Raissa, Maryse, and Mildred sat in Mildred’s office, all looking at Helena, waiting for the bomb to drop. Helena stared back at them in disbelief, her mind not even capable of processing the information they’d dumped on her.
“But that’s not possible,” Helena said finally, looking far more pale than even a ghost should appear. “I gave birth to Hank. I know he’s my son. Giving birth’s not the sort of thing you forget all that easily.”
“We’re not doubting that part,” Maryse said. “But your blood types are completely off. There’s simply no way you and Harold could have produced Hank.”
Helena’s eyes widened. “I never cheated on Harold. It was Harold who made a habit of running around. Hell, I should have cheated on Harold, but I didn’t, I swear. In fact, I hate to admit it now that I’m dead and don’t even have a chance at another go, but Harold’s the only man I’ve ever slept with.”
Raissa glanced at Maryse and Mildred, who were both grimacing. It was pretty horrific, if one knew Harold Henry. And very, very sad. “There has to be an explanation,” Raissa said.
Helena shook her head. “I can’t imagine what. Are you sure, Maryse?”
Maryse nodded. “I double-checked with the doctors I’m working with in New Orleans, just to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything about blood types. They all said it’s not possible for a combination of your and Harold’s blood types to produce Hank.”
Helena stared at her, a lost look on her face. “I don’t understand. Hank was my miracle baby. I’d had problems, cysts removed, and Dr. Breaux said it was unlikely I’d be able to get pregnant. When I got pregnant with Hank, I was so surprised and excited. And now you tell me he’s not even my son. I know he’s done a lot of things wrong, but I still love him. What could have happened?”
“I’m so sorry, Helena,” Maryse said. “The only thing we can think of is that someone mixed the babies up at the hospital.”
“But then…oh God…that means my real baby is wandering around somewhere out there, and I never knew him.” Helena looked ready to cry. Maryse looked over at Raissa, the plea for help written all over her face.
Raissa took the cue and stepped in. “Are you certain you gave birth to a boy?”
“Yes,” Helena said. “I remember the doctor saying so as soon as he came out, and Harold grinning like an idiot. Probably the only damned time the man was happy.”
“That helps,” Raissa said. “I’m going to do a little computer work and see what other male births happened at the hospital at the same time. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
Maryse bit her lip and nodded. “I’m really sorry we had to tell you. I guess we were hoping there was some logical explanation.”
“Like my having an affair?” Helena asked. “That’s a great thing to think about a person.”
“It’s not like anyone who’s ever met Harold would blame you,” Maryse pointed out.
“That’s true,” Helena allowed. “I don’t know what to make of all of this. First, I wind up killed. Then I find myself wandering around the earth and causing trouble most everywhere I go, and now you tell me the baby I raised isn’t even my biological child. I guess that should relieve me some, given how he turned out, but it’s just sorta sad.”
Maryse blew out a breath. “I know he’s done some bad things in the past, but Hank is getting better and he’s still your son, Helena, no matter what the tests say. No one can take that away from either of you.”
Helena rose from her chair and nodded. “I guess not,” she said, and walked through the exterior wall of the hotel.
“That went well,” Maryse said. “This sucks.”
Mildred nodded. “It’s a very odd and hurtful situation, but you were right to tell her. She’ll come around in a bit. I imagine this is a shocking blow, on top of everything else.”
“What else is there?” Raissa asked. “I mean, besides being murdered and roaming the earth, then finding out your child isn’t yours?”
“Helena was dying,” Maryse said. “The autopsy showed cancer all over her lungs and a rare form of leukemia.
Raissa frowned. “Why didn’t she tell anyone?”
“She didn’t know. Apparently, her symptoms were very mild and confused with her asthma. No one thought anything of it, including Helena. It’s weird, but not impossible, according to the scientists I talked to.”
“That is a lot to absorb, especially on top of being dead and still here.”
“I know you’ve probably got things to do today,” Maryse said to Raissa, “but do you mind meeting me for breakfast tomorrow morning? I’ve asked Dr. Breaux for coffee. I thought maybe he’d be able to shed some light on some of this…or not. But he was Helena’s doctor and he did deliver Hank. I figure if anyone’s going to be perturbed enough by all this to dig into it, Dr. Breaux will.”
Raissa nodded. Whatever happened to their normal lives?
“There’s something else,” Maryse said, and bit her bottom lip. “Hank called me yesterday and again this morning in a panic. I didn’t get a chance to tell you this last night, because I didn’t hear you come in, and afterward…well, I figured you had your hands full, or I hoped you did…”
“No such luck,” Raissa said. “Electrocution tends to lower the libido.”
