Answering the Call

by Ali Vali

  “There’s no way someone got it this right,” George said as they prepared to start.

  “Not unless they had intimate knowledge of the case or Perlis was their best friend,” she said. Sebastian whipped his head around to stare at her. “That doesn’t leave this room, but it’s a possibility, Dad.”

  “Believe me, Sept, we don’t know each other well yet, but I’m going to work hard with George to get you what you need,” Jennifer said.

  “I know, and I know your dad, so you’re good people,” Sept said with a smile. “Now if my dog’s got a problem with you, I’m taking you down.” She laughed, since it was Mike that had first reacted when he’d caught Perlis’s scent. Since Mike had belonged to her second victim, he’d been there when Perlis killed Robin Burns. The growling and aggressive barking Mike had directed at Perlis’s office chair had prompted Sept to go to his house.

  “I’m more of a cat person, but you still don’t have a problem.”

  Sept watched them set up away from the body and start dusting for prints. “Step out for a minute,” Sebastian said, and Nathan followed her out. “What do you think?”

  “It’s too early to make any conclusive statements, but if it’s a copycat, it’s a damn good job.”

  Her father sighed, and she almost repeated the action when Chief of Police Fritz Jernigan sprang out of his car, and the media came to life. “When is he going to learn to not feed the animals,” Sebastian said, shaking his head. “And no comment from either of you about that.”

  “No problem, sir,” Nathan said. “I’ll go wait and escort Julio in when he gets here.”

  “Have the line moved back even more after Chief Jernigan is done, and do your best to keep Julio under wraps. These guys don’t need any further encouragement to sensationalize this,” she said, and Nathan saluted her.

  “What are you really thinking, so I can try to steer Fritz the showboat in the right direction?”

  “I need to finish here, and then I’m going to have to sit with that son of a bitch Perlis again. This scene is too perfect not to be somehow related to what he did.” She scrubbed her hands over her face and took a deep breath. “Maybe, and I really mean maybe, Perlis’s imaginary friend Teacher isn’t so imaginary.”

  “Why now though?”

  “I don’t know, but there might’ve been a breach in security, and he might’ve finally either gotten a message or been able to get one out. In his sick mind, he didn’t finish what he set out to do, and this is the only way to complete his fucked-up mission.”

  “Great, just great,” Sebastian said, elbowing her when Fritz headed their way. “Hello, sir.”

  “Hey, you two,” Fritz said, shaking hands with both of them. “Let’s go right inside since my only reason for being here is to welcome Sept back to active duty. At least that’s my excuse as far as the media is concerned. From what Sebastian said, though, we might have another clusterfuck on our hands.”

  “Take a quick look, sir, but it’s not good.” She could hear him cursing under his breath when he saw the body. “I’m sure the media out there will give you crap about Alex Perlis if they find out about this, but there’s no way this will spring him.” She saw Nathan lead Julio through the back of the house and joined them a few minutes later.

  “I know what happened last time, Sept, and everything you and Nathan gave to this case,” Fritz placed his hand on her shoulder. “I want you on this, but if you’d rather have someone else to handle it, I’ll reassign you.”

  “Thank you, sir, but Nathan and I have a good team in place. If this is a copycat looking for fame, it’s the first of many murder scenes we’ll be facing. We’re the best bet you have of catching this asshole,” she said, and Nathan nodded.

  “Good. I’ll trust you to handle it.”

  “About this writer you want us to meet with,” she said, now not feeling obligated to go forward with that. “This case will take up most of my time.”

  “I gave her my word, but one meeting should do it,” Fritz said and shook hands again. “Keep me updated, and let me know if I need to give you more people.”

  “You heard the man, Nathan.” She slapped Nathan on the back after her father followed Fritz out. “Let’s get to work.”

  * * *

  The two uniform officers were pissed to be pulled away from an active crime scene to watch some dump, but complaining in front of Fritz wasn’t a good career move. They walked, since their supervisor said not to attract any attention.

