Were her claims substantiated?
The records involving the children are sealed, Lena said. So I cant speak to that. As for the disappearancesno bodies were ever found. But I suspect Mary Alice was right. However, given what she did to her own children, you can understand why the authorities were skeptical. I doubt her claims were ever properly investigated. What I do know is that Charless behavior fit the pattern of his father and brother, and I think Mary Alice was aware of that. Which is why she had to kill her children in order to save their souls.
Thats a hard sale, Evangeline said. Because what youre saying is that she killed her sons so they wouldnt grow up to be like their father and grandfather. Thats a huge assumption to make, especially where your childrens lives are at stake.
For Mary Alice it wasnt an assumption, though. It was a matter of faith. Even so, her dilemma must have been heart-wrenching. Think about it. She leaned forward, forearms on her knees as her gaze burned into Evangelines. How far would you go to protect your son? Would you willingly sacrifice your own soul in order to procure his eternal salvation?
Now youre making an assumption, Evangeline said. Youre assuming she told the truth about her motivation.
The blue eyes darkened. What is truth? Your truth? My truth? Mary Alices truth?
Im not much on moral relativism, Evangeline said. Its hard for me to get past the fact that she murdered her children in cold blood. Thats the only truth that matters to me.
Youre not alone. Lena sat back against the sofa. Some of her energy seemed to have drained away. Most people thought Mary Alice should have gone to the electric chair. Instead, shes spent the past thirty-some years in a mental hospital. I dont know which would have been the kinder fate.
What happened to the little girls?
They were separated and put in foster care. The older girl, Ruth, was adopted by a family in Baton Rouge. Her name was changed, of course, and from what Ive been able to learn, she grew up in a stable, loving environment. Rebecca wasnt so lucky. Shes been under psychiatric care since she was a teenager. Three years ago, her doctor committed her to Pinehurst Manor, in East Faliciana Parish.
I know where Pinehurst Manor is, Evangeline said.
Then you probably also know that up until a few years ago, it was a low- to medium-security facility. When Katrina hit, some of the patients in maximum-security units were evacuated and sent to places like Pinehurst. Mary Alice was one of those patients.
Youre saying she and her daughter ended up in the same mental hospital?
For a short while, yes.
Did they come into contact with one another?
Almost certainly they did. And you can imagine the impact such a meeting would have had on someone as fragile as Rebecca Lemay. Shed had no contact with her mother or sister for years, and its my belief that seeing Mary Alice unleashed a flood of suppressed memoriesher fathers abuse and her complicity in at least one of her brothers deaths. Those memories would have devastated her. Perhaps the only way she could justify what shed done was by convincing herself that she, too, had been carrying out Gods will. And if shed been recruited as one of His soldiers, then her mission wasnt yet over. It would be her spiritual duty to finish what her mother had started.
Meaning?
The only way to destroy the evil embedded in the Lemay family DNA would be to destroy all the male progeny.
But her mother had already done that by killing the father and sons, Evangeline pointed out.
Not completely. A few weeks after Rebecca left Pinehurst, Carl Lemay was found murdered in an old farmhouse on the outskirts of Texarkana, where hed relocated after being released from prison.
Evangeline rubbed the sudden tingles at the back of her neck. You think Rebecca was responsible?
Yes, I do. And I think she was responsible for two other murders, as well. Remember I told you that Charles Lemays sister, Leona, moved to New Orleans? She married a man named Robert Courtland and they had two sons, Paul and David.
Evangeline stared at her in speechless shock.
Lena inclined her head slightly. Now you see where all this has been leading. David and Paul Courtland are the direct descendants of Earl Lemay. They are the first cousins of the little boys who died more than thirty years ago at Mary Alices hand. Paul and David were, so far as I can determine, the last male members of the Lemay family.
If all thats true which was a very big if in Evangelines book Rebecca Lemays mission would be over, wouldnt it?
Yes, except for one thing.
And that is?
Carl Lemay was stabbed to death in his bed, Lena said. But the use of snakes with Paul and David Courtland
Wait a minute, Evangeline said with a frown. How did you know about the snakes? It wasnt in the paper.
Lena shrugged as if how shed obtained the information was of no consequence. Evangeline remembered what Lapierre had said about the woman. She was well-connected in the NOPD.
I think Rebecca is now working with an accomplice, she said. The Courtland brothers werent just killed. There was an element of torture involved. I think Rebecca Lemay has hooked up with someone who has his own calling.
