The Devil Inside

by Ali Vali

  “I was missing you.”

  With the hiccups and the tears, Cain almost didn’t understand her.

  “What are you doing home? I thought you were in Chicago until tomorrow.”

  “I wrapped up early because I missed you too.” Cain ran her fingers through her wife’s pale blond locks, and slowly Emma stopped crying. The repetitive motion calmed Cain as well as Emma. It still amazed her how quickly her lover had gotten by all her defenses and tattooed herself on her heart. “Why all the tears? Are you homesick?”

  “No, I miss my father, but I was just feeling alone.” A few of the buttons on Cain’s shirt popped open, due to Emma’s wandering fingers.

  “And this lonely feeling, it makes you want to take people’s clothes off?”

  “I wouldn’t exactly classify it as people, honey. I just like the feel of you. It reminds me there’s somewhere in the world I belong.”

  The touches Cain returned weren’t about passion, but enjoying what her partner referred to. Emma didn’t possess her physical strength, but from the time they had met she had provided the kind of strength she did need. Emma gave her a place to come when the world overwhelmed her, and someone to share her victories with.

  “I love you, Emma, and I hope you always feel that way. Your place is with me because I belong to you.”

  Emma thought of that night often—lying with Cain, just holding her until the bad feelings went away. She had never feared shadows or lonely nights after then because Cain had instilled such a permanent sense of belonging in her.

  That she had so readily thrown away her sense of belonging for reasons even she couldn’t explain anymore haunted her now. In the warehouse, being in Cain’s arms had reminded her of what she had given up, but that was over. She needed to convince her heart she had no chance of standing at Cain’s side again. She didn’t think Cain would keep her from trying to develop a relationship with their son, but that was where their connection would end.

  To admit her loss was hard enough; to accept it would be impossible, she feared. She rolled over, closed her eyes, and tried to clear her mind so sleep would come. That was when she heard it, the whimper from next door that could only be defined as fear.

  As she entered Hayden’s room, the thought of not being welcomed never crossed her mind. He was curled up into a ball like he was in pain, and he was crying. She held him tighter when he didn’t push her away, and the little glimmer of hope Ross had lit in her heart before he put her on the plane flared just a bit.

  “It’s okay, Hayden. I’m here.”

  “I’m so scared.”

  “It’s okay to feel that way.” Running her hand over Hayden’s thick hair brought back memories of the few times she had gotten to hold Cain this way.

  “She promised she’d come back, and she didn’t. I don’t want to be alone.”

  As she tried to pull him closer, Hayden put up the first sign of resistance by rolling away from her. “You aren’t alone, Hayden. You have me, and there’s someone else.” She had wanted to wait and tell him about Hannah with Cain, but she figured it would take his mind off Cain’s condition.

  “There isn’t anyone else, and you already left me. Because Mom’s hurt, I’m not just supposed to go with you. You didn’t want us, remember?” Hayden sat up and pulled away from his mother. Without meaning to, she had distracted him from his worry about Cain by replacing it with his anger toward her.

  “You have a sister, Hayden, who loves you very much.”

  The words had barely left her mouth when Hayden jumped up and twirled around to face her with clenched fists. “No!” he roared, loud enough to wake most of the house, and she heard the running footsteps headed for his room. “You’ll say anything, won’t you? I don’t have any sister.”

  She spoke fast. “I’m not lying. Her name is Hannah, and she’s going to be four in a couple of weeks. When I left I had just found out I was pregnant. I planned to keep that baby safe.”

  “How, by sacrificing me?”

  “No, by coming back for you.”

  “I wish Mom had just ordered me to stay away from you. You not only left me, you love some other kid better? When Mom finds out—”

  The door opened, and Merrick and Mook slammed in without an invitation.

  “Go back to bed, this is between me and her.” Hayden pointed to Emma, expecting to be obeyed.

  “What’s all the yelling about?” asked Merrick.

