Fortune teller, p.5
Fortune Teller, page 5
Harrison nodded. “That’s good. Is she still unconscious?”
“Mostly, but I’ll get to that in a minute. Did you guys find anything?”
“Nothing,” Harrison said. “I’ll go back in the morning, and I’ve asked Ida Belle to go with me since she knows the area so well. We didn’t see any boats or signs that someone had been in the area, and no signs on the bank that people had passed there recently, but you know how hard it is to see out there in the dark, even with spotlights.”
“I don’t like it,” Ida Belle said. “There’s no easy way to walk out to that area and the nearest camp is at least half a mile away. That girl must have come from a boat. But who the hell loses a kid from a boat and isn’t out looking for her?”
“Someone who was trying to lose her?” I suggested.
“Exactly why I don’t like it.”
“I stopped off at the sheriff’s department on the way over,” Harrison said. “There’s no children reported missing who fit her description and none reported missing within the last two days in the area.”
“That doesn’t sound good,” I said. “So let me tell you what I found out. And before I start, I have to say that Blanchet is an official client, so everything is confidential. That goes for you too, Harrison, so if you’d rather leave to avoid any conflict, that’s fine.”
“What? No way. Just consider me Carter on this one. Well, except for the relationship part.”
“We never tell Carter anything,” Gertie pointed out. “He doesn’t want to know.”
Harrison shrugged. “He’s got a stricter moral code. I was CIA. I can spin it to suit me.”
“I think you and Gertie must be related,” Ida Belle said. “So what’s the case?”
I told them Blanchet’s story, and when I was done, I produced my phone and showed them the picture I took of the girl in the hospital. Then I showed them Blanchet’s picture from twenty years ago. They all stared, then looked at one another.
“Wow,” Harrison said finally, breaking the silence. “I can see why he had a reaction. They look like the same person.”
I nodded. I was sure the CIA lab could find differences, but both Harrison and I had been trained to recognize features such as cheekbones and jawline and the shape of the forehead and how the eyes were centered. Basically, we had needed to be able to recognize people in disguise. Sometimes, our lives had depended on it.
Ronald asked for my phone and flipped back and forth between the pictures. “Definitely the same structure. Even the shape of the eyebrows is the same and the set point as well.” He handed the phone back to me. “When you’re dependent on makeup to achieve the look you want, you learn all about facial anatomy. If these two people aren’t related, I’d be shocked.”
“I agree,” Harrison said.
“So is this why you created all that drama at the hospital and rumpled my good wig?” Ronald asked. “Because I thought you took a picture of the girl on the boat.”
I shook my head. “Before we descend on this girl and her family, we have to be sure. Blanchet has a hair sample—”
Ronald covered his mouth with his hand. “You stole that girl’s hair, didn’t you?”
“Just a couple strands.”
“Was that her who screamed? It sounded like a horror movie.”
“She woke up after I took the hair. She was in REM state. I’m pretty sure she was having a nightmare.”
“My wig has been part of a theft and an assault. It’s really made the rounds.”
Harrison looked a little pained.
“See,” Gertie said, and pointed at him. “That look is why we don’t tell Carter things.”
“You could have just waited until she woke up and asked,” Harrison said. “Or asked her parents when we locate them.”
“Really? And would you willingly give samples of your minor daughter’s DNA just because she favors someone who went missing long before she was ever born?” I asked. “And since the missing woman claimed she had no family, that might include giving up family secrets in order to answer questions.”
Ida Belle nodded. “But if you have proof, then the cat’s out of the bag, and denial is a waste of time. It’s messy, but I would have made the same call. On the plus side, if it’s not a match, we can all write this off as one of those weird doppelgänger things that happen and worry about what kind of heat Nora’s cat will be packing at her party instead.”
“Nora’s cat is in heat?” Ronald asked. “Or Nora? Because the second sounds completely plausible if not somewhat daunting.”
“Packing heat,” Gertie said. “Didn’t you hear about her cat shooting a gun?”
Ronald looked at all of us, as if trying to determine if we were punking him. I was waiting for him to check for a television crew.
“It’s true,” Harrison said, chuckling. “Blanchet elected not to file charges against the cat, so there was no official police report, but it was a darn good story over lunch.”
Ronald sighed. “As if it wasn’t enough that the wildlife here is always trying to kill me, now I have to worry about the domesticated fare as well.”
“Maybe you could design a fashionable bulletproof vest,” Gertie suggested. “I’m getting Madonna cone bra vibes, especially given the extra storage capacity.”
“Hmmm.”
“So back to the case, how is Blanchet going to handle that DNA test?” Harrison asked.
“He’s not,” I said. “I’m going to use a friend of a friend and get it done.”
“Good. So what do you need from me?”
“I don’t need anything from anyone yet. I’ll get the DNA processed and then we’ll see what we see.”
“And if it’s not a match?” Gertie asked. “Are you really going to leave Blanchet hanging with no answers? It’s his one true love. We can’t just forget about it.”
I smiled. “You’re such a romantic, Gertie. But I will admit, I feel sorry for the guy. So no matter what this test turns up, I’ll probably still do some asking around. The original police reports would be a good starting point, but I think it’s best if Blanchet pulls them, given that he’s the one who made the connection.”
