Deal with the Devil

by Ali Vali

“Hannah?” Cain put Emma down.

  “Hannah’s young so she was easy. No, it’s Hayden. And it’s not me he wants to talk to about what happened.” She ran her thumb along the crease in Cain’s forehead. “He wasn’t rude, and it’s not because he doesn’t trust me with his feelings. He said it was man stuff between the two of you.”

  Cain laughed a little. “That might be problematic since we’re a man short, but I’ll go up and talk to him.”

  “He’s serious,” Emma said, but smiled anyway.

  “I’m not laughing at him, lass, but after dealing with Muriel we might get a group rate on anger-management classes before this is over.”

  “Come on, then, let’s go upstairs. I have a date to dress dolls with Hannah.” Emma led her up the stairs and kissed her in front of Hayden’s room.

  “They just let you go?” Hayden asked before Cain could even offer a greeting. She sat next to him on the bed and waited to see if he had anything else to start off with.

  “They couldn’t prove I did anything so they had no choice.” She sat with her hands on her knees. For once she felt as if she’d let Hayden down. Hannah, Emma was right, was too young to know what had happened, but not him. She never wanted him to see her being taken away by the police. “I’m sorry you had to experience that.”

  “That didn’t matter to me. I’m just mad.” He smashed his fist into the palm of his other hand.

  Cain took his wrist before he could repeat the action. “I’m still sorry you had to see that, but it happened. And if you want to talk about it, I want you to.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about,” he said, but hadn’t made eye contact with her yet.

  “Are you sure about that?” She moved her hand to his knee and waited. “You don’t sound like you’re okay.”

  She could hear Hannah talking to Emma. Hayden stayed quiet, but he turned his head slightly and looked at her hand. “Why?” he finally said.

  “Why what?”

  “Why did you go if you didn’t have to?” As he asked he brought his eyes up.

  “My father once caught me fighting with this neighborhood kid. I was beating on him because he called my father a useless killer.”

  Hayden blinked a few times then shook his head. “Did he get mad at you? You had a good reason to whale on the kid.”

  “He didn’t stop me, but he didn’t talk to me about it until the next day. Before he left for work he asked me to think about why he was disappointed.”

  Hayden stared at her like he couldn’t believe what she’d said. “You defended him and he was disappointed in you? Why?”

  “When that kid said that, I got mad and reacted—that was my only defense to my father. Because I was mad, I didn’t notice he was smaller than me and said it because his friends goaded him into it.”

  “Why tell me that?”

  She smiled and moved her hand to his cheek. The older Hayden got the more he resembled her father. “I want to explain why I did what I did today. But before I do tell you, why do you think I gave in?”

  “I thought—” he stopped and cut his eyes down again.

  “Say it,” she said. “When it’s you and me by ourselves, don’t be afraid to say what you’re thinking.”

  “You gave right in. That didn’t make you look very strong. It’s almost like you were afraid of those guys, and you were innocent. You’re supposed to stand up for yourself no matter what.”

  “Son, being strong is knowing when to give in. I didn’t go because I was weak and scared.” She ran her fingers through his hair and sighed. “I was trying to be strong and show no fear. I unclenched my fists and used my head, like I should’ve done with that kid a long time ago. It’s like I always tell you.”

  “I know, don’t let anger rule your brain.”

  “Maybe I should have you talk to Muriel,” she said, laughing, and shook her head when he looked at her like he didn’t understand. “And remember, it’s all right to be afraid. Don’t try to live thinking nothing will ever scare you, because that’ll only make you more reckless than some hothead.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind, thanks.”

  Cain stood up and hugged him, liking how solid he felt in her arms. “Thank you for taking care of your mother and Hannah until I got back.”

  “You said it was my job, but I like having them here to take care of.”

  She smiled and left him to his video games to join Emma and Hannah next door. Emma was sitting on the floor surrounded by the doll clothes Cain had bought for Hannah’s new favorite companion. At the moment the doll Hannah had named Becky was naked and hanging upside down in Hannah’s arms as the little stylist struggled to get her shoes off.

  Cain stood right outside the door and watched Emma. Her blond hair was a little longer than usual, so as she studied the outfits she had to brush it back more often. During their talk Hayden hadn’t asked what did scare her, but here in this house was her greatest fear—that someone or something would take away these moments by either locking her up or harming Emma and the kids.

  That fear made her wish she’d had that talk with Dalton. How did he balance his business obligations with keeping his family whole?

  “You okay?” Emma asked from right in front of her.

  The question brought Cain back from where her mind had flown to. “I hate to break up this play date, but how’d you like to have dinner with me? It’s a double date with Remi.”

  “What’s the special occasion?”

  “I was planning to bait Juan, but any more of that and I might land in central lockup.”

  “Forget about him.” Emma lifted her hand and kissed her fingertips. “He’s not important enough to worry over.”

  “Whatever you say, Mrs. Casey.”

  “Worry about finding something for Miss Becky to wear, or you might have to go shopping again.” Cain laughed and followed Emma into the room.

