“Maybe your good buddy will prove to be innocent,” he said. “I promise you, though, whether he had anything to do with any of the murders or not, I won’t stop this time. I won’t stop until we have the truth and solid, irrefutable evidence.”

“But you’re not even a cop anymore. Or an agent of any kind.”

“No, I’m not. I’m a licensed private investigator.”

“And living in New Orleans?” she asked dryly.

“Yeah. I have family here, too.”

“Right,” she muttered. “You knew I was here. Is that why you came?”

“What?”

“Were you following me after the trial, trying to see if I’d crack or something?”

“What? No, God no! I told you, I have family here. Don’t be so...full of yourself!”

She controlled her temper and gave him an icy smile. “Right. Well, anyway, excuse me. I need to get back to work. I’m sure you do, too. Private eye, huh? Guess you’re on the big cases!” she said in a mocking tone.

He didn’t reply. He stepped back from the car.

Katie revved her engine. She’d been sitting too long.

And ridiculously, the day was still young. Well, it was about three in the afternoon, but for many in New Orleans, that was early. The French Quarter did have a nice supply of locals, but it was also a tourist-driven city.

Plenty of rides awaited her in the afternoon and early evening. And working might—hopefully—keep her mind off things she couldn’t control.

Even as she drove, heading back to Treme and the stables, she groaned aloud.

Tonight, everyone would be talking about the murders. And they’d have heard there had been an axe murderer busy in New Orleans just over a hundred years ago.

And that’s what they would all want to hear about tonight: the grisly deeds of the long-gone Axeman of New Orleans.

“Listen,” Dan said, striding back into Ryder’s office, “I—”

“I knew you’d come back,” Ryder said, sighing. “Dan, come on! I called you. Obviously, I want you involved. You’re one of the best investigators I know. But you know as well as I do that investigations demand patience, too. I have cops out in the neighborhood going door-to-door. We have the medical examiner prepping the bodies today, autopsies tomorrow, as you also know. Our forensic people are gathering everything.”

“I know. I want to make sure I am a consultant on this case. Officially.”

“I’ve asked the powers that be. Don’t go making them think you’re obsessed or personally invested, or I won’t have any luck.”

Dan frowned, taking his seat in front of Ryder’s desk again. He thought Ryder had hesitated, that he was thinking or worrying about something.

“What?” Dan demanded.