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THE EXPLOSION OF GUNFIRE rang in my ears. Carter tackled me at some point. His body was flush against mine. “Stay down!”
“They need me!” I wiggled free of Carter’s grip only to land inches away from Ida Belle’s ugly boots.
Her hand was inches from my face within seconds. “That’s a joke, right?”
I hurriedly accepted the gesture as my only means of escape. “Are you okay?”
“We’re fine, dear.” Gertie rounded the corner.
Ida Belle cocked her head. “How are you, Deputy?”
Carter said, “I told Walter this was a bad idea.”
“Don’t blame Walter.” Ida Belle held up her store keys. “I offered to take down the decorations.”
“He’ll think twice before he accepts your help in the future.”
“Poor Walter,” I said, silently assessing the damages. “This will cost him a fortune.”
We made our way to the deceased and peered over his body like looming cartoon characters. No one checked for a pulse. The set eyes gave away the assassin’s condition.
“Thank goodness Walter has insurance.” Ida Belle kicked the corpse’s foot. “Was it worth it, big guy?”
“I ask myself the same thing every single morning.” Walter stepped over the broken door and made a beeline for Ida Belle. Given his march, I held my breath, certain I would finally witness the man’s wrath. Instead, he looked at her with appreciation and love. “And every morning it’s always the same. I wouldn’t do this for anyone else.”
A collective sigh fell to the room. We were in the clear.
Walter held out his hand. “I’d like my key back.” He shot her a lopsided smile. “Not that I need it anymore.”
Gertie picked up a few costume kit boxes. She and Ida Belle nodded at one another before Ida Belle said, “You’ll need it. Come on girls, we have a Halloween event to plan.”
“Not so fast,” Carter said, stepping in front of us. “I’ll need a formal statement.”
“It can wait,” I said, fluttering my eyelashes. I’d watched Ida Belle enough to know that feminine wiles went a long way.
“No it can’t.” He squatted next to the victim. “We need to find out if Hamburg was working with anyone else.”
“Doesn’t matter if he was or wasn’t,” Ida Belle said. “Eventually, trouble will arrive.”
“Summons the devil and the devil will come.” Gertie pointed at their archrival Celia Arceneaux, now jogging across the street. “Walter, since you have a way with difficult women, she’s all yours.”
Ida Belle and Gertie left. I turned to Walter, prepared to apologize. Before I could say anything, he put up his hand to stop me. “It’s what we do, Fortune.”
“Walter!” Celia jabbed her finger at the ground. “I want you to look at this place! The Louisiana Garden and Tonic Club will visit tomorrow and you’ve made Sinful look like a junkyard. Just what do you have to say for yourself?”
“I was about to ask you the same thing.” He turned to Carter. “Did you call Sheriff Lee?”
“He’s on his way. You go take care of the living. I’ll see to the dead.”
“That’s why I like having a nephew on the local police force. I always end up with the best deal.”
Carter winked at me. “Not always, Uncle Walter. Not always.”