“I didn’t say that. I just wanted to make sure I hadn’t missed rescheduling you.” The receptionist ran her finger down the old appointment book page. “And you are?”
“Agent Shelby Daniels.”
Finally escorted into the office of one of Muriel’s associates that she had met earlier, Shelby bluntly said, “I need to talk to Muriel or Cain Casey.”
“Of course you do, but they’re both out of town, so I can’t help you there.” The young man pulled his wallet out and retrieved one of his cards. “As you can read there, I’m an attorney, not a travel agent, and I’m a peon in the firm, so they didn’t run their itinerary by me. If Muriel calls I’ll pass along the message you’d like to talk to her.”
“You have no idea where they are?”
“Not a clue.”
His smile made Shelby want to pull back and punch him. “And I’m sure you’d just give up the information if you did.”
“Of course I would, so there’s one possibility you might want to follow up on. Spring’s almost here,” he replied, to her confusion.
“What in the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“I believe that’s when pit vipers shed their skin. Since I haven’t officially received my fangs, I’m not real sure where one goes to do that. But a boy can dream, can’t he?”
“I wouldn’t be so sure.” She threw her own card at him and stood up. “Just give her the message.”
The one good thing about dealing with a lawyer like this one was that she’d completely forgotten how pissed she was at Anthony.
She slammed her car door, then punched the steering wheel. As she shook out her hand, she thought of a simple solution and sped back to the office.
With Joe and Lionel looking on, Shelby called the sheriff in Haywood, Wisconsin. Cain had probably taken her family there.
“Sheriff Dobbs, I need you to drive out to the Rath and Verde farms.”
“Jerry or Ross in trouble?” Ignatius Dobbs leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on his desk.
“No, sir. We believe that Cain Casey’s back in the area and need to confirm that fact.” Shelby rubbed her forehead, trying to keep her headache to a minimum.
“I’ll go out there myself and look around, but I haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary in the last week or so.”
“It would’ve been today, Sheriff.”
“Let me get to work, then.”
If that’s where Cain had run to, surveillance was going to be the logistical nightmare it had been the first time around.
*
Ignatius pulled off to the side of the road near the Rath house and watched the activity there. He laughed when Cain Casey stepped out onto the porch and waved, clearly inviting him to join her.
“Sheriff, it’s good to see you again.” She held the screen door open when he pulled up and rolled his window down. “Can I interest you in a cup of coffee?”
“You don’t seem surprised to see me,” Ignatius said.
“I just wonder who called you, but I think I can narrow it down.” Holding her side, she grunted as she sat across from him. “Was it Shelby, Lionel, or Joseph?”
“Agent Daniels wanted me to come check if you’re doing okay.”
Cain laughed and nodded. “Wanted to know where to send flowers while I’m recuperating, did she?” When Emma stepped into the room and patted Cain on the shoulder before handing the sheriff a cup of coffee, she continued, “Did the concerned FBI agent tell you anything else?”
“Nope.” He took a sip of the coffee and lifted the cup in Emma’s direction in salute. “Just wanted a report of your whereabouts before they made the trip for no reason, I guess. Before you came along we didn’t have too many FBI stakeouts. After I got a taste of Agent Barney Kyle, I can see why some peace officers have trouble working with the feds.”
“I have no right to ask you this, Sheriff,” Emma said. She squeezed Cain’s shoulder before she went on, “but I want you to tell Shelby that we’re not here.”
“Why would I do that?” He took another sip and studied the couple. “You’re not doing anything but visiting friends, right?”
“Agent Kyle shot Cain on the order of a mob boss in New Orleans. So far the FBI has refused to give us any more information on what happened and who else might be involved. We came here so she can heal, but also so we could get out of the line of fire.” Emma delivered the information with a quaver in her voice. “We have children, Ignatius. If you don’t do it for Cain and me, then think about them.”
Ignatius focused on Cain. “I have your word that recuperating is all you’re doing out here.”
“Just recuperating and spending time with Emma, I swear,” Cain said with a wink. “But if this is going to cause you problems, then do what you think is right.”
“Mabel down at the diner hasn’t stopped talking about you since you left, and if Mabel likes you it’s a safe guess that you’re okay. Just behave, and I’ll take care of Agent Daniels. Turns out I came out here and didn’t find anything but cows.”
“Moo moo,” Cain said before she laughed.
*
The chatter
