Winds of the Storm

  “Not at the moment. That’s more than enough, don’t you think?”

  Wilma smiled. “More than enough. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Thanks, Wilma.”

  “You just be careful.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  With a wave Wilma departed.

  Alone now, the pensive Zahra sat at her desk and mused over Wilma’s pointed question. Had Zahra fallen in love with Le Veq? The answer depended on which part of her did the answering. Her mind said emphatically no. Nothing good could come from loving a man like Archer Le Veq. As she’d mused before, were it not for her fancy clothes and her many secrets, he wouldn’t have looked at her twice. The reality of that didn’t sit well with her heart, because were it asked the question of whether she’d fallen in love with Le Veq, the answer would be yes. And therein lay her dilemma. How could she fill her heart with a man she planned on leaving at the first opportunity? Men of Archer’s class preferred perfumed beauties who spent their days shopping and paying calls on women just like themselves. What could he possibly see in a swamp brat who lived in a house that was smaller than his bedroom and had tar paper in the windows instead of screens? No, if Archer knew the truth about the real Zahra Lafayette, he’d wish her luck and send her on her way. So, because the last thing she needed was to return to South Carolina with a broken heart, she vowed to keep her love for him to herself.

  “She’s who?” Raimond asked in an incredulous tone.

  “The Butterfly,” Archer repeated.

  “Araminta’s Butterfly?”

  “One and the same.”

  “I’m impressed.”

  “So am I. She saved my life, remember?”

  “Why’s she here?”

  Archer told Raimond the story, including the information about the Death Books. The news disturbed Raimond as much as it had Archer.

  Raimond asked, “Does she know if there are any in New Orleans?”

  “Not yet, but she’s looking. I figured we could help.”

  “Most certainly.”

  Raimond studied his brother for a moment before saying, “So you were right about her not being a whore.”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m glad. I liked her.”

  “Thanks.”

  “But what’s going to happen once she’s done here? You’re aware she’s called the Butterfly because she never stays in one place.”

  “I plan to cross that bridge when it comes.”

  After Raimond left with a promise to be at Domino’s house for the evening meeting, Archer thought about the woman he’d agreed to call Zahra. He had one more level of her identity to crack, and it would be the hardest by far. She’d be on her guard from now on and wouldn’t surrender the truth easily. He knew enough about Mrs. Tubman to be certain that asking her for answers would be futile. She’d never reveal Zahra’s secrets.

  Domino’s Gentleman’s Club was closed Monday through Wednesday. The girls usually used the free days to sleep, shop, and make money on the side with private dates, sometimes at the man’s home, but more often at one of the city’s hotels. They all had dates tonight and were getting dressed. By eight that evening, everyone was gone except Matilda, who was waiting for Mitchell Isenbaum.

  “I hope nothing’s happened,” Matilda said as she stood by the window. “He was going to take me to a little place he has up near Baton Rouge.”

  Zahra didn’t comment. For all she knew, the man was out terrorizing freedmen. “How long are you planning to be gone?”

  “He’ll bring me back on Wednesday. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see if he really shows up.”

  “Guess so. Oh, and you don’t have to find out anything else about him for me.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.”

  “You know, he’d be a nice man if he didn’t have all that hate inside him.”

  Again, Zahra had no comment.

  “I played with Colored kids the whole time growing up. My mama never saw a problem in it. Neither did my daddy. Mitchell and his family must have been raised different.” She turned to look at Zahra. “That’s too bad, because like I said, he could be a real nice man.”

  Miranda was still in the front parlor waiting when Archer arrived by the back door. He had his brothers with him.

  “Archer, we’ll have to do introductions later. Matilda’s in the parlor waiting for Isenbaum. If he arrives I don’t want him to know you all are here.”

  Archer and his siblings headed up the back stairs just as Zahra heard Matilda shout, “Domino, Mitchell’s carriage is here.”

  Zahra hastened out to the front parlor in time to see Matilda open the door so he could enter.

  He greeted Matilda with a kiss on the cheek. Upon noticing Zahra, he nodded curtly, “Evening, Domino.”

