There was silence. She looked at him and he would glance at her – back at the road – and then at her again. Then he laughed. “I have never been more attracted to you, you sexy she-cat you.”

  Whew! “Good, I’m glad. Now, tell me about this python of yours.” As soon as she said the words she realized he was going to take that the wrong way – and he did.

  Typical male – he palmed his crotch and bragged. “My python is so big . . .”

  “Beau,” she laughed. “Be serious.”

  “Okay,” he sobered. “The area police are making inquiries to see if the snake is somebody’s lost pet or if it escaped from the zoo, or if it is evidence that the big snakes in Florida are moving into Louisiana.”

  Her voice raised a little – again. “What big snakes in Florida? I didn’t know Florida had any big snakes.”

  She loved to watch him when he got like this, his whole demeanor changed – he became educated Beau, conservationist Beau. There were many layers to her man she loved every one of them. “Experts think it was a combination of factors – people disposing of snakes that grew larger than their owners could handle or pet stores, zoos, exotic animal warehouses and wildlife refuges like mine that were devastated by hurricanes. It’s estimated that thousands of these animals are in Florida, perhaps hundreds of thousands.”

  By that time Harley’s eyes were huge. “Hundreds of thousands? How can that be?”

  “Big snakes reach sexual maturity in just a few years. They can produce thirty to eighty eggs at a time and reproduce annually – do the math.”

  “So, you think this snake may have crawled from Florida?”

  “Sounds far-fetched, but people in residential neighborhoods are reporting seeing pythons cross their yards. They have been found crossing highways. One study estimated that eventually they would infest a third of the United States.”

  “I’m moving to Canada.” Harley stated flatly, making Beau chuckle.

  “No, you’re not – you’re staying right here with me. SO I CAN TAKE CARE OF YOU.” His slow and emphatic declaration made her happy.

  It’s a shame that we don’t visit the places right under our noses. Harley knew this was a common ailment among people. They travel all over the world on vacations and don’t appreciate the wonders right around them. Avery Island was new to her. “This isn’t an island, is it?”

  “Not in the traditional sense,” Beau handed the man in the guardhouse a token for admittance. “Bayou Petit Anse surrounds it, and marshlands beyond that. Avery Island is actually a huge salt dome. Imagine Mount Everest made out of salt and buried underground with just the tip sticking out – that’s Avery Island.”

  Harley was impressed. “Tobasco Sauce is one of the most famous hot sauces in the world. I’ve always used it.” She was talking, but she was also looking. It was as if they had left the mainland of the U. S. and drove onto the Hawaiian Islands. Lush, tropical plants were everywhere. Flowering trees and bushes abounded.

  “Tobasco is shipped world-wide. The factory on the island produces 720,000 bottles of sauce a day. All of the seeds for the pepper plants originate here, and some of the pepper fields are here on Avery Island, but many are also in Central and South America.” They by-passed the big brick factory, but Harley craned to see it. Turning down a small road they headed to the jungle gardens.

  “It’s all over the world. When I would be dispatched on missions, I was always surprised to see that familiar bottle on my table. Tiny bottles are even included in a lot of the MRE’s they give members of the military.” It didn’t surprise Harley, but she enjoyed being with Beau. He was smart, considerate, and so appealing that her body never truly came off of its aroused state. Even now, she could feel a whisper of desire making itself known.

  “I’ll tell you a funny story,” Beau went on as he maneuvered down a smaller road into the swampier area of the island. “In the 1930’s, the British government started this “Buy British” campaign and their Parliament banned the purchase of Tobasco which had been available in England since the 1860’s. It was even popular in the dining rooms of the House of Commons. This action started an uproar among the members of Parliament and they called it the “tobasco tempest”. And the proponents of the hot sauce won.”

  “You know, you ought to be a teacher. You’re so smart.” She was proud of him.

  As he pulled the truck to a stop, he winked at her. “The only thing I’m interested in teaching is sexual positions – to you.”

