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As I stared at the place where the ht Hie hair on ht in front of ist I knols are funny that way Not only is it virtually ie their direction or distance, but often a feolves can sound like a whole lot more

Of course one sounds like one, and that was one more man there were supposed to be around here

"No wolves in the swamp, my ass," I muttered

Nevertheless, I headed for e and not trip overa lone wolf - or whatever that was Being right wouldn’t keepdead

Since wolves are nocturnal, un

Maybe a gun wouldn’t even help Or at least not one that wasn’t loaded with silver bullets

The thought startled a laugh out of htly hysterical, I started the car and headed to town, not slowing down until I planted my butt on a bar stool in a place called Kelly’s There was always a Kelly’s

Several blocks over, the ht progressed I waited until the tourists cleared out and the locals drifted in; then I started to ask questions

"Ruelle ain’t a guide, ye nuts?"

I frowned at an ancient ht for the past forty years Why had Frank sent me to Ruelle if he was - ?

I tilted my head "What is he?"

"Crazy"

"I’m sorry?"

My co with an expression of such pathetic loneliness that I waved a finger, and the bartender filled it

"He owns a ’s all fallin’ down He lives in the wild"

"Then he is familiar with the area"

"Better’n anyone But he ain’t been seen for years He’s probably dead"

Strange Maybe Frank had known Adam before he’d lost his mind

"Why would Ruelle abandon the faht out of high school Word is he joined soroup When he came home he couldn’t live in the world anymore, so he went into the swa man with any other opportunity would enlist Of course I’d turnedto sleep hi a tent with thefor Daddy

However, I doubted Adaain, maybe he had

As I considered what Ruelle had to do with anything, I picked up a book of matches on the bar emblazoned with a spooky font that spelled out Cassandra’s

The old man leaned over and tapped the ith a nicotine-stained finger "You wanna learn about voodoo and such?"

I frowned "Why?"

"Priestess Cassandra bought Marie Laveau’s old house on Royal Street"

"Marie Laveau the voodoo queen?"

"Yes,to his subject ’Most think Marie was actually tohter When one died, the other took her place, which explains why folks believed Marie had power"

"Growing younger and not dying will do that," I agreed

"No one knohere Marie lived for certain," the bartender interjected, "or where she’s buried, neither"

"She’s buried in St Louis Cemetery Nurave site in the country"

"What’s the first?" I’d bet on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier or maybe the Eternal Flame

"Graceland"

Well, no one’s ever claimed that Americans aren’t bizarre

"Priestess Cassandra lives at Marie’s place," my companion insisted "Set up a voodoo shop"

"Sounds kitschy"

"Catchy?"

"Touristy Tacky"

"Not this one She’s got things you won’t find just anywhere Even has a voodoo te, but first things first

"I hear there’s been disappearances"

"In Nelins?" He lifted a brow "Don’t say?"