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She stared at the detective. “You already know?”
“I want someone else to hear this.” LeNoux disappeared through a door with a keypad entry.
Two technicians in white coats walked past, packs of cigarettes in hand, giving them both a long look. Mitch ignored them, but Cath adjusted her sweatshirt. “I must look like I spent the night under an overpass.”
He squeezed her hand. “No one’s grading us on appearance.”
“It would have to be on a curve, that’s for sure.”
The detective returned with a linebacker type about Kurt’s age. “This is Agent Scott Ladner with the Drug Enforcement Agency. We’re on a task force together.”
“Why do you think Paul DiMartino was one of your attempted kidnappers?” LeNoux took a sip of his coffee.
Cath explained about Paul’s custom-made shoes. “When I saw him last night, I noticed he only had one tassel on his left shoe. I was trying—”
Agent Ladner interrupted. “Where did you see him last night?”
“At a bar on the corner of St. Charles and Napoleon.” She raised her beautiful brows. “It’s called the Retreat.”
Ladner pulled his cell and began scrolling through messages. The rest of them waited. Mitch checked the time and touched Cath’s arm. She looked at him and shrugged.
“I’m listening,” Ladner said without looking at them.
“Anyway,” Cath continued, “Paul said he was there to catch the Bacchus parade.”
The agent stroked his mustache. “When did he leave?”
Mitch ground his teeth, his pulse inching higher.
She shook her head. “I didn’t notice the time. Is that crucial?”
“Shortly after 10:00 p.m.” Mitch touched her arm and turned to Detective LeNoux. “He could have been one of the guys who ambushed us later. I have a bullet in my vest you can add to your collection.”
“Bulletproof?” Ladner looked at him. “You were expecting trouble?”
“Before I got to the bar, I worked a bail recovery job.” Mitch opened the garbage bag he’d carried in. “It’s the hole in the front.”
LeNoux scowled. “Why didn’t you mention being hit last night when we talked at the hospital?”
Mitch glared at LeNoux. Now the cop wanted to intimidate him? “You seemed mostly interested in our assailants’ descriptions.”
“Anything to add there?”
“Nope.” He’d only noticed weapons, not faces.
“Let me get a technician to extract the bullet.” The detective took the vest over to the receptionist’s desk.
“Let’s get back to you, Ms. Hurley.” Agent Ladner crossed an ankle over the opposite knee. “How do you know DiMartino?”
“I worked with him about three years.” She hugged herself. “Why?”
“For the record.”
Ladner wasted their time. When Detective LeNoux returned, Mitch leaned forward. “What did your guys find at the cemetery?”
The detective handed Cath a fringed roll of leather from inside one bag. Her eyes gleamed. “Wow. This definitely looks like it could be from one of his shoes.”
The DEA agent nodded and stood. “If I were you, I’d keep a low profile, miss. Stay out of sight.”
