“You know, it’s not like I don’t have stuff to do,” Detective Sept Savoie said when she met Cain the next day in front of the Casey family mausoleum. Some of the trees in the old walled graveyard had lost limbs to Katrina, but the Caseys’ final resting spot seemed to be intact. Cain appeared to be alone as she sat smiling on the bench across from the mausoleum, but Sept doubted that.
Before she sat down she glanced back at the gate and to Blanchard’s restaurant beyond it. The old New Orleans eatery was a beloved institution and the site of a murder she’d been tasked to solve. She’d met and gotten to know a little about Keegan, the restaurant’s head chef during her investigation, so she knew they were preparing for the crowd that’d be arriving soon for Sunday brunch. But she didn’t know yet whether Keegan worked Sundays.
“Maybe I want your autograph since you’ve been in the papers so often lately. You’re so famous now, I didn’t think you’d show,” Cain said with a fake smile.
The known mob boss was a nightmare to law enforcement, but they’d been friends so long that Sept couldn’t help but like her. “Are the kids around?” Cain shook her head, and her smile became genuine. “Good. I can tell you to fuck off without it biting me in the ass.”
“Unlike the paper and our esteemed crime reports on every channel, I have every confidence you’ll catch this animal.” Cain stood and hugged her. “I almost hate to ask you for a favor now, but you know I will.”
Cain sat down again, and Sept still hadn’t seen Lou or any of the others. “You can call me to have a drink and not just for favors, you know.” She reached inside her jacket when she saw movement by the gate but sat back and laughed when she realized it was a waiter from Blanchard’s.
“I called you for drinks, but bars are so clichéd sometimes that I like to mix it up.” The guy stopped next to the bench and delivered two whiskies, neat. “It’s early, but I enjoy a drink here whenever I can. Make sure you keep that tradition if I meet our maker before you do.” Cain lifted her glass and tapped it against Sept’s before raising it toward the tomb. “To family and good friends.”
“Definitely, and you’ll cheat death like you have everything else for years to come.” She took a sip and smiled. Cain had really good taste in liquor. “Are you sure you should be out here alone? You know how popular you are.”
“Big Lou’s right outside so we’re okay.”
Sept glanced at the marble with the Casey name and imagined what the world would be like one day, hopefully far into the future, when she’d visit Cain here if her friend was right. “So what’s on your mind?”
“Do you know Elton Newsome?”
The name sounded familiar, and Cain’s tone was so sharp and pointed she could almost touch the contempt in it.
“As in Detective Elton Newsome? That’s the only one I know.”
Cain glanced at her briefly, then took a sip from her drink. The story that followed seemed farfetched and impossible, but Cain wasn’t much on flights into fiction land. “You know what’ll happen if someone targets my children? Hypothetically, of course.”
“I can poke around, but if you’ve found another undercover sting against you, my hands will be tied.” She swallowed the rest of the drink and coughed a little. “You know I won’t cross that line despite our friendship.”
“I wouldn’t want you to, but if he’s reporting to someone who’s not your father, I’d like to know.” Lou stepped inside the yard when the first of the tourists showed up. “And I realize you’re slammed, but there’s something else.”
The story of Hector’s recent theft problems was equally troubling. Granted, the city was fairly empty, but they wouldn’t have the manpower to stop a drug war, much less handle it well. “Can you give me a minute?” She walked a little away and made a call to her father. He promised he’d follow up, and thankfully he didn’t ask where she’d gotten the information.
“You have any plans for this morning?” Cain asked when she finished her call.
“This is the first Sunday I’ve had in a while, so no. You have more favors to ask? I have to be at my parents’ place by early this afternoon.”
Cain buttoned her jacket and shook her head. “I was going to invite you to brunch, but I’m reconsidering my lapse in judgment.”
The gate filled with what looked like well-armed guards, but she smiled when she saw Emma and the kids. The Caseys were a good-looking group, and if she didn’t know everything she did she’d guess that they weren’t any different than the rest of the bluebloods lining up to eat at Blanchard’s. Cain wasn’t your regular banker or accountant, though, and she was training the next generation to continue her traditions. You could see it in the way Hayden walked protectively next to his mother and little sister.
“She isn’t giving you a hard time, is she?” Emma said as she handed Hannah a small bouquet of flowers and the little girl skipped over to Cain with it. Together Cain and Hannah put the flowers in the marble vase outside the tomb.
“No more than usual, so you deserve a medal, my friend, since you volunteered for a lifetime with this one.” She kissed Emma’s cheek and accepted a hug from Hayden. Emma’s father Ross brought up the rear. He seemed to have shaken the hay from his clothes and hair, since he didn’t look like a farmer anymore. “Ross, you doing okay? I don’t think you ever had to survive too many hurricanes back home, huh?”
