Trouble in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law, #1)(27)

“I don’t think you were selected because of your crime-solving skills,” Sabine said, her expression thoughtful.

“Then why would the forces of the universe select me at all?”

“I don’t know. But you must be tied into everything. Maybe it’s something to do with the game preserve.”

Maryse groaned. “Are you sure?” This just kept sounding worse.

“I don’t see any other explanation. Maybe the next time you see Helena, you ought to ask her.”

“Yeah, right, like she’s been forthcoming so far,” Maryse said. “Besides, Helena was as shocked as I was that I could see her. I’m sure of that. So if she’s visible to me for a reason, why didn’t she say so?”

Sabine narrowed her eyes. “Helena may not have expected your ability to see her, but she knows good and well what she’s gotten you into. There’s something she’s not telling you, and you can bet if it involves Helena Henry, it’s not going to be pretty.”


Maryse woke up the next morning in the Mudbug Hotel with a headache to beat the band. It had been late by the time she had finished explaining the entire Helena disaster to Sabine, and even longer before Sabine had managed to absorb it all. Once her friend had been able to breathe normally again, she’d given Maryse tons of good advice both for Helena and how to get rid of Helena. It was around midnight when they’d left Johnny’s, and the late hour coupled with the fact that Helena might be at her cabin waiting had sent Maryse straight to the hotel for the night.

Maryse pulled on her clothes, trying to figure out how to leave the hotel without running into Mildred again. Exhausted as she’d been, she hadn’t gotten to bed without sharing the saga of her wild day—well, everything except Helena. That was a bit too wild even for Mildred. And right now she didn’t really feel up for any more lectures or discussion.

Her hopes were dashed when she found Mildred in the lobby instead of her office. The hotel owner was standing in the front lobby peering between the front window blinds. Her gray hair pointed in fifty different directions, and her long red nails made a sharp contrast with the bright white blinds.

“What’s so interesting?” Maryse asked, and Mildred jumped, then cast a guilty look back.

“Nothing.”

“You were concentrating pretty hard on nothing.” Maryse stepped over to the window and lifted a slat to look outside. Downtown wasn’t exactly bustling yet; it was still too early, but it was easy to see what had caught Mildred’s attention. Luc LeJeune was bending over the newspaper machine outside of the café, and the hotel offered the perfect rear shot angle.

Maryse looked back at Mildred. “You really ought to take another look. He’s bending over now.”

“Really?” Mildred yanked the cord on the blinds, and they flipped open, allowing both of them a full view of the street. The hotel owner looked across the street just as Luc stood and turned, allowing her a full front view. She clutched one hand over her heart. “Lord have mercy. That has got to be the best-looking man I have even seen in person.”

Maryse held in a sigh. Like she needed any more reminders of just how attractive Luc was. “Mildred, I’m surprised at you.”

Mildred turned to stare at her. “Are you kidding me? Only a woman with no pulse or the taste for women could look at that man and not wish to be younger, hotter, and in really good shape.” She looked back out the window as Luc walked toward the café door. “The things I could do with that.”

Now Maryse did sigh. She didn’t want to think about doing things to “that” and damned sure couldn’t afford to think about Luc doing things to her.

Mildred turned from the window and stared at Maryse with a critical eye. “It’s official then—you died two years ago when that stupid Hank left, and you’ve been a walking corpse ever since.” Mildred shook her head. “I know you’ve got a lot going on. Hell, you babbled for an hour after you staggered in here at midnight high on pain killers. The will, the money, your missing husband. Things are really weird, and I get that, but Maryse, when a woman fails to appreciate a man like that, well, she might as well hang up her bra.”

“It’s not that I failed to notice him. It’s more like I already know him, and his type, so the new has worn off the butt-looking festival.”

Mildred’s eyebrows rose. “You know him?”

Maryse shrugged. “Yeah. He’s a zoologist for the state, and he’s set up shop in my office. Apparently we’re going to be sharing space for a while.”

Mildred reached into her shirt pocket, pulled out her inhaler, and took a quick puff. “You’re sharing an office with Adonis? No wonder you’re exhausted.”

“It’s not like that. It’s work, and he’s a total playboy and sorta annoying. Besides, I’m still married, remember?”

“Hmmpf. Some marriage. I’m thinking God would probably give you a pass on finding someone else since He hasn’t bothered to produce Hank in the past two years. Maybe since you never manage to leave the bayou, God just brought a man to you.”

Maryse rubbed her temple, thinking this conversation was way worse than the one she’d originally been trying to avoid and the biggest reason she preferred not to leave the bayou. “I’m sure that’s it, Mildred. God sent me a man. Anyway, I really need to get going. I’ve got a ton of work to do today, so if I could just get some coffee and some aspirin, I can get on my way.”