Page 32 of The House on Prytania
“Uncle Bernie’s itching to come out of retirement. He feels a little cheated not being able to close Sunny’s case.”
“I know. I think we all do.”
“But Sunny’s back now, so it all worked out in the end.”
“Did it, though? Yeah, Sunny’s back and everyone’s happy. But it’s not exactly the end, is it?”
Jaxson shook his head. “If you mean because no one has been convicted for her abduction, then no. But as Uncle Bernie said, the Ryans need to let it go. They got what they wanted. Messing with the Broussard family isn’t a good idea.”
“I know, and I agree—mostly. But Beau won’t let it rest. He wants to keep digging for evidence so that the truth about the Broussards’ involvement in Sunny’s abduction is out. And Jeanne Broussard’s real killer is exposed. You and Mimi and I all know that’s not in anyone’s best interests. Especially Beau’s, but I might as well be talking to a rock to get it to change its mind.”
Jaxson pressed his elbows into his thighs and leaned forward. “It’s not just a bad idea, Nola. It’s stupid, for all the reasons we already know. Antoine Broussard might be dead, but he has enough powerful friends and family who wouldn’t want his reputation sullied, regardless of the truth. I can have Uncle Bernie talk to Beau if you think that would help.”
“If I thought it would help, I’d ask. Instead, Sam, Sunny, and I have come up with another idea.”
He raised his eyebrows. “And Beau’s okay with this?”
I grimaced. “Beau doesn’t exactly know. Which means you can’t tell him, all right? Mimi’s in on it, too. She’s distracting him with another project while I...”
“While you what?”
I hesitated too long while I tried to make up an answer he’d believe, and that wouldn’t make me look overly naïve and ignorant.
“Oh, no. Let me guess: while you pretend to want to get back together with Michael so you can get inside the family circle.”
Jaxson sank back into the couch and blew air out between his lips in a sharp whistle. “Oh, boy. I’ve heard a lot of crazy ideas in my line of work, but—I’m not going to lie—that’s probably the craziest. Anddumbest.” He sat up straight again. “And definitely too dangerous. You could get hurt, Nola.” He attempted a smile. “Jolene would never forgive me.”
“Which is why I’m not telling her everything. I’ve already told her that I’m having dinner with Michael tomorrow night, but not everything else. I’ll be really careful, and if it looks like things aren’t going well, I’m outta there before anyone gets hurt.”
“I’m guessing there’s no way to talk you out of this, is there?”
“No. Trust me, if Beau would just be grateful that he has his sister back and let it go at that, I wouldn’t be doing this. But since I’ve already committed, I’ve been thinking about all the loose ends that were just swept under the table when Sunny reappeared.”
Jaxson straightened. “Like what?”
“Well, the locked closet, for one. Inside, besides a pristine Mr. Bingle doll, there were a bunch of hatboxes.” I held up my hand the way Jolene did, counting off with each finger, starting with my thumb. “In one of them, there was a tie clasp and pipe that had belonged to Charles Ryan, a yellow hair ribbon that had been worn by Sunny, and a film negative showing Sunny’s abduction. In another was Jeanne’s clientele book from Maison Blanche. We get that all of it could be used as physical evidence if the Ryans ever decided to pursue a case against the Broussards. Which is why Mimi wanted Beau’s dad, Buddy, to destroy it all in the first place. To protect her family. If the Broussards knew that stuff was still around...” My voice trailed off, the consequences settling uneasily on my shoulders.
Jaxson thrummed his fingers on his leg, thinking. “And then Buddy disappeared, and we can’t ask him why he didn’t get rid of it all, but my guess is that his idea was to convince Mimi and the Broussards that he had destroyed everything, planning to wait until he had more evidence for a solid case. But then he—”
“Disappeared, presumed dead, another victim of Katrina,” I finished.
Jaxson steepled his fingers, something he probably did when working out the logistics of a case, which definitely made him lookmore lawyerly. Except for the freckles. “Which is why after Michael’s uncle found out about the office door still being at the house where Jeanne had been killed and that you’d bought the cottage, he sent Michael to discover if there might be more incriminating evidence that had survived.”
At my look of distress, he said, “Sorry. I know it’s a sore subject.”
“Like sliding down a razor blade and landing in alcohol. But Beau is determined to see justice served. Unfortunately, to get to the bottom of all of this I’m going to have to spend some time with Michael.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“As a heart attack. We figure if I can find out the truth before Beau has a chance to stick his nose into places where it will draw attention, we can see justice served and everyone can sleep at night without keeping one eye open.”
“But did Beau toss all of the hatbox contents into the Manchac Swamp along with the Maison Blanche door?”
I looked away, unable to meet his eyes. “Um, not exactly.”
Jaxson’s brows shot up. “Not exactly?”
“Let’s just say that they’re in a safe place. There were too many questions without answers, and Beau and I thought that it would be... premature to destroy everything. I mean, why was Jeanne’s clientele book saved? Jolene and I have gone through it dozens of times to see if we could find anything that might incriminate her uncle.” I swallowed with distaste. “The one who was sexually abusing her and the reason why she was murdered.”
