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But I’ot just about nothing to go on Can you think of anything, anything at all to tell ht about it, then shook her head with frustration "I know she had a pimpand that’s it I don’t knohere she was supposed toShe just called me, toldIsaac But when she didn’t co She just wouldn’t have left her baby, you know?" Sean nodded "Has anybody called you about Bessie or her son?"

"No"

He produced his business card "Well, if you co--you know the routine--please, call me That’s my direct line at the office, the other is et et back to you" Jeanne nodded "Of course Of course I’d do anything to help Anything at all"

"Thanks," Sean told her As he got up to leave, she let out a little squeal "Wait!"

"What?"

"It’s nothing that big, I’,I think that her Johns were acquired for her through a woman A wo Dear God, so!

"WhatIsaac, she said soeht, but she wasn’t exactly sure how long she needed to be available because there were so e made"

Sean nodded "Good Great Miss Montaine, I could kiss you I a his lips to her forehead She was excited, flushed, pleased

"Thanks!" he told her

"Is it a good clue?"

"A great clue I’ll keep you posted"

He hurried out to his car, and quickly radioed Jack

Jack sounded frustrated Co through the hair for bugs in the head of a kid with lice," Jack told him

"Never mind Get a car over to the Creole place, Le Bon Marche, on Prince Street Arrest Maht," Jack said slowly "Sean, I do need to have a specific reason to arrest her, you know" Sean hesitated "Bring her in for accessory to "

"Will do"

Thirty al, copper-colored woman, sat in a conference room with Sean and Jack and Gyn Elfin, one of the tohts, but despite her elegant appearance and confident ways, Mamie seemed ready to talk She knew the cops weren’t interested in busting her chops for her little side line--she ran a clean show There was far too much that was really lon and dirty in New Orleans for the with her little piece of the action

"Bessie Girou was certainly a friend of mine," Mamie said "And I did try to steer her toward a certain caliber of arette?"

"There’s no san Sean looked at her and she gri menthol And I’ll take some coffee, too I haven’t had much sleep lately" Gyn hurried out on her quest for coffee and cigarettes

"Okay, Maentleentleman?"

"A tall, handsome, smooth talker I’d never seen hi leisure suit, sne He ordered the most expensive ratin He ordered a hundred-year-old bottle of wine, and we got to talking, and he asked me if I was interested in a date, and I knehat kind of date hethat I alot to ht, when I make most of my incoht want to enjoy a quiet night with hiave him a tiarettes "So, you can tell me where they met?" he asked her

"Sure The Blue Pontchartrain Rooht off Prince" Ma sip of her coffee "Why, Lieutenant, you need to talk to this girl Honey, there should have been soer than coffee in this coffee"

"Oh!" Gyn declared, startled

Sean al her that it was okay, and she’d learn eventually just how to deal ho

"It doesn’tan artist I want you to give him a description of the eot a drawing of this fellow, I’ll take you for a drink et a crew over to the Blue Pontchartrain Ma, honey," Ma hi, too I think we could all use a drink"

Back in the very beginning, she had learned Learned about herself, learned about others That there was good, and there was evil, but not just black and white; the world was filled with all kinds of shades of gray Therein she lived Her world was not darkness, it was gray Back Way back

She awoke hungry So hungry it hurt So hungry she felt as if long, taloned nails dug into her stomach, clawed at her insides, ripped into her heart and soul

Night Naturally, she couldn‘t sleep

She had tried so hard to refrain To prove that as couldn’t be In weeks now, she’d had nothing but a sewer rat here and there, seized with revulsion when she couldn’t bear the cold

Then, of course, there had been the ue But in the last few days, she‘d not allowed herself any real sustenance