Farrell Hickory and Albion Corley, Jackson said, indicating the men in the pictures.
And theyre both...? Ethan asked.
Dead, Jackson clarified. Local police are investigating. Everything theyve got is all there in the files, and Ive also emailed you.
Theyre sure the murders are related?
Both men were found in replica Civil War uniforms in shallow gravesand not in graveyards but near them.
Union uniforms? Ethan asked. A twisted get-even spree by a deranged local? The Civil War had ended in 1865. Reconstruction had officially ended with the Compromise of 1876.
Long overor so one would think. But down here, things were different.
As much as Ethan wanted to believe people, in both the North and the South, had escaped the prejudices of that era, the Klan, neo-Nazis and various supremacist groups were still around. While laws could protect people, they couldnt always deal with old hatreds that still had a pernicious hold on too many minds. Still, he believed he lived in a better world now than the one hed been born into. And being of such mixed ancestry himself, it was painful to suspect that any murder might be motivated by prejudice.
Heres the interesting thing, Jackson told him. Farrell Hickory was in a Confederate cavalry officers uniform. Albion Corley was wearing a Union naval uniform.
That is interesting. You wouldnt kill your own side, so that seems to rule out someone still stuck in the Civil War, Ethan said.
Jackson nodded. Anyway, both men were stabbed in the heart. The forensics experts believe that both men were stabbed with a bayonet or something similar that could be wielded with a certain precision.
If a bayonet was the murder weapon, that seems to indicate the killer is a Civil War reenactor, Ethan said.
Thats what the police think. But whats the motive? And why these two men? Both of them were descended from men who fought in the Civil War but on opposite sides. Both of them had roots in or around the area, but their jobs werent related, and there doesnt seem to be any obvious connection between them.
Ethan listened, surprised he hadnt seen anything about the murders on the news yet. He believed the country was trying to change the mind-set that had been so common at one time. He would have seen a clearer motive if descendants of known Klansmen had been murdered, for example, even more so if the victims were current members of the Klan or one of its spiritual cousins.
He didnt know the particulars of either man, since he had yet to read the files, but he was sure Crow would have mentioned anything that obvious.
And he had yet to hear why the Krewe were involved. Unless the local police had asked for help. Unless one of the men had been kidnapped or state lines had been crossed.
Under most circumstances, three murders with the same signature were seen as the calling card of a serial killer, which was when the Bureau got involved, and so far they only had two. Of course, since the War on Terror had begun, everything, even in the FBI, had changed. And especially with the Krewe of Hunters, there really wasnt such a thing as a norm.
Jackson, I need to look through that, he said, indicating the folder.
Jackson nodded. You can study it on the way.
On the way? Where am I going?
Baton Rouge, Jackson said, watching him for his reaction.
Okay, Ethan said slowly. Im just curious, and Id like to play with a full deck. The Bureau has an office in New Orleans. Granted, its not a Krewe office, but even here Im not the only Louisiana agent on staff. Am I going with someone else? Were we invited in? Or will I be stepping on toes when I get there?
Adam is speaking with the proper authorities. You wont have any problems, though youll be working with a local detectiveRandall Laurent.
Randy! Ethan said.
You know him? Jackson asked.
Ethan nodded. Were both from St. Francisville. Hes a good guy, he added, pausing to grin. He quit opening beer bottles with his teeth years ago and became a solid, tough and decent man. Seriously, hes a good guy. We were actually at Loyola together, too. But
Im sending you because Angela referred the call to me. She receives all our invitations and inquiries, and she has a great way of reading between the lines and determining if the case is right for us.
Ethan knew Angela, a special agent with the Krewe who handled a lot of the administrative and back-end business. They were often inundated with cases, and she had an amazing ability to determine which ones might best benefit from the Krewes assistance.
She and Jackson were also married and had been among the original six members of the Krewe.
Yes, of course, Ethan said.
I believe youre the perfect man for this situation. You know the area. If Im not mistaken, you even used to live in the parish.
Ive been gone a long time, Ethan said. I have family in the area, but theyre mostly in New Orleans now.
