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"What’s happened? Tell me what’s happened!"

"Perhaps--"

"No! Talk to me, tell me, what’s happened?"

"Overdose, I’m afraid We believe it was accidental, but you knoe have to go through procedure… The thing is, we need someone to asped

"Yes, I’m afraid--"

"No!" Nikki stared at him in disbelief No It had to be an elaborate joke Andy--vivacious, fun-loving, rowdy Andy--couldn’t be dead

"I’m truly sorry It appears that she--"

"Andy was clean"

"I’m sure she wanted to be clean"

"No! She was clean" Nikki realized that she was backing away fro But it couldn’t be true "She was clean She knew not to touch the stuff It’s impossible that she did this to herself It’s i at her, she kneas true

Just as the dream had been true She wanted to black out; she wanted the world to go away Yes, she had always had a sense of the past, of spirits that re like…

Last night Andy had been dead Or dying And she had come to Nikki for help She had failed her friend soain Her words were fierce "Andrea Ciello was off drugs I know it If so’s happened to Andy, it was not self-inflicted, and it was not accidental She wasat her, troubled, frowning

"I’ you, she was clean And if you don’t believe me, I’ll raise a stink in this parish that you won’t believe She can’t be… oh, God"

No This was i this cop just the way she’d iht

"I’m sorry, Miss DuMonde Look, is there someone I can call? Are your folks here… a sister, brother, friend?" he asked

She ignored hi "She did not overdose If she had drugs in her syste to deation I want to see a hoently "We have to look into any death that’s questionable in any way"

"Oh?" She stared at hi

"It wasn’t a natural death," he said "So they call us in"

"What tied to ask

"What tiently

"Please Yes, whatever What tiain

The detective looked wary, as if he wasn’t sure why that information should be so pertinent

"The ME only had an estiht around 4:00 a… for help… for so that wasn’t there Too late, the detective realized as happening

Nikki crashed down on the porch as the world faded before her, Andy’s words suddenly echoing in her ears

"Help me!"

"Sorry," the taxi driver told Brent as they slowed to a near halt on entering the French Quarter

"No problem," Brent told hi the tourist-filled streets Delivery vans could block a narroay, and any little snarl could close things off, though in the tight confines of the place--with many streets blocked off for pedestrian traffic only--most people preferred to walk Still, vehicles were sometimes necessary, and delays were just a fact of life<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>