“If it’s okay with you, Emil and I will be your guests for a couple of days, or until Cain and my father find the guy who used me for target practice.”
“That’s good to hear.” Dallas kissed her and helped her stand. By the time Remi and Emil walked out, Remi felt less stiff.
Emil opened the back door for Remi. As they left, Simon went in to stay with Dallas, but her eyes lingered on Remi like she was making sure she was okay. They drove out of the city, and Remi rested her head back and closed her eyes. She’d been to where they were going on a few occasions to help Emil during harvest. The location was remote, making any tail on them stick out like a naked whore at Sunday services.
The marina looked so dilapidated it appeared to be abandoned, but in the middle slip sat a new airboat with an alligator-skin driver’s seat. Emil helped Remi board, and she nodded to Cain and Lou, who were already seated.
“Thank God we’re doing this while it’s still cool,” Lou said.
“What’s the matter? You don’t like mosquitoes?” Emil asked. His laughter as well as that of the others was drowned out when he started the powerful engine.
The fan blade behind the cage at the back started spinning slowly as he backed out but cranked up when he closed his hand around the accelerator control. Two minutes into the trip they were in the blackness of the swamp, but Emil had made this trip thousands of times and swerved around the ancient cypress trees as if gifted with some sort of night vision.
Halfway there they started to see orange orbs glowing at the top of the water, quickly disappearing as the roar of the airboat neared. Remi had learned from Emil that the orange lights were the female gators floating at the top of the water waiting for a late-night meal. According to Cajun lore, only the female eyes glowed because they were the more cunning of the species, so God gave anyone who wanted to mess with them fair warning.
“Thanks for helping me out with this,” Remi said as Emil brought them in slowly to the camp that appeared to be floating above the murky water. The small structure made of cypress wood from the trees surrounding it was built on stilts that raised it fifteen feet into the air.
Cain walked next to Remi as they ascended the ramp to the front porch. They were all dressed in black and blended in well with the worn wood. The two friends sat in rockers outside, and Cain dropped a bag between them.
“I know you don’t especially like getting your hands dirty,” Remi said.
“There’s always an exception to every rule,” Cain said, setting her rocker in motion. “I asked Muriel to put together the papers that would fix this. All we have to do is talk him into signing them. But talking to Bob is probably like that old expression about trying to teach a pig to sing. It’s a waste of time all the way around.”
“I want him out of her life.”
“That’s the wisest thing, but he still won’t answer all your questions unless he’s in a talkative mood. I think you and I should be the ones to get whatever we can out of Bob tonight. I know you trust Emil like I trust Lou, but this is the kind of guy who’s going to talk just to watch you squirm. They won’t forget what he might say, and you don’t need to do that to Dallas,” Cain said. She pointed to the bag. “What’s in there goes with you after we’re done, and to my grave with me.”
“Then I owe you a debt.”
“This is my wedding gift to you,” Cain said with a smile. “At least that’s what my wife tells me is going to happen with you two. The way you look at her predicts the future.” She stood up and offered Remi her hand. “Let’s get this over with.”
Nick was sitting at the table with a gun in his waistband. Even if Bob had tried to run there was no way he’d ever find his way out, since he’d made the trip wrapped in a rug. Cain walked in and sat to his right.
“If you know what’s good for you, tell this idiot to take me back,” Bob said.
“What’s good for me?” Cain tilted her head to the side, trying to decipher what exactly that meant. “I give up. What do you plan to do to me if I don’t?”
“I’m not an idiot.”
Cain knocked on the table with her knuckles and laughed. “That’s negotiable.” She waved Nick outside.
“I know who you are, and the minute I get back I’m sure the authorities would love to hear what you did to me.”
“I’m here doing a favor for a friend, nothing more than that, but I thought we’d have a talk first.”
“This is about Dallas and her trying to get rid of me. I own that bitch, and if you think this intimidation act is going to change my mind about that, it’s not. Like I told that dyke that got herself killed, I’ve faced worse and lived to tell the tale.”
“I’m no stranger to intimidation, Mr. Bennett, but that’s not why you’re here. Dallas happens to be a friend of mine, and you’ve taken some things that don’t belong to you. I think it’s only fair that you give them back. It’s that simple.”
“What things?”
“Just minor things like her house, her money, and some papers, and if you’re cooperative I won’t ask you how you got those away from her.”
“Fuck off.”
“I had my attorney draw up some papers that give Dallas legal right to the list I mentioned, and I’d like you to sign them.”
“Are you deaf? I said to fuck off.”
“Mr. Bennett, let me explain something to you in terms that even you can understand. You’re going to sign. That point’s non-negotiable. You can choose to do it now and save yourself a lot of pain, or you can play the macho role and hold out, which brings its own set of consequences. Those are the only two options. Now I’m going to ask you one more time, do you want to sign or do you choose to wait?”