  “I don’t know why the fuck we’re here, but go check out the back,” Bob Vito said to his partner. They were part of the first class that had graduated from the academy after the storm, and the timeline to get them on the street had been somewhat shortened since the city needed patrol officers to fill in the gaps.

  “Will do,” Erik Rawling said as he picked the side with the clearest path to the backyard. “Hey, sorry.” Erik stopped when he turned the corner and spotted someone facing away from him. “Is this your house?” He walked closer, trying to figure out what the person was doing there. “I asked if this is your house.”

  Hunter waited until the snap of the strap holding his gun in place came undone. The cop had good instincts, but it was already too late. “Not my house, but I’ve been waiting for you.” The silencer was in place, and the cop died with a shocked expression frozen on his face.

  “Yo, Erik, you find anything?” the other cop yelled. “Come on, man. Stop fucking around.”

  It took five more minutes, but both of them were dead in the one spot that would teach the best lesson. If Teacher was what Alex had wanted, Hunter would give it to him, if only to show him how to do it without getting caught.

  “Nothing against either of you, but Sept Savoie needs to get the message that her participation isn’t voluntary,” Hunter said, dragging them both inside.

  The spot where Tameka had died still showed some signs of fingerprint dust, but it didn’t stop Hunter from setting the stage for Sept. “You can think about how close I was to you and that you couldn’t stop me from killing your own.”

  The space Perlis had cleared had been cleaned of all the blood he’d spilled, which was strange considering the shape of the house. The blood was gone, but some of the litter in the room showed the spot had been visited plenty of times since it’d happened. The crack pipes and other drug paraphernalia meant it was a popular place to get high, so Hunter was glad to add to the allure of Perlis’s first altar.

  “Do you know what’s coming, Sept?” The blood oozing from the two wounds was still warm, and since the guys were dead they wouldn’t mess up the seven on their foreheads. “I hope you enjoy my gift.”

  Chapter Six

  Nicole stared out the window at the small glimpse of the river her studio loft afforded her and followed the string of barges being led by a tugboat that seemed to be struggling in the current. She’d fleshed out the first chapter, but she needed the interviews with Sept Savoie to progress.

  “Though…” She stood and stretched, making her panties ride down a bit. It was the only thing she’d bothered to put on, and she didn’t care if anyone saw her through the large windows. “Maybe I should start where this story did.”

  She took a shower, put on a business suit, and took only a small field notebook. The place she’d leased was five blocks from the streetcar line, but she decided to walk to catch a streetcar. The exercise would help her decide if she needed to rent a car for her stay in the city.

  This area of town was really beautiful, with the grand homes and moss-draped oaks, and set New Orleans apart from anywhere else in the States. Some of the trees appeared damaged from the storm, but in a few years they’d sprout new limbs like they had for the hundred or so years they’d grown here. She had to take a cab from where the streetcar stopped because of damaged lines and tracks, so Blanchard’s was open when she arrived.

  “Welcome to Blanchard’s,” the beautiful hostess said as a team of wait staff stood ready to escort her to her
table. “Do you have a reservation?”

  “I’m sorry. Did I need one?”

  “Yes, ma’am. We’re completely booked for our first seating.”

  “And if I decide to wait?” she asked, not planning to go anywhere.

  “It’ll be at least a couple of hours, so if you’re not interested in sitting around that long, we’ll be glad to make a reservation for later this afternoon,” the other beautiful hostess said.

  “Do you have a bar where I can entertain myself until then? I’d love to speak to Chef Blanchard if she’s in.”

  “Is she expecting you?” The women both lost their smiles, as if overprotecting their boss.

  “No, but a girl can hope for a few minutes of her time,” she said as sweetly as she could manage.

  “Charles will show you to the bar, and I’ll check for you. Lunch is steadily hectic so I can’t promise you anything,” the older of the two said. “May I have your name?”

