Sassbeaux Chronicles: A Murder After a Death

By R. L. Johnson

After solving two murders and witnessing things that he couldn't fathom, Sheriff Xavier 'Zay' McKendree, was hoping to get Sassbeaux back to some kind of normalcy. He soon realizes that there is nothing normal about Sassbeaux. Especially, when he is told a story about the town that is impossible to believe. While trying to find proof of the things that he didn't believe were true, a young man is murdered and a threat is made that may possibly change the town for good. How will he solve the young man's murder and extinguish the threat against the town with insufficient staff and secrets to protect?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9780359339334

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Sassbeaux Chronicles: A Murder After a Death

Sassbeaux Chronicles:

A Murder after a Death

By R. L. Johnson

Book 2

Dedicated to one of my biggest supporters, motivators and Aunt,

Verona Woodson

©Copyright 2018

ISBN# 978-0-359-07448-8

A Word from the Author

This book is a work of fiction.  Sassbeaux is a fictional town that was created to explore some of the superstitions taught to me by my Grandmother, Mother, and Aunts.

My Grandmother was the most superstitious woman I’ve ever known.  Along with my Mother and Aunts, she was one of the greatest predictors I’d ever met.  She could tell you things were going to happen before they actually did.  She was just amazing.

This is why I can’t help but to wonder if everything she believed in is real.  If it is, it probably exists in a place like Sassbeaux.

~R. L. Johnson

Predictionnoun

An act of predicting; something that is predicted.

PROLOGUE

I stood at the scene of the crime in total dismay.  This young man hadn’t deserved to die this way.  He was on a great path in his life.  He had recently been accepted into college, and had left to attend in Texas.  I’d hoped other young men and women here, would follow his example and broaden their horizons outside the city of Sassbeaux.  I was sure that they definitely wouldn’t now, because of this.  Because of this young man’s murder, everyone in town would more than likely believe, that leaving Sassbeaux would guarantee some sort of curse of death.  I knelt down to take a closer look at the young man, as a warm wind gently blew past me.  I closed my eyes.  If I believed in all of the things that this town presented, I would have thought that it was his spirit blowing past me.  He had been a very warm spirited person.  Tears welled in my eyes, and emotion swelled in my throat as I thought of this.  He was the first person I’d felt this much loss for, here in Sassbeaux.  He was my family by marriage after all.  At this moment, I was feeling every emotion you could imagine.  I didn’t know how I was going to get my wife through this horrible ordeal.  I was sure that this loss was devastating her.  She would be here soon.  She would definitely believe what the others were most likely believing; that some sort of evil was responsible for this.  I was starting to believe it myself.  How else, could I explain a murder that had happened after the death of the person that had predicted it?

CHAPTER 1

I was going to be one happy man when this summer finally ended.  Being originally from Phoenix, Arizona, I was very familiar with extremely dry heat but, this heat was a different kind of heat.  It was sweltering.  It was a moist heat.

I had never been inside of an air-conditioned house, and could still feel the heat from outside.  It was obvious that, the central cooling system couldn’t keep the house cool enough.  It was way too hot to do anything, much less go anywhere. I’d much prefer to stay inside.

I looked into the mirror that was in front of me, at the uniform that I was wearing.  It was fairly new.  I’d just gotten it to wear to Sheriff Willie Thompson’s memorial, due my previous one getting ruined; it had been soaked in Henny’s blood.  It was short sleeved but, the fabric was extremely thick.  I shook my head.  I was going to burn up in this heat.  I was already sweating, and I hadn’t even gone outside yet.  If this uniform wasn’t something that I was expected to wear, I wouldn’t wear it.  I’d wear what I wore to work every day instead.  I thought about that for a second. Was this attire appropriate for the funeral that I was about to attend?  I wondered.  I’d never been to a funeral for someone that had died during apprehension before.  Apprehension.  I didn’t think that was the correct term for what had happened at the barn a little over a week ago.  It had been something but, it wasn’t that.  I sighed deeply.  The situation was so complicated.  I didn’t understand why this was even happening today.  I knew that it was allowed but, I didn’t understand it. 

