Kevlar vest kept her modest. “And take the shirt too,” she said, before racing for the stairs. “When you find Rivers’ claws, you can match them to the scratch marks.”
In her room, she slammed the door, wondering what she was going to do now. She needed time to herself—time to get her story straight, since Dwight Rivers wasn’t going to contradict her.
She stared around, feeling disoriented, noting that Janet had come in while she was gone and made the bed. What did the housekeeper think about what had happened between her and Andre?
And why should she care, Morgan asked herself. It was a logic question, but she knew that she wanted Janet on her side.
That was the least of her problems at the moment. She’d come up here to think before she spoke to Jarvis. What was her story? What exactly had happened? She knew she wasn’t going to tell the sheriff that a big cat had come leaping to her rescue—like he cared about what happened to her. She wasn’t going to mention the jaguar. But deep down, she knew there was more to her reluctance to talk about the animal. She was struggling with something she wasn’t quite willing to face.
She grabbed clean clothing, then stepped into the bathroom and shucked off her muddy jeans and shoes, before taking her time under the hot water. Finally, when the water started to cool, she climbed out, and toweled off, and dressed before using the hair dryer.
As she stepped into the bedroom, her jaw fell open. She’d locked the door, but someone had opened it.
Dan Cassidy to be exact. He was sitting in one of the chairs by the window, his leg crossed to make a writing surface as he scrawled notes on a legal pad.
“You’ve got some guys downstairs chomping at the bit to quiz you,” he said mildly.
“You were taking a chance on my being dressed,” she answered.
“Nah. Not with Jarvis in the house.”
She charged across the room. When he stood, they embraced. “It’s good to see a friendly face,” she breathed. “Thank you for getting here so quickly.”
“It sounded like you needed help,” he answered in a matter-of-fact voice. Yet she could hear his friendship and concern beneath the surface. ‘You all right?”
“Yes.”
“Hang in there. It’s almost over.”
“I hope so. But . . . but . . .”
“What?”
“Andre still isn’t back.”
“Yeah. That’s a problem,” Dan acknowledged. “Do you think he’s aware of developments?”
“I don’t know,” she answered, then asked a question of her own. “Did they recover the body in the bayou?”
“While you were in the shower. The gator took off his leg.” Dan cleared his throat. “From what I understand an alligator may eat part of a body, then stow the rest for later meals. Rivers was under a submerged log.
“Charming. What happened to the alligator?”
“He’s going to augment the shoe and purse industry.”
She snorted, then asked. “Speaking of hides, what about those big leather gloves with the claws—that Rivers had on his hands?”
“They found them.”
“Well, score one for me.”
Dan took his seat again. “Fill me in on the details, starting with this morning when Jarvis came to arrest Gascon.”
She dropped into the other chair and started talking.
Dan let her go at her own pace, making only a few comments and asking questions to clarify points.
She was still trying to decide what to tell him about getting away from Rivers when a commotion downstairs had both her and Dan jumping up.
Loud voices led them back to the kitchen.
When they charged into the kitchen, Andre stood by the door—muddy and matted. His gaze shot to her.
“Thank God,” she said, then stopped. She had been about to rush to him and hug him. But something checked her stride. It might have been the audience. Or something more—something she couldn’t deal with yet. And the doubtful look in his eyes didn’t help.
“Are you all right?” he asked in a strained voice.
“Yes,” she answered.
“You’re under arrest,” Jarvis interrupted, then looked at Andre’s wrists. “How the hell did you get out of those handcuffs?”
“I don’t know,” he answered. “Someone knocked me out, and when I came to, they were gone.”
Jarvis’s eyes narrowed. “You expect me to believe that?”
Andre shrugged. “Believe what you want.” In an almost inaudible voice, he added, “You have all along.”
Jarvis’s eyes flashed.
Dan stepped between the two men. “Now that we know that someone else was responsible for the murders in the bayou, what’s he under arrest for?”
“Assaulting an officer,” Jarvis snapped.
“You mean you arrested him because you