The Devil's Orchard (16 page)

“Ms. Montgomery, I’m a huge fan,” Ronald said, his demeanor softening dramatically. “Are you and Ms. Jatibon friends? Such unsavory characters can’t be a wise career move.”

“Is that pertinent to the investigation?” Remi smiled at Dallas to reassure her.

“Like I said, I’m a fan.” Ronald stood and smoothed down his jacket. “I’ll be seeing you soon.”

“Jackass,” Emile said when the elevator doors closed. “We brought the car around if you’re ready.”

“Simon, did this Chapman guy visit my father or brother today?” Remi asked, still confused by the strange visit. Either Ronald was a real amateur at interrogation, or this had been about something else.

“No, he really was waiting for more than an hour downstairs, which made me believe he was some intern for the coming summer, but that’s not what he said.”

“Have the areas they were in swept, but tell me before you remove anything. Call my father and tell him to up the security at the club until I figure the guy out.”

“You got it,” Emile said.

“Not yet, but I’ll catch on eventually,” she said as a joke. The morning had been puzzling from the moment she’d left the bedroom.

“It’s no fun when life gets complicated, huh?” Dallas asked.

“I can handle complicated better than bizarre. Him coming here and sitting around that long to toss out recycled threats is strange.”

“Maybe it was like an audition,” Dallas said as she put some items into her purse.

“How so?”

“He mentioned Cain and cleaning up the city, so if he visited her too, maybe he’s searching for a partner to get all that done. Or you can forget that I love to ramble on about stuff I’m not sure of.”

“In a strange way that makes sense,” she said, and viewed Ronald more as a joke. “He’s going to try to flip one of us. That’s when he’ll find he can’t lift that kind of weight.”

*

Everyone was quiet around the breakfast table, as if taking their cues from Cain and Emma. No one had commented on the extra security that prowled the grounds and had already been assigned to every family member.

“Do you remember what Mama and I told you?” Cain asked Hannah as she held her on her lap after the little girl had finished her meal.

“Don’t talk to strangers, and that means anybody I don’t know.”

“That’s right, and you have to be careful about anyone who offers you an ice cream or maybe candy. It might look good, but we have the best candy and stuff here.” She kept the conversation as light as she could and still get her point across to not scare Hannah. “Today we’ll do something fun after I’m finished with work, so go play outside if you want.”

“What’s going on, Mom?” Hayden asked when Hannah left the room.

“Juan Luis is back, so I need you to not take any stupid chances. You stick to Mook and the other guys I’ve got with him.”

“I’ll be okay.”

“I mean it, Hayden. If I’m worried about you ditching out with your friends, I can’t concentrate on taking care of this problem.”

“You don’t have to worry, Mom. I’ll be good, then you’ll owe me one,” Hayden said as he kissed first Emma, then Cain’s cheek before he left.

“What’s your game plan for today?” Emma asked.

“I need to see Jasper again. Depending on how that goes, we might have to have another dinner at Vincent’s. This time we might need the other families to finish this.”

“I thought you weren’t fond of owing people favors.”

“If Gracelia and Juan establish themselves here on the same scale Rodolfo had planned, it’s in all our best interests to take out the trash. This business has too much of an allure not to thrive here, but having a major player with such a grudge against us isn’t healthy.”

Emma nodded and stretched forward to hold her hands. “Do you want me to do anything?”

“For now I need you to be pregnant and happy.” She stood and leaned over so she could kiss Emma on the lips.

“I got that covered since I should get my own show at the aquarium soon.”

Dallas and Remi arrived at the end of their conversation, and Dallas asked, “You don’t think you’re fat, do you? Get that notion out of your head, because you look fantastic.”

Remi nodded, and after all their greetings were done, Cain and Remi headed for the office.

“What do you need us to do?” Remi asked when they were locked in the office with Simon, Lou, and Katlin.

“I might need a few people to cover some territory from here to Biloxi. We had enough for my plan for Gracelia, but I had no choice but to recall them after Carlos called me.”

“Your first phase got some attention, but from the wrong people,” Remi said, but laughed, which made Cain believe she wasn’t upset. “Ronald Chapman and some other asshole he didn’t introduce came to see me this morning.”

