Read Online G.T. Herren - Paige Tourneur 02 - Dead Housewives of New Orleans by G.T. Herren - Free Book Online Page B

the Sorbonne. She’d married another liquor heir— and he’d run both of their companies, amassing a staggering pile of money before he died ten years ago. Margery was one of the richest women in Louisiana, if not the richest. She gave money away in buckets to charities— over the years she’d given money to the symphony, museums, the opera, and various other non-profits ranging from the NO/AIDS Task Force to battered women’s shelters to halfway houses. Her oldest son Marvin now ran the distributorship, while her other son Ben ran the liquor company. There was a third son, who worked as an investment banker in New York. All three sons were married— Marvin lived in a gated community in English Turn on the west bank, Ben on the north shore— and had given her numerous grandchildren.
    Maybe she was just bored, I reasoned.
    My phone rang again, and Ryan’s handsome face appeared on the screen. “Hey, honey,” I answered, my heart sinking when I remembered we’d made tentative dinner plans I’d now have to cancel so I could go pay court to Margery.
    He sounded contrite. “How mad are you going to be if we don’t come into the city?”
    I grinned. “A burning fury hotter than a thousand white hot stars.”
    He laughed. “They just closed the Causeway because of wind and visibility,” he replied when he got himself under control again, “and if the causeway’s bad I can’t imagine the other bridges are any better.” The Causeway was the fastest way, but there were longer routes— highway 59 through the swamp to connect to I-10, or the twin span from Slidell over the lake— that also included bridges. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to risk it, and then I’d have to just drive the boys back over here tomorrow anyway. They’re disappointed— both are pouting like three-year-olds. I had to promise the little heathens I’d order pizza for dinner to get them to even talk to me.”
    I missed them all so much that I felt tears come up in my eyes. “I miss them, too.”
    “I’ll be back in town tomorrow night,” Ryan replied. “Shall I just plan on coming by your place so you can make it up to me?”
    “That would be delightful,” I purred back.
    “Can’t wait.” I could almost see the lascivious grin on his handsome face. “And I’ll have to figure how to get Mom to make this up to us both. I sure hope what it was she wanted was worth it.”
    “I still don’t know,” I confessed. “She wanted me to do a favor for a friend, and I won’t even know what that is until tonight.” I filled him on what had transpired since I got his mother’s phone call.
    He whistled. “The old tyrant!” He laughed to take the sting out of his words. “We really should stand up to her and say no sometime, don’t you think? She takes terrible advantage of us. I mean, what could she do to us?”
    “I for one don’t intend to ever find out,” I replied. “And if you’re smart, you won’t, either.”
    “I don’t have to worry about it— I’m the only one who gave her grandchildren.”
    My buzzer sounded, sending Skittle off my desk and up the stairs in a blur of white and orange. “That’s Venus and your brother.” I walked over to the intercom and buzzed them in. “They’re feeding me.”
    He was silent for a moment. “Wait a minute— you’re sticking your nose into their investigation
and
they’re bringing you food?”
    “I know— I’m suspicious, too.” I glanced out the kitchen windows to see the two of them maneuvering down the path with enormous umbrellas. “I’ll call you later, okay? I do miss you. And my love to the boys.” I hung up the phone and opened my front door.
    “Hey, guys,” I said.
    They both closed and shook out their umbrellas before coming inside my apartment. Blaine was carrying a greasy bag emitting delicious odors. He winked at me. “Shrimp po’boys and onion rings from Please U.”
    I almost wept with joy as I got plates and napkins from the kitchen. I