Swamp Sniper by Jana DeLeon Page A

or to intercept a cellular signal.”
    Marie’s eyes widened.
    “At least, that’s what I’ve read,” I said, trying to cover my faux pas.
    “Oh right,” Marie said, her expression clearing in understanding. “I bet you read a lot of different things while you’re working in the library.”
    “You know it,” I said. “So what did Babs say that you needed to tell us?”
    “She said there’s a man at Ted’s house. No one’s ever seen him before. He’s young, probably Paulette’s age, and showed up this evening.”
    “Ted’s family?” I asked.
    Marie shook her head. “Babs didn’t know. She just said Celia told her to get the information to me and to tell me to take it straight to Ida Belle.”
    “Why in the world would Celia Arceneaux think I’d want to know about some strange man visiting Paulette?”
    I sighed. “Because that’s Celia’s way of helping.”
    Marie looked even more confused.
    “Celia paid me a visit this afternoon,” I explained, “expressing her support of Ida Belle’s innocence—to remain anonymous, of course—and asked me to find the real murderer. I thought I’d convinced her that it would be dangerous for civilians to attempt to corner a killer, but apparently, stubbornness runs in the water supply around here.”
    “Oh, I see,” Marie said, “and Celia didn’t want to talk to me directly, so she sent Babs instead. Like a secret messenger.”
    “Some secret,” Ida Belle said. “Babs’s mouth flaps like sheets in a hurricane.”
    Gertie sighed. “Impolite, but true.”
    “So what else did Babs say?” I asked.
    “That’s it,” Marie said.  
    “What do you mean, that’s it?” I asked. “That’s barely more than nothing at all. You know, if people are going to insist on playing Nancy Drew they should really make sure they have something worth sharing before they go all covert operation.”
    “Maybe it’s not Ted’s family,” Gertie said. “Maybe it’s Paulette’s boyfriend.”
    Marie’s eyes widened. “Paulette has a boyfriend?”
    “We don’t know,” I said. “It’s just a theory that if Paulette spent her time in New Orleans fooling around with another man, that he might have gotten jealous and killed Ted.”
    “Oh, that’s a good theory,” Marie said. “Except that it’s Paulette. Would a man really kill someone over Paulette?”
    “Therein lies the rub,” I said. “And even if Paulette was having a torrid affair, I hardly think that man would show up at her front door the same day her husband was murdered. No one could be that stupid.”
    “Well…” Ida Belle said. “But I happen to agree with you on this point. So I guess we need to find out who this man is.”
    “Oh, Babs said Celia was going to handle that,” Marie said. “She’s going to bring Paulette a casserole tomorrow. She’ll pass the information on to Babs as soon as she’s done, then Babs will tell me, then I’ll call you first to let you know I’m coming, then come over here to tell you what she says.” Marie sighed. “Jeez, I’m tired just thinking about all of it.”
    “Me too,” I said.
    Marie jumped up from the couch. “Well, I guess I’ll let you ladies get back to whatever it is you were doing.”
    “Watching a movie and eating,” Ida Belle said. “Why don’t you join us?”
    “I can’t. I left a casserole baking and it was done about five minutes ago.” With that, she dashed out the door, slamming it behind her.  
    I shook my head. “Marie is far too nervous to make a good operative.”
    “And she’ll burn her house down,” Gertie said.
    “What do you make of this guy at Paulette’s?” Ida Belle asked.
    “Nothing yet,” I replied. “Too many possibilities. I guess we’ll have to wait until Celia finds out more.”
    “I guess so.” Ida Belle flopped back on the couch. “Fire up the movie, Gertie.”
    I settled back in the recliner and tried to focus on the movie. It was a decent flick, but my mind kept wandering back to