“I suppose I would. I’m just not braving Nora’s house to do it.”
“Yeah, I found it a bit rough and it wouldn’t work for you at all given that Nora is always on the prowl—for men and a high.”
“I don’t need that visual. I’m still trying to forget that mud and the pig farmer comment.”
“I would have thought you’d be more concerned about her drug stash from Amsterdam.”
“Not in this case.”
I laughed. “Well, I’m calling a couple of these places to see if they have displays I can see. Then I’m going to check them out and have one put right behind the house.”
“Why not toward the bayou where you can get the breeze and watch moonlight on the water?”
“I could do that, but I’m planning on hot-tubbing naked. It’s a pretty big backyard to cross.”
“Then behind the house it is. That way you only have to worry about Ronald showing up.”
I waved a hand in dismissal. “He won’t be interested if I’m not wearing clothes. I’m pretty sure that’s all he notices about people. So anyway—tell me about this situation at the butcher shop. Someone stole a moped?”
He nodded. “It was Liam’s moped that he kept behind the shop. Someone wearing an ET mask grabbed a bunch of boudin links off the farmer’s truck and took off on the moped.”
“I gotta tell you, that sounds like kids.”
“Or someone who acts like a kid. They also blew up the dumpster behind the strip mall. Does that sound like kids?”
“This is southern Louisiana. Gertie’s not the only person who carries more dynamite than chewing gum. Probably half the fishermen on the lake have a stash.”
“Don’t remind me.”
“Anyway, why does any of that matter? Is Liam a suspect in the Headless Horseman thing? I mean, I don’t know the guy, but Ida Belle and Gertie filled me in on his story before we got there to deliver the casserole and I have to say, while he was polite and appreciated the food, he didn’t even look remotely bothered that his father was dead. Actually, he was more annoyed than anything since apparently someone from your office questioned him.”
“I questioned him myself,” he said. “And yeah, the chip on his shoulder was definitely there, but I have a hard time holding it against the guy. Still, everyone’s a suspect until they’re not.”
“Who else are you looking at?”
“I just said everyone until they’re not. You know I’m not going to discuss it with you.”
I sighed. “Fine. But you could save me from my boredom. I need something to do.”
“I thought you were working that disability case for the insurance company.”
“That took all of one day. That idiot went fishing, put a new roof on his shed, and then played football in his backyard with his buddies.”
Carter frowned. “Wasn’t that the guy who claimed he couldn’t walk?”
“That’s the one.”
“Maybe you should expand your territory more.”
“Nah. I don’t need much business to pay basics. And I don’t want to get into city crime. It’s all so mundane. No one ever sends a headless dead man riding a horse through a festival in New Orleans. Seriously, though, why would someone do that? I know, I know, your case and all that, but come on, Carter, that’s really weird. Even for Sinful.”
He nodded. “I agree. And honestly, I can’t see the point.”
“I would say maybe it’s just a crazy person but this is Sinful so that doesn’t narrow things down much.”
“I know.”
“Well, since you’re here, do you want something to eat? I have some more burgers.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
I tossed another bun in the toaster and patty in the microwave and retrieved him a bottled water as he was still officially working.
“Are you working the festival again tonight or are you on detective duty?” I asked.
“I’m working the festival. I tried to recruit some backup from neighboring towns but anyone close enough to cover is running shorthanded. Hey, maybe that’s something for you to consider. I know Mudbug is hiring a deputy.”
“Hard pass. I got out of government work for a reason. I don’t like the oversight.”
“You also don’t like following the law.”
“There you go. It’s not a good fit.”
I put the burger together and slid it in front of him before sitting back down.
“What was your take on him—Gil, I mean. And I’m not getting into your investigation. I just wondered what a guy’s perspective is given the description I’ve gotten. You can’t blame me for being interested. He did ride headless through the festival.