“You said yourself that the medical examiner can’t find anything wrong with him,” she continued. “To me that seems to indicate that the hex took him out. The hex bag belonged to Henrietta. Now she’s dead. We’re dealing with at least one other person. Kim seems to be the obvious choice.”
“What’s the motive, though?” Sully challenged. “She’s had plenty of opportunities to kill Brett since they started dating. If she’s a thrill killer, she could’ve taken him out at any time. That seems to indicate to me that she had a reason for wanting to go after him now.”
“Yeah.” Ofelia’s brain was like a minefield as she tried to pick through the cascading thoughts. “Maybe she has ties to New Orleans. Can you pull her background?”
“I’m already on it. I plan to start sifting this afternoon. I just wanted to touch base with you. We are partners, after all.”
Ofelia’s lips quirked. “Something you seem okay with.”
“You’re being helpful. You didn’t say what you did after losing Kim in the cemetery, though. I’m assuming you did something else.”
“I did. I tapped a friend I know who is a tour guide. He’s up on local gossip. I wanted to see if he knew anything about Henrietta’s movements over the past few weeks.”
“And?”
“And he was under the impression she was still dying. He got the first bit of news, not the second. He also said he heard she was doling out hexes for money, which is a big no-no karma-wise. He didn’t believe she would kill someone for money but ... .”
“All indications seem to point that way,” Sully finished. “Unless we’re missing something, which doesn’t seem likely, that’s the assumption I’m going to be operating under until I know better.”
“Me, too.” She was rueful as she blew out a breath. “He pointed me toward Frenchman Street because he said Henrietta was working with a group from that area.”
Sully’s eyes narrowed. “Grandma?”
She couldn’t hide her surprise. “I didn’t realize you were familiar with her work.”
“She’s famous in certain circles.” He rolled his neck until it cracked. “Did you already talk to her?”
“I did and she wasn’t happy with my visit. She denied everything until I pushed really hard. Then she admitted to authorizing small hexes for money, didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong with it, but denied Henrietta killed someone. She said all the business transactions went through her and she wouldn’t have allowed it.”
“Do you believe her?”
Ofelia held out her hands and shrugged. “I honestly don’t know what to believe. It’s frustrating, to the point of being enraging, but I can’t get a read on her either way. She’s just that good.”
“I can swing by and rattle her cage, but she’s not exactly afraid of me. We’ve had dealings before.”
“She’s powerful.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Are you afraid of her? I can warn her against moving on you.”
“I’m not exactly afraid of her,” Ofelia hedged. “I’m leery. I guess that would be the better word. Don’t say anything to her. I can fight my own battles. I don’t need you swooping in.”
“Perish the thought.” His smile was back. “I’ll leave it alone for now. Let me know if she gets out of hand. She’s unlikely to listen to me, but it’s always good for her to know that she’s being watched. It makes her behave, although usually only for a week or two.”
“It sounds like you’ve dealt with her quite often.”
“I don’t know that I would say that. I’ve crossed paths with her multiple times, though. She always seems to have her finger in someone’s pie in that area. She’s not even shy about it.”
“No.”
They lapsed into amiable silence for a few moments. Ofelia was about to change the subject and start asking Sully about his panther heritage when the bell over the door jangled. When she looked to see who was entering the restaurant she did a double-take. It was a familiar face.
“Oh, geez.” She looked away quickly and focused her full attention on the table. “This is ... I’m so sorry.”
Confused, Sully furrowed his brow. “What are you even talking about?”
“You’ll see.”
“Ofelia?” The woman who had just entered the restaurant queried, her expression reflecting puzzlement as she moved toward the booth. “What are you doing here?”
Sully glanced between the striking middle-aged woman who was joining the party and his lunch date, who looked as if she would like to find a hole to crawl into ... and fast.
“Hello, Mother,” Ofelia replied stiffly, turning a forced smile in the woman’s direction. “I didn’t realize you frequented this establishment.”
Sully was taken aback. Ofelia’s demeanor was so stilted she appeared to be a different person.
“The étouffée here is to die for. Henri loves it. I’m grabbing some takeout so we can have lunch together in Jackson Square. He’s actually running a carriage today because somebody called in sick.”
“Well ... great.” Ofelia didn’t dislike her stepfather, Henri Charles. He seemed like a nice enough man. He owned one of the carriage companies, which was how Felix ended up working in that field occasionally, and he had five awful children that she hated. Whenever a dinner invitation came down the pike that involved his family, Ofelia always politely declined. Because of that, she hadn’t seen her mother in weeks. Their relationship was ... difficult.
“And who is your friend?” The woman turned to Sully and flashed a blinding smile. “I’m Ofelia’s mother. I’m sure you’ve heard about me from my daughter. Unfortunately, I can’t say that she’s informed me about you.”
Sully’s smile was welcoming. “Zacharias Sully.” He extended his hand. “Don’t blame your daughter for not sharing information. We just met a few days ago.”
“Marie Charles.” She shook his hand, intrigue lighting her features. “And how did you meet?”
