by Edwin Dasso
Lida shook her head emphatically. "Special Agent Hollister. I can't do this. I know the Dixie Mafia and I know what they do to people they don't trust or people who betray them. I grew up in Mobile and went to school in New Orleans. I've heard stories about the Dixie mob all of my life. My father has lost good church members to the Southern Mob. There were probably a dozen men that I know of who attended my church and worked for the Minelli family who disappeared and were never seen again. Just because they’re Southern doesn’t mean they are different from their counterparts in New York and New Jersey. They'd kill me in a heartbeat and think nothing of it." Lida shifted in her chair and took a deep breath.
Agent Hollister rubbed his eyes and nodded. He was tired. He’d been chasing the Minelli Mob for what seemed like half of his life. "Yeah, they will. They will kill you, but you're way too smart for that, Lida. They won’t suspect you. They'll think of you as their chief accountant, the person who keeps the Mississippi Gaming Commission and the Feds off their backs. Your job at the Magnolia Casino could make our case. You’d be our inside person."
Lida shook her head and clasped her hands so her fingers wouldn’t tremble. "I can't. I won’t. I can hardly believe you've asked me to do this. I don't have the training. I’m not a field agent. I'll be frantic, vulnerable and in danger all the time. I won’t even be able to focus.” She wiped her eyes with a crumpled tissue.
“Sure you will. You’ll be fine.” Charles Hollister paused. “We’d never ask you if we didn’t think we’d be successful.”
Lida ran her manicured nails through her long, dark curls. “I’m terrified of these people. If I’d wanted to be a field agent I would be. Then I’d be happy to take on this assignment for you. My job is investigating white-collar crime and criminals in the safety of FBI headquarters. Certainly not on site at the Magnolia Casino or anywhere in a Mafia controlled town on the Mississippi Gulf Coast."
Hollister steepled his fingers. "I certainly appreciate your position, Miss Dewey. But you’re perfect for this assignment. After all, you already know Joey Minelli and his brother Lenny. We even know that you and Joey used to date when you were in high school.”
“What? You’ve been snooping on me?” Lida glared at him. “How dare you! Joey and I had three or four dates in high school. I learned very quickly how evil and crazy Lenny Minelli is and that was when the man was much younger. From what I’ve heard, he’s gotten meaner and nastier with age. He rules the Magnolia, the New Orleans casino properties, and the Gulf Coast with an iron fist.” Lida picked at her fingernails, a habit she had when she was stressed. “Trust me, he knows everything, and I do mean everything that is going on in each casino. He has spies all over the place.” She looked into Hollister’s handsome face. His slate grey eyes looked at her. “Plus, Lenny kills women. I’ve heard this rumored for years.”
Hollister nodded. “Yeah. All of that is true. But, your job is basically simple. All you have to do is gain access to their accounting system and get us the information we need so we can arrest the main boss of this Southern mob family. Lenny Minelli needs to be put out of business once and for all.” Hollister stared at her intently.
Lida stared back and shook her head. "Lenny Minelli needs to be stopped. Joey Minelli isn’t like that. He’s nothing like his brother or his father. They’ve treated him horribly over the years. He can't get away from him. Believe me, there’s nothing Joe would like better than to be rid of his family.”
Special Agent Hollister nodded his head and scratched a note on the legal pad in front of him. "Yeah. We know that. We're not looking for Joey. We're looking for Lenny and old man Vito in New York.” He paused, doodled on his pad and looked up at Lida. “They are one of the worst crime families in the United States. They’re responsible for so many crimes it's unbelievable."
Lida nodded. "Yeah. I know that. I’ve known it all my life.” Lida rubbed her eyes. “Lenny terrifies me. He scares me as much now, as he did when Joey and I went to the Junior-Senior prom when I was sixteen. I still remember their family home in Biloxi. It was a beautiful French Country manor home with beautiful landscaping, roses, plants, terraces and decks. It had a beautiful swimming pool and koi pond.” She shivered, “But the house was sad and dark even though it was full of sunlight. It had a coldness about it that I can’t explain.” Lida shivered and continued. “As a matter of fact, my father still has a copy of that prom picture on the desk in the parsonage. He likes Joey Minelli and has always wanted to help him.” She paused. “Basically, so have I, but not at the expense of getting killed or having to cross paths with Lenny.”
