“Axel is taking us to George’s hotel on Canal. Easy walking distance to my house. We’ll see George and then get my car for anything else we’re going to try to accomplish today.”

Axel dropped them off. “I’m on to see the fortune-teller who works the square and who is certain that the number six is coming and we all need to repent. I’ll let you know if it’s anything or if we should see her together,” he added to Dan.

Dan nodded. They headed into the hotel. It was a nice place. Katie had always liked it; though, if she knew people were coming for something other than a convention, she liked to suggest the independent NOLA hotels. They tended to be historic, charming and unique.

But George’s choice of hotel on Canal had been a good one: a large lobby offered plenty of room for people to sit and chat, and the nearby bar and coffee corner allowed for either libation that might be the right thing. She headed to a housephone to let George know they were there. He asked if they wanted to head up or him to come down. Then he suggested the restaurant in the hotel; he didn’t want to go out.

He’d come to feel safe there.

They met him in the restaurant. Katie wasn’t hungry. She was pretty sure she’d eaten quite enough at Coffee Science, but she decided to pick at an appetizer to share with Dan.

George ordered a hearty late lunch/early dinner, and when their waiter had gone to put in their orders, he leaned low and asked anxiously, “Have we learned anything?”

“Maybe.”

“There was an exodus out of the hotel this morning. Lots of people are leaving the city,” George said.

“And many will stay...and/or hurry back,” Katie said.

“You knew Lou Delaney and his wife—and Katie—for years, right?” Dan asked.

“I met Katie’s parents when they moved to Florida, before Katie was born. We all...well, we all loved a lot of the same things. I was in the navy, too, way back. Not career, but I did my time. We loved boats, diving...all kinds of things about the water. And then, of course, sun and sand. Resting under swaying palms while the water lapped on the shore. That kind of thing. Even the study of sharks,” George said. He winced. “We actually met in a chat room—old navy guys—before we met in person. Why?”

“Did Lou talk to you about the time he came up here to help Jeremy after the storm?”