  Juan, no matter what Emma thought, did warrant worry, but that was Cain’s job. The role she played and accepted with all her heart was to worry, fix, and eliminate concerns and threats so her family could have these carefree moments. Perhaps that’s what Dalton’s answer would’ve been.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Remi’s phone rang right after she pressed the buzzer to Dallas’s front door. “Change your mind?” she asked about their double date with Cain and Emma for dinner, recognizing the number.

  “Don’t you wish,” Dallas said. “Could you work your charm on the lock again? I’m almost ready but not quite.”

  Simon stood with her back to Remi as Remi quickly unlocked the gate, and as it closed behind them it seemed someone flipped a switch on the noise as well. The door to the house was open, and when they stepped in they found the drinks Dallas had poured.

  “She’s a great hostess,” Simon said, taking a seat in one of the wingback chairs by the fireplace.

  “True,” Remi responded automatically. Since Dallas was still upstairs she walked slowly around the room.

  The house, or what parts of it she’d seen, were comfortable and so tastefully put together they could be in a magazine layout. Beautiful artwork hung on the walls, and mementos of Dallas’s work sat on the mantel and other pieces of furniture.

  “You’re snooping.”

  Remi put down the badge Dallas had been issued for Lady-Killers and sat across from Simon. “I finally figured out what’s off about this place.”

  “Looks good to me.”

  “It’s great, but you could move in here and not feel like you’re invading anyone’s space.”

  Simon lowered her drink and leaned forward so they could keep their voices down. “What are you talking about?”

  “She has great art, but no photographs of any kind except a few recent ones. There’s stuff that must’ve meant something to her from work, but nothing else. She could leave here tomorrow and pack it in a small bag, because the rest is replaceable.”

  “Is that what you’re afraid of?”

  On the coff
ee table was the one piece that didn’t fit—a rock with no markings and no recognizable shape, lying next to a vase of roses. “I don’t have any hold over Dallas—I’m just curious.”

  “You have to care about her, because otherwise you wouldn’t give a damn one way or the other.” She waved her hand at Remi. “Don’t try and deny it. I’ve known you from the day you were born.” Remi heard movement at the top of the stairs, and Simon stopped talking. The size of Simon’s smile made Remi stand and turn around, because Simon rarely smiled like that except at Juno. She whispered to Remi, “Tell me again later how you don’t care. I’ll wait for you outside. Good evening, Miss Dallas,” she added before leaving.

  Dallas stopped on the last step, wearing a tea-length black dress with a slit up the side past her knee. If she expected any kind of reaction, Remi disappointed her by just standing there and staring. “Is this all right? If not, I can change.”

  “I’m sorry,” Remi said, moving closer. “Please don’t change a thing. You look beautiful.” She put her hands on Dallas’s hips and kissed her neck.

  “People tell me that all the time, and I never put a lot of credence in it. But when you say it, you make me believe it.”

  “I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.”

  “I believe you because you have nothing to gain from the compliment, and because you’ve taken the time to want to know me.”

  “That process has just begun, take my word for it.” Remi let her go and took a step back. “Shall we?”

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  The answer, Remi thought, applied to a lot more than a dinner invitation.

  *

  “She doesn’t exist, Papi, and I’ve looked. She pays no taxes, collects no checks, and owns nothing in her name. The information we have on file is bogus. The schools, the birthplace, nothing checks out. It’s as if she appeared one day, then made up a life,” Mano told his father as he held a folder in his hand full of the information he’d gathered on Dallas. “I’m sure no one’s checked before because, once they break in, everyone in this business changes their name to something more marketable. It’s strange, though, that none of the tabloids have picked up on this. They live for these types of stories.”

  “Dallas hasn’t gone for roles that would catapult her into a career that would bring extra scrutiny. Those vultures spend their time on the truly famous, and she’s hovering at the cusp of that category.”

  “I give her credit then.”

  “How does she get paid?” Ramon asked.

  “The money goes to the manager, Bob, who, as far as I can tell, must dole out an allowance, since I can’t even find a bank account in her name. If I hadn’t seen her at the party, I’d say she didn’t exist, because I haven’t been able to prove it.”

  “If we can’t find anything, we might have a problem. Remi won’t admit it, but she cares for this girl. If she turns out to be something she’s not, your sister could end up getting hurt.” Ramon glanced over the papers Mano had handed him. “Concentrate on the casino deal and leave this to me. I’ll check on a few other things and see what I can find. The last thing I need is to open up something that could put us in the spotlight.”

  “I’d like to look somewhere else before I quit.” Mano handed Ramon another folder. “Instead of hunting for something we may never find, why not start with the person who made Remi want to know about Dallas in the first place?”

  The folder had the name Bob Bennett on it. Mano had already started the search for answers about Dallas through the only link they had. “This one has a few more pages,” Ramon said, quickly flipping through the whole thing.

  “It’s a lot more interesting reading too. Bob’s tried to distance himself from his beginnings, but he didn’t go about it as intelligently as Dallas did.”

  “To tell you the truth, I didn’t think we’d find anything on either one. The fact that Dallas is such a mystery disturbs me since your sister is busy spinning theories of her own.”

  Mano stood up and clicked his briefcase closed. “Are you sure you don’t want my help?”

