Reel of Fortune

by Jana DeLeon

  “Probably not,” I said. “Francine wouldn’t know it, but Carter put cell phone blockers down here. That’s probably why he didn’t bother to search the basket. It wouldn’t matter if a cell phone got in. We still wouldn’t be able to use it.”

  Ally frowned and pressed a number into the phone. “You’re right. It doesn’t connect.” She tossed the phone back into the basket. “Well, hell.”

  She looked over at the blankets. “Do you think Gertie snuck something in for us?” she asked.

  “Probably. It’s Gertie. I’m just not about to hazard a guess as to what.”

  Ally reached for the blankets and started to unfold the one on top. Her eyes widened and she held up the contraband. “Is this dynamite?”

  I grinned.

  Best. Friends. Ever.

  Chapter Seven

  It was a long night on a thin, saggy cot. Ally and I played cards for a while and chatted a bit about her plans to open a bakery and my plans for living in Sinful full time. I hadn’t told her about the PI business yet because I wanted Carter to know before other people did, but I thought about it while we talked. The funny thing was, things weren’t changing a whole heck of a lot for me from the way things were before. I was leaving Marge’s house, soon to be my house, as is. I didn’t see a need to change furniture or decor. I was going to get a license that guaranteed my existence would officially hack off law enforcement. And I was going to pursue that hacking off with my two partners in crime fighting.

  So pretty much the same.

  Myrtle had checked in on us a couple times, always apologizing that she couldn’t let us out to sit up front or in the break room. Apparently, Carter had figured that’s exactly what she would do and had decided to take up residence in his office for the night. She’d insisted on letting us use the staff bathroom, but Carter had been wisely out of sight the two times we’d traipsed down the hall for a visit.

  When the conversation slowed and Ally started yawning, I suggested she try to get some sleep. I didn’t have any doubt that come tomorrow night she’d be sleeping in her own bed again, but getting through the interview process with a lawyer was going to be stressful. It was always stressful for innocent people. Only criminals seemed utterly confident and patently bored by the entire thing.

  Ally tossed and turned for a while, but finally, her breathing slowed and I could tell she’d drifted off. It took me a lot longer to force my mind to slow down enough to fall asleep. The last time I’d checked Francine’s phone, it was 4:00 a.m.

  It seemed like I’d only been asleep for minutes when I heard Ally moving around. I opened my eyes and saw her rummaging through the food basket Francine had provided. She looked over at me and froze.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I was trying to be quiet so I wouldn’t wake you.”

  “No worries,” I said as I sat up. “It’s not like sleeping here is all that restful. Besides, since I am gainfully unemployed, I have time to catch up on it later.”

  “I was going to have pie for breakfast since we didn’t eat them last night. You interested?”

  “You have to ask?”

  Ally grinned and passed me a foam container with a huge slice of apple pie and a plastic spoon.

  “What time is it, anyway?” I asked. I’d stopped wearing a watch and without my phone or the ability to see the sun, I was pretty much ignorant of time, especially when my sleeping had been anything but regular.

  “It’s a little after seven.”

  “Really?” I said, a bit surprised I’d managed three hours of sleep on that lump passing for a bed.

  “I know. I can’t believe I slept that long. I figured I’d be awake all night.”

  “Exhaustion kicks in sooner or later.”

  “I guess. Thank you for getting arrested with me. I would never have been able to sleep if I were here alone.”

  “Myrtle probably would have locked the front door and moved in here with the cordless phone.”

  Ally laughed. “I’m sure she would have wanted to. She’s a nice lady. But we both know Carter wouldn’t have let her. So I really appreciate what you did. My mind would have conjured up the worst-case scenarios for everything if I had been here alone.”

  “Hey, you would have done the same for me.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t have kicked off Carter’s mirror. I couldn’t have kicked that high or that accurately, and I’d probably have broken my foot in the process. But I carry a .22. I could have shot out a taillight.”

  “Promise me, next time I’m arrested, you’ll do that just so I can see the look on Carter’s face.”

  “What do you mean, ‘next time you’re arrested?’”

  “Come on. You know this isn’t my last time to visit these four walls. Following the rules isn’t in my DNA. How do you think I got a price on my head in the first place?”

  Ally grinned. “It’s going to be so much fun having you here. Just as soon as I’m not a murder suspect.”

  “That’s the first order of business for the day.”

