Rue Toulouse (32 page)

“Caterine Doucette, what is the meaning of this?” Miss Dauphine demanded, poised in the open doorway.

Caterine froze, her hands raised for another onslaught against Remi’s back.
Oh God, tell me this isn’t happening.
She heard Remi curse under his breath as he placed her back on her feet. Attempting to look calm and composed, Caterine brushed her hair from her face and turned to confront her outraged grandmother. Sending up a silent prayer for help, she plastered a smile on her face. “Grandmère, how nice to see you. We weren’t expecting you.”

Miss Dauphine glared. “Obviously not.” Her eyes moved from Caterine to Remi, then up the stairs to where Paul and Ray stood, and back to Caterine.

“I haven’t heard from you, Caterine, so I tried Mr. Michaud’s cell phone and got his recorded message. So I decided to stop by and see if Paul had any news he might wish to share with me.”

“Well, actually Grandmère, we’ve been discussing a plan that may lead to apprehending my assailant.”

“I’m glad to hear there’s been at least something productive occurring here. Before you enlighten me on this progress, perhaps you might retire to the ladies’ powder room and attend to your disheveled appearance. But first, pray do tell me, what it is exactly that you’re wearing?”

Caterine grimaced as she looked down at her fashionably torn faded jeans and tie-dyed dancing crawfish T-shirt. “It’s part of my disguise, Grandmère.”

“I see.” Miss Dauphine sniffed. “Well, it’s certainly an effective disguise. I thought perhaps you were in costume for Mardi Gras.” Miss Dauphine turned and addressed Thomas. “I shouldn’t be long. Perhaps you could get yourself a cup of coffee while you’re waiting.”

Thomas nodded. “Fine, m’am. There’s a café up the street. If I’m not back when you’re ready to leave, Paul or one of these young men can come get me.”

Miss Dauphine turned back to Caterine. “I’ll go up now and find out why Raymond is also here. I expect to see you shortly.”

“I’ll stay here and wait for Caterine,” Remi said.

Miss Dauphine’s lips formed a thin line. “I have no idea what that unfortunate imbroglio I just witnessed was about, Mr. Michaud, but I do not wish to ever see my granddaughter put in such an undignified position again. Am I clear?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Arms folded, Remi leaned against the mahogany newel post at the foot of the stairs, waiting for Caterine to come out of the bathroom.

She stopped in front of him. “Of all people to walk in at that moment, it had to be Grandmère.”

“You’re lucky Paul owns the building and it was only Miss Dauphine who got to witness your performance.”

Caterine bristled. “My performance? It wasn’t me, Remi, doing a ‘me caveman, you woman’ routine.”

He smiled. “The next time, Princess, I’ll make sure your bottom is bare when I do that.”

She narrowed her eyes. “There had better not be a next time. I don’t appreciate being manhandled, and I won’t put up with it.”

“Yeah, well, it seemed the only way to stop your tantrum.”

She stomped her foot. “I was not having a tantrum.”

“No,
cher
? What would you call it?”

“I call it utter exasperation caused by dealing with three overbearing men.”

“Three men who only want to keep you safe and alive. And if that’s being overbearing, then so be it.”

Tired of arguing with him, Caterine hoped he’d listen to reason. “If there’s a chance to flush out my attacker at the Mardi Gras party, I’m willing to take a risk. I realize there’s some danger and I understand your concern, but please try and see my side in this. I want this to be over and my life back to normal. I want to be able to go back to work at Ma Chérie. I want to be able to go out in public dressed as Caterine Doucette. I want to be able to see my friends and attend parties and functions. But most of all, I want you and me to be able to begin a relationship without this hanging over our heads, controlling our lives.”

He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. “Princess, I hear what you’re saying, and I want to be the one who makes this evil all go away and gives you your life back, but I want to accomplish that without putting you in danger. Caterine, if something were to go wrong at the Mardi Gras party and you were killed, they might as well kill me, too.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “If we plan this right and don’t take any unnecessary chances, I know it will work. Please.” She kissed him. “
Please?
” She kissed him a little harder. “At least let’s try and figure out a way where no one will get hurt, and we can put an end to this.” She kissed him long and passionately. “What do you say?” she asked when they came up for air.