  “Mr. Isenbaum. How are you?”

  “Just fine. House is closed tonight, I see.”

  “As it is every Monday night.”

  “Then who belongs to all those carriages out back?”

  Zahra didn’t flinch. “A private gambling party.”

  “Didn’t know you allowed that.” He paused, his eyes narrowed in thought. “Anybody I know? I might want to sit in for a hand or two.”

  “It’s private, Mr. Isenbaum.”

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “I don’t plan to.”

  “You’re pretty uppity, girl. Been that way since you came to town. Lot of folks don’t like uppity nigger whores.”

  “Mitchell!” Miranda gasped. “How dare you talk to her that way!”

  He turned to her and drawled, “I’m not paying you to be my conscience, sugar, just to spread your legs.”

  Matilda said, “I may be a whore, but I have feelings, so pay somebody else. I’m not going with you.” Picking up her carpetbag, Matilda hastily climbed the staircase and headed to her room.

  Zahra surveyed him coolly from behind her black domino. “Consider yourself banned from the premises for as long as my name is on the sign, Mr. Isenbaum. Have a good evening.”

  Zahra knew Alfred was on the balcony behind her, so she called out as she walked away from Isenbaum, “Alfred, please escort the gentleman to his carriage, and if he ever shows up here again, toss him out.”

  “With pleasure.”

  Zahra climbed the stairs and did not look back.

  Chapter 10

  Her anger must have shown on her face, because as she entered and removed her domino, Archer stood and asked with concern, “What’s the matter?”

  “Isenbaum. I had to have Alfred escort him out.” She told them the story.

  “Did he harm you?”

  “No. I’m fine. He was just nasty.” She then looked around the room at the men. They were all tall and handsome. “Thank you for coming, gentlemen. Alfred will be joining us shortly.”

  On the heels of her announcement, Alfred entered and closed the door behind him.

  Archer made the introductions, and Zahra greeted each brother with a welcoming nod. She’d already been introduced to Raimond, but the others she’d never met before, except the youngest, Philippe. She recognized him right off because he patronized the twins frequently. She’d had no idea Naomi’s and Salome’s favorite playmate was Archer’s baby brother.

  They all gathered around two of the room’s small round tables. They began the meeting by drawing up a list of men who might be harboring the books. There were five in all, including Isenbaum. The others—Sam Banks, Hathaway Dawes, Wendell Thomas, and Zebediah Spain—were well-known supremacists according to the Le Veqs, and had high enough standing in the local White League and Democratic Party to merit being trusted with something as volatile as the Death Books.

  In Zahra’s opinion the Le Veqs proved their value there and then. It might have taken her weeks to ascertain who to target for this mission, but because Archer and his brothers were natives they knew the wheat from the chaff. Their knowledge had saved valuable time. She glanced Alfred’s way. As if he?
??d read her mind, he nodded his approval as well.

  According to the Le Veqs, some of the men on the list, like Dawes and Banks, owned businesses; Dawes ran a cigar shop and Banks owned an express company that delivered mail, packages, and parcels. Spain and Thomas were both firemen. “We’ll need to search their homes, businesses, and offices,” Zahra said. “Alfred and I had already planned to use the days of Carnival to do some looking around. We’d heard everyone in the area goes to the balls and other events in the evenings, so we thought it might be a perfect time.”

  “Excellent idea,” Archer said. He then turned to Drake and asked, “Did you bring the map?”

  “Sure did.” Drake unrolled a canvas that depicted New Orleans and the countryside. He then pointed out the homes of Isenbaum, Banks, and Thomas, who didn’t live inside the city.

  Zahra noted, “Their homes aren’t very far apart.”

  “No, they aren’t,” said Archer.

  Alfred studied the map and said, “Ideally, we’d search them all the same night. If we do them separate nights, more chances they’ll get wind of us.”

  Everyone agreed.

  Raimond said, “What about the offices? Those will be harder to infiltrate.”

  Zahra shook her head. “Not really. Most businesses have cleaning people. We find out who they employ, we masquerade as one of their employees, and we go in.”

