Read Online The Whispering Room by Amanda Stevens - Free Book Online

“I guess that’s why they say the wife is always the last to know.” Her tears spilled over and Evangeline handed her another tissue. “I’m sorry. This is bringing back a lot of painful memories.”
    â€œDon’t worry about it.” Evangeline fished a card from her purse and laid it on the coffee table. “Here’s my number if you think of anything else. My cell number is on the back. Call anytime, day or night.”
    â€œIn the meantime, we’ll need someone to come to the morgue to ID the body,” Mitchell informed her.
    â€œBut…you said identification was found on the body.”
    Hope springs eternal, Evangeline thought wearily. “A positive ID is just routine procedure. If you’re not up to it, we can talk to another family member.”
    Meredith winced at the suggestion. “Oh, no, please don’t call his mother. Not until I’ve had a chance to break it to her first. This is going to kill her.”
    â€œI understand.”
    â€œIt’s just…it hasn’t even been a year since she lost her other son. Paul’s younger brother.”
    â€œI’m so sorry,” Evangeline said.
    â€œIt was such a horrible accident and poor Leona…she’s never gotten over it. None of us have. I still have nightmares about it.”
    â€œWhat kind of accident was it?” Mitchell asked.
    â€œPaul’s family has a fishing cabin on the bayou near Houma. David took the boat out alone one day last summer and he must have hit something in the water. The boat overturned and he was…” She trailed off on a violent shudder.
    â€œHe drowned?”
    She shook her head and put a hand to her throat. “It was like one of those terrible things you hear about but don’t really believe. An urban legend or something. The water where David fell in was infested with water moccasins. He was bitten over a dozen times before he could swim to the bank.”

Six
    A few moments later, Mitchell put voice to his skepticism as they pulled away from the Courtland home.
    â€œI’m telling you, Evie, this case is starting to give me the creeps.”
    â€œNo kidding.”
    â€œWhat are the chances that two brothers dying of snakebites within months of each other could turn out to be just some bizarre coincidence?”
    â€œIn my professional opinion? Slim to none.”
    Mitchell was driving this time and Evangeline turned to glance back at the house. She couldn’t get Meredith Courtland out of her mind. Now that her husband was dead, their separation would haunt her even more. She’d find herself constantly wondering about the what-ifs and the what-might-have-beens if they’d stayed together.
    Evangeline knew all about those games and how they could creep up on you in the middle of the night. How they could undermine your memories, make you think of all the stupid little things you should have done differently, all the petty arguments you wished you could take back. She knew firsthand how all that blame could wear you down night after night, month after month, until you had nothing left but regrets.
    Mitchell looked at her. “I’m wondering if someone’s been playing around with the goofer dust.”
    â€œThe what?”
    â€œYou know, graveyard dirt. Zombie powder. The Brothers Courtland may have crossed someone dabbling in something a little heavier than the practice of law.”
    â€œLike voodoo?”
    â€œVoodoo. Hoodoo. Conjure.” He scowled at the road. “A lot of names for the same crazy-ass mumbo jumbo.”
    â€œYeah, I admit the snake angle is freaky. And pretty damn messed-up. But my money is still on Sonny Betts. He’s involved in this somehow, we just have to find the link. I say we pay him a visit, rattle his cage a little. See what falls out.”
    Mitchell rubbed the side of his nose with his index finger. “You know, a lot of guys like Betts are into