  “Nicole Voles, and all I need is an introduction. Once that’s done I can make an appointment for a longer visit.” She followed the guy through the first-floor dining room to the small oak-lined bar that didn’t seem to get a lot of traffic. No, Blanchard’s was a world-renowned dining establishment, and they concentrated on eating. The Blanchards obviously wanted guests to drink at a table accompanied by dishes of good food.

  “Could I interest you in a twenty-five-cent martini?” The bartender smiled as he placed a cocktail napkin on the bar in front of her.

  “Twenty-five cents? That sounds too good to be true.”

  “It was the owners’ twist on marketing to drum up business after the storm, and it stuck. There’s no going back now.”

  “I’ll take a dirty one with two olives.” She crossed her legs and watched the guy work. The dining room was starting to fill and get noisier, so maybe she would make a reservation to dine here if the place was this popular. “Is it always like this?”

  “The crowd?” He poured her drink and slid it closer to her hand. “Yes, it is. Blanchard’s has produced some famous chefs, but Keegan surpasses them all. And she’s not going anywhere.”

  “Not ambitious?” she asked, humming when she tasted the excellent drink.

  “Her last name is Blanchard. She belongs here, and she’s responsible for the crowds in there.”

  “Don’t let her hear you say all that, or it’ll swell her head even more than that Bon Appétit article last month,” a tall, gorgeous woman in an equally gorgeous suit said, and the bartender laughed. “Ms. Voles, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Jacqueline Blanchard, Keegan’s sister.”

  “You’re not dressed to cook?” she asked, holding Jacqueline’s hand longer than she should.

  “If I were, there’d be a mad rush to the door. Keegan is the family rock star in the kitchen, and she’s got only a few minutes before the team kicks into high gear, so please follow me.”

  The kitchen staff was a lot bigger than she would’ve imagined, and at the center stood one of the most beautiful women she’d ever seen. Jacqueline was a classic beauty, but Keegan captured your imagination for reasons that were not readily obvious but still undeniable.

  “Ms. Blanchard.” She held out her hand and smiled when Keegan took it. “Thank you for seeing me.”

  “I’m guessing you’re the author Voles?” Keegan took her hand back and pointed to a table on the opposite wall from the cooktops.

  “Guilty as charged.” She sat and crossed her legs again, hoping Keegan would join her since she’d offered her a seat.

  “What can I do for you?” Keegan remained standing shoulder to shoulder with her sister.

  “I’m sure Jacqueline told you my assistant called about an interview. I’m in town working on a book about the murders Alex Perlis committed, and I’d like to talk with you. Though, I have to say, you’d be a fascinating subject to write about. Maybe we can discuss that possibility.” She cocked her head to the side and smiled. This might be a great way to kill time while she waited for her main target, because she’d grown bored with Kelly, who she’d seen a few times after their flight. She broke eye contact with Keegan when Jacqueline laughed for some reason.

  “What would I have to do with your book, Ms. Voles?” Keegan said, glancing at Jacqueline with the same obvious confusion she was feeling. “And I very much doubt anyone would want to read a book about me.”

  “Don’t sell yourself short, Ms. Blanchard,” she said and winked as she folded her hands on her knee. “As for the book I’m working on now, you’re a very important part of the Perlis story. Wasn’t your employee one of Perlis’s first victims? I’m sure you’d have plenty to say about that,” she said, trying her best to sound sympathetic.

  “Donovan wasn’t just my employee, Ms. Voles—”

  “Please, call me Nicole.”

  “Donovan was also my friend, so I’m not going to turn his loss into something sensational to sell books,” Keegan said, sounding as if all her emotional walls were shooting up. “So, if that’s all, Ms. Voles, this isn’t the best time.”

  “Why don’t we try to find a table so you can at least enjoy lunch for today,” Jacqueline said as Keegan turned her back on them. “Ms. Voles, if you would.” Jacqueline pointed to the swinging doors.

  “Can I at least talk to you about Sept Savoie?” she asked a little louder, and Keegan whipped around with anger very clearly marring her expression. “She is your partner, isn’t she?”