“He was investigating a dead body by the club,” Ofelia volunteered. “He’s a detective with the police department.”
“Oh, that’s ... interesting.”
The look on her face told Sully she thought the exact opposite. He was amused despite himself. “You have a lovely family. I spent some time with Felix last evening as well and he’s delightfully charming.”
“He gets that from me,” Marie volunteered, her eyes drifting back to her daughter. “You haven’t been around much of late. I’m surprised you have time for lunch with a police detective, what with the bar taking up so much of your time. That’s why you pulled out of dinner two weeks ago, right?”
“Actually, I pulled out of dinner because Henri’s kids are the absolute worst,” Ofelia replied, not mincing words. “You know I can’t stand them.”
“They’re your family now,” Marie chided. “You need to get used to them.”
“Actually, I don’t. I’m an adult. That means I socialize with who I want ... and I don’t want to hang around them. I find them annoying.”
“They’re Henri’s children.” Marie’s tone was stern. “You need to get over yourself and embrace them. They’re your step-siblings.”
“They’re nothing to me.”
“Well ... .” Marie wrinkled her nose and Sully was momentarily convinced she was about to start yelling. Somehow she reined in her temper, though, and directed the conversation to other matters. “Are you guys here talking about the dead man or for personal reasons?”
Ofelia’s eyes flashed with mortification as Sully fought the mad urge to laugh. The situation was surreal, but he didn’t think Ofelia would take it well if he started engaging with her mother on a personal level. It was obvious their relationship was full of boobytraps and he didn’t want to fall victim to one.
“Ofelia has been helping me a bit,” he said. “We’re working on a case together. She’s been a tremendous help.”
“That’s ... surprising.” Marie’s smile never wavered. “Still, it’s nice that
you’re spending time together. She needs a bit of fun in her life ... what with her father acting the way he does.”
Ofelia shifted in her seat, clearly uncomfortable. “Mother, you can’t talk about Dad that way. We’ve discussed this.”
“I was married to the man for two decades. I can say whatever I want about him. He’s not germane to this conversation, though. I want to know more about your friend.”
Ofelia groaned. “You don’t need to grill him. Our relationship is purely platonic. There’s no reason to give him grief.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.” Marie absently patted Ofelia’s shoulder and then turned back to Sully. “Besides, he doesn’t look like his mind is only on platonic things. I think I should join you for lunch so I can spend a little time with him. You don’t mind, do you, Detective?”
“Of course not.” Sully’s smile was warm, but it didn’t make it all the way to his eyes. In truth, the last thing he wanted was Marie ruining Ofelia’s mood. He’d been hoping to get a little insight into her. That was likely still to happen, but not in a pleasant way. There was very little he could do about that, though. “We would be thrilled if you joined us.”
Ofelia shot him a dark glare. “Speak for yourself.”
“He’s speaking for both of you, dear,” Marie countered. “I think this is going to be an absolutely fascinating lunch and I’m looking forward to it.”
That made one of them. Both Ofelia and Sully could think of a thousand different ways to spend their afternoon. Unfortunately, they were stuck with this one now. It was unlikely to go well but there was no turning back.
Sixteen
Lunch was indeed uncomfortable. While Marie was intrusive and often irritating to her daughter, Sully found he was more interested in Ofelia’s reaction. It wasn’t until after Marie had left and they were standing in front of the restaurant that he decided to feel her out.
“Are you okay?”
Ofelia nodded. “I’m used to it.”
“You shouldn’t have to be. She’s obviously ... difficult.”
“Our relationship isn’t what it should be and most of that is my fault. It all stems from my father. She thinks I took his side — and I did — but it’s not as if I can take it back.”
“Your brother told me.”
She frowned. “He told you?”
Sully realized his mistake too late to take it back. “Not in a gossipy way,” he reassured her quickly. “He was just talking because ... well, I think he needed someone to talk to.”
Surprisingly, Ofelia found she wasn’t upset by the statement. “My father gives him a hard time. Felix has issues with him. My mother gives me a hard time. It’s a vicious cycle we can’t seem to escape from.”
“I think every family has issues. It goes with the territory.”
“What about you? You said you’re the only boy. Does that mean your mother dotes on you and you clash with your father?”
“Not exactly,” he hedged. “My father is overindulgent with all of us. I think my sisters wore him down. My mother was the disciplinarian. I did get away with more than my sisters, but I think that was a byproduct of being the youngest, not the only boy. I guess it could be both, though.”
“Yeah.” Ofelia rubbed the back of her neck and stared out at the empty street. “I like this part of town. The tourists don’t really come here so it’s quiet.”
“I’m a big fan, too.” He didn’t know what possessed him to do it. It was as if his hands were being controlled by a foreign entity and he couldn’t control his own actions. His hand was on her neck, though, rubbing at the tension there before he even realized what he was doing. “You’re having quite the day, huh?”
She leaned into the massage and made a groaning noise. “I think it’s been one of those weeks.”
“Yeah.”