I pondered how many people would even attend this funeral.  I’d tried to deter it as much as I possibly could but, the family of the deceased had been extremely adamant.

You alright?  My wife Maya asked me disturbing me from my thoughts.  She’d walked into the room that I was in and startled me a little.  I looked at her in the mirror.  She was standing directly behind me.  You look good.  She said.

I’m okay.  I’m just ready for this mess to be over.  I wish I could just throw on a pair of slacks and a short sleeved dress shirt.  I admitted hoping she would tell me to go ahead.  Instead, she smiled at me. 

Maya wasn’t attending the funeral today.  She was going to be busy helping one of the town’s elders to prepare for another memorial service that was scheduled to be held in a couple of days.  Even if she wasn’t busy with the other service, I didn’t think that she would come to this particular funeral.  I was sure because, she’d actually voiced it, clearly, two days ago when I’d found out that the funeral was happening.  She’d said that she wasn’t going but, that I had to because of my position of being Sheriff.  I didn’t feel that I was obligated just because I was the Sheriff but, I wasn’t going to argue with her.  I always lost those battles.  In Phoenix, I would have only attended funerals of fellow officers.  Not criminals.

I’m so tired of people dying around here.  I ain’t never seen this many deaths in less than six months, in my entire life.  She said.  I nodded in agreement.  I too was tired of death.  It seems like death is all around us.  First Tonya then, Sheriff Thompson then, Miss Sadie.  She said shaking her head back and forth, and I noticed the dreary look on her face when she said this.  I also noticed that she hadn’t included the person that we were burying today.  I understood.  He had been responsible for two of the deaths that Maya had mentioned.

Well, at least we are burying the person that was responsible for two of those deaths today.  I said attempting to be reassuring.  Things should get back to normal soon.  I hoped, and Maya smiled at me adoringly.  I was glad that my reassurance was working but honestly, there was nothing normal about this town.  However, I did hope that after the funeral today, that things would get back to Sassbeaux’s kind of normal.  It was my job to make sure everyone felt safe and I was going to do my best to ensure that they did.

I really hope so.  She said in response to my statement.  Then, she twisted her mouth in the way that she always did when she was thinking.  I wonder how many people are going to be there today.  She said.  I had wondered the same thing.  It was probably wrong of me in some way but, I actually hoped that no one else would show up, except those that were obligated to come.  I was ordering Briley go with me to the funeral, just in case someone else not in favor of this funeral taking place, actually showed up to violently protest.  He’d been totally irate when I told him that he would be assigned to go. 

Honestly, no one in this town approved of this funeral being held today.  Most of the town believed in cremation, and burying the ashes.  I had to explain to a lot of them, that it had been the mother of the deceased decision to have this funeral.  It was what she’d wanted, and we could not deny her that right no matter how much we all wanted to.  There were some that felt that she had no rights, and that she should be in jail after all that she had helped her son do.  I partially agreed but, she wasn’t in jail because Miss Mamie had instructed me to let her go so, because she was free, she had the right to have a funeral for her son.  I, along with the elders of the town, and Maya, felt that she was only doing this to create some sort of chaos.  I’d asked everyone to not interfere, and hoped they would abide.  If they didn’t, there was no telling what could happen during this funeral. 

There was a hard knock at the front door.  Judging by the force of the knock, I was sure that it was Briley.  I took a deep breath.  I needed to prepare myself.  I was sure he would be seething.

I’ll get it.  Maya said walking out of the room to answer the door.  I looked over my attire once more, still wishing that I could wear something different.  Maya never approved so, I would just have to suck it up. 

I heard Briley’s voice coming from the living room.  I was right about it being him at the door.  I sighed, grabbed my hat (another thing that I didn’t want to wear), and walked to the living room, where I found Maya talking to him.  I could tell that he was venting his frustrations to her when I walked into the room.  He looked at me as if he wanted to punch me in the face.  I empathized.  He had every right to be angry.  Everyone in Sassbeaux had a right to be angry today but, I couldn’t allow their anger and frustration cause disruption.