  “That and everything about my life is none of your business,” Keegan said.

  “I’m not your enemy, Ms. Blanchard.” She smiled again as she slowly uncrossed her legs and stood. “If anything, I think we can be good friends.” She winked again to soften Keegan up, but the ploy backfired when it appeared Keegan might hurl a pot at her head.

  “Ms. Voles,” Jacqueline said, snapping her fingers as if trying to get her attention. “It really is time to go.”

  “Could you put in a good word for me?” she asked Jacqueline as she chose leaving over lunch. “I really would like to know Donovan, as well as Detective Savoie, from Keegan’s point of view as well as yours.”

  “I have a feeling that’s not all you’re interested in, Nicole.” Jacqueline lengthened her name. “If that’s true, forget it, and I’ll ask, but don’t wait up for her call. Donovan was a close friend, and his loss, the way he was killed, has been hard on her. And neither of us will ever discuss Sept outside our family.”

  “I’m not sure what you mean.” She didn’t enjoy reprimands no matter where they came from. “Here’s my contact information, so please let your sister know I’ll respect Donovan’s memory as well as whatever relationship she has with Savoie.”

  “That’ll be up to her, so please respect her privacy and wishes.”

  “Does she really need this much interference run on her behalf?” Jacqueline followed her outside, and in any other scenario Nicole would’ve made a play for her, guessing Jacqueline was the easier of the two sisters to bed.

  “Believe me, running interference isn’t my job, but that position is filled, and her pit bull takes that job very seriously.” Jacqueline waggled her fingers at her and started back inside. “Thanks for dropping by, but in the future, it might be a good idea to call ahead. That’s especially true if you’re here to enjoy the cuisine.”

  “Interesting, but I don’t quit that easily.”

  * * *

  “Well?” Sept said as Julio Munez stood close to the dead woman, not saying anything. His eyes, though, were a different story. His gaze flitted around the room, not staying on any one thing too long. “Is this another altar to,” she referred to her notes, “Elegua?”

  “I almost don’t want to call it that because it’s another abomination to something I love.” He was quiet, as if he didn’t want to disturb the dead woman. “How is this even possible?”

  “It’s not Perlis, but whoever it is seems infatuated with his work,” she said, standing next to him. “It’s an obvious copycat because of t
he subtle changes. Can you shed any light on that scenario?”

  “The statue of St. Anthony is the saint associated with Elegua, only this one is much bigger than those you found in the throat of the first murdered people.” He bent his head in the direction of the statue. “Did it have a message in it?”

  “It has to go back to the lab before we open it, but I did see something folded up in there.” George and Jennifer were working their way around the room while the rest of the team worked outside. So far though, no one had found anything. It was like a ghost had brought this woman here and slaughtered her, but her father had always preached there was no such thing as ghosts. “What about the salt?”

  “Whoever this was, he knew a lot about the orishas.” Julio stopped for a moment and glanced around again. “Did you find any candy or other food item?”

  “Over here,” Jennifer said, pointing to a pile of hard, multicolored candies.

  “Perlis picked Elegua first because he’s the key to reaching all the other gods, but Perlis didn’t mention any of his pathways or roads.”

  “Roads?” Nathan asked.

  “Elegua is known for having a hundred or so roads, but they’re named.” Julio sighed and closed his eyes momentarily. “Hopefully the note, if that’s what it is, has a hint as to what road he’s interested in opening. If it does, we might be able to understand why this happened.”

  “A hundred roads?” she asked, and Julio nodded. “And I thought the Catholic Church had a lot of saints to keep track of.” Nathan and Julio laughed, and she led them outside. “Thank you for doing this again.”

  “I’ve only recently been able to sleep without the nightmares the last time left me with, but I’m available whenever you need.”

  “Let me know if it’s too much for you,” she said, and she shook his hand.

  “You know how I feel about my religion. I’ll do whatever I can so someone doesn’t twist it for their own sick reasons.”

  “Thank you, and hopefully this is finally the last of this crap.”