Page 41 of Rowe

Meanwhile, Theo Barone's group had reached a settlement where every house seemed to have a boat, every boat seemed to have a dog, and every dog seemed personally offended by Theo.

At the first house, a woman named Miss Odette studied Mara's picture through thick glasses. She was the same woman from the front desk of the hospital but none of these men knew that.

“Mara Guillory. Maybe I seen her.” Theo leaned closer.

“When?” Miss Odette waved toward a porch chair.

“Sit down.”

“We're in a hurry.”

“Then stand fast.” Theo sat. Miss Odette brought lemonade. Theo drank because refusing felt dangerous in a way guns did not. She sat opposite him.

“You know the Guillorys from Belle Chasse?”

“No.”

“What about the Guillorys from Thibodaux?”

“No.”

“The Guillorys whose cousin married a Landry?”

“No.”

“What kind of search you runnin’ if you don't know any Guillorys?” Theo rubbed his forehead.

“The kind where we're trying to find one.” Miss Odette nodded sympathetically.

“There's your problem.”

“What problem?”

“You're trying.” She sipped lemonade. Theo waited.

A rooster jumped onto the porch rail and screamed directly into his ear. Theo spilled his glass. Miss Odette did not blink.

“That's Maurice.”

“The rooster?”

“My late husband.” Theo stared at her. She smiled for the first time. “The rooster's name is Kevin.” Across the bayou, somebody laughed.

Theo realized with a slow chill that the entire settlement might already know who he was and why he had come.

Miss Odette examined the photograph again.

“If Mara Guillory wanted you to find her, chére, she wouldn't be Mara Guillory.” Theo stood.

“So, you do know her.”

“I know people.”

“Where is Belle Fleur?”

“Depends which way you come from.”

“I'm coming from here.”