Part 24 (1/2)
Derrick grinned, then delivered her beer and an envelope of photos.
She accepted the photos, sipped the beer, and started through the pictures. She felt a small sense of loss, a maternal surge-and a chill.
She'd found the right guy-decent, cute, employed, all the right things.
Her business was a success. She could settle down and get married.
If she could just quit having erotic dreams about a stranger who had come and gone from her life in a night of pure terror.
Derrick finished refilling drinks along the bar and returned to her, grinning.
”What do you think of the baby's Halloween costume?”
”An infant werewolf. Perfect.”
”He's so adorable. Great eyes. The folks are always calling him Wolfy, so we thought a werewolf costume would be just the thing.”
”Didn't catch any of the new Disney flicks this year, huh?” she inquired politely.
He grinned. ”I did, but what boy wants to be a little do-gooder?”
She shrugged. ”I guess the evil do have more fun.”
”Did you see Addie? She wanted to be a princess. Sally made that costume.”
”Addie is the perfect little princess. Tell Sally I said the costume is beautiful. And your kids are beautiful, too.”
He grinned. ”Thanks. Thanks, a lot, Jade. Hey, how about you? Where is that copy you're dating? The two of you are like the A-plus gene bank. When are you going to start procreating, huh?”
”We're not married, Derrick. Not even engaged.”
”Don't have to be, Jade. Don't you remember Human s.e.xuality? I think it was tenth grade.”
”Funny, funny. Don't you remember Sister Ann Marie? She was the nun who wasn't supposed to teach us all about birth control-but did.”
”Yeah. Cool lady.”
”She was.”
”Okay, so you're going to get married. Great. I love a good wedding.”
”And I promise, when I'm going to have one, you'll be among the first to know!”
He grinned. ”Cool-whoops, excuse me, Jade. Got a tour group coming in here.”
”A tour group? I didn't know you were on that circuit!”
”I'm not, except that there are a lot of small companies out there right now-Halloween season, you know? Extra people working- cas.h.i.+ng in on extra bucks.”
He left her.
She continued to sip her beer, looking at the pictures.
The tour had crowded into the bar. She knew that, during the Civil War, the lady of the house had hanged herself in an upstairs room after someone in New Orleans spilled the beans about her liaison with a Union soldier.
The tour guide was telling the story.
At first, she was just aware of the drone of his voice. Then she became aware that...
He sounded slightly familiar. There was a roll to his Hs. ...
She spun around. The tour group was leaving the bar. A half dozen stragglers were blocking the exit She could see the guide ahead. He was dressed in a black cape. Her heart thundered. Lots of guides wore black Dracula capes in New Orleans. This was Anne Rice's city.
Lestat's town.
But lots of guides didn't necessarily have Scottish accents.
He was ahead, far ahead.
She started running along the street, terrified but determined. She was jostled into a group of costumed revelers, coming from or going to an early Halloween party.
”Sorry!”
”Sorry!”
”Sorry!”
She was pa.s.sed from a white rabbit to a Tin Man and on to a dancing pack of cigarettes.
”It's all right, it's all right, excuse me ...”
She kept running. A three-man band blocked her way. She sidestepped them.
On Bourbon Street the crowd became fierce. She ran, pus.h.i.+ng and shoving, trying to keep up.
She reached a man wearing a black cape. She caught his arm, whirled him around.
His face was lined with weariness. His hair was gray; his eyes were powdery blue. She had never seen him before.
”Sorry!” she said softly.
He nodded and walked on.
She stood still in the middle of the street, feeling the rush of humanity go past her, hearing laughter and music and feeling as if it were all pa.s.sing over her, by her.
Then the street seemed empty before her.