He grinned. “I say you’ve made a good start, but it’s going to take more than a few hot kisses to convince me.”

She grinned back. “Such as?”

Remi’s teasing grin turned pure devil. “Such as . . .” He bent to whisper in her ear.

Her pulse quickened as he explicitly described his request.

“So will you do that for me, Princess?” He nibbled her earlobe.

“Ah, excuse me you two, but Miss Dauphine is wondering what’s taking so long?” Paul called down the stairs.

“Damn,” Remi swore, pulling away. “You’d better go up first. We don’t want Miss Dauphine to see the condition I’m in.”

She laughed at the distinct outline of his erection visible through his jeans. “I should guess not. I’ll tell her you’re on the phone.”

“There you are,” Miss Dauphine said as Caterine entered Paul’s office. “Please be seated.” She indicated the chair Ray had vacated next to her. “Raymond has just concluded informing me of the latest scandal Randal, Charlotte, and Markus have managed to bring upon this family. Now I wish to hear how all this idiocy involves you.”

“Well, Grandmère, it all boils down to the ownership and subsequent sale of Ma Chérie. Randal needs the money to pay Rivette off and maintain control of the High Roller, and to pay back the money he and Uncle Markus took out of Doucette Shipping. Charlotte needs to pay off her cocaine and any other debts she owes Rivette.”

“I don’t understand. How did they intend to obtain Ma Chérie before I handed it over to you?”

Caterine shrugged. “Supposedly Uncle Markus was convinced he could persuade you to retire and let Charlotte take charge. You threw a wrench in their plans when you gave it to me instead.”

“Have they all lost what intelligence they had?”

“They’re desperate, Grandmère,” Ray said. “And desperate people do stupid things.”

“I’ll put a stop to this nonsense this very evening. I’ll inform them I know of this plan and that hurting Caterine will not get them Ma Chérie. As far as I can tell, all that needs to be done is for Caterine to stay out of sight until after Mardi Gras when this Rivette person takes control of Randal’s boat. Then the sale of Ma Chérie will be a moot point. At that time, Charlotte will be sent to a private clinic in Europe to overcome her addiction. And that will put an end to all of this.”

“That may take care of the immediate problem,” Caterine said, “but we still won’t know if there’s someone living under your roof who tried to have me killed. And even though Randal can be an incredible ass, if he wasn’t involved in my attack, he doesn’t deserve to lose the riverboat to a criminal.”

Remi entered the room and leaned against the table, his arms crossed over his chest. “Miss Dauphine, Caterine wants to use herself as bait during the Doucette Mardi Gras party to draw this person out.”

Caterine jerked her head around. “Remi, don’t,” she commanded through gritted teeth.

“If we decide to try this harebrained idea of yours, your grandmother has to be told exactly how we’re going to pull it off.”

Miss Dauphine held up her hand forestalling Caterine’s reply. “I’d like to hear this plan. Please explain it to me, Mr. Michaud.”

Remi smiled. “Well, that’s our first problem. We don’t actually have a coherent plan. Caterine thinks if it is known she’s back in town and will be attending the party, the assassin will show up, then proceed to waltz up to her and attempt to murder her. But before this ghastly deed can be completed, either myself or one of our undercover operatives stationed around the ballroom will rush in just in the nick of time to vanquish the villain and rescue the Princess.”

Miss Dauphine gave Remi a slight smile. “I get the impression you’re not greatly enamored of this plan of Caterine’s.”

“As far as I’m concerned, this idea is a recipe for disaster.”

When Caterine opened her mouth to speak, Remi cut her off.

“But if Caterine is determined to go through with it, I’ll do my damnedest to make it work.”

“Raymond, Paul, what do you think of this scheme?” Miss Dauphine asked. “Is Mr. Michaud correct that this has potential for disaster? I must say I have my own concerns about placing Caterine in such a situation.”