  Philippe asked, “And if there are no cleaning people?”

  Zahra shrugged, “We try something else. There isn’t a person in this city who doesn’t come in contact with our people in one form or another on a daily basis. We’re servants, barbers, laundresses. Yes, we have quite a bit of territory to search, but we’ll find a way in.”

  Zahra saw Raimond Le Veq’s grin and asked easily, “What’s the matter?”

  “Nothing. I’m simply impressed by you. Were I not already married, my brother and I would be dueling at dawn.”

  Archer drawled, “Then it’s good that you are, mon frère, because we’d be burying you at noon.”

  The siblings laughed, and Zahra simply shook her head. She noted that the quip even made the usually taciturn Alfred smile.

  Zahra took them back to the discussion. “I have two young women on my staff concentrating on Isenbaum servants right now. I’ll have them begin investigating gaining entry to the other homes on our list, too.”

  “Sounds good,” Beau said. “How many staff do you have presently?”

  “Six, but we’ll need more. Archer mentioned bringing in some others to assist us.”

  “I’ll send wires in the morning. I wanted to wait and see how many additional folks we might need.”

  Drake said to Zahra, “Your six servants plus you and Alfred make eight. Throw in the five of us and you have thirteen. Shouldn’t that be enough?”

  Archer pointed out, “But our faces are so well known we couldn’t infiltrate a Sunday school class.”

  “Good point.”

  So it was agreed that Archer would contact his friends in order to add more numbers to their forces.

  By the time the meeting ended, everyone involved was confident their mission could be accomplished. If there were Death Books anywhere near New Orleans, they would be found.

  Zahra escorted the brothers back downstairs. “Isenbaum was very interested in who those carriages belonged to, so let’s hope he isn’t skulking in the trees.”

  “Only if he wants trouble,” Alfred noted.

  “Well, just be on the alert when you leave.”

  The Le Veqs nodded, then all except Archer departed the same way they’d entered. Moments later, Alfred left to meet his cousin across town to enjoy their night off.

  Once Zahra and Archer were alone, he pulled her into his arms and looked down into her unmasked face. “I’d love to spend the night, but I’m riding with the veterans tonight. So I believe I shall kidnap you in the morning.”

  “For what purpose?” she asked, as if she didn’t already know.

  “For the purpose of pleasure, of course, and for us to get to know each other better.”

  “Still fishing for clues, are you?”

  He grinned. “Who, me? Of course not.”

  “Liar,” she teased. Leaning up, she kissed him softly. “I must be back on Wednesday morning and no later.”

  “That’s fine. I’ll be here bright and early.”

  “I’ll be ready.”

  Archer lifted her chin so he could memorize her features for his dreams tonight. “Now, the most important question of the night.”

  “Which is?”

  “Are you or are you not wearing drawers?”

  She burst into laughter. Zahra loved his wit and the passion that ran through it. “A lady never tells,” she tossed back saucily.

  “But she does show. Come on, raise the gown.”

  Zahra chuckled. “I will not. You are too audacious for your own good, arrogant Frenchman.”

  He leaned down to kiss her smiling mouth, then murmured with sensual invitation, “I’ll give you a reward….” Still feasting on her lips, his finger began drawing languid circles around her breasts.

  “Then maybe I should reconsider….” She fed herself on his marvelous kisses until her eyes grew heavy and her body began to respond in kind. Stepping back, she held his hot eyes, then slowly drew the silk up her legs, showing off her shoes, black stockings, sassy black garters, and the fact that she had on no drawers.

  Archer’s manhood tightened instantaneously. Mesmerized, he walked forward and grazed a slow hand over the curls before sliding it in between. Her soft gasp rendered him even harder. In response to the age-old call, she rose sinuously, holding her gown aside, her eyes locked with his.

  “To receive your reward, your legs need to be wider, chérie…”

  In response to his hot voice, Zahra’s eyes slid closed and her legs widened wantonly. He was touching, stroking, circling, and gently penetrating her with such possessive boldness that she thought her whole body might burst into flame.

