Chapter One

So, first they sent women from Paris to be brides of the French settlers, then they sent these nuns to help birth the babies and start schools and stuff." Heaven Lee was pacing around Sal's barbershop, waving a hardcover book. Sal was getting ready for his day, setting out his clippers and combs and scissors in a neat, orderly row. Murray Steinblatz, the maitre d' at Cafe Heaven, had brought Lamar's doughnuts to the barbershop and Heaven had brought coffee from the restaurant across the street. She would only drink Sal's coffee under crisis circumstances. The other member of this impromptu coffee klatch was Mona Kirk, the owner of the cat gift store right next to Cafe Heaven. She was the only one who seemed interested in Heaven's history lesson.

    "And that was how long ago?"

    "Really early, as far as American history goes. Seventeen twenty-seven. My friend sent me this history of New Orleans and it tells all about them, the sisters," she said, waving the book again. "Can you imagine a bunch of nuns coming across the ocean to God knows where." Heaven was glad to have an audience. "New Orleans was just a swamp with a fe ... read full excerpt from Red Beans and Vice ebook