A-List Page 15

  The waitress returned and placed the drinks on the table. “Anything else?”

  “Not right now,” Nicole said. She took a sip as the brothers grabbed their beer bottles. “Why don’t we be friends?” she asked.

  “Don’t see how,” Kevin said.

  “We can try.” She fingered the collar of her shirt. Slipping her fingers just beneath the lapel. A practiced move all women know. “Tell me about you guys. Are you from here? New Orleans?”

  “All our lives,” Robert said.

  “Did you play football? In high school?”

  “We did.”

  “That explains all the muscles.”

  Now a little color appeared in Robert’s face.

  “We were pretty good,” Kevin said.

  “I bet you were. Linemen? Linebackers?”

  “Line. Defensive.” Robert took a slug of beer. “We like hitting folks.”

  “What about Kristi? What was she like?”

  Robert settled back into the cushions. Beginning to relax. “Pretty. Nice. Smart. A great sister.”

  Nicole nodded. “You were close?”

  He tipped his beer bottle toward her. “Sure were.”

  “I know you lost your parents. Bet that was hard.”

  Kevin leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and worked the edge of the label of his Corona with a thumbnail. “It was hard. Unexpected.”

  “And your uncle took you in?”

  “Don’t know what we’d’ve done otherwise,” Robert said. “Uncle Tony really stepped up.”

  “And now you guys work for him? Doing what?”

  “This and that. Mainly making sure the Belly Up runs smoothly.”

  “Belly Up?”

  “A club he owns.”

  “Sounds like a lot of responsibility. He must trust you.” She ran a finger around the rim of her glass. Another move.

  Kevin smirked again. “Sometimes.” A slug of beer. “Uncle Tony can be a demanding boss.”

  “Most bosses are. Ray’s the same way. Perfectionist at heart.”

  “Ray?” Robert asked. “He the older guy?”

  She nodded. “He owns the firm. We all work for him.”

  “He looked like he could be tough,” Robert said.

  “He is. But also okay. Most times. What about you? Do you get along with your uncle?”

  Robert shrugged.

  “Not so much?” she asked.

  “We have our moments.”

  Nicole laughed. She made it as light and musical as possible. “I hear you. Ray has his moments, too.” She caught Robert’s gaze and held it. He broke away before she did, casting a glance at Kevin.

  “Truth is, Uncle Tony ain’t too happy with us right now.”

  “Oh?”

  “We did some stuff he wasn’t thrilled about.”

  She waited but he didn’t say more. But she sensed he wanted to. Wanted to ventilate his anger with his uncle.

  “Let me guess,” she said. “You took some initiative? Did something you thought would help? But he didn’t see it that way?”

  Both looked at her like she was clairvoyant. She wished Jake were here to see it. She smiled inside, but kept her face flat, stoic. But she knew she had grabbed a slice of trust here.

  “Exactly,” Kevin said. For the first time beginning to warm to her.

  “Guys in charge are always that way,” she said. “The alpha types. The macho ones. They always want to think everything starts and ends with them. And if someone comes up with a better idea, they feel threatened. Seen it before.”

  “You’re pretty smart,” Robert said.

  “You mean for a blond?”

  That got a smile from him. “For anyone.”

  “Thanks.” Again, she held his gaze. “Women have to deal with that all the time. Guys who think they’re smarter. Or tougher, Or whatever.”

  “I guess that’s true,” Robert said.

  “It is. And it can be frustrating. Angering.” She took a sip of wine and placed the glass on the coffee table. “What about Kristi? Did she and Tony get along?”

  “Oh, yeah,” he said. “She was his pride and joy. Even when Mom and Dad were around. He always doted on her.”

  Nicole nodded. “That’s what little girls do. They always wrap daddies and uncles around their fingers. It’s the norm.”

  “I bet you did,” Kevin said.

  She laughed again. “I am my daddy’s girl.” She sipped her wine. “Any sibling rivalry? Between you guys and Kristi?”

  “Not really,” Robert said.

