A Private Cathedral (Dave Robicheaux 23)

“Yes,” I said.

He wiped at his chin with his thumb. “I think you did the best you could.”

“What are you not saying?” I asked.

“I’m troubled about this hooded man who has shown up in your life and Clete’s.”

“You think he’s actually an evil spirit?”

“I prefer not to,” he replied.

“Prefer?”

“Superstition has its origins in fear. Ultimately, all our problems have their origins in fear.”

“I saw the guy’s face. It looked reptilian.”

“I think this man Richetti is linked with evil forces. But they’re human, not cartoon characters out of a fable.” He held his eyes on mine. But there was a quiver in his throat.

“Thanks for listening to me,” I said.

“Don’t let them undo you. For the love of God, don’t do that.”

“Who is ‘them’?” I said.

“Take your choice,” he replied.

* * *

MY NEXT STOP was at a dirt-smudged two-story stucco house with a Spanish-tile roof on the ragged end of West Main, where Carroll LeBlanc lived in solitude except when an occasional woman or two moved in and then moved out. LeBlanc was long removed from his role as an NOPD vice cop, but I always had the sense that he kept one appendage or another in the game. He answered the door bare-chested and barefoot and wearing blue jeans. Behind him, on the sunporch, I could see a young blond woman in tight white shorts and a pink blouse chewing gum and rolling a Ping-Pong ball around on a paddle.

“It’s Saturday, Robo,” LeBlanc said. “I hope this isn’t about work.”

“Yeah, it is about work. I’m dropping the dime on myself.”

“Great. Write it up. Mail it to me. Or stick it under my office door Monday morning.”

“I need to talk to you now.”

“I’m in the middle of a Ping-Pong game.”

“Yeah, I can see that. You’re bridging the generation gap?”

“That’s my daughter,” he said.

I felt my face flush. “Sorry. I’ve got to talk to you, Carroll.”

“So talk.”

“I may have shot a child.”

“The fuck you say?” His face had drained. The string of moles under his eye loo

ked as stark as dirt on his skin.

“May I come in?” I said.

“Yeah, just keep it down. I don’t believe what you just said.”