The Cain Casey Series

by Ali Vali

  “Well?” Cain asked when the door opened. She was sitting on a stool next to Emma, who was on the exam table. But she looked so nervous any thought of teasing her seemed like a bad idea.

  “You don’t have the flu,” Ellie told Emma.

  “Well?” Cain asked again.

  “Honey,” Emma put her palm against Cain’s cheek, “calm down and she’ll tell us.”

  “I’d plan to have another guest for Thanksgiving this year,” Ellie said, staying in the doorway to keep clear of Cain’s reaction. “It’s not a stomach bug, sweetie, it’s morning sickness. And if you’re lucky it won’t last as long as mine.”

  “She’s pregnant?” Cain asked, sounding disoriented.

  “She is, and I can even tell you when you got her that way,” Ellie said, holding the chart up to hide that she was laughing. “Congratulations, and don’t forget to make an appointment before you leave. See you then.”

  Cain lifted Emma off the table as if she weighed nothing and let out a whoop so loud the guys in the waiting room could probably hear it. They kissed and cried again.

  “I’m so happy it’s almost as if the time we were apart doesn’t exist anymore,” Emma said after she dressed. “That feeling is the best gift you could’ve given me.”

  “It doesn’t exist because it’ll never happen again.” Cain held Emma’s hand as they walked out. “We need to celebrate tonight.”

  Emma stopped to make her appointment and nodded. “I’ll get this. Go share our news with Lou and the others before holding it in kills you.”

  Lou had his arms around Cain when Emma stepped out but let her go to give her a hug as well. “I’m happy for you, Emma.”

  “Another one for you to watch over,” Emma said. “That’ll keep you all busy enough, so it’s time to finish what you started.”

  “You heard the lady,” Merrick said. “Let’s get to it.”

  *

  “Señor Luis.” Oscar sat in the seat Carlos had put his hands on the back of and puffed his chest out as if preening. “Thank you for your invitation.” He accepted the espresso Carlos handed him. “My compadres are jealous they weren’t called.”

  “It’s you I want, Oscar.” Rodolfo took a sip of his own coffee and tried to even his breathing. “Can I get you anything else?”

  “No, Señor, the coffee’s fine. What would you like me to do for you?”

  “I want you to tell me where Jesus is.” Rodolfo put his cup down and folded his hands in his lap. “I haven’t seen him, and he didn’t say where he was going.”

  Oscar leaned forward to put his cup down as well but couldn’t keep it from rattling before it reached the table.

  “Do you think he’s with my nephew?”

  Oscar let out a nervous-sounding laugh as he turned around and looked at Carlos. “In Mexico? I don’t know.”

  “Don’t worry, Oscar.” Rodolfo spoke in a soothing voice he’d used on Juan many times when he was a boy afraid of the dark after Gracelia had read him a bedtime story. After seeing the paper Cain had given him, he knew what Gracelia had been feeding him before he went to bed. “I already know where Jesus is.”

  “Where? I’ve been worried.”

  “That’s a waste of your time. Jesus is no one’s worry anymore.”

  “Where is he?”

  “If I know Cain Casey, he’s probably rotting in a dark hole somewhere.” He delivered the news in the same soothing voice. “Jesus was first on her list, but she wants me to hand over someone else.”

  “She killed Jesus?”

  “What you should be asking is who she wants next and why. Or do you already have an idea?”

  Oscar tried to stand but Carlos put his hands on his shoulders and pushed him back down. “Don’t worry. I’m not about to hand you over to be killed for taking out some guy that worked for Casey, but I do need something from you.”

  “Whatever you want.” Oscar put his hands together like he was praying.

  “Where’s Juan?” As Rodolfo asked, Carlos pressed a knife to his throat and grabbed a handful of hair.

  “At the hotel at the end of Esplanade, and he got back the day Jesus killed Casey’s man. I didn’t want any part of that, but Jesus said you knew about it.” Oscar’s hands were bobbing from his chest to his lap as he cried. “Then Juan ordered me not to tell you.”

