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"Hey, it’s a nice night just for being alive," he said cheerfully, then winced

Nikki slipped an arh his "Hey, don’t worry I don’t want to spendabout every word that coht to be alive"

They walked Madame the few blocks to her place, then turned and started back toward Bourbon Street

"Want a nightcap or anything?" Julian asked, a brotherly arm around her shoulder

She shook her head "Honestly, you knohat’s strange? I’ve never been over the day we found out about Andy that I just haven’t wanted anything since"

"Maybe you need a hair of the dog that bit you," Julian said

"Actually, I’d like to get ho much"

"Hey, it’s okay Lots of people in your position would be on sedatives, you know I ht away And you had to deal with trying to find out if there was soe the funeral and all… well, that’s a tough load And it’s tough just to have known someone as… murdered"

"The rest of you seeht"

"Like I said, you two kind of bonded You and Andy, well, you were both orphans You had that in corandparents, at least," Nikki said "Cousins, aunts and uncles… though they’ve mostly moved pretty far away these days But I had family Andy didn’t have even that"

"She had us We were family," Julian assured her "Well, ould have been," he said

They reached the iron gate in the brick wall that surrounded Nikki’s place "What is the trick to this da?" he muttered

"The latch is under and over It’s not a lock, it just keeps the curious out," Nikki said She bit her lip, wanting to reach over and open it herself, but Julian see around

It was always a how life went on

A couple, ar toward one another He was ebony She was ivory Nikki s the ease hich people lived their lives in New Orleans now There had been a time when old "Beast" Butler had ruled the city, but that was long ago They were on thethe street, then paused nearby, drinks in hand, talking about a sax player orking down on the square

More couples strolled along

A larger group of young et it," Julian said, deterainst the brick wall

There was soroup in the street, but he wasn’t one of they-haired Clothes wrinkled, worn He turned toward her

Handsorowth of beard

He stared at her as if he recognized her

And she stared back, certainly recognizing hi hard on Julian’s shoulder "Julian… Julian Turn around quick I just saw him"

"Him, who?"

Julian turned to her, confused

"The bum as at Madaroup of college guys," she declared

Julian stared out to the street and searched the cleanshaven faces So did she

"Where?" Julian said

"There, in the middle of them," Nikki announced She ran into the street, into theinto her

"Hi, there, babe," another slurred He cast an aret your hands off her," Julian dee

"He… he was here," she said, puzzled

"Who was here, honey? I’ stupidly and co up on her other side

"Leave her alone," Julian said angrily

"Yeah? And who are you? Her daddy… pi the young ered back and fell

"Julian… shit!" Nikki breathed, her attention wrenched back to their current situation

"Hey, asshole, there was no call for that," the blonde from New York said He dropped his plastic drink cup and strode an to follow suit, circling hiered to his feet

"Everyone!" Nikki announced loudly "Stop it right now I’et the police Just calm down"

No one seeed that blow, but another one of the youths was to his right, and he took a swing

"Stop!" Nikki jumped onto the back of one of theed a fist on the top of his head "Stop it right now!"

He still didn’t see on her ruainst ten or so…

He didn’t stand a chance

Nikki opened herThe police had to come, and come quickly