  As they exited the vehicle, Harley looked around cautiously. “I had almost forgot about that dang snake,” she grumbled.

  “Why do you think I sounded like a boring tourist guide,” Beau came up and put an arm around her. “I was trying to take your mind off of it. Now before we get started, this is what you need to know.” He titled her face up to his with a finger under her chin. A gentle kiss was her reward for listening. “I want you to do exactly as I say and stand where I tell you to stand and move when I tell you to move. Got it?”

  “Yes, sir.” She felt a little mischievous. “Could we try that in the bedroom sometime?” That earned her a swat on the bottom.

  The gardens were magnificent. Harley had never seen so many flowers. In the spring, this place would be a Garden of Eden, and now – in late fall – it was a breathtaking tapestry of color and the odor of the many flowers was more heady than any expensive perfume could ever be. Beau held her hand, she knew she was safe – but all the time they were walking, she was keeping an eye out for snakes. “Is there someone meeting us?” She knew he had talked to someone on the phone several times on the trip. Beau was armed with one stick with a hook on the end, very similar to his alligator stick – and he had a large burlap bag Harley thought they needed a canon.

  “Yes, one of the groundskeepers is watching our big girl. She’s down by the egrets nesting ground.”

  “How do they know it’s a girl?”

  Stepping over a log, he held her hand while she did the same. “Same way I knew you were a girl the first time I saw you – by that sweet little tail of yours.” At her disbelieving hmmmm, he explained. “A female Burmese’s tail is longer and tapers slowly, while a male has a thick wide tail that quickly tapers.”

  They were headed down a steep hill and what Harley saw made her gasp in wonder. “What in the world is that?”

  “That’s Bird City.” There were several men standing next to the swampy water. Waving Beau down, they pointed to an area near the shore that was completely covered over with green algae. He waved back at them, “this whole area was created by McIlhenny to give the White Egrets a place to nest. The old man was a self-trained naturalist, sorta like me – except he was wealthy. And he literally saved an entire species. Even though most of the birds fly to South America this time of year, a few old ones stay, who aren’t able to make the trip. And that’s what drew the python – easy prey.”

  Harley shuddered, but marveled at the man-made nesting grounds built right into the swamp. From a distance it looked like a straw island – all contained on wooden docks. Thousands of egrets could nest in Bird City.

  “She’s right down here under these lilies, we think.” The man sounded doubtful and a little nervous.

  “How will you get her to come out?” she asked as they made their way down the steep hill to the water.

  “I won’t – I’ll go in after her.”

  Growing up, she had watched shows on television about men who waded into water where they couldn’t see the bottom and felt around for big snakes they couldn’t see. Harley had thought they were nuts. And now she was watching the man she loved – yea, she could admit it; put himself in just such a dangerous position. She didn’t like it – at all. The fact that she took equal and greater risks just didn’t seem to matter. “Be careful, Beau.” She almost died when he took off his shoes and stepped in. Horrified she realized he was going to locate the snake by stepping on it. Ye gods! She couldn’t watch, but she refused to look away. The other men just stood around like lunks and she wanted to rail at them that they should be the ones pussy-footing around in the muck trying to locate a monster.

  “There you are.” A lunge in the water made Harley jump.

  “Step back, Harley – way back.’ In the midst of the mayhem, he took time to take care of her. The huge snake reared and its head came out of the water. Lord, it was as big as a football. Beau made a grab at it while the long, massive body lurched and flopped. “Help me! Grab her body.” Beau instructed the men who – way too slowly – for Harley’s peace of mind, began to get in the water and attempt to grab ahold of what looked like an out-of-control, over-sized fire hose.

  “Help him,” she screamed. No one heard her – they were yelling, the water was churning and the snake was writhing and whipping around and she swore right then that if she ever got her hands on Beau again she would tie him to the bedpost. It took four grown men, plus Beau, to wrestle the python out of the water and onto the bank.