“And because you don’t want me in trouble,” Harrison said.
I nodded. “I’m afraid that target on my back is now built for two.”
Chapter Five
I was up early the next morning, ready to get going on the investigation. I placed a call to the Heberts first—my friends with a friend—and asked if they’d call in another favor from their contact at the DNA lab client who’d processed a test for me before. Little called back in a matter of minutes letting me know the whole thing was arranged and I was welcome to drop off the samples at any time. So the only thing I was waiting on was the other sample from Blanchet.
He'd already sent a text this morning asking if I wouldn’t mind picking him up from the hospital when they released him, which was fine by me. The sooner he got that sample, the sooner I could get this ball rolling. And once he got me that original police report, then I’d be able to see if anyone was still around Mudbug from back then that I could question.
The big one, of course, was identifying the girl, but that was Blanchet’s purview, and I knew he’d be on that the instant he walked out of the hospital. Harrison and Ida Belle were planning a run into the bayou again at first light, so if there was anything to be found on that end of things, she’d let me know. So unfortunately, after I finished my call with the Heberts, I was left with absolutely nothing to do and the energy to move mountains.
Story of an investigator’s life.
I made use of the free time by feeding Merlin and unloading the dishwasher and spent all that time wondering where Carter was and how things were going. My biggest concern was that the military hadn’t been up-front about the mission. I had personal experience with government agencies and their ‘need to know’ policies, and they were never favorable to the person who didn’t get to know.
My phone rang as I put the last dish away, and I saw Blanchet’s name come up on the display.
“You need to get down here and straighten this doctor out,” he said as soon as I answered.
“What’s wrong?”
“He won’t release me! That’s what’s wrong. My head is just fine. I’ve had worse cuts from a house cat. Hell, that cat yesterday almost shot us.”
“So why won’t he let you out?”
“He’ll let me out of the hospital, but he won’t release me to work. Says he has concerns about my heart. Some irregular rhythm BS he’s pushing. Wants to do more tests, and all that takes time. Time I don’t have.”
He sounded stressed enough to give himself a heart attack, so I grabbed my keys and wallet and headed for the door. “I’m on my way. Just hold tight and we’ll figure it out. Don’t go shooting people.”
“They took my gun when they admitted me. Communists.”
I made the drive to the hospital in record time—not Ida Belle record time, but fast for me and my Jeep. Blanchet had been moved to a regular room and was stomping around like a soldier going to war when I walked in.
As soon as he saw me, he threw his hands in the air. “That doctor still hasn’t made it in here. What kind of hours do these people work? I’ve got a parish to protect, and they’re holding me here like I’m going to keel over in the next ten minutes. If it was so serious, why isn’t he here already?”
“Let me go check.”
I headed for the nurses’ station and found a harried-looking nurse who gave me a suspicious look. I had a feeling she’d recently been on the receiving end of Blanchet’s anger.
“I’m a friend of Andy Blanchet and was wondering if there’s a way to contact his doctor.”
She sighed. “I’ve already told Mr. Blanchet that his doctor is in surgery and will make his rounds as soon as he’s out.”
“Any estimate on that—one hour, ten? Just trying to get an idea how long I need to contain him because I know he’s not making this easy on you. In his defense, he’s been appointed temporary sheriff while Carter LeBlanc is out of the country, and he’s worried about not fulfilling his job duties, especially as he just started yesterday. You know how these old-school guys are about responsibility to the public.”
She softened a little and gave me a grateful look. “Reminds me of my father a little, which is both a good and a bad thing. I know it’s frustrating, but it was an emergency surgery, so no parameters were set as far as time beforehand. However, given what the doctor’s specialty is, and the fact that he’s already been in there for two hours, I’m guessing that he’ll finish up soon, maybe within the next hour. I’ll make sure Mr. Blanchet is first on his list to see.”
“I really appreciate it.”
“Good luck with the containment, and God bless you.”
I smiled and headed back to Blanchet’s room, bracing myself for the next round of complaining.
At least he’d stopped pacing and was sitting on the couch. I sat in the chair nearby and explained the emergency surgery situation, that it should be soon, and that the nurse had assured me he was at the top of the list.
“I’m sorry you had to start off your morning dealing with me,” he said. “I know you’ve got bigger things to do than handle middle-aged man drama.”
“Don’t tell Gertie that. She thinks she’s middle-aged.”
“Ha! No way I would want to live that long. Especially if visits like this one are in my future. You get past a certain age and doctors always want to run some test and question your eating habits, exercise, and work-life balance. Meanwhile, the only guy I know who dropped dead in his forties was a marathon runner, a vegetarian, and a trust fund baby. DNA speaks louder than lifestyle.”
“Probably true. And you’re in good shape, and retired mostly, so the doctor shouldn’t have a problem with you. I’m sure it’s just a cautionary thing.”
“The darned attorneys have ruined simplicity.”
I heard a knock on the door and a second later, the door opened and a young man walked in.
