Page 11 (1/2)

"You worked with her?" Angela looked froina Holloas very fond on randmother, and believed in her wisdoravely "The maids will not coela "They are afraid They have taken money from the senator to live on while they look for new positions They need to keep working in this city, so if you were to try to call thehost story They don’t mind if I speak to you in their stead If you question theain, they will not speak about the ghosts, and that is all that there is to it But they have talked to me, and I don’t believe they care that I talk to you"

"Thank you," Angela said

"They are afraid that people will think that they are crazy," Mareat-grandmother is considered to be extremely wise," Whitney said "Many, many people come to her Whether they are voodooists, Jewish, Buddhists, Christian or whatever"

"I pro that you say," Angela assured her

Mama Matisse looked at her "If you were to repeat what I say on behalf of the maids, it wouldn’t ela nodded Mama Matisse did not easily trust people, but Whitney had asked her to come, and so here she was

"The women, both Rene and Trini, worked here the day that Mrs Holloway died," Ma?" Angela asked

"Yes, they saw a ghost Or they thought they saw a ghost He was in the hallway, Trini told me They saw a man, and then he disappeared They didn’t tell Mrs Holloway She had said that she didn’t believe in ghosts And the man disappeared, so he couldn’t have been real Mrs Holloway had told the to lie down They later heard that she was dead, that she had killed herself, going over the balcony They were very upset"

"Of course," Angela murmured

"I didn’t believe it," Mama Matisse said "I didn’t believe it a minute when they said that she committed suicide Neither did her maids She was Catholic She went to church every SundayTo a Catholic, it’s a grave offense to God for us to take our own lives"

"But she was very upset about the loss of her little boy, right?"

"She was sad, yes," Mama Matisse said "So sad--I was here when the senator told his wife that they alanted ain, that they would have several Mrs Holloway told him that they couldn’t replace Jacob The senator said no, they would never try to replace him But they had alanted more children and they would try And she said that yes, she loved children, and she loved him, and that she would fix up the house, and that one day, they would have a family And they talked about all the needy children in the world, and maybe they would have a child, and adopt a child"

"That doesn’t sound like someone about to commit suicide," Jackson said from the doorway to the kitchen

He had showered away the dust, and appeared clean, striking and confident as he ca to pour hi a seat across the table froinable What about the other people in their lives? Those closest to them? What about their day-to-day lives?"

"I don’t know about their day-to-day lives, Mr Crow," she said Angela didn’t remember that Jackson had ever introduced himself, but Mama Matisse kneho he was "I haven’t been here before on a day-to-day basis I can tell you this--Mrs Holloway had many friends But she needed ti her how sorry they were about her son"

"We really need to speak with the maids," Jackson reminded

Marateful that you’re here"

"The maids will not speak to you They will not speak to anyone any more to say They are afraid They have their lives to live"

"If this case ever goes to court--" Jackson began

"Do you think that everything is solved in a court, Jackson Crow? I think that you know differently," Maela was certain that he had reacted inwardly, but, as usual, she saw nothing change in his expression

"You are right You can’t always force the truth in court," Jackson agreed "So, please, tell me, as closest to them Tell me what you can David Holloway is a politician, so his life is full of people, but tell me what you know about his relationships"

"Let me think about those around him… There is Mr DuPre, and Senator Holloway’s secretary, Lisa Drummond Lisa Drummond protects the senator at his office Martin DuPre tries very hard to be the go-between He protects the senator’s ti from what has happened He is dependent on those around him He must have an aide He is proud of Mr DuPre, and thinks that one day he will step into politics on his own"

"Actually, I’e Why was the senator so determined to have a wonderful home in which to entertain in New Orleans, do you know?" Jackson asked

Mama Matisse smiled "That is no mystery New Orleans is their home There need be no other explanation They had an aparte, of course," she said