by Jay Nadal
“Yeah, Brandon was just introducing me to his brother-in-law. He’s a cop,” Dom replied, loud enough for the men in the shop to hear. Bobby D stopped in his tracks. Long Hair just kept looking.
“Brandon, introduce the man,” Dom said. The big guy backed through the door while smiling like a gator. He moved like an actor trying to portray casual, but Cade could see a man gaining some distance to draw a concealed weapon if he needed to.
“Um… Jimmy.” Brandon took the door from Dom and held it open.
He was looking at the guy with long hair. Cade would have bet that was the guy Brandon would be talking to. This was a crew, and Jimmy was in charge. He was the only one who hadn’t moved when he heard the word cop. The guy watched Cade with hooded eyes and a blank face. He gave away nothing, but the others watched him like dogs waiting for the command. “This is Tommy, Tommy Cade. Beth’s brother,” Brandon introduced.
“Haven’t seen you around before, officer,” said Jimmy. He was quiet.
“Haven’t been around here before, Jimmy,” Cade replied in a concrete tone.
“You a Southerner?”
“Texas.”
“Here for the fall?”
“Yep.”
Bobby D swaggered into view. He was the youngest in the room and looked like Jimmy. They had the same sunken cheeks and dark hair. Brothers, maybe.
“This ain’t Texas, cowboy. Why don’t you get back on your horse and ride out of town?” He laughed. He was the only one.
“Why don’ you quit yappin’ before you get yourself bit, son,” Cade rumbled.
“Bobby,” was all Jimmy said. Bobby shrank back, glaring razors at Cade.
Cade leaned on the counter. His heart was racing, but he forced himself to stillness. He knew this was shaky ground, but he had a hunch the only thing keeping these guys in check was their belief he was a cop. Cons could smell cops just as easily as cops could pick out a con at a glance. He prayed that Brandon wouldn’t blurt out that he had quit. At least one of these guys wasn’t afraid of local law enforcement, but this guy Jimmy?
There was a moment. Cade and Jimmy both weighed the odds. Jimmy spoke first.
“Well, I can see you’re busy today, Brandon. And you got your family visiting. Our problem can wait ’til tomorrow. Come on, boys.”
Jimmy finally moved. He strolled out of the shop without looking back, pulling the others in his wake. Bobby caught up with his brother, and Cade saw Jimmy’s hand clamp onto the back of Bobby’s neck as they left. He lowered his head to Bobby’s and talked. Fast. Cade waited until the Ford’s growl was lost to hearing, then let his body go limp. He breathed out in a rush and reached for the pack of smokes in the pocket of his shirt.
“Wanna tell me what that was about?” he asked, holding the cigarette in the corner of his mouth and reaching for his lighter.
“What? That was just Jimmy Dexter and his buddies. I do a bit of work for him.” Brandon didn’t know how to lie, and Cade knew it. It wasn’t a good combination.
“Uh-huh. Well, at least one of those guys was packing. Probably all of them. That normal ’round here?” Cade found the lighter and held it up to the cigarette. Brandon wasn’t meeting his stare. He ran a hand through his hair, stared at the floor. Brandon was angry, like a rat in a trap. He slammed the door to the shop.
“Shit! What do you want from me? I’m so sick of… of…” Brandon’s anger spluttered away, unfocused and impotent.
Cade took the unlit cigarette out of his mouth. “I’m on your side, buddy. Just tell me what those guys came for?”
Brandon’s voice wavered, and he had to take several shaky breaths. “Look. I just… I owe some people. Ahhh, I owe Jimmy. Okay? You get the picture?”
Cade nodded. A cold rage smoldered within. “Beth know?”
“No. I’ve got it under control, okay? She doesn’t need to know. Jimmy and I will come to a deal, and everything’s going to be fine.”
“Gambling?” Cade couldn’t trust himself with more than one word.
“Hell no,” Brandon spat back.
“Then what is it?” Cade’s temper flared in response. His hands gripped the wood of the counter.
Brandon looked everywhere but at his brother-in-law. “I promised,” he said weakly.