Mildred started chuckling and Maryse flushed red. “Oh, shit. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin your night.”
Raissa waved a hand in dismissal. “You didn’t. It was going to be ruined anyway as soon as he found out the truth. That’s not exactly an erotic teaser. So what did Hank have to say?”
“He said one of Sonny’s guys was at the construction site hassling him. Sonny knows you’re gone, and the guy was pushing Hank to see if he warned you off.”
“Shit. I hope my leaving doesn’t put Hank in a bad position.”
“Hank said he can handle himself, but he wanted to make sure you knew they were looking for you. I guess I’m hoping they’ll think the FBI got to you, but that’s probably too much to ask, right?”
Raissa sighed. “Since the FBI agent assigned to bring me in was parked outside my shop all last night and thinks banging on my door is the way to locate me, then yeah, it’s too much to ask. Sonny’s men only need a glance at Fields to know he’s a fed. They probably already know Fields doesn’t have me. I’m sure they were watching my shop if they know I didn’t go home last night.”
“Sonny knows you’re friends with Sabine and me. They’re going to look here next.” Maryse looked over at Mildred, who nodded. “Mildred and I don’t think you should open Sabine’s store. You’ll be on the other side of a plate-glass window. Might as well be a sitting duck. They’ll know you’re here, and it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out where you’re staying once they find Sabine’s apartment empty.”
Raissa nodded. “Or just sit at the end of the street and watch me walk to the hotel. I know they’ll find me, but I can’t back out on Sabine.”
“Sabine wouldn’t want you to do this,” Mildred said. “I promise you that. If Sabine knew how this was going, she’d be on the first plane back.”
Raissa shook her head. “It’s really something, you know? Here I thought all these years I was hiding from life and people, trying to keep my distance, and I end up with the best friends a person could ever ask for. You guys are truly amazing.”
A flush crept up Mildred’s neck and onto her face. Maryse nodded. “I agree. We are amazing.”
Mildred tapped Maryse’s leg with her hand. “Stop bragging. I’m the only one who can brag about my girls.” She looked over at Raissa. “Think about it, please. Maryse can sit in that store, same as you, although I shudder to think what she’d make of reading tea leaves or whatever else you do. The appointments can wait. Sabine is only gone a few days and her regulars already know that.”
“Okay,” Raissa agreed. “Maryse can store-sit, but that doesn’t mean I’m hiding out here like a thief.”
“I was afraid you were going to say that,” Maryse said. “I suppose you’re going to do some snooping?”
“This may be my last chance to catch a kidnapper, and time is running out. In five days, Melissa Franco will likely be returned to her parents with no memory of what happened. I can’t let him get away with it again.”
“Have you heard anything from Sonny’s house that can help?”
“I wish. He was only in his office for ten minutes or so this morning, and I could only hear typing. I’ll keep checking, though. He’s bound to talk to someone sooner or later.”
“Do me a favor,” Maryse said. “I know she’s sorta a pain, but take Helena with you. There’s a lot of advantage to having a lookout that no one else can see. And even though things don’t always turn out so great when Helena’s involved, they could have been worse if she hadn’t been there.” Maryse looked around and lowered her voice. “But don’t you dare tell her I said that.”
Raissa smiled. “My lips are sealed. But I need to find her first.”
“She’ll probably be sitting on the dock at her house,” Maryse said. “She goes there when she needs to think.”
“And we’ve given her plenty to think about this morning.” Raissa frowned. “Speaking of which, if a stupid man in a well-pressed suit comes around here asking for me or Sabine, that’s Agent Fields. I half expected him to turn up last night, but he probably thought Mudbug would have dirt roads and it would mar the paint of his pristine car. He’ll be here today, though. He won’t have a choice.”
“He won’t get anything out of us,” Mildred said.
“Actually, I want you to tell him that Sabine is on her honeymoon. Likely he’ll leave as soon as he hears Sabine’s not home.”
“Then we’ll be sure he gets the message,” Mildred said. “In the meantime, I took the liberty of parking your car in the garage behind the hotel, and pulled mine up front. I figured it wouldn’t do for them to see your car parked here.”
Raissa nodded. “I figured as much when we raced in here last night and I didn’t see it out front. Thanks, Mildred. You’re getting good at this cloak-and-dagger stuff.”
Mildred sighed. “I’ll just be happy when I can get back to running my hotel and pestering Sabine and Maryse for grandchildren. I’m too old for this crap.”