  Then he was on his knees, giving her her reward, and she was standing against the wall, coming, and twisting, and crying out his name.

  “That ought to hold you until I see you in the morning,” he whispered, standing upright now, his hand gently soothing the pulsating spot between her brown thighs. “Non?”

  “Yes,” she breathed, still reverberating. “A diet of this every day could kill a woman.”

  “You’re welcome,” he said with a pleased smile.

  Once she finally found the ability to focus her eyes and rid her brain of its passion-induced haze, she let her skirts fall. She didn’t want to move.

  “I’ll see myself out, papillon.”

  “Good, because I can’t take a step.”

  He kissed her on the cheek. “Bonne nuit, chérie. Get some sleep, because tomorrow there’ll be plenty more where that came from.”

  “I can’t wait. Good night, Archer.”

  And he was gone.

  After his departure, Zahra forced herself to climb the staircase. As she passed the statue of Adam and Eve, she smiled knowingly.

  Before going to her room, Zahra stuck her head in Matilda’s door and found the young woman seated on the bed. Her eyes were red and swollen. “What’s wrong, Matilda?”

  “I let Mitchell hurt my feelings is all.”

  “You shouldn’t give a minute of thought to that bigoted bully.”

  “I just hate it when he talks to me that way.”

  “I wasn’t pleased with the way he spoke to me either, so he’s banned from the premises. You won’t have to worry about him being mean to you anymore.”

  “Thanks, Domino. Whores do have feelings.”

  “I know, and that’s why I told him never to come back.”

  Matilda met Zahra’s eyes. “I heard you down there singing the orgasm aria, as Stella calls it.”

  Zahra was appalled. “You did?”

  “Folks probably heard you in Baton Rouge,” she pointed out, smil
ing. “Your Mr. Le Veq seems real nice. I can’t imagine him speaking to you the way Mitchell spoke to me.”

  “I can’t either,” Zahra said plainly.

  “Well, he could make me sing anytime.”

  Zahra laughed softly. “I’m going to spend the day with him tomorrow, so I may be gone when you get up. Will you tell the girls for me? I should be back Wednesday morning.”

  “I’ll tell them. Alfred know you’re going?”

  “No, but I’ll let him know before I do.”

  “Me, I’m going to write my mama and then sleep.”

  “Pleasant dreams, Matilda.”

  “Thanks, Domino. You rest up your voice. I’m thinking you’ll be doing lots of singing while you’re away.”

  Grinning, Zahra said, “You’re getting to be as bad as the twins. I’ll see you on Wednesday.” Zahra departed and closed Matilda’s door softly.

  As it turned out, the only person who raised their voice the next morning was Alfred.

  “Fire!”

  Zahra shot awake. His voice rang out a second time. She left her bed and smelled smoke for the first time. She struggled into a robe and grabbed a domino and her handbag just as Alfred burst into the room. Zahra’s eyes widened at the sight of his battered face and swollen eyes. “You have to go off the verandah. Can’t go out the front.”

  Taking his word for it, she hastened to the French doors and snatched them open. He was in the process of pulling the mattress off her bed when she turned back to look and froze at the wall of fire raging in the hallway.

  “Out the way!” he shouted.

  He pushed by her and tossed the mattress off the verandah and down to the ground. Zahra was already swinging her legs over the wrought-iron railing. He joined her. Flinging an arm around her waist, he pulled her to him and jumped.

  Hours later, Zahra and her shivering girls stood before the smoldering remains of Madame Domino’s Gentleman’s Club. According to the firemen, the blaze had been deliberately set. Even now the air was thick with the smell of the kerosene the arsonist had used as an accelerant. The sky-high flames had put on quite a show and drawn a sizeable crowd of curious onlookers, but now the policemen, the firemen, and the crowd had all departed, leaving the women alone in the cool dawn air. Zahra knew that had she and the girls been something other than whores, the city’s aid groups would have been dispatched with blankets and hot coffee to comfort them, but since they were prostitutes they had to fend for themselves. With that in mind, she’d sent Alfred to the Hotel Christophe to see if Archer had any empty rooms available, but so far, he had yet to return.