The Cain Casey Series

“The talk we’re picking up is making me think so. We lucked out with the team I’ve been able to put together. Casey can’t take a piss without our knowing about it.”

The inside breast pocket of Kyle’s coat was barely big enough for the envelope full of hundred-dollar bills Bracato had given him.

“Yeah, I’ll admit, buying you, Fife, was the smartest investment I got going. Not everyone in my business has someone watch the watchers as well for them. I owe you for keeping my own team of federal pit bulls running around in circles trying to pin anything on me. As for tonight, how would you like to earn a big bonus?”

“What do you have in mind?”

“One million for that little retirement fund of yours for Cain’s head on a plate.”

Kyle made no verbal response, but Simmons showed a picture of the two men shaking hands. In court, that binder to the agreement, along with Cain being shot, would be good enough. Murder for hire would get both Kyle and Bracato the needle, if they were convicted.

“We have it all on tape too, sir. If you’d like, we can have equipment brought in so you can view the meeting. We also have hours of tape from the other meetings you had with Mr. Bracato, if you want to see those.”

“I want an attorney. I have nothing else to say,” said Kyle.

All the other men in the room pulled back from him because Kyle looked like he was about to be sick.

“Wise choice, Agent Kyle. I hope you can afford a good one,” George told him as he stood up.

“Please, sir, don’t insult the rest of us by addressing him as Agent. To some of us, the fancy ID you spoke of stands for something.” Lionel stood with George and spoke in his usual quiet tone.

“Then, Agent Jones, why don’t I give you the honor of arresting Mr. Kyle and locking him up for the evening.”

“Stand up,” ordered Anthony.

“You’re under arrest,” said Lionel as he produced a set of cuffs.

They were all anxious to finish with the traitor so they could go back to Cain’s warehouse and wrap up.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“She’s out of surgery and in recovery.” Hayden spoke to Emma’s back and didn’t care that Shelby was also standing close by.

“Thank you for letting me know.”

“The doctor, he said we should go home and come back in the morning. They’ll call if we need to return before then.”

Emma wrapped her arms around her chest and held herself in despair. She was alone. No allies to ease the raging emotions of having Cain almost die in her arms. “I’ll go with you, then. That is, if you don’t mind?”

Had she turned around, she would have seen Hayden act his age for once. He stubbed the toe of his shoe into the ground, obviously fishing for the right thing to say. “If you want, you can stay with us tonight. If you want, that is.”

Her tears started to fall again. For one brief moment, she almost heard the little boy who would beg her to hold him when something was wrong. “I’m sure Cain wouldn’t like you offering that, Hayden.”

“I think it’d be all right with her. That way we can come together in the morning and see how’s she’s doing.”

The ringing of Shelby’s phone disturbed the emotional scene, and she smiled sheepishly for the intrusion. “Excuse me.”

The call was from Anthony to tell her they had finished with Kyle and were headed back to the warehouse. They would wait for her, since now she would be the head agent for the investigation. She would delay any questions about their talk with their boss until they were face-to-face.

“Ms. Casey, will you be all right? I really have to get going, but if you want a ride somewhere, I’ll be happy to give you one,” she offered.

“She’ll be fine, Agent Daniels. She’s coming home with me.” Hayden stepped closer to Emma, as if he dared Shelby to say otherwise.

“I’m sure she will be fine with you, Mr. Casey. Have a good evening.” Shelby gave him an approving smile before she headed back out to the parking lot. The sun would be coming up in a few hours, and she still had plenty of work to do.

“Are you ready to go?” Hayden asked Emma, who hadn’t answered him about where she would be spending what was left of the night.

“Yes, son, I am.”

A few minutes later Emma walked through the front door of her old house and had a strange sense of deja vu when she found her bags sitting in the foyer. Only this time they would be carried upstairs instead of to a waiting car. From what she could see, everything was as she remembered.

The woman who ran the household was waiting for them in the den when they got home. “Carmen, would you please put my mother’s bags in one of the guest rooms? I’m sure we’re all ready to go to bed.”

“I’ll be happy to take care of that in a minute, Hayden, but first tell me, how’s Cain?”

“You know Mom. She’s hanging in and doing okay for now.”

Carmen hugged the boy and patted him on the back. The look of sheer terror he’d worn when he first left for the hospital was gone, and having him come home with Emma was more than a little strange. “We’re all praying for