Remy kept glancing back at Bijou huddled in the backseat. She didn’t say another word, but stared out the window, her face set. Sad. Thoughtful. He was certain he was right about Bob Carson—that the night he’d interrupted them in the hotel so many years ago, the man had intended she die there. It made sense. If Carson believed Bijou and her mother had pushed Carson and his mother from Bodrie’s life, he would certainly want her out of the way.

He made a mental note to check on what happened to Carson’s mother and where they’d lived during the years they’d been away from Bodrie’s mansion. He glanced again into the rearview mirror. He should have been gentler with Bijou. She’d been through hell. She looked as if she had smudges under her eyes. and he winced a little when he saw the faint bruising along her neck. The rake marks on her arm could only have been put there by a leopard. He suspected she’d done that to herself without realizing what happened.

Saria was outside waiting when the sheriff’s car pulled up. She rushed to the door, yanking it open. “What happened to you?” Saria demanded, her voice filled with concern.

Bijou blinked back unexpected tears she hadn’t known were so close. Clearly her emotions were far rawer than she’d realized. She attempted a small smile. “Remy pushed me into the bayou.”

Saria glared at her brother. Remy backed up a step and held up both hands in surrender.

“She went swimmin’ on her own. She must have gotten all hot and bothered thinkin’ about me,” Remy said hastily.

Bijou rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that was it. I’m sorry about the room, Saria.”

“My brother can be sorry about the room, not you,” Saria said, shooting another glare at Remy.

“What happened to the room?” Gage asked with a deliberate drawl.

Bijou felt color creeping up her neck and throat. “I have to get ready for my performance tonight, Saria. I’ll scrub the shower when I get back. Do you have a trash bag so I can throw away these clothes?”

“Go away, Gage,” Remy ordered. “And I mean right now.”

“Thanks for taking Arnaud to his hotel,” Bijou said as she turned to enter the Inn.

“No problem, although I think he stank more than you do,” Gage replied with a wink.

“He was underwater a lot longer. He was trapped, and I had to cut him loose,” Bijou admitted. “We were lucky neither of us drowned.”

Remy frowned at her. “What do you mean you nearly drowned? What the hell happened? I thought you bailed when the SUV went over the bank.”

Saria looked horrified. “Bijou, how awful. I’ll make some tea. You take a shower and I’ll have it ready for you.”

“Answer me,” Remy insisted, catching Bijou’s arm before she could step inside.