  I heard a rattle of keys and looked up to see Myrtle enter the jail carrying a pot of coffee and some foam cups.

  “I figured you would be awake by now and could use some morning refreshment,” Myrtle said.

  She opened the jail cell and passed me the pot and cups.

  “I thought you’d be gone already,” I said.

  “Oh, I’ve been clocked out, but Carter’s not about to try to make me go home. He’s still afraid I’m going to call his mother.”

  “Are you?” I asked.

  “Of course! She should be up now. I just needed to get this coffee in here and then I’m off to ruin Carter’s morning. Do you want a restroom trip?”

  “I can wait until after coffee,” I said, and looked over at Ally, who nodded.

  “Great,” Myrtle said. “I’ll be back in a few to let you have a ladies’ visit.”

  She gave us a nod and headed out of the jail, shoulders back and jaw set. I wished I could overhear the conversation between her and Emmaline. I was certain it would be epic.

  “What do you think Emmaline is going to do?” Ally asked.

  I shrugged and poured us each a cup of coffee. “I have no idea, but I’ll bet it’s going to be interesting.”

  “Don’t you feel just a tiny bit guilty about Myrtle calling Emmaline?”

  “Not even remotely. I learned quickly that Southern mothers trump everything, including law enforcement. No way am I getting in the path of that train.”

  “You have a point.”

  We polished off our pie and were each on our second cup of coffee when Myrtle came back into the jail to get us for our potty break. Technically, she was supposed to cuff us if we were leaving the cell before being officially released, but I’d heard her tell Carter that if he wanted us cuffed he’d have to do it himself. Since he hadn’t made an appearance, I figured he’d wisely opted out of that path.

  We each took our turn in the restroom and were heading back down to the front of the building when we heard the front door alarm sound. A couple seconds later, Emmaline LeBlanc stormed into the hallway wearing pink pajamas with cats on them and a pissed-off look so severe I actually stopped in my tracks. She gave us all a nod but didn’t say a word as she pushed past and barreled right into Carter’s office.

  “Have you lost your mind?” Emmaline’s voice carried through the door and down the hall.

  “Let’s just wait here a minute,” Myrtle said and grinned.

  “Did Myrtle call you?” Carter asked.

  “Doesn’t matter who called me,” Emmaline said. “What matters is that I raised an idiot and a bully.”

  “How am I either?”

  “You’re a bully for putting Ally in jail. You know good and well that girl wouldn’t harm a fly. She’d probably have had a nervous breakdown if Fortune hadn’t gotten thrown in the clink with her. And you’re an idiot for arresting your own girlfriend.”

  “She wanted to be arrested.”

&n
bsp; “No. She didn’t want Ally to spend the night in jail alone. You’re telling me you couldn’t have waited until this morning to question Ally? It absolutely had to be last night?”

  “Yes. That’s exactly what I’m telling you, because that’s what the ADA told me. There are people I have to answer to.”

  “I know. I’m one of them.”

  Myrtle did a fist pump and Ally covered her mouth with her hand. Emmaline was on a roll.

  “You have done some foolish things in your life,” Emmaline said, “but this one ranks right at the top. Even higher than when you tied my bras onto a bedsheet and jumped off the roof of the house thinking you were going to parachute and broke your arm.”

  I choked back a laugh. As soon as I had time and wasn’t incarcerated, I needed to spend an evening with Emmaline and a bottle of wine.

  “Now you go and throw your girlfriend in jail,” Emmaline continued. “The first woman who’s managed to put up with your bull and still want to be around you, and you lock her up like some common criminal. I swear to God, you got all your looks from me, but you got your brains from your father. He could pull some crap, but even he wouldn’t have pushed the envelope this far.”

  “Look,” Carter said. “I understand you’re upset, and I’m not happy about it either, but I didn’t have a choice. This is my job. And if you want me to keep control of this investigation, which is decidedly in Ally’s best interest, then I can’t go against the ADA’s recommendation. If he thinks I’m not up to the job, he can request the state police come in on this. Then it becomes much harder on everyone.”

  There was silence for a moment and I knew Emmaline was running the possibilities through her mind. She wasn’t going to like them, but she was a sharp lady and would understand that while not ideal, what Carter had done was the best option given the situation. Still, I’d enjoyed her telling him off. I figured every hot man needed to be taken down a notch now and then. And in the South, no one did that better than mothers.

