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"I’ela said "Soine, so what they can for the living God knows, I don’t have all the answers"

"But--you talk to ghosts!" Ashley said

Angela smiled "Yes, but you see--they don’t have all the answers, either This direction we’re riding in--it’s toward the bayou and the plantation next door?"

"Yes, our best trails are out this way toward the bayou Just past the outbuildings on the other side, it all turns into barbed wire for the sugar fields"

"There have to be gators out here," Whitney commented

"There are We leave them alone, they leave us alone," Ashley told her "And you’ll only see theht on the bayou They seldo trails They like their watery habitat"

"Alligators Ugh," Jenna said, shuddering

"To tell you the truth, orry ht be about time to head back, eh, friends?" Jenna said

"Just a bit farther, please," Angela said "I want to see the Creole plantation"

"The bayou is between our property and Beauht I just want to see it froela said

"It’s just up ahead There’s a twist in the trail that goes right down by the bayou," Ashley said

"You’ll be able to see it from across the water there"

Jake parked in front of Beaual Plantation, not as grand, and there was no canopy of oaks along a sweeping front drive By car, the house was reached by asurrounded the residence itself, which was only two stories Jake had been in Beaual, just different Here workrooms and space for the animals had once taken up the first floor, or raised basement, while the household had always lived in the second floor Like arcane fars remained as they had been, iiven here The Creole way of life, rather than that of the English planter, held sway here

Toby Keaton had inherited the house through his mother’s side of the family She had been a Thibadeux, from an old French faenerations, had hailed frolish who had settled in the Garden District of New Orleans Toby had been divorced for years; his one son, now in college, was being grooreeary of it…or willing to give up being the one in charge Jake could re Josiah Keaton; he had been a handso teen when he had last seen him, aware of the responsibility that would one day be his

"Intriguing place," Jackson said, sliding his sunglasses down on his nose as they eood business," Jake said "He and Frazier have always supported one another"

Jackson looked at hial Plantation has beco better"

Jake shrugged "It pulls in a higher gross, yes But the expenses are higher, too"

"Still, Toby Keaton could want Donegal to go down And last night, when you went after Ashley, the man made an appearance in the dark--on the other side of the bayou"

"True," Jake said

Before the path that led to the house there was a little kiosk where tickets could be bought A wo, circa 1820, was behind the counter

"Hello," Jake said He flashed his badge; he didn’t know her She was young and had probably taken work here to get through school herself "We’re looking for Mr Keaton Can you tell me where to find him?"

"I wish!" she said irritably "He hasn’t been around thisout paychecks His car is here, but he is not"

"He lives here," Jake said politely "He has to be so area; there was a shiny new Honda parked there "Is that his car?" he asked

"Yes" She flushed, looking at Jake "I’m sorry, Officer I just don’t knohere he is I’ve tried his cell phone, but he wasn’t answering I opened the salesat ten, just as I’ is--you can ask Dan out by the field, or Martha, who gives the tours up at the house Maybe one of theirl They walked up to the house, where a costumed interpreter--Martha, he assumed--met them at the door "The next tour starts in thirty minutes," she said cheerfully "You’re welcoain, they produced their badges

"Oh, dear!" Martha said "What’s wrong? Oh, is this about poor Mr Osgood?"

"We need to speak with Mr Keaton," Jake said

"I wish I could help you, sir Mr Keaton hasn’t checked in with any of us this "