The following story is pure fiction. Any resemblance to an actual person, or event, is purely coincidental. Also, this is a follow-up to "Cajun Spice" and does refer back to events from that story, so I strongly suggest reading that story first, if you haven't already. The author retains all rights and privileges to the following story.
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April sat in her apartment, staring at the answering machine. It had been almost three months since her case in New Orleans and her encounter with the Dupree sisters. She had called Jasmine a couple of times, her first week back, but they were never returned. She waited a few weeks, but had given up when she realized that Jasmine wouldn't be calling.
She'd spent the next month lost in a sea of alcohol, cigarettes and one-night stands. That had worked for her when she'd been in her early twenties, but now, at 31, it was just old. Especially when that little red head she had picked up at the bar, stormed out of her apartment, madder than a wet hen. In the throes of passion, April had screamed out Jasmine's name, and the woman she was with at the time, took offense.
The last few weeks she'd just buried herself with cases. It had always worked for her before, but every once in a while, the image of a beautiful red head with cream-colored skin still popped into her mind.
She'd just gotten home a few minutes ago from a business trip to New York. As always, one of the first things she had done was play back her messages. The sound of John Dupree on her answering machine had stopped her cold.
Apparently, things hadn't been going well between the three Dupree's the last few months. Jade had taken off. John didn't think anything of it at first, sure that Jade would check in with him, eventually. But three weeks had passed without a word, and now he was truly worried. He was calling April because he wanted to hire the P.I. to find his missing niece.
April had received a handful of e-mails from Jade over the last few months. She almost hadn't answered the first one, but she sensed that Jade really needed to talk to someone, so she had written her back. They had talked things out and settled any unresolved issues between them. Jade's last few letters were nothing more than her needing a friend to give her advise, hear her out. April answered every one of them. Part of it was guilt over the way she had screwed everything up between Jade and Jasmine. The other part was that, through their e-mails, she and Jade had become friends, comfortable in discussing almost anything with each other.
Now Jade was in the wind. She hadn't mentioned, in her last e-mail, that she was intending to leave town. April was concerned, but not sure if she should take this case. Maybe it would be better if she just called John back and recommended another P.I. to him. Then again, she knew Jade, knew how her mind worked. She'd have a better chance at finding her than some stranger. But returning to New Orleans meant being face-to-face with Jasmine again. She didn't know if she could handle that, handle being that close to the woman she had fallen in love with, knowing Jasmine hated her guts.
April spent almost an hour, staring at the machine, going through the pros and cons in her mind. With a sigh, she picked up the phone and returned John's call. Maybe she'd have time to hit the laundry mat before she headed to the airport.
##
April sat in a chair opposite John Dupree while he filled her in on the events of the last few months. John blamed himself for Jade's embezzlement of company funds. She'd done it in an attempt to draw attention to herself, and to show him that Jasmine wasn't perfect. Due to his feelings of guilt, John hadn't fired Jade. Instead, he hushed up the entire incident and encouraged Jade to stay, hoping that, by her staying, they would eventually work out their family problems.
But Jade didn't seem to want to talk to him, and any conversations between her and Jasmine always ended in a full-blown screaming match. Three weeks ago, John had come to work to find Jade's letter of resignation sitting on his desk. A quick call to Jasmine, at the house the sisters shared, revealed that Jade's room was bare of any clothes, or any other personal belongings. So, John had decided to wait it out, thinking that Jade would eventually call to tell him she was ok, but no such call ever came. Neither he, nor Jasmine, had heard a word from Jade in almost a month. He now feared the worst.
April did her best to reassure John. She figured Jade had begun to feel uncomfortable around her family. Ashamed of what she had done, feeling unable to patch things up with her sister and uncle, Jade had probably decided to relocate, start over somewhere new.
April told John not to worry, that she'd find Jade and, if she couldn't convince her to come home, at least call John and let him know she was ok. April headed for the door, planning to set up shop in the little apartment above Mama's bar in the Quarter. She'd already called, and Mama had assured her that the apartment was, indeed, available if she wanted it. Well, at least one person had seemed happy that she was back, two if she counted John. She'd yet to see Jasmine, who was conspicuously absent from today's meeting.
##
It was now early evening, and April sat on the couch in her temporary apartment. Her laptop sat on the coffee table beside her, humming away as it busily worked on the searches she had set up. While the computer did its thing, April cleaned and inspected the gun she had just picked up. Just then, she heard a soft knock at her door. Getting up to answer it, she rounded the corner, and came to a dead halt. There, on the other side of the screen door, stood Jasmine Dupree, looking slightly irratated, but breath taking just the same.
Shaking off the shock, April quickly let her in, inviting her to sit with her on the couch. Instead, Jasmine took the high back chair that stood near the end of the couch, facing the coffee table. April sat back down, wiping her damp palms on her jeans before she went back to cleaning the Glock.
Jasmine just sat there, frowning at the table. April had a thousand things she wanted to say, buzzing around in her mind, but she thought it better to let Jasmine start the conversation. She wasn't entirely sure why Jasmine was here.
Finally, Jasmine spoke. "You're looking for Jade," the comment was more a statement than a question.
"Yes. Any idea where she might have headed off to?"
"No." Jasmine continued to stare at the gun. "Still insisting on carrying an illegal weapon, I see."
April just reached for her wallet, pulled out the permit and tossed it on the end of the table, directly in front of Jasmine. Jasmine glanced between April and the paper lying in front of her, then she picked it up and began to read.
"You've already got a permit? When did this happen?"
April didn't answer her right away. She was debating whether to play along, or just get it all out. Deciding to go for it, she stopped in the middle of cleaning and turned her head to give Jasmine her full attention.
"I picked up all the paper work I'd need before I left. Then I just submitted everything from home. Besides the permit to carry, I have my P.I. license for the state of Louisiana."
