“I know. We’ve known that from the outset.”
Spike dropped his chin to his chest and took a breath. “Let me get through this my own way, okay? She went in, and straight out the back—or that’s what we think.”
“How would you know that now?” Max asked.
“We knew it within hours of learning about her disappearance. Bloodhound followed her scent. Only problem is the scent ran out a few feet from the door to the parking lot. The back door handle had been smeared with lanolin so there were no prints. Without the dog we wouldn’t have had anything.”
The skin on Max’s face tightened. “Does that mean something to you, other than it sounds like Michele got into another vehicle?”
“Bingo,” Spike said. “But we don’t have anything else from then on. Forensics went over every inch. Nothing interesting. So many vehicles come and go there you can’t tell one track from another and there weren’t any useful footprints. By the way, Tom Walen got here the same day Michele did.”
Max’s spine jerked straight and he couldn’t feel his hands. “He flew in the same day?”
“Drove. Says he didn’t trust you with Michele so he came down, too.”
Roche tapped a foot and Max wished he wouldn’t. “From what he said at All Tarted Up, he’d flown in later, once Michele was reported missing,” Roche said. “He showed up at the shop and wanted to rip Max apart.”
“There’s no law against stayin’ in a motel out of town because you want to make sure your fiancée’s safe,” Spike said. “He had plenty of reason to worry, didn’t he? He knows all about you.”
“But why lie about being here?” Max asked, wondering why Spike was giving them the information. Rather than bring any hope, his revelation made Max feel he was waiting for the handcuffs to come out. “If he drove, he would have had to leave New York before Michele did. He’d have to have an excuse for that.”
“He does,” Spike said, but didn’t attempt to explain.
“Have you checked out his car?” Max said.
“Sure. He volunteered. All we got were a few hairs that matched with Michele’s mother’s DNA, but Michele was in Tom’s car all the time. She’d be bound to leave hair and fibers. No blood.”
“You didn’t ask for my car,” Max said.
Spike shook his head. “We might have turned up a hair or two but you’re too smart to leave evidence around.”
“Blood would still show. I want it looked at. Take it apart if you like.”
“I don’t need you to explain basic forensics to me,” Spike said.
Kelly cracked his knuckles. “Yeah, look at Max’s car. Hell, take all of our cars if you want ’em.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Spike said. “Now, listen up, Max. I want you to think real hard about that night when you dropped Michele off. Did you see a vehicle in the vicinity of the Majestic? I mean coming or going from the back?”
Max shook his head, “No.”
“Just thought I’d ask,” Spike said. He set his Stetson more firmly on his head. “At least it looks as if you got lucky with Lil.”
“
Lil?
You saw with your own eyes that she didn’t react when she saw me last night.”
“I know,” Spike said. “But from the direction things are going, if she’d died you’d have been tried and convicted by some. I’ve got to call and see how she did with the surgery.”
Max inclined his head in question.
“Surgery?” Kelly said. “We thought she wasn’t expected to live, so this is better news.”
“No one said she wasn’t expected to live,” Max said. “But they weren’t talking surgery when I was there.”
“She had something called a subdural hematoma. Clot in her head somewhere, don’t ask me.” Spike showed signs of growing very restless. “They were going to make a hole to let the pressure out.”
“I wasn’t sure about her condition,” Max said thoughtfully.
Spike started toward the door. “Can I see you in the corridor?”
Without a word, Max followed Spike from the room and into the front hall.
“Listen to me,” Spike said quietly. “We don’t have much to go on and what we do have I don’t feel good about. Guilty or not, you’re the patsy, though.”
“I think we all figured that out,” Max said.
“Some are sure you killed Michele. They want you fried.”
Max looked at him. “Which camp are you in? I did or I didn’t?”
“Jury’s still out,” Spike said. “Lee O’Brien’s written an article in the
Trumpet.
You’d better read it. She’s a better reporter than she ought to be in a town this size and she wants to make what she does count for something. This may just be one of her attention-getting schemes, but there aren’t too many people who could sort of fit what she’s suggesting. You know the drill, she doesn’t use names. But she writes a bunch of innuendos, some sort of accusations—and there could be a threat or so there. Whatever, you’d better tread lightly, all three of you.”