Evangeline thought of the blond woman who had supposedly been following Paul Courtland just before he died.
Do you know what Rebecca looks like?
I have a picture of the girls before they were separated, but I have no idea what they look like now. Lena bent forward and pulled a photograph from the pages of a book lying on the coffee table. She handed the picture to Evangeline.
The shot might have come from the pages of a Southern magazine, Evangeline thought. In the background, cypress trees dripped with Spanish moss, and in the foreground, two breathtaking little blond girls in white dresses clung to one anothers hands as they smiled for the camera.
They look exactly the same, Evangeline said. How do you know which is which?
If you look closely, youll see the one on the right is a smidgen taller than the other one. I believe thats Ruth.
For the longest time, Evangeline couldnt tear her gaze from those angelic faces. It was hard to imagine that one of them would grow up to be a cold-blooded killer, no matter her motivation.
Do you have any idea of Rebecca Lemays whereabouts?
Its possible shes gone back to where she grew up in Lafourche Parish. The nearest town is Torrence. Ive been in contact with the sheriffs department down there. The old Lemay house has been abandoned for years, but a few days ago, a fisherman spotted someone in one of the upstairs windows. They actually thought it was Mary Alice, but of course, thats impossible. I think they may have seen Rebecca.
Did anyone from the sheriffs department check it out?
I havent been able to verify that. People in that area are still a little touchy about what happened. I doubt anyones all that anxious to go out there to that old house. Too many ghosts.
When Evangeline handed her the photograph, Lena took a moment to carefully tuck it back into the book.
I would very much like to speak with Rebecca Lemay, she said. I would go down there and check that sighting out for myself, but as Captain Lapierre probably explained, I dont leave my house much these days. Im afraid I wouldnt get very far. Thats where you come in.
You want me to go down and check it out for you, Evangeline said. I cant do that. Like I told you on the phone, Im no longer working this case. I was sent here today to hear what you have to say and report back to Captain Lapierre. What she does with the information is out of my hands.
Lena bent forward, her eyes very direct. I have a proposition for you, then. Itll need to be off the record, Im afraid.
No way, Evangeline said bluntly. I dont work like that.
Johnny was right, she said with a wry smile. You are a tough nut to crack.
It was still weird to hear her talk about Johnny so casually. Even more weird to think that he might have been in this house, might have sat in the very chair that Evangeline now occupied. In the course of one day, her husband had begun to seem like a stranger to her.
Lena studied Evangelines face for a moment.
All right, she said. Ill lay all my cards on the table. If you want to tell your superiors what Im proposing, thats up to you.
And just what are you proposing?
I want you to find Rebecca Lemay for me. In return, Ill do everything I can to help you find out what really happened to Johnny.
Seventeen
Mitchell called right after Evangeline left Lena Saunderss house. She could tell something was wrong by the tense sound of his voice.
Where are you right now? he asked.
Im on my way back to the station, she said. Why? Whats wrong?
Nathan Mallets body was found at Mount Olive Cemetery this morning. He was shot to death.
Evangeline was so shocked and distracted by the news, she almost failed to brake for a red light. She clutched the steering wheel as she came to a fast stop. My God, she muttered.
Its a real shocker, all right. He paused, then said, Look, I gotta ask you something, Evie.
The answer is yes. I saw Nathan yesterday. Her heart started to hammer against her rib cage. Evangeline knew shed done nothing wrong, but she had a feeling this wasnt going to go down well.
What time did you see him? Mitchell asked.
It was right after you called. Somewhere between seven-thirty and eight. I saw his Mustang parked at the cemetery so I went inside and looked around for a bit. Then I came back out and waited for him by his car. We spoke for a few minutes and then I got back in my car and drove off. Thats it, Mitchell. Nathan was alive when I left him.
I wasnt implying otherwise. I just wanted to make sure you know how youre going to answer if someone else asks you that question.
If?
However you want to handle this is fine by me. As far as Im concerned, we never talked yesterday.
Thanks. Evangeline was touched by his loyalty. Of all the things that had been turned upside down in her life lately, Mitchells friendship was a staple. I would never ask you to do that, she said. Besides, Ive got nothing to hide. Like I said, Nathan was alive when I left him.
How did he seem?
He was nervous. He kept looking around, as if he was afraid to be seen with me. But I figured Id just caught him by surprise. The light changed and she started through the intersection. Have they found anything yet?