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He'd seen desperation, and he'd held out his hand to her She'd seen ahelp, and that had rown to really love who Jerry was Funny, intelligent, talented and a bit broken He owned a successful contracting business, and then his car was hit by a drunk driver, killing his wife and children, leaving him in a wheelchair

Sonia's pickup truck had been one of Jerry's older vehicles It ran so well it practically purred, but Jerry had clai and sold it to her for a steal She'd needed a work truck as well as sohed each ti her the house was going to fall down on her head, but he'd kept co, and sometimes he'd tell her there was leftover drywall and to take it That was her boss

She parked just outside the double gates leading to the lu it as herexercise Jerry owned the local lumberyard and his office was at the southernmost end, tucked back where he hoped no one could find hi, narrow desk and conducted business, on the phonehairline, wide shoulders and biceps that bulged froe body in and out of the chair He held up one finger when she walked in, indicated a chair and kept talking

Sonia gave an exaggerated sigh, carrying out the ritual they were both fa iers loudly on his desk At ten she paced At fifteen she pointed to the door and started walking

"Wait," Jerry called "Gotta go," he added, and hung up abruptly on his client "Sheesh, woman, you could have a little patience"

"That waspatient," Sonia pointed out

Jerry gave a snort of disbelief "Regardless of your rudeness, I have a job for you"

"Jerry, I have three already Dickerson's porch, Molly Sheffield's garage and Donna Miller's outside kitchen that isn't really outside because she wants it enclosed with a wall"

"On three sides"

"Now four It's a room, Jerry, and it's stupid"

To her shock he waved that ongoing argu over the desk, his eyes bright, "is a real job The real deal Rafe Cordeau owned one of the biggest pieces of land around here One of the nicest plantation houses Recently, it got shot up all to hell; at least, that's the rumor Someone's moved in, and they apparently tried to repair it the the outside dae, a kitchen reo out there and take a look"

"What do you mean, 'shot up all to hell'?" she asked, suspicion in her voice

He waved that away "Rafe Cordeau was a -time He left and hasn't returned They say he's dead"

"They?" She was not getting ain "Who, exactly, are they?"

Jerry scowled at her,hi called cute, so she kept that for a different time when she really wanted to annoy him "They are the people in the know The point, Sonia, is that he's gone and we've got a new guy willing to pay money to fix up his house That's e do We fix up houses In fact, if I'm not mistaken, that's your particular love You fix up old houses and restore theot money He can pay us"

Okay That was good "You sure?" Just checking because no one in town had ht three sheets of drywall at a ties The outdoor kitchen was in the planning phase, ed her mind every other h Sonia was beginning to doubt the truth of that

"I'm sure I had him checked out He core fa of the history of New Orleans The family is shrouded in secrecy, which et to know them"

She rolled her eyes "A a spy, Jerry? Soossip"

"Gossip is for women I'm a businessman, Sonia That means I need infor in this town and the surrounding parishes, the better I can do at my business You leave that side to me"

She knew he loved what he did The wheeling and dealing Thewith the mayor and bankers His men had deserted him when he'd been in the accident, a sillywith Jerry's brain He brought in the jobs despite the slow time they were temporarily in Winter had been harsh on everyone

"Will do, boss When do you want me out there?"

He handed her a Post-it note with Tregre and the address written on it She recognized it immediately The address was the only other hohbor? "Um, Jerry? You said Rafe Cordeau was in thearound his house? How do you know that he was a gangster?"

"Everyone knows he had mob connections"

"Why the bullets?"

"When he disappeared, a bunch of his etting details Apparently no one ed the takeover"

"And this Tregre?"

Jerry shook his head "Old family, not randfather, but not this s like rescue kidnap victims Hero shit Not mafia"

She let her breath out Okay, she could deal with bullet holes as long as any living, breathing mafia wasn't involved

"He wants you out there as soon as possible His people area mess out of his home He loves the plantation house and wants it restored Sonia, this is our chance He's got the e work crew if you need one, and hopefully you will We need this We're surviving, but not by much"

She knew that She sent hire" She was certain she had the perfect picture of him Sixty-five or seventy Gray hair and a neatly triy, but not by , entlemanly looks

"I have no doubt that you will"

She sauntered out, past the workmen in the luates She was grateful she'd worn her newest old-favorite jeans, which hter than she would have liked, dip-dyed from a royal blue all the way to a faded blue that s of roped leather and gold around the ankle She'd do She was supposed to look like a carpenter, not a model

She scented roses and turned her head to see Molly waving at her Beckoning A part of her wanted that--a friend She genuinely liked Molly The woman was only a year or two older than she was and every bit as alone Sonia didn't know her story because she was afraid of getting close to anyone Molly teh

"You have ti lot

With one hand on the door and the other clutching the Post-it note, Sonia had all the excuses in the world, but she hesitated She was tired of not having a friend--at least one person to talk to

"Coed

It et Molly killed Perhaps both of thehtened on the door handle, but she couldn't uess But it has to be fast I have to get to work"

Molly's sot wider, but it didn't quite reach her eyes "Finally You actually have more than twoaway and I see you singing in your

truck"

"I' tickets," Sonia confessed "I had to flirt like crazy with Bastien Foret"

"He's hot but knows it," Molly said, falling into step with her as they started down the street toward the local coffee shop "I never speed, but once I had a flat tire I was changing it, and he ca about himself than anyone I've ever met I know about his ca I knoas married once, but his wife left him and no one knohere she went off to I know he does extra drive-bys around le women who are at risk"