  “I said this is private. Leave.” Hayden never took his eyes off her as he shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans. When they had gotten back from the hospital he had just collapsed on the bed, not feeling like undressing. “When Mom finds out, you won’t be able to find a pit deep enough to hide in,” he said, once the door clicked closed.

  “Cain already knows about Hannah. I told her tonight, but she already knew.”

  “Liar. She would’ve told me. She tells me everything.”

  Emma stood and moved closer to him. She wanted to comfort him, but if she had to let him verbally attack her, so be it. “I don’t know why she didn’t tell you, Hayden. Maybe she was waiting for all this to be over.”

  When Hayden added betrayal to the list of things he felt, something in him snapped. “Get out. Go back to your room. You and Mom deserve each other.”

  “Let’s finish this, son.”

  “I’m not your son, I’m not anyone’s son. You’ve replaced me. Now, get out.”

  *

  “Mrs. Casey.” Carmen shook her shoulder lightly, waking her to a very bright room.

  Emma blinked in confusion until the previous night rushed back like some bad B-movie. If her original plan had been to alienate Hayden from Cain, she had succeeded. Only now, he totally despised her as an added bonus.

  “Is something wrong? Did something happen to Cain?”

  “No, ma’am, the hospital called and said Ms. Casey’s doing better. I just thought you’d like to join young Hayden for some breakfast before you both head back to the hospital.”

  Merrick banged on the door. “Carmen, where’s Hayden?” Merrick felt truly panicked as she asked the question. His dismissal of them the night before had caught both her and Mook off guard, but they had tried to give him some room. So much space that now they couldn’t find him.

  “I thought he was in his room.”

  Emma threw back the blankets, walked up to Merrick, and grabbed her. “What do you mean, where’s Hayden?”

  “I can’t find him anywhere in the house, but he knows better than to be out alone. He didn’t tell you anything?”

  Emma tightened her grip on Merrick’s arms. Hayden was probably just out blowing off steam like any normal eleven-year-old who had gotten into an argument with his mother. However, most young boys weren’t the son of Cain and Emma Casey. They weren’t walking, enticing targets for those who would use them as payment for the sins of their family. If he had let his anger override his good sense, then he could be in big trouble, now compounded by the fact that Cain wasn’t there to fix any problems.

  Mook ran in and had to take a second to catch his breath before he could talk. “We found his bike about a block from here, but no sign of him.”

  It was Merrick’s turn to hold on to Emma, as she almost collapsed at the news. “Come on, Emma. Now isn’t the time for you to fall apart. As much as I don’t like it, we’re in this together, and we have to get him back before Cain wakes up. She trusted all of us to take care of him, and let me tell you, folks, we aren’t exactly doing a bang-up job here.”

  “Maybe he just went for a walk.” Mook tried to think positively, but even he couldn’t even imagine having to tell Cain they’d lost her kid.

  “Mook, I love you, God knows, but if he left here on his bike he didn’t go for a walk. We need to find out who exactly has him.”

  “I think I’m going to be sick.” Emma took a deep breath and only for an instant leaned against Merrick for support. “Shouldn’t we ask the feds outside if they saw anythin
g?”

  “They’re not here anymore. The big fish they were trolling for is laid up in the hospital, so they don’t have any real reason to watch us peons anymore. Unless your girlfriend did you a favor and called off the dogs.”

  “Back off, Merrick, and she isn’t a friend of mine. I met the woman last night, and she helped me through a rough spot. That doesn’t make us lovers. And as for Cain—” She was about get on a roll when Mook interrupted them.

  “Ladies, I don’t mean to be rude, but we have bigger problems than who gets to walk home from school with the boss.”

  “He’s right. We need to put our personal feelings aside and concentrate on how to get Hayden back. I think Merrick’s correct about him not being out for a walk. Someone’s taken my son, and I’m going to do something about it.”

  Merrick started laughing so hard she almost fell over. “You’re going to take charge? That’s rich. You’re the reason he’s not here now. Leave this to me and the guys. Then you can go back to milking cows.”