“Grandmère, I know there’s some risk involved in this, but as I told Remi, in spite of his dire predictions I’m willing to take a chance. I want this over and my normal life back.”

“Miss Dauphine, I’m not going to lie to you. There’s a certain amount of risk involved if we expose Caterine this way,” Paul said. “But if we plan it properly and Caterine does exactly as she’s asked, it just might work.”

Remi snorted. “Now there’s a perfect example of how this could go wrong, expecting Caterine to do as she’s told.”

Caterine gave Remi a strained smile. “If I feel what I’ve been asked to do seems both sensible and logical, I’m more than happy to comply.”

Again Remi snorted. “Is that so, Princess? You’d damn well better this time, because your life is going to depend on it.”

Miss Dauphine cleared her throat. “Raymond, I haven’t heard your opinion.”

Ray stood staring down at Magazine Street. “Grandmère, I empathize with Caterine wanting to see an end to this. On the other hand, I understand Remi’s concern for her safety. I suppose if Caterine is willing to put herself in danger, the least we can do is help her catch this person, no matter who it turns out to be.”

Caterine stood and went over to Ray and placed her hand on his arm. “I know what you’re thinking and what you fear. What if this person we’re after turns out to be your twin brother? I know it wasn’t Randal who held that gun to my back that night, and if it turns out that he hired that man, then we’ll try to make sure he receives the help he needs.”

Ray turned, sorrow filling his eyes. “And if it’s Charlotte? Then what?”

“Then we’ll try to get her help as well.”

Miss Dauphine got to her feet. “Caterine, if you’re sure you wish to go through with this idea, and Paul and Mr. Michaud come up with a plan which will minimize the danger, I agree that we need to put an end to this. I expect to be kept informed of the final decision. Raymond, I wish to speak with you privately. I’ll send Thomas home with my car and you can escort me home in yours.”

“Grandmère, I’ll be back at Ma Chérie tomorrow morning,” Caterine said. “So you need not come in.”

Remi gritted his teeth. “What are you talking about now, Caterine?”

“If we’re going to let it be known I’m back in New Orleans, what better way than for me to show up at Ma Chérie? And before you list all your objections, hear me out. You can take me to work and pick me up. I promise I will not leave the store for any reason. There isn’t a better way to let my family know I’m back and planning to attend the ball than by way of Aunt Frances and Aunt Hyacinth. Besides, wouldn’t you think it will take a couple of days for my attacker to be notified and their own plans made?”

Remi scowled. “What if you’re left alone in the store?”

“Mr. Michaud, if it will make you more at ease with Caterine coming into Ma Chérie tomorrow, I can assure you I will be there as well and will not leave her side,” Miss Dauphine said.

“That certainly eases my mind,” Remi mumbled under his breath as Caterine walked Ray and her grandmother to the door. “Then if they get their shit together quickly enough, they can kill both of you at the same time.”

Chapter Thirty-One

“It seems we have four days to decide on how we’re going to catch a killer while keeping Caterine safe,” Paul said once he and Remi were alone in his office.

“Make that three days,” Remi corrected. “I promised Caterine I’d take her to my family's crawfish boil on Saturday.”

Paul smiled. “And you don’t want to disappoint the lady.”

“She told me she’s never eaten fried catfish or been to a crawfish boil.”

Paul shrugged. “That doesn’t surprise me. She wouldn’t have ever been exposed to that type of food.”

“She lit up like a Mardi Gras parade when I told her I’d take her. And I wouldn’t want to disappoint her. So we’d better get to work. I’ll call my cousin and see if he has Caterine’s car. If so, I’ll go over there and dust it for prints.”

“Okay, while you’re doing that I’ll call Vince and see how many additional men we can line up. Since this is going down on Mardi Gras night, it’s going to be damn near impossible to get a lot of help.”

“I hear you. That’s why I’m not only going to my family crawfish boil to make Caterine happy, I’m going to recruit as many of my relatives as I can.”

“Then the bastard isn’t going to know what hit him.”