“I feel bad for everyone who suffered because of Katrina, but it’ll be one of my most treasured memories.”
She didn’t begrudge him the happiness of Emma and Cain’s ceremony, but instead of attending the event she’d been invited to, she’d been consoling her parents and family because of her sister and niece’s deaths. They’d been two of the many Katrina took, but losing them had almost kneecapped her and her brothers. Her parents, while they tried to act strong, would never fully recover from the tragedy.
The mention of something that was for the Casey family a happy occasion, though, reminded her of all the joyful memories of which her family had been robbed. She tried to cage her grief, but at times like this it slithered like a snake out of a swamp and sunk its fangs into her heart that the cage sprung open. Her vision blurred with unexpected tears.
Emma put her arms around her as much as she could. “I’m so sorry for your loss. The death of a sister and niece is a wound that’ll heal only with time. And while all those days pass, you know you have us to lean on. Cain has had more than her share of loss, so talk to her.” Emma put her hand flat over her heart. “Don’t let it fester in here.”
“Thank you and sorry.” Sept wiped her face and took a deep breath.
“Tears mean you’ve lived and loved,” Cain said. “And Emma’s right. Your pain will subside.”
Sept nodded, but she didn’t believe time would help.
“The anger, though, that’ll eat you alive if you let it,” Cain added.
“I think you did something about your pain, and, putting my badge aside, I never blamed you for that. Even if I’d been able to prove it, you’d still be free.” She spoke softly, pausing while Emma took the children and moved away to give the two of them some privacy. “I have no one to stab in the heart to bury my anger.”
“I’m not that much of a savage, old friend, but I did find a way to satisfy my sense of justice.” Cain smiled and gripped the back of Sept’s neck. “You can’t blame a storm, so try something that calms even the beast in me.” Cain turned so she could see Emma and Hayden sitting on the bench with Hannah running around in front of them.
“I doubt she’s interested in me.” She laughed when Cain squeezed harder.
“Perhaps your answer lies in there.” Cain pointed to the restaurant and hugged her again. “I hear someone put you in your place rather nicely recently, so maybe that’s what you need in your life. A woman who can actually break through that tough façade of yours and force you not to run away like you usually do.”
“How’d you—”
“Easy. Whenever I want to know something about you, I call your mother. I heard you were chasing clues on two murders really close together, so I called to see if you were okay.”
She laughed, forgetting her grief for a moment. “That I believe, and thank you. I’ll dig into Newsome and see if I find anything. Promise me something though.”
“He’ll be all yours. I’ve got better things to do.”
“You do, so try to remember that. My peers have always thought you were the devil incarnate. Well, the devil’s due all the happiness this baby will bring, and you don’t want anything to keep you from it.”
*
“You have everything you need?” Remi asked Dallas as they started for the new house. Their time together had been nonexistent since Dallas had gotten home, and Remi was aggravated that she didn’t have anyone to blame. When she’d returned from the meeting with Finley, Dallas and Kristen were talking and she joined in, not wanting to cut their time short. That morning had been much of the same, and now they were discussing house stuff.
“Babe, I promise tonight, no matter what, it’ll be me and you, and everything we need will be in the bedroom.” Dallas whispered close to her ear so Simon wouldn’t overhear her. “Emma told me about this painter, though, and I want to pin him down before someone else hires him. Some of those rooms are a little bright for me, which means you’d be nuts two days after we move in.”
“It’s okay, querida.” She chuckled at the fact that Dallas was the only person other than her parents who was willing to call her out when she was acting like a child. “I promised I wanted to help you put our house together, so forget my pouting.”
Even though it was the weekend and late in the afternoon, workmen were scattered both inside and out when they pulled in. Remi quickly scanned the faces to see if anyone stood out. Emma’s father, Ross, was there keeping an eye on the contractor Emma had originally hired, and she’d swear the guy had developed a nervous twitch whenever someone mentioned Cain’s name. After hearing the story of how Cain had gotten rid of the bugs the FBI had placed during the remodel of the house, she couldn’t blame this guy for being a little twitchy around her old friend.
“Ross,” she said as she helped Dallas out of the car. “Thank you again for all the time you’ve put into this for us.”
Ross had his phone in hand and appeared a bit off from his usual relaxed self. He reminded her of her own father in that it took something major to rile him, but obviously something had him on edge now. “No problem. You two are family.”
“Are you okay?”
“Fine. Just an unexpected call.”
Dallas grabbed his arm. “It’s not Emma, is it?”
“No. She should be at home with Cain and the kids relaxing after brunch. I left a little early to meet the painter.” He seemed to shake off whatever was bothering him and dropped his phone into his pocket. “A few more months and you should be able to move in.”
“Are you really okay?” Dallas moved her hand to his shoulder and didn’t seem to want to let go. “You were right in that we’re family. If something’s bothering you, we can help, or at least try to.”
