Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Inspiration 6


Time to move on to a new book--Book 2 of the Raiford Chronicles: Heartless




Heartless takes place thirteen years after Lucky Thirteen ends. The Raifords are a little older and a little wiser, but there is another serial killer on the loose.

Ray Reynolds gets a surprise (2 actually). Both in their 40s now, Larkin tells him she's pregnant with their 3rd child on the same day he discovers his first child was not with Larkin and he has not known about the boy until that day.

The story takes a look at surviving child abuse and dealing with addiction.




Chief Raiford Reynolds had a hectic morning. He had dropped his kids at school and almost had an accident when another harried parent ran the red light near the school. Next, he signed expense vouchers for Chris and Baker to go to La Place, Metairie, and Kenner after Chris interrogated him about why Raif, who had never had tattoos, suddenly had two. It took a great deal of persuasion to convince Chris that the whole thing had truly been Raif's idea. Then, the phone calls from the press had started. Ray yelled to his executive assistant, "Tanya, don't put another damned reporter through!"
"Okay, boss. I won't even answer the phone if you say so. What about in person?"
"What do you mean?"
"There's a young man out here asking to see you."
"Is he a reporter?"
Ray heard muffled conversation.
"He says he's not with any kind of media. His name is Parker Godchaux."
After a long moment of dead silence, Ray asked, "Godchaux? Are you sure?"
"Yes, sir."
"How old is he?"
Muffled words echoed through the intercom again.
"He says he's seventeen," Tanya said.
Ray was quiet for a long time before Tanya asked, "What do you want me to do, boss?"
"Send him back."

♥♥♥
The young man who entered Ray's office was very polite as he extended his hand across the desk when Ray stood. "Hello, sir. Thank you for seeing me. I'm Parker Godchaux."
Ray simply stared at the boy who looked just like Mia except the eyes that looked back at Ray were reflections of his own. Parker was not much bigger than Mia at around five-foot eight or nine and around a hundred forty pounds according to Ray's estimate. His dark brown hair hung limply like his mother's to his shoulders and was parted on the left side. He needed to shave since the sparse facial hair looked scruffy. He was clean, but the clothes he wore were cheap and a bit shabby. His gray sweatshirt was from a school in Metairie and had obviously been laundered many times, and his jeans were inexpensive, perhaps a Fred's Dollar Store purchase, with tears in both knees. He wore boots which looked to be of a fairly good quality although scuffed and worn. Wonder if he picked those up at a Goodwill. Ray took all this in quickly, but he could not get past the boy's eyes. Finally, Ray shook his hand. "Mia's son?" Ray asked, still stunned.
"Yes, sir. Mia Godchaux is my mother."
The words that came from Ray's mouth next sounded as if someone else was speaking. "Am I your father?"
The answer Ray received was even more shocking. "I don't know, sir. My mother never said for sure, but I would like to know. That's why I've come. I have a few possibilities. I'd like to ask you to do a paternity test."
Ray scowled. "Any chance that Robert LaFontaine is one of your possibilities?"
"Yes, sir. I already asked the Senator if he would take a paternity test, but he refused."
"Of course, he did. That would've been a mighty big skeleton in his closet."
"What about you?"
Shocked by Parker's frankness, Ray gestured to a chair. "Sit down."
Parker took the seat but held his fists in a tight clasp.
Ray responded to his question. "You're definitely a surprise." He sat back down. "I never even knew Mia had a child. If you are my son, I didn't know. If I had…"
"Would you have married my mother?"
Ray was honest. "I don't know. I'm sure we would've ended up divorced, but I would have been a father to my child."
"Thank you for that," Parker said with wisdom far beyond his years. "Does that mean you'll take the test?"
Ray rubbed his head. Well, shit. It's not the boy's fault, no matter what. He nodded. "Yes, Parker. Come with me. We can get the criminology lab to do it right now. It'll take a couple of days to get the results. I'm sorry, Parker. I swear I never knew about you."
Ray stood and Parker followed his example.
"I know you didn't, sir. Nobody knew about me. Thank you for admitting at least the possibility that you could be my father."
Ray took Parker to the lab a few blocks away where both had blood drawn. Then, both walked back to the police station. Ray asked, "Where are you staying?"
"I've got a place."
"With friends here?"
"Not exactly."
"A homeless shelter?" Ray's eyebrows shot to his hair line.
"Yes, sir."
"No. That will never do. Get your things. You're coming home with me."
Parker shook his head. "No, sir. At least not until we know the truth. I'll come by your office in a couple of days but thank you for the offer." Back in front of the police station, Parker got on a motorcycle and left.
Ray turned around in circles a few times, feeling his life was spiraling out of control. He jogged inside the station and spoke to his assistant.
Ray went home.
Larkin had not called him. Obviously, there was nothing seriously wrong, and he needed a few moments in the arms of his guardian angel at that point in time. Oh, my God! How do I tell Larkin? Ray asked himself as he drove.

