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"In some instances, the s were quoted as noting that there wasn’t really as much blood about the victims as there should have been," Manny said

"And hell, like we already noted " Jack murmured

"What?" Sean asked

"It is New Orleans," Jack said dryly

Maggie was nervous about Sean’s having insisted she go to work, and she kneould go to the htened out her personal quarters at the office, and sat down and tried to get soie caown for the wife of a senator When Angie looked over her shoulder and gasped at what she was drawing, Maggie knew she was in trouble

"What’s that, ie looked down at her paper, and frowned Her fingers started shaking

She’d been drawing a street A darkened, shadowy street, with the figure of a wo so crumpled and sprawled upon it that she could only be dead

She pushed away froing her shoulders "All right, so I like Sean Canady, he’s as sexy as they coot to get away from cops and criie protested

"You’re getting too involved in this Just because a no-good pi!"

Angie onderful; she and Cissy were Maggie’s best friends, but right now, Maggie didn’t want to be told that her association with Sean earing on her well-being

The murders had to be solved, and until they were solved-- one way or another--she was involved

She sprang up, trying to sound calie? I think I do need a walk Clearout for a drink I’ chock full of alcohol, but when I con sketched out for Mrs

Sie, it’s broad daylight I’ll be fine"

Maggie gave Angie an i to Gema and Allie--ere both busy with custo on out to the street She wasn’t sure where she was going until she realized that she alking in the direction of Le Bon Marche--Mamie Johnson’s place

It was afternoon, nearly four, so there wasn’t anything strange about crawling up on a bar stool and ordering a Manhattan She felt the stares of a few of thea look with one so frosty that even a polar bear would have kept his distance Still, she had been there less than five minutes when the stool next to her was taken She knew before she turned that Mamie herself had come to sit beside her

"I expected you," Maie sood Because I don’t know exactly why I’m here" Mamie lifted a hand "I’ve promised to watch for the killer, but I don’t think he will come back here He reads the paper He sees He knows that I know hi for him And it isn’t his way to walk in here with sofor a certain kind of woo somewhere else" Mamie nodded

"Where?"

Mamie smiled She was a very attractive woainst it

Her features were arresting, her o"

"Yes, but I think he liked what he got froed "There are--naturally--others like me We don’t hire out whores, we provide escorts Coie didn’t coh-class call girls were asked to do nothing but sip chairl, she got to drink beer or cheap hile she cradled a o And sometimes, rich or poor, she met with perversionor brutality

"Sean wants to knohat you learn," Maggie said She sipped her drink, then took a deep breath

"I’ to set up a policewoman--or even a policeain"

"So I would think," Maie took another deep breath "Mamie, would you call ot in your pretty littlefound? Why, you’re as slier than I look"

"Oh, honey!" Ma her head

"Maie set her hand over Mamie’s copper one "Mamie, please, look at me" She hesitated "I don’t want anyone else to be hurt I--"

"Just whores, honey, hadn’t you heard?" Mamie asked wearily

"Mae whores, I don’t judge anyone We all do e’ve got to do to get by Mamie, please, I want to help I want to save lives I ainst oing to sacrifice yourself because you’re on soo tricks souy who is so brutal to whores want to get even with you?"