1 Mardi Gras Madness

by Alison Golden

  “No,” Roxy said, although her elbow ached a little where she’d banged it against a step. “Are you?”

  “I’m fine,” said Louise. She even tried a smile, but it looked so strained, hiding so much pain, that it tugged at Roxy’s heart.

  Roxy felt a little nervous at what she was about to do and tapped one hand into the palm of the other. In the past, she had always diverted herself from any drama or problem or worry as soon as she could. Anything that wasn’t completely smooth sailing made her bite her lip and her pulse race. But this time, things felt different. She needed to do something.

  Roxy sat down next to Louise and put an arm around her. “Something’s up. What’s wrong?”

  Nefertiti clearly thought Louise had a lot of wrong going on, because she curled up at the feet of the two women and tucked her head under her paw, falling quickly into a snooze.

  Louise looked down at the cat and gave a sad little smile. “She looks so cozy and happy and safe.”

  Roxy smiled. “She sure does.”

  Louise let out a long, sad sigh. “I wish I felt like that.”

  “It would be awesome to be a cat, wouldn’t it?” Roxy agreed.

  That made Louise laugh a little, her voice still tinged with sadness. “Life would be a whole lot less complicated, that’s for sure.”

  They sank into silence. Roxy looked at Louise out of the corner of her eye, trying to read her expression. “Is it…just that…well, you’ve been through so much already, what with your husband having an affair, you feeling like you had a new life ahead, and then this awful…” She couldn’t bring herself to say the word. “This awful thing happened. You must be feeling like you don’t know what to do and that things are hopeless anyway.”

  Louise widened her eyes. “Are you psychic? You read me like a book, Roxy. That’s incredible.”

  “Oh, gosh,” Roxy said quickly, flushing with embarrassment at the compliment. “No special skills here at all. I…I think it’s quite easy to see.”

  Louise burst into tears. “So it’s obvious to everyone that I’m a total mess?” she said thickly.

  “Oh, no, no!” said Roxy. “That isn’t what I meant at all!”

  Louise gulped down tears, her face flushing. “Sorry, I apologize,” she said. “I really do. A fully grown woman blubbing all over the place like this, it isn’t dignified.” She pulled herself up straight and attempted to regain her composure, but her face crumpled. “But you’re right, it’s just like you said. I had thought that this was to be my new start. But…”

  “Didn’t you say you wanted to buy the guesthouse?” Roxy said. “You still could. It would be a new start. A new life.”

  “I’m not sure I want to anymore. I can’t…” Her eyes took on a glazed-over, faraway look as she trailed off.

  “You can’t what?”

  “I can’t stop…thinking about it. That moment.”

  Roxy paused for a second to fathom what Louise was talking about. From the traumatized look on her face, she gathered she must have meant the moment she stumbled across Richard Lomas’ body.

  “It’s going to haunt me forever,” Louise said. “His eyes…his eyes…they were open.”

  Roxy shuddered involuntarily.

  “I want to get away,” said Louise, firmly.

  “You can do that,” Roxy said. “You came here out of nowhere, didn’t you say? Just like me. So you could go somewhere else. Anywhere.”

  Louise shook her head. “It’s not the same anymore.” Roxy could see she’d lost her confidence, her sense of adventure, her joie de vivre. “But I don’t want to stay here, either,” Louise added. “Anyway, I can’t get away from myself, can I? I can’t get away from what’s in my own mind.”

  Roxy sighed. There was no answer to that. “I guess not.” She was starting to feel a little depressed herself. She tried to come up with a positive thought. “Still, at least they’ve taken Mara Lomas, the developer’s wife, in for questioning. That’s progress, isn’t it?”

  “I guess,” Louise said, looking unsure. “If she really is the killer. But it could have been…” She opened her mouth, and then closed it suddenly again. “Well, it could have been anyone.”

  Roxy’s heart started thumping a little louder than usual. She looked at Louise. “Do you have an idea who the murderer might be?”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  LOUISE PAUSED. HER eyes flickered. She was weighing something up in her mind. Eventually, she said, “No. We can all make our guesses, I’m sure. But I’d prefer the police find out who did it from the evidence.”