“It’s my wife, Carol,” he said and sighed as if the weight of the entire house was about to drop on his shoulders. “This divorce is taking forever, and I’m not sure why she’s dragging it out. It’s not like she wants me, much less Emma.”
“How about your grandchildren? I remember Cain mentioning how close she was to Hannah.” Remi stood right behind Dallas. “I’m sure you don’t want to worry Cain or Emma, but I’ve found that Cain lives her life preparing for everything. We have that in common, so fill her in if you think there’s even a chance your ex has something like that in mind.”
“I’d like to think Carol isn’t that stupid,” he said, exhaling loudly. “And because of Cain, I was able to offer her much more than she deserved in a settlement since she wasn’t entitled to the land. I hate to drop anything else on Cain or you now. Carol has been my problem for years, so I’ll think of something to handle this. I’m sure you don’t want to be bored with all that.”
“You don’t have to talk about it if it’s uncomfortable for you,” Dallas said.
“I’ve wasted too many years being silent about my soon-to-be ex-wife, so I don’t mind.” His smile was unconvincing. Clearly, this would only fester in his mind. “But now isn’t the time for me and my problems. Let’s go pick out some colors for these walls.”
They let Dallas walk with the painter to look at the swatches he’d painted on the walls. “I can’t tell you what to do, Ross, but you need to keep Cain in the loop.”
“Yeah,” he said, nodding. “Like I said, she doesn’t deserve to be bothered with something this trivial, but I don’t need any nasty surprises either.”
“Whatever comes, you aren’t alone in this. You know that.”
“When I came here, I thought I’d miss the life I had for so long. But Cain gave me something I didn’t imagine ever having.” Ross wasn’t a big man, but he seemed to have a big heart when it came to his family. Remi knew the Casey children adored him and her old friend had come to enjoy his company. Ross was nothing like Dalton Casey, but Remi knew his devotion to family was the same. “She gave me my daughter back and so much more.”
Because of that loyalty, Cain would take any threat to Ross seriously. “So you’ve got no idea what she wants?”
“She has a hang-up, but it isn’t something I can give her. I wouldn’t even if I could, so I’m letting my attorney handle it before I bother Cain or anyone else.”
“Do you mind if I talk to Muriel and your attorney about all this? Divorce isn’t my specialty, but I might be able to help out.”
“Sure. I can use all the help I can get. I simply want to put Carol in my rearview mirror permanently.”
“I’m positive that’s a wish we can handle,” she said, and hoped he meant it. Cain’s idea of permanent at times was vastly different from other people’s.
*
“Wonderful as always, Keegan,” Cain said when the owner and chef of Blanchard’s stopped by their table and joined them for dessert, since Ross had left to meet Remi and Dallas. They’d come back at Emma’s request since this would probably be their last outing until the baby arrived, so they’d gotten in one more bread pudding. “And the next time you plan to filet Sept with that sharp wit of yours, call me. That’d be worth driving over to see. I can vouch for her, though, so don’t come down too hard.” She pointed to Sept. “If you kill her, I’d miss her too much and wouldn’t have anyone to deal with my parking tickets.”
“The thought has crossed my mind since she thinks I’m a homicidal killer already, but I’ll try to control myself,” Keegan said, making them all laugh. “Let me know when the new arrival finally gets here, and dinner is on me.” Keegan stood and hesitated. “Care to give me an update on what’s happening with the case, Detective?”
Sept nodded, and Cain swore she saw the beginning of a spark.
“Enjoy your afternoon,” Keegan said, kissing Emma’s cheek before she left.
Cain smiled until she noticed Lou’s expression. The only time he made that face was when a possible threat was nearby. She glanced around the room. The only possibility she could see was the guy toward the middle of the room, eating alone. His suit was a tad too tight, and his shoes were old-school cop. One cop sitting alone shouldn’t have bothered her, but Lou nodded when she glanced back at him. Whoever this was, he wanted to be noticed.
“You guys ready?” she asked, prompting Hannah to jump out of her seat. “Let’s take Mama home for a family movie.” Cain motioned Lou over as she helped Emma to her feet. “Call Ross and make sure he’s with Remi. Then send someone over for him.”
“Will do, Boss. You ready to move?”
“Yeah. It’s starting to get stuffy in here.” She placed her hand on the small of Emma’s back and started to leave, but the guy Lou had been watching got up and headed straight toward them. “Lou,” Cain said in a low voice, and the big man stepped close to Emma.
“This looks like a cozy family outing,” the man said as he hooked his thumbs in his belt, obviously to draw attention to his gold shield. “You gonna use some of that funny Casey humor on me?”
“I’m not the comedian you are, Detective Newsome,” she said, trusting her best guess. His smile disappeared. “Shouldn’t you be out intimidating small children and old people?”
