“No mama! You got them death hands!”
She cackles loudly, throwing her head back, blonde hair not moving an inch. “I’ll send your little friends back, then I gotta get this body gone. I have the Dupris family coming in at 4pm for their maman.”
My head snaps to Nancy. “Are you putting this guy in with their maman?” I ask in shock.
Nancy blanches at my question and then lets loose in French. I may have spent my life around these parts, but I can only pickout a few words here and there and they’re enough to make my asshole pucker up. That sweet woman turned on a dime and I’ve got nowhere to hide.
Damian starts making soothing French sounds before leaving the room only to return a moment later with Barbara in his arms. He shoves her at his mother who wraps the mastiff in her arms, her angry French switching to a soothing coo that grandmothers use when their grandchildren visit. She glares at me as she leaves the room, carrying a blissfully unaware Barbara in her arms.
“Brother, I don’t know if you got a disability or not, but you can’t go roun’ here like that. Mama prides herself on her business acumen.” I open my mouth to apologize, but he cuts me off. “This guy here gon be disposed of with the Smith family granny. Mama hates her.” He smirks as he waves Dex, TumTum, Omen, and Saint through the doors.
“What the fuck?” Omen mumbles as his eyes land on the body on the table. I watch as he takes in the cuts, the burns, the bruises. He looks up at me with a frown, “The tongue?”
I never thought to check. Stepping closer, I grip the jaw, prying it open and peering inside. “Cut.”
“What was that look?” Damian says, his gaze bouncing between me and my brothers.
“What does it mean?” Dex asks, booted feet planted, arms crossed over his chest.
“In Eden’s Keep interpretation, only the Prophet could preach the word. Could be this guy is a preacher in a different church maybe?” Saint says.
“There was an Eden’s Keep symbol on the wall, right?” Omen asks, getting nods from me and Damian. “Could be he’s spreading the word?”
“After the last time, who the hell would want to start that shit up again?” Saint spits.
“The Prophet had a lot of die hard followers.,”
“I’m pretty sure your sister killed them all, didn’t she?” Dex asks, staring down at the body.
“She got rid of the council members and their die hard followers. Others who were unproblematic were left to choose their own path.”
“OK,” Prez nods. “So how many people are we talking about?”
“Loyal will have a better idea of the exact numbers, but I’d say around 30. Almost all are women, and children under the age of 16,” I answer.
“Hello there, welcome to Rest Easy Funeral Home. Can I get you anything to drink?” Damian’s mom comes breezing into the room, a tray with a floral teapot and cups and saucers perched on top. She places it just to the left of the dead guy’s head, and looks up, eyebrows raised.
“Ah, no, thank you, Ma’am,” Dex answers with a little cough.
“Such impeccable manners!” Nancy coos. She smiles wide when TumTum obliges her and asks for tea with one sugar. “Here you go sweetheart.” She places the cup and saucer on the corpse’s chest before looking up at us. “So, do you have any questions in regard to the deceased?”
We all stare at her in silence until Omen’s “Fuck it” breaks the spell. “Do you have any idea how long he’s been dead?”
Nancy bobs her head from side to side, turning to the table of implements beside her and picking something up. “What was the temperature like when you found himTi-garçon?”
A snort escapes me and I try to cover it with a cough.
“What’s so funny?” Prez murmurs.
“Ti-garçonmeans “Little Boy’,” I whisper.
Dex coughs to cover his snort as well, and then we lose it when Damian flips us the bird all while keeping a straight face and answering his mother’s questions.
“The home is two story, west facing. In town, no bayou nearby. Ain’t no bugs either. Aircon was on but not cold. High ceilings, open rooms, clutter but not too much. Bread in the pantry still fresh but a few slices missing so I say it been open two, maybe three days.”
“Impressive run down, Prospect,” Dex nods.
“I knew what mama gon’ ask.”
