They climbed up the old fashioned sweeping stairs and walked along the hall until Dar stopped at a set of double doors. She opened them and they went inside, presented with a suite of rooms as traditionally decorated as the lobby had been. “Wow.” Kerry put her bag down and went to the French doors, which opened out onto a long balcony. “This is all ours?”
“Yep.” Dar looked out, to see Bourbon Street stretching out in front of them, filled with people and music and parties, along with the smell of garlic and sugar. “Hungry?”
“Hell yeah.” Kerry walked out onto the balcony and put her hands on the cold, dark wrought iron, looking out over the crowd. “This is wild.”
“Let's go to that place.” Dar pointed. “I can see the sign that says shrimp and grits.”
Kerry started laughing. “Okay, shrimp and grits, and then we go ghost hunting.” She regarded the busy street with a relaxed, and totally engaged grin. Then she turned and put her arms around her partner and squeezed hard. “Thanks.”
Dar returned the hug with a happy grin of her own. “Let's go have fun.”
Kerry added a festive burgundy silk scarf to her leather jacket, and ran a brush through her hair, then followed Dar out the door of their snazzy suite and back down the steps.
The crowd was dense, and the restaurant packed. But Kerry negotiated that with ease and fifteen minutes later they were seated and examining a rustic menu. “Holy pooters. I can see I'm going to be putting on ten pounds this weekend.” Kerry remarked. “I want one of everything.”
“Milk punch.” Dar regarded the drink menu. “Do I have to try that?”
“I think you do.”
A waiter arrived shortly, with no pad or pen, just an inquisitive eyebrow. “We'll share a large seafood plate to start.” Kerry told him. “I'll have the catfish pecan, and my friend here wants the red fish on the half shell.”
The waiter smiled at them. “Good picks.” He said. “Drinks?”
“I guess I have to try the milk punch.” Dar said. “Ker?”
“I”ll try a Bluegrass sunset.” Her partner decided, handing the menus back to the waiting server. “And some water, please.”
The waiter half bowed, and disappeared.
“Do we need to make reservations for that ghost tour?” Kerry relaxed in her chair, regarding the busy restaurant contentedly. “And I thought you were going to get shrimp and grits?”
“Tomorrow.” Dar had her phone out. “Let me get reservations. I'm sure they're packed tonight.” She looked up the number on the gizmo, then pressed it to dial. “I really like these things. Wish the Internet was faster though.”
Kerry caught sight of a group of musicians outside, and as the door opened to let in more diners the sounds of a saxophone blared inside, a background to the group of garishly dressed faux skeletons moving past. Way different than she'd expected, but in a good way. “This is cool.”
She took a sip of Dar's milk punch when it arrived and licked her lips. “Bet these are popular.”
“Yes, the ladies really like them.” The waiter winked at her. “They go down easy.”
“Oh yes. I can see why a lot of people end up taking their shirts off in the street in that case.” Kerry settled back with her drink. “That's very good.”
Dar sucked cautiously at her glass. “Hardly tastes like there's alcohol in there.” She remarked, as she hung up the phone. “We're set for ten pm. We lucked out. They usually only go at 8.”
“That's why they're dangerous.” Kerry pointed at the glass. “There's a shot and a half of bourbon in that thing.”
“Ah.” Dar eyed it. “Okay. One for me then.” She put her gizmo away. “I don't really want a picture of me showing up somewhere with my shirt off in the streets of New Orleans.”
“Somehow, I don't' think that would hurt sales any.” Kerry enjoyed the look of self deprecating exasperation on her partner's face. “Hey, I've seen you with your shirt off.”
“Wench.”
“Hehehe.”
**
If anything, it was even busier on the street when they emerged, making their way slowly through the crowds. “Uf.” Kerry put her hands into her jacket pockets. “That was awesome. But I'm stuffed.” She sighed. “Glad we're on a walking tour now.”
“Me too.” Dar agreed. “They said to meet up at Reverend Zombie's Voodoo Shop.” She gazed reflectively down the street. “Two blocks from here.”
“Reverend Zombie's Voodoo Shop?” Kerry repeated the name carefully. “Really?”
“Mmhm.” Dar nodded. “I”m sure there'll be a shopping opportunity there. We could get a skull or something for my desk.”
“We could get your mom some crystals I bet.” Kerry countered. “No skull, hon. It'll freak Maria out.” She tucked her hand inside Dar's elbow again and slowed her pace, looking around at everything in the chaos they were walking through. “Do you believe in any of that magic stuff?”
“No.” Dar replied promptly.
“Even after what happened with your dad?”
“No.” Her partner repeated. “Do you really think the ghost of his daddy rose from the grave and was chased off by some demon?”
“Well, sweetie, he's not really an oogiee boogie kinda guy, you know? If he said he saw creepy things like that, I'm inclined to think something happened.” Kerry objected. “I really can't picture him making up a story like that and telling us.”
Dar sucked on the mint she'd taken from the restaurant in silence for a few minutes. “Well.” She cleared her throat gently. “He might have done that to avoid telling us what really might have happened to those guys who disappeared.”
Kerry digested that as they walked along, turning a corner and heading for where a group had already formed on the sidewalk outside a shop. “Oh.” She finally said. “You mean, maybe he did something to them?”
“He kinda makes up rules sometimes.” Dar said, in an almost apologetic tone. “So I think he'd rather tell us about ghosts, than he would about how he maybe took those guys out.”
“Oh.” Kerry said, again. “Huh. I never really thought about that. I just never could imagine him lying to us in that kind of way.”
“I'm not saying he definitely did.” Dar said. “It's just possible, y'know?”
“Mm.”
“Or, what the hell. Maybe he did see ghosts.” Dar sighed. “I don't know. But no, I don't really believe in that stuff. All that psychic mumbo jumbo just never rang true to me.”
Kerry eyed her, but said nothing, a brief faint smile appearing on her face.
Dar caught it. “Except for that stuff with us.” She acknowledged. “I'll find a scientific reason for it sometime.” She had to chuckle though, shrugging a little wryly. “But that's not ghosts.”
“No, it isn't.” Kerry pressed her head against her partner's shoulder. “Let's go see if Nola can cough up some ghosts for us. Here we are.”
They slowed to a halt as they joined the group outside the voodoo shop, which was, in fact, closed. Dar went to the window and peered inside curiously, since the guides were still getting their paperwork sorted out. She studied the objects then gave a side glance at Kerry as her partner came up to join her. “Nice.”
“Oh. Dear.” Kerry's brows contracted. “Huh. That's some weird stuff, but hey, look. They do palm readings.” She took Dar's hand in her own and turned it up most. “We could come back and get our fortunes told, right?”
Dar cleared her throat. “Sure.” She answered after a brief pause. “Or maybe get our Tarot cards read.” She pointed at the sign inside. “I've wondered over the years how many people have stopped in Nola and gotten voodoo dolls for me.” Her eyes flashed with sudden humor. “I always imagined Jose's inner office to have a picture of me on the back of the door filled with dart holes.”