But you know people there. The lead detective is an old friend, you said. Thats always a good thing.
Ethan was still curious. So far hed always worked with at least one other Krewe agent, but it sounded as if he was being sent on his own.
He knew there were other Krewe agents who came from Louisiana, even if they didnt come from West Feliciana Parish. Jude McCoy, another recent addition to the Krewe, had been an agent in New Orleans before he joined the Krewe.
If you find something, Ill head down with Jude McCoy by the end of the week, Jackson said, as if hed read Ethans mind.
All right, Ethan said. He hesitated and then shrugged. He might as well just throw it out there. I love this job. Im ready to go wherever the assignment leads, do whatever needs to be done. You know that. But Im surprised. There are other agents whove been with the Krewe a lot longer than I have. Even Jude. Hes pretty new, but not as new as me. Weve even become friends because were both from Louisiana. The Krewe started out in New Orleans. So...not to take anything away from my own abilities, but...why me?
We were specifically asked if you were available, Jackson said, his light eyes, so striking against his dark hair and tanned flesh, hard on Ethan.
By? Ethan asked.
A woman who found one of the bodies. She spoke with some friends of hers with connections here, and they made a persuasive case. Shes a local actress, name of Charlene Moreau.
Ah. Ethan hoped that the memories suddenly flooding through him werent visible on his face.
You do know her, then? Jackson asked.
I did know her, Ethan said. When we were kids. And I know of her now. Ive seen her on a new cop show theyre filming down there, and in a couple of commercials. I havent actually seen her, though, since I was nineteen. She must have been fifteen or sixteen.
How close were you? Jackson asked.
How close?
Jackson must have seen his confusion, because he went on. When were young, were often more open to whats around us, to seeing the kinds of things we here in the Krewe see every day.
Ethan remembered being home from college, talking on the phone to his mother about something boring like his laundry. He was already taking criminology courses, and his mother brought up the killings that had occurred just north of Baton Rouge and how people were growing nervous in the entire area around the capital city.
And then hed seen the soldier at the window. A Confederate cavalry officer. The man had seemed to be beckoning to him, and at first hed naturally thought the man was a lost reenactor needing help.
But the soldier had led him across fields, pausing only to glare at Ethan when Ethan stopped, irritably demanding that the ghost explain what he wanted. Somehow Ethan felt compelled to follow him despite his silence and his strange behavior.
In the end hed followed his spectral guide to Grace Episcopal Church.
That was when hed seen Charlene Moreau. Shed been tied to a gravestone.
Her head was bent as she pulled against the knots that had held her there, and despite the situation shed been ethereally beautiful in the moonlight, hair tumbling over her shoulders, a flesh-and-blood version of the worn stone angel that stood over a nearby grave with her head bowed deep in prayer.
Ethan pulled himself back to the present when Jackson spoke.
Apparently Ms. Moreau is friends with Clara Avery and Alexi Cromwell, two young actresses I know from previous cases. Theyre here in our area at the moment, involved with Adam Harrisons theater projecthes restoring a historic theater and has hired them to deal with creative managementalthough theyre both from the New Orleans area originally. Both of them are also giftedor cursedthe same way we in the Krewe are. He paused, then went on. And speaking of previous cases, theres another strange association here, too, Jackson said.
That being?
Weve recently worked two serial-killer cases involving the Celtic American cruise line. The cruise company wasnt at fault, of course, but both killers carried out their work aboard their ships.
Ethan frowned, wondering how the recent deaths of the two reenactors could be related to the cruise line.
Then he saw it. A slim connection, but a connection nonetheless.
The Journey, he said. Celtic American owns the Journey, and she does a run from New Orleans to Vicksburg, with a stop at St. Francisville. And of course, I know about the cases involving the Destiny and the Fate. Anyone in the world with media access knows about the cases. He hesitated. Were sure there was no direct connection to the cruise line or the Journey?
We cant know for sure, not yet, Jackson said, his tone tight. But not as far as the owners, operators or employees of Celtic American go. But Charlene Moreaus father is the cruise director and resident historian aboard the Journey.
I know Charlenes father. I promise you, he had nothing to do with murder.
