Killer Takes All

She returned her attention to the computer screen, tapped in some information, then turned back to Stacy. “It is Bienville Hall. Room 210.”

“Room 210,” Stacy repeated, smiling. “Thanks. You’ve been a lot of help.”

Bienville Hall, a graceless but utilitarian high-rise dormitory built in 1969, was located directly across the commons from the engineering department.

She entered the building. The days of lockdown, single-gender dorms had gone the way of the dinosaur, and none of the students she passed paid any attention to her.

She took the stairs to the second floor, then made her way to room 210. When no one responded to her first knock, she knocked again.

Still no response. She glanced around her, saw she was alone in the hall, then nonchalantly reached out and tried the door.

It swung open.

She stepped inside, quietly closing the door behind her. What she was doing was illegal, though less of an offense now that she was no longer the law. Bizarre but true.

Stacy moved her gaze quickly over the small, pin-neat room. Interesting, she decided. Single guys were not known for their tidiness. What other norms did Bobby Gautreaux defy?

She crossed to the desk. Three neat piles graced its top. She thumbed through each, then eased open the desk drawer. She poked through its contents.

Finding nothing that looked incriminating, she shut the drawer, her attention going to a photo tacked to the corkboard above the desk. Of Cassie. Wearing a bikini, smiling at the camera.

He’d drawn a bull’s-eye over her face.

Excited, she shifted her gaze. There were several other snapshots of the woman, one he’d adorned with devil’s horns and a pointed tail, another with Burn in hell, Bitch.

He was either i

“What the hell?”

She turned. The young man in the doorway looked like he’d had a very bad night. He could be a poster child for Alcoholics Anonymous.

Or a walking, talking mug shot.

“The door was open.”

“Bullshit. Get out.”

“Bobby, right?”

His hair was wet; he had a towel looped over his shoulders. He moved his gaze over her. “Who wants to know?”

“A friend.”

“Not of mine.”

“I’m a friend of Cassie’s.”

Something ugly crossed his face. He folded his arms across his chest. “Big friggin’ deal. I haven’t talked to Cassie in ages. Get the fuck out.”

Stacy closed the distance between them. She tilted her head back to meet his eyes. “Fu

“Then she’s not only a bitch. But a liar, too.”

Stacy bristled, offended. She swept her gaze over him. He had dark, curly hair and dark brown eyes, a gift from his French Acadian ancestors. If not for his surliness, he would have been quite handsome.

“She said you might know something about the game White Rabbit.”

His expression altered subtly. “What about White Rabbit?”

“You know the game, right?”

“Yeah, I know it.”

“Ever played it?”

He hesitated. “No.”

“You don’t sound so sure.”

“You sound like a cop.”

She narrowed her eyes, deciding there was little to like about the young man. He was a punk, through and through. She’d dealt with them daily in her years on the Dallas force.

Busting toads like him had been the best part of the job. She wished she had a badge now; she’d like to see him pee his pants.

Imagining just that, a smile touched her mouth. “Like I said, I’m just a friend. Doing a little research. Tell me about White Rabbit.”

“What do you want to know?”

“About the game. What it’s like. How you play. Things like that.”

He curled his lip. She supposed it was his sleazy version of a smile. “It’s not an ordinary game. It’s dark. And it’s violent.”

He paused, his expression seeming to come alive. “ Think Dr. Seuss meets Lara Croft, Tomb Raider. Wonderland is the setting. It’s crazy. A bizarre world.”

Sounded like a big barrel of laughs. “You say it’s darker. What does that mean?”

“You’re not a gamer, are you?”

“No.”

“Then fuck you.”

He turned away; she caught his arm. “Humor me, Bobby.”

He looked from her hand on his arm to her eyes. The expression in them must have convinced him she meant business. “White Rabbit is a game of survival of the fittest. The smartest, most capable. Last man standing takes all.”

“Takes all?”

“Kill or be killed, doll. Game’s not over until only one character is left alive.”

“How do you know so much about the game when you’ve never played it?”

He shook off her hand. “I’ve got co

“You know someone who plays?”

“Maybe.”

“Cute. Do you or don’t you?”

“I know the big man. The Supreme White Rabbit.”

Bingo. “Who is he?”

“The game inventor himself. A dude named Leonardo Noble.”

“Leonardo Noble,” she repeated, searching her memory for recognition.

“He lives in New Orleans. Heard him talk at CoastCon. He’s pretty cool but kind of manic. You want to know about the game, go to him.”

She took a step back. “I will. Thanks for your help, Bobby.”

“Don’t mention it. Always happy to help a friend of Cassie’s.”

She found something about his smile almost reptilian. She moved around him to get to the door.

“Have you heard?” he called as she stepped through it. “Cassie went and got herself killed.”

Stacy stopped in the doorway and turned slowly to face him. “What did you say?”

“Somebody whacked Cassie. That dyke girlfriend of hers, Ella, called me up, hysterical. Accused me of doing it.”

“Did you?”

“Screw you.”

Stacy shook her head, amazed at his attitude. “Are you really that stupid? You’re going to cop an attitude? Don’t you get it? You’re the front-ru

Two minutes later, she stepped out into the gray, breezy day. Coming toward her were Detective Malone and his partner. “Hello, boys,” she said cheerfully.

Malone scowled as he recognized her. “What are you doing here?”

“Just stopped by to see a friend of a friend. That’s not against the law, is it?”

Tony muffled a chuckle; Malone’s scowl deepened. “Interfering in an investigation is.”

“Did someone say I was?”

“It’s just a warning.”

“Received and noted.” She smiled and started off, feeling both men’s gazes on her back. She stopped and glanced over her shoulder at them. “Check the bulletin board over the desk,” she called. “I think you’ll find it interesting.”

CHAPTER 9

Tuesday, March 1, 2005

1:40 p.m.

Spencer’s lunch, a hot roast beef po’boy from Mother’s Restaurant, grew cold on the desk in front of him. At first Bobby Gautreaux had been defiant. He’d tossed a shitload of bad attitude their way-until they pointed out the bull’s-eye photograph. Then the defiance had become trepidation, which had transformed into pasty-faced terror when they’d a

On the strength of Cassie Finch’s friends’ statements and the incriminating photographs, they’d requested a search warrant for Gautreaux’s dorm room and car. Unlike in some states, Louisiana police were required to officially charge a suspect to hold him. With the exception of drug cases, which had to be expedited in twenty-four hours, they then had thirty days to submit their case to the D.A.’s office.

Unless the search yielded something stronger, they’d be forced to release him.

“Yo, Slick.” Tony ambled over, then settled his large frame into the chair in front of the desk.