"The terrible things you say, you should be embarrassed, but I love every minute of it. Would you like Ms. Chenier?"
"In more ways than you know."
"You awful dog. Hold on and I'll get her."
Cole was placed on hold and found himself listening to canned music. Harry Connick, Jr., on the piano. He was on hold so long Harry transitioned to Branford Marsalis before she came on the line.
"Hey, you. Sorry I took so long. I was on with a client."
Hearing her voice, warmth spread through him despite the twinge of discomfort he felt these days when he called. He tried not to phone her as often as he once did, but that was more for her than him. He didn't want to push. He didn't want her to cringe when he called.
"No worries. I bill by the hour."
She laughed.
"Then I'm happy to help. We here at Rotolo, Fourrier, Day, and Chenier want you to make lots of money."
"Got a few minutes? I could call back later if now isn't good."
The joking in her voice was replaced by a warm contralto that always made him feel they were the only two people in a remote mountain cabin.
"Sure, hon. Hang on-"
She told Loretta not to put anyone through, then returned to their conversation.
"Everything good?"
"I'm looking for background on a woman named Dru Rayne and a man named Wilson Smith, both of whom claim to be from New Orleans."
"Uh-huh. And why does the word 'claim' draw my attention?"
"Joe knows the woman, and I'm not convinced she's been honest with him about their circumstances or even about who they are."
"When you say involved, you mean like boyfriend-girlfriend?"
Cole described how Pike saved Wilson Smith from the beating, and subsequently met Dru Rayne. He left out the parts about Latin gangs, abductions, and bodies cut so badly their heads were almost severed. The violence he encountered as part of his job was what drove Lucy away.
When he finished, Lucy shifted into lawyer mode.
"All right, first, are we talking about a potential crime here? Is Joe giving them money?"
Cole hesitated, realizing he would have to describe parts of the situation he had hoped to avoid.
"No, it isn't like that. They've disappeared. They might be in trouble, so we're trying to find them."
Lucy was quiet for a moment, and Cole hoped he wouldn't have to tell her Pike was being questioned about the murders of two Venice gangbangers.
"When you say disappeared, are you speaking of a voluntary disappearance or a forced disappearance?"
"Could be either."
"Damnit, Elvis, you should be speaking with the police, not me."
"The police are doing their thing and we're doing ours."
"Why isn't that a surprise?"
"My concern now is Joe. He's all in, and I'm just trying to make sure he's in for the right reason. I'm also trying to figure out what kind of trouble these people are in."
"Hang on-I'll call him back. No more calls now, Loretta, I am out of the office-all right, hon, I'm back. Tell me what I can do."
Cole smiled, and loved the way she said it without hesitation. Tell me what I can do.
"If I can locate someone who knows them, maybe I can get a line on what's happening. Getting a line is the problem. All I have are their names. No former addresses, no social security numbers, no last known addresses, nothing. I don't even have a picture of these people."
"I understand. I'm thinking-"
She fell silent, and Cole let her think.
"They left with the storm?"
"That's what I'm told. I don't know if it's true."
"He owned a restaurant in New Orleans?"
"Owned or worked in, I don't know which, and I don't even know if it's true. He's a cook."
"Okay, pretending it's true, do you have a name for the place?"
"Sorry, Luce."
She fell silent again.
"The storm was so many years ago. There were sites and services for refugees to reconnect with missing family, but I don't know if those things still exist. Did you meet Terry when you were here?"
Terry Babinette was the investigator used by Lucy's firm. He was a retired Baton Rouge Police detective.
"Shook his hand."
"Let me talk it over with him to see if he has any ideas."
"That would be terrific, Lucille. Thank you."
"Why aren't you convinced?"
Cole didn't understand.
"About what?"
"Earlier, you said you weren't convinced they were honest with Joe. Why aren't you convinced?"
Cole propped his foot on the edge of his desk, feeling bad all over again with the deep-in-the-gut fear you might lose something precious.
"I have reason to believe their relationship is not as they've described it."
"Joe and Dru?"
"Dru and her uncle."
Elvis described his conversation with Steve Brown, then repeated the things Jared Palmer told him.
Lucy sounded hollow when she spoke.
"Oh my God."
"Uh-huh."
"Do you believe this kid?"
"He's been spot-on about everything else. And Brown was furious. Smith's been living there without his knowledge, and he's been talking to the woman every couple of weeks. That makes her a liar. She told Joe she moved in with Wilson, not the other way around, so that makes her a liar twice. So she could be lying about their relationship, too."
"What does Joe think?"
Cole hesitated, because this had been eating at him since he spoke with Jared.
"Joe doesn't know. I haven't told him."
"Oh, man, this is so hard."
"I'd like to have more than Jared's word before I lay this on him."
Neither of them said anything for a very long time.
"I miss you, Luce."
"I know, baby. I miss you, too. What are you going to do?"
"Talk to you. I guess that's why I called."
She sighed. A long, slow breath into the phone that he wanted to feel on his skin.
"Do you believe this boy?"
"Yeah. I can't prove it. I have nothing but his word for it, but after what Brown said, I believe him. I believe he was telling the truth."
"Tell him."
Cole nodded to himself, but found nothing to say.
"The longer you wait, the worse it will be. Do you understand that?"
"Yeah."
"Joe's built to save people. That's how he sees himself, and that's who he is. He's trying to save her, so whatever he feels for her, it will get deeper."
"I know."
"I know you know. That's you, too. That's why you two found each other, and why you're joined at the hip. It's why you do what you do."
Cole rubbed his left eye. His throat felt thick.
"Is that why I lost you?"
"You didn't lose me, baby. Here we are. If he wants to save her, fine, but he deserves to know who he's saving."
"Being a friend is hard."
"If it was easy, anyone could do it."
"I love smart women."
"Smart women love you."
"I'd better go."
"Call me later."
Cole put down the phone. It was still early, but he had plenty to do, and Lucy had given him a good idea. He scanned the list of food purveyors and suppliers Smith had dealt with. All were people in the food and restaurant business who probably swapped stories about cooks, cooking, and the good and bad restaurants where they worked. It was possible Smith mentioned a New Orleans restaurant where he had worked, or maybe a chef he had worked with, and one of the people on the list might remember. Having a place to start would make Lucy's job easier.
Cole opened a fresh bottle of water, pulled the phone close, and got back to work.
26
Elvis Cole Cole was still at his office later that day when Pike phoned, saying he was coming over to fill Cole in about the bodies. Cole suggested they meet at his house, saying he would make dinner while they talked, and they could have a few beers. Cole did not mention Dru or Wilson, or the sick feeling he had from the ugly news he was about to share with his friend.