  “Grab that sack, Honey.” Beau instructed as he subdued the snake and forced its body onto the ground. “Let’s look at her before we bag her.” He held the head while the other men attempted to straighten the big python out on the ground. “Inside the sack is a tape measure, Harley. Find it and give it to one of these fellows. There’s a small scale in there, too.” On unsteady legs, Harley dug out the tape and handed it over and laid the scale on the ground. It was the type that would hang over a tree limb and whatever needed to be weighed could hang from it. She had seen enough documentaries on this type of thing to recognize the tools – she just never thought she would be a part of one of the scenes. Lord, the things one did for love!

  He was magnificent, truly he was. Harley didn’t really see the other men, only Beau. With calm and sure movements, Beau managed the snake while one of the others stretched the tape measure down the long body. The snake was a little over fifteen feet long. “She’s a big baby, let’s get her bagged up and weigh her, then Harley and I will take her somewhere safe.”

  One hundred and eighty pounds – that was a lot of snake. Harley stood by the bag and watched it sort of pulse as the snake shifted around. The men huddled nearby discussing the situation. “So, there have been no reports of a lost pet or a zoo escape?” Beau examined the ground that led down to the water, searching for clues as to where the snake had been nesting.

  “No, Sir,” the tall man answered, tiredly. “But there has to be some explanation. Snakes like this don’t just crawl out of the marsh.”

  Looking off into the distance, Beau surmised. “Actually, they do. They’re in Florida and scientists speculate that they will spread. I’m not saying that’s what has happened here, but I’m going to alert the Louisiana Department of Wild Game and Fisheries so they can be aware of the possibility.”

  “Have you looked at a map of the South? How could a snake crawl from the everglades to the bayous of Louisiana?” To say the man looked disturbed was putting it mildly.

  “I didn’t say she did, but we need to let them know, just in case. There have been estimates that these animals could survive as far north as Washington D. C. A severe cold snap can kill one, but if they have a place to bury up in and keep warm, like an armadillo hole – they could survive.”

  With that explanation, Beau picked up the big snake and threw it over his shoulder like it was an everyday thing. When he reached for Harley’s hand she scooted to stand on the side away from the snake and Beau laughed at her move. “She’s settled down now. We’ll take her to the zoo over in Lafayette. They’ve agreed to take her and then we head to St. Martinsville. I’m gonna show you a really old oak tree, tell you about the world’s saddest love story and make you orgasm five times before morning.” Harley whirled around to see if the other men heard, but they were still standing at the water’s edge as if they expected another serpent to rise up from the murky depths.

  “Sounds good to me.” And it did.

  Chapter Ten

  “The tale of Evangeline is one of the famous tales of Cajun history. There is a lot of debate, but most agree that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow heard the heartbreaking tale of Emmeline Labiche and Louis Arceneaux and retold it in his haunting poem.”

  “I’ve read Evangeline, but it’s been a long time ago,” Harley held Beau’s hand as they sat under the huge oak. “I do remember that this tree is where the Acadian maiden, Evangeline, came to meet her lost love, Gabriel. Sadly, she missed him by only one day. They weren’t united until the day that Gabriel died in Evangeline’s arms. I can’t imagine a sadder tale.”

  “No one really knows the truth. The story has become engrained in our history. We accept it as fact, like Lincoln chopping down the cherry tree. Evangeline and Gabriel were part of the group forced out of Acadia in the 1700’s. Acadia was the region that lies in present day Quebec, Prince Edward’s Island and Maine. The British afraid these French-speaking people would be treasonous, so they forced them from their homeland. During the confusion, they were separated and they spent a life time, apart – searching for one another – and they weren’t reunited until it was too late.”

  Harley listened as Beau talked about a subject close to his heart. “Savannah’s Patrick did more research on it than anybody I know. He was searching for family. I don’t think he ever found a blood relative, but he did find Savannah. She became his home.”

  “How do you know this?”

  “I took him out in the swamp one day, fishing. One of the crazy things he found out was that the United States wasn’t just a haven for these people – my people. They were just as guilty as the British in expelling them from Acadia and pushing them south to where are today. Cajun Country. It isn’t a bright spot in our nation’s history, I’m sorry to say.”

