No matter what, she was always relaxed, but never really smug like a person who always knew all the answers before the questions were really asked. "Not what we were expecting, but nothing ever is for me."

"Then keep at it. All we need is one lucky break."

Shelby pointed to the file on the rifle's owner. "Some would call that one."

"No, this is a dead end. Cain's been lucky up to now, but that can't last forever."

Shelby laughed as she stood up ready to head out again. "I wouldn't go that far. When it comes to the Casey family and luck, they have a lifetime supply. What you should maybe wish is for a little luck of the Irish to come our way."

"Where'd you hear that?" Muriel asked. She was sitting at a table in Le Madeline Cafe across from St. Louis Cathedral. She wore a pair of dark sungla.s.ses that gave her the freedom to study her surroundings.

After putting the last bite of croissant in his mouth, T-Boy brushed the crumbs from his fingers and pants. "My buddy told me he heard it from the man himself. Said the b.i.t.c.h running the show cut his b.a.l.l.s off, and he wanted to work for someone who'd appreciate his talents."

Muriel had forgone the French roasted coffee and ordered a carton of chocolate milk. It reminded her of a simpler time in her life when all she had to worry about was appeasing the nuns who taught in the school Jarvis and Dalton had picked for her and Cain to attend.

"Anthony Curtis is out for hire?"

"To the highest bidder, and from what I hear, that Mexican dude wants to get his hands on him first. I thought Cain would want to know right away."

She reached into the pocket of her leather coat and pulled out a roll of bills. "Thanks for the heads-up. Call me if you hear anything else."

He wrapped his fingers around the money and nodded.

After he walked away, Muriel called Cain and told her what was going on. "Want me to dig some more?"

"You might have broken up with a certain agent too soon. Annabel probably figured you were her inside track to me, but sometimes information flows both ways."

"That spigot's been shut off permanently, so we'll have to figure out something else." Muriel started walking to her office, glad to see she wasn't being followed.

"I'm not worried about Anthony yet."

"That guy's got it in for us, so you should worry." As she reached Ca.n.a.l Street, a car pulled up and stopped, blocking her path. When she leaned down to seewho it was, she figured her opportunity to find out what was going on had come.

"You know me, there's more than one way to face a problem,"

Cain said.

Muriel looked at Shelby and smiled. "For once I believe you."

Chapter Twenty.

"I haven't been here in a few years," Remi said, gazing out the window as Cain's driver took them farther into the ninth ward.

Outside, the houses were getting smaller and thinner, perfect examples of shotgun homesif you shot a gun through the front door, the bullet would pa.s.s through every room before it went out the back. "What do you have in mind?"

"We're here to introduce Vinny to our mutual friend."

"So there's soul food in my future?" Remi stretched her legs out as she laughed.

They turned right and four large African-American men stood in front of some street barricades. When the oldest-looking one tapped on the back-window gla.s.s, Cain lowered the window and stuck her hand out.

"How are the kids?"

"Costing me a fortune keeping them in shoes."He shook her hand,then waved to Remi. "Good to have you two back in the neighborhood."

"Does Maude have some chicken stew on?" Cain asked.

"She even changed into her best ap.r.o.n when she heard you were coming." He looked behind them. "Go on in and we'll keep the rats out."

Cain peeled four hundred dollars from her wallet. "Thanks, and here's something for your boys and your Nike fund."

The barricades were moved aside just enough to let the car through, then quickly put back into place, stopping the van as it pulled up.

The agents were about to learn a lesson about private property and how close you needed to be to a location to make the trip down here worth your while. The street and every house on it belonged to Jasper Luke, and the people who worked for him knew better than to let you in if you weren't invited. The agents and their surveillance equipment were out of commission.

Maude's Kitchen stood at the end of the drive. Jasper's aunt was the chef and served from a large pot of whatever she felt like cooking. The front was jammed with cars, and Remi and Cain shook hands with the guys hanging out near the door.

As soon as they stepped inside, Maude said, "I been waitin' on you all morning." Cain had been enjoying Maude's cooking since she was a teenager and tagged along with Dalton when he came down to talk business with Jasper.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, sugar." Cain kissed both her cheeks and laughed at the strength of Maude's embrace. "Miss me?"

"I'm waitin' for you to leave that skinny blonde and take me out of that hot kitchen."

Cain hugged her again and kissed her forehead. "We're trying for number three, so she won't be skinny for long."

"Just don't forget me if you're looking for a change. Now get your b.u.t.t to that table and let me feed y'all."

Remi reached the table first and accepted Jasper's hug. Neither she nor Cain could be considered small, but standing next to Jasper, Cain felt like a child. He was tall and built like a solid wall of muscle, topped with a completely shaven head so shiny it looked polished.

"Tell your dad I'm p.i.s.sed I haven't seen him in awhile," Jasper said to Remi.

"You know how he is when he's got something going on. He did say there's a pair of dice waiting for you at the club."

As Jasper gave Cain a similar hug, Vinny Carlotti stepped out of the restroom. The four sat down and smiled at Maude when she carried out four bowls of chicken stew, ruffling Cain's hair when she got to her.

"What's on your mind, Cain?" Jasper asked. He emptied half a bottle of hot sauce into his portion.

"We've got a problem, but this time around it's not just our problem."

"Something I can help you with?" Jasper asked.

After a few bites of the spicy stew, Cain sipped her beer. "I'm sure Vinny's already clued you in on some of the stuff he's got in the works. He's going into business on his own, with backing from Remi and me. That'll help some, but he needs a network to deal with the compet.i.tion. That's not something Vincent, Remi, or I am equipped to provide."

