Courted

DESCRIPTION:
Linus Abrams is hired to check on the mental well-being of a former magistrate judge Wilbur Conrad Sr. Abrams is near satisfied that his evaluation is nothing more than a goose-chase for Conrad’s male heir to get his hands on his fortune, then the subject of Jean-Pierre comes up. Who is Jean-Pierre, you may ask? He is a virile Creole slave that died more than a century ago that Mr. Conrad has taken on as a lover.

EXCERPT:
“What’s that?” Abrams interrupted and asked after some time with the flashed from earlier retuning in much more lasting forms.

“That?” Conrad repeated a bit more hesitant, “Off the record?”

“Of course,” Abrams offered, instinctively crossing his heart as if he were a child.

Conrad placed his fingers on the book, touching it as if he was marveling it for the very first time. “This is how I found out about Jean-Pierre.”

“The infamous Jean-Pierre,” Abrams mouthed. “What does that have to do with him? With all due respect, the book looks to be older than you.”

“One hundred and thirty-six years older than me, to be exact. Jean-Pierre was a Creole stud slave that roamed around these parts many years ago.”

“Wait a minute,” Abrams paused, thinking about his earlier conversation about this mysterious man as a sudden headache pressed itself, trying to remember if Conrad was talking in the present. “You spoke of this man as if he lives in the here and now, like he was a good friend of yours or something.”

“He is, Mr. Abrams. He has been a very comforting friend of mine throughout the years.”