  “She did get her way a lot,” Kevin said. “But then she was never in trouble like we were. And she made good grades.” He tapped Robert’s leg. “We weren’t the best students.”

  Nicole nodded, letting the silence run for a couple of beats and then said, “I know you guys think we’re the enemy here. That we’re trying to get Kirk off.” Robert looked at her but said nothing. “The fact is we want to find the truth. I’m sure you do, too?”

  “We already know that. He killed her.”

  “Sure looks that way.”

  Robert couldn’t hide his surprise. “Really? You believe that?”

  “Let’s say it doesn’t look good. There were only two of them in that room.”

  “And one of them ended up dead.”

  “That’s a fact,” Nicole said. “But there are a couple of questions.”

  Robert’s eyes narrowed. “Like what?”

  “Let me ask you something. If you were going to drug a girl and take advantage of her—and I’m not saying you would—but if that was your plan, would you also drug yourself?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Ketamine was found in both Kristi and Kirk. Enough to knock them both out, it seems.”

  “Or make him crazy,” Kevin said. “Make him kill her.”

  “That’s possible. But what if neither of them knew the drug was in that joint they smoked?”

  They didn’t have an answer for that.

  She went on. “I mean, what if someone else did that? Then broke into their room. Someone who wanted to harm Kristi or frame Kirk?”

  Still no answer.

  “Look, I’m from Hollywood. Grew up in that world. I even write screenplays. I see stories and plots everywhere. I’m not saying that’s what happened. But I do believe it’s possible.”

  “I don’t believe that’s what happened,” Robert said. “I believe he did it.”

  “You’re probably right. But if not him, do you know of anyone who would want to hurt Kristi?”

  “Everybody loved her.”

  “From what I’ve learned, I believe that. What about Owen? Would he do something like this?”

  Kevin shook his head. “I don’t see how. Owen’s a good guy. And he loved her.”

  “Love makes folks do some awful things.”

  “Not Owen,” Robert said.

  “I agree,” Nicole said. “We talked to him. He seemed like a broken man. Not angry or anything like that.”

  “He isn’t,” Kevin said. “If he was going to do anything to anyone, it’d be himself. For cheating on her. For breaking her heart.”

  “That’s what I saw,” Nicole said.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  MAISON MARALEE, A high-class boutique hotel, sat deep in the Quarter on a quiet, tree-shaded corner lot. Three stories, thirty mini-suites, a small dining room where breakfast was served, and a price tag that ran several hundred bills a night. Most people didn’t know it existed, its sole advertising word of mouth. Tony Guidry owned 70 percent. Through one of his shell corporations, of course. Gave him special privileges. Like decisions over who got a room and who didn’t, like who paid and who were Tony’s guests. But the perk he enjoyed the most was a private room, for his use only. Top floor, corner, back of the building, facing a willow- and flower-embraced pond. With its own gated stairs. Private and then some. Perfect for Tony’s needs.

  He lay in the king-sized bed, staring at the ceiling, the shee
t pulled to his waist, sex sweat frosting his chest. He was content. Good sex always relieved the pressure. For a while anyway. But he wasn’t happy. His mind raced over the day’s events. His inability to see Kirk Ford, his visit to Ju Ju, something he always hated—too risky—and his moronic nephews. Those two could fuck up a one-car parade. He wondered what dumb-ass thing they’d do next. He had no doubts they would, and trying to anticipate exactly what seemed to be a fulltime job. That’s why he had Reuben shadowing them.

  Waste of manpower. He needed Reuben on the street, tracking down the source of the bump. Not babysitting those two. He felt the beginning of a headache in his left temple.

  He heard the toilet flush and then the bathroom door swung open. Melissa Mooring stepped out. She had slipped her panties back on but was otherwise nude. Lord, he loved her body. Tight and firm. Sex with her was always an event. They had been meeting here three times a week for the past six months. Ever since they hooked up at that fund-raiser for the mayor. What a night that had been. Her initial reservations about getting involved with him—she was an Assistant DA, after all—evaporated quickly once they shed their clothing and climbed into this very bed.

