“I went to the Grecos’ to reassure them they won’t be thrown out on the street after what happened to Rick. After his father died he was supporting his mother and sister, and I’m sure that was worrying Mrs. Greco. You beat me over there, but Sabana didn’t get the impression you came to hand off a list of government agencies ready to help them pay the mortgage.”
“Rick worked for you,” Shelby said.
“As do a lot of people. Lou here works for me,” Cain said, tired of their cautious verbal dance. “What does that have to do with me wanting to help out? That’s supposed to be part of your life’s work, to protect and defend, or whatever your slogan is, but you didn’t do such a bang-up job when it came to Rick, did you?” Then it hit her why Shelby was here with the most unintimidating member of her team, and the shock stopped her cold.
Shelby wanted the answers to the questions she’d asked Sabana, and bringing Lionel was supposed to make Cain relax enough to give them to her. Cain couldn’t believe she was right this time, but there was only one way to find out.
“We weren’t watching Rick,” Shelby said.
“You and your friends weren’t watching him, but somebody was, weren’t they? Do you allow an agent to sit by and let someone get killed? Or was he there to participate?”
The cafe was noisier now, but from the way Shelby blanched Cain knew she’d heard the question. That’s not what surprised her, though. She was shocked that Anthony Curtis had been at the airport and that’s why Shelby had asked Sabana about him. Cain didn’t know what he was doing there or if he actually had anything to do with Rick’s murder, but obviously neither did Shelby.
“What are you talking about?” Shelby finally asked.
“Curtis was there, and since we all know how he regards me, I’m sure he felt justified in taking out someone tied to me.” Cain stood up. “Don’t bother denying it.”
“Cain, wait, this isn’t a game. You have to tell me how you know that.”
After she handed their waitress a twenty, Cain turned around, and Shelby and Lionel were both standing. “If we’re playing a game, the rules have changed, don’t you think?”
“No one’s going to give you the benefit of the doubt for going after an agent, no matter how justified you think you are,” Shelby said.
“Not like they would you for going after me and mine? Don’t worry, Agent Philips. I’m not known for stupid flights of fancy.” Before Cain walked out she saw Shelby’s lips move, and even though she couldn’t hear her, the word “fuck” was easy enough to make out.
“See, Lou, now we know who we’re fishing for,” Cain said to him softly as they walked toward the office. “Get with Katlin and find him.”
“Will do, boss. You want us to bring him in for a chat?”
“You heard Shelby. No one’s going to forgive us for taking care of this problem. I’ve got other plans for him.”
“Anything else?”
Cain stopped at the door of the warehouse and glanced at the window across the street where the feds were lurking. “You heard the man, cue up
Chapter Thirty-Nine
“Thanks to the smart guys you’ve got working for you, we’re all in deep shit,” Anthony said to Juan. After Juan’s arrival they’d moved to a hotel in the French Quarter and hadn’t left the room.
“Don’t you mean
“This isn’t some joke. Your guys killed a man for no reason.”
Juan pointed at him with a jumbo shrimp and laughed. “Jesus said Cain had sent him to spy on us. In my book that means Jesus did the right thing. What I want to know is how did you let Cain know I was back? You’re the supposed expert on laying low.”
“I didn’t,” Anthony said through clenched teeth. He got up and stared out the window again. At check-in he’d insisted on a room with a view of the street. If any of his co-workers were out there, he hadn’t spotted them yet. “Did you ever consider that Jesus isn’t being completely straight with you?”
“You want out, then get the fuck out,” Juan screamed, and pushed away from his plate.
“I’m trying to keep us all out of jail.”
“Forget about that shit. I got something for you to do.”
The tone of Juan’s voice made Anthony think his gamble was finally paying off. “What do you want?”
“Emma Casey,” Juan said when Anthony sat down across from him. “I want to know everything about her, but most importantly I want to know her schedule.”
“Why?”
“Who paid you to think? I want to know, and I need to know if you can do it.”
“That should be easy,” Anthony said slowly, as if talking to a mentally challenged person, because that’s what he figured Juan was. If he didn’t want what happened at the airport to end his career, he had to stick with Juan, though. He needed him to knock down the rest of the dominos.
“I don’t know. Cain’s better at picking up a tail than you ever imagined. Just a warning before you start. If Cain finds you sniffing after her whore, she can have you to do whatever she likes.” Juan laughed as he picked his teeth