“I got the same visit, but it was at Hayden’s game. Ronald and his mentally challenged sidekick, Brent Cehan, I’m sure meant to embarrass me with the location.”

“You know the other agent?”

“Brent’s who put Cain in the hospital,” Lou said in anger. “Asshole needs to be taken care of.”

“He will be,” she said, “but that’s not my priority right now.”

“So far no one from the list you gave me has come through any airport close to us. If Juan got here, he’s got fresh papers with a name we don’t know yet.” Remi placed a thick file on the corner of her desk. “This is everyone through Houston, Dallas, and Miami in the last two weeks. If you get a clue, we have a starting point to verify from.”

“Thanks.” It was good to know Remi was as thorough as she was and hadn’t minded the task she’d delegated her. “You up for a visit with Jasper?”

“Sure. We’re looking at real estate this afternoon, but I can reschedule if need be.”

“Snake Eyes is settling down?” She slapped Remi on the back. “Congratulations, my friend. Now I understand what all the wailing around town is all about. All those beautiful women are heartbroken they’ve missed their chance.”

“Laugh it up, Casey. The same thing happened to you when Emma got here and wrapped you around her pinkie.”

They told their partners they were going out, and she noticed the way Remi’s eyes lingered on Emma. She wasn’t concerned that it was inappropriate, but maybe Remi was ready for more than simply a new house.

“How’s your mom with Dallas and Kristen?” she asked as they rolled through the front gate.

“After Emma talked to her, she’s better, but it’ll take her some more time to figure out that Dallas isn’t on the FBI’s payroll.”

“Once you hand her that first grandbaby, she’ll be fine.”

“That might have to wait until Dallas’s career is more set and she’s ready for that kind of commitment.”

“Buddy, Dallas might be waiting on you, so don’t hesitate to ask all those questions she wants to hear.”

Jasper’s men pulled their barricades aside as soon as they drove up, and she wondered what the FBI and DEA were thinking about the large number of vehicles inside Jasper’s little kingdom. She knew most of the old-timers, but Jasper had added plenty of new people, each looking scarier than the next.

Jasper ran his business at the main house at the center of the cul-de-sac, and that’s where he stood and waited for them. “He might erect a statue of you out here since you’ve helped out so much in the last few days,” Remi said.

“I’m not done.” Katlin unbuttoned her jacket for easy access to the guns she had holstered under it. Then she opened the door and Cain got out. Katlin always reminded her of a walking armory, but it did give her a sense of safety.

“Jasper,” Remi said as she embraced him. “You’re looking healthy.”

“Nothing but the good life will do that,” he said as he put his arms around Cain. “And my life is good because I’ve got great friends.”

Inside, Vincent and Vinny Carlotti sat at the long old cypress table Fats had supposedly won in a card game from a former chief of police. Maude sat in the corner, as if she didn’t want to get in the way but still wanted to listen in. Cain walked over and kissed her cheek and pulled on the strap of her apron. Maude might’ve been better known for her cooking skills, but Cain had always thought her guidance had gotten Fats and Jasper through the tough times.

“Have you come to an agreement?” she asked when she sat at the head of the table across from Jasper.

“Right now it’s a sixty-forty split only because we’ve had to take over where Jasper’s missing people because of all the shit that’s gone down. Once he’s back up to full strength we’ll readjust the numbers,” Vinny said.

“You okay with that?” she asked, her eyes on Jasper.

“Still making more than before, so I got no beef.”

“How about you?” she asked Vincent, out of respect.

“Kid’s making it work and it’s good business. I’m happy, but I don’t think I’m here for you to ask me that. Am I right?”

“We’re going to have to deal with the eight-hundred-pound gorilla in the room, and if left unchecked Hector Delarosa will take over every street corner from San Francisco to Miami, and all points north of there.” They all looked at her with an expression that summed up her feelings. Life was extremely unfair at times, but you had no choice but to acknowledge it and move on. “I’m sure we all agree that none of us wants to answer to Hector in our city.”

“That fucker’s got a lot of muscle, though,” Vincent said, and no one said anything even though he had no stake here.

“Alone, none of us has a chance, so it’s important for both of you to establish everywhere that’s suddenly become clear of competition.”

She glanced at Maude and smiled when she blew her a kiss. She didn’t have any reason to admit here, or anywhere, that she’d given the order to kill a large number of Gracelia’s people, but Maude didn’t need someone to spell it out for her.