“I’ll go back in and get the paper,” Max said.
“There’s another one over there,” Spike told him, indicating a demilune table against one green silk-covered wall. “I understand you and Annie spent the night here.”
Max stared at him.
“Word gets around,” Spike said. “And in my book, Annie Duhon’s future just got a whole lot more uncertain. Maybe it’ll be good for your reputation if everyone knows you two are real close. Be real careful, though. If somethin’ nasty happens to Annie it won’t look good.”
Max flinched. He was leaving now and knew exactly where he was going. “You’re right there,” he said, smiling. “Nice to talk to you, Sheriff.”
He’d just been warned that he was still the prime suspect in Michele’s disappearance, and that nothing had better happen to Annie.
“H
ey, Annie.”
A hand closed on her wrist and she stopped. She still knew Bobby Colbert’s voice. “Yes,” she said, facing his table rather than cause a scene. “I didn’t see you there.”
“You’re still too busy being the boss around here.” He released her and smiled as if they were the best of friends. “It’s a nice place.”
“Thanks. You said you liked it the last time you were in.”
“So I did, but you were in such a hurry to get away I wasn’t sure you heard me. Sit with me.” He pulled out a chair on his right. “You’re the boss around here. You can decide when you want to take a break.”
“I’m the manager, not the boss,” she told him. “Anything goes wrong and it’s my fault. I’m on duty.”
“You don’t have to be so superior. Just because you’ve come up in the world.”
Annie weighed her options. She hated drawing attention to herself. “Okay. Just for a few minutes.” She walked behind him and slid into the chair. There was always a chance she could persuade him to leave her alone. “What is it, Bobby? Why are you working so hard to talk to me?”
He reached as if he would stroke her cheek but Annie jerked away.
“Sorry,” he said. He put his hands on the table and studied them. “We both had a hard time back then—when we were kids. We weren’t old enough to make the decisions we needed to make. I want you, Annie. Don’t just react to the past and shut me out. Give me another chance.”
A nice-looking man, in good shape, shouldn’t need to chase around after a woman he’d dropped years earlier, in a part of her life Annie wanted to forget.
“Annie?”
“Move on,” she told him. “I have.”
“With the famous surgeon?” His expression wasn’t pretty. “Why would he want you? Have you wondered about that?”
Annie moved to get up but Bobby took hold of her arm and held her there. “Don’t be a fool. He’s usin’ you. That scares me because I know all about him and I couldn’t stand it if something happened to you. We were always meant to be together. I knew it the moment I set eyes on you in St. Martinville. Before that I was drifting but one look at you and I figured it all out. We made a mistake when we let each other go, but it isn’t too late.”
From when he was young, Bobby had been the all-American boy. Facing her this morning he’d still be the one to put on a poster advertising something wholesome. But inside him something had gone horribly wrong.
“My folks said I was too young for you.” His eyes slid away. “I should have been strong enough to stand up to them but I wasn’t. They wanted someone—something different for me. If I didn’t do what they told me, I was going to be sent away to one of those military schools.”
“You’re older than me,” she reminded him. “It doesn’t matter anymore. We aren’t even the same people we were then. I’m sorry it was hard for you.” He’d never be able to imagine how hard it had been for her.
Bobby studied her. “You’re successful. You’ve got to be or you wouldn’t be running a place like this. It’s a gold mine.”
Annie wanted to escape, and she didn’t want him to bother her again. “It’s not my gold mine.”
“What do they pay you?”
She stood up, wrenched her arm away from his renewed attempt to detain her. “I don’t want to do this,” she said, making sure she wasn’t overheard. “But if you keep following me around and bothering me, I’ll go to the sheriff and complain.”
“Don’t be like that,” he said. “I came on too strong. You know I’m not good at saying the right things.” He laughed. “My mother says I was born with both feet in my mouth. Will you think about having dinner with me? I’m a good cook.”
Annie didn’t just turn cold, she felt flash frozen. “No,” she said, aware that she might have to report this encounter. “Like I told you, I’ve moved on. I like my life. But I hope you’ll find the right person for you real soon.”
She sensed a change inside Pappy’s and frowned.
