Page 74 of Cursed
“What?”
“Andre still isn’t back.”
“Yeah. That’s a problem,” Dan acknowledged. “Do you think he’s aware of developments?”
“I don’t know,” she answered, then asked a question of her own. “Did they recover the body in the bayou?”
“While you were in the shower. The gator took off his leg.” Dan cleared his throat. “From what I understand an alligator may eat part of a body, then stow the rest for later meals. Rivers was under a submerged log.
“Charming. What happened to the alligator?”
“He’s going to augment the shoe and purse industry.”
She snorted, then asked. “Speaking of hides, what about those big leather gloves with the claws—that Rivers had on his hands?”
“They found them.”
“Well, score one for me.”
Dan took his seat again. “Fill me in on the details, starting with this morning when Jarvis came to arrest Gascon.”
She dropped into the other chair and started talking.
Dan let her go at her own pace, making only a few comments and asking questions to clarify points.
She was still trying to decide what to tell him about getting away from Rivers when a commotion downstairs had both her and Dan jumping up.
Loud voices led them back to the kitchen.
When they charged into the kitchen, Andre stood by the door—muddy and matted. His gaze shot to her.
“Thank God,” she said, then stopped. She had been about to rush to him and hug him. But something checked her stride. It might have been the audience. Or something more—something she couldn’t deal with yet. And the doubtful look in his eyes didn’t help.
“Are you all right?” he asked in a strained voice.
“Yes,” she answered.
“You’re under arrest,” Jarvis interrupted, then looked at Andre’s wrists. “How the hell did you get out of those handcuffs?”
“I don’t know,” he answered. “Someone knocked me out, and when I came to, they were gone.”
Jarvis’s eyes narrowed. “You expect me to believe that?”
Andre shrugged. “Believe what you want.” In an almost inaudible voice, he added, “You have all along.”
Jarvis’s eyes flashed.
Dan stepped between the two men. “Now that we know that someone else was responsible for the murders in the bayou, what’s he under arrest for?”
“Assaulting an officer,” Jarvis snapped.
“You mean you arrested him because you believed Rivers’ cock and bull story about an animal in the swamp attacking people?”
“Gascon’s jacket was found at the latest murder scene.”
“And how does that jibe with an animal attack—unless you can prove that he’s keeping a trained cat in the bayou?”
Somebody in the crowed snickered, and Jarvis whirled to glare at the man. A few hours ago, they’d been willing to believe a lot of wild stories about Andre. Now it looked like some sanity was returning.
