Read Online Blood on the Bayou: A Cafferty & Quinn Novella by Heather Graham - Free Book Online
Authors: Heather Graham
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“I’ll see that Natasha gets down the block,” Billie told Quinn, standing.
They’d finally all met at Danni’s house on Royal Street. Father Ryan, Natasha, Danni, and Quinn, along with Bo Ray and Billie McDougal. Everything they all knew had been exchanged. Danni would keep researching the past murders and more about Byron Grayson’s business. Bo Ray and Billie would hold down the shop and keep their eyes and ears open. Father Ryan and Quinn were going to head back to Honey Swamp and speak to the owners of the shacks and homes around the area. First up, of course, would be Julian Henri’s old place. Easy enough—they had Julian’s permission to tear it apart, top to bottom.
“Maybe there are some secret places where the rougarou has been hiding all these years,” Bo Ray said.
“I don’t think that there is a rougarou ,” Danni said.
They all looked at her.
“You know we’ve all discovered that strange things happen in this world,” Father Ryan said.
“They find new critters all the time, animals we thought were extinct,” Billie pointed out. “Maybe such beasts have existed for years. Maybe there is something like an abominable snowman or the Loch Ness monster.”
“We do tend to believe in only what we see,” Father Ryan said. “And since my life is based on a belief in what I don’t see, I never deny the possibilities.”
“I think there’s something more than a creature that just pops up at certain times,” Danni said. “I mean, we don’t know what went on years and years ago, and people have disappeared in swamps and never been seen again many times.” She stood and gathered up a few of the paper plates they’d used for the pizza they’d ordered for dinner. “This time, I think there is a more logical answer. There’s something that we just haven’t discovered yet.”
“The two young ladies on the boat said that a rougarou was outside their window,” Natasha said. “They found blood on the balcony, the blood of the first victim. And now, there’s a man who is missing with an unidentifiable blood left all over his office.”
“I know,” Danni said. “And I don’t dispute the fact that there might be some kind of living creature that science hasn’t discovered, captured, or realized yet. I just still keep thinking back to Count D’Oro.”
“And a curse?” Father Ryan asked.
“I’m not thinking curse so much as bad human behavior,” Danni said. “Count D’Oro was a horrid person, a sick killer. He wanted Melissa DeVane. By historic accounts, she was young, beautiful, filled with vitality.”
“I get it,” Bo Ray said. “She thought he was like dung on a shoe, and that made him want to have her all the more. And she turned him down.”
“Did she make it rain? Or did it rain because it was Southern Louisiana?” Danni nodded. “The thing is, yes, all the rougarou killing came about. But the count wanted something.”
Billie frowned. “One of the victims killed is male. Another female. And, unless I don’t know everything, there was no sexual assault.”
“Not everyone is after sex,” Danni said.
“Most people,” Bo Ray assured her. “I mean, you two, you and Quinn, you’re at it—sorry, sorry. Together all the time, so you don’t realize—”
“Bo Ray,” Quinn said.
“Sorry, sorry.”
“He’s a Texan.” Father Ryan lowered his head to hide a small smile. “Texans can’t help themselves. They just say it like it is.”
Danni wagged a plastic fork at them all. “David believes that he was personally threatened with the writing in the mud. Someone wants something. Julian Henri owns some great property, if you’re into swamp tours and history. I think we’re all supposed to believe what’s happening is a throwback, and that it all has to do with a rougarou . But I don’t buy it.”
“Okay, in the morning everyone is on it,” Quinn said. “Let’s all get some sleep.
“I’ll see to Natasha,” Father Ryan said.
“I’ll see that Natasha gets down the block,” Billie told Quinn, standing.
They’d finally all met at Danni’s house on Royal Street. Father Ryan, Natasha, Danni, and Quinn, along with Bo Ray and Billie McDougal. Everything they all knew had been exchanged. Danni would keep researching the past murders and more about Byron Grayson’s business. Bo Ray and Billie would hold down the shop and keep their eyes and ears open. Father Ryan and Quinn were going to head back to Honey Swamp and speak to the owners of the shacks and homes around the area. First up, of course, would be Julian Henri’s old place. Easy enough—they had Julian’s permission to tear it apart, top to bottom.
“Maybe there are some secret places where the rougarou has been hiding all these years,” Bo Ray said.
“I don’t think that there is a rougarou ,” Danni said.
They all looked at her.
“You know we’ve all discovered that strange things happen in this world,” Father Ryan said.
“They find new critters all the time, animals we thought were extinct,” Billie pointed out. “Maybe such beasts have existed for years. Maybe there is something like an abominable snowman or the Loch Ness monster.”
“We do tend to believe in only what we see,” Father Ryan said. “And since my life is based on a belief in what I don’t see, I never deny the possibilities.”
“I think there’s something more than a creature that just pops up at certain times,” Danni said. “I mean, we don’t know what went on years and years ago, and people have disappeared in swamps and never been seen again many times.” She stood and gathered up a few of the paper plates they’d used for the pizza they’d ordered for dinner. “This time, I think there is a more logical answer. There’s something that we just haven’t discovered yet.”
“The two young ladies on the boat said that a rougarou was outside their window,” Natasha said. “They found blood on the balcony, the blood of the first victim. And now, there’s a man who is missing with an unidentifiable blood left all over his office.”
“I know,” Danni said. “And I don’t dispute the fact that there might be some kind of living creature that science hasn’t discovered, captured, or realized yet. I just still keep thinking back to Count D’Oro.”
“And a curse?” Father Ryan asked.
“I’m not thinking curse so much as bad human behavior,” Danni said. “Count D’Oro was a horrid person, a sick killer. He wanted Melissa DeVane. By historic accounts, she was young, beautiful, filled with vitality.”
“I get it,” Bo Ray said. “She thought he was like dung on a shoe, and that made him want to have her all the more. And she turned him down.”
“Did she make it rain? Or did it rain because it was Southern Louisiana?” Danni nodded. “The thing is, yes, all the rougarou killing came about. But the count wanted something.”
Billie frowned. “One of the victims killed is male. Another female. And, unless I don’t know everything, there was no sexual assault.”
“Not everyone is after sex,” Danni said.
“Most people,” Bo Ray assured her. “I mean, you two, you and Quinn, you’re at it—sorry, sorry. Together all the time, so you don’t realize—”
“Bo Ray,” Quinn said.
“Sorry, sorry.”
“He’s a Texan.” Father Ryan lowered his head to hide a small smile. “Texans can’t help themselves. They just say it like it is.”
Danni wagged a plastic fork at them all. “David believes that he was personally threatened with the writing in the mud. Someone wants something. Julian Henri owns some great property, if you’re into swamp tours and history. I think we’re all supposed to believe what’s happening is a throwback, and that it all has to do with a rougarou . But I don’t buy it.”
“Okay, in the morning everyone is on it,” Quinn said. “Let’s all get some sleep.
“I’ll see to Natasha,” Father Ryan said.
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