  “Mook, go downstairs with Carmen and assemble the men. We’re going to the hospital first. Then I have a job for you. With Cain being hurt and Hayden disappearing, there’s only one Casey left in this house and it ain’t Merrick, so move.”

  The guard and house servant turned and left the room to do Emma’s bidding.

  She wrapped the ends of her robe tie in her hands and cinched it closed. “Not you, Merrick.”

  The guard had begun to follow the others, but the new commanding tone stopped her.

  “I intend to resolve this situation before Cain gets too worried. She doesn’t need any extra stress during her recovery, and I do plan to stay to see that she does recover. You can either suck it up and help me, or you can leave. Those are your only choices, so don’t take long to decide.”

  “I don’t take orders from you.”

  “Fine, get out. Leave now or I’ll have you removed, and when Cain does wake up I’ll explain your reluctance to help.”

  Merrick laughed again, only this time it sounded sarcastic. “My, the lady has claws, or is it the pit viper has fangs?”

  “You’re wasting my time, so leave.”

  “Come on, Emma. You don’t think Cain’s going to side with you on this, do you?”

  She had a hard time keeping her calm exterior intact, when all she wanted to do was run to the hospital and beat on Cain until she woke up and fixed things. She knew, though, that she didn’t have the luxury of wasting time fantasizing. At the moment she knew two things with utmost certainty. The man who had taken her son wouldn’t harm him without negotiating first, and if she didn’t break Merrick now, she never would.

  “I spent years being where you can only dream about, Merrick—in Cain’s bed. You know what I learned in all that time, aside from the meaning of true passion?”

  The guard’s green eyes narrowed to slits, but she didn’t respond.

  “No clue? Let me tell you, then. I learned how Cain thinks and how she plans. Last night you weren’t at the warehouse. The one night everyone’s been planning on forever, and you’re nowhere in sight. Why was that?”

  “You think you’re so fucking smart.”

  “I don’t think, I know just how smart I am, thank you, but getting back to my question. You weren’t there because your job was to watch our son. Cain counted on you, and now he’s gone. I’m not blaming you, but I’ll lay it on thick when it comes to telling her about the getting-him-back part. Because let’s not kid ourselves, shall we. We know who has him and why.” Emma strode toward the bathroom. The talk was over, and she had baited the hook. She needed Merrick, but only if the woman was willing to work with her.

  “How did you know I haven’t slept with her? You’ve been gone a long time.”

  “A wife knows, Merrick. Don’t forget that. I’ll see you downstairs in a minute.”

  The humor returned to Merrick’s laugh. Cain’s partner had won a decisive victory without throwing a punch, garnering a bit of admiration from her, the loser. Merrick had no doubt why her boss was still lamenting the loss of this woman. Any other woman would have fired her out of pride, but by allowing her to go wait with the rest of Cain’s men, Emma was giving her a second chance.

  Carmen and some of her girls were passing around coffee cups when Merrick entered the large den where they had all convened. The only men missing were the ones watching over Cain in the hospital. Mook tried not to smile at Merrick’s appearance, knowing what it meant. He had no reason to dig into her wounded pride.

  “What’s the plan, Merrick?” one of the men asked, looking around Carmen, who was filling his cup.

  “I’m sure when the boss gets down here she’ll tell us what we need to do.”

  “Who, Cain? I thought she was still in the hospital?”

  “Not exactly, fellas. For now we’ll be taking orders from Emma Casey, and before you start grumbling, let’s hear her out. This woman may surprise you. She sure did me just a few minutes ago when I had a run-in with her.”

  Mook and Merrick listened to the group’s grievances, letting them vent before Emma came down. One man named Hank who had been with Cain for a little over a year sounded adamantly opposed to taking any direction from Emma.

  “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I ain’t going along with no snatch ordering me around.” Hank crossed his arms and leaned back into the thick cushion of the sofa.

  “And your name is what?” Emma strode in and took a seat in the chair Merrick was standing behind. The fact that the guard didn’t move sent a clear message to the rest of the people in the room.

  “Hank.”