“Goddamn. I am about to kick your ass if you don’t start giving me some answers, you son of a bitch,” Cade snarled. “You married my sister. You’re supposed to be taking care of her and Madison. And you go getting yourself in debt to some loan shark.” Cade’s teeth showed.
“I am taking care of them. Don’t pretend like you’re some white knight. We haven’t seen or heard from you for two years. I’m doing the best I can for my family.” Brandon had come toward the counter now. He slammed his hands onto it, face inches from Cade. For a moment his arm tensed to strike the other man. Cade pushed himself away from the counter and put the cigarette back in his mouth.
“Look. Tommy, I’m sorry. You don’t know the situation here. I promised Beth I wouldn’t say anything.”
Cade’s lighter flared. The flame was steady as he touched it to the tip of the cigarette and breathed in. Three days. Damn. The smoke choked his anger. He glared at Brandon through the blue haze.
“You’re about to break that promise.”
“We pay the Dexters to keep our business.”
“Protection?”
Brandon nodded. “Beth didn’t want you to know because she thought you would try and do something about it.”
Cade grimaced. “Reckon she was about six months too late.”
Silence. Cade wasn’t sure what he could do. He wasn’t a cop anymore. He had just bluffed his way out of a situation, but that wouldn’t work again. Not if Jimmy was half the pro Cade thought. Even a cop out of his jurisdiction has some power. Cade felt exposed. Now he was just a stranger. No badge. No authority.
“You fucking idiot,” he snarled, turning away from Brandon.
He heard Brandon swear and slam the counter hatch aside.
“I meant me,” Cade told him. Brandon was breathing hard and ready to take a swing. How long had he been holding that in while those scumbags bled him dry? Brandon was ex-Army, corps of engineers. When Beth first met him in Dallas, he had been a boxer, too, on the division team. And Cade couldn’t think of many men more capable of controlling their anger. “Me for quitting the police force just when it might have done some good.”
“Yeah, well. You still think I should have handled this situation better, right?” Brandon retorted, still looking for a fight.
“Yep.” Cade had his temper under control now. The cigarette had been reduced in half a dozen breaths. He stubbed it out against the scratched linoleum floor.
Brandon laughed. It was ripped out of him. “You can be a real son of a bitch sometimes, Tommy.”
“Yep.”
4
Brandon shut the auto shop early. He locked away Cade’s truck, though Cade thought no one would want to steal it anyway. It took ten minutes to reach Brandon and Beth’s home on Riverside Drive. Cade counted off the numbers as they drove down the street. Despite the name, it was some distance from the river, following the contours of Meers Hill, which overlooked the town. The sun had just crested the top of the hill. Dazzling beams shone through the trees at intervals.
The properties were all timber and brick, with porches and lawns. The lime green of kept front yards contrasted with the brooding dark of the woods that loomed over the street. Short chain-link fencing separated one yard from another, while pickups outnumbered any other type of vehicle in the driveways. He knew this type of neighborhood. Not rich enough to afford a big European car, but most people were able to afford a decent used American one. Yards kept tidy and streets clear of trash.
They pulled into the driveway of one house that looked much like the others. A pink bike with tassels on the handlebars and stabilizers wheels lay on its side on the lawn. A face appeared at a window. A little girl. Then an adult. He recognized Beth. Brandon
smiled widely and waved. Cade lifted a hand in greeting. Beth waved back excitedly.
“We’re not going to talk about what happened while Madison is around,” Brandon said levelly.
Cade nodded.
The front door opened, and a young girl tumbled out. She had long, fair hair, wavy at the ends. She wore a white dress and had left the house in her socks, clutching a stuffed toy around its middle in the crook of her arm. She skipped into her daddy’s arms, and he lifted her up with an exaggerated groan.
“Pumpkin, I want you to meet your Uncle Tommy.”
Cade stood on the other side of the car, paralyzed. Ellie was in front of him. Same hair. Same heart-shaped face and big eyes that went so serious when she was trying to remember something. His throat was dry. Beth appeared on the porch wearing jeans and a T-shirt. She was pulling a baggy blue cardigan around herself.
