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“Good night, Johnny.” She watched until he disappeared into the darkness, and then she closed and locked the door.
The next week seemed to fly by. However midweek another murder occurred. Just like the rest, the victim, a woman named Penny Wilson, was found hanging upside down in a tree in the swamp. She was twenty-nine years old and worked as a clerk in the bank.
The murder caused a new wave of terror in the people of Black Bog, especially since there didn’t seem to be any clues as to who was committing the horrendous acts. A dark pall had fallen over the entire town. From the gossip Mimi had heard, everyone was beginning to look at neighbors and relatives with suspicion. Anyone could be the killer, and anyone could become a victim.
Mimi’s days were filled with work, and in the evenings all the men continued to show up at her place.
Chief Breaux had called her the day after he’d interviewed all three of the men about her encounter. He’d told her that unfortunately none of them had a solid alibi for the time of the frightening event. They had all professed to be out in the swamp fishing alone.
BY FRIDAY NIGHT she was tired of all the male testosterone in the house. She called each of the men and told them she wasn’t up for company that evening and then she made plans for Renée to come and visit.
Renée arrived just as she was putting Danny to bed. Renée helped her tuck the little boy in and then the two went into Mimi’s bedroom for some girl talk. Mimi had chips and dip and cold sodas waiting for them, and the two stretched out on Mimi’s bed.
“It’s nice to have your full attention all to myself for a change,” Renée said as she tore open the chip bag.
As far as Mimi was concerned, her friend was one of the prettiest women in the swamp. She had long dark hair and beautiful brown eyes. Her features were delicate, and Mimi knew it was just a matter of time before some man would claim her as his own.
“I’ve definitely missed our girl talks,” Mimi replied. She opened the jar of cheese dip and set it between them. “Things have just been so crazy around here since Johnny came back to town.”
“How are things going between the two of you?”
Mimi released a deep sigh. “He says he loves me and wants to build a family with me and Danny.”
“How do you feel about that?” Renée’s big doe-like eyes gazed at her curiously.
“God help me, but there is a part of me that’s still in love with him. But, Renée, I can’t trust him. He abandoned me before, and I just can’t trust that he wouldn’t do it again. So for now I’m trying to keep my emotional distance from him.”
“I wish somebody was madly in love with me and wanted to build a family. That’s what I want more than anything,” Renée said dreamily.
“Renée, you’re absolutely beautiful and smart, and there’s going to be a very special man who will come along and love you more than anything else in the world,” Mimi said.
“I just wish he’d hurry up and find me before I become an old swamp hag.” Renée reached into the bag and grabbed a handful of chips.
Mimi laughed at her words. “Renée, you’re only twenty four years old. You have a long way to go before you become an old swamp hag. Do you still have your savings for when you get married and have babies?”
“I do. I don’t intend to touch that money until I need to pay for a small wedding, and then I’ll have the rest of the money for when I start having babies.”
Two years ago, when her parents had been killed in a car wreck, Renée and her brother had been shocked to learn that their parents had a fifteen-thousand-dollar life insurance policy. The money was split between Renée and her brother. Mimi had no idea what Renée’s brother had done with the money, but Renée had put hers in savings for the future.
“How are things going with you and your brother?”
“They are going okay. We are kind of like ships passing in the night. We don’t see a lot of each other. He’s mostly working the commercial fishing boats, and that keeps him away from home for days at a time. And it gives me lots of time to hunt for Mr. Right.”
“Maybe you should stop hunting and wait for Mr. Right to find you,” Mimi replied.
“Easy for you to say. It doesn’t help that besides Johnny, you have three of the most eligible bachelors in the swamp madly in love with you, too.” She dipped a chip and then popped it into her mouth.
Mimi laughed. “They’re just good friends.”
“Good friends, my ass,” Renée returned with a cheeky grin. “It’s obvious that all three of those men are crazy in love with you.”
“One of them warned me to stay away from Johnny.”
“Which one?” Renée asked.
“I don’t know.” Mimi proceeded to tell Renée about that night in the swamp when somebody had grabbed her. “For a moment I thought it was the Deer Slayer.”
“Oh my gosh, you must have been positively terrified,” Renée exclaimed.
