The Devil Be Damned

by Ali Vali

  “You act tough, Casey, but you’re no different than any other low-life scum out there on the street who thinks they can do whatever the hell they feel like. This time, though, you went too far and you’re going to pay,” he said right in her ear so the others couldn’t hear. “What you should pray for is to make it to trial. Sometimes shit happens and trash gets taken out.”

  “Your threatening techniques sound a little clichéd.” She tried to cock her head back and out of the way when he swung, but with the other agent so close his fist had no problem connecting with the cut already open over her eye. The instant darkness brought an end to the explosion of pain.

  *

  “What the hell was that?” Sabana asked, sitting next to Lou as he followed the caravan that had taken Cain.

  “Get on the phone and find Sanders.”

  Lou followed but had to break off when they entered the parking facility. He explained to Sanders what had happened and told him to find Muriel so they could get to Cain. “We have to get back to the house and tell Emma.”

  “Are you sure we should leave here?” Sabana asked.

  He gazed down the entrance where the cars and van had gone and wanted to hit something. Cain was his boss, but families like his and Sabana’s had been with the Caseys for a long time, so Cain was part of his family and heritage. His responsibility now was to tell Emma in person and pray the news didn’t harm the baby.

  “I don’t want to, but Emma has to know and she has to have us there. This isn’t something to spring on her over the phone.” His cell phone rang and he answered as he headed back to the house.

  “Muriel’s not responding and the housekeeper said she’s not available,” Sanders said.

  The day couldn’t get any more bizarre. “Send an associate over there and tell them not to leave until they see her. These idiots did a number on Cain’s face right in front of us, so I can’t imagine what’s going on with no one watching.”

  “I’m almost there, don’t worry.”

  “Sabana, you did well today, and you need to keep your cool for the rest of this, okay?” He put his hand on her shoulder briefly while he kept his eyes forward. “Once this is over payback will come, and you can be a part of it.”

  “I know you think I’m a child compared to you.”

  “You and I have a lot in common when it comes to life, so I understand you better than anyone. That’s why I pushed to get you what you wanted, but go at the pace you’re comfortable with and do only those things you’re comfortable with.”

  “I’m ready for whatever, Lou.”

  Emma was dressed and standing in the kitchen with Carmen when they arrived. She smiled at them but her eyes moved to the door. It was amazing how quickly her face lost color when Cain didn’t appear.

  “Lou?” she said, placing her hands flat on the counter. “Tell me.”

  His first instinct was to not share everything, but that wasn’t fair to Emma.

  When he finished, Emma asked calmly, “Did you tell Muriel?” He explained that situation and she lowered her head. “I see.”

  Her posture didn’t improve when Sanders called and informed them that while they weren’t denying they had Cain, he couldn’t get any information on her whereabouts or why she’d been picked up.

  Katlin and Merrick arrived from physical therapy and Sabana told them what was happening. Merrick rolled her wheelchair closer to Emma and took her hand. “You need to stay calm,” Merrick said slowly. She worked every day until she was exhausted, and her strength was returning. “And you need to be strong like you did when she got shot. This family is yours too.”

  “Carmen, could you call and cancel my lunch date, with my apologies,” Emma said, nodding to Merrick. They had resolved any ill feelings between them long before now. “Lou and Katlin, let’s meet in the office.”

  “What about me?” Sabana asked.

  “You sit with me,” Merrick said, laughing at Sabana’s frown. “It’s time you learned a few things from someone else.” Emma looked back before leaving and Merrick smiled. Emma had taken an active role in her recovery. “I’ll be here if you need something,” she said to Emma.

  In the office Emma hesitated before she sat in Cain’s chair, but they’d discussed this and she didn’t have time to waver. “Tell me everything again, Lou, so Katlin can understand what happened.”

  Lou’s voice sounded tight, as if he was sitting for her sake but really wanted to run out of the room. She put her hand over her abdomen, trying to calm her stomach as she listened, and sighed when he described how they jerked Cain out of the car. Her lover was hurt but, at the moment, beyond her reach.

  “Sanders said they wouldn’t give him any information on her?” Emma asked.

  “They’ll have to give us something eventually, but right now they can use the booking process as an excuse.” Katlin adjusted the double shoulder holster she wore. “I know what Cain said about Muriel, but we need to call her and get her down there.”

  “Lou’s tried a couple of times,” Emma said, picking up the phone. She wasn’t willing to accept “not available” as an excuse. “Rosa, good morning, it’s Emma Casey. I need to speak to Muriel and I need you to tell her it’s an emergency.” She ran her fingers along the leather blotter that was the only new thing on the desk. She had given it to Cain when they’d moved back in and she’d redecorated.

  “She apologize, Miss Emma, but she no can come to the telephone.”

  “Thank you,” Emma said, ending the call, then asking Lou for Sanders’s number. “Anything?”

  “Something big has obviously happened,” Sanders said, a lot of traffic noise in the background. “Whatever it is has made everyone in the building hostile, so my guess so far is that they’re blaming Cain.”

  “I’m on my way down there, but call me if anything new comes up. I’ve got one stop to make, and I need to know anything you find out as soon as you do.”

