“Did you call his father?” Harper asked.
“Yeah. While we were getting ready. Tough conversation since I had little to offer.”
“Did you tell him about the Memphis crew?”
Cain glanced at her, she at him. Cain shook his head. “Not really. I simply said we had a line on some guys who might be involved. I didn’t give him any details. Better he envisions an anonymous someone than a pack of professional criminals.”
Harper negotiated a tight chicane of rights and lefts. “That kind of news would only add to his angst. He’s dealing with enough already.”
“Take the next right,” Cain said. “Cassie said she’d be out that way. I’ll give her a call.”
They met Cassie a mile ahead, her vehicle pulled to the shoulder of the rural road. Harper slid up behind the police SUV. Cassie hopped out and walked toward them. The rain slanted through the headlamp beams. Cassie climbed in the backseat.
“Anything new?” Cain asked, twisting in his seat to partially face her.
“Nothing. Just checked in with everyone. At least, everyone I could reach. Cell service is sketchy at best in these parts.”
“And only you and Duckworth have radios. Right?” Harper asked.
“Yep. No money, I’m afraid. At least that’s what they tell me over at city hall.”
“Not uncommon for a town this size,” Cain said.
“Yeah well, most of the time it’s not an issue. About now, it is.” She forked back her hair, wiping the dampness off her hand on her pant leg. “You said you had some news.”
“Not good, I’m afraid,” Cain said. He told her what they knew about the Memphis crew. About the Southwell brothers, Jessie Parker, and Frankie “The Finger” Campanella. “Seems that Campanella runs the fiefdom and the others are his capos.”
“This is from the mysterious Mama B?” Cassie asked.
“It is.” Cain expanded on what they knew and how they knew it. “Jason remembered two names: Dalton and Jessie. Said they were the suppliers for Tommy Finley. He never met them, just heard the names. So, Mama B dug into the drug world in Memphis and in this area. Contacts with the DEA and others. Long story short, she found the Southwell brothers and this Jessie dude.”
“Never heard of them,” Cassie said. “Not that Frankie the Finger guy either.” She shook her head. “Where do they get these names? The freaking Finger?”
“In Frankie’s case, he earned it,” Cain said. “Maybe many times over.”
“Just great.” Cassie gave a head shake. “These clowns had to invade my world.”
“That’d be my guess,” Harper said.
“So, you’re thinking this trio came over to whack Tommy?” Cassie said. “Because he was painting outside the lines? And in the process one of them got shot?”
“That’s what started the cascade,” Cain said. “They then grabbed the doc, robbed the pharmacy, and headed to the hills.”
“That’s more than a cascade. That’s a torrent.”
“And maybe, just maybe,” Cain said, “Duckworth found them.”
Cassie’s pain was almost palpable. Cain could see it in the lines around her eyes and lips, feel it like an electric current in the air. This was small town stuff. Not like the big city. Here, everyone knew everyone. The police force was small, like family. He imagined they had barbecues together, knocked back a few beers together, raised their families together and now one of the family was missing. Maybe worse.
“You sure he was up this way?” Harper asked.
“Yes. We had divided the area into quadrants. This was his.”
“Then I suggest we concentrate up here. Get everyone back this way.”
“Already on it,” Cassie said.
Harper climbed from The Rig, circled to the back, and lifted the rear gate. She moved around a few duffles, finding the small one that held all their electronics. She carried it back inside and settled behind the wheel once again, passing the bag to Cain. He zipped it open and tugged out three phones. He handed one to Cassie, another to Harper.
“What are these?” Cassie asked.
“How we’ll communicate,” Cain said. “With only your radio in service, apparently, and with cell service spotty at best, these will work.”
Cassie examined it. Looked like a standard flip phone.
“Satellite,” Harper said.
“Really?” Cassie asked. “Where do you guys get this stuff?”
Cain smiled. “Here and there.”
“All you have to do is flip it open,” Harper said. “It’ll automatically connect to and vibrate the other two phones. No ring. Keep it where you’ll feel it.”
Cassie nodded. “Got it.” She slipped it into her shirt pocket.
CHAPTER 48
Dalton had wanted to lay low until Dennie was able to travel. Then make a night-time run for Memphis. Leave this little corner of the world behind. For now. He had delivered the needed message with the killing of Tommy Finley and his family. Though he hadn’t yet talked with Jason Epps, he believed Tommy’s demise would essentially guarantee that Epps wouldn’t follow a similar path. He wouldn’t try to go out on his own, and steal money from him and from Frankie the Finger. But, if Epps didn’t hear so well, Dalton would handle him the same way.
The killing of the cop had changed everything. It couldn’t be helped but it altered his path considerably. Before, business as usual was a reasonable outcome. Jason stepping in, the supply line reopened, the cash flow to Memphis pumping along. But now…. A dead cop? The heat would be intense. Frankie agreed. After Dalton had contacted his crew and got them rolling his way, he had called Frankie. He had asked Frankie about Epps and the future of the business over here. Frankie’s take was that shutting down in the area for a while would be best. Draw less attention. That the death of the cop would indeed crank up the heat and Frankie wanted no part of that. Not for such a small slice of profit. They could always nose back in later if need be.
Which made Epps a liability and placed him on the