Im not suggesting anything like that. But heres where the connection to the cruise line comes in. Both of the dead men took part in a reenactment aboard the Journey. The ship does themed cruises. A week ago, the theme was the Civil War. Considering the route, a lot of their cruises are Civil Warthemed, but this was their once-a-year extra-special Civil War cruise. Celtic Americans claim to fame is that they specialize in historic cruises. Interestingly, the Journey offers ghost tours as well as your standard history-based ones.
The Journey actually has a legitimate historical claim of its own. She was conscripted to move Southern troops up and down the Mississippi when the war began. She was seized by the Union forces when they took New Orleans in 1862, then used to move wounded Union troops. For a brief time she fell back into Confederate hands, when a small troop of Confederate soldiers slipped aboard and took her over. She went back to the Union, thougha trade was arranged that allowed for injured Rebels being held by the Union to be exchanged for the Union men aboard the ship. There had been an outbreak of fever on board, so the Confederates were only too happy to hand the ship and the men over to the Yankees, and the Journey continued on her way, mainly doing hospital runs for the rest of the war.
See? Jackson said softly. You know your local historysomething that can be invaluable in cases like this. So...back to the connection, he continued. Both the murdered men were involved in that extra-special reenactment aboard the ship about a week ago. Thats one of the reasons the police are so sure the killings must have been planned by someone in the reenactors group.
But you dont believe that, Ethan said.
Its certainly possible, given what we know so far. But I dont like to grasp at the easy answer.
Sometimes the obvious answer is the truth, Ethan said.
And sometimes its not.
No, Ethan agreed, and stood. If he was heading to Baton Rouge and then up river to St. Francisville, he was eager to get started. What are my travel arrangements?
A cars waiting to take you home to pack and then to the airport. The plane leaves as soon as youre aboard.
As soon as Im aboard? Ethan asked.
Jackson smiled. I guess you havent gotten used to our form of troop movement yet. We have a nice, new private jet. Adam financed it himself. No taxpayer dollars.
Ah. Well, then, nice I wont have to change planes in New Orleans.
Jackson grinned. Report in to me as soon as you have a feel for whats going on. Jude and I can join you early if you think we can help. That plane goes back and forth whenever we want it to.
Ethan took the folder and headed out of the office.
Within an hour he was on the private plane provided by Adam Harrison.
As he flew, he read the dossiers on the dead men.
Then he looked out the window and gave himself up to memories of Charlie Moreau.
* * *
Its going to be all right, Charliereally. This situation has nothing to do with you or Brad or the movie. You stumbled on something very bad that someone else did. You cant go letting it affect your life. In fact, you should be glad you found the poor man, because now the police can try to find some justice for him.
Jonathan Moreau set his arm around Charlies shoulders and hugged her gently.
She was sitting with her father on a bluff high above the Mississippi. It was a short distance from Grace Church and the place where shed found the body of a man whod been identified as Farrell Hickory dressed in his Confederate cavalry uniform.
That area still had crime-scene tape around it.
From her perch atop the bluff she could see the people she assumed were forensic investigators searching the area. The police had told her that they hoped to finish by that evening. Meanwhile, Brad had rearranged the shooting schedule until they were free to use the fields again.
Since then shed spent a lot of time on the phone in a three-way conversation with Clara Avery and Alexi Cromwell, good friends shed worked with a number of times in the past. They were now working with the FBI and knew a number of agents, including Ethan.
You cant let it get to you, Charlie, her father said.
She knew he was right. The murder had nothing to do with her or the film crew. A vicious killer had murdered Farrell Hickory, and it was likely that the same person had murdered Albion Corley, as well. Hed been of mixed African and Caucasian descent, and had been wearing a replica Union uniform when hed been killed.
Not long before Albions death, he and Farrell Hickory had performed with a number of other reenactors on the same riverboat, the Journey, where her father worked, as part of an in-depth Civil Warthemed cruise.
Charlie turned to her father and asked, Why, Dad? Why them? This is nuts! I mean, one victim was half black and one was white, one was reenacting the Confederate side and the other the Union side. What was the killer thinking?