Arnaud paused for a moment and looked at her, cocking his head to one side and then slowly shaking it. “I’m a better climber, Bijou. You’re not going up that wall. It’s very unstable. I wouldn’t be trying it if I thought someone would come along and rescue us. And I don’t want to chance that madman coming back for another try at us.”

A sudden thought occurred to her. “Arnaud. What if that was the killer and we interrupted him? Or he wanted to make certain there were no witnesses. If you go up there and he’s in the middle of murderin’ someone, he’ll have to kill you.”

A hint of a smile teased Arnaud’s mouth. “You’re a funny girl, Bijou. I’ve never met anyone else like you. I suppose we could spend the night here, fighting off alligators.”

Bijou grinned at him. “I’m from the bayou, my friend. We’ll be eatin’ one of those gators if they come around.” The smile faded. “Let’s just wait another hour before you try it.”

He glanced at the sky. “Okay. But only an hour. I’m not going to be on this ledge after dark.”

* * *

REMY glanced at his watch and once more called Bijou on his cell phone, swearing under his breath repeatedly. He’d looked for her at the Inn. Talked to Saria, and just about everyone else, and no one had seen her. Her car was gone, but she hadn’t packed up her things.

“Blue,” he whispered aloud between his teeth. “Where the hell are you?”

She had a show to do. She was too much of a professional to miss it. She just wouldn’t do that, but she hadn’t come to the rehearsal and no band member had heard from her all day, which, according to them, was unlike her.

He stood still there in the street, staring at the club across from him. He’d harassed the band members, the bartender and three waitresses. Who was left? Saria hadn’t seen or talked to her. He’d made Saria call her twice, just in case she wasn’t answering him, but Bijou hadn’t picked up. Okay, he’d even called Gage and asked him to have the sheriffs patrolling to keep a look out for her car.

His leopard was as uneasy as he was, close to the surface, raking a bit for freedom—and maybe that wasn’t a bad idea. Maybe his leopard could find her when he—with all his resources—couldn’t.

“Remy, get the hell out of the street,” Gage called.

Remy swung around abruptly, hope surging. “Did you locate her?” He crossed the street to his brother in several long strides. More and more the feeling of urgency was on him. He couldn’t shake that she was in trouble.