Diana Racine 02 - Goddess of the Moon

during what he called their card games .”
    “Why would a guy like Compton be involved in the black arts and kidnapping babies? If he is, we’d sure like to know. He’s a major thorn in the side of government. My bosses in Washington are salivat ing to get something on him. I don’t suppose Ms. Racine would go with you while you interviewed Compton, would she? I know she stopped helping law enforcement long before that serial killer debacle, but maybe if she met him, she might tune into things we can’t. We can’t use anything she comes up with, but it might give us an edge. ”
    “I don’t know. I’ve been worried ever since she got that note. Diana, we await you. Someone wants her involved in this investigation, and they’re doing everything to draw her into it. They must know she has the curiosity of the proverbial cat .” Lucier knew, though. Diana was nothing if not predictable. “Besides, you guys have already interviewed Compton. Why would he agree to one with a New Orleans cop?”
    “Two words. Diana Racine. The man’s got a hard on for famous people. I guarantee he’ll want to meet her.”
    “Hmm. I’ll ask her, but I already know the answer. Any idea how to incorporate her into the meeting?”
    “Compton doesn’t forget anything. Just say your name clearly. He’ll know you were the cop who saved Ms. Racine’s life, and sorry, Lieutenant, but everyone in town knows you two have a thing going. He’ll ask you to bring her along.”
    Everyone in town? Had they been that obvious? “You play the ponies?”
    “How’d you know?”
    “Sounds like you’re a betting man.”
    Stallings laughed.
    “Any luck tracking those two women?” Lucier asked.
    “Not a whisper. One of our agents checked back at the Sunrise Mission, but no one there has seen either one of them. Slater was upset that the girl Brigid hadn’t shown up. ’Course it’d help if we knew her real name. The one on her employment record is a phony , at least the last name is . Those places expect a number of false names from people who don’t want to be found. She stayed there for room and board. He paid her a small amount for her services out of a miscellaneous fund. I hope those girls don’t wind up like Deems.”
    “Me too.” He remembered Deems gasping for breath, the pungent almond odor sharp in his nose. “What about other properties Compton owns under the dummy corporation?”
    “Try conglomerates. We’ve got our Corporate Crimes Division untangling them, but his people are good. We’re still trying. That man has his fingers into more pies than Sara Lee, with lawyers and bankers in his pocket to protect his interests. He’s made a lot of people rich, and you can bet your pension no one’s talking.
    * * * * *
    L ucier was relieved to see that Diana had either forgotten his sharp exit the other night or she chose not to bring it up. She curled up next to him on the sofa , coffee cup in hand, legs tucked beneath her, and listened to what he learned earlier in the d ay. She looked like a teenager.
    “Silas Compton, huh?”
    “Stallings said when I make the appointment he’s bound to connect me with you . Hell, the story was in the news for days . Did you know that people around town think the two of us are an item?”
    She ti lted her head, flaunting a half smile. “We are.”
    “Yeah, but I didn’t know we were common knowledge.”
    “Does that bother you?”
    Lucier noted the edge in Diana’s voice. Better tread lightly . “Not really, but you’ve been in the public eye since you were a child; I’m not used to being common knowledge. Makes me feel like something I’m not.”
    “You had to know this would happen.”
    “Guess I didn’t think that far .” She smiled, and his heart rate ticked up. “I’ll get used to it.”
    She jabbed a playful finger in his arm. “You better, buster, cuz I’m here to stay.”
    He leaned over and kissed her. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
    “ Good. Got that straight . Now, what else did Stallings say?”
    “That Compton’s like Francine Marigny ―obsessed with famous people. If my name doesn’t ring bells, Stallings said I should say something about you finding the house from the key in Deems’s pocket. He’ll want me to bring you along.” Lucier drained his coffee and put the empty cup on the cocktail table. “That’s if you want to go.”
    “You’re kidding, right?”
    Predictable as the sunrise . “That note you received would have