PI On A Hot Tin Roof

looked anything but pleased. Couldn’t wait to get himself first a stiff drink and then out of there, all in the space of five minutes.”
    “Well, how would you expect him to feel? Buddy was
his
age. At least.”
    “Well, you should see Warren’s wife. Still in training bras. But you can’t have it both ways—either it was some kind of arrangement or it wasn’t. Anyhow, the cases have already been settled. What’s to be gained now?”
    “The romance obviously didn’t start now. Maybe it’s some kind of payoff.”
    “What, the king offers the princess to his most faithful vassal? You’re getting medieval on me.”
    “Okay, okay. But these people aren’t like you and me. You’ve heard the LaGardes are connected, haven’t you?”
    “Mob? The LaGardes? No, I haven’t heard that.” Some things, alas, just couldn’t be looked up on the Internet.
    Jane nodded smugly. “Oh, yeah. And guess how they’re connected? Through Kristin.”
    “You’re losing me.”
    “Okay, listen. You know she was married before, right?”
    “Right. To a Daniel Truelove.”
    “The son of Patrick Truelove and Victoria Mancuso Truelove, who happens to be the granddaughter of Joseph Mancuso. Surely you’ve heard of the Mancusos?”
    Talba was flustered. “Oh, come on,” she said. “Old Joseph’s long dead.”
    “Nonetheless, he had three sons, who own half the bars in the French Quarter, and most of the video poker machines in the state. Victoria’s on the board of every one of the operative corporations.”
    Talba was about to say something, but Jane held up a finger. “Wait. And, upon graduation from Loyola Law School, young Dan joined his dad’s law firm, which represents the Mancusos.”
    “Oh.” Talba tried to digest the news, annoyed that she hadn’t thought to background Truelove. “So what do you think it means? He and Kristin are divorced.”
    “I’m working on it,” Jane said. “Now get out of here. My date’s due in ten minutes.”
    Talba grinned. “Happy hunting,” she said, and left for her own date.

Chapter 16
    The thing about the kitten was that Talba was going to rescue it whether Raisa existed or not. The kitten needed rescuing, and it was a cute little thing, and who’d notice one more at home? No problem with Miz Clara—she was already in love; Blanche and Koko were bound to be next, if worse came to worst. But she was 90 percent sure this thing with Raisa would work out, and if it did, the kid would be indebted to her forever.
    Plus, she had an ace in the hole—she was seeing Darryl that night, and Raisa wouldn’t be there. So, in the event Darryl had some major objection, it would be as if it had never happened.
    And so, with all the confidence in the world, she wrestled the cat into a cardboard box, gathered up the feline supplies, and set off for the West Bank. Everything went swimmingly until Raisa answered the door.
    Seemed her mother had had some kind of emergency.
Damn. Wish I’d known so I could have canceled,
was Talba’s first thought, but the kid was unexpectedly friendly. “Hey, you gotta see the Mardi Gras stuff. Come on, let’s look at it.” And then: “Whatcha got in the box?”
    “I brought you a present,” she said, looking guiltily at Darryl. “A kitten.” she mouthed at him, and he began shaking his head, turning, she could have sworn, slightly pale.
    But by now it was way too late. Gumbo had begun to protest the box, both vocally and physically—the animal was scratching at the top and sides of the box, finally managing to get a paw through the top.
    Raisa stood back in awe, unable to believe her good fortune. “Is it…what I think it is?” She looked anxiously at her father.
    “I think it might be,” he said, trying to recover.
    “Careful,” Talba said. “I rescued it. It’s about half wild.” She opened the box and without further ceremony, Raisa reached in and grabbed. Talba had a bad moment, terrified the animal would take the skin off the kid’s arm. Instead, it relaxed into her hand, purring loudly.
    “Oh. Daddy, look! A kitten! It’s really a kitten! I thought you said I couldn’t have one.”
    Darryl was gaining poise by the moment. “Do you think you’re old enough to take care of it?”
    “Yes!” And then, “I don’t know—how old do you have to be?”
    Gumbo struggled to get loose. Raisa let the kitten go, and immediately it began an extended inspection tour of the Boucree residence. It looked adorable, poking its