The lieutenant's partner got out of the car and stood silently in the background. As two more uniformed officers arrived from the second car, the lieutenant raised a hand. "I've got it, guys. Doesn't look like we've got a situation anymore anyway."

"Sure. Night, Lieutenant Canady," one of them called.

"Hey, Lieutenant, you're working late," the second man said, respect in his voice.

"Yeah, well...anyway, I've got this. Thanks," Canady told him.

"Yessir." The pair spoke in unison and headed back to their car. "Mark," Canady said. "Mark...?"

"His name is Mark Davidson."

"I see."

He had a notebook out, but he wasn't writing. "And who was the other man?"

"I don't know him. He and a friend of mine have had a few conversations," Lauren said. Oh, great. Now she was dragging Deanna into it. "She doesn't really know him, either." She looked toward the wrought iron fence, the courtyard and the bar.

Deanna was nowhere to be seen. "She's still inside, I guess. I thought he-Jonas-was going to start a fight, and...I guess I thought I could stop it."

"Is that what happened, Big Jim?" Canady asked the sax player.

"Just the way I saw it," Big Jim said.

She wanted to kiss him. She let out a sigh of relief and swore silently that she was going to have nothing more to do with Mark Davidson.

She heard the sound of hooves. The mounted officers were returning.

"If there were two guys about to tear each others' throats out, there's not a sign of them anywhere around here. Big Jim must have doused the fight right out of them," one of them said.

"Thanks, Macinaw," the lieutenant said.

"We'll be back out on Bourbon," the mounted officer told him.

The lieutenant nodded and watched them ride toward the street.

Then he startled Lauren when he took a step toward her and indicated her throat. "That's an interesting cross you're wearing.

Antique."

"Uh, yes."

He stared at her, as if expecting her to say more. She swallowed, not about to tell him that she had put it on after Mark Davidson had left it on the table that afternoon. She hadn't wanted to lose it until she had a chance to give it back.

"You should always wear it," he said quietly, then stepped back.

"What's your bed and breakfast?" he asked.

She told him, and he arched a brow at her. "Did you call in the other night to ask the patrol officers to keep an eye on the place?"

She flushed. "Yes."

"You were afraid?"

"I.... I had seen someone lurking around on the sidewalk."

He nodded, watching her intently. "So where are you from?"

"Actually, I'm originally from Baton Rouge. But I live in L.A. now." "I see."

What did he see?

"I'm here with friends. We're on vacation. If I can tell you anything else, I'd be happy to. If not...I should get back to them."

"Sure." He glanced around at his partner. "I'm officially off, Bobby. Think I'll call it a night. Keep your eyes and ears open for anything. I'm going to go in and watch Big Jim's next set, have a beer."

"Sure thing, Lieutenant," his partner said. He turned, and headed back for the patrol car. "Call me if you need a ride."

"I can get him home," Big Jim said.

"Cool."

The officer walked on. "Miss Crow?" Lieutenant Canady said, indicating that she was free to return to the bar.

"Thanks," she murmured.

She walked through the courtyard. No one seemed to have noticed everything that had gone on only a few feet away. Then again, what had really happened?

Two men had fought briefly, then disappeared-as if into the mist.

Deanna was back at the table in earnest conversation with Heidi. Lauren headed for her chair.

Neither Big Jim nor Lieutenant Canady followed her. Big Jim went back to his place in the band, and Canady took a seat directly in front of the stage. The band members all acknowledged him with nods, smiles and, in one case, a raised gla.s.s.

The lieutenant took a seat, loosened his collar and ordered a drink.

Though he seemed to be watching the band, Lauren was convinced the only reason he had come in was to see if she really was with friends. Or maybe just to keep an eye on her. She didn't understand why, but she was as unnerved by the him as she had been by everything else.

Deanna leaned across the table and asked, her voice low, "What happened? That guy in the band must be sharp as a tack-I think he called the cops before the guys even made it outside. And when I was going to follow you, he stopped me and gave me this."

She produced a business card and handed it to Lauren.

"What is it?" Heidi asked.

"It's for another bed and breakfast," Lauren murmured. "Montresse House."

"Think he lives there?" Heidi asked with a giggle. "That would be a different way to pick up women, huh?"

"He wasn't trying to pick me up," Deanna said.

"No?" Heidi queried.

"I can tell, and you know it," Deanna told her.

"Maybe he's friends with the owner or something, and just hands out cards," Lauren suggested. "Yeah. There's something about him that's...I don't know. Trustworthy," Deanna said.