Agent Hollister smiled. “Well, here’s your chance to help Joe Minelli and turn the Magnolia Casino around. This assignment could save hundreds of lives. “The bodies of two women have turned up on the Gulf Coast. We think – actually, we’re sure they’re victims of Lenny Minelli. We think he’s running prostitutes on the Gulf Coast and believe he’s dabbling in slave trafficking. We have anecdotal evidence to support that, but nothing concrete."
"That's the rumor for as long as I can remember," Lida admitted. "But they've never found any proof, or any evidence. What makes you so sure it's happening now?"
Hollister's phone rang. He picked it up and barked at his secretary. "Marion, I told you not to interrupt me." Lida watched as agent Hollister's eyebrows shot up. He smiled thinly. "Sure, send him in. He's exactly the person I need at this moment."
A second later a tall, handsome, forty-something-year-old agent entered Hollister's office. He raised a finger in greeting and looked down at Lida. He offered her his hand. "I'm Agent Thad Williams from the New Orleans office."
Lida smiled at him. “Nice to meet’cha. How’s everything in the Big Easy?”
“Crazy, just like it always is. New Orleans is a crazy town. Every nutcase on the Eastern Gulf Coast gathers there. But you know that.” Agent Williams grinned at her and took two long steps and pumped Charlie Hollister’s hand. "Hey man, you’re looking good! You like it over here on the Coast?"
Special-Agent-in-Charge Hollister inspected Thad Williams from head to toe. "Yeah. It’s okay. You're looking good, Thad. How badly do you miss the military?"
Thad shrugged his shoulders and nodded. “Yeah. I miss it. A lot. I like the FBI, but I left my heart in the Coast Guard. I miss that wide expanse of sea. There’re too many people on land for my liking.” Thad took a seat at the conference table.
Hollister rolled his eyes and Lida laughed. “I hear that, Thad. There are too many people on the Gulf Coast for my liking this time of year,” he opined.
Lida touched his arm. “So you’re retired from the Coast Guard? That must be a good feeling,” Lida observed the man. He was quite attractive. “I lived in New Orleans for a long time.”
Thad nodded. “So I hear. You went to UNO? How’d you like it? University of New Orleans is a good school.”
Lida nodded. “Yeah, it is. As a matter of fact, I have a bunch of friends coming over Thanksgiving for a reunion of sorts. We meet every year, no matter how busy we are.”
“That’s pretty cool,” Thad observed. “The weather should be perfect.” He turned his attention to Special Agent Hollister. “So, what’s up Charlie? What’s the plan to nab the Minelli family?”
Hollister grinned and pointed to Lida. “The plan is Lida. We've ask her to go undercover as an agent inside the Minelli family. She'll be the chief accountant for the Magnolia Casino and she’ll gain access to all of the accounting files and, hopefully, other stuff as well."
Thad's eyes narrowed. "That's a nice casino, Ms. Dewey. Have you ever been there?"
Lida pushed her long dark curls away from her forehead. Her face was flawless and her skin glowed. "Many times. I grew up in Mobile and spent plenty of time in Biloxi and Pass Christian. I went to school in New Orleans, so yeah, I've been to the Magnolia many times. And, I agree. It's a very nice place run by a bunch of thugs." She frowned.
Thad Williams nodded. "Yeah. No argument here. In addition to
the illegal aspects of a gambling operation, we think Minelli is hustling women, first of all as prostitutes and we think he’s sex trafficking."
Lida shook her head. "Yeah. I just heard. Do you have proof? I was just telling Special Agent Hollister those same charges have been rumored for years but there's never been any proof or evidence."
"We're hoping you can help us get the evidence we need." Williams grinned and locked eyes with Lida. "We figure the Minelli family has another set of books in addition to the gambling books that will detail the prostitution and sex trafficking operations. We want you to find them." Williams raised his eyebrows and stared at her.
Lida was beyond shocked. She gawked at Thad Williams. Her eyes flashed anger at Agent Hollister. "You’ve got to be kidding! You want me to get full access to the Magnolia Casino’s accounting files and search for information that proves they might be running a prostitution and sex trafficking ring?"
