“On the way to Lake Charles. Penny’s little boy is with Carolyn’s mother.”
“Leave him there.”
“The mother is an invalid.”
“You’re not set up to take care of a child, Clete.”
“I hired a black lady. Now butt out.”
“Don’t do what you’re thinking about.”
“This isn’t an act of random violence. It happened in her driveway. Either Penny, Maximo Soza, JuJu Ladrine, or any combination of the three did this.”
“You can’t be sure of that.”
“Are you kidding?”
“Clete—”
“Out,” he said.
* * *
I CALLED TONY nine Ball at his office and told the secretary who I was.
“Just a moment,” she said. I looked at the second hand on my watch. Thirty-three seconds passed. “I’m sorry, he’s still in a meeting.”
“Tell him to pick up or I’ll be over there in ten minutes and shove that phone up his ass.”
One minute later, Tony was on the line. “What’d you say to my secretary?”
“Not to lie.”
“So what’s so important you got to upset people with bad language?”
“Nothing had better happen to Clete Purcel. We had a deal.”
“What deal?”
“I gave you an intro to some producers and agents. That means nobody lays a hand on Clete.”
“Those guys in Hollywood like me. Why should I be mad at Purcel or you?”
“Why wouldn’t you take my call?”
“I was indisposed. She’s leaving now. Out the back door. The best piece of ass in New Orleans. Thanks for ruining one of the few good moments in my current life.”
* * *
THREE DAYS PASSED with no word from Clete. Then I got a call from Detective Sherry Picard in the Jeff Davis Sheriff’s Department.
“What can I do for you?” I said.
“I’m at a crime scene south of Jennings. Can you come over here?”
“In our previous conversation, you told me to stay out of your jurisdiction.”
“I’m at Kevin Penny’s trailer. The coroner won’t get here for a couple of hours. I want you to see this.”