Kitty looked at Iris not knowing quite what to say. Iris turned to Kitty and with a false brightness said, "Kitty you must be hungry after your trip. Let's go get you something to eat."

Kitty forced a smile and said, "Oh, the last time I was here I gained 5 pounds because of delicious food made by your cook, Francine."

Iris froze and Kitty could have kicked herself. If Iris was selling her possessions she certainly hadn't retained a cook.

Rising to the moment Kitty corrected herself. "You know, on my first night here I'd love to go to that restaurant down the street and get some chicken in a basket with all those New Orleans fixins. Please let me treat you and Davy."

Iris nodded in relief.

Later that night, after a filling dinner, Kitty and Iris put Davy to bed. Kitty told him a half true story about a certain character named Festus, and Davy went to bed with a smile on his face.

Kitty and Iris went back to the almost bare sitting room and Kitty knew she and to get some answers. "Iris, we are cousins but closer than most sisters. I love you and I know something is terribly wrong and maybe I can help. The best person I know told me that I don't have to go through bad things by myself, I'm telling you that neither do you. I know Carl has always liked to gamble. Has he gone too far?"

Iris looked up and decided to lay it out. She admitted to Kitty that things were going badly. She explained that Carl had invested in several business ventures that had failed. With each failure he drank more and gambled more. The gambling debts went up so he gambled even more and entered into even riskier business ventures to try to make quick cash. He couldn't handle the financial demands, and wanted more and more cash to gamble with so he fired the hired help to save money. Next he started selling their possessions. Things had gotten so bad that she suggested to Carl that they sell the house and move to a smaller place. The very idea made Carl furious. He said that their fancy address was important to maintain his image. With each failure he became angrier with Iris and more resentful that she was pregnant. He had pushed her around some, but mostly he was drunk, absent and running up more and more debts.

Kitty was horrified but not totally surprised. She knew that Iris adored Carl but there was something about him that Kitty had never trusted. She thoughts went briefly to her dear cowboy back in Dodge, a man to be trusted and counted on.

Kitty and Iris talked far into the night. Just as they were about to go to bed the doorbell rang.

Iris was surprised. "Who could that be? It's way after midnight. Maybe Carl is too drunk to unlock the door."

Iris went to the door and asked who it was. "Sorry to disturb you, but it's the New Orleans Police."

Iris opened the door. A heavyset man with a mustache showed his ID. "I'm Police Officer Rousseau. Sorry to disturb you at this hour, but I'm afraid that I have to ask you to come with us to identify a body. We believe your husband has been killed."

Iris looked stunned and Kitty ran to her side. "I'll come with you Iris."

"No Kitty, I'm alright. Please stay with Davy."

Iris walked out with the police officers, leaving Kitty pacing in the foyer.

The police officers took Iris to the city morgue. They led her gently into the room where a body was laid out.

Rousseau looked sympathetic and said, "Is this your husband, Carl Frank?"

Iris looked at the body and felt faint. The body was bloody and bruised but it was clearly recognizable as Carl's. She nodded yes and turned away.

"How did this happen, Sargeant?"

"Witnesses say that it was a fight over a gambling debt. A Mr. Barrows was demanding that your husband make good on an IOU and, I'm sorry to say that your husband started the fight. Mr. Barrows was defending himself. No charges will be filed against him."

Iris stood there not knowing what to feel or say. She felt numb.

Officer Rousseau continued, "I know that this is very difficult for your Madame. I'm sorry to ask, but I need you to sign some papers. We can keep the body here for up to 72 hours. That will give you time to make funeral arrangements. After you sign these forms, an officer will drive you home.

Iris nodded and found herself in a carriage being driven back to her home.

She got back to her house and walked past Kitty who was asleep on the small couch in the sitting room. She went up the stairs to Davy's room and lay down next to her son, wondering how she was going to get on in the world.