  “Yes,” Roxy agreed. “You’re absolutely right.”

  “But considering Lomas wanted to take over Evangeline’s, as well as other buildings, and he didn’t do business in a very honorable fashion from what I hear, they’ve probably got a massive suspect pool to work through.”

  “He wanted to buy up other buildings in the city?”

  “Uh-huh,” Louise said. “Before you arrived, I found him outside Evangeline’s making a phone call. I heard him say something like ‘I’m taking a look at two in the French Quarter, then I’ll head over to Touro.’”

  “Oh,” said Roxy. She sat with that information for a moment and let it run through her mind. “Okay.” Things seemed to be getting quite a lot more complicated all of a sudden. She slumped back against the stair feeling crushed.

  Why on earth had she thought that she could find out who the killer was? After all, she was only an ex-call center operator? What did she know about investigations? What did she know about anything?

  “Well…” she said, her mind a blank. “Right.”

  “Are you going to be staying on here?” Louise asked. “Or do you think you’ll move on?”

  “I…I’m not sure.”

  “Go out and see the world while you can, would be my advice,” said Louise. “Whatever you do, don’t settle down with a no-good man and waste half your life, like me.” She gave a half-smile. “Hopefully, by the time you’re my age, you’ll have life a lot more figured out than I do.”

  Roxy tried to think of a way to respond to her politely, but there wasn’t one. She just nodded a little awkwardly instead.

  As if sensing the mood, Nefertiti got up and arched her back in a stretch. She began to pad up the stairs without so much as a backward look.

  “It’s been such a long day,” Roxy said. “I’m going to see if I can nap the rest of the afternoon away.”

  “That sounds like a good plan,” said Louise, offering her another small smile. She remained seated and watched, her eyes soulful and sad, as Roxy stood and followed her cat up the stairs.

  Once they entered the loft, Roxy fed Nefertiti a packet of cat food and stood over her as she scarfed it down. When she had eaten her fill and raised her head to indicate she was done, Roxy dropped backward onto the bed.

  She hadn’t realized how tired she was until she sprawled out, her arms and legs spread like a starfish. She looked up at the white ceiling.

  The next thing she knew, she awoke with a jerk. It was nighttime—the curtains were drawn, and there was a warm, cozy glow flooding the room. Someone had turned the lamp on. The room was full of the most delicious smell—hearty and spicy and savory and warm.

  Against the wall, Roxy saw Evangeline illuminated by the lamp. “Sorry to wake you, cher,” she said. “I brought you your dinner. Thought you might like to have it up here. Sage had a tarot reading to do for a client. Nat’s gone to listen to her music, and Louise is in her room with a bottle of brandy. So there’s no dinner downstairs tonight.”

  “Sure,” Roxy said, feeling quite disoriented as she sat up. “I’d love to have it up here. It smells delicious.”

  “Awright, cher.” Evangeline brought the tray over from the side table and placed it on Roxy’s lap. “It’s real Creole comfort food. Red beans and rice with sausage and a glass of red wine.” Roxy looked down and inhaled its spicy fragrance. “And then some Bananas Foster for dessert. To you, that’s ban
anas browned in a whole heap of butter, sugar, and liquor, and served with vanilla ice cream. My momma used to make that for us as a real treat growing up. I always like to have it when things aren’t so good. Reminds me of her, and how kind she was.”

  Roxy smiled. “That story will make me enjoy it all the more.”

  “Well, cher, I’d best be going downstairs now. I’ll come up later for your tray.”

  Roxy’s mind, still dazed from from her nap, spun as she tried to formulate a question. “Um, Evangeline?” There was so much to ask. Was she still going to sell the guesthouse? Did Roxy need to find somewhere else to go? Would Nat get deported? Roxy looked up at the ceiling as she deliberated which question to lead with. As she did so, more questions popped into her mind. Why did Johnson dislike her so much? Why was Richard Lomas looking at other properties? Who did Evangeline believe the murderer to be? Was it her? Roxy’s thoughts tied themselves in knots. She didn’t really think Evangeline was the killer, but there was a part of her that knew no one could be trusted, not for sure. She had learned that growing up.