Five foot ten. A hundred seventy pounds. Excellent muscular definition and low body fat. His purposeful stride said doctor, but his face said he was thirteen, max. High threat to Blanchet. Zero threat to me, except by way of not releasing Blanchet.
“I’m Dr. Yoshida,” he said as he approached. “I’m the head of the cardiac unit at the hospital.”
Blanchet blinked, and I knew what he was thinking but hoped he didn’t voice it.
“My tennis shoes are older than you.”
And he voiced it.
Dr. Yoshida looked slightly peeved, and I guessed that he probably dealt with that perception a lot, especially given that heart issues lent themselves to older generations more than younger.
“I assure you, I have the education and experience necessary for my job,” he said. “I’ve reviewed your tests and stats from the ER, and there’s an irregularity in your heartbeat that concerned the ER doctors. That’s why they asked me to take a look. Have you been informed of that irregularity before?”
Blanchet shook his head. “I get a physical every year and no one’s ever said a thing. If it was a problem, shouldn’t I have symptoms?”
“Have you experienced any light-headedness or felt tightness in your chest or difficulty breathing?”
“Not at all.”
Dr. Yoshida frowned. “But you were brought into the ER because you passed out.”
“I didn’t pass out. I tripped over some rope and banged my head and knocked myself out.”
Dr. Yoshida nodded. “That’s good. It wasn’t clear in the report. I’d like to do a stress test and an EKG just to rule out anything serious.”
“Great. So can I come back for those in a few weeks?”
“No. I’d rather get them scheduled today before you’re released.”
“Fine. But then you’ll release me for work.”
“I need to see what the test results are first.”
The door opened and I looked over as Vince Hermes, a deputy in a neighboring parish, entered the room. We’d never met in person, but Carter had shown me a picture while he’d described just how big an a-hole the guy was.
Midforties but looked older, six foot tall, two hundred sixty pounds, muscle tone sketchy, bum right knee and left shoulder, wearing a superior look that even Dr. Yoshida probably couldn’t manage. Physical threat level practically nonexistent for me. Threat level extremely high for Blanchet and everyone else in the parish given Blanchet’s current non-released status.
“Blanchet,” he said with a nod. “You’ve looked better.”
“I’ve always looked better than you, Herpes.”
Vince’s jaw flexed.
“Oh, sorry,” Blanchet said. “Air-pez.”
Dr. Yoshida looked at the two men and apparently decided he was done with the room. He gave me a nod and headed out. Hermes looked over at me and raised one eyebrow.
“Are you part of the package when someone is sheriff?”
“You couldn’t even handle me in an arm-wrestling match.”
Blanchet chuckled and Hermes gave him a death stare.
“Well, I’m here to relieve both of you of your duties,” he said. “My understanding is you’re not released for work, and we can’t let the sheriff’s position go unattended.”
“I’ll be released this afternoon,” Blanchet said. “And you don’t even live in the parish.”
“Don’t have to when the governor makes a phone call, but then, you know that. And the parishes finally ended a dispute over the area where my house is, so technically, I am a resident of the parish now.”
He grinned. “That makes me eligible to run for sheriff in the upcoming election, so I figured getting some saddle time in early would set me up nicely for when I take the position.”
I desperately wanted to slam him in the face with the bedpan, but I knew I couldn’t. For Carter’s sake, I had to be on my best behavior. But it was taking every bit of self-control not to shoot off my mouth, which would probably be worse than the bedpan maneuver.
“You’ll never beat Carter in that election,” Blanchet said. “I don’t care who your friends are. The residents of this parish know who has their best interests in mind. The only interests you have are your own.”
“Really? If Carter is so concerned about the residents of this parish, then why did he leave?”
I clenched my jaw. “Because unlike you, he has abilities that no others possess, and those who have them sometimes have obligations larger than themselves or their parish.”
Hermes shrugged. “His loss, my gain. Anyway, I just figured I’d stop by here on the way to Sinful and let you know your services are no longer needed.” He gave me an up-and-down. “If you’re interested in providing any services, you know where to find me.”
Blanchet grabbed my wrist and squeezed, and that was the only reason I didn’t clock him. Hermes gave me a smug smile and then headed out.
“Why didn’t you let me hit him?” I asked. “He was sexually harassing me, and he’s in a position of power.”
“He’s also buddies with the ADA. They play golf every Friday. And he’s a distant cousin of the governor.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me! Although I don’t know why I’m surprised. He and the ADA are cut from the same cloth.”
Blanchet nodded. “Butt cloth.”
“What are we going to do?”
Blanchet shook his head, clearly miserable. “I don’t think there’s anything we can do. If the governor handed down the edict, then your mayor has been overruled. This is the last thing Carter needed. I feel horrible about it. If I hadn’t banged my head, none of this would have happened.”
“Maybe, maybe not. I mean, you just banged your head last night and Hermes has already got the slot. My guess is he was working that angle long before yesterday.”
He blew out a breath. “You’re probably right. As soon as he heard Carter was leaving, I’m sure he was in his cousin’s ear. But my situation hasn’t helped matters. It just made it easier for him to grab the seat. Let’s just hope the governor didn’t agree to anything more than a temporary fill for Carter.”