  “Who’s with him?”

  “That guy from the FBI. A few of our men come and go, but Juan seldom goes out.” As Oscar explained in a begging manner, he glanced back at Carlos occasionally.

  “Take him downstairs,” Rodolfo told Carlos,” but before you cut him loose, I want to know who else was at the airport that day.”

  “Señor Rodolfo, please, I didn’t want to be there.”

  “Get him out of my sight.”

  “Like we talked about?” Carlos asked.

  Rodolfo stood, walked to the window, and merely lifted his hand in response. When he did, Oscar let out a moan that sounded as if someone had shot him. Perhaps that’s what would happen to him, Rodolfo thought, but he wasn’t concerned what Cain did to Oscar once Carlos handed him over. All he cared about was defusing the fire keg Juan had lit.

  *

  The street in front of Ramon’s club was lined with work trucks that morning when Cain and her group arrived. Whoever had thrown the incendiary device had managed to damage only the very front space, but unfortunately two employees had been standing there. From the number of workmen, Ramon didn’t plan to stay closed long.

  Mano was waiting for them by the bar, and before he led them to Ramon’s office on the third floor he embraced Cain and kissed both her cheeks. “Thank you for saving my sister.”

  “You’d do the same for me.” The guards hung back until they finished their talk, and Cain took her time with Mano because she, better than anyone, understood what an emotional wringer he’d been through. “I failed when it came to Marie and Billy, but I’m glad you were able to avoid that pain.”

  “After seeing how much you care, I can’t believe you failed at all. I can’t replace the loss of your family, but I want you to accept that you’re part of mine. Whatever you need, call me and I’ll treat you no different than if Remi was asking.”

  “Thanks, that means a lot to me.”

  “Good. Now if you’re ready to go up, I got the package you asked for.”

  Richard looked like he was in shock when Cain entered and saw him standing in the corner, his back against the wall. His eyes were on Remi, and he kept blinking like maybe he could clear Remi from his sight if he tried hard enough.

  “Good morning, Richard,” Cain said to snap him out of his trance. “Sit down and close your mouth.”

  “Why am I here?”

  “You’re here so we can offer you the deal of your life.”

  “Ramon, what’s this about?” Richard asked.

  “Cain speaks for me and my family, so ask her. I just brought my checkbook,” Ramon said with a laugh.

  “The reality of our situation is that you own a casino in someone else’s name. You’re Junior and Nunzio Luca’s front man, but in the eyes of the law you, and you alone, own the Capri,” Muriel explained. Ross, Steve, and Dwayne sat next to her merely listening to what was going on. “Understand me so far?”

  “If this has to do with the casino deal, you need to call Nunzio,” Richard said, his breathing speeding up noticeably.

  “We don’t need to call Nunzio,” Cain said, “when we have the true owner right here.”

  “Cain, no matter what you do, you’re not going to make me sign anything. Whatever you threaten me with, Nunzio’s only going to do worse, and you know it.”

  “Why not listen to what Muriel has to say before you turn us down?” Cain held her hands up. “But before you decide to walk away no matter what, consider this. Today is the last day any of us will talk about this deal, much less consider it. A decision you made without Nunzio’s permission brought us to this point. Do you think he’s forgotten that?”

/>   “What do you want?”

  “We want the casino, and we want to buy it from you.”

  Richard was laughing so hard he slapped his knees. “That’s hilarious. Really, what do you want?”

  “I’m not a huge fan of repeating myself, just so you know.” Richard’s merriment died at Cain’s words and the room fell silent again. “But I’ll explain again since it seems over your head. You can turn me and the Jatibons down and face Nunzio. Or you can accept our offer and retire to a palm tree somewhere with the money we’re going to pay you for signing your name.”

  Richard sat up straighter and put his hands over his mouth. While he thought about it, Cain made a bet with herself how long he would hold out before he took the money.

  “How much?”