  Evangeline laughed, as the silence stretched out. “Cat got your tongue?”

  “What are you thinking about doing now?” Roxy blurted.

  “I can’t say I’m sure yet,” Evangeline said. “I was set on giving all this up.” She cast her eyes around the room. “After all, my eyesight isn’t what it used to be, and I don’t have the energy I once had. I was all ready to sell to that developer fella, but it would be a real shame to let this place go, especially to have it torn down. Not many appreciate its beauty. She’s an old girl, like me, but with good bones, also like me.” Evangeline laughed. “Yet, money is always…well, we don’t have a money tree out front, do we?”

  Roxy said, “I’m not sure Louise is still interested in taking it over, but what about Sam? Maybe he could put some money in the place and help renovate it. Then you would get more customers.”

  Evangeline’s eye’s hardened. “Charity, that would be.” Her voice had hardened, too. “And Evangeline don’t do charity.” She bent down and gave Nefertiti a little tickle under the chin. “Ain’t she so sweet? Yes, you are, cher! Yes, you are!” she said, cooing now. Roxy couldn’t help but smile.

  “Goodnight, Roxy. Enjoy your food, cher,” the elderly woman said.

  “Thanks, Evangeline. For everything.”

  The guesthouse owner paused by the door and looked back at Roxy with kindness in her eyes. “You’re most welcome, cher.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  BREAKFAST THE NEXT morning was another somber affair. Rain pounded at the windows. Outside, the light was a murky gray so dark they had to turn the lamps on. Roxy felt in limbo, and it seemed everyone else felt the same. Nobody spoke, except for Roxy when she gave Nat her order. Nat hadn’t even asked her for it. She’d just turned up at the table and raised her eyebrows.

  The silence remained unbroken until Elijah burst in with his cases of beignets. “Good morning!” he said jovially, walking across the room at a clip. Then he took in the atmosphere and stopped. “Well, we’re a bunch of happy campers today, aren’t we?” He laughed. “Don’t you know? Today’s the Endymion parade!”

  He emphasized his words with an excited flourish that was remarkable given how many boxes of pastries he was balancing with one hand. No one replied except Roxy, who felt obliged to say something. She could only come up with a quiet, “Oh, okay.”

  “The weather’s due to clear up by the afternoon. And the place’ll be full of kids and laughter and lots of bright colors and fun,” he said. “Come on, we all deserve some relaxation time. It will be a distraction.”

  “There is a time for everything indeed,” Sage said. She had popped in for breakfast as she often did, but today she looked run down, in comparison to her usual unruffled self. Her long mermaid hair looked unkempt. Even her robe didn’t look right—the linen was all creased, and she’d spilled a drop of orange juice down the front. “Sometimes mourning and solemnity claim time for their own. We cannot always rush to distract ourselves from…”

  “Oh, come now,” Elijah said with a charming smile. “Let’s take our minds off all the unpleasantness.”

  Sage opened her mouth, but quickly closed it and sighed deeply. She resumed munching on her beignet, poring over her laptop.

  As he walked past her, Louise shot Elijah a nasty look. It was so nasty that Roxy was startled by it. After a moment Louise looked down at her oatmeal and stirred her spoon slowly around the bowl. She clearly lacked an appetite. Roxy didn’t have one either, but that look perturbed her. Sure, Elijah could be a little insensitive to a mood, a little over the top, but Louise’s expression wasn’t one of annoyance, it was of pure hatred.

  “What d’ya say, Nat? Evangeline?” Elijah said as he went into the kitchen.

  Roxy turned back to Louise and scanned her face. The dark cloud had not left her features.

  “We’re not quite in the right mood for a parade, are we?” Roxy tried.

  “Mmmm,” Louise said. She was lost in her thoughts.

  Roxy pressed on. “And you certainly don’t look in the mood for fun.”

  “Oh, me?” said Louise. “I’m just thinking about liars, and how much I despise them.”

  They heard Elijah in the kitchen. Louise shot more daggers in his direction.

  “Liars?” Roxy said.

  “Yes, liars.”

