Chapter 4:

It took the better part of three hours to straighten things out, if you could call them straightened. Rory's neck and shoulder muscles felt knotted, and she could still hear one of the women in the lineup crunching hard candy.

Madeline had been dazed throughout the whole ordeal. She still was. Rory watched her through a glass room divider from her seat in the corridor. She was talking to a bald police officer with shiny brown pants and a paunch.

At least it was quiet here, she thought. And on the murky side of dark.

Resting her head against the wall, she closed her eyes. They hadn't seen the witness or learned his name. All Rory knew was that a man had come forward after a two day delay and announced that he could identify Jason Stiles's murderer.

Rory also knew that thanks to her presence in the lineup he'd been unable to make good on his promise.

"Your sister's a fortunate woman."

The voice came from the shadowy region to her right. When she opened her eyes, she saw a tall, male silhouette lounging against one of the archway frames.

His mouth, she noticed, was quirked in a rather sexy, self-assured smirk. While he appeared relaxed, she heard New Orleans in his voice and recognized the predator behind it. Whether she had met him here or on a California beach, she'd have pegged him as a cop right off.

"Not in the mood to chat?" he asked when she didn't respond.

Because it wasn't in her nature to be rude, she murmured, "Lost in thought, I guess. It's been a long day. I suppose she is fortunate, yes."

Because he lingered in the shadows, she couldn't make out his features. Except his mouth she could see that clearly enough. "You're Rory Gilmore," he said. "And like your sister, you have no alibi for the night Jason Stiles was murdered."

"Exactly. No alibi, no way for your witness to be sure which one of us he thinks he saw, no charges pending against either one of us at this point."

"There will be a thorough investigation, you understand that."

Rory drew her brows together. "We're counting on it, Detective…"

"Dugrey." He obliged. "Tristan."

"Are you involved in this investigation?"

"I'd be crazy to be here at this hour if I weren't, don't you think?"

"Maybe. You look like the night shift kind of person to me."

"Uh huh. Do you believe your sister is innocent?"

The question didn't faze her, but Rory still wished she could see him better. "Absolutely. The only thing Maddy's killed is aphids and not many of those."

"She's a gardener." He smiled at her speculative expression. "It's in the report. She says she was home and working in her garden when the victim was struck. Do you like gardens, Rory?"

"I appreciate them." She glanced at Madeline, saw the strain on her features and gave an inward sigh. "Will this take much longer?"

"I doubt it. You're the oldest, aren't you?"

"I'm twenty-nine." She told him. "Madeline's twenty-eight, Louise is twenty-six. We were raised by three different sets of parents."

"Did you know Jason as children?"

"We never even knew of him. Madeline located our birth mother, Lorelai Chaney, six months before she contacted me. That was ten years ago. Lorelai said she put us up for adoption after her husband died."

"No money to raise you?"

"Among other things. Wasn't this information in that report of yours, Detective Dugrey?"

"Some of it was. You can call me Tristan."

"Thanks, but I prefer Detective."

He shrugged. "We'll be seeing a lot of each other in the coming weeks, Rory."

His words almost sent a chill down her spine. But Madeline wasn't guilty and Rory could hold her own with any cop, even one with a slow, sexy smile and she had the fatalistic instinct about the shadowed part of his face-spiky blonde hair and deep blue eyes that were going to make her think things she shouldn't.

"Why do I sense you want to slap me?" He asked in amusement.

"It's been a long day, I'm tired."

"You don't like cops, do you?"

Now finally, he moved out of the deepest shadows and into the light. Damn, she thought with a sigh. He had the face to match his voice and smile. He also had those blue eyes she'd imagined and, for a split second, a glint inside them that made her nerves jitter.

"I was married to a cop once. It didn't work out. You remind me a little of him." Right down to the stubble, she thought and found herself smiling at the irony of the situation. "We divorced three years ago, I'm over it."

"Over the unpleasantness or the man."

