The hallway on the floor where Carol’s room was located was crowded with police, and Fiona and Teddie walked under the crime-scene tape to talk to Sebastian. “What’s all this?” Fiona asked as the CSI unit worked the room collecting evidence.
“Mrs. Verde made a statement before she was taken to the hospital to be checked out.”
“About what, the kidnapping?”
“Sort of. She claims Cain kidnapped her, handcuffed her in the bathroom, and was planning to kill her. I doubt that’s true, but we’re going to have to investigate her claim so she can’t try to get out of anything involved with Hannah. This doesn’t seem like something Cain would do. Also, the handcuffs she was held with were police issue.”
“So Newsome, you think?” Fiona asked, and he nodded. “Do you mind if I interview her and then consult with Shelby? Casey might not be my favorite person, but I agree with you that she didn’t do it. And in this case she has the perfect alibi, the kind that comes with video and FBI reports.” They followed him into the room and looked in the bathroom where Carol had been kept. “Anything as far as fingerprints?” Fiona asked when she noticed the black powder on every surface.
“Plenty. We’ll sort through them as soon as the room is cleared. Anything on the paperwork she showed the teacher to take Hannah Casey?”
“The attorney representing her said he had no idea where she got that, so we asked the judge overseeing the divorce case. Turns out one of the clerks for the other judge in their courthouse is related to Verde somehow so she drew them up and stamped them. They’re as legal as toilet paper and worth about that much.” Teddie opened some of the drawers in the room and went through Carol’s bag with the tip of her pen. “The sheriff in Haywood has taken her into custody.”
“Let’s head over to the hospital and have a talk with Verde. We’ll report back,” Fiona said.
The uniformed officer at Carol’s door nodded when they showed their badges before going in. “Mrs. Verde,” Fiona said to get Carol to open her eyes and acknowledge her. “I don’t know if you remember me, but I’m Detective Fiona O’Brannigan. This is my partner Detective Anderbrock. We have some questions for you.”
“Did you arrest her?” Carol asked, sounding extremely feeble.
“Who’s that, ma’am?” Teddie looked at her and winked.
“Cain Casey. I’m lucky to be alive after what that monster had planned.”
“So you’re saying Cain Casey handcuffed you in your room and left you to die?” Fiona said as she wrote in her notebook.
“It was her. I know who she is, and she hates me because I know the truth about her.” Carol seemed to regain her strength as she dumped on Casey.
“Are you sure this has nothing to do with what happened with Hannah Casey? You did take her without permission from her school and, according to the little girl, held her against her will.” She delivered the accusation in a nonthreatening way but was interested in Carol’s response. “Wasn’t Elton Newsome helping you with that?”
“I have a right to see her. I don’t care what Cain says.”
Not a denial, but this woman obviously would fight until the end thinking she had right on her side, even if the court system didn’t. “We’re looking through your room now for evidence of what happened, but for now I’m going to read you your rights and take you into custody for parental interference. You have the right to remain silent,” she said, and Carol glared at her through the rest. “You’ll stay here until you’re discharged, but then you’ll be moved to the women’s section of central lockup.”
“You have no right to do that. I haven’t done anything wrong.” Carol pointed her finger at them, and her back came up as if she wanted to hit her. “You came that night because you know like I do what Casey is.”
“I suggest you try to retain an attorney,” she said and followed Teddie out. They had to stop to let in a man with the same pinched expression as Carol. “I’m sorry. You’re going to have to wait until Mrs. Verde is moved to visit.”
“She’s my sister,” the man said, putting his hand on Fiona and pushing her backward. “I have a right to see her.”
Teddie removed her cuffs and slapped one side on the hand the man had put on Fiona. He screamed, echoed by Carol when Teddie then shoved him against the wall and yanked his arm up to make him stop fighting. “Keep it up and I’ll rip it out of the socket,” Teddie said, and he stopped moving. “Let anyone in here and I’ll have your badge,” she told the guy outside as they led the guy out.
“And make sure the ray of sunshine in there doesn’t go anywhere.”
*
“Where’s the wee babe?” Father Andrew Goodman said as he stepped through the door, handing the maid his hat and coat. Cain waited until he was done to place Billy in his arms. The only other man aside from her da that loved children and babies this much was Andy. He’d have been a great father had he chosen a life outside the church.
“Give him to me and no one gets hurt,” he said, but stopped to kiss Emma. “You are a saint for putting up with this one, but the Lord loves you for all these beautiful children.”
“You think you might have room for us after Thanksgiving?” Emma asked, smiling when Andy wrapped her in a bear hug. “That’ll give me time to plan a little family get-together following the baptism.”
“You know you’re my family, so I’ll make time whenever you’re ready, sweetheart.” He accepted the baby from Cain and walked to the den to sit down. It was the room he usually sat in to entertain the children, and Cain was glad he was that familiar with their home. “Look at this little boy,” he said, holding the baby so he could see his face. “He’s another one for your clan, Derby.”
“Not quite.” She tickled Billy’s cheek so he would open his eyes. “This one will be the first in a while with green eyes like his mama.”
“Look at that,” he said as he placed his hand over his chest and closed his eyes as his lips moved in prayer. “May God bless you, William, and keep you in His heart,” he said before finishing with an amen.
“Thank you, Father, and if you don’t mind sitting with Emma for a little while, I have to go out for a meeting.”
“You’re behaving, aren’t you?” he asked.
“If I told you where I was going you wouldn’t believe me,” she said and placed her finger to her lips as Emma showed him the bugged picture on the mantel. “Just be happy that I’m doing God’s work.”