I still don’t get why we have t’ go to dis man’s funeral when he killed two people, and damn near beat Henny, who used t’ be his best friend, to death.  Briley said more at me, than to me.  He had voiced this previously and I had heard him then, just as I heard him and understood him now. 

We’ve been over this Briley.  I know that I’m asking a lot of you today but, I need you there just in case things get out of control.  There are a lot of people that feel the same way you feel, and I’m going to need you if they decide to show up and try anything.  I reminded him.  I really did need him.  I didn’t have much of a team these days.  I had a few guys in town that continued to come by the station and help with small things but, as far as licensed professionals, Henny was still in the hospital recovering from his injuries from being beat by Demetrius, and Claude was still Claude; dependable but, not the brightest flower on the bush.  Basically, it was just me and Briley, as far as upholding the law in Sassbeaux was concerned.  This was why I was so hopeful for things to return to their kind of normal.  We didn’t have the manpower to handle anything else.

"Why did she wanna bury his body at de graveyard?  He ain’t comin’ back no matter what she try to do.  Don’t nobody escape hell.  He coulda been cremated just like everybody else.  Briley said scowling.  It’s too daggone hot for dis mess Sheriff.  Why didn’t she just have it at the funeral home where there is some air conditionin’ if she wus gone do it.  Briley ranted and raged.  I agreed but, it was what she’d wanted.  Miss Rachel was a crazy, stinky, weird, evil and stubborn woman.  We all knew this.  Can’t we just make her have it at de funeral home?  Briley asked me.  I really wished we could.  I shook my head and Briley punched the air.  Dammit!  I’ll meet you at de car."  He said angrily storming out of the house.

"He is maaad.  Maya said giggling.  I nodded.  It wasn’t funny.  I totally understood his frustration.  He will be alright.  Henny is gettin’ better by the day, and when he is back to normal, those two fools will be right back to their giggling and grinning."  She said.  I smiled.  She was probably right.  I remembered when I hated how much Henny and Briley giggled and laughed at everything.  Now, I was looking forward to them getting back to it.  A little laughter was definitely needed. 

I kissed Maya on the cheek, and rubbed her little pregnant belly, through the thin black shirt she was wearing.  It hadn’t grown much yet but, I couldn’t help myself.  I was proud, and knowing that there was life growing in there, made me feel better about today. 

I walked out of the front door, and the heat that hit me in the face was like a ball of fire.  I prayed that Briley had the car running with the air conditioning on.  When I got to the car, I noticed that he did.  I got in and the air blowing in my face was such a relief.  I looked over at him and patted him on the shoulder in comfort.  His eyes watered and he swallowed hard.  This was truly hard for him.  I would have to think of some way to make it up to him later.

Let’s just get this over with.  I said to him.  I was just as eager for this to be over with as everyone else.  He nodded without looking at me and drove quickly to the graveyard, which was only about five miles up the road from my house.  When we got there, there were about twenty white chairs set up under a dark blue tent, a hearse, the Pastor, the funeral attendant, the casket and Miss Rachel.  She was looking just as raggedy as always.  This was her son’s funeral, and she couldn’t find one nice thing to wear? I bet she still smelled like her house too.  I would be sure not to get too close.  I was sure the heat would only enhance the horrible smell and I was not in the mood.

I looked at the Pastor who was explicitly glaring at me and sighed.  It was awful but, my Father-in-law had to make a huge donation to the church to get him to come today.  My Father-in-law, being the Mayor of Sassbeaux, just wanted everything to get back to normal, as soon as possible.  He hadn’t liked the idea of Miss Rachel having a funeral for Demetrius either but, agreed with Maya that I should attend, to help keep things peaceful.  He didn’t want the people of Sassbeaux to continue to be afraid.  They hadn’t had very many murders here and having two back to back had scared them.  For the first time since Maya and I were married, he and I were on the same page about keeping things peaceful, and helping to calm everyone’s fears.  I did wonder though, why he hadn’t just asked Tyeese Baudin to do the eulogy.  It would have saved him a lot of money.  Tyeese was the Assistant Pastor of the church, my Father-in-laws personal assistant, and his