“I saved your
life,
” Bobby said.
“Thank you. I’ll always be grateful.” He was partly right but he would never have been there after she was attacked if her mother hadn’t met him by chance and brought him home that evening.
Guy Gautreaux, Jilly’s husband, strolled among the tables, turning heads as he went. He found a place by the windows, sat down and put a newspaper down in front of him. Annie didn’t realize she was staring at him until he looked back at her, and smiled. She had a ridiculous urge to rush and ask him to get rid of Bobby. The impulse passed as Guy started looking the menu over.
“You okay?” Bobby said. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
She saw a different window, this one in a dark room where flames sent shadows leaping over the walls. A man wrestled to open the window.
“You don’t have to go weird on me. I’m leaving. I’ll come back when I can figure out the right things to say.”
Pain shot into her legs. She heard her own scream. The man couldn’t budge the window. He shrieked and rushed to the bed, tore her hands free of the bonds he’d tied.
“’Bye, Annie.”
Bobby knocked her aside as he passed. “Sorry,” he said and she saw his face again. Panic. Bobby Colbert panicked because of something she’d done, or said.
“Are you okay, Annie?” Guy stood at her shoulder with a hand on her back. “You don’t look good. Was that man bothering you?”
Disoriented, she gave herself a moment to calm down before saying, “He’s someone I used to know a long time ago. Bobby Colbert. We both grew up in St. Martinville. For some reason he’s trying to strike up a friendship again—that’s all.” At least the vision had faded. “He’s pushy. I should tell him to get lost. I thought I already had but I guess I wasn’t nasty enough.”
Guy held her shoulder. “I guess you weren’t, but that doesn’t surprise me. You probably wouldn’t know how. Don’t worry about him—he’s makin’ himself too public to be dangerous. He’ll get the message you don’t want him around. I will mention him to Spike if it’ll make you feel better.”
“You don’t have to, but thanks.” Somehow she figured Bobby’s name would come up to Spike no matter what she said. “Did you get waited on?”
“Not yet. I’ll get to it. Pappy’s can’t compete with All Tarted Up but it’s a close second.”
“Thank you, that’s quite a compliment. Enjoy your meal.” Guy’s calm manner relaxed her. He was right about Bobby being too obvious to take seriously.
Annie wondered why Guy would come here, rather than All Tarted Up, but he could have business in the area.
Pappy’s was busy, which was great when there was still an hour or so before the very start of the lunch rush. Toddlers and preschoolers played on the dance floor while their mothers visited over coffee. That had been one of Annie’s ideas. She had supplied large foam blocks and at any moment a house or fort, a barn or two were going up, while others were pounded down amid shouts of laughter. One morning a week was advertised as a “Mothers With Tots” session and the idea had caught on.
Between pillars surrounding the dance floor Annie had a view of the lobby, or of the back of Blue the Alligator and some of the lobby. She looked in that direction because a lot of motion caught her attention.
And a raised voice.
Rather than run and create a stir, she walked briskly.
“It’ll be okay,” Guy said, falling in beside her and keeping up easily with his long strides. “Looks like Carmen is already there.”
“Carmen isn’t supposed to be here at this hour,” Annie said, speeding up. “I’m glad he came in. What a ruckus. What’s goin’ on?”
She hurried past Blue and her questions were answered. Max held Bobby against a wall and took the man’s wild punches to the body. Carmen, minus his Elvis duds, including the wig, stood just out of punching range with his meaty fists on his hips. Completely bald, pink and smiling happily, he was more appealing in his own identity.
Carmen saw Annie coming with Guy and shook his head.
“Does that mean we shouldn’t do anything?” Annie said.
Guy caught her elbow. “Yes.
Hoo mama,
that old friend of yours is pushin’ his luck. If Max decides to hit him, really hit him, he’s not going to feel the same for a long time.”
“Max wouldn’t hurt anyone badly,” Annie said, outraged. “What do they think they’re doing? This is a family place.”
“Families fall out sometimes,” Guy said mildly and Annie gave him a disbelieving glance.
She shook off his hand and started off as if she intended to go to the hostess’s desk. The instant she was out of Guy’s range, she ran at the two men, grabbed one of Bobby’s arms and hung on. “Stop it, you two. Right now or I’ll have Carmen throw you both out.”