They stayed like that a minute and then he slowly withdrew his hand. He felt as if he’d invaded her personal space without asking but opted not to comment on it because it would just make things awkward. “What do you plan on doing with the rest of your day?”
“I think I’m going to head back to the bar. I have some inventory tasks I need to do. After that ... I don’t know. I need to think. I can’t help but feel as if we’re missing part of the story.”
“I’m right there with you. I have to go to the precinct and give my boss an update. If I hear anything, I’ll text you.”
“That sounds like a plan.” She started to cross the street, but he stopped her by calling out her name, causing her to still.
“You can’t let your mother beat you down,” he offered. “My guess is you’ve apologized for what happened with your father. The fact that she insists on holding a grudge is on her.”
“I keep telling myself that.” Her smile was rueful when she slanted it in his direction. “It’s not always easy to reconcile your heart with your head.”
The statement arrowed straight to his heart. “No, it’s not. Eventually you have to pick one, though. I think perhaps you’ve been living in your head too long. Why not follow your heart for a change?”
“Because last time I did that it turned out badly.”
“That won’t always happen.”
“I certainly hope not. I have to get going, though. Thanks for lunch. I’ll talk to you later.”
“You definitely will,” he murmured as he watched her go. He had a small ache in his chest when he thought about what she was going through. He didn’t like to see her suffer. Of course, there was nothing he could do about it. In this particular case, she had to make up her mind on how to deal with things without outside interference. It was the only way things would work.
He would give her time, he decided. If she needed a push at a later date, he would provide it. Probably. Oh, who was he kidding? He wasn’t going anywhere. At least until he got a chance to get to know her better. He didn’t have the strength to walk away.
There was something about her ... and it went well beyond anise and cloves. He found her intriguing, and he couldn’t think of anything else. That was a dangerous proposition, but he was already in too deep to turn away.
SULLY WASN’T A FAN OF PAPERWORK AND it took him twice as long to fill out his report as it should have. He found his mind wandering at a fantastic rate and had to repeatedly force himself to focus.
He was finished and about to head back to the Quarter to conduct interviews with people who knew Henrietta — really, he had no idea what else to do — when one of his fellow detectives poked his head in Sully’s office. Craig Garfield was the amiable sort, laid back and unlikely to work overtime unless it was necessary, but he looked serious today.
“You haven’t been around much,” he noted.
“I’ve been trying to chase leads on these murders,” Sully replied.
“Do you think they’re connected?”
“I think there’s a good chance they’re connected. If they’re not ... it’s one heckuva coincidence.”
“Well, if you need help, let me know. I just thought you would want to know that there’s a rumor going around about you.”
Sully was taken aback. The department was a gossip machine. He was under the impression that happened in any work environment. Still, he hadn’t done anything of late that should warrant gossip. He’d pretty much been keeping to himself ... and, well, spending time with Ofelia. There was no way any of the other detectives could know that, though. “People have been talking about me?”
Craig nodded, his lips curving. “You’ve been seen with the woman who owns Krewe on more than one occasion. People say you’re dating.”
Sully scowled “Oh, really? And who saw us together?”
Craig didn’t immediately answer. Instead, he went on the offensive. “She’s an attractive woman. I’ve heard more than one guy comment on her whenever in that area. She’s ... pretty.”
“She’s a witness,” Sully clarified for form’s sake. “My first dead guy was found outside her club. She’s been providing me
with information. Nothing more.”
“People say you were at her club until late last night.”
Sully frowned. “Have you guys been watching me?”
“No. There are always uniforms in that area, though. It’s not exactly like you’re an unrecognizable figure. You were seen heading inside before eight last night and you didn’t leave until much later.”
“Well, I was interviewing people.”
“Ofelia Archer?”
“No. Her father. He had ties to Henrietta Wells. I needed to get some information from him.”
“Oh.” Craig’s smile faded. “Are you telling me you were actually working that late last night?”
“I have two murders that need to be solved. I’ll basically be on shift until that happens.”
“Well ... you’re dedicated.” Craig made a tsking sound with his tongue. “I’m not going to lie, man. I’m a little disappointed. I was much more excited when I thought you were playing naked games with the Archer girl. Her father is a real ... menace. Did he actually answer your questions?”
“He did. He was helpful.”
“Then that marks the one and only time he’s ever been helpful. You must be the crazy person whisperer, because people say he’s off his rocker.”
Sully thought about what Felix had told him regarding Oscar’s mental state. “It’s a sickness, not something to make fun of. He was fine last night. As for Ofelia, you should leave her alone. She has a lot on her plate.”
Craig narrowed his eyes, contemplative. “I don’t want to tell you your business but ... .”
Sully scowled. “You’re going to.”
“I’m going to,” Craig confirmed, flashing a smile. “I know you don’t want to hear it, but you’re spending an awful lot of time with a woman who you say is nothing more than a witness, to the point where you just stood up for her and warned me off. I know you say nothing is going on, but that seems unlikely to me.”
“I don’t know what you want me to say.” Sully’s tone was icy. “Nothing is going on.”
The Hexorcist Page 15