Special Agent Hollister nodded. "Yup. That's exactly what we want, and we believe you can do it.”
Lida spread her hands on the table. “Really. Are y’all idiots? Do you think I have a death wish? Not even to mention I’m not a full-fledged agent.”
“You’re full-fledged enough. You know the area, you know the family. Plus, Joey Minelli already has a thing for you. You’re a CPA and a forensic accountant. What else do you need? You’re perfect for this job." He gave her a wry smile.
Lida’s blue eyes flashed and her heart rate soared. "You're out of your mind. I don't have the training for anything like this assignment."
Agent Hollister shook his head. "Yes you do. Plus, you’re gonna train here with Thad for a few weeks. He’ll get you in top shape with weapons and self-defense. And don't worry, Ms. Dewey. Thad Williams will be watching you twenty-four/seven and the Bureau will protect you if anything out of the ordinary should happen."
Lida stared at the two agents. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” She shook her head. “I can’t believe this.”
William touched her arm gently. “Are you ready to hit the gym, Lida? You’ll be in top-notch shape in a couple of weeks and you’ll feel good about the assignment.
Lida shook her head in resignation. “Well, I guess I’m gonna have to be, right?”
Hollister watched the two agents leave and hoped he hadn’t made a mistake.
Three Weeks Later
2
Twenty-seven-year-old Kat Benson buzzed down the Beach Road in her brand-new Lexus convertible, a gift from her wealthy grandmother and namesake, Kathleen Benson Pennington. The Gulf of Mexico glistened in the sun and even though it was November, the week of Thanksgiving, hundreds of locals and tourists lay in the sun and floated in the warm Gulf waters. Kat smiled to herself. She couldn’t wait to put on her own new bathing suit and capture a few rays of the fall sun. She’d been waiting for this vacation and reunion with her friends for months.
Kat was excited. She’d just graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at the end of the summer with a Master’s degree in Art History. She’d officially “pick up” her degree at the December Commencement ceremony. But, Commencement was a few weeks away and now she planned to spend the Thanksgiving Holiday with her best friends from her undergraduate college days at the University of New Orleans.
She looked great. Her face was flushed from excitement and the sun and her dark hair gleamed. It was her first time back on the coast since she’d graduated from UNO four years ago. Most of all, she hadn't seen her friends, Mike Chaisson, Lida, Allison, and Barb since their summer reunion last year on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, a reunion that hadn’t gone well for any of them. She wondered if her old heart throb, playboy Liam Cross would show up. For a moment a wave of sadness swept over her. She’d really loved Liam, but he’d shown his true colors last year. She decided that if he approached her, she’d smile sweetly and stay away. He’d already broken her heart more than once and she’d be damned if it would happen again. This past year she’d spent lots of time in introspection and wondered how she’d ever loved the hunky playboy anyway.
Her thoughts turned to Lida, Allison and Barb and how well they were doing in their “adult lives” as they used to call them. Lida Dewey had been working as an accountant in New Orleans, but had taken a job on the Gulf Coast to help her dad care for her terminally ill mother. Lida worked at the Magnolia Casino and had gotten them terrific room rates. She couldn’t wait to see her girlfriends and Mike Chaisson who’d been their protector all their years in the Big Easy. He’d stood guard and protector over them through Mardi Gras, Parades, Saints games and Saturday nights in the Vieux Carre. Mikey was wonderful.
A dark feeling passed through her body and for second, her world went dark and grim as she remembered their last summer. It was last year, two summers ago, at the Outer Banks when she’d learned first-hand what a snake-in-the-grass the love of her life was. But of course, she’d convinced herself, it was much better to learn these things before you were engaged than after you were married. For a second, the thoughts of seeing Playboy Liam Cross, currently a high-rolling stockbroker in New York excited her, but she quickly pushed away any thoughts of a reunion with him. Liam was a womanizer, a player, and a scumbag and she had no time for that in her life.
