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“We do know where it happened.”

“We do?”

“My mother told Agent Rice that the Benoits couldn’t hide their sins in the swamps. Not anymore.”

“Yes.” Bryce furrowed her brow. “That has to mean something. But what do you hide in the swamps? Some sort of evidence?”

“A body?” Livia suggested. “Toxic waste?”

“They did close off the road leading into the bayous behind the house,” Bryce said. “The townsfolk were furious, but according to Finn’s dad the mayor allowed the Benoits to do whatever they wanted.”

“There’s something back there,” Livia said with a sudden surge of certainty. It didn’t matter that a second ago she’d been regretting leaping to the conclusion that it had been Winston in her house. This time she was sure her instincts were right. “Something they don’t want found.” She sucked in a sharp breath, hit by a sudden suspicion. “And Stella Gates knew about it.”

Bryce tapped her fingers on the steering wheel as she considered the pros and cons of Livia’s words.

“A good theory, but how is Larry Sutton involved?” Bryce demanded. “And why did he go to so much trouble to worm his way into your life?”

Livia heaved a harsh sigh. She didn’t have an answer to the perfectly logical questions. She’d been a baby when her mother died.

“It’s annoying that we can’t track Sutton down.”

“Beyond frustrating.” Bryce smacked her palm against the steering wheel. Then her jaw tightened and she was abruptly backing out of the driveway and heading south. “We need to talk to his friend again.”

Livia settled back in her seat, not complaining at being back on the road. The last thing she wanted was to sit around her house stewing on what had happened to her mother. As long as she was moving she felt as if she was doing something.

“What friend?” she asked.

“Gator Bob.”

It took a second for Livia to recall who Bryce meant. “Oh, the guy who owns the bar in La Harpe?”

“Yup.”

Livia was confused. “You think he knows where Larry might be hiding?”

“It’s a long shot, but I’m hoping that he has a few more suggestions. Or if we’re lucky, he might have heard from Larry in the last day or so.”

“Why not?” Livia agreed. “It’s not like we have a dozen other clues to follow.”

“First we’ll swing past Sutton’s office to make sure he isn’t back at work.”

The zigzagged their way through the suburbs to park in front of the house that had been converted into a private investigator office. Leaving the SUV, they climbed onto the porch and knocked on the door. There was no answer and Livia moved to the front window to peer inside. It was dark enough to reveal the flashing red light on the landline. No one had bothered to listen to the messages.

“I don’t think he’s here,” she said.

“On to Gator Bob’s,” Bryce announced, turning to head back to the SUV.

Livia hurried to join her, barely getting her seat belt buckled before they were zooming down the street.

Waiting until Bryce had navigated through the thick traffic to reach the edge of town, Livia at last broke the silence.

“Do you think the bar will be open this early? It’s not even eleven yet.”

Bryce shrugged. “If not we’ll have something to eat at the local diner and wait for him to show up.”

“Sounds like a plan.” On cue, Livia’s stomach rumbled in anticipation. When Bryce had woken her up, she’d still been recovering from a night of too much wine and junk food. Coffee had been more than enough to satisfy her. Now her body was demanding genuine substance. “I’m starving.”

“Yeah, that pizza is long gone.”