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Ida Belle and I stared at the name at the top of the pyramid. Ida Belle’s breathing never changed, but the flush on her face proved she was worried.
“Call Gertie,” I said, pulling my phone from my hip pocket. “She’s supposed to call us when she gets to Daigle’s house, but she’s had enough time to touch base.”
Doris bowed her head. “This is all my fault. I should’ve insisted on running, but my husband had already cut a deal.”
“What kind of deal?” I asked.
“A few weeks ago, he met with the Feds and a few lawyers. When he returned home, he said we were ‘free’ and moving to a place where many in the program would be living. He made it sound like a normal life, a place where the kids could finish school and go to church, basically just resume normal activities. I told him then, as long as we’re in the system, we’ll never be free.”
I pointed to the name she’d written. “Is this Jax’s real name?”
She nodded. “A man like Jax Daigle doesn’t change his name. His name carries power. It strums fear in the very veins of those who know him. Jax Daigle is his real name.”
“We thought so, which is why we left things as they were, but the local deputy there in Wasteland once insinuated that Jax and his granddaughter were using assumed names. Since we couldn’t find them online, we bought it.”
“Elle’s here?” she asked, her lips trembling again.
Ida Belle sat on the edge of a card table. “Look, Elle’s bright, but she isn’t a danger to you.”
“You couldn’t be more wrong. If Elle’s here, her dad knows. If by some slim chance he doesn’t know yet, then he won’t stop looking for her. And he will find her.”
“Is she an only child?” Ida Belle asked.
“Yes. Elle was born into a criminal network with deep roots in two different families. Since the day that she was born, everyone in the Italian-French mob understood that one day, she will be the first woman boss. When she takes the reins, she’ll be the head of two families.” Doris sighed. “This kid is important to her dad and she knows it. They’re very close.”
I hadn’t gathered that from our initial meet, but that had been a few weeks back. I studied her dad’s name and decided he sounded like a mobster. Brigham Cable Daigle.
Or maybe a rapper.
“Just tried Gertie again. She isn’t answering,” Ida Belle said, drawing my attention back to the fact that our friend was facing a mobster alone.
“It’s okay,” I assured her. “Carter’s on his way over there.”
About that time, Marie knocked and entered. “We’ve got company.”
Maybe it was because Marie looked defeated or perhaps it was in her tone of voice. Whatever it was, we didn’t ask for clarity. We knew.
Ida Belle put up her hand. “Let’s not get excited. This might be a good thing.”
“It is?” Doris and I asked together.
“Yes,” Ida Belle said, using that authoritative voice that I’d heard when she addressed the Sinful Ladies. “He’s on our turf now.”
I grimaced. “Which would be a great thing if we could call upon Carter, but he’s in Wasteland.”
Ida Belle shrugged. “Leave it to me. If Daigle steps out of line, I’ll make a citizen’s arrest.”
“Sinful has a few odd laws,” I explained.
“Don’t underestimate Jax. If he has any doubts about what kind of power he can exert here, he won’t step out of line,” Doris said. “He’s much too smart for that.”
“Okay then.” Ida Belle walked to the steps and held out her arm. “Shall we?”
“I’m not going down there,” Doris said. “Except to get the girls.”
“Can you bring them up, Marie?” She nodded and left the attic.
Without a moment spared, I opened a trunk where we kept most of Marge’s handguns. I motioned for Ida Belle and she chose a forty-five and a nine millimeter. Mine was in my room and I could pick it up on the way down.
“You’re no joke,” Doris said, seemingly much calmer as soon as she saw the guns.
“We protect those who need to be protected,” Ida Belle said. “Whatever you do, don’t leave this attic. Walter will be here shortly.”
“I’m here,” he announced coming upstairs with the four girls trailing him. “You have company outside.”
“We know,” Ida Belle said.
“You have everything covered here?” I asked.
“Of course,” he said, winking at Ida Belle. “I’ll call Carter and get him headed this way. Gertie isn’t in any real danger if he’s here, right?”
Ida Belle gasped. “Unless...”
“Don’t even think it,” Walter said sternly. “I’ll keep trying her until she answers. Maybe Jax didn’t see her. Maybe he headed this way after Carter took him home.”
“Let us know when you reach her,” Ida Belle said, concern in her voice.
“Ida Belle?”
She didn’t look back. “I know.”
He touched her arm. “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. If he wants to learn? He’ll learn when he’s ready, but it probably won’t be on your timetable.”
“Got it,” she said, tapping my shoulder. “Are you ready?”
Adrenaline pumped through my veins. “I was born ready.”