Page 4 (1/2)

Not the same one Couldn’t be

I stood near theshaking my head, unreasonably spooked by a flower

Well, ht it here

My gaze flicked around the room There wasn’t anywhere to hide, except -

I glanced at the floor, and the breath I’d been holding streamed out in relief The wooden bed frame ended at the carpet There was no "under the bed"

Slowly I crept toward the bathroom Why I didn’t just call security I’ myself to say, "I found a flower Save ht as I always did when sleeping in a strange place I hated walking into walls half-asleep

The reflection in the vanity mirror revealed there was no one inside Just as there was nothing in the closet Which meant -

I turned toward the

The curtains, meant to block the sun so Mardi Gras partiers could sleep away the day, also blocked everything else Unable to bear not knowing, I strode across the room and whipped them back

Then stared past the e neon across the street My room was on the fifth floor How could anyone scale the hotel without being seen from below?

But would the drunks even notice? If they had, would they care or merely cheer? However, if they’d cheered, I’d have heard them

"Damn," I muttered

Someone had been here But who? How? Why?

All questions for a ti Too bad they kept ht

Dawn foundcoffee from the complimentary urn in the lobby If I could have positioned ot without undue notice, I would have I was so tired

I showed the concierge the address on my handy dandy sheet of paper Contrary to the opinion of the sexy-voiced Cajun with an attitude, the concierge confiruide service - CW Swamp Tours

I retraced my route to the dock where a uess he aiting for rinned

I wished that he hadn’t His teeth were nothing to write home about They’d make a short letter, since there were so few left A shame He didn’t appear a day over twenty

"Mr Tallient sent me"

The accent was Deep South - not a hint of France, and I missed it

"I was here yesterday," I said

His face, which reseht white hair that shone beneath thesun like a reflector, cruht

"Was I supposed to coet confused"

Hell I hoped he didn’t get confused in the an

"No one but me comes to this place"

"Tall, dark" I left out "handso hair"

My guide shrugged "Don’t bring no one to mind"

"Did Frank - Mr Tallient - tell you what I need ?"

I wondered if he was Ada Besides, I doubted a man who had been raised in a mansion, however broken doould let his teeth rot out of his head Then again, I could be wrong

"What’s your naner Tallient said you wanted to look for the wolf"

"Have you seen one?"

Charlie’s gaze slid from mine "Can’t say as I have"

I found his choice of words interesting He couldn’t say Didn’t onna meet me here at dusk?" he asked

"Dusk?" The last tiator, and that had been the best part

I remembered the voice, the scent of sti had been near theator hadn’t been the best part, after all

"Wolves don’t coht," Charlie explained

I knew that "All right," I said "Dusk"

He made no move to leave After several silent moments, I asked the only question I still had: "Do you know Ada into lanced away "Never met him"

"Knohere he lives?"

"No one does"

"What about the Ruelle place?"

Charlie pointed to the far side of the water and the waving grass

I had nothing else to do Tallient had already hired Charlie And I was curious

"Take me there," I said

Charlie’s boat was a smooth, fast ride I probably should have been wary Airboats flipped in the swamp all the time But the whip of the wind in my hair, the sun on my face, was too enjoyable to ruin hat-ifs

In the daylight, the sas beautiful A riot of colors, hardly any alligators, not a nutria rat to be had I doubted the area would be as appealing tonight