Spooktacular Week – Part Two of The Haunting of Red River House Ball with Pamela Mason
Spooktacular Week – Guest Author Pamela Mason with part one of her story
October 28, 2011Happy Halloween! Wrap up for Guest Authors and I’m blogging at the Petit Fours and Hot Tamales Blog!
October 31, 2011 |
| Pamela V Mason |
The Haunting of Red River House Ball, pt2:
“Noooo!”
I catch my breath. Mignon can make a helluva entrance.
I’m getting used to this; nothing fazes me anymore. Well, not like it used to anyway — police crouched against the front of the house, Mignon’s hellcat tirade at decibel levels, people recording everything with their camera phones —
And all I can think about is the sooner I unload the Missile, the sooner I can go-
No. I force the thought down, away. Not going there again. New thoughts, new habits. The sooner I unload the Missile, the sooner I can handle Mr. Joachim and this crisis.
With one bottle cuddled under my arm and against my side, I grip the neck of the second and get out to open the back of the Missile.
“Ma’am, step away from the car please.” Oh. No.
An overzealous newbie security guard. Probably his first day chasing La Mignon through the mean streets of his private gated community. Well, if there’s one thing I know, it’s how to get a guy to do the grunt work.
“You the new guy?” I ask him sweetly. Yep, flirt straight for the kill.
I turn to blind him with my smile, but the sun over his head blinds me instead. It sears my eyes and in seconds tears flow and I’m all squinch-y and then… my nose. Well, it’s not pretty.
Instinctively I raise my hand to stop what’s running away. The bottle slips from my side and before I know it the arms of one very solid man catches the bottle – and me.
“Yeah,” he whispers nice and low and a little rough, too close to my ear, too close to me. I feel his heartbeat through silky cotton, smell soap and man sweat, see stubble on his jaw and the pink of his lips and his deep-set dark brown eyes… I can see again. “New guy. Name’s Herman.” He reaches behind to his back pocket and pulls out a handkerchief. “You okay?”
I want to bury my face in that piece of cotton and scrub the scent of him into my pores. But – no. Better not freak him out yet, so I dab and sniff daintily.
“Thanks. I’m good.” I offer it back, but he holds his palm out. Universal for ‘keep it’.
“Mignon LeBouef?” he asks me.
Cue the hysterical lady.
“Snakes! Charley? Charley he has snakes in there!” Mignon stomps past the police and security guards to confront me. “Snakes! You hear me? You need to come fix this!”
Then, eyeing Mr.Spectacular, she does a little snake charm of her own. “Oh hello. And you are…?”
Herman pulls his gaze away and I take my bottle from his hand. “Mignon LeBouef? Herman Richards, Halloween Orleans.”
Marching up to the door, I repeat my new mantra. “Fix the problem. Fix the problem. Fix the problem.”
Inside the reception hall the policemen are staring at the mural, talking in low tones to each other, sliding their feet over something on the floor.
Pennies. Shiny orange ones, dull black ones, and every shade of copper in between. Everywhere – on floors, and stair treads, on chairs and window sills.
And snakes. Two big black ringed California king snakes, and one big white –
“Is that a boa constrictor?” I ask out loud, as if I didn’t already know.
A policeman whistles long and low and intones “That is one big –“
“It’s Legba,” interrupts Mr. Joachim. “Oh good, you brought wine.” He gestures for me to come forward.
I step back.
“They won’t hurt you! They’re nice snakes! They’re here for Legba!”
“And just what exactly is Legba?” I ask, watching the big fella on the floor that seemed to be meditating under the Lovick and Lamphier table that cost an arm and a leg –
Both of which lay on the table. A plaster cast of half an arm, a hand, a foot cut off at the ankle, and an old, rusted metal and leather leg brace.
All relics from St.Roch’s. With candles scattered among everything and –
Dammit! Not the doberge cake from the caterers for tomorrow night’s ball!
I had dreams about that cake – Dreams!
“Mr. Joachim, what is all this? What are you doing here and why are there pennies and snakes everywhere?”
I ask, again as if I didn’t know.
He looks up, a mixture of curiosity and joy and … is that a twinkle I see in his eyes?
“You’re back, my Ruby. You’ve finally come back to me.”
With thanks to Dawn Carl for the photo of the floor of St.Roch’s Relics Room.
~~~
Ohhhhhh Pamela! What a way to end part two. How could you do this to us, girl???
Okay. I’ll get over it. 🙂 Just means I have to wait til Monday to read the conclusion.
If you are excited to read how Ms. Ruby fits into this story, hop on over the Pamela Mason’s blog on Monday (Halloween!!!). I know you won’t be disappointed. Also, leave a message for a chance to win a goodie bag of Bath and Body Works products from Pamela.
Thank you, Pamela!!!
Have a Spooktacular Weekend!
5 Comments
I like the story! I love those stories that incorporate real surroundings into them. I’ll be waiting for Monday.. 🙂
Aaarrrrrggggghhhhh! The suspense!!!
Dammit, Pamela. Monday. Really?
I agree with Carol, though she sounds a little like a pirate. 😉 Monday’s a long time away… But I’ll be there to meet Ruby!
;D
Hi Just Me – on Tuesday I’ll be posting on the actual cemetery’s relics room for All Saint’s Day on WriterMason. Hope you join me then too.
Hi Carol! Hi Linsey! On pins
& needles yet? Bwahahaha!
Hi Everyone! This is a fun story. I can’t wait til Monday. AND I can’t wait to read the other information you are posting on your blog on Tuesday. 🙂