Kat refocused and continued her drive down the Beach Road. She passed the turn at Highway 40 and remembered the little boutique where she and her friends had bought bikinis years ago in Gulfport. That bikini had long been tossed away as being too skimpy, but the memories remained. Kat’s mind returned to the present. The day on the Mississippi Gulf Coast reminded her of when she and her college friends would drive over from New Orleans for a day of beach fun on the coast. They’d spent many summer days basking in the sun and frolicking in the calm waters of the Mississippi Gulf. Mike Chaisson’s mother and dad lived in Kiln, Mississippi and most weekends, they’d end up at the Chaisson’s place where they’d party, eat shrimp or have a crawfish boil. They’d take the family boat out on the Wolfe River and waterski, tube, or just frolic in the water for hours. This year, Mike’s parents had invited the group to holiday dinner, where they’d be celebrating an authentic, Cajun Thanksgiving, a deep-fried turkey with all the trimmings in Kiln.
The Mississippi Gulf Coast offered easy living. She couldn’t blame Mike for loving it there. Mike worked in New Orleans and traveled home every weekend, and sometimes during the week. The Gulf Coast was a haven for artists and that's exactly what she was. She’d just driven through Bay St. Louis, a short drive across the long bridge that connected Pass Christian with the Bay of St. Louis, where she loved to tour the shops and art galleries. Of course, Pass Christian had a few art galleries as did Biloxi. And, only a few minutes from Biloxi, was the small, artist town of Ocean Springs which hosted a mecca of art galleries and specialty boutiques perfect for anyone who loved unique and special gifts.
The Magnolia Casino was straight ahead, and she slowed down her sports car. She braked, stopped for the traffic light, and zipped into the parking lot where she quickly found a space. She’d planned to meet her girlfriends for a quick drink at their favorite Casino bar where they’d consumed an abundance of booze in college. Lunch would follow where they’d walk to a favorite restaurant down the street for a long leisurely visit and great food. She couldn’t wait to catch up with everyone. Her college buddies had grown up and had begun their ‘real-life’ careers. Kat couldn't wait to catch up. Lida was petite and beautiful with shiny long, dark hair and the most beautiful bluish-green eyes Kat had ever seen. Kat’s heart went out to her college friend as she bravely faced the impending death of her mother. Lida’s father was a Methodist minister and Lida had never been the typical “minister’s kid.” She’d always been quiet, kind and somewhat solitary. Allison, on the other hand, was wilder than hell and often it had taken Kat, Lida, and Barb to get her home safely. Allison was the ultimate party girl who hardly ever remembered the evening before, but nevertheless, had a great time. Kat smiled a bit as she thou
ght back on a few of Allison’s episodes. Barb, on the other hand, was the total opposite. As a caregiver, Barb unselfishly had their interests at heart. Barb was a good listener and faithful friend. The four women had been inseparable during their days in New Orleans, and were still close even though miles separated them. And then there was Mike, a gorgeous hunk of a man who’d been a friend, brother and protector. Mikey, as they referred to him, had spent his college days smoking weed and contemplating the planet. He’d finished his philosophy degree at Tulane University and worked in a restaurant in the Big Easy during the cold weather and hung out on the coast with the shrimpers during the warm months. Mike was the greatest guy Kat had ever known. She couldn’t wait to see him.
Kat looked up at the Magnolia Casino and Hotel. The building’s design was opulent and rose twelve stories high. She adjusted her hair and reapplied lipstick using the rearview mirror of her convertible and stepped out of her car. For a moment she wished she hadn’t worn stiletto heels. She walked quickly into the side door of the Magnolia and made her way to the bar.
She smiled and whooped when she saw her friends. There they were. Her three best friends in the world were having a great time laughing, giggling, and drinking. Allison saw her first, jumped up, squealed, and pointed.
"Kat Benson, where in the world have you been? I'm two drinks ahead of you and everyone else is, too." Allison gushed as she kicked off her sandals, ran over and engulfed Kat in a hug. Allison smelled of Tequila, limes and Alien perfume. She held Kat by her shoulders, stood back and admired her. "You look fantastic, Kat! Honestly, you look better than I've ever seen you," Allison purred in her steady, honest voice as she doted on her friend.
Kat grinned at Allison and said, “Girl, you barely saw me last year. If you did, I doubt you even remember!” Kat paused. “And, you my friend, look a million times better than when I last saw you.” Kat remembered how battered and bruised Allison’s face had been, not to mention her other injuries after she’d been attacked on the Outer Banks by thugs.
