pulling away with everyone else?”
“All good questions,” Ida Belle said. “Maybe he forgot something and went back for it.”
“Maybe,” I said. And it was certainly possible, but it still didn’t feel right.
I stared out the windshield as we sped down the highway, mulling over everything I’d learned tonight. There was something bothering me but I couldn’t figure out what. Something hovering right at the edge of my field of vision. Something off, but I couldn’t put my finger on what.
And for some reason, I knew it was important.
We made it back to Sinful about the time the festival was closing for the night. Ida Belle dropped me off at home and I practically sprinted for the shower so I could take one last pass at the glitter, figuring Carter would be on my front porch as soon as he wrapped up his festival duties. I knew he was suspicious about all my trips to New Orleans, especially when we hadn’t attended the festivities that Ida Belle and Gertie never missed. I also figured he’d want to complain about being cut out of the investigation by Detective Casey. So far, he hadn’t mentioned it, but I knew it had been festering there all day, just ready to boil over once he was off duty and clutching a beer.
I managed to get showered, dressed, and in the kitchen heating up a piece of pie by the time I heard my front door open.
“Kitchen,” I yelled.
He trudged in and slumped into a chair before giving me the eye. “Did you get your spa business in NOLA taken care of?” he asked, his tone one of complete disbelief.
“Yep,” I said.
I put a beer and the piece of pie in front of him, then popped another piece in the microwave. Then I grabbed the folder from the hot tub company and slid it in front of him. He opened it up, pulled the brochure out, and eyeballed it, then saw the receipt and his eyes widened.
“You bought it?” he asked.
“I told you I was going to,” I said. “One of these days, you’re going to give me the benefit of the doubt on things.”
He grunted and put the folder back on the table.
“A little more enthusiasm is in order here,” I said. “That hot tub is going to be awesome to decompress in and quite frankly, you look like you need it. Problems at the festival?”
“No. It’s actually been quiet, for Sinful. Probably because you three haven’t been there.”
“Hey, we didn’t have anything to do with that skunk in the maze thing. We barely got out of there without the stink on us. And we definitely didn’t cut off Gil’s head and put him on that horse.”
“I notice you didn’t mention the glitter skunk explosion.”
“We weren’t even in town. So what’s eating you, then? The investigation not going well?”
He scowled and I knew it was coming.
“I wouldn’t know,” he said. “I’m no longer in charge of the investigation.”
“What? Why not?” I asked, putting on my best surprised look.
“Because a detective from New Orleans contacted me this morning and informed me that since Gil was killed there, it’s already their case.”
“Oh. I guess that makes sense.”
He gave me a dirty look.
“What? You’re the one always preaching to me about jurisdiction and rights and all.”
“That’s not the point,” he grumbled.
“Why? Because it’s you who’s getting cut out this time? Is the NOLA detective an idiot?”
“She seems very competent, but again, not the point.”
“She? Good for her. Can’t be easy making rank in the city. Not with the good ole boy thing and all.”
“I’m sure it’s not,” he said, rather begrudgingly.
“So since it’s no longer your investigation, that means you can talk about it, right?”
He raised one eyebrow and stared.
“What? It’s not your case. So all bets are off on the confidentiality thing.”
“So you think this is an opportunity for you to load up on information and get in the middle of a NOLA police department investigation? That doesn’t sound like a very good plan, even in theory. And since I know the guy who runs that department, I’m going to warn you that poking your nose in would be a very, very bad idea.”
“Doesn’t like civilians?”
“He doesn’t like PIs. His wife left him for one.”
I winced. Okay, so that doubled down on the risks of getting caught.
“So I guess that means you won’t be sharing the gossip with me?” I asked.
“I don’t deal in gossip. I deal in facts.”
I waved a hand in dismissal. “Are you still