  “I trust you with my life, and if Remi was here, I’m sure she’d tell you the same thing,” Ramon said. He put the files in his top desk drawer and locked it. “But maybe this is something you shouldn’t know on the off chance Remi gets serious with this girl. You’d never betray her, but if you knew the whole truth it might embarrass both Remi and Dallas, and that might come back to haunt them.”

  “Let me know if you run into a dead end, or if you need my help.”

  Ramon walked with Mano to the side door of his office that led outside and kissed his forehead before he opened it. “You’ll be my first call. Stay out of trouble.”

  “Are things still on track? I didn’t mean to insult Cain at our last meeting.”

  “I’m sure your question didn’t put Cain off, unlike some of the others we deal with. She likes everyone to be upfront, just like your sister. If she’s got a problem she won’t hesitate to bring it up.”

  “I’ll keep in touch with Muriel then, as soon as we’re ready for the next step.”

  Ramon nodded and watched Mano walk to his car. Of all the deals he’d made since arriving in the States, this one had the most twists and surprises. When Ramon added what they didn’t know about the one girl Remi had ever shown an interest in for more than one date it only added to the unknowns he had to deal with as they tried to close the casino deal. He figured his retirement wouldn’t be anytime soon.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  The Steak Knife was famous for all its infamous patrons. Those who didn’t personally know the owner always had to wait six months for a reservation, but they waited because for one night it didn’t matter if they were accountants or podiatrists—they could sit next to someone they read about all the time. These were the people who, no matter what, never followed the rules.

  The owner stood by the host stand, a smile breaking across his face as Lou held the door open for Emma and Cain.

  “You finally decided to grace me with the company of this beautiful woman,” he said to Cain as he held both of Emma’s hands and kissed her cheeks. “Welcome back, bella Emma.”

  “Thank you, I missed you,” Emma returned his welcome. “And we brought friends.” She stepped aside so he could see Dallas and Remi.

  “One of these days you two are going to have to share your secret for finding beautiful women,” he said, kissing Dallas hello. Four waiters stood behind him ready to escort them to their table and start bringing out drinks. “But let me feed you first.”

  “Do you all come here often?” Dallas asked. The whispers and the not-too-discreet finger-pointing had begun as they made their way to the table.

  “Not enough to raise our cholesterol,” Remi said as she pulled Dallas’s chair. “This is one of those places that’s like family. It doesn’t matter how often you come, they’re just glad you’re here.”

  “Then for once the whispering might not be about me. How long did it take you to get used to this, Emma?” Dallas asked. “Going somewhere with Remi is like realizing I’m the only person in the city who didn’t know her.”

  “Part of me will forever be a dairy farmer’s daughter who won’t get used to the attention, but for the most part I’m so in love it doesn’t bother me. I just enjoy my life and the interesting people in it because of Cain.” She ran her fingers through Cain’s hair. “Given your career choice, being noticed must be commonplace.”

  “It’s not something you really ever get used to,” Dallas said, clicking her mouth shut so quickly Emma figured she had more to say on the subject.

  She’d stopped when Lou rose from the next table and stood behind Cain so he could whisper in her ear. “Katlin called from outside. It’s about to get crowded in here.”

  Cain didn’t need to ask who, since she could see Nunzio Luca making small talk with the owner, and Rodolfo and Juan Luis hanging back and scanning the room. Juan’s face held signs of his recent
run-in with her, with a bruise around his mouth and one over his eye.

  “This might answer how long Nunzio was willing to wait,” Cain said, cocking her head in the direction of the door so Remi would turn around. “The mountain has come to us, Mohammad.”

  “Too bad he brought the trash with him,” Remi said. “It looks like Juan either pissed somebody off or hit a brick wall with his face.”

  Emma put her ice water down and laughed. “Maybe a little of both, but you have to admit my brick wall is cute.” She smiled at Cain.

  “Cain—Remi.” Nunzio stopped at their table. “I was hoping to run into you when I got to town. Lady Luck’s on my side.”

  “Or maybe you called my office on the off chance someone would tell you where I was,” Cain said. She wiggled her fingers in Juan’s direction and smiled.

  “You really should warn them about that,” Nunzio said, stepping in front of Juan. “You never know who’s calling.”

  “Your concern is touching, but I’m sure you’d rather enjoy the menu here than worry about my employee disclosures.” Cain picked up her drink and took a sip.

  “Before I head back, I’d like to meet with all the parties involved in our deal. It’s time you spoke to me directly about this issue with employee problems before we have any more misunderstandings.” Nunzio nodded, and Kim led Juan and Rodolfo away. “Is tomorrow good for the two of you?”

  “I’ll talk it over with my father,” Remi said, “but I’m afraid we might search out new options. Of course, I’m only speaking for my family, though I’m confident Cain will join us on this venture.”

  “Remi, I’ve never known you to be hasty.” Nunzio was leaning over trying to keep their talk private, but it was difficult in such close quarters. “Why not give me a chance to negotiate?”

  “I know Ramon seldom does business on Sundays,” Cain said, glancing at Remi, who nodded once in return. “So make it Tuesday at my office. We’ll have one of our guys pick you up and drive you. No sense in giving the feds any more clues, right?”