  Elijah came out of the kitchen and said, “It’s settled! We’re leaving here at one o’clock after a quick lunch. See you then!”

  “Bye,” Louise said, in a sickly-sweet voice. She had an equally false smile to match. Her eyes remained cold. As soon as Elijah had turned his back, she grimaced, her face full of disgust. “I hate liars, Roxy.”

  Roxy leaned in. “What has Elijah lied about?” she asked quietly.

  “Oh, not him in particular,” Louise said. She leaned back in her chair and her voice lost its intensity, but she couldn’t meet Roxy’s eyes. Roxy would have put money on the fact that Louise was lying. “Just men in general.”

  “Is Elijah a cheat?” Roxy asked. “Does he even have a partner?”

  “What does it matter?” Louise said. “Men are all cheaters and liars as far as I can tell. My husband, your boyfriend, Richard Lomas…and all the rest of them.”

  “I really don’t think that’s true,” said Roxy. “Not all men.”

  Louise gave her a patronizing smile. “You’re still a baby. You probably believe in Prince Charming. That a man will rush in on his charger to rescue you, and you’ll both live happily ever after. But don’t worry, it’ll take a couple more betrayals to knock that belief out of you, but knock it out of you they will.”

  Roxy felt quite uncomfortable and a little angry at Louise’s condescension. She shifted in her chair and looked at her without flinching. “You were staring at Elijah like you hated him. Why’s that?”

  Louise raised her eyebrows. “You’re imagining things,” she said. Her expression softened. “I’m sorry, we’re all just tired and cranky and not thinking straight. Let’s go to the parade later. I’m going to relax this morning. I suggest you do the same.” Without another word, she got up from the table and left.

  Roxy sat alone, looking out of the window when, all of a sudden, the lights went out. From the kitchen, the whirring sound of a mixer faded to nothing.

  “Oh, for goodness’ sake!” Roxy heard Evangeline shout. The old lady came barreling through from the kitchen. “The electricity’s gone again,” she called over furiously. “The wiring in this darn place,” she said. She shook her head. “No wonder everyone wants to tear it down.”

  With Evangeline on the warpath, Roxy decided to take Louise’s advice. It was a bit early for a nap, but she could escape up to her room for some quiet time. She took a beignet from the table and wrapped it in a napkin, hoping that some of her appetite might return later. Then she headed to the darkened hallway where Evangeline was flicking switches in an electrical box mounted in a closet, still
muttering furiously. “Can’t even see the darn thing.”

  “Looks like I arrived at just the right time,” a cheery voice called out. They turned to see Sam running into the hallway from the wet cobbled street, ruffling his hair to shake the rain from it. “Hi there, Roxy.”

  “Hi,” said Roxy, a little shyly.

  “Electric gone again, Evangeline?”

  “No, I just fancied turning the lights on and off and rummaging around in the dark for fun,” Evangeline said humorlessly.

  “Let me take a look,” he said with a chuckle.

  “I’m going back to the kitchen,” Evangeline said. She spun on her heel and took off. “Come see me when you’ve fixed it. I told you this place was falling to pieces.”

  “Why don’t you let me buy…“

  Evangeline’s crotchetiness turned to desperation. She spun around once more to face them. She looked drained and exhausted. “Please, stop,” she said. “Please.” Then she disappeared into the kitchen.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  SAM GRIMACED BUT moved on quickly. He flashed his phone light on the electrical box, pulled back a panel, and said, “Aha. It’s just a couple of wires that need refitting. Evangeline should really do over the whole electrical system, but it’s very expensive for a rewire when you have all these period features.”

  “Ah,” Roxy said, wishing she could come out with something insightful, preferably witty. Or at the very least, interesting. “I just love the architecture here,” was the best she could manage. She hated how simple and uninformed and unsophisticated that sounded. She sounded.

  “Me too,” he said. “Are you busy, Roxy? This is quite a fiddly job. I could pretend I’m some kind of superhero who could do this all by himself, but I just might end up electrocuting myself. Can I ask you to hold a box for me, with my fuses and tools? Then I can easily take what I need without bending down and letting go of a wire? I don’t want to start an electrical fire or anything.”