  “The best-looking Assistant DA in the parish,” he said.

  “You always say that.”

  “Because it’s true.”

  She wormed beneath the sheet and nestled against his chest. “Can you stay awhile?” she asked.

  “Sure can. I have a dinner deal at nine, but until then, I’m all yours.”

  “I like the sound of that.”

  Her fingers played across his chest, moved lower. Then she was on top. A true cowgirl. Twenty minutes later, they again lay nestled against each other catching their collective breath.

  “You really don’t see this as a problem?” he asked.

  “A minor one. But nothing I can’t overcome.”

  “You are the best. But I still have a bad feeling. It gives the jury an out. Think the drugs made him all crazy.”

  She propped up on one elbow and looked at him. “Maybe. The defense will use a diminished-capacity defense. Say he was whacked out of his mind. So much so that he doesn’t even remember doing it.”

  “You trying to make me feel better about all this?”

  She laughed and kissed his cheek.

  “If so, it ain’t working,” he said.

  “It’s the way it is.” She brushed his hair back from his forehead. “And I suspect they’ll say it was accidental. They were playing some sex game. Asphyxia stuff. And it all went sideways.”

  “Jesus.”

  “I know. It’ll be tough to sit through, but you know they’ll use it.”

  “It might work, too,” Tony said.

  “Possible. But it’s my job to make sure it doesn’t.”

  “How?”

  “Don’t know the dance moves until I see the dance.”

  “True.”

  “The best thing Mr. Ford has going for him is his celebrity. Folks don’t like convicting superstars for anything. Football players, actors, politicos, anyone with big-time name recognition.”

  “At the risk of being redundant, you trying to make me feel better?”

  “Let me finish. All that celebrity crap aside, anytime anyone, regardless of social position and celebrity, wakes up with a dead girl in their bed, in a locked room, things don’t usually go well. Add to that that he drugged Kristi and things can get ugly in the jury’s mind pretty quickly.”

  “But if he took it, too, and if he says neither of them knew the joint was stepped on, he has an out.”

  “Except he still killed her.”

  “But is that premeditated?”

  “That’s a different story. I’ll grant you that. He might end up with murder two, even aggravated man, but he will go down.”

  “I wish I had your confidence.”

  “Look, he seduced a local girl. Your niece. The celebrity card swings both ways.” Tony shrugged. She continued. “It’s true. Folks know you. You’re a successful business owner.”

  “Not with the best rep though.”

  She shook her head. “I didn’t say you were a saint.” She poked his ribs. “What I said is people know you. Many of them knew Kristi. She was the homecoming queen, for Christ’s sake. That all counts.”

  “I guess.”

  “Bank on it. Add to that, Ford is all Hollywood. Privileged. There’s celebrity and then there’s celebrity. Folks around here think anyone from La La Land is a spoiled brat. Ford is that. And that’s how I’ll present him. Besides, he’s done this before.”

  “What? Killed someone?”

  “No. But he has a reputation for despoiling local girls wherever he goes.”

  Tony laughed. “Despoiling? I like that word. Be sure to use it.”

  “We’ve uncovered a couple of girls that he screwed, dumped, and humiliated. We can bring them in.”

  “Unless Judge Booth says you can’t.”

  “He might. Prior bad acts aren’t always allowed. But I think I can get it in to show a pattern of behavior. That Kristi was simply another throwaway to him.”

  “Were drugs involved in any of those?”

  “I know wine and marijuana was in one. I’ve talked to the girl and she’s willing to fly in and say so.”

  “From where?”

  “Utah. He was there on a ski vacation. Picked her up in a bar. Sound familiar? Played with her a couple of days and then disappeared. She’s pissed. Thinks he took advantage.”

  “Maybe it was her? Star fucking?”

  “She probably was. But that’s not how it’ll go down.”

  “You hope. I hear that Kornblatt guy is good.”

  “And I’m not?”

