because of that woman. Dr. Claire Brooks.
He’d known she was nothing but trouble.
At least she hadn’t pushed the cops on him yet.
But the last thought he remembered having before he fell asleep was what would the good doctor look like without her glasses?
3
“THE BLUE BAYOU FLEA MARKET, please,” Claire informed the cab driver after sliding into his backseat. As the cab pulled away from the police station, her stomach growled, but she hadn’t been able to eat this morning. Fear, anxiety and dread all churned inside her, and food would only have added nausea to the mix.
She’d gone to the police station first thing this morning. Now that it had been officially forty-eight hours since Julia had gone missing, Claire had hoped to be taken more seriously. But the desk sergeant hadn’t seemed particularly interested in her information about the necklace and the flea market.
He’d acted as if he still believed Julia was merely holed up somewhere with a Mardi Gras lover and would show up soon. At least he’d opened a case file and taken down all her information, Julia’s cell number, printed up her DMV picture and promised they’d check out the flea market. They even sent her to a sketch artist to describe the guy Julia had left the parade with, and put an APB out with the artist’s rendering.
Claire hadn’t mentioned Once Bitten. She wasn’t sure exactly why not, except Rafe had gone above and beyond helping her deal with that woman who’d had Julia’s necklace. If he’d had anything to do with Julia’s disappearance, would he have helped her like that? Or was she letting his masculine appeal blind her to any signs of guilt? When she was around him, she had difficulty concentrating. He made her… flustered and self-conscious.
But that was no reason not to be thorough. She owed it to Julia to do whatever it took to find her and save her. Just as Julia had saved Claire so long ago.
After checking with the cab driver to ask if he’d come back when the flea market closed, she paid him a generous tip from her fast disappearing emergency cash.
After tonight, she’d need to make arrangements for alternative accommodations. One of the most historic hotels in New Orleans, Les Chambres Royale wasn’t exactly the most frugal of lodgings. But she’d hated to leave the hotel in case Julia showed up. Claire had even requested the same room after returning from the airport in the hope that Julia still had her key. She’d been surprised the hotel still used the old-fashioned brass keys, but now Claire was glad. Maybe Julia was in their room right this minute…
The hotel knew to call her cell if Julia came back.
With a sigh, Claire headed for the first stall she saw. Who knew? Maybe she’d get lucky and hit the first person she asked.
Five hours later, Claire felt the urge to kick herself for being so naive.
She’d systematically approached each flea market stall beginning with the southwest corner and traveling north along a row and back south down the next, working her way steadily east. At every establishment she would produce the necklace, the picture of Julia and describe the guy with the blood drops tattoo.
No one had seen Julia or the necklace or the guy. To make matters worse it had begun drizzling a half hour ago and despite her trusty umbrella, Claire was bedraggled and shivering from the icy dampness. She didn’t even want to think about what her hair must look like in this moisture. Frankenstein’s bride had nothing on her when it came to frizz. But none of that would’ve mattered if she’d found whoever sold Julia’s necklace.
The rain finally stopped. She folded up her umbrella, took off her glasses and cleaned them with a piece of tissue from her tote. She needed to regroup. The aroma of Cajun spices drifted around her and her protesting stomach finally forced her to stop at a vendor.
Crawfish etouffe, shrimp gumbo and several varieties of jambalaya made Claire’s stomach growl and her mouth water. She chose a bowl of jambalaya with chicken and sausage and sat to savor the Southern flavors with a large chunk of French bread.
Her first bite made her moan in pleasure. She could learn to love a place that produced food like this. The people down here took polite to a whole new level and, despite the daily afternoon drizzle, the air held a soft fragrance that Boston could never match. A heady fusion of magnolias, even when not in bloom, and the earthy scent of mud from the Mississippi flowing along the city’s border.
With a wistful sigh, she threw her empty Styrofoam bowl and plastic spoon into the trash, wiped her hands and mouth with the travel-size wet-wipes from her tote, and trudged back to the row of booths where she’d left off.
The sun was setting and Claire only had one row of booths left to question. Almost on autopilot, she held out the necklace to the elderly lady sitting in a folding chair behind a card table. “Did you sell this necklace?” The crocheted doilies and afghans on display didn’t give Claire much hope.
The old lady’s face transformed into a mask of suspicion. “Why do you want to know?”
Claire’s heart tripped and then raced to a double beat. “It belongs to a friend of mine. Where did you get it? Who gave it to you? Was it this woman?” She pulled up the picture of Julia on her phone.
“Nah, I was doin’ a favor for my grandson. He asked me to sell it.”
“Y-your grandson? Does he have three blood drops tattooed down the left corner of his mouth?”
The lady scrunched up her face. “Heavens, no. He’s a good boy. Not like that Shadow.” Straightening, her eyes widened in fear. “Oh, lordy, you ain’t the police, are you? He’ll hurt me for sure for telling you.”
“No.” Claire shook her head. “No, not the police. Do you know where I can find… Shadow?”
Her eyes narrowed again. “No. And I don’t want to.”
Claire let out a breath. The woman clearly suspected her. “Would your son maybe have mentioned where Shadow hangs out or where he works?”
The woman guffawed. “He don’t work.” She shook her head derisively.
Claire squeezed the pentacle in her fist until it dug into her flesh, sharp and painful. She was too close to give up now. Her best strategy was the truth. “Ma’am, the fact is my best friend went off with Shadow a couple of days ago and I haven’t seen her since and I’m worried something happened to her. I need to find Shadow and ask him before—” How embarrassing. Her voice caught and her lip trembled.
“Hush, child.” The old lady stood and came around the table to put her arm around Claire. “I’ll tell you what I know, never you mind the tears.” She leaned close to Claire’s ear. “That Shadow is no good. I told my boy not to hang around that trash, but he keeps coming around. Wanting me to sell stuff for him.”
She leaned close and cupped a hand around her mouth. “Uses the money for drugs, I’m sure. But he scares me so I don’t tell him no. One time I heard him trying to get my boy to go to this bar with him. What was the name…?” She tapped a finger to her lips. “Something about caves or holes or… I remember it sounded disgustin’…” She snapped her fingers. “The Pit!”
Claire nodded, surreptitiously wiping a tear from her cheek. “O-okay, thank
