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Naturally, Nikki had kept silent about her strange dream She could barely remember it, anyway--other than the fact that Andy had been there at the foot of her bed But she hadn’t been there She had been either dead or dying by that tih, that even as they went through the motions, the police believed that Andy’s death had been self inflicted, even if accidentally so Still, Massey had assured Nikki that, as tragic and frustrating as it was, finding a h Detective Massey didn’t say it, she knew that far too often a killer was never discovered and walked away free

That made her think that maybe she should mention her dream to someone The only person she had told was Julian, and he had looked at her with such incredulity that she had ione on to warn her that telling her bizarre tale would eitherher own tours for too long or a suspicious individual herself

But the dream bothered her on a daily basis No Hourly Constantly

She felt a pang in her heart that was so sharp it ht have been delivered by a knife

Oh, God, Andy, I can’t stop believing that you came to htly as she stood near the coffin, desperately trying to reht

"Nikki"

It was Patricia, looking at her with dampened eyes "Come on, now Let them finish"

Nikki nodded and looked around The funeral had been shbors, and even Madame D’Orso from the coffee shop, and a few other local business owners

As always, there were the curious, tourists, who happened to be at the cemetery and slipped in to join the crowd at the service

A stretch liroup, and Nikki kneas time to walk away

She looked back The ce ready to slide the remains into the appropriate vault

The band played to the end

They drove back into the French Quarter, and then went through another ritual, the after-service gathering at Madame D’Orso’s

Madame was in her eleh on top of her head, she took charge naturally She had liked Andy Besides, it was her place Nikki realized that she was one of the few people who knew that Madame’s real name was Debra Smith and she’d actually had ancestors co French was a good thing for business in the French Quarter

She had co, then opening in honor of Andrea in the afternoon

Julian, Nathan, Mitch and Patricia were trying to do as usually done on such occasions, remember the person with affection and a sht it was her own fault for being a junkie

People cared, but Nikki knew, too, that most of them would not think about that day ular lives

At last, as the hour grew late, people began to leave

Madame, who had truly been the perfect hostess, settled tiredly into a chair by Nikki She patted her hand where it lay on the table "Come on, child," she said "Andy wouldn’t want you to be morose forever"

Nikki nodded "No, of course, you’re right"

Madame smoothed a stray lock of hair froirl Pale as if you’d seen a ghost"

Nikki’s brows arched Julian, as standing nearby, turned and stared at Nikki

She frowned back at him, then turned to Madame

"Hey… do you remember that last day when Andy and I were in here?" she asked

"Well, vaguely," Madame said "You all come in most days, you know"

"I know, but that day, there was a… kind of a bu if he had a bath and a haircut"

Madame looked at her blankly

"You must have seen hiured you would have noticed him when you went back inside"

"Honey, I see lots of folks And we get our share of bums If one passed out on my floor, I’d have the police in so fast he wouldn’t even get to exhale Other than that, I doubt I’d notice"

"He one while you were busy," Nikki murmured