Page 160 of Quarter to Midnight

The cop held a semiautomatic rifle. Because someone was trying to kill them.

And just that fast, Xavier felt the respite the dog had offered simply fizzle away and realized that he’d pressed a hand to his chest. Trying to hold on to the happiness a moment longer? He wasn’t sure.

Carlos and Manny went to help with the groceries while Xavier held back, watching the cop with the rifle. André took a last look outside, then secured the door. Including the dead bolts.

“What happened?” Xavier demanded.

“Let’s wait for the others so everyone hears everything at the same time,” André replied.

A few minutes later, the groceries had been put away, and the newcomers crowded into the living room. Gabe and Molly joined Cicely on the sofa, and Burke ousted Shoe from his chair, then picked the dog up and settled him on his lap like he was a toy poodle.

Everyone else sat on the floor, Antoine busily unpacking his laptops. He had three.

Xavier wanted to ask why he had three laptops, but he suddenly didn’t have the energy to care. “What happened?” he asked again.

Gabe looked positively gray. Molly just looked exhausted and Burke looked a lot grimmer than he had before he’d met Gabe and the others outside. So, somebody had shared something already.

Molly sighed. “André and Antoine’s brother—DeShawn is his name—is doing his residency at the ME’s office. We asked him to keep an eye on the ME’s assistant who told Gabe that the ME hadn’t done the autopsy correctly.”

“Prompting Gabe to get a private autopsy,” Xavier said, dread mounting because he sensed what was coming. “Is the assistant dead?”

“No,” Gabe said, guilt plain on his face, “but he’s in the hospital, in critical condition.”

“He took a beating,” André said. “A bad one. They were waiting for him when he got home from work. They left him for dead, but my little brother DeShawn had also gotten a visit from the cops that day at work. They were asking questions about Gabe and his dad. Did he know Gabe? Had he talked to Gabe?” He waved his hand in a yada-yada gesture. “He told the truth. He didn’t and he hadn’t. Then they asked him if he knew Burke. He lied about that and they left him alone. D went to Harry’s office—that’s the assistant—but he couldn’t find him to warn him, so he called him. No answer. He went to his house and found him.” His mouth tightened in anger. “Behind his house amid the garbage cans.”

A chill went down Xavier’s spine. “That was a message.”

André nodded once. “It certainly was. DeShawn called 911 and bandaged some of the wounds on Harry’s arms and legs. There was a ball bat nearby with bloodstains. They’d used that on his head. They’d stabbed his extremities.”

“Oh my Lord,” Cicely murmured. “That poor man.”

Willa Mae had stopped knitting altogether, her hands trembling. “I’m glad your brother found him in time.”

“I called Harry,” Burke said. “Warned him. I don’t know why he went home alone.”

“We’re investigating that,” André said. “DeShawn said that Harry was supposed to wait so that they could leave together, but something happened that had him racing home alone.”

“Where is your brother now?” Cicely asked.

“At home with our parents,” André said. “He can take care of himself, so I’m not worried about him. He’s worried about our folks, though, so he’ll stick close by them as long as he can.”

Xavier bowed his head, all of his earlier frantic energy gone. “What are we gonna do?”

“You’re going to stay right here,” Burke snapped.

Xavier glared at him, welcoming the irritation he felt at the words. Irritation was better than helplessness and fear. “I get that. What are you going to do? We can’t stay here forever and too many people have died already. So, Mr. Broussard, what are you going to do?”

“Sorry.” Burke exhaled wearily. “We’re here to figure that out.”

“We’d hoped that Nadia Hall’s doctor could give us the name of her lover,” Molly said. “You know, work from the past to the present. Now we need to track back, present to the past.”

“I’m going to talk to Cresswell again,” Gabe said, glaring at Molly.

“No, you’re not.” Molly glared right back. “That’ll be a big fat trap and you know it.”

André held up a hand. “For what it’s worth, I agree with Gabe, but not just yet. We need to know what to say to the man.”

“Who’s Cresswell?” Carlos asked.

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