Page 36 (1/2)

"What was her major at Tulane?" Kelsey asked

"History"

Kelsey druh the pile of es they’d received She found the one from Linsey Applewood’s uncle "Kat, do you have a nuht here," Kat said "Mr Dillard I’ll dial it, just pick up the line"

"Thanks"

The landlord seemed to be a nice man as truly disheartened to hear that Linsey was dead Kelsey let him talk and consoled him the best she could Then she said, "It sounds as if you knew her fairly well I’m so sorry, Mr Dillard Perhaps you could tell me more about her What did she like and dislike? What were her hobbies?"

Dillard told her that Linsey Applewood had loved animals and spent many an afternoon at the zoo She enjoyed jazza saxophone She was cheerful and sweet She dated, but hadn’t been serious about anyone, and she liked to spend tiirls, they just cracked h "They were so silly They had these Ouija Fridays and they’d come over and drink wine and eat cheese and ‘conjure the spirits’"

"Really? Do you have any inforirls, Mr Dillard?" Kelsey asked

"Bijou went to Europe before Linsey left," Dillard said, "and I don’t know her last naet you a nuht one of the tea-reading places down in the Quarter Give ht back"

Kelsey waited He returned with a number for Dottie, and when she’d ended the call, Kelsey dialed it A young woman’s voice answered "Tender Tea Leaves"

Kelsey asked to speak with Dottie and found out she already was Dottie hadn’t heard about Linsey, but although she was dismayed, she wasn’t surprised "Oh! Oh, no! I was afraid of so like this, but I hoped… I mean, when she just disappeared… Oh, no, this is horrible"

"I’m so sorry," Kelsey said "I spoke with Mr Dillard He said you and Linsey and another girl were fond of the Ouija board and that you had parties every Friday night"

"Let one for a second and came back "Honestly, we try to read people rather than leaves But I don’t want the custo that Linsey ell, she wanted it all to be real She wanted to see the future, and she believed we could contact ghosts One night, the planchette went flying right off the board and the lights began to flicker I swear, it’s true"

"What ghost were you contacting?" Kelsey asked

"I don’t remember A pirate, someone in Lafitte’s crew, or…I don’t res She was always trying to get o to Texas with her--"

"San Antonio?"

"Yes She wanted to stay at an old inn there"

"The Longhorn?"

"I’ht have been"

Kelsey was on the phone a while longer,up, Jane handed her the sketch of the girl Sandy had recognized "Sheryl Higgins Drifting waitress, pothead and self-proclaimed palnized by the truck driver who gave her a ride out here He happened to be back in San Antonio and saw this ht," Kelsey said "Did you say palave her another piece of paper "Truck driver’s nu your call, and he’ll come in if ish"

"Thanks" Kelsey made her next call Billie Joe was shocked to hear about Sherry She’d been cheerful, he said, even if she didn’t seem to have a lick of co hash, and if you could sling hash and pop the top on a beer, you could work anywhere in the country She sang while ere driving, and she had a right pretty voice Real sweet girl I’d look for her every now and then when I came back to San Antonio--but hell, I didn’t know she was hts And she wanted to live near the Alamo It called to her, that’s what she toldwith Billie Joe, the trucker Jake had flown back to the DC area, but returned when Jackson called hi the phones and interviewing anyone who claimed to have information

Impulsively, Kelsey stood "Jake, here’s the chart, my notes, the old information and the new information I’ll be back soon"