Page 111 of The House on Prytania
“Kind of hard to miss. Most everybody knows it’s here, so it shouldn’t be a surprise.” Lowering my voice, I said, “If you see Sunny approaching, let me know. I need to talk with Beau before I know what to say to her.”
“Got it.” He selected two plates from the end of the table and handed one to me. “Put some food on your plate so you don’t look like you’re on a mission.”
I had put only a spoonful of shrimp and grits on my plate when I heard my name being called. “Nola!”
I turned to find Carly and Jaxson standing in the doorway. She wore a tight-fitting red-sequined strapless evening gown with matching red lipstick that I’m sure rubbed off on my cheek when she leaned down from her stiletto heels to kiss me hello while Cooper and Jaxson shook hands.
While Carly introduced herself to Cooper, Jaxson leaned close to my ear. “Have you talked to Beau yet?”
I shook my head. “No, and I really need to. Have you seen him?”
“Not yet, but we need to talk. When Uncle Bernie didn’t hear back from you, he called me, and I called Beau, but I haven’t heard from him since. Have you listened to your voice mail yet?”
“I just did tonight. So Beau knows about the DNA on the hair ribbons?”
“Yeah. But I haven’t been able to reach him again, so I’m not sure what sort of conclusions he’s made. Obviously not the same one we have, since Sunny is still here.”
“Did he mention anything about the cemetery photos I sent him?”
“Just briefly—something about how the truth has been rightthere, out in the open, all this time. I asked him what he meant, but he said he had to go. And that’s the last I heard.”
Our eyes met. Jaxson lowered his voice. “I’d really like to talk to Beau and figure out what’s going on.”
“Me, too. He isn’t here, and that alone tells me something is wrong.”
“Or he’s preparing for battle.”
A thread of panic wove its way through me as I recalled the last battle Beau and I had faced, in my cottage, and how I’d almost died except for unseen hands breaking my fall.
“Why are you dressed as a man?” Carly said, interrupting my thoughts. If it had been anyone else, I would have been grateful.
“Why are you dressed as a hooker?” The panic I’d felt earlier made me speak without thinking.
Carly surprised me by laughing. “No—I’m Mary Magdalene!” she said proudly. “Aren’t I clever?”
“That’s one word for it,” I said. “And unique. You certainly won’t see yourself in duplicate tonight.”
We turned to Jaxson, who wore a priest’s cassock with a white collar, black pants, and shoes. “Nice costume,” Cooper said. “Very authentic.”
“Because it is,” Jaxson said. “I borrowed it from my brother the priest.”
“Better known as ‘Father What-a-waste’ because he’s so hot,” Carly said, knocking back something pink and bubbly in a martini glass.
Jaxson kept smiling. “I’m Saint John Neumann, just in case you were wondering.”
“I was, actually,” Cooper said. “I thought it was either him or possibly Saint Francis Xavier, since both have schools named after them in New Orleans.”
I looked at Cooper, impressed. “How did you know that?”
He shrugged with a smile. “What can I say? I’m a nerd. I remember that you once said it’s one of the things you liked about me.Anyway, I did some studying up since I’m probably the only non-Catholic here.”
“Besides Jolene and me,” I corrected.
“Jolene!” Carly shrieked, waving wildly. Grabbing Jaxson’s arm, she pulled him away to go say hello. I stayed where I was, not wanting to witness the carnage.
“Sunny and Michael are headed this way,” Cooper said quietly.
I kept my focus on the table, spearing a piece of ham to place on my plate. “Keep them here for a bit, okay?”
