Leopard's Prey

he would her.
    Earlier in the week in Bijou’s company, without warning, his leopard had gone from a jealous, snarling lethal cat to . . .
oh baby
. . .
there you are
. The moment was gone, the scent of a female close to her time was gone, but for whatever reason—his cat accepted Bijou Breaux.
    He scented his sister just before she stepped into the kitchen. Like him, she was silent when she walked, and she didn’t bother with the lights. She froze and turned very slowly toward the corner where the darker shadows hid him completely.
    “Remy?”
    “Why aren’t you sleepin’, Saria?” he asked.
    “Drake’s not here. He left yesterday for Texas to see Jake and Emma. We were hopin’ to persuade them to come for a visit, but Emma just found out she’s pregnant and Drake says Jake is freakin’ out. The doctors weren’t certain she could ever have another baby. She nearly died in childbirth. Jake was adamant that they not have another child, but apparently birth control doesn’t always work on leopards.”
    “Jake Bannaconni? Freakin’ out?” Remy shook his head. “That man is stone.”
    “True, unless he’s around his kids or Emma,” Saria said. “Drake said Jake is scary crazy over Emma. He was pretty upset that she was pregnant again. Drake went to calm him down.”
    “Drake’s pretty good at that.”
    “I miss him. I thought if I drank some hot chocolate I’d feel better.” She sent him a small smile. “Chocolate will keep me out of the swamp. I hate sleepin’ without Drake, and nights when he’s gone I usually make my trips to do my night photography so it isn’t so bad without him.” She sounded distracted, as if she was leaving an important piece of information out.
    “Thanks for not goin’,” Remy said, choosing his words carefully. “I know it’s difficult for you to change your routine, especially when you’ve got a paying client. I really appreciate that I don’ have to worry about you.”
    “You sound tired, Remy.”
    He toed a chair around and sank down into it, studying his sister’s face. She looked strained, something rare for Saria. She was self-possessed, sure of herself and uncaring of other people’s opinions of her. It was unlike her to be so restless with Drake gone.
    “I am tired,” he admitted. Handling Saria took care. One didn’t leap in with her. You gave a little to get something back. He was a skilled interrogator and once in a while he could coax his independent sister to tell him what was troubling her—and something definitely was. He rubbed the back of his neck knowing her cat’s eyes would be able to see the gesture there in the dark. “Talk to me.”
    Saria crossed to the counter, putting her hand on the coffeemaker to test the heat. “You aren’t drinkin’ coffee are you?”
    “No. I figured I’m already jacked up, I don’ need coffee to keep the buzz goin’.”
    “You always get this way when you’re worried, Remy. Is it Pete’s murder?”
    Remy shrugged. “If the killer stays with the pattern he had four years ago, he’ll be hittin’ tonight or tomorrow night and I’m no closer to catchin’ him then I was when he struck back then. For all the evidence he leaves at the crime scene, so far, nothin’ links anyone. I don’ even have a single suspect, and he’s goin’ to kill another innocent person. Someone with a family. Pete was a damned good man.”
    Saria put a hand on her brother’s shoulder. “Yes he was. You’ll get him this time, Remy, I know you will.” She pulled up the chair beside his and sat down, leaning toward him. “I know you always think you’re responsible for everyone around you, but you aren’t. You can only do so much.”
    “I suppose that’s the truth,” he agreed. “But it doesn’t make me feel any better. Gage and I have worked night and day on this case, and we’re no closer to findin’ the killer. I’m just really grateful you’re stayin’ out of the swamps no matter the reason.”
    Saria pressed her lips together and pushed back into her chair. There it was. She was on the verge of telling him, but obviously hesitating. Remy made a show of massaging his neck, wincing a little.
    “I do have some news,” Saria said reluctantly, not looking at him directly. “Part of the reason I’m not going into the swamp is because I’m going to have a baby and I don’ want to risk a problem.”
    “Saria!” He hadn’t been expecting that. He leaned toward her, covered her hand with his.