Lauren fingered the card. "I'll put it in my wallet."

"Sure. You never know when we might come back."

Deanna's voice sounded strange. As if she was really thinking that she would never want to come back.

"So what happened out there?" Heidi asked again.

"Nothing," Lauren said. "The two of them yelled at one another, and then the guy from the band, Big Jim, came out and threw a beer at them. They disappeared before the cops showed up."

"Disappeared?" Deanna said in dismay.

"You can't be that hung up on this guy yet," Heidi said. "And you should both take a lesson from this-don't get involved with strange men."

They both stared at her.

She let out a sigh. "Let's go back to the cottage. The mood tonight is definitely blown. Great party we're having."

Lauren sat back, caught sight of their waiter and motioned that they needed the check.

He brought it to them, and they quickly handed him cash, then got up and headed for the door. Though his back was to them, Lauren was convinced that the cop was aware of their exit.

"Well, that was a downer," Heidi said a few minutes later as they walked through the night.

Deanna laid an arm across her shoulders. "Heidi, I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. I just don't get it. Did the two of them know each other?" she asked.

"I don't think so," Lauren said.

"Then...?"

"Who knows?" Lauren replied.

They turned off Bourbon Street, walking briskly.

Lauren knew, somehow, that they were being followed. She turned around. There was no one there, but it didn't matter. She knew what she knew. But she didn't have a sense of darkness or of shadows. Instead she knew that, at home in the night, the cop was following them.

"Let's go on a river boat cruise tomorrow," Deanna suggested.

"Cool idea," Heidi agreed. "And before we leave, I want to drive out to the zoo, too. I really love it."

"Great idea," Lauren said, turning around again. She couldn't see him, but she was sure that he was standing in the shadow of one of the nearby buildings.

They reached the courtyard of the B and B without incident. The gates creaked when Lauren opened them. They walked around the pool. The gorgeous and friendly lesbian couple from cottage three were sitting at one of the tables, sipping from plastic cups and watching the stars. Both women, Janice and Helen, were tall and blond, and modeled for a large clothing chain."Beautiful night, huh?" Janice called.

"It's so pretty here, just breathing in the magnolia, watching the sky," Helen offered. "Don't you think?" She seemed anxious for them to agree with her.

"Beautiful," Lauren agreed.

"Janice thjinks it's kind of creepy, too," Helen added.

"Darkness and shadows," Janice said, then laughed. "I've got too much imagination. Helen doesn't mind the most gruesome horror movie, but I can only watch them at home, where I can leave the room when I can't take it anymore."

"Well, I'm going in. I'm beat," Deanna said, and, walked on toward their cottage to a chorus of good-nights.

"I'll follow her," Heidi said.

"I guess we'll go in, too," Janice said. "Although we do have more champagne, if you'd like some."

"Tomorrow night?" Lauren suggested.

"Great," Janice said. "Meet you out here? I really do love this place at night. It's just that sometimes..."

"Sometimes what?" Lauren asked.

Janice shrugged and looked apologetically at Helen. "I get the feeling we're being watched."

Were they all crazy, Lauren wondered, or was their uneasiness just natural? The cottages were secluded, it was true, but the main house overlooked them. And the wall that separated the B and B from the old Victorian next door, where the bottom floor sold T-shirts, coffee and voodoo potions, and the upper floor was rented out as apartments, was tall and solid and would be hard for an intruder to scale.

"Deanna thinks she's being watched sometimes, too," Lauren said.

"What a shock," Helen said, laughing. "She's gorgeous. Imagine that. Some peeper watching a gorgeous woman."

"Let's all keep our doors locked, huh?" Lauren said.

"You bet," Helen agreed.

Lauren couldn't help but be glad that the other women had been outside to greet them-even if Janice's words had given her a start. And Helen's explanation was a sensible one.

They wished each other goodnight and headed off toward their own cottages. Lauren looked back toward the street when she reached her door and saw that they had indeed been followed back from the bar by a man.

But she could see him plainly. It was definitely the cop.

She turned away and went inside.

"I'm going to bed," Heidi said. She quickly hugged them both. "Forgive me for being b.i.t.c.hy. Tomorrow night, no fights, we just have fun."

"Absolutely," Deanna swore. "You got it," Lauren promised.

Deanna gave Lauren a hug, too, as Heidi went into the bedroom. "You're a great friend. And I'm being a really weird one. Sorry.

Love you."