  “You two have no idea what this is about?” Emma asked, gently putting the phone down and resting her fingers on the receiver.

  “She asked, but the asshole was more interested in humiliating her than in answering any questions,” Lou said.

  “She left this morning for a meeting with the Jatibons to talk over what they had so far,” Emma said, trying to figure out what she was missing. “Whatever it is, I can’t believe it has anything to do with what she’s dealing with out on the streets right now.”

  “Let’s go,” Lou said, standing as if he needed to move.

  Emma wanted Muriel with her to navigate the complicated legal web the government had cast.

  The house seemed quiet and Rosa had the door open before she could knock. “I told her you were here, Miss Emma, and she be down in a minute,” Rosa said, leading them to the den.

  Emma was the only one to sit, with Lou and Katlin flanking her chair. She glanced at her watch until four minutes went by and Muriel finally appeared. “Muriel, thank God,” she said, standing and walking toward her.

  “Sorry you had to make the trip, Emma,” Muriel said, after briefly hugging her. “Whatever it is will have to wait, though.”

  “Why?” Emma could almost hear Cain’s voice telling her that here was where the trail began, whether she wanted to believe it or not.

  “Muriel, come on,” Katlin said, but stopped talking when Emma lifted her hand for silence.

  “Why?” she repeated.

  “Shelby’s packing,” Muriel said, looking back up the stairs. “Someone killed her parents last night. From the preliminary reports it was a hit, and not something random.”

  “And you think—” Katlin said, shutting up this time because Emma turned around and glared.

  “Do I think what?” Muriel asked, looking at all three of them.

  “You should go and finish up, then,” she said, for the first time understanding why Cain always sounded so cool on the subject of Muriel.

  “She’s leaving alone, Emma, and it’s because she thinks our family had
something to do with this.”

  “She’s not the only one.”

  “Listen, she told me about the visit she paid you guys yesterday, and how it ended. Last night someone walked into her parents’ home and shot both of them in the head. It was hard to hear.”

  “My condolences to her,” Emma said, starting for the door. She wouldn’t be leaving with Muriel, but at least she had the answer to their mystery.

  “If it’s something important, call me later,” Muriel said.

  “It’s nothing that concerns you after all.”

  *

  The Formica-topped table felt cold under her cheek when Cain came to, and when she slowly lifted her head she found two small pools of blood. She rarely let herself fantasize about killing anyone in law enforcement, but the big asshole who’d hit her while she was wearing cuffs rated her consideration.

  “Here.” Annabel Hicks placed a box of tissue in front of her and sat back again.

  Her lip felt like it was still oozing, but she’d tear her jacket and use that before she accepted anything. Instead she spat the blood in her mouth on the floor, not caring how crude she might look. The handcuffs were still on but now only on one hand, keeping her tethered to the table.

  “You should’ve used better sense than to resist Agent Cehan when you were stopped,” Annabel said, picking lint from her skirt. “I only wanted to talk to you, but now I’ve got something to hold you on.”

  Cain ran her finger along the side of her face and her eye to try to get the dried blood off. The accumulation was making it uncomfortable to blink. She didn’t know if Annabel had watched the tape of her arrest—if it existed. It didn’t matter if she had and ignored it or hadn’t, because the agents felt she was due a beat-down. Either way it’d be a waste to argue about it.

  “That’s not like you to give us an opening like that,” Annabel said, as if she were holding up her end of the conversation. When she stayed quiet Annabel finally glanced up from her picking. “Nothing to say? Here I was looking forward to your unending stream of wit.”

  “Agent Hicks, would you like to explain why I’m here, or do we wait for my attorney to arrive?”

  “From my understanding, your attorney’s not coming,” Annabel said with a large smug smile. “Perhaps there’s no defense this time.”

  “Well, maybe you should tell me what I’ve done in case I’ve got some overwhelming desire to confess. I wouldn’t want to get the details wrong.”

  Annabel peered over her shoulder to the mirrored glass she was sure was there, but only for a second. “Did you meet with Agent Shelby Phillips this week?”

  “Don’t insult me, Annabel. If anyone is familiar with my social calendar it’s you. All those hours of watching and waiting for me to spit on the sidewalk so you can justify your existence should be good for something.” She spat on the floor again for effect and tried to keep her breathing calm.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  “Say it already before you choke on it.”

  They stared at each other until the agent who’d arrested her came in. Agent Cehan was the name Annabel had used and Cain stared at him, noticing what she could before he joined his boss on the other side of the table. His short hair, reasonable suit, and polished shoes didn’t distinguish him from all the other male agents she’d dealt with. The difference was the too-large-to-be-professional, but distinctive belt buckle with a set of horns engraved on the silver.

  “Haven’t you tripped over your feet enough today?” Cehan asked. “Any more clumsiness on your part might leave a scar.”

  “What about that meeting set you off?” Annabel asked, ignoring the big man’s threat. “I’ve known you to effectively deal with threats, but this was beyond cruel.”

  Something obviously had happened to Shelby after their meeting, and Muriel believed whatever it was. Nothing came to mind since she hadn’t even called Muriel after Shelby had left the day before. Her head hurt, and no matter how she tried to come up with an answer, she couldn’t.

