Just Wanna Testify by Pearl Cleage Read Free Book Online Page A

about her, but I can’t be sure. Their faces don’t show much emotion.”
    “What did she say when you told her you knew?”
    “She said they were from New Orleans, like I told you, and that they weren’t dangerous as long as they had access to tomato products.”
    That would never be a problem in West End, Abbie thought, where bountiful community gardens provided enough fresh tomatoes to supply every family and neighborhood restaurant with them, fresh or canned, all year round. She hoped they weren’t here to buy up the tomato crop. Somehow she didn’t think the Growers Association would like that one bit.
    “So where’d they go when they left Louisiana?”
    “Somebody bought them an island,” Blue said, like that was something that happened every day.
    “An island?” Abbie said, incredulous. “Where?”
    “She didn’t say, but there’s nothing much on it, so they come to the mainland every so often to make some money and lay in supplies.”
    “Including tomatoes?”
    Blue smiled a little and shook his head. “No. I think they grow their own tomatoes.”
    “Good. Anything else?”
    “They’ll be here a week or so and then they’re flying to Paris for another shoot.”
    “Nice work if you can get it,” Abbie said. “Do you believe her story?”
    “I don’t know yet,” Blue said slowly. “I don’t think they’re dangerous, not now anyway, but I think there’s more to them being here than a magazine spread.”
    Abbie thought so, too. “What are you going to do?”
    “I need more information,” Blue said. “That’s why I wanted to catch you before you went down to Tybee.”
    “Do you want me to talk to Regina before I go?”
    “No,” he said quickly. “I’ll talk to Regina when the time is right. I want you to talk to Louis Baptiste and see if you can find out anything about a family named Mayflower back in New Orleans. A big family, probably had a lot of beautiful daughters. The one who came to see me was named Serena, but she’s traveling with five others and I think they may be related.”
    “You think they’re sisters?”
    Blue shrugged. “I don’t know, but anything he can tell me would help. The sooner, the better. I want to stay one step ahead of them.”
    The urgency of his tone made her realize how serious he was taking this whole thing. She could tell he was trying as hard not to alarm her as he was trying to avoid spooking Regina and completely freaking out Aretha, but Abbie needed to know it all.
    “You’re not telling me everything,” she said gently. “What else did Serena Mayflower have to say?”
    She wanted to feel the name in her mouth. It felt fake, like an amateur actor’s attempt at a stage name.
    Blue chose his words carefully. “She said this was a moment when they had to adapt or die, and they knew it.”
    “Adapt how?”
    Blue stood up and reached for his hat. “That, Miss Abbie, is what we have to find out.”
    At the door, he kissed her cheek and she promised to drive carefully.
    “When will you be back?”
    “Sunday afternoon,” she said.
    “Good.” He nodded. “Then don’t call me from the island. Until we know more about how they communicate, it’s probably better to talk face-to-face.”
    “I’m sorry you and Regina can’t ride down with me.”
    Blue touched her shoulder lightly as he started down the stairs, and his eyes twinkled slightly for the first time that day. “I am, too, but somebody’s got to stick around here and keep an eye on these vamps.”
    Abbie watched him walk out the bright blue front door and found herself suddenly hoping Aretha’s sources were correct about its power to ward off evil. At this moment, she felt like she needed all the help she could get.

Chapter
Seven

A Fabulous Opportunity
    Aretha was in a zone. When the models and their stylists were finally satisfied with clothes, hair, makeup, and overall ornamentation, the Too Fine Five made their way upstairs, walked out into the Friday morning