  He held up a hand. “You know I’m not saying that. You’re the best. That’s why I wanted you on this case.”

  “And I truly appreciate it.” She kissed his cheek. “They’ll throw out all kinds of stuff. Diminished capacity. An accident during kinky sex. Even try to blame Kristi for being there in the first place.”

  “Not sure I can sit through that.”

  “You can. And you will. You know that’s how the game’s played.”

  “From the conversation I just had with Ray Longly and his boy Jake, they are also trying to suggest it could have been someone else. Someone who had it in for Kristi, or Kirk, even me.”

  “I don’t see that flying at all. First of all, who? Who would—or could—do that? And why? Secondly, Kirk and Kristi were alone. Behind a locked door. I don’t see how the defense can maneuver around that.”

  “So, we’re back to diminished capacity or a drug-induced freak-out? Or a sex game gone wrong?”

  “That’s how I see it.”

  Tony massaged his throbbing temple. “I just hope you can make it all stick. I damn sure don’t want to have to take care of it.”

  “Don’t talk that way. I’m still an officer of the court. I have no need to know anything about your plans.”

  “Point taken.” He pulled her against him. “Now, where were we?”

  She giggled.

  His cell buzzed, vibrating against the bedside table. He rolled over and answered. It was Reuben.

  “Tell me,” Tony said.

  “Robert and Kevin are holed up at the Monteleone bar with that PI chick. Nicole Jamison.”

  “What?”

  “They hooked up on the street and I followed them there. Been trying to find a way to listen in, but there’s no way without exposing myself. Figured it was better not to take that chance.”

  “Good move.”

  “But you know how they are,” Reuben said. “Girl that looks like that can make those two swallow their tongues.”

  “Or wag them.”

  “That, too.”

  “Sit tight. I’m on the way.” He disconnected the call.

  “What is it?” Melissa asked.

  “My nephews. What else?”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  RAY AND I walked into the Ca
rousel Bar, the crowd noisy and deeply into happy hour. Looked like it had been going on since lunch. Not unusual for New Orleans. Any hour was happy hour. I scanned the bar but didn’t see Nicole. Then, as we moved past the carousel itself, I did. She sat on a sofa, facing me, with two guys. Robert and Kevin. What the hell?

  I started that way, but she caught my gaze and gave me look that said, sit tight. I stopped, grabbing Ray’s arm. I nodded toward Nicole.

  “What’s that about?” he asked.

  “Don’t know. But she wants us to hang back.”

  She leaned forward, said something to the pair, laughed, stood, and headed our way. We melted back into the crowd so the brothers wouldn’t see us if they turned and looked at Nicole’s magnificent ass. They did. Perverts.

  “What is that about?” I asked when she reached us.

  “I just made a couple of friends.”

  “How do you figure that?” Ray asked.

  She told us she had run into them on the street and brought them back for drinks. That she had gotten them to relax, especially Robert, who seemed to be the dominant brother.

  “How did you do that?” I asked.

  “The same way I control you?”

  Ray laughed. I shook my head.

  “Relax, big boy,” she said. “It’s what us girls do.”

  “Where’s Pancake?” I asked.

  “He and Sophie ran into some folks and are entrenched—his word—at Pat O’Brien’s. They’ll meet us for dinner.”

  She then told us that she was getting a vibe that there was a bit of sibling rivalry between the brothers and Kristi, not a lot, but some. Mostly centered on Tony’s favoritism. And that Tony wasn’t exactly their biggest fan and that feeling was mutual.

  “Maybe we can use that,” Ray said.

  “Why do you think I invited them for a drink?”

  Ray smiled. “Clever.”

  Yes, she was. And downright manipulative. Control me? Not a chance. She seemed to sense my thoughts and smiled at me. I hate it when she does that. Not smile. Read my mind.

  “What’s the play?” Ray asked.

  “I told them I was headed to the little girl’s room and that they should order more drinks.”

  “And?”

  “I’ll bring you guys back. Say I ran into you in the lobby.”