotionally constipated. You’d get more affection from an oyster. Shall I go on?”

“Emotionally constipated, that’s pretty good.”

“Yeah, he just needs to let it go.”

“Stop it. That’s awful. You’ve got a sick, sick mind,” Mickey laughed.

“Don’t you think he’s got secrets that have made him the way he is?”

“I suppose, but Carol loves him,” she said. “I know they’re both conflicted. But if he made a move, she’d go with it. I know it’s only been a month, but Carol and Emily both love him. I don’t know why he doesn’t get it.”

“Perhaps in time?”

“Not unless those walls come down. It’s sad really. If he could get with the program, they’d make a great family.”

“Like us?”

She kissed his neck. “Yeah, just like us. In five or ten years.” She laughed and kissed him again.

He checked the rearview mirror as he made the first of three turns toward his mother’s house and noticed a twenty-year-old Lincoln Town Car behind them.

“Are you sorry about what we did?” she asked.

“I’m really sorry Paul’s dad died. I never thought anything . . .” He choked for a moment, thinking about Charlie’s death. “I never thought anything like that would happen. I just wanted to know what happened to my dad.”

“Would you risk it again, if we were certain no one would get hurt?” Mickey asked. She was quiet and serious.

“Do you mean would I risk going to jail to find out what happened to my dad? Yeah, sure. He deserves to have the truth come out,” he replied. “How about you? Would you do it again?”

“I love you, and I believe what you were trying to do was for the right reasons. So if that were the only way, I would. But I still hope it doesn’t come to that. Jail, I mean.”

“Yeah, me too.” He looked over, took her hand, and kissed it. When he looked back at the road and the rearview mirror, the Town Car was still following a few car lengths in back of them.

“You too, what?” She demanded.

He refocused in response to her elbow nudge, “I love you too, and I hope we don’t go to jail. I can’t imagine there’s anyone else who would have risked so much for me. I’ll love you. Always.”

She kissed his neck again and sighed, “You better!”

In the Lincoln, Wes