  “This was against one of our own, scumbag,” Cehan said, stabbing his finger on the table.

  “If you want, put me in a cell, Tex, because I’m not saying anything else. The Texas-lawman routine might intimidate others, but the twang’s not working. You’re new to this job and the area, but let me give you some advice. Whatever smoke they blew up your ass at the University of Texas about hookin’ ’em is something you might want to relearn. Trade the white hat in and rope yourself a desk job because you’ll be a joke in less than a month on the street.”

  Her assessment might be off but not by much. In the commotion of the morning she’d missed the accent. “And, Agent Hicks, you and I both know an attorney is here on my behalf. I’ll wait however long it takes, but this interview is over. I’m not in the mood for games.”

  “This is your one opportunity—”

  “To help myself, I know the drill. Either spell it out or book me, but I’m done. One session of having a big strong man beat on me while I’ve got cuffs on is enough for one day.”

  “You think not having them on would’ve made a difference?” Cehan asked, making her laugh when the question got more of a rise out of Annabel than her.

  “So much for my bout of clumsiness, Agent,” Cain said, and laughed harder when he stood up and loomed over her.

  “Outside,” Annabel said with a hand on his arm. They left her alone and Cain went over what little Annabel had said, but nothing registered. At the moment that wasn’t what worried her. Her mind was on Emma and her reaction when Lou told her what had happened. Emma would handle it, but any stress she suffered affected the baby. If that happened, Agent Cehan would learn a new meaning to roping and branding.

  *

  “Bring up the arrest surveillance,” Annabel said to Lionel Jones, one of the team’s agents she’d assigned to Cain.

  “Our equipment was offline for maintenance, ma’am,” he said.

  “Claire, that’s your story too?” she asked Claire Lansing, the team’s other computer and surveillance expert.

  “It’s routine, ma’am, but you’ll have our reports that it was a clean arrest.”

  “I’m sure everyone will have the same story, but you all better pray that nothing concrete contradicts you. Cain Casey loves nothing better than to make my office look like idiots, and I’m tired of it.” Annabel addressed all of them, letting them know she understood their allegiance to Shelby and that what had happened was more important than procedure. “Brent, I realize you’re new to the team, but careful about how zealous you are.”

  “If you looked at the crime-scene photos, he wasn’t zealous enough,” Joe Simmons, the new team leader, said. “Shelby’s dad was retired, and her mom didn’t have any law-enforcement experience. If Casey had anything to do with this, we should save the taxpayers the cost of a trial with a cheap bullet.”

  “We need evidence since you provided her alibi with surveillance, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t hire a gun. Find the link to whoever did this and tie it back to her,” Annabel said, watching Cain through the glass. She hadn’t really moved but she was cuffed to the table. Anyone else would’ve shown fear by now, but Cain was still showing as much of a relaxed posture as she could in the hard, uncomfortable chair. “Focus and work fast. We all owe that to Shelby.”

  “Ma’am,” another agent said from the door. “Shelby’s waiting in your office.”

  When they’d gotten the news she’d arranged for Shelby’s travel and some agents to escort her to California. Her eyes were red and puffy, but Shelby wasn’t crying as Annabel hugged her. The file that had arrived from the Los Angeles office was open at the edge of the desk with a sheet of notes next to it.

  “Let us work this one, Shelby. You’ll need all your strength to get through the next week.”

  “My father was a practical man who didn’t want to burden me when the time came, so he’s made all the arrangements. All my aunts and I have to do is show up.” Shelby laughed but
Annabel could hear her pain. “I won’t interfere, but please don’t shut me out.”

  “Is there any way Cain figured out your new assignment? Could she know you’re working undercover and using Muriel as a way in?” The questions were difficult since they sounded like they laid blame, but it was a place to start. “It would go a long way in providing us with a motive.”

  “I don’t see how. You’re my only contact and I didn’t push Muriel too hard. You and I both knew slow was the best way to make progress.”

  “What I don’t understand is why, then. We know more than enough about her and this doesn’t fit.”

  Shelby shuffled through the pictures until she found one she looked at closely before handing it to her. “I know Cain, and she prides herself on her subtlety. Big acts aren’t her, which is what Kyle never really understood about her. He was always trying to find the big flaw, when the answers were in the minutiae.”

  The photo was one of many the responding agents had taken around the house. Next to the fireplace was a bar, and the wall above it was covered with pictures of Shelby’s father’s work highlights. He was smiling in every one, standing next to other people in uniforms, but nothing about the area looked out of the ordinary.

  “Is something out of place?” Annabel asked.

  “My parents were social drinkers and they entertained friends who liked to drink, so from the time I was little, that bar was well used.” Annabel studied the photo again as she spoke. “Even though our house was always full of cops, they all were gin and vodka drinkers.”

  “Maybe they made some new friends.”

  Shelby picked up the image when Annabel put it down. “My father’s run with the same guys since he graduated from the police academy, and my mom and their wives made up the other part of their circle. After all these years they opened their home to a Jameson whiskey drinker? The drink of choice of Cain Casey? Do you really believe that?”