“According to Angelique, he was Mystique’s lover for years. Nola told me there was some bad blood between them at the time of Mystique’s murder.”
“So, he’s a very likely suspect,” Clay said.
“We’ll soon see.” Daniel continued to lead the other two men along the narrow trail. It was a hot and sunny day, but they were now deep enough in the vegetation that it was a bit cooler and the sun couldn’t quite pierce through the leaves overhead.
When he’d come out here the day before, he’d had to ask several people for directions to Pierre’s shanty. He knew very little about the man other than, like George, he was a gator hunter. He was hoping this early in the morning, the man would be in his shanty and not out somewhere in the swamp.
He came to a fork in the path and took the narrower one that veered off. Once again animals rustled the brush on other side of them, and there were pools of water they had to either jump over or maneuver around.
Finally, they reached Pierre’s shanty. It was a small, badly weathered structure with a porch that listed slightly to the right. Daniel knocked on the door. There was no reply. He knocked once again.
“All right, all right,” a deep voice yelled from within. After a couple of moments, the door flew inward and Pierre glared at them all. He was a tall, muscular guy with long black hair that hung on either side of his strongly sculptured facial features. Daniel guessed the man to be in his mid-to-late sixties, but physically he was in great shape.
“What in the hell is going on here?” He was clad in a gray T-shirt and a worn pair of jeans that had holes in the knees. “What are you all here for?”
“Pierre, we have some questions for you. Can we come in?” Daniel asked.
Pierre hesitated a moment. “It’s not exactly company ready in here,” he said as he then opened the door to allow them in.
The interior of the shanty was as dismal as the outside. It was one room with a potbellied stove in one corner and a cot covered in a gray sheet shoved against another wall. Several articles of clothing hung from a makeshift closet and the kitchen consisted of two cabinets and a small countertop.
It smelled gamy, the odor mostly emanating from a shelving unit that held large rusty hooks, thick fishing line and various kinds of bait to catch gators.
“As you can see, this place isn’t built for entertaining,” Pierre said. “So, let’s make this fast. I’m assuming you’re here about Mystique’s murder. That woman was my soulmate. I loved her with all my heart and soul. We loved passionately and we fought just as passionately.”
“A crime of passion, people could understand that,” Daniel said softly. “Is that what happened, Pierre? Maybe you went to talk to Mystique about getting back together with her and the two of you fought and somehow things got out of control?”
Pierre took a step closer to Daniel, his features twisted with anger. “Didn’t you hear me the first time? I loved that woman and could never hurt her like that.” The man’s eyes appeared to darken and his hands fisted at his sides. “I didn’t kill her, although I’d sure as hell like to know who did.”
“That’s what we’re trying to find out,” Daniel replied. “Where were you on the night she was murdered?”
“I was out in the swamp…hunting a particular gator I want to catch.” Pierre’s nose thinned as he drew in a deep breath and then released it. “I was alone and I was out most of the night.”
“Did anyone see you out and about that night?”
“I doubt it,” Pierre replied.
“Do you know of anyone else who might have wanted to harm Mystique?” Daniel asked.
“No, not off the top of my head. So, are we done here?”
“If you think of anyone let me know. Pierre, don’t go off half-cocked on your own. I wouldn’t want to have to lock you up.”
“Got it,” he replied tersely.
“I’m serious, Pierre,” Daniel said.
“I said I got it,” Pierre said. “Now, are we done?”
“RIGHT NOW,I’d say he’s our number one suspect,” Daniel said, once the men were on their way back to their car.
“He’s got no alibi for the night of the murder,” Luke said.
“And I would say the man definitely has a temper,” Clay added.
“It’s very possible he went to Mystique’s that night in order to get their relationship back on track,” Daniel said.
“Maybe this time Mystique was through with him for good and when she told him that, he flew into a wild rage and he wound up slashing her throat,” Luke said.