"Both. Our split wasn't unpleasant, just…" Disappointing, she reflected. "Strained."

He didn't believe her, but it didn't matter, or at least it shouldn't. Yes, she would see him during the course of the investigation, but she could keep her distance as well as any other woman. Better, since seeing him would remind her again of what she'd been through once and had no desire to go through a second time.

The smile that hovered on his lips suggested he knew exactly what she was thinking. "I met your husband, Rory. Our paths crossed once on a rather involved drug bust." He shrugged. "I used to work in Vice."

Rory stood. "Then you'll understand my reasons for saying goodnight."

Instead of backing off, he moved closer. "You can't avoid me."

She was exhausted, out of her element, and in no mood to play games with him. "I don't have to avoid you, Detective. You're involved with an investigation, which I have no choice but to endure. I don't waste time worrying about things I can't change."

He cocked his head. "What about your sisters? Can they cope as well as you?"

Oh, he was dangerously attractive all right. She glanced through the glass door. "Madeline's stronger than she looks. Louise…" She flicked a hand. "She's not on the books for a crime. She'll be fine."

"She's at Pascoe's as we speak."

Rory recognized the name of the trendy Caribbean lounge. "There you go then." She said. "Louise is coping, as always."

"You call drinking at 1:00 am coping?"

Rory found it interesting that his amusement didn't annoy her. "It's her way, Detective, not mine." She switched gears. "This witness of yours, is he by any chance connected to Jason Stiles?"

Tristan's expression told her nothing, and of course he'd discovered another shadow in which to conceal himself. That the shadow happened to be less than a foot from where Rory stood didn't improve her mood.

"Before the line-up, one of our computer artists put together a composite based on the witness's description of the murderer. That picture could be of you or your sister."

"Which proves…?"

"Nothing on it's own." His lashes lowered. "Tell me, is your sister right handed or left?"

"Right. Why?"

"You signed your name with your left hand tonight?"

"I sign with my left, but I promise, I can just as easily bludgeon someone with my right. You're not very subtle, Detective Dugrey. I take it Jason Stiles was struck by a right handed person?"

He didn't answer. A second later, the door across the hall opened.

Madeline emerged looking edgy and drawn. "Thanks for waiting, Rory." The blackness under her eyes had grown more pronounced. "Lieutenant Owen says we can leave." She rubbed her forehead. "Who were you talking to when I came out?"

Rory glanced back. Somehow, it didn't surprise her to find Tristan had disappeared. "A man, a detective on the case. He asks questions, but doesn't answer many." She regarded Madeline. "Are you all right?"

"I want to get out of here."

Rory check the shadows one last time. "They're so elusive." She said softly.

"What?" Madeline blinked.

Unsure of what to make of the entire bizarre encounter, Rory shook her head. "I'm either incredibly perceptive, or…" she released a weary breath. "I'm headed for a whole lot of trouble."

So Rory and Tristan finally meet. That encounter gave me Goosebumps just writing about it. It was so seductive, I loved it. Well, you know the drill, review for more.

And for those of you confused on Rory's family dynamic. I'd tell you, but it would ruin the story. I'll give you little details, but I can't do much, it'd ruin the story.

Rory Gilmore Adopted as a child, she is a ringer for her natural sister and next in line for the family curse.

Tristan Dugrey A dark and mysterious police detective. He has many secrets to keep.

Madeline Mayne One of the three birth sisters. She discovers her natural father and is then accused of murdering him.

Louise Tamblyn Youngest of the sisters. Her interests are entirely self-centered.

Jason Stiles Biological father to Rory, Madeline and Louise. Did the family curse kill him?

Lorelai Gilmore biological mother to Rory, Madeline and Louise. She has a shady past.

Dolores Boyer Lorelai's mother. She knows more than she should about many things.

Christopher Hayden Jason's business partner. He appeared to gain nothing by Jason's death.

Miss Patty A voodoo queen who believes in curses.

Limping man Is he part of the curse, or merely biding his time?