♥♥♥
Ray walked into his house to the scent of his favorite meal. He remembered the first time he had tasted Larkin's rotisserie chicken and how beautiful she had been across the table from him. She had changed very little in the thirteen years they had been married. She was short and slight, and she might have gained five pounds. Moreover, there was not a strand of gray in her auburn hair. She was forty-one, but she didn't look a day over thirty.
Larkin came into the foyer where Ray always left his shoes. "Welcome home," she said brightly as she slipped her arms around her husband.
"Oh, this feels good," sighed Ray. "Where are the kids?"
"Spending the night with Uncle Raif. Come on. I made your favorite meal." Larkin took Ray's hand and led him to the cozy dining area off the kitchen. He sat down quietly as Larkin spread dinner.
"Are you feeling better?" he asked.
"A bit. At least I'm really hungry tonight." She looked Ray over. "You look so tired though," she observed. "What's wrong?"
"I need to talk to you about something that happened today."
"All right, but I have something for you first. Do you mind?"
She's so happy. He could not douse her enthusiasm. "No, I don't mind."
Larkin handed Ray his gift. "Open it."
He opened the box and took out the baby shoes. "What's this?"
"What does it look like?"
"Baby shoes."
"Uh-hum."
"Why do I need baby shoes?"
"You don't."
Blue eyes looked at his wife who had a Cheshire-cat grin on her face. He exhaled, "Oh, my God!"
Larkin came around the table and sat on Ray's lap. "Yes, it seems we forgot something after the masquerade ball. You don't seem as excited as I thought you would be."
"Oh, Larkin, of course, I'm happy. It's just that you don't know what happened today." Ray rubbed his head.
"Are you getting a migraine?"
"Yeah."
She went to the kitchen and came back with Ray's prescription. He took a pill as she said, "Maybe you had better tell me what happened today because this is not the reaction I expected from you."
"I don't know how to tell you, especially now."
"Just say it." Her tone was a bit brusque.
"I met a young man today. His name is Parker Godchaux. I'm almost a hundred percent certain it should be Parker Reynolds."
"What?" She sank into her own chair.
"He's Mia's son, and I think mine."
Larkin looked at Ray in total disbelief before she whispered, "Is he the right age?"
Ray nodded.
"And he knows he's not Robert's?"
"No, he doesn't know. Mia might not know. He asked me to take a paternity test, and I did. Robert refused. We'll know for certain in a couple of days."
Her head leaning to one side she asked, "What does he want, Ray?"
"Just to know who his father is. He wouldn't even come home with me. He's staying in a shelter, Larkin."
"Where's Mia?"
"I don't know. I don't think he knows. Please, say something to make me feel better."
"I don't know what to say, Ray. If he's your son, it happened before I ever met you. I can't be angry or jealous about that, but I'm scared Ray."
"I would never leave you and the kids. I love you, Larkin."
"I know that. I also know you and your sense of justice. If he is your son, then you'll want to be his father. And you should. I'm not afraid of Parker. I'm afraid of Mia."
"Why?"
"She has kept this secret from you for nearly eighteen years. Your kid is sleeping in a homeless shelter. I'm sorry, Ray, if this doesn't sound like me, but that woman is a heartless bitch. If I ever meet her, I will give her a real piece of my mind."
Larkin stood. "My husband's child will not sleep at a homeless shelter tonight. Even if that child turns out to be Robert's, he will not sleep in a homeless shelter tonight.
Come on. We're going to find him. It's time for him to know his father."

Cover by Christopher Chambers.

How I see the Raifords in their 40s and one of Ray's surprises--Parker.




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