He laughed and went back to looking at the baby. “And Emma says you can’t learn.”
Cain headed to the Piquant and walked up to the lobby with Lou. They followed their usual route of two floors past where they needed to be and took the stairs down. Lou knocked on the door, and the woman who answered seemed smaller than the last time Cain had seen her. But then she wasn’t really paying attention to much except what was coming out of Judice’s mouth that night. Everything that had happened since that visit must’ve taken a heavy toll.
“Thank you for seeing me, Judice,” she said, shaking the woman’s hand.
“I think it’s me who should be thanking you.” Judice let them in so they could sit in the suite’s small living room. “And no matter what you may think of me, I had nothing to do with the theft. I’ve worked for Colin and Salvatore for years, and I’ve done my best and been grateful for making more than a decent living.”
“I’m not here to accuse you of anything, just to understand what happened.” She leaned forward and read the titles on the ledgers on the coffee table. They seemed to be the financials for both men. “Whatever we talk about today will never leave this room.”
“What do you want to know?”
“From my understanding, Colin and Salvatore became involved with the Mexican cartel and started accepting and selling shipments of drugs to take advantage of the shortage coming from other areas. They were successful and used your services the same way they always did.” She touched the outside of the book but didn’t open it. “Is all that right?”
“Yes, but it was way too much money for me to use the usual methods I’d developed. I mean, it’s not always the same, but I have to come up with different ways to report the money that won’t ever raise red flags.”
She nodded and studied Judice’s face. “What kind of money are we talking about?”
“The operation started small, but in the last couple of months, they’re bringing in a little over ten million a month. All we can do is stockpile the money, because there’s no way to deposit that or invest it without some sort of authority coming down on us hard.”
She whistled, impressed with Colin’s setup. “So where did they stockpile all this cash?”
“That I don’t know, but I was working on bringing it into our system slowly. The actual movement and investment part wasn’t my responsibility. I never wanted anyone to accuse me of stealing a cent from these guys. Someone told me a long time ago that to play the game, you had to understand the rules and, more importantly, what could happen if you didn’t.”
“Da,” she said, having gotten that lecture herself. “He had good advice, but I want to know who did touch the money?”
Judice laid out the whole thing and who she dealt with every step of the way. They compared who from that list actually had the power to lay hands on the money. An hour later, Cain punched a number into her cell phone.
“Colin, are you in the hotel? Good. Come to the tenth floor,” she said, giving him the room number.
“Are you sure about this?” Judice sat so upright, her tension practically vibrated in the air. “If he really wants to kill me, here I am.”
“Colin has a soft spot for you, but he’s not going to forgive being stolen from. Since I know it’s not you, I don’t think it’ll be a problem.”
Ten minutes later, Lou let Colin into the room. He stopped when he saw Judice sitting there. “What the hell is this?”
“How much money is missing?” she asked, patting the seat next to her.
“Over a million.” Colin sat, his hands that rested on his thighs curled into fists, and glared at Judice. “I know, considering how much money we’ve made, that doesn’t sound like a lot, but I would’ve given it to you if you’d asked. Why fuck me, Judice?”
“Cousin, calm down and listen to what I have to say,” Cain said, wrapping her hand around his bicep. “You’ve got a thief, but it’s not her. How would she have done it?”
“Who then?” Colin said, staring at Judice as if daring her to pick a name so he could knock her teeth out. If she’d known all this time and hadn’t told him, that’s where he’d start and work his way to killing her. “Salvatore said it had to be her.”
“Of course he did, but I can’t know for sure. It has to be someone who not only has access to the money but knows where it physically is. From what she said, only five people have that information, and she’s not one of them.”
Colin squeezed his hands hard, and Cain thought any more of that and he’d cut through the skin. “You really didn’t do it?” he asked Judice.
“After everything you’ve done for me, you would think I would?” She surprised Cain by standing up, going to him, and placing her hands on his shoulders. “I love you, Colin, and I’ve never given you everything you wanted because you’re married. Those vows you took mean something to me, but it doesn’t mean I love you any less.” She rested her cheek on top of his head. “I’ll never be able to repay you for taking me in and giving me a chance all those years ago.”
“Then who?” he said, reaching up for her hand.
“I had no idea anything was missing, so I can’t answer that,” Judice said.
“The way I look at it, the five people who would have enough access to steal would be you, Salvatore, your wife, Salvatore’s son-in-law, and his daughter. Unless your wife’s finally had enough of your affairs and is starting a nest egg, it has to be one of the other three, so which of them has had a change in circumstances?” Cain logically counted them off. “And since Salvatore has done nothing but point his finger at Judice, that might be who’s dipping his hand deeper into the well.”
“There’s no way to tell that now since so much money is involved. I might not be able to figure it out, much less accuse Salvatore or someone in his family of stealing from me. You know how he is.”
“You’re going to have to, and you’re going to have to make peace between the two of you.” She stood, expecting Colin would stay to speak to Judice privately. “Just give me your word you’ll offer Judice your protection.” Cain was working toward peace these days—throughout the Casey clan. “I suggest you change how you do business when it comes to the payout. Once you do, whoever complains the most is where your problem lies and you’ll know for sure.”
“Thank you,” Judice said and took her hands. “I don’t think I deserved your help, but I’m grateful for it.”
“I’m just a bull in a china shop,” Cain said, recalling that Judice had once said that about Dalton. “But I try not to spend every day smashing things.”
“I’m sorry for that,” Judice said.
“Let’s both agree to forget. Feel free to stay as long as you’d like until Colin clears the way for you to go back.” She let Judice go and decided to throw her another bone. “I’m sure Fiona would love to see you.”