“That’s what we need to find out. We tried to chase him down today, but yesterday he left town on business. He’s supposed to be back on Friday. So, we’ll catch up with him sometime tomorrow.”
“I was usually in my room when I knew somebody was coming to speak to Mama. Most of the time I didn’t know who she was seeing.” She frowned. “I should have paid more attention to who was coming and going from here.”
“There you go, blaming yourself again,” he chided.
She smiled at him and when he returned the gesture, a spark of attraction shot off inside her. The man had an amazing smile that revealed his straight, white teeth and lit up all his features. “So, what other names did Nola come up with?” she asked.
“Oliver LeBeouf, Lucinda Reese and Pierre Guidry. We interviewed Oliver and Lucinda, but when we went to Pierre Guidry’s shanty to speak to him, he wasn’t there. So, we plan to catch up with him in the morning.”
“There might be some bad blood there,” Angelique said. “He was my mother’s lover off and on for years, and when she stopped seeing him about two months ago, he was very angry. But he loved her desperately, and I can’t imagine him ever hurting her, let alone killing her.”
“What about George Trahan?”
She looked at him in surprise. “George? Why would he have an issue with my mother?”
“Nola told me Mystique didn’t like the guy very much and that might be the reason you stopped seeing George,” he replied.
A small laugh escaped her. “I stopped seeing George because I knew the relationship wasn’t going to go anywhere. He’s a nice man, but I didn’t have any real romantic feelings for him. Besides, I hear he’s quite happy with Desiree Augustin now.”
“Anyway, that’s what we accomplished today and we have those several people to interview tomorrow.”
“So, there are no real suspects right now,” she replied.
“You’re lucky that so many people saw you at the Voodoo Lounge at the time of your mother’s murder, otherwise you would have been my top suspect.”
“You investigated me?” she asked in stunned surprise.
“You and your sisters were the first people I investigated,” he replied. “Think about it. You, more than anyone else, would have had the opportunity. But of course, I know you didn’t do it, and right now, nobody has risen to the top of a suspect list. There was no forced entry, so she either let her killer inside or the killer had a key. Do you have any idea who might have keys?”
She shook her head. “I would have no idea. Nola might have had a key, and it’s very possible Pierre had a key, but I would assume Mama got it back when she broke things off with him.”
He leaned forward. “Angelique, all we can do is follow the leads we get. Much of what your mother did was in secret, which makes our job even harder.”
“I know she kept a book of her clients, but I haven’t seen that book since her murder,” Angelique replied as she realized she should have told him sooner about the tome.
“What did the book look like?” he asked, a new urgency in his voice.
“It was a blue hardback notebook with the moon and stars on the cover. I really haven’t had a chance to look for it. To be honest, I just now thought about it. But tomorrow I’ll check out her room and see if it’s there somewhere.”
She frowned at the thought of going back into Mystique’s room, where that soft lavender scent of her mother still lingered in the air.
“A book like that would definitely be helpful in the investigation,” he replied.
She nodded. “Hopefully I can find it tomorrow, and when I do, I’ll call and let you know I have it. I’m sorry I didn’t think about it sooner. To be honest, I haven’t been thinking very clearly since her murder.”
“I understand how difficult this time has been for you and your sisters,” he replied. There was a softness in his gaze, and for just a moment she wanted to fall into the blue depths.
What would it feel like for his big strong arms to embrace her? Would that give her back her sense of security? Would that make her grief lessen? She mentally shook herself. What was she thinking? All she wanted from Daniel LeCroix was answers to her mother’s murder.
“You do realize my mother often met her clients at their homes as well as meeting them here,” she said.
He nodded. “We know that, but whoever killed her came here. Anyway, that’s where we are right now.” He stood and she did aswell. “I can promise you I haven’t been sitting in my office and drinking coffee all week.”
She felt the heat of a blush dance into her cheeks. “I was very frustrated when I said that, and I do apologize.”
“Apology accepted,” he replied with a humorous glint in his eyes. He walked toward the door and she trailed behind him. She couldn’t help but notice that the man looked as good going as he did coming. He stopped at the door and opened it and then turned back to look at her.
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow night?” she asked.
