Page 65 of Xavier

Hatred. Contemp. Anger.

Xavier followed and stood beside her.

Deputy Taylor, Xavier’s boss’s wife, dipped her head toward Xavier. “Good morning, Xander.” She turned to Lissette with a poker face, completely devoid of any emotion, which unnerved Lissette more than hatred, contempt and anger. “Lissette.” She spun, walked back to her vehicle, opened the back door and leaned inside. Moments later, she straightened, holding her son, Jean-Luc, in her arms. A camera hung from a strap around her neck. Jean-Luc tugged at the strap.

When she returned to stand in front of Lissette and Xavier, her lips twisted. “Deputy Cleyburn was tied up with an earlier call. I came in to help out. Since Remy had a meeting in New Orleans and my sitter had the day off, I have a sidekick.” She smiled at her son and then turned her professional poker face back on Lissette. “I brought a recorder to capture your report. I’ll transcribe it when I get back to the station.” She clicked the device on. “Tell me what happened.”

There wasn’t much to tell. Lissette turned toward the two shops. “This is how I found both stores this morning. We haven’t touched anything; we’ve only looked around.” Her gaze swept the nearby rooflines and trees shading the street. “We can clean up the mess, but Johnny’s missing.” Her glance returned to Shelby and her son.

“Do you have a video monitoring system in either one of the stores?” Shelby asked.

Lissette frowned. “Actually, I think Gisele had one installed after she was broken into a while back.”

“I’ll need to check the surveillance video.” Shelby cocked an eyebrow. “Do you have access to the footage from the cameras?”

“She showed me how to access the recordings through her desktop computer, except the unit was damaged in the break-in.”

“Show me,” Shelby said in a quiet, firm voice.

Lissette led the way through Mamba Wamba to the room in the back where Gisele had set up a corner with a desk. The monitor lay sideways, the screen and case busted. The computer’s disc drive appeared to have been smashed by something heavy, possibly a hammer.

“I doubt it’ll power up.” Shelby turned to Xavier.

He nodded. “Most likely the recordings are stored online. If we can get the login and password, we can tap into the system at the boat factory.”

“Before she left for Mexico, Gisele texted a list of the logins and passwords she uses for the Mamba Wamba,” Lissette said. “I bet what we need is on it.”

“I’ll want to know what your team finds on that footage,” Shelby said. “In the meantime, I need to photograph the damage to add to the report and dust for fingerprints.” She hefted the boy on her hip and faced Lissette, her gaze direct, emotionless. “Off the record.”

Lissette nodded and held her breath, bracing for Shelby’s anger.

In a low, soft voice, Shelby said, “You tried to kill me.”

Lissette nodded. “I did. It’s one of my greatest regrets.”

Shelby lifted her chin and stared down her nose at Lissette. “I don’t forgive you.”

Lissette swallowed. “I don’t expect you to.”

“My forgiveness would have changed nothing. Your punishment wasn’t my decision. The year you spent in the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women was the judge’s call.” For a long moment, she held Lissette’s gaze. “I think your time there was what you needed.”

Lissette swallowed hard on the lump in her throat and nodded. “I had a lot of time to reflect.”

Shelby gave a brief nod. “I think you did. What comes next is all I have a vote on.” She shifted the baby on her hip. “My advice to you is to do the right thing.”

“I’m trying,” Lissette said.

“I think you are.” Shelby glanced around the office. “I need to take photos.” She lifted Jean-Luc off her hip and held him out to Lissette. “Do you mind?”

Lissette reached out automatically and took the child, speechless. Shelby’s gesture made her chest tight, and her eyes burn.

Jean-Luc stared into Lissette’s eyes and grinned.

His weight and warmth filled an empty space inside Lissette. A single tear escaped and slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away before anyone noticed.

Lissette did her best to stay out of the way while Xavier helped Shelby work her way through both businesses, snapping photos and dusting surfaces for prints. By the time she was finished, Lissette had played patty-cake and peek-a-boo at least ten times each, sung silly songs and trotted around playing horsey with the boy on her shoulders.

Shelby stowed her camera and used the sink in the back of Remedies and Roux to wash the black dust from her hands before she claimed her son.