“Are you going to tell me what she’s so upset about or do I have to guess?”
Cain put her arm around Muriel’s shoulders and started back to the table. “What am I always telling you about time and place, cousin? The time right now is for crab cakes. When we get home I’ll tell you a bedtime story.”
“Everything all right?” Remi asked.
“What were we saying about fame? Or should I say notoriety?” Cain cocked her head in the direction of the door. “Something obviously happened tonight, and for some reason I’m the first person they blame.”
“A Girl Scout like you? Hard to believe,” Remi said as they all laughed.
Cain picked up her fork and took a bite of her crab cakes. She hoped whatever they’d served Kyle that night before shipping him off to hell was something he halfway enjoyed. Because if Father Andrew was right, he’d be up to his neck in pig shit for the whole of eternity, a fantasy that would let her sleep better at night.
*
“You have nothing?” Shelby asked Martin after leaving the French Quarter and arriving at the jail.
“If you want to call the remodel job on the transport van and Kyle’s new hairdo nothing, then I’m sure I can’t talk you out of it. But if you’re talking having someone in custody, then you’re on the money. We have nothing.”
A member of the FBI’s forensic team walked up with a rifle in his hand. “We found this across the street on the roof, ma’am. We started there since it was the only logical spot after we figured the trajectory of the shot.”
“Take it in and find out what tree the stock came from by morning,” Annabel said. She’d left her house in jeans and a sweatshirt after Shelby’s call. “Shit,” she said, after taking a look under the sheet covering Kyle. “I didn’t agree with what he did, but he deserved better than this.”
“I hate to say this,” Shelby said, squatting down next to Annabel, “but for once I have to agree with Anthony. This has Cain written all over it, and we need to find the connection that leads back to her. No one but a handful of people knew we were transporting tonight, and one of them had to have talked. Find that link and we finally find our way to a warrant with the name Casey on it.”
“Make your list then, and keep me in the loop. If Casey is involved she went too far this time. Kyle wasn’t on the right side of the law, but he was our responsibility until the process had run its course. I don’t like being made a fool of.”
“If it’s there, we’ll find it.”
Chapter Sixteen
“If you check around, Mr. Luis, you won’t find anyone who can help you deal with problems better than me.” Anthony Curtis had forgone the dark suit for a pair of khakis and a black leather jacket. He’d made it into the Luis suite at the Piquant, but Rodolfo still appeared wary.
“Tell me how a member of the FBI can help me except maybe try and bring me down.” Rodolfo flicked his cigar in the direction of the ashtray but missed. The fat ash that landed on the light-colored carpet didn’t seem to concern him, though, like a man used to others cleaning up after him. “And please don’t try to deny who your employer is. One of my associates in the city pointed you out.”
“I’m not going to deny that the FBI was my employer, but not anymore. I was dismissed recently, so I’m looking for something new to keep my interest. You and your nephew came to mind when I figured we have a common problem.”
“Sounds interesting. Let’s hear it.”
Rodolfo crossed his legs and started puffing on his cigar again, so Anthony felt comfortable enough to sit down. Behind Rodolfo’s head was a perfect view of the city’s night skyline. “Derby Cain Casey.”
“That’s it?” Rodolfo laughed. “I met Ms. Casey on my last trip. She’s rather abrupt in her conversation, but I doubt she’s a problem to me.”
“Really?” He mirrored Rodolfo’s relaxed pose by crossing his legs. “Your business hasn’t suffered any setbacks recently?” Rodolfo flinched and tried to hide his reaction, but Anthony saw it. His fish had taken the bait, so he stood up and shrugged. “Sorry I bothered you. I must have you confused with someone else.”
Rodolfo shrugged as well. “You have to see it from where I’m sitting, Mr. Curtis. If I admit to having a business problem, as it were, then if you’re just on temporary leave I might have a problem when you decide to return to work. A man like me stays in business by making sure of his moves before he makes them.”
“I agree you have no reason to trust me, but you also would be a fool to turn me down. I’m no longer with the Bureau because of that bitch, so if the only way to bring her down is by working on the other side of the law, I’m willing to take my chances.”
“Let me think about it and I’ll get back to you.” As soon as Rodolfo finished speaking, one of his men stepped up and stood behind Anthony, ready to escort him out of the room. “If I do agree to your offer, there’s one thing you should keep in mind.”
“What’s that?” Anthony could see himself starting to reel in slowly because he knew the hook was now in place.
“If I’m disappointed in your job performance, I’ll handle things differently than your previous employers. I’m not a man who tolerates disappointment well.”
“Understood.” Standing in the hall, Anthony felt his confidence crack a little, but he knew he could work around it. He was doing this to prove a point, and because he wasn’t about to spend his leave in his apartment sulking until Annabel felt he was ready to come back. When Cain was out of the picture and Rodolfo was sharing her fate, he’d give Annabel her wish and transfer somewhere else, but so would she when he proved just how incompetent she was.
“We’re going to use him, right?” Juan asked, coming into the room when he heard the front door close.
“What we’re going to do, or at least what you’re going to do, is everything I tell you to. I haven’t been thrilled with your behavior lately, so unless you’re ready to let me know what’s on your mind that’s made you lose your control, consider yourself on a short leash.” Juan was dressed as if he was going out for the evening. “If you choose to disobey me, then take what I told Curtis to heart. I won’t allow you to bring this family down for whatever it’ll take to satisfy you.”
“Papa, I may be many things, but I’ll never turn against you or disappoint you. You have my word on that.”
“If you’re so loyal, tell me what’s bothering you.”
Juan stared at him for awhile without saying anything, just rocking in place. He reminded Rodolfo of when he was a little boy thinking of the best way to put something so Rodolfo wouldn’t get angry.
“The last time we were here…” Juan said, sitting next to Rodolfo on the sofa so he could keep his eyes on his shoes. He told Rodolfo of his attempts to talk to Emma and how she’d laughed and humiliated him. The more he spoke the more venomous his tone became, and Rodolfo could easily read between the lines.
Juan had found something he wanted, and for once in the privileged life Rodolfo had given him, he couldn’t have it. The realization was making Juan crazy, and crazy men were dangerous, in Rodolfo’s opinion.
“You’re my son, no matter who fathered you,” he said, putting his hand behind Juan’s neck, “and I love you. But get that woman out of your head. Cain Casey may be a woman, but she’s a viper I’d rather leave alone. If you do anything to Emma, Cain won’t stop coming until she’s destroyed all of us. You bring that down on us, and you won’t have to worry about her. I’ll take care of you myself, no matter how much I love you.”
“You’d take her side over mine?” Juan tried pulling away from Rodolfo but couldn’t break his grasp.
“If you see it that way, we’re going to have a problem. If you respect nothing, then you’ll live your life without honor. In this case you have to respect Emma Casey’s wishes and her commitments to someone else. So promise me you’ll do that.” Juan tried to pull away from him again. “I said promise me.”