CHAPTER VIII: A PATTERN?

'TDC-NATCHEZ'

The Willows Weep For Thee

CHAPTER EIGHT

A PATTERN?

The girls were sitting at the table in the kitchen dining area...Rose, Feelie, Tess, & Naomi.

Beau & Poke had gone off somewhere, the girls suspected up to Beau's bedroom, and finally Rose who had been fidgety all afternoon finally couldn't stand it any more.

"Naomi?"
"Yes Rose?"
"Please tell me something."
"Sure, what..."
"Please tell me what happened to Michael, Beau's daddy. I've not been able to get a straight answer out of LiliBeth and God knows I've tried." She paused. 

"I think you can understand I didn't want to ask Beau, but..."

   ++++++++++++++++

Naomi nodded.
"I wish I knew, Rose." 

Rose looked at her, then at Tess & Feelie, and then back. She felt like someone who has just hit the Lotto.

"I wish I knew, but what I DO know I will tell you. About six months ago, Michael just...disappeared. Vanished. Gone without a trace."

Rose lurched. She looked at the others, who had had the same reaction.
"Disappeared?" Feelie asked.
"Yes, as in here one minute and gone the next...disappeared.

"But..." Rose sputtered..

"But," Naomi continued. 
"Call me crazy, but Ah don't think thah two are connected. Something jest feels different with this...and, by the way since you're also probably wondering, my husband Petey disappeared a few days before Michael did. Again, GONE. No word, no hint, no nothing. Jest GONE."

Hearing that threw even Rose for a loop.
"YOUR husband is missing as well?"
"Yes, Rose, yes he is."
"OH MAH GAWD," Feelie gasped.

The room went eerily silent, and four very sharp and very bright minds went blank. 

Lights out and good night kinda silent.

    +++++++++++++++++++

Silence, as Rose and company tried to digest what Naomi had just told them. Rather, the bomb she had just dropped.

"Naomi?"
"Yes..."
"Why don't you think these disappearances are connected? Would seem to make sense, after all. Michael and LiliBeth are married, and you and your husband were their best friends. Now three of you are missing. Naomi, you're the only one of the group that isn't."

Suddenly Naomi seemed to have a flash of insight, or enlightenment, or fear...
something.

"My Gawd, I hadn't thought of it lahke that."

"Hawney, you can tell me it's none of my business, but do yah think it's SAFE... you being alone in that big house all by yoahself?"

Rose quickly jumped in. 
"Naomi. I think you better move in with us. Really I do. Safer."

"Thanks, but..." and everyone could see that this had rattled the normally unflappable Naomi.
"Well, see. I have Duke & Dutchess."
"Who?"
"Mah standard Schnauzers. 

They're mah pals, but they are a handful. Don't know how yah feel about dogs."
"Honey, they your pals, they welcome. Bring 'em," Rose and Tess said simultaneously.
"You sure?" and all three of them nodded.

     ++++++++++++++++++

Rose and Tess left with Naomi to help her get packed up and Ofelia was left to deal with...
ME. Yup, I had neckhairs flying off my neck, and I was feeling antsy. So, on the cellphones 
we was.

"Ofelia?"
"Yes, hawney."
"Ofelia, what is going on down there."
"Whatcha mean, Bear?"
"Don't play coy with me, woman."
"Who, ME?"
"Yes, you."
"Well..."
"C'mon, Feelie. Spill. I KNOW something ain't kosher. I can feel it."

"Y'all needs tah do somethin' 'bout them neckhairs of yoahs,
Dylan."
"Mebbe so, but..."
"Look hawney. Nothing tah 
tell."

I knew she was hedging. I could tell as I usually can when she tries this crap, but I also had a feeling I wasn't gonna get anything out of her either. Not until she was damned good and ready, varmit woman.

"Why you down there, Feelie. What did Rose' cousin tell you about why?"
"She ain't said yet, Dylan."
"WHAT?"
"Nope. Naht a peep so fah."
"Don't make sense."
"Well, she IS suth'n yah know, and a woman."
"Don't be cute."
"Cain't hep it, Bear. Ah jest IS."

Dadratted woman. 
"You WILL tell me if and when there is something wrong, right?"
"Don't I always, honeybear?"

Oh geez.
"In a word, NO!"
"I promise, hawney. Now don't yah go gettin' yahself ahl in a tizzy, precious... 
worryin' yoah pretty head 'bout nuffin. We jest fahne. Honest. Dylan?"
"Yes,"
"How's Rico?"
"Rico is FINE, Feelie. Which is more than I can say about the three of you, lessin' I miss my guess."

"Poo, Bear.'
"Geez, Feelie.  Pooh & I ain't even related."
"I betcha yoah is. You both cuties."

"Yeh yeh, but I am serious. You call me the MINUTE something looks suspicious."
"Promise."

How did I know that 
varmit woman had her fingers crossed? Cause I has seed her do it, that's how. Way more times than I can count. Which is exactly what I told Jake. 

Jake,  Kenny, Toneboi, Antonio, Derek, Frankie, Billy Ray, and Rico...not to mention every other silly fool on the ding danged planet, all of whom were sitting next to me and jest a'twitter listening. Silly goosies dat dey ith.

   +++++++++++++++++++

"You think she is hiding something, doncha Bear," Jake grinned.

"I think that woman's hiding the enTAHRE State of MISSISSIPPI, fool..." I said, grinning. 
"Toss in Alabama too while you're at it."

"So, do we gas up the horses and riiiiide?" Jake asked.

Good ol' Jake Foxworth. 
Alus ready for adventure. Course you'd think him being with the FBI and all he'd get more than enough of that, but no. You also might think that being FBI  partner Kenny's other half would complete that process, but NO. He almost as big a varmit as Ofelia AND her brother Antonio. But...Rico put the kibosh to that little 
brainfart.

"Jake, we ALL be daid afore we hit the front door, and you know it. Auntie Rose a crack shot you know," and Rico sat grinning his silly Italian heinie off. But he had a point and we all knew it. SO...

Drat.

Ok, did I mention that also sitting here with the rest of us total retards/more than interested bystanders, was 
Elke and Brenda? 

Perhaps I should have...and perhaps I should have known better than to have uttered EVEN THE SLIGHTEST bit of hesitation or uneasiness about what I suspected. 

I SHOULD KNOW BETTER than to do something like that in front of the womenfolk. The gender MOST prone to plotty 
and plannie, I might add. 

I insert a really good growl 
heah.

      ++++++++++++++++

I hadn't been kidding though. I knew something wasn't right down in Natchez. Sadly, I had NO idea of just HOW wrong it really was. 

Maybe if I had...

Sigh.

              ++++++++++++
        CONTINUE TO CHAPTER IX