Page 8 of Bayou Sunset

At first, she thought because of how she’d thrown herself at him, but later, she realized he didn’t care for her at all.

Daisy Mae adjusted her ballcap. “He probably be embarrassed. We still be a bit of a backwoods parish.”

Alice smiled. “Dat we be,mais,we love it.”

Nodding, Daisy Mae agreed.

“Tell me, how be yafrerés?” Alice, a sheriff's deputy, asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

Knowing Alice had a crush on one of her brothers, although Daisy Mae couldn't guess which one since Alice always asked about them both, Daisy Mae smiled. “They be up to mischiefagain.”

The ladies laughed as if that wasn’t an oddity with her brothers.

Patting her flat belly, Marie asked, “When dey not be? What it be dis time?”

She spilled the truth with her friends, not caring about her brothers' desire to keep it a secret. “Treasure hunting.Mais,” Daisy explained, “they gots a new treasure map.”

“Which one dey be looking for?” Shelly gathered the spoons and picked up all the ice cream cartons. “Jean Lafitte's or da Bonafice Plantation treasure?”

“I know not where we be going.Mais, didn't someone find da Bonafice Plantation treasure already?”

“I think so. Be right back.” Shelly stood and returned to the kitchen with the ice cream and spoons.

Reentering the room, Shelly said, “Wow. It be sounding mysterious.” She sat at the other end of the couch, leaned back, and put her feet on the coffee table, crossing them, showcasing her “ “Yoga is my life” socks.

“It definitely be.”

Alice startled Daisy Mae with, “Mon Dieu!Dey stole it.”

“What ya be talking about?” Daisy Mae asked. Her brothers were many things, but not thieves. At least, she didn't think so. She prayed not.

“Antione Rousseau, in da next parish—”

Daisy Mae waved her on. “Oui, we knows who he be.” Who didn't? He was the wealthiest treasure hunter in these parts. He'd made his fortune on Jean Lafitte's smaller treasures.

“Well,” Alice continued, “I read a report dat someone had broken into his home and stolen a map. One he reported as authentic.”

Daisy Mae's hand flew to her mouth.Mais non!Could her brothers have done it? No. She trusted her brothers had a fewmorals. “Somehow, I doubt dis map be authentic. It probably be another money scheme someone has sold dem.”

“I hope so,” Alice said, all sheriff's deputy.

Changing the subject, Marie asked, “Do ya need an extra hand? I be free tomorrow.”

Daisy Mae considered it. Marie, a part-time bartender at Duke's, was a good deckhand. She knew how to throw ropes, tie up the boat, and all the other tasks the captain couldn't do while steering. “I'd love to have ya come, but me brothers said only datroisof us.”

“Do ya brothers realize they be deckhands on dabateau?”

The four women looked at each other and busted out laughing. They knew how lazy JP and Pierre were.

“Mais,” Shelly said, “ya have to let me know how it goes.”

Daisy Mae nodded. “Mais oui!Mais,” she smiled, “I could be calling ya to bail me out of jail for stranglingmon frères, me.”

“Okay,” Alice said, changing the subject away from the law, “let's get to ya real problem.”

Leaning back like Shelly, Daisy Mae crossed her feet on the table. “I no want to care ’bout him like I do, but I no can help it.”

“Ya need a man who can spark ya interest and distract ya from Steve, who, by da way, left our parish without a backward glance.”

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