“Are you a cowboy?” Madison asked.
Cade finally found his voice. “That’s right, Madison. All the way from good ole Texas.”
Madison’s face lit up, her mouth open in wonder. “Like the Wild West?” she said with awe in every word.
“Yep. Sure’nuff. But I couldn’t bring my horse. Too far, y’understan’?” Cade said. “Now, I did buy you a lil ole present, but I can’t seem to remember where I put it…” He made a show of patting his pockets and looking around. Then he opened the car door and produced a large cuddly toy. It was a cowboy, with long dangling arms and legs and a hat with a string that looped under his chin. Cade couldn’t remember the name of the character, but Ellie had loved the movie.
“Woody!” Madison squeaked.
She dashed to Cade and wrapped the toy in a ferocious hug. Cade rocked on his heels as she barged into him and hugged him, too.
“You’re welcome, darlin’,” he said, throat suddenly tight.
Beth gave Cade a big hug, which he tried to return. She took his face in her hands as she pulled back.
“Damn, Tommy. You look like you walked all the way here.”
Cade laughed and something inside loosened.
“You’ve been away from us for too long,” Beth whispered to him seriously. “Don’t do it again.”
“Try not to, sis,” Cade replied dryly.
“It’s good to see you, Tommy.” Beth’s eyes were serious. “I was so worried when I heard about…” She trailed off, glancing at Madison, who was chattering to her new toy.
Cade gave her a tight smile. “Kinda good to be seen.”
“Come on in. Let me show you the house. Who wants something to eat?”
“Me! Me! Me!” Madison bawled, and she was away up the drive and into the house.
“She’s adorable.” Cade smiled after her.
“Just like Ellie in a lot of ways.” Beth watched Cade closely. She pushed her arm through his. “I half thought you wouldn’t come.”
“I half didn’t.”
“I’m glad you did. We all are.”
Cade nodded. After the dread that had haunted him for the last two thousand miles, he felt free.
“So, you went to see Brandon before your own sister?”
“Tommy is having some car problems, hon,” Brandon said. “I need to wash up.” He headed into the house.
“Still driving that antique?” Beth asked.
“Still.”
“You know, we have a couple of decent used cars at the shop. I could make you a good deal on a trade-in.” Beth smiled mischievously, but there was an edge of seriousness to her voice. Growing up, Beth and Cade had been glued to their mom’s father, Pops to the two kids. He was a wizard with anything mechanical and the town’s go-to guy for repairs to cars, fridges, vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, and a lot more besides. Beth, on the other hand, had fixated on cars since before she was tall enough to see under the hood.
“Think we both just picked up a few aches and pains on the road.”
“Well, you’re early, anyway. So don’t be expecting the house to be perfect,” Beth warned him as they went inside.
The house was spotless to Cade’s eyes. Beth’s eyes were keener. In every room she went in first and gathered an armful of items, which Cade wouldn’t have noticed had she not picked them all up. The house had a living room separated from the kitchen by a breakfast bar. Through the kitchen window, Cade saw a backyard split between an explosion of toys and a range of containers filled with plants and flowers.
“Better than my last apartment,” he commented.
“That can’t be too hard. I remember what your room used to be like.”
Everywhere they went in the house there were pictures of Beth, Brandon, and Madison. Some were framed, some arranged on a corkboard or just as a collection of photos on a wall. The pictures sent a knife twisting through his gut. They told the story of a happy seven years. Envy swelled in his chest, trapping his breath, and then a crushing loss. Throughout, Madison refused to leave his side. Every time he stopped, he felt a small hand grip his fingers and pull him away to see something wonderful that she was proud of. The cat door that daddy had made for their tabby cat, Max. The pictures she had drawn in school. Her room. Her favorite toys.
It was too late for pancakes, as lunchtime fast approached. Quesadillas were on the menu instead. Madison had not tried them before. She looked at the folded tortilla, curiosity etched on her face.
“Is this what people eat in Texas?” she asked Cade. She had insisted he sit next to her at the kitchen table. Brandon sat at the head of the table, Beth opposite Cade.