“We’re moving quick to do that, but not so fast we’re not vetting people along the way. I want this to work, but not at the expense of letting a cop on my payroll,” Vinny said. He was quieter than his father but just as savvy, so she trusted him as much as she did Remi.

“You got any clue as to what sections might be opening up soon?” Jasper asked. “You’ve always been good at predictions.”

“Gracelia is about to run into some problems in Mississippi and Alabama. With the heat on Florida, she wisely located everything outside the state. They’re shipping it in but ready for sale, no cutting or packaging there.”

“Good to know,” Vinny said, and glanced at Jasper.

“What kinda timeline we looking at?” Jasper asked.

“If you want in, have a group in place by tomorrow this time. I’d lay low so no one blames me for the Luis misfortune, but it’ll keep someone from beating you to the territory.” Her phone buzzed and it was Emma. “Excuse me a moment.

“Yes, lass, is something wrong?”

“Hector and Marisol Delarosa are here for coffee,” Emma said flatly. “They’re extremely disappointed you’re not home, but they don’t want to leave even though I told them you’d be a while.”

“Could you put him on the phone if he’s nearby?”

“Gladly,” Emma said, and she heard her footsteps for a short walk.

“Hector,” she said, but he immediately started talking.

“Cain, are you arriving soon? We have much to talk about.”

“If you want to see me anytime soon, get the hell out of my house right now. You’re upsetting my partner and our guest, and neither of them can help you, so there’s no reason to sit and wait.”

“No need for rudeness,” Hector said, and he sounded suddenly angry.

“Rude is showing up and staying without calling first. My wife is expecting, and if you stress her, believe me I’ll make you pay.”

“Careful of such threatening words between friends.” If she could’ve reached through the phone she would’ve strangled him. “Tomorrow, then, at my home.”

“Tomorrow at a coffee shop of my choosing. There’s no need for privacy since you’ve got my answer about us doing business together.”

“Sometimes it doesn’t pay to be nice, girl,” Jasper said when she hung up. “I know he’s a shit, but I get a craving to gut that oily bastard every time I see him. That is, if you were talking to Delarosa.”

“Guy’s like Juan. Neither of them know when to take no for an answer,” she said, and cracked the bones in her neck to release the tension. “We’ll get to Hector eventually, but one thing at a time.”

“So back to the bad luck ready to fall like rain for the Luis organization,” Jasper said.

“There’s a possibility what happened here will happen in the locations I mentioned, and if it does, I’d consider it a favor if you’d take care of any problem that slips through the smoldering cracks.”

“You need anything else?” Vinny asked.

“A little peace, and even if it means I have to kill every bastard who tries to keep it from me, so be it.”

*

“I’m sorry for the bad traveling conditions, señora, but anything too fancy stands out.”

Gracelia and Eduardo were the coyote’s only customers that late afternoon, but the guy’s stench was making her carsick. The rut-filled road and dust coming through the open windows weren’t helping, but they were at least getting close to the border, she hoped. She didn’t think she could take much more of this.

“You’re used to better than this, huh?” The guy persisted in making conversation, and that only accentuated the three teeth left in his entire mouth.

“You think this woman is interested in you?” Eduardo asked. He was the only one of her men she’d been comfortable bringing.

“This is my truck, and if I leave you out here the scorpions are going to eat for months on your hide.”

“One more word and I’ll put a bullet in your head and drive the rest of the way myself. At least the smell will be better.”

Gracelia closed her eyes and rubbed her palms along her jeans. “Shut up, the both of you.” When she slowly opened her eyes she noticed more trees along the side of the dirt road they were on. Vegetation only grew like that close to the river.

“Here,” the man said, and got out and scrambled down the embankment. “The river’s not too deep, and the car is waiting a mile down the road on the other side.”

She handed him a wad of bills and took her boots off. This was humiliating, but it was important to get back into the States without any fanfare. Jerome had called her about the attack against them and the disappearance of her son. It galled her to admit Jerome had been right about Gustavo and his obsessions. The need to possess Emma Casey and kill Cain Casey had emptied her son’s head. He’d put that over their business, and when she found him she’d have to tell him how disappointed she was.