  Cain accepted a slip of paper from Ramon and handed it over. “That amount in a Cayman account in your name. You can enjoy the beach for awhile if you want, or you can transfer it wherever you like.”

  “Who’s going to protect me from Nunzio?”

  “That check has enough zeros to buy all the protection you’ll need.”

  Richard closed his hand over the paper and took a deep breath. “If you tell me why, I’ll give you what you want.”

  “You should know the answer to that,” Cain said, “but I’ll let Remi explain.”

  “Nunzio took his shot at me, and this is our response. Hiring someone to kill me doesn’t come without consequences. The casino is his consequence.”

  “I sign it over and you give me the money—it’s that simple?”

  “You got it,” Cain said.

  “But it’s worth so much more,” Richard said as he glanced at the amount again.

  “Do you remember how well your negotiations went the last time you tried?” Cain shot back.

  “You have the papers ready?”

  Cain and Ramon nodded.

  “And you’ll help me get out of here?”

  “I’ll have our plane take you wherever you want to go after the transaction is done,” Ramon said.

  “Let me know when and I’ll be there,” Richard said, putting the paper in his coat pocket.

  “Steve, Dwayne, and Ross will escort you to the Mississippi Gaming Board Office today,” Cain said. “The application’s complete and waiting for you to sign.” Richard stood after Cain did and shook her hand, then Ramon’s. “Only your signature, Richard, nothing more that’ll delay this.”

  “When did you set up the meeting with the gaming board?”

  “Yesterday afternoon,” Cain said, smiling when he appeared surprised. “I’m buying a casino, but I never gamble unless it’s a sure bet. You struck me as a sure bet.”

  “I’d tell you to kiss my ass, but with all that money I don’t care what you think of me.”

  Simon and Muriel left with Dwayne and Steve, but Cain stopped Ross. “Are you sure about this? It’s not too late to change your mind if you don’t want the added scrutiny in your life.”

  “You’re my family, and I don’t mind helping you out when I can. Besides, you don’t have to ever question your trust in me. What happened with Richard today will never cross my mind, and it’s got nothing to do with Emma or the kids.”

  “Then we’ll have plenty to celebrate when you get back.”

  Once the group had left, the guards did too, so Cain and the Jatibons were alone. They needed to discuss the rest of their plans, and after considering all the options Cain thought it best to strike back fast.

  “Our people are in place at the casino’s hotel waiting for our call,” Mano said as he handed everyone a folder. “Muriel and I worked up a list of immediate firings. She has the pink slips with her so she can distribute them when she hears from our new owners.”

  “When are we telling Nunzio?” Remi asked. Her time with Dallas had been productive as far as their relationship, but Cain and her father had given her some time off from her responsibilities to heal.

  “His house is a block from the place. He should see the signs coming down,” Mano said.

  “If he doesn’t, I want you to call him,” Ramon said.

  “I agree. It’s only right that it comes from you, so you can tell him we’re willing to see him here,” Cain said. “From what I hear he’s still in town, and it shouldn’t be too hard to arrange a meeting since he dropped the ball with Richard.”

  “Then what?” Remi asked.

  “That’s up to you,” Cain said. “None of us has a bruise on their chest from a bullet impact, but I’ve got a suggestion.”

  “Let’s hear it.”

  “I brought you a get-well present, but before you let your anger overrule your emotions, consider how we can best use it.” Cain would accept whatever Remi wanted because of what had happened to her, but if she listened, Cain’s plan could be the beginning of the end for most of their problems.

  “What happened to me wasn’t personal, I know that. Nunzio just saw it as the quickest way to get us to come back to the table. I may not understand that logic, but that’s all it was and I have to accept it.” Remi stood with her hand on her chest. She was moving better, Cain noticed, but from the way her mouth pulled when she had to sit or stand, she still felt pain.

  “Lou,” Cain said into the intercom to the second floor, “could you come back in with our new friend.” It didn’t take long for Lou to walk in with a much shorter man at his side. The guy was almost delicate looking, from the slim nose down to his long willowy fingers. “It was a bitch trying to find this guy, but I thought you’d like to meet him.”