  “No, it isn’t,” Harley agreed. “It reminds me of the Trail of Tears. I had ancestors who were marched out of their home in Tennessee to Oklahoma.”

  “The Cherokee?”

  “Yes, my mother’s grandmother was Cherokee. I was interested enough to research it and found that they began their thousand mile march in the winter of 1838. Most marched on foot with very little clothing, and no moccasins or shoes. What was really pitiful was that the blankets they were given were from a hospital in Tennessee, left over from a small pox epidemic. Because of exposure to this disease, they were kept out of towns along the way. So many of them were starving, and when they came to Golconda Illinois, they were charged one dollar each to cross over on the ferry. The normal price was twelve cents, and the Indians didn’t have the money – so they sat out in the freezing cold under Mantle Rock and many of them perished. Even the ones who had money weren’t allowed to cross until everyone else who wanted to go was ferried over. It was a travesty”

  Thinking of the injustice that so many had faced, they walked out into the cemetery where Emmeline was supposedly buried. “You know some think this grave may be empty.”

  Harley stood there and went completely still. “I don’t think so,” she muttered. “I hear a woman weeping. A man is walking away. Love is lost. I feel helpless, desolate, lonely – void of dreams, no hope for tomorrow.”

  Beau stood by, joining her in mourning the loss of love that this couple endured.

  “If it’s true, it’s a tragedy.”

  “Yes, if it was true,” Harley whispered. Her heart was pounding, her palms were sweating. The dividing line between the past and present had gone hazy. She didn’t know if what she had felt were memories of the past or a glimpse into the future.

  The Old Castillo Bed and Breakfast was absolutely beautiful. Harley enjoyed examining the antiques and the imported dishes and she loved walking the grounds down by the bayou. But what intrigued her the most was the big bed and what lay upon it like a powerful lion surveying his territory. That was it – he was a lion of a man. She felt her loins liquefy with excitement. “Come here, Harley.” He held out his hand. They had gone shopping and he had bought her a negligee made of pure white lace. “You look like an angel. My angel.”

  As she moved toward him, she was overwhelmed by an uneasy feeling that seemed to vibrate through the air. It was almost like the distant rumbling of a coming earthquake or an approaching tsunami. Something evil was on its way. Perhaps it was because of the turmoil she had felt while standing at the grave of Evangeline. Looking at Beau, she was struck by how unfair all of this was. Their lives had been manipulated by Pell, and now Crocker. It wasn’t fair, and Beau sure didn’t deserve it. Pell was gone, but Crocker was still in the picture. And they were at his mercy. He could lure her back into his web of horror with just one phone call, and he knew it.

  “What’s wrong?” Beau rose from the bed and came to her, enveloping her in his embrace. “Your expression changed. Where did you go?”

  “I just had a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach.” She laid her head on his chest, wishing that Crocker was behind bars and nothing would ever threaten them again.

  “Do you think you could be pregnant?” The words popped out of Beau’s mouth before he thought. Images of Harley round with his babe came unbidden. He wanted it all with her, but that couldn’t happen until she was safe from the snares of a madman.

  “I don’t think so, unless the birth control pill failed.” It could happen, but she knew that wasn’t the cause of her queasiness.

  “Do you feel like making love with me?” He began nuzzling her face in a wordless seduction.

  “Please, yes.” She needed all of him that she could get.

  Slowly, he drew back and held her hand, so he could gaze at her beauty. “You look like a bride on her wedding night.”

  “That’s a sweet thought. We can pretend this is our honeymoon.”

  “Let’s think of it as a dress rehearsal, cause I fully intend to have the real thing with you someday,” he said softly, standing before with his legs spread, the bulge behind his tight jeans drawing her eye.

  Shivers of awareness coursed over her. Lord, he was hard and thick. Just looking at him made her ache. Harley wanted him so much. She wanted him now, and she wanted him forever. “You make me nervous,” she confessed.

 

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