“We’re tryin’ to find out who did,” Gage said.

“Probably Dion. Robert would have gone runnin’ for his brother to fix his mess. That’s what he’s always done.”

“He’s gotten so much worse since Saria married Drake,” Gage pointed out. “I’m bettin’ he thought he’d someday wind up with her.”

Remy’s hand closed over his gun, almost a reflex action. He didn’t even realize he’d done it until he felt the familiar butt of his gun in his palm. “Over my dead body. That boy has a lot of growin’ to do before he can be with one of our women.”

Gage hesitated, and then he spoke in a rush. “You’ve got to make certain that these killin’s aren’t in any way connected to Bijou.”

Remy scowled at his brother. “What the hell are you talkin’ about? Bijou was with me last night. There is no possible way . . .”

Gage held up his hand to cut off his brother’s rising temper. “Damn, Remy, sometimes you’re as mean as a damned snake. I don’ think Bijou killed anyone, but she was there at the first scene with Saria and now this one. You just have to make certain there’s no connection.”

“There was no connection to the first four murders four years ago,” Remy snapped.

“Don’ bite my head off, Remy. She was in New Orleans four years ago. She came back for her father’s funeral. I’m just sayin’ you’re too close to this with her and aren’t considerin’ even the remote possibility. Just to be safe. Maybe she knew the other victims.”

Remy sighed. He detested that Gage was right. He couldn’t ignore any possibility, no matter how crazy it sounded. “Maybe, but she would have said.”

“Four years ago, she wasn’t thinkin’ about murder, Remy. And she hightailed it out of here the moment she buried her father. She might not have even known there was a murderer carvin’ people up.”

Remy nodded. He didn’t want to question Bijou about the murders or any of the victims. He’d already blown it with her so many times he was afraid if he kept making mistakes with her, she’d get it in her head to take off. She had enough money to go anywhere in the world and if she wanted to disappear, he had no doubt that she could make it happen.