Prologue: One Foot in the Grave

Ruby looks from Max to Jay. She's eyeing the branch with caution. Though she tries to mask it, the presence of the green leaves on the branch seems to put her slightly on edge.

She looks to Jay. "I seek nothing other than your removal from this premises. Leave, and I'll be forbearing about your impertinence."

Ruby looks at Max. "The concerns of the living are not mine own. The girl is sustenance for me... that is the chiminage she pays to remain here. Her parents, however, have no value to me." The Red Lady turns her attention to Samantha. She tilts her head in order to see the teenager, who currently hides behind Adriana.

"Little Dove," beckons Ruby in a melodic tone. There is a practiced softness in her voice; the kind reserved for when adult speaks to a child. "Little Dove... why do you hide from me? Come out, come out. Remember your manners."

Samantha doesn't budge. Ruby sighs and speaks again. "Little Dove... come to me, or I will make your parents suffer."

Slowly, the teenager emerges from behind Adriana. The blood seems to have drained from her face.

Jérôme and Claudine look at each other. From their perspective, you're all talking to thin air.

Mr. Guillory glances at all of you. "Am I to assume that you're speaking to her right now?" There's still an annoying edge of skepticism to his voice. "Maybe this spirit should show herself if she's so powerful. I'm not afraid."

He takes a few steps forward in a show of bravado. He speaks toward the center of the room where the eyes of the krewe have been focused. "Well? What do you say... spirit?" Jérôme says spirit derisively, the way Richard Nixon would have said communists. His eyes are wandering; waiting for a response.

Wait a minute", Max interjected. He had just realized two things. The first was that he recognized the name Ruby had given them when she introduced herself. The second was that they had no chance of convincing Ruby to leave Samantha alone unless she decided that it was in her best interest to do so.

Max wasn't about to let her have Samantha, but he only had one idea that might deter Ruby and no idea whether or not it would work. First, though, he had to make sure the other members of his Krewe knew who Ruby was and what it would take to stop her. If this didn't work out he'd try to buy them enough time to get the Guillory's away from the house.

You are telling us that you are the Viscountess de la Rhonde? When I was in high school I took a course on local history. There was a Viscountess de la Rhonde who lived in New Orleans not long after the city was established. Her family was in the textile business and made their fortune selling an expensive red fabric. According to the history books, she was killed by her husband after he discovered that she had been cheating on him. They say he used a green-handled knife to do the deed, but I think that's just a--",.

He stopped abruptly, the excitement fading quickly from his expression.

"No... what I am thinking. The Viscountess de la Rhonde died roughly three hundred years ago. She would have passed on long ago.

Max sighed and shook his head. Then, falling back into a more professional demeanor he looked at Mr. Guillory and said, "I'm sorry, sir. I don't think that she is capable of showing herself. She has threatened to make you and your wife suffer if Samantha doesn't cooperate with her," Max turned back to face Ruby as he continued.

"But the thing is, I know for a fact that she has already lied to us at least once." He continued as if he were speaking to Mr. Guillory, but his eyes remain focused on Ruby. "She has also offered contradictory statements with respect to why she believes she has a rightful claim to this property. So, while I do not yet know whether only one or both of those statements are untrue, I am not inclined to believe anything she says."

He took a step closer to Ruby, clearly addressing her directly now.

"It's really a shame because I was hoping that we might be able to reach an agreement that would satisfy everyone. One way or another, we are not going to allow this to continue. If you can't be honest with us and make a sincere effort to work this out, then you can explain what you are doing here to the Reapers.

Personally, I avoid dealing with Reapers as much as possible. So, I don't know what they will do when they find out that yous put a little cemetery together underneath a house to create an Avernian gate, and that you use that gate to come and go from the underworld as you please. I'm not sure what they'll think about how you maintain your essence on these little jaunts into twilight, either.

You've been around a long time, though, right? I bet you know what they'll do. So, tell me. Would you rather work this out with us, or with them?"

Jay's response to the Red Lady had been measured and cautious for the sake of the Guillory family and the shades under her thrall. He honestly didn't care who the red tinted spectre thought she was although he appreciated that Max teased out of her who she'd been. 'Knowing is half the battle's, as they say...
While Max addressed the Red Lady and low-key threatened her with turning her location over to Reapers, Jay made his way to Samantha and placed the greenery he held into her hand. He still wasn't sure what exactly what kind of protection the color would afford the girl but he knew Samantha and her family would need it more than he would. They were helpless and defenseless against the Red Lady whilst the krewe had their Geists and other supernatural defenses.
I don't know how much this'll help.... Jay said to Samantha under his breath to the girl as Max monologued on to the 'Viscountess'. She has some kind of hang up about the color green. Keep this between you, your family and her. Be brave for them.

Turning to Mrs. Guillory, he mumbled under his breath, Try, as inconspicuously as you can, to get something green, for you and your husband, and hold it on your person.