Read Night Magic for Free Online Page B

and
such."
    "Sounds nice." Savannah made a show of moving
things around on the counter near the cash register. She hoped
LaShaun would take the hint.
    "Oh yes, we've been written up in some tour
magazines. Come over some time." LaShaun started to leave. She
paused with her hand on the door knob.
    "Maybe I will."
    "The most popular section is the one I set up
myself. The tourists just find it fascinating. I think you would,
too. On voodoo."
    Savannah looked up sharply. LaShaun was still
smiling, her eyes had narrowed making her face take on the look of
a cat stalking prey. Savannah's hands shook, causing her to drop
several ink pens she was trying to place in the round container
along with other small souvenirs.
    "Bye now." LaShaun gave a low, throaty
chuckle as she went through the door.
     
    *****
     
    The lingering aroma of Tante Marie's famous
cooking drifted through the warm evening air. Savannah and Charice
sat on the large front porch watching Charice's offspring play in
the front yard. Antoine sat at the other end puffing his pipe.
Stuffed on chicken and sausage jambalaya, mustard greens, and hush
puppies, it was all they could do to lift a hand to wave the straw
fans to cool themselves. Despite her protests, all had pitched in
to clean up the kitchen. Tante Marie finally came outside. She
plumped up the large flowered cushion, and then sat down heavily in
a large cane chair.
    "Ah, that breeze feel good, yeah." Tante
Marie mopped her face with a flowered handkerchief.
    "Nothing like a quiet Sunday afternoon after
a good home cooked dinner. Tante Marie, that was some kind of
delicious meal you cooked. Umph!" Charice patted her stomach.
    "Yes indeed. That was the one thing I never
got over after I left home, missing your food. I don't think I
could move if I wanted to, which I don't. Look at those two, where
do they get the energy? Hey, Crystal and Nikki, don't you want to
take a nap or at least slow down?" Savannah called out to the girls
who just giggled and kept playing.
    "Forget it, honey. They stopped taking naps
long ago; unfortunately. Were we ever that bouncy?"
    "Yes, Lord. ‘Member the time y'all was always
having slumber parties or king cake parties or somethin'. House
full of little noisy gals." Tante Marie shook her head with a
laugh.
    "Speaking of king cake, we used to really
have a ball at Mardi Gras. Especially in high school. And can we
ever forget who was queen of the Krewe of Noir Mystique carnival
ball in her junior year? That gown you wore knocked 'em dead.
Strapless with a wide hoop skirt." Charice gave Savannah a playful
pat on the arm.
    "Oh please. I've still got scars from that
dress. Those pretty green sequins and beads made sitting down a
pain, literally. And standing up was worse. That thing must have
weighed a ton."
    "Back then, we didn't care about being in
agony if it meant being beautiful. You were so busy strutting your
stuff for Andre LaMotte, you didn't even notice."
    "Don't remind me. And what about you? Dewayne
did this, Dewayne said that." Savannah spoke in a high pitched
little voice.
    "Hmm, I haven't thought about him in years.
Last I heard, he was living in Houston. Andre still lives
here."
    "So far I haven't seen him; which is okay by
me," she added to ward off Charice's matchmaking plans.
    "He was always a little wild, but he got
downright crazy in our senior year. When you broke up with him that
was something. LaShaun spent the next six months bragging that she
took him from you."
    "She came in the shop the other day."
Savannah spoke quietly, all amusement gone from her voice.
    "What did the devil's daughter want with
you?" Charice grimaced.
    "To tell me about the museum."
    Charice shuddered. "She still gives me the
creeps.”Living in that big old house with crazy old Mama
Odette."
    "All them Rousselles is sly, from Odette's
monmon on back. She crazy like a fox, old Odette is. She made
herself plenty good money in her time. Even had some property down
in New Orleans," Tante