Max, much taller, used one hand at the base of Bobby’s neck to hold him off. “Stand back,” he said to Annie.
She clung to Bobby’s arm which he stopped trying to use on Max. With his other fist, Bobby continued to punish his opponent’s ribs.
“You look so silly,” Annie said. She caught Guy’s eye and he grinned. “What are you laughing at? Help me stop these goons.”
“You’re doin’ just fine,” Guy said. “They’re not hitting you. They’d knock the shit—excuse me. They’d hurt me.”
Annie smiled, she had to. And she yanked on Bobby’s arm. “Stop it, you two,” she said. “Stand still or I’ll call the law.”
Max shook his head. “Tell him,” he said, nodding at Bobby.
“He had it coming,” Bobby said, breathless. “He walked past like he didn’t see me and I know damn well he did. He’s high and mighty—just like you. Maybe you deserve each other after all. What do I care if he decides to add you to his list?”
He quit hitting Max who waited a few seconds before releasing him. “What list would that be?” he asked quietly.
“Any list you want it to be,” Bobby said, rubbing his neck. “You’re good at violence, but it’s not so easy to push men around, is it?”
Max shot out a hand but Guy deflected it. “Let me buy you a cup of coffee,” he said to Bobby. “You’re having a bad day.”
Bobby’s response was to flounce away, muttering to himself, and walk through the front doors.
“Ass,” Max said. He swept a newspaper from the floor and stuffed it under his arm. “Thanks for stepping in, Guy. Carmen offered to smash him but I got him to hold off.”
Carmen pulled his upper lip toward his flat nose in his version of a smile, showing off a wide gap between his front teeth. “Miz Annie don’t like her lobby messed up,” he said and wheeled away to plod toward the jukebox he revered.
“I need to get back into town,” Guy said. “When I get outside I’ll check on the other guy to make sure he isn’t still hanging around.”
“Thanks,” Max said. “For everything.”
When they were alone Annie felt abruptly and forcefully awkward. She glanced up at Max who looked steadily back at her.
“Did he talk to you?” Max asked her.
“Yes. He’s tried to before but this time I didn’t see him in time to get out of his way. From what he said to me, he’s been working on turning me into the future love of his life but I think I popped his bubble today. I don’t think he’ll bother me again.”
Max gave her a speculative look. “Good.” He didn’t sound convinced. “He lost it when he saw me. Let’s hope he doesn’t do a whole lot of that in future.”
“He was just lettin’ off steam. He hoped for something different from me and I disappointed him.”
“If you say so,” Max said. “Did you see the
Trumpet
this morning?”
“No time,” she said.
“I want you to look at it now. Your office okay?”
Things were under control. “Okay.” She led the way, acutely aware of him with every step she took.
Max opened the office door for her and followed her inside. “Can we make sure we’re not interrupted?” he said, and stepped back to allow Wazoo to whirl past him.
“Shut the door,” she told him over her shoulder.
“Annie.”
Wazoo’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline and she flashed what Annie assumed were meaningful messages at her.
“Hi, Wazoo. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here at this time of day,” Annie said.
Once more the dark brows rose and fell, and drew tight together in the middle. “I’m outa here soon enough. You gotta give Irene more loving by the way. That poor critter is terminally confused. One day you gonna come home and she’ll be lyin’ on her back with her feet in the air and her eyes poppin’ outa her head. She’ll have lost her mind, that poor Irene. That’s how lonely she’s gettin’.”
Annie admired herself for not laughing. “It has been a bit hard on her lately. I’ll be stayin’ home this evening and I’ll make a big fuss of her. But don’t you pretend you aren’t spoiling her rotten. She lives in the shop when I’m out. And she’s getting fatter. Are you feeding her goodies in the café?”
“Don’t you change the subject,” Wazoo said. She went to Annie’s desk and wrote on a piece of paper. “These are things you need to remember,” she said, handing over her note.
“Thanks,” Annie said, casting Max an apologetic glance. She read the note.
“Show me the bag I give you. If it’s in your purse, nod. Your sexy man won’t know.”