“Sometimes. I like chili, too,” Cade told her. “And hamburgers.”
“Your uncle is like you, sweetie. He likes meat and not much else.”
“I hate vegetables,” Madison announced, scrunching up her nose.
Cade grimaced and leaned close. “I’ll tell you a secret. I get madder than a wet hen when someone puts vegetables on my plate. Everyone in Texas hates vegetables. That’s why we put so many spices in our food. Hides the taste.” He took a big bite of quesadilla. “You won’t even know there’s any veg in there. Trust me.”
Madison sniffed hers and then took an experimental bite before shrugging and taking another.
“So, you’re a car salesman now?” Cade asked Beth.
“We branched out into auto sales last year. I picked up a few decent used cars. I think it could be a good prospect, especially with all the labor NorEl is bringing into the area.”
“NorEl—I saw some of their trucks on my way here. They’re a mining outfit?”
“I think they’re taking over the old Shell’s Ridge mica mine,” Brandon said. “Lot of personnel coming in to Flint County, anyway.”
“I heard they were drilling. Oil or gas. Haven’t you seen the protesters downtown?” Beth put in. “Anyway, we figured blue-collar guys, bussed in and living in company accommodations. They’d be in the market for a cheap car. And we need the extra money,” Beth explained.
“Is that why you decided to move back here?” Cade directed the question at Brandon.
“Yeah, well, I thought this was a good place when I was growing up. I had friends in high school who were from here. It’s good for Madison, too. We wanted to put my savings to a good use, y’know?”
“Not a lot of crime in a place like this?”
“Hardly any,” Beth replied with a shake of her head. “I remember what Houston was like. Can’t remember the last time I heard a siren here. And there’s none of the problems you used to see in the city, y’know?” She shot a glance at Madison, who was feeding quesadillas under the table to the cat.
“Guess not.” Cade was noncommittal.
Beth put her elbows on the table, fingers laced together in front of her face.
“What is it, Tommy? Come on, say it.”
Cade put his food down and took a long swallow from a glass of Coke. He wished it was a cold beer, and he quashed the thought.
“On the way through town today, I saw a guy coming out of a bar. Drunk. He’d clearly been in there all night. And
he wasn’t afraid of the cops. Far from it. In fact, unless I missed something, one of them called his partner off when he recognized the guy. Someone called Bobby D.”
“Oh, that’s just the Dexters.” Beth waved the name away.
Brandon watched Cade, ignoring his food.
“Who are they?” Cade asked.
“White trash,” Beth answered. “Like the McConnells back in Liberty. You remember them, right?”
“Dexters have been around here for generations.” Brandon was trying hard for nonchalance. “Pa Dexter has a place up on Mount Garrick, south of town. Owns a lot of land in Flint County. Bobby is his youngest son.”
“Thinks he’s Flint County royalty,” Beth put in with a twist to her mouth.
Cade nodded. Rich family. Old retired dad leaving his two boys to run things. Like one of the Original Gangsters back in Houston.
“We’re not talking about the Dexters,” Beth announced emphatically. “Maddie, if you’re done eating, you need to take your plate to the sink, and no more scraps for Max. Go out and play in the backyard.”
Released from the adult conversation, Madison galloped out of the house, but only after extracting a promise from Cade that he would follow her as soon as he had finished eating. He watched her go with a half-smile.
“So, how have things been since Ellie passed away?” Beth was sledgehammer blunt. Cade hesitated for a moment.
“I still think about her every day. And I’m done trying to hide away from it.”
“I ask because you shut us out. I didn’t know if you were alive or dead. I only found out about your partner ’cause I check the Houston news.” Beth’s voice rose with every word. She folded her arms tightly under her breasts, and her lips stiffened. When she got angry, her carefully quashed Texas accent came to the fore.
“I couldn’t be around you guys. Maddie and Ellie are so alike. I didn’t think I could stand it.”
“And we’d moved up here not that long before,” Brandon put in.
“I know,” Beth snapped. Breath. “I know,” she said more calmly. “But you could have called. I wanted to come see you. Lots of times. But Brandon wouldn’t let me.”