  “Should I know who this is?” Remi asked.

  “You may not know him, but you’re familiar with his work. Jorge is the one who gave you that bruise and broke your rib.”

  Remi grunted as she got out of the chair, but she moved quickly to Jorge and punched him in the face hard enough to knock him off his feet. “You’re not going to live long enough to regret that shot.”

  “I hit you,” Jorge said, rubbing his jaw. “There’s no way you walked away from that.”

  The complaint made Remi hit him again. “I walked away, and that doesn’t make your future worth investing in.”

  “Remi, if you want to kill him I wouldn’t blame you,” Cain said.

  “What else do you think I should do with him?”

  “Jorge, what’s your price?” Cain asked him.

  “Five hundred thousand a job. It sounds like a lot, but I guarantee success, and until now that’s what everyone’s got for their money.”

  “For this job you’ll get a much better payoff,” Cain said as she pointed him to a chair.

  “You want to hire me?”

  “I more than anyone here understand business, Mr. Cristo. What you did was your job and nothing personal against Remi.” Cain cut her eyes to Remi, who looked like she wanted to squeeze the life out of Jorge. “But you got caught with your hand in the cookie jar, and it’s time to make things right.”

  “What’s the job?”

  “I want you to take out Junior Luca, and I want you to vary from your usual style and shoot him through the eyes. I don’t give a shit what his body looks like after you’re done, but I do want to know he’s dead.” Cain watched him as she spoke and noticed he petted the beard on the left side of his mouth, as if he were trying to get something out of it.

  Everyone had a tell when it came to their fear, and she had a feeling this was his. Tells were the body’s way of letting out fear and nerves, but they were also a good way to pick up on what a person wanted to keep hidden from the world. In poker they cost you the big pots, and right now Jorge’s fear was driving the movements, cluing Cain in to how easy it would be to get what she wanted.

  “My price is no different for that.”

  “You’re going to do it and you’re going to get only one thing in return, and my offer’s only good while you’re in this room.”

  “What’s your price?” Jorge said. He pulled his hand away from his face and stared at it as if it had betrayed him by movi
ng to his beard.

  “Your life, Mr. Cristo,” Cain said with an air of finality.

  “You call that fair?” Jorge’s hand returned to his face.

  “You have the right to turn me down, that’s up to you. Turn me down, though, and I’m through with you and it’s Remi’s turn.”

  “If you want Junior dead, then he’s dead,” he told Cain, and turned to Remi. “She’s right, this was only business. I have nothing against you or your family, but if you let me go you have my word you and your family have nothing to fear from me.”

  “Do you swear it on your mother’s head?”

  “I swear it.”

  “Cain had her price and her reasons, but I won’t forgive what you did that easily, so I want one more thing from you.”

  “You’ve got the right to ask me anything.”

  “Are you right- or left-handed when it comes to your toys?” Remi asked.

  “Right-handed.”

  “Junior Luca’s part of the deal, but you have to carry a reminder for you not to come near us again. Maybe with enough time you’ll learn to be as accurate with your left hand as the people who hire you expect you to be.” When Remi got close to him he wrapped his hands around the arms of the chair. “Your right hand.”

  Jorge held out his right index finger, his trigger finger. He made no sound as it hit the floor and accepted the handkerchief that she offered him to stop the bleeding.

  “You have until tomorrow to do this, and you won’t be going alone,” Cain said as she waved one of her men over. “Once you finish, you’re free to go. Renege, and the guy I’m sending with you will pull his own trigger, and I promise he’ll be close enough there’s no chance in hell he’ll miss.”

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Anthony opened his eyes and shut them just as quickly when the brightness of the room felt like it was burning holes in his retinas. He’d spent another late night with Juan’s men sitting outside the Casey place watching, but trying to stay out of sight of the other watchers. It was like his old job, only the pay was better. Then there was the new bonus Juan was sharing with him.