Mischief in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law, #2)(25)

“I love you, Mildred, you know that? But let’s not put the cart ahead of the horse. We don’t know what’s in store for me, so there’s no use worrying about a bunch of things that may or may not happen. Believe me, I spend enough time worrying for everyone.”

Mildred gave her a sympathetic look. “I understand you trying to protect me, Sabine, but you know good and well that I’m no shrinking violet. If you or Maryse need me, I want to know about it and be right in the middle of everything, raising Cain and getting things done. That’s what friends do.”

Sabine brushed an unshed tear away from her eye. “No, that’s what mothers do. Maryse and I are so lucky to have you.”

Mildred smiled. “Yes, you are. So I assume that means you’re taking me to dinner. I could sure use a mess of catfish and a glass of wine.”

Sabine laughed. “As a matter of fact, I’d love to.”

Mildred reached behind the counter and grabbed her purse. “Ready?”

Sabine nodded. “Can you leave? There’s no one to cover the desk.”

Mildred waved a hand in dismissal. “Julia should be here any minute. That girl is always five minutes late. Besides, we’ll just be across the street so it should be fine.”

They stepped outside, and Mildred pulled the lobby door closed behind her. “Now,” Mildred said and gave her a shrewd look, “are you going to tell me what you really wanted to talk about?”

Beau eased down the remainder of the stairwell as the door closed behind the hotel owner and Sabine. He stared through the lobby window after them. He’d known from the beginning that Sabine was keeping something from him…most clients did. The trick was deciding whether it was something important to the investigation or merely something private and perhaps embarrassing to the client. Beau hadn’t really gotten the impression that Sabine was holding back anything concerning her family, so that must mean it was personal.

And apparently something so dire she’d also kept it from the woman she considered a surrogate mother.

Which was very interesting when considered with all the other facts that Beau had. Like the fact that Raissa had just recently had the “vision” of Sabine’s parents, but had been friends with her and known of her situation for years, or that a “friend” had stolen a police file of her parent’s car wreck just this week but no one had ever done this before. And even though he knew she’d hired an investigator in the past, she’d claimed it had been years before and he had no reason to think she was lying.

So why the big push now?

Was Sabine’s secret related to her search for her family? And if so, how? And was the break-in at her shop tied in to all of it, some of it, or none of it?

He crossed the lobby and looked across the street. Sabine and Mildred were entering the catfish restaurant. They were both smiling as if nothing was wrong, but from their earlier conversation, Beau doubted that was the case. More likely they were making small talk now and would have the bigger discussion once they were left to themselves. He deliberated for a moment walking across the street and getting a bite himself, but there was no way to do that without alerting Sabine that he was staying in town. The last thing he needed was Sabine to be suspicious of him or he’d never be able to help her.

His FBI buddy had gotten him all the information on the guy he’d remembered, and based on Beau’s subsequent research, a picture of Sabine’s family had started to take shape. He had nearly completed his investigation, more and more convinced that he’d not only identified her father but also located a whole host of living relatives. The kind that came with baggage. He’d dragged his feet on putting the final touches on the file, hoping to convince her to give up the search, but even if the earlier restaurant performance hadn’t convinced him, he now knew for sure that Sabine had an ulterior motive for starting her search all over again and with such enthusiasm.

Whatever was up with Sabine LeVeche was serious business. He felt it in his bones. And even though he knew he shouldn’t care, he wasn’t even going to bother trying to pretend he didn’t.





[page]Chapter Seven




Sabine gave Mildred a hug and crossed the street to her building. They’d sat in the restaurant for hours, starting with catfish and ending with far too many cups of coffee. Now it was getting late and the hour coupled with the storm that was moving in had brought darkness to the dimly lit downtown area. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a shadow move off to her left. She whirled around and stared into the inky darkness, trying to make out where the movement had come from. Two buildings down was a stack of crates outside of the general store on the corner. The owner’s car was parked in front of the crates parallel to the sidewalk, even though the lines clearly were painted perpendicular. No matter, since there was so little activity this late in the evening.

She took a couple of steps closer to the end of the street and peered closely at the stack of crates. Was there something moving behind it? She shot a look back at the restaurant and bit her lip. There were only a few patrons inside and with the music playing and the general buzz of talking and serving, it would be unlikely anyone inside would hear her if she called for help.

Go back to your apartment, lock yourself inside, and call the police.

And tell them what? That you’re spooked over some creepy diary entry from forty years ago? Yeah, they’d love to hear that, especially after her phone call today, asking for an update on their nonexistent investigation on her break-in. Sabine got the impression that if Leroy and company never heard from her or Maryse again as long as they lived, it would be too soon. The Mudbug police were well-equipped to deal with drunk and disorderlies, or poaching, or off-season hunting, but breaking and entering and murder went a bit beyond their scope.