  “Hank, you are free to leave.” Emma pointed in the general direction behind her. “Don’t let the knob hit you in the ass on the way out. Merrick, please settle up with him if Cain owes him anything for services rendered.”

  Merrick tried hard not to laugh at the shock on the man’s face. Emma had effectively pinned him to his seat since he looked so paralyzed.

  “We have plenty to cover, Hank, so get moving.”

  “You heard the lady,” said Mook. He stood and walked over next to Merrick. It wasn’t totally clear why Merrick was going along with this, but his job was Hayden’s welfare, so to get the boy back, Mook would deal with the devil.

  The guard walked out without any other response except to slam the door.

  “Here’s what we’re going to do,” said Emma. When she was done, everybody in the room knew the woman had spent years at Cain’s side. She was more polite, but what she was asking bore Cain’s distinct cunning and resolve.

  “You heard Mrs. Casey. Break into four groups and meet me back in the office at the club tonight. Don’t even think about screwing this up.” Merrick paused and looked at Emma before finishing. “It’s a good plan.”

  “Thank you.” Emma smiled and turned her attention back to the rest of the group. “Good luck and remember, Merrick’s right. There’s no room for error on this one. My son’s life is on the line, and if one of you gambles with that I’ll kill you myself. ” She stood and paused to see if she would hear any other dissent. “Merrick, Mook, let’s head over to the hospital and check on the boss.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Another padlock slipped into place on one of the trucks the federal agents were using to cart away the mounting evidence against Cain. It wasn’t yet ten in the morning, and the combination of too little sleep and the sick feeling over what they were doing was giving Shelby a massive headache. Why Cain had just given up and let them catch her so easily had been the question on her mind.

  Lionel took a seat next to her. “We’re going to have to call Agent Hicks to see where she wants us to store all this stuff. Eventually I’m sure it will all be destroyed. Since I like a drink every so often, I think that’s a shame.” He stared out at the warehouse, which was far more luxurious than he would have guessed from the outside. Cain obviously didn’t use it too often the way the space was intended because of all the exercise equipment and
the collection of cars.

  Shelby had meant to call Agent Annabel Hicks all morning, but she had put it off until the inventory was done. Hicks supervised the New Orleans office and was no friend to their supervisor, Barney Kyle, so she had spent her morning in the federal lockup dealing with the ramifications of having a dirty agent in her employ. As Shelby went to call her, a forklift unloading boxes dropped one of the crates. It sounded as if every bottle had broken, and the stains on the wood confirmed at least a majority of them had bitten the dust.

  All of a sudden, a car door slammed near the entrance to Cain’s property. A tall, dark-haired woman emerged from the driver’s side, accompanied by a group of young, well-dressed men and women. One of them pulled out a leather-bound notepad and wrote down the number on the crate that had just been destroyed. Anthony stopped them from entering the premises and just as quickly pointed toward the table where Lionel and Shelby were sitting.

  “Agent Daniels?” The woman in the lead held her hand out in greeting, not bothering to introduce the people she was with.

  Shelby just stared at her, not lifting her hand. She knew clothes, and the outfit the woman had on cost more than the federal government paid her in two months, six if you threw in the expensive jewelry that adorned the hand at the end of her visual tour. “And you are?”

  “Muriel Casey, and I believe you are trespassing on private property.” Tired of waiting for the woman to break out of her stupor and shake her hand, Muriel dropped her hand and lifted an eyebrow instead.

  “If anyone is in the way, it would be you and your little entourage of eager beavers.”

  “As Derby Cain Casey’s attorney I would like an explanation as to why you’re destroying her property.”

  “Ms. Casey, we are investigating the illegal importation and sale of liquor and cigarettes, which your boss didn’t bother to pay federal taxes on. In case you missed that class in law school, that’s a crime. I know she hid them in the cleverly disguised sardine boxes, but we are a bit more sophisticated than she gave us credit for.” Shelby leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath. She was tired, and the fact that this woman looked a lot like Cain was throwing her. Her own investigative skills and gaydar were pinging family in more ways than one.