Hot coffee splashed on Kyle’s legs when Emma dropped her cup in shock. Not once in all the time she had been home had her mother mentioned that she knew Kyle before he showed up at the farm. “Thank you? I damn you to hell along with my mother. How dare you play with our lives like that and keep us apart?”
Emma’s voice was getting so loud Kyle was afraid he was going to have to take drastic measures and gag her with a small bag of coffee, if that was what it took.
Just as quickly it died away, and Emma narrowed her eyes, this time in suspicion. “Wait a minute. How did you find out about what happened that night with Danny? Cain made damn sure to keep that in the family.” Emma saw Kyle’s jaw tighten slightly and realized he was uncomfortable with the fact that he had said too much.
Shelby watched from the van with Lionel. She had hopped out and switched vehicles, knowing this was the more interesting conversation. “Yeah, Kyle, tell us how you knew about that little incident and in such vivid detail? Danny Baxter was your chance to snare Cain, but you have yet to find the body. And I’m willing to bet five years of my salary the little shit’s dead.” She asked the question as both she and Emma waited for Kyle to answer.
“I work for the FBI, lady. We know things.” With a shrug and a laugh, Kyle was ready to move on to the next subject.
“The only way you got into the house was by turning someone else, because we all know what a good job you did on me. God, how could I have been such a fool? Leave me alone, Agent Kyle. Don’t worry. I’m not here to ruin your plan. I’m here to try and get back something I too willingly gave away.”
“Just remember, you tell Casey anything, and I will make you suffer.” Kyle squeezed her arm so hard that she gasped.
“Are you all right, miss?” The young man had a bit of an acne problem and was wearing the green apron that was a standard part of the wait staff’s uniform, but he seemed willing to stand up to Kyle if Emma was in trouble.
“I’m fine, thank you. I was just leaving.” Emma smiled at her savior and felt Kyle’s grip lessen. “You’re too late, Barney. I’m already suffering.” With a big push back, Emma broke his grip and turned to leave. If she could help it, she would never see or talk to this man again.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Anthony and Joe watched as Cain strode away from her house. They didn’t see her usual relaxed posture as she made her way down one of New Orleans’s most famous streets. The two agents had become as familiar with Cain’s gait as they had with her choice of clothes and cool head. Emma had obviously thrown her for a loop with one short conversation.
For the first time they followed closer than was prudent, in case Cain needed them. She was still locked in a heated territory dispute with Giovanni Bracato, and a lone walk to clear her head made her an easy target. Neither man was willing to let one of Bracato’s goons get in a lucky shot just because Cain wasn’t thinking.
Anthony reached for his ringing cell phone and handed it to his partner, who sat in the passenger seat chewing on a hangnail.
“What’s up, Shelby?”
“Could you hop out of the van and hand the phone to Cain, please?”
“Are you going to support the wife and kids I hope to have one day when I get my ass fired for doing that?”
Shelby laughed more than she had when she had dialed Cain’s cell and had to tell Merrick it was a wrong number. The juvenile stunt made her think of her teenage years when she and her friends used to crank call all the guys they were in love with that week. “Joe, you’re going to have to trust me on this one.”
Joe thought about what they had already trusted her on and made a quick decision. “Pull over, man. I gotta hop out a minute.”
Anthony parked at a street corner, wondering what Joe needed out of the back that was more important than keeping up with Cain, who sure wasn’t talking to herself as she walked down the street. “What in the hell are you doing?” he called after Joe, when he opened the door and took off on foot after Cain with his phone.
“Making the book I’m planning to write that much more interesting.”
Cain was close to the park entrance when she heard someone call her name. Seeing who it was only made her day more bizarre. “What can I do for you, Agent Simmons?”
“You know who I am?” Having her call him by name made him totally forget why he was talking to her.
“It’s only fair. After all, you know who I am. Or did you think I’d mistake you for the Wisconsin farmhand who likes to hang out downtown in freezing cold temperatures just to see if anything exciting is happening in Haywood’s local diner? Did you feel a sudden urge to confess your true identity? Because why else would you run out and flag me down? Even you have to admit that’s a little unorthodox and probably isn’t in the secret-agent handbook. Didn’t you get a copy, with the ever-handy decoder ring? Am I supposed to start confessing now so you won’t feel alone in your sudden honesty?”
“No, ma’am. Agent Daniels wants to talk to you.” He held the phone out to her. “You were kidding about the decoder ring, right?” Joe tried to joke back. All of a sudden he felt like he was getting to hang out with the coolest kid in school.
“Please call me Cain, and no, just ask Daniels to show you hers.” She took the phone and stepped away from him. “What a pleasant surprise. How’s your day going, Shelby?”
“Please don’t give him any more ideas about me showing him anything. Just listen to me and do what I say. Accept a ride from the two agents with you and go home right now.”
“Darlin’, don’t you mean the two agents trailing me? Furthermore, I’m not in the habit of getting into cars with federal agents, no matter the circumstance.”
“Cain, please don’t argue with me. I need these guys to go somewhere with me, and I don’t want to leave you out there alone.”
She laughed as she leaned against one of the stone pillars that marked the entrance to the park. “Shelby, you do realize the only reason we know each other is because your boss thinks I’m a vicious killer?”
“Sure, and I don’t really have time to discuss it in detail, so what’s your point?”
“Dismiss Mr. Obvious here and his friend, and I’ll be just fine on my own.”
“I can’t do that. Please don’t be stubborn, and don’t ask me why I’m being so obstinate. It’s really necessary, believe me, so tell me you’ll go?”
“Okay, you win, but I expect an explanation eventually.”
“You got it, hellion. Now put Joe back on the phone.”
“Joe, is it?”
The young agent nodded and decided he liked the woman he had been watching for so long. She probably instilled such loyalty in people because of her humor and smile, which in his opinion lit up her face.
“Agent Daniels would like to talk to you.”
A short talk later Joe pointed to the van and cocked his head to see if she really would accept a ride.
Cain stopped them a block from her house and promised she would be fine the rest of the way. “Thanks for the escort, gentlemen. I feel better about paying my taxes this year after such accommodating treatment from the feds.”
“Anytime, Ms. Casey. We’re always available if you’d like to chat,” offered Anthony.
“I’ll just bet. Run off to wherever Daniels needs you. I won’t be going out for any more interesting meetings until around ten tonight.”
As soon as she closed the side door, the van sped off down the street, headed in the direction of the river. Whatever Shelby had going was important enough for her fellow officers to abandon their post, so Cain would do her part and stay put. The afternoon would give her time to think about Emma’s sudden appearance. Having her there might be for the best, if anything went wrong.