Under the Stars

“Do you know where he is?”

“Not me.” She shakes her head and tilts it toward her date. “But Armand and I ran into him about a month ago… We were in the park walking Jilly. He made some crack about Armand and I having a baby, and I told him she was Lara’s.”

Another puzzle piece clicks into place, I think, remembering how alarmed Lara had been that Gavin knew she had a baby. How panicked she was trying to figure out if he was keeping tabs on her or if one of our friends was a spy. I make a mental note to tell her after the show. Her friend Evie doesn’t always use the best judgment.

“What happened then?”

“He’s a boorish bastard.” Armand’s elegant voice cuts into our conversation. “I have no interest in his obvious attempts at friendship. It was clear he was digging for information.”

“I know.” Evie’s chin drops, and her expression is guilty. “Armand fussed at me for telling him who Jillian is.”

“It’s probably best to keep information like that off the record for now,” I say, hoping to reinforce Armand’s instincts and shut her up.

Armand’s brown eyes cut to mine. “You’re a police officer now?”

“Detective.”

His expression tightens in a way that makes me suspicious. Still, he continues. “If you’re looking for him, I know where he lives—or where he lived as of a few months ago.”

I swallow the anticipation in my throat. “Please. That would be very helpful.”

“He was on the west bank, in a c

ottage in Algiers near the docks. It’s a nice place—formerly a duplex he’s converted into a single home.”

“You think he’s there now?”

“I don’t know his hours, but it’s where he was for the longest time. He’s always been into shady dealings around the shipyards.”

Leaning back in my chair, I study Lara on the stage singing and looking like a goddess. I don’t want to leave during her show, but we fly out first thing in the morning. I hate to risk her being angry with me, but we haven’t a moment to lose.

“Evie.” I lean over the table. “I’ve got to follow up on this. Would you let Lara know what I’m doing?”

Her eyes flit from me to Armand and back. “You’re going now? But what about the show?”

“We’re leaving in the morning. I need to do this now—if you don’t mind helping me.”

“Of course I don’t!” Her eyes are wide, and she hugs Jillian close. “I love keeping the baby. It’s going to break my heart when you move away. Roland’s, too!”

She’s been dropping hints about us staying in New Orleans all afternoon, but it’s difficult to think further down the road than the enormous problem staring us in the face… A problem she knows nothing about as far as I can tell.

Lara finishes her number and announces a short break. Her eyes were on me as I talked to Evie, and I know her radar is on high alert. She’s watching for anything I might do.

The audience claps, and she does a little head bow before holding her hand out to Roland. He stands and applauds her, and she makes her way to where we sit, blue eyes lasered on mine.

“Darling!” Evie intercepts her before she makes it to me. “Your voice just gets better and better. I tell you, you’re one of the greats in the making. It’ll be Ella, Billie, Peggy, and Lara!”

“Evie.” She hugs her friend before taking Jillian out of her arms. Our baby nestles against her mother’s neck, and while she’s chatting, she never lets me out of her sight. “You’re so sweet. I’m nowhere near the same league as those great ladies.”

“Oh, but you are! Phillip is so sorry he couldn’t be here tonight. He’s on this insane deadline, and—”

My throat is tight as I watch them. I know she’s going to pin me down, and I am not letting her go with me to meet Landry. That’s where I draw the line.

“Tell him I completely understand. Now let me chat with my man before I have to get back up there.”

She grins, and gives Armand a little wave, but the minute her back is turned to them, it’s all seriousness.

“What’s going on?” She steps close to my chest, looking down and pretending to show me something with the baby.