Page 38 of Jacques

“I’m off today, so I’m not constrained by time,” Danny said. “I’d like to be there when you do the interviews with my classmates.”

“That would be great. Maybe hearing their accounts will help jog your memory,” Jacques said. “Even if it doesn’t, it should help fill in some gaps in the timeline.”

With a plan in place, Danny didn’t want them to spend their entire breakfast talking about the case. She changed the subject with, “What did you and J.D. LaDue have to chat about last night for two hours?”

Jacques chuckled. “He knows everybody in Bayou Mambaloa, and he gets around. It was interesting to hear his take on everyone, from the Fontenot family to the sheriff to the Voodoo queen.”

She laughed over Jacques’s retelling of the time J.D. had wrestled an alligator for the biggest fish he’d ever caught, determined to bring it back and weigh it at the marina. He’d come within an inch of losing his arm. The alligator had wanted the fish more. Sadly, J.D. hadn’t been able to prove his big-fish story.

They cleared the table together and worked side by side at the sink, washing and drying their dishes. As they finished, Jacques’s cell phone chirped with an incoming text.

His brow furrowed as he read. Then he looked up. “Swede got into the duty log. Remy’s printing it off now.”

“Let me change clothes, and I’ll be ready.”

“I’d like to take the log to Pruitt and go over the entries and the times recorded.”

“Good.” Danny grabbed her gym bag and headed for the bathroom. “I want to be there when you question him.”

She put on jeans and a light blue pullover shirt, then pulled on her sneakers.

Jacques waited at the door, his keys in his hand. “Ready?”

She nodded.

He opened the door and held it for her.

As Danny passed through, Jacques smiled. “That’s a good color on you.”

Heat rose up her chest and filled her cheeks. “Thanks.” She ducked her head, trying to hide her face, certain her cheeks were bright red from his simple compliment. It embarrassed her and warmed her heart at the same time.

He strode to his SUV, opened the passenger door for her and held it while she climbed inside.

They made the short drive to the boat factory in silence.

Danny liked to think it was a companionable silence. But if she was honest with herself, she didn’t know what to say after he’d commented on the color of her shirt.

Remy met them at the entrance to the boat factory, on his way out to meet Shelby for a late breakfast at Mimi’s. He handed Danny the copied pages of the log. “I included a copy of your medical record and notes from the interviews of her classmates thus far.”

“Thanks,” she said. “And thank Swede for me.”

“Will do.” Remy nodded toward the papers. “Mitch Marceau says Pruitt hasn’t driven his boat into the dock this morning, which means you should find him at his fish camp in the bayou. Mitch will give you a map of where you’ll find it. Hopefully, Pruitt won’t be out in his boat when you get there. I’ve notified Mitch that you’re on the way and will need a boat.”

“Thanks for doing all that,” Danny said.

“We’ll be back for the interviews this afternoon,” Jacques said. “Danny wants to listen in on them.”

Remy’s brow furrowed. “Are you thinking of asking the questions?”

She shook her head. “I’d rather they didn’t know I was listening. I don’t want them to feel pressured or think they have to hold back because I’m there.”

“Agreed.” Remy’s frown eased. “It would be good for you to hear what they have to say without influencing their answers.” He lifted his chin toward his truck. “I’ve got another meeting. I’ll be here for the afternoon interviews. Good luck with Pruitt.”

“Did you need to go inside?” Danny asked.

Jacques shook his head. “No.” He touched a finger to the documents Danny held. “That’s all we need for now. Let’s find Pruitt and see if we can verify more of the timeline.”

Danny hurried back to Jacques’s SUV and slid into the passenger seat. As soon as Jacques shifted into drive, she studied the copies of that night's duty log.