“You’re wrong about being a funny person.” He rocked on his heels as if he were just getting started. “My plans are—”
She moved past, careful not to touch him. The only time she’d talk to this guy was when she had all the facts, and Blanchard’s dining room wasn’t the time to start getting them. “Take us home, Lou.”
“Who was that?” Emma asked after they were in the car. She stared at Newsome standing outside, giggling like some excited schoolgirl.
“That was Detective Elton Newsome introducing himself as a part of the menagerie we’ve got following us around. I’m pretty sure we were supposed to cower in fear.”
“Is he kidding?” Emma spoke freely since the kids were in the car behind them. “What’s his game, you think?”
“I suppose it’s not much different than the guys in the plumbing truck.” She pointed to the large panel van following them. “Believe me, lass, if I could get rid of them forever without losing who I am, I would.”
“Those guys don’t bother me all that much. It’s the lone wolves like this guy that make me lose sleep. They want what they assume is justice, but they’re willing to burn the rule book to get it.”
She nodded and kissed the top of Emma’s head. “I love you, but I’m sure those plumbers are saying the same about me. Rules for some things weren’t my strong suit.”
“You follow the rules when it’s important, my love. That should count for something.”
“It counts with you, and that’s all that matters to me.” She let out a long hmm but couldn’t dismiss the question on her mind. What had woken this guy up now? “So Newsome came to the house and Muriel threw him out, and he’s been pissed about it ever since? Does that seem like the thinking of a crazy person?”
“That’s what we know.” Emma frowned. “I was at the hospital with you, so I never met him. Because I was, I can’t give you any insight into his mental health.”
“It’s hard to believe he’s built a grudge that went off now.”
Emma glanced up, eyebrows raised. “Whether that’s true or not, does it change the way we deal with this guy?”
“History is a great teacher because it gives us a map of places to avoid. Newsome doesn’t strike me as a diabolical revenge planner because he got escorted out. This has to be something else.”
The gates of their home closed behind them, and she helped Emma out of the car, shaking her head slightly when she saw Remi, Dallas, and Ross together. Apparently something had happened, but that they’d waited made it clear it wasn’t an emergency.
“Hey,” Emma said, opening her arms to Dallas. “How’d you like the painter?”
“Great, like you said. Come on. You look tired,” Dallas said, but Cain didn’t move away.
“How about I get you upstairs, and you two can talk swatches,” she said, putting her arm around Emma’s waist.
“I think you’re being a bit condescending, mobster. You have until we get to the bedroom to tell me what’s wrong.”
“I’m sure our pal here will fill us in, since I don’t have a clue. The last couple of hours must’ve been interesting, though, since everything was fine at lunch.”
“It’s nothing major,” Dallas said, moving ahead of them. The children had gone up already to change for a relaxing day at home. “Your dad didn’t want to worry you, but Remi convinced him otherwise, so you might want to talk to him.”
“Didn’t want to worry me about what?” Emma asked.
Dallas mouthed “I’m sorry” when Cain stared at her.
“Your mom’s giving him a hard time, so I’m sure it’s nothing much, since it sounds like she’s always giving him a hard time.”
“I’ll talk to him again, lass.”
“Dallas, would you mind looking in on Hannah for me?” Emma gave her friend an excuse to escape, then turned to her. “I know you don’t like me to stress about anything,” she said as she and Cain kept walking toward their bedroom, “but—”
“Your mother is an old story, lovely girl, so you’re right. I’m not going to bother you with that.” She let Emma go so she could fold the bed cover down and fluff up the pillows. “I loved my parents and now love my children even more. So I’ve never understood your mother. She had only one child to lavish her attention and affections on, and she wasted the opportunity. If she’s looking for forgiveness for those sins, I hope for her sake that God has more stomach for it because she’ll never find it with me.”
“Thank you, my love, and thank you for helping my father through this. We’re both lucky to have you.” Emma sighed and sat, but she didn’t let go of Cain. “I want Daddy to be happy, so hopefully these delays won’t last much longer.”
“If he hasn’t told you, I sweetened the settlement pot for him in case she was wanting more money.” She helped Emma swing her legs onto the bed as the door opened, and Dallas walked in. “She still hasn’t budged, but she won’t exactly say what it’ll take to get this finished either. It’s our bad luck that she’s been able to hold it up with motions from her end. We’ve got plenty of friends here but a limited number in Wisconsin, so now we have to be patient.”
“You have a limited talent for that,” Emma said, making her laugh.
“I can do a fair impression of a bull in a china shop, but I’ll never forget one thing.”
Emma kissed her cheek when she leaned over her. “What?”
“Carol isn’t a good parent, but I’ll never forget she’s your mother.” She gazed at Emma for a long moment. “For that, for you, and for Ross, I’ll be as patient as I need to be.”