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THERE WAS MUCH TO DISCUSS the next morning over breakfast at Francine’s. Fortune had visited Carter in the hospital early that morning and had found out that no one had been seriously hurt in the fire. The fire had started in the back of the building, and everyone had time to get out. Unfortunately, the subsequent explosion that had destroyed the McIlvaney and Pine building. The charming old craftsman house was gone, and in its place was something that looked like a blast site.
The fire had originated in the file room, and the evidence pointed to a timed device hidden in one of the boxes. Florentin Menard couldn’t yet be charged for murder, but they could charge him with arson, interfering with an investigation, malicious destruction of property, and reckless endangerment.
Carter himself was recovering well. He’d told Fortune he felt ready to return to work. Only Dr. Stewart’s strict orders prevented him from walking out on the spot.
The ladies were discussing these developments when Deputy Sheriff Kyle Breaux approached their table.
“Why, Deputy Breaux, how nice to see you.” Gertie beamed at the nervous lawman standing at the end of their table. “Will you be joining us for breakfast?”
Breaux kept his campaign hat on his head, but the way he was standing, he looked like he would rather take it off and wring it.
Fortune slid an extra chair to the end of the table and Breaux sank into it.
“Carter’s still under doctor’s orders to stay in bed,” Breaux began. “And y’all know there was that big explosion yesterday at the auditor’s office.”
“I think we did hear about something like that,” Ida Belle said.
“Well, Carter’s called around and got us a search warrant, on account of we have P.C., that’s Probable Cause, cause it looks like the fire was started in the room where the Deale Company files were. So I’m supposed to go out to Menard’s house and have a look around for incendiaries and such, but it’s a big job, and I don’t want to risk missing something, and I thought if y’all didn’t have any other plans this morning, y’all might like to come with me and help me to look. Not that this is an official invitation or nothing like that, but maybe y’all might happen by, like you did when we were searching Harriet’s apartment.”
“Does Carter know you’re asking us this?” Fortune asked.
“No,” he said quietly. “So I’d be much obliged if you’d keep it between us.”
The ladies abandoned their breakfast, each plunking down a twenty to cover the bill (which worked out to around a 100% tip). They piled into the Jeep, eagerly debating where they should look first (that they already hadn’t covered) and what kind of incendiaries and explosives Menard might have used.
When they pulled up to where Menard’s house used to be, they found Breaux standing out front.
“Looks like we have all the time in the world now,” Breaux sighed.
“Another fire,” Fortune exclaimed. “Why didn’t we hear about this?”
“It was very destructive, but it was contained quickly.”
The ladies surveyed the former house. The concrete pad was black in the center, where the fire had started. The exterior walls were the least affected and had only burned halfway down. If they hadn’t rescued Deale’s diaries on their earlier expedition, those documents would have been gone forever.
“LCFD believes it’s arson” Breaux said. “I’m inclined to agree.”
“Is Menard dead?” Gertie asked.
“Well, now, I can’t say as I know the answer to that question. But if he did come to harm, it wasn’t here. No one seems to have been injured, which is a mercy.”
“Do you think you should put out an APB, Deputy?” Fortune asked.
Breaux did not take offense.
“Yes, ma’am. Already done. At least we can be sure who the killer is now. An innocent man doesn’t burn everything down and go on the run. If he is still alive, the only thing left to do now is catch him.”