the way, but he didn't pay much attention to what she was saying. His eyes roved the room, searching for any sign of trouble, but everything seemed to be normal in the Brass Pelican tonight. He spotted Jasper Millard in his customary spot at the end of the bar. The club owner nodded to Longarm, smiling slightly. He wondered just how much of a pest Annie Clement had made of herself.
Annie drank several glasses of wine over the next couple of hours, and combined with what she had had before, it had quite an effect on her. Longarm had never cared for drunken women, but instead of getting sloppy and maudlin, Annie seemed to grow brighter and more animated the more she drank. She laughed merrily no matter what Longarm said to her. When she finally began to sway too much, he sat her down at one of the tables and continued to nurse his own drink, which was only his second. He wanted to stay clearheaded in case of trouble.
His thoughts never strayed far from the case that had brought him here. Earlier in the day, Millard had made that comment about alligators, but he had also responded with fervent disapproval to Longarm's question about voodoo. If Millard had been telling the truth about the way he felt, it was unlikely he had been responsible for leaving that half-doll on the doorstep of the chief marshal's office. He seemed not to want to have anything to do with such things, and he had scoffed at anybody who believed in them.
But had that ridicule been intended merely to cover up the man's own very real fear of voodoo? Longarm wondered. That was entirely possible.
Paul Clement wandered over and sat down at the table with them, sighing. "Ah, well, cleaned out again," he said. "I allow myself to lose only a certain amount on each night of our visits to New Orleans, and tonight I have reached my limit."
"Too bad," said Longarm. He glanced over at Annie, saw that she was looking off at the other side of the room and humming to herself, then added quietly, "I reckon your sister has just about reached her limit too."
Clement's mouth tightened. "Annie, have you had too much to drink again?"
She opened her mouth and stared at him for a moment before saying, "Paul, whatever do you mean? Custis and I have been having the most wonderful time-"
"You know that you don't feel well later on when you drink too much," said Clement, his attitude a mixture of solicitousness and impatience. "Why don't I take you home-"
"No!" exclaimed Annie. "I want Custis to take me home."
"I don't think that's a good idea." Clement glanced at Longarm. "No offense, Custis."
"None taken," Longarm assured him with a slight shake of his head.
"Custis will take me home," insisted Annie, "and he will take me upstairs, and then he-"
"That's enough, Annie." The hard edge of menace in Clement's tone made his sister fall silent. He reached across the table and took her hand. "Come along now."
Her lovely features set in a sullen pout, Annie allowed her brother to tug her to her feet. "G'night, Custis," she said, turning to Longarm. "Some other night..."
"Sure," he said. Truth to be told, he doubted if he would enjoy bedding Annie tonight. As much as she'd had to drink, she likely wouldn't remember anything in the morning, and she would also be liable to fall asleep and start snoring right in the middle of the festivities.
Clement led her out of the club. She was still only a little unsteady on her feet. The lady had quite a capacity, Longarm reflected, but as he had warned Clement, she had definitely reached her limits.
Millard came over to the table and took the seat Paul Clement had vacated. "Looked like Mademoiselle Annie had a little too much to drink," he said.
"Does she do that often?" Longarm asked curtly.
Millard shrugged. "I've only seen her that way once or twice. She was really shook up by you not being here last night." He grinned. "You'd better enjoy the lady while you've got the chance, Parker. Her brother keeps her on a pretty tight rein most
Annie drank several glasses of wine over the next couple of hours, and combined with what she had had before, it had quite an effect on her. Longarm had never cared for drunken women, but instead of getting sloppy and maudlin, Annie seemed to grow brighter and more animated the more she drank. She laughed merrily no matter what Longarm said to her. When she finally began to sway too much, he sat her down at one of the tables and continued to nurse his own drink, which was only his second. He wanted to stay clearheaded in case of trouble.
His thoughts never strayed far from the case that had brought him here. Earlier in the day, Millard had made that comment about alligators, but he had also responded with fervent disapproval to Longarm's question about voodoo. If Millard had been telling the truth about the way he felt, it was unlikely he had been responsible for leaving that half-doll on the doorstep of the chief marshal's office. He seemed not to want to have anything to do with such things, and he had scoffed at anybody who believed in them.
But had that ridicule been intended merely to cover up the man's own very real fear of voodoo? Longarm wondered. That was entirely possible.
Paul Clement wandered over and sat down at the table with them, sighing. "Ah, well, cleaned out again," he said. "I allow myself to lose only a certain amount on each night of our visits to New Orleans, and tonight I have reached my limit."
"Too bad," said Longarm. He glanced over at Annie, saw that she was looking off at the other side of the room and humming to herself, then added quietly, "I reckon your sister has just about reached her limit too."
Clement's mouth tightened. "Annie, have you had too much to drink again?"
She opened her mouth and stared at him for a moment before saying, "Paul, whatever do you mean? Custis and I have been having the most wonderful time-"
"You know that you don't feel well later on when you drink too much," said Clement, his attitude a mixture of solicitousness and impatience. "Why don't I take you home-"
"No!" exclaimed Annie. "I want Custis to take me home."
"I don't think that's a good idea." Clement glanced at Longarm. "No offense, Custis."
"None taken," Longarm assured him with a slight shake of his head.
"Custis will take me home," insisted Annie, "and he will take me upstairs, and then he-"
"That's enough, Annie." The hard edge of menace in Clement's tone made his sister fall silent. He reached across the table and took her hand. "Come along now."
Her lovely features set in a sullen pout, Annie allowed her brother to tug her to her feet. "G'night, Custis," she said, turning to Longarm. "Some other night..."
"Sure," he said. Truth to be told, he doubted if he would enjoy bedding Annie tonight. As much as she'd had to drink, she likely wouldn't remember anything in the morning, and she would also be liable to fall asleep and start snoring right in the middle of the festivities.
Clement led her out of the club. She was still only a little unsteady on her feet. The lady had quite a capacity, Longarm reflected, but as he had warned Clement, she had definitely reached her limits.
Millard came over to the table and took the seat Paul Clement had vacated. "Looked like Mademoiselle Annie had a little too much to drink," he said.
"Does she do that often?" Longarm asked curtly.
Millard shrugged. "I've only seen her that way once or twice. She was really shook up by you not being here last night." He grinned. "You'd better enjoy the lady while you've got the chance, Parker. Her brother keeps her on a pretty tight rein most
Similar Books