"Stephano's let his business go to c.r.a.p, and his father's never took off," Jasper said. "Some say they're coming back and others say they're not. But some young punks looking to make a name are stepping in." He dipped a piece of French bread into the bowl and put it in his mouth."Makes no difference to me.Been a lot of killing down here, though, because they're not taking care of things."

"It's time to rein it in, Jasper, if you're interested," Remi said. "We all agree n.o.body can fully control this business, but it'll destroy us all if we don't try."

"You want my boys working with you?" Jasper asked Vinny.

"It's the only way to make sure you're not answering to Rodolfo Luis in a few years."

"What's yours and Remi's cut?" Jasper asked Cain.

Cain lifted her spoon and finished her meal. "I'm just here making introductions, my man. What you and Vinny work out is up to you two. Remi and my interest lie elsewhere. We did agree on a price for our unique form of protection, but that's coming out of Vinny's part."

"You're not interested in Juan Luis then?" Jasper laughed when Cain bent her spoon using just her thumb."Thought so. Little s.h.i.t was here earlier asking to make the same deal."

Remi pushed her plate away and put her hand on Vinny's forearm when he pulled his chair out. "Are we wasting our time?" she asked Jasper.

"I let him down the street because I was more interested in the company he's keeping.First time that white boy been in this neighborhood, if I had to guess. Five-O was quiet, but he's a guppy swimming by hisself in a pool of angry alligators." Jasper stood and led them to his office upstairs.

"You let Curtis in here?" Cain asked.

"He was too busy making sure n.o.body got behind him to get a good look. b.u.t.t headwho brought him had to figure I wasn't doing business with someone who's setting a trap for me."

Cain almost cracked up at the thought of Anthony trying desperately to fit in. "What'd you tell Juan?"

"Told him to f.u.c.k off and the donkey he rode in on. We'll work the particulars out, Vinny, so stick around. And, Cain, keep an eye on Emma. Our boy's got a crush and he's looking to prove his manhood. He mentioned your lady more than once."

"Thanks, and remember I owe you one. Call if you need anything."

Remi and Cain left after a stop in the kitchen. When they got to the car they had a message that Nunzio Luca wanted a sit-down.

"How long do you want to keep him waiting?" Remi asked.

"Couple of days should leave him in a mood to talk business. Right now I've got snakes to flush out of their holes."

"Need help?"

"Are you sure? Mano sounded gun-shy this morning."

"My brother is the cautious one, but he'll learn you can't always be too careful. Do that and itmakes you seem weak. None of us can afford that."

"What are your plans for tonight?"

When the car stopped in front of Remi's building she put her hand on the door handle. It was the only complex in the downtown area built on the river. "I don't have any yet," she said, chuckling. "Will I need a date?"

"Have anyone in mind?"

"I'll think about it. Where'd you want to go?"

Cain pointed at the van behind them. "Someplace fun where I can forget I'm an exotic pet worthy of observation."

"Emma does tell tales of some impressive feather rustling when you do your mating dance."

"Get out," she said, teasing, "and we'll meet you at eight. Feel like steak?"

"Eight at the Steak Knife.Better make sure you bring cash for some fun later. If you want to attract attention I have a good way to go about it that involves a set of dice."

Cain nodded and waved as Remi got out and shut the door. As they started moving again Cain let out the air in her lungs, tired from the large lunch they'd had. "Lou, if anyone calls at the office asking about what we're up to,give them what they want."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm not losing my mind." Cain let her head fall back and closed her eyes. "I'm just helping Juan make his first move. If he's going to make one, I want to see him coming."

"Need a ride?" Shelby asked through the open window of her car.

"My office isn't that far. I'll walk since I wouldn't want you to go out of your way."

"How about a ten-minute truce?"She rested her head on the seat back and closed her eyes briefly. "Try to conjure up how you felt about me the last time you were in my house."

Muriel opened the door and got in. Shelby turned in the opposite direction of her office. They headed back into the French Quarter and pulled over behind the French Market.

"What's on your mind? Or did you have a sudden craving for Loretta's Pralines?" Muriel asked. She turned in her seat and pressed her back into the door.

"I want to know what happened." Shelby took Muriel's hand. "I can't stop thinking about you, and I can't concentrate on anything."

"You know what happened. Last night when you stepped into that restaurant should've been explanation enough, if I didn't do a thorough job. Something happened, and with no proof that my family was involved, we were your first stop anyway." She put her other hand over Shelby's, squeezed,then pulled away. "Your world doesn't fit into mine, and no matter how much we want to pretend, it never will."

"You want to just give up?"

When Shelby's lip trembled slightly Muriel couldn't resist holding her. "I care too much about you to lie to you. Do you really want to share your life with someone you'd have to censor yourself around?

All that's left is the physical aspect, and you aren't that kind of girl."

"How do you know?" She moved closer into Muriel's embrace. "If it's all I can have, I wouldn't mind."

"But I would." Muriel moved back so she could see Shelby's face and put her palm against her cheek. "You deserve better than that, and so do I."

"Wait a minute." Shelby took a deep breath. "Stop trying to think for me, and don't decide things that will change my life. That's definitely something I'm not looking for in a partner."

"I'm not doing that. I'm only trying to be honest and tell you what I want. This isn't easy, Shelby, but it'll be ten times harder if we put it off." She kissed Shelby in themost chaste way she could manage.

"Things are moving too fast, and I'm having a hard time keeping up with it all."

The strange non sequitor made the skin on the back of Muriel's neck p.r.i.c.kle. "Give it a couple of weeks and I'm sure you'll be fine.