“I considered that possibility and had Mano take care of something. You have to trust me.” The phone rang, interrupting what Cain was saying, and since Ramon still appeared to be in no state to talk, she picked it up. “Marianna,” she said, then took the receiver away from her ear. “What?” Cain searched behind the bar for the remote control. “Stop watching and call Mano to come sit with you. I’ll have Ramon home soon.”
She pointed the remote at the television Ramon kept on during sporting events for people who’d bet on the games. The station Marianna had told her about had returned to regular programming, and Cain was relieved Ramon would be spared for now. Later in the day it’d be the lead story, and he’d have to face the ugliness of what had happened.
As she went back to explain why she’d stopped to watch television, the phone rang again. Cain picked it up and listened to Ramon’s employee from downstairs. “Stop them at the door and I’ll be down in a minute. Whatever you do, don’t let them anywhere near the stairs. Cops love situations like this to get into places they’re not wanted.”
“What now?” Ramon asked.
“Katlin, get down there and keep the cops company,” Cain said first. “I’m sure the 911 system lit up like a Christmas tree after that cannon shot, and the city’s finest is on the case. They’re here and they want answers, since Simon hasn’t shown up at any of the local hospitals.”
“Why would she?” Ramon asked. He sounded like the rage had burned itself out and despair was starting to seep in.
“Ramon, go home and sit with your wife and leave this to me. I’ll deal with the cops, but before you go, give me Simon’s number.” She dialed the number he gave her and it rang three times before Simon answered. “Tell me.”
Ramon stood right in front of her and put his hand on the arm Cain was using to hold the receiver to her ear. “We’re headed to the spot we talked about,” Simon said.
“Talk to Ramon,” Cain said, and handed him the phone.
Ramon listened to Simon and his legs buckled. The phone slipped from his hand and he fell against Cain, sobbing. “Call me when you get there,” Cain told Simon before hanging up. To Ramon she said, “Get home and don’t make Marianna wait for you any longer than necessary.”
Cain took a deep breath and headed downstairs to give the cops as little information as possible. What had happened was over, and there was nothing for them to investigate. She’d take care of that. She walked down the stairs slowly to take in the bottom floor and see who’d drawn the short straw of getting the case assigned to them.
The group assembled around Katlin had their backs to her, making it hard to recognize the detectives. Since Katlin was her height, Cain was surprised to see the white-haired cop standing so close he could’ve head-butted Katlin. Obviously he liked to use his height to intimidate, a tactic lost on Katlin, who stood with her arms crossed and a smile on her face.
“If you have a problem with anything, take it up with my boss,” Cain heard Katlin say when she was close enough.
“Then get their ass down here,” the cop said. The voice stopped Cain on the last step since, while it was deep and rich, it was definitely not male.
“The ass is here, but you know me better than that, to have such a low opinion of me,” Cain said.
Detective Sept Savoie turned around and put her hands on her hips. The straight cut of the light gray jacket did a good job of hiding anything that would give away her gender. Smart for her choice of career, thought Cain as she walked over to her.
“Cain, it’s been awhile,” Sept said, holding her hand out. “I’d love to catch up on old times, but I need to talk to someone in the Jatibon family.” Sept spoke in a no-nonsense way.
“Sept, you were the same on the playground in kindergarten. You think if you bark loud enough someone will give you whatever you like, but that’s not possible right now. You can talk to me or you can sit down here and wait until the family’s available—your choice.”
“Our friendship doesn’t mean anything right now. This is official police business. Get Ramon down here or I’ll have a team of cops here in less than ten minutes and take this place apart, including all those nice slot machines nobody wants to admit are up there.”
“Ooh, forceful,” Cain said as she pulled out her phone. “Muriel, yes, I’m already here. Be here in less than five minutes. Don’t let me down. We’re under the gun since they’ve sent in Wyatt Earp.” The comment made Sept’s almost black eyes narrow to slits.
“It’s Detective Savoie, jackass,” Sept said with a smile that made her appear sarcastic without trying. “And you haven’t changed all that much from the playground either. You always thought if you make enough smart comments, you can get away with anything.”
“Calm down, Sept. There’s a huge line ahead of you trying to get me, and I’m sure you’re as good as the feds.”
“Do you have any idea where Remi Jatibon’s body is?”
“No, I don’t,” Cain held up her fingers, “Scout’s honor.”
“You do realize she’s been shot?” Sept said, stepping into Cain’s comfort zone.
Cain had to cock her head back to make eye contact, but she smiled instead of showing any fear. To make Sept back down first, Cain moved forward in the little bit of room left until the tips of their shoes touched. “I’ve known since someone told me they watched it on television. What are you doing here instead of trying to find the asshole who actually shot her? Isn’t that the way it usually works? Someone shoots someone else and the cops go after the one with the gun, not the one who took the bullet. Why are you wasting time trying to harass the Jatibons or slow dance with me instead of giving them justice?”
“I already know how to do my job, but thanks for the advice. Do you know how I can get in touch with Ramon Jatibon?”
“If you have a court order, it shouldn’t be a problem to get him to come to the door. Since you won’t get off your obsession to bother the Jatibons right now, you can wait outside,” Cain said, and stopped smiling. “Good seeing you again, and tell your mother I said hello. At least she has a sense of humor, but I have a soft spot for people with absolutely none.”
“My sense of humor’s fine,” they all turned around when Muriel came in, “when I find something funny,” Sept said. “The day we finally put you away, I’ll be giddy. I’ll come over and play poker with you every so often, since I’ll know where to find you.” With a flick of her wrist she signaled for her partner to get going. “This isn’t over.”
“For once we agree on something.”
Katlin waited until they left before looking at Cain. “Now what?”
“Now we light a candle and contact the spirit of Remi.”
Katlin laughed. “You know Ramon looked mad enough to kill, so you might want to tone down the humor.”
“You have to have a little faith, Cousin.” Cain considered how to get out of there and lose the locals as well as the feds. “Let’s take a walk.”
“Not on your life,” Lou said. “There’s some nut out there with a scope.”
“The nut finished what he came to do. The fact that he was early means I have to put my shit on hold and deal with this. We’re walking, but not out that door,” she said, meaning the front door. “I’m sure the feds have the back covered, but we’re going out that way.”
The back alley was deserted, but Cain could hear the sirens getting closer. She wasn’t worried about the cops now, even if they did manage to push Muriel aside. It would take them a week to cut through the door Ramon had installed to protect the secrets of the second floor. His friends within the police department would come through way before then.