moaned. âUh-oh.â
âIâve got Mavis Sweet here in my shop . . .â
âYes?â His voice hardened slightly.
âAnyway, she has Joubertâs calendar with her. Apparently he had a meeting with Titus Duval on the exact same day the death mask in Dallas was stolen . . .â
âYes, yes,â said Babcock. âWeâre still checking out this so-called alibi.â He sounded like heâd uttered those words a million times. Probably had.
âIâm not so sure itâs an alibi,â said Carmela. She gazed at Mavis and gave what she thought was a hopeful nod. âI think it might be fact.â
Babcock snorted loudly.
Carmela took a step back, not wanting Mavis to overhear Babcockâs rather negative reaction.
âHereâs the thing,â said Carmela. âI think . . .â
âYou know what? You donât have to concern yourself with this. Weâre covered. Iâm checking it out. In fact Iâve got an entire team of detectives and uniformed officers who can check this out. So you donât have to.â
âTell me how you really feel,â said Carmela, disappointed.
âHey,â said Babcock. âIâll see you tonight. Iâm really looking forward to this theatre thing.â And with that he hung up.
Carmela put the phone down and smiled at Mavis. âTheyâre working on it,â she said, with far more assurance in her voice than she really felt.
Mavis nodded and pressed a chubby hand to her heart. She fluttered her lashes, drew a deep breath, and said, âThank you, Carmela, youâre an absolute lifesaver.â
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
Once Mavis had left the shop, the other three women pounced mightily on Carmela.
âIs Babcock being an ass?â Tandy demanded.
âHowâs the investigation
really
going?â asked Baby.
âBabcockâs working on it,â said Carmela.
âIs he doing his best?â put in Gabby.
âIâm sure he is,â said Carmela. Her mind was in a whirl and she was trying to figure out an angle or two. Then she looked at Baby and said, âBaby, do you know Titus Duval?â
âOh sure,â said Baby. âHe lives right down the street from me.â
âIn that ginormous house with those two snooty-looking stone lions out front,â said Tandy.
â
Thatâs
his house?â said Carmela. âThe one with turrets and stained glass windows?â The place wasnât just a landmark, it was a virtual castle.
âThatâs just one of his homes,â said Tandy. âHeâs got another place up River Road near Destrehan. Supposedly he bought one of the old plantations and is working to restore it to its former grandeur.â
âAnd he has a spiffy new condo in Aspen,â said Baby.
âHowâd he make so much money, anyhow?â asked Carmela.
âBusiness,â said Tandy.
âBanking,â said Baby. âAnd investing. He was big into technology stocks during the go-go â90s.â
Tandy chuckled. âI was big into go-go during the â90s.â
âIf Duval is your neighbor,â Carmela said to Baby, âthen Iâm guessing heâs been invited to your Halloween party?â
âI invite all my neighbors,â said Baby. âItâs tradition.â
âJust like your five city blocks lined with hundreds of carved, illuminated pumpkins,â said Tandy.
âAbsolutely,â said Baby. âItâs Halloween and we wouldnât have it any other way.â
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
A few minutes later, sitting alone in her office, Carmela put in a call to Ava.
âWhatâs up, sweet cheeks?â
said her friend.
âI feel all balled up. Like I stepped on a bunch of flypaper.â
âWhoa,â said Ava. âRewind the tape and give me the sordid details, please.â
âFirst I got roped