  Their voices got too low to hear and Myrtle motioned to us to move. We hurried back to the cells before Carter caught us listening in the hallway. Even though he probably figured Myrtle had heard it all. She locked us up and rushed out in the nick of time. Not a minute later, Carter came into the jail, looking exhausted and harried.

  “Would either or both of you like to make a phone call?” he asked.

  “I would,” I said.

  Ally shook her head.

  Carter opened the cell and waved me out. I followed him in silence to Deputy Breaux’s office. He waited as I picked up the phone and dialed, then walked away. I was sorta counting on that. There was no real legal requirement or limit on the whole phone call situation, but I needed to make at least two.

  The first one was to Director Morrow, who wasn’t even remotely surprised to learn that I’d been thrown in jail my first full day back in Sinful. Or that the man I was in a relationship with was responsible. But he had a good chuckle over my kicking the mirror. He gave me the number I wanted, told me to call if he could do anything else, and then advised me to take it easy on the general population as they weren’t accustomed to dealing with someone with my particular skill set.

  I thanked him and made the second phone call. I’d never met him or spoken to him directly, but I’d provided evidence for many of his cases. He was retired now, but I had a feeling that if I asked for a favor, he wouldn’t hesitate. The fact that he was living in New Orleans also factored in. All it was likely to cost him was a couple hours’ driving time.

  He answered on the first ring and sounded happy to hear from me. I gave him a brief rundown of the situation, and he told me to tell Ally he was on his way and let Carter know that she had representation. I hung up the phone and headed out of the office, still smiling.

  Carter was at the front desk, talking to Myrtle, when I entered the reception area.

  “All done?” he asked.

  “Yep. Ally’s attorney is on his way. He’s coming from New Orleans so it shouldn’t be long.”

  He gave me a nod and motioned to Myrtle, who rolled her eyes and headed back with me to the jail.

  “I thought you were off the clock,” I said.

  “He made me clock back in until Deputy Breaux gets here,” Myrtle said. “The new guy had a pipe burst in his bathroom and he’s waiting on the plumber.”

  “Carter doesn’t look happy,” I said.

  “He’s fit to be tied,” Myrtle said. “Been bitching at me for calling Emmaline ever since he closed you up in that office. Threatened to fire me even, until I told him to show me the law that says a sheriff’s department employee can’t call a deputy’s mother when she’s off the clock and tell her that her son is a butthead.”

  I smiled. “I almost feel sorry for him. Almost.”

  Myrtle waved a hand. “Don’t waste your time. Carter’s fine and this is just part of the job. If Sheriff Lee ever retires, it’s only going to get worse for him, not better, so he might as well figure out how to navigate the locals, the politics, his mother, and you sooner rather than later.”

  “You forgot Ida Belle and Gertie.”

  Myrtle laughed. “Oh, there’s no navigating that brick wall.”

  “They might be easier to navigate than me.”

  Myrtle stopped walking and gave me a hard stare. “I don’t doubt that for a minute. One of these days, you and I need to have a chat. I’ve heard some talk, mostly gossip, but I figure somewhere in there is a grain of truth. I’m betting you’re not exactly what people think you are.”

  “I’m not anything that people think I am.”

  She smiled. “I predict Sinful is going to lose its collective mind when they find out the truth. If I were a betting woman, I’d put my money on Xena, warrior princess.”

  “Have I told you how much I like you?”

  “Ha! That’s the side I plan on staying on.”

  It only took Alexander Framingham III an hour and a half to make it to the sheriff’s department. Carter opened the jail, looking rather dazed, and motioned to us.

  “Your attorney is here,” Carter said. “He’d like to speak to both of you at the same time. If that’s all right with Ally.”

  “Of course,” Ally said, and I could tell she was relieved that I would be with her.

  “Cool!” I said. “Let’s get this show on and off the road. I need a shower and a nap in my own bed.”

  We followed Carter out of the jail and down to the interview room. Alexander was a trim, distinguished fifty-five and looked ten years younger. He wore a custom gray suit and a two-hundred-dollar haircut and looked every bit the old-money, hyperintelligent, hard-nosed federal prosecutor he’d been for ten years. He smiled when he saw me and moved forward to shake my hand.

  “It’s a real pleasure to finally meet you in person,” he said. “I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve told about you at the bar after court. You’re a household name in some circles.”

  “Retired household name these days,” I said. “Thank you so much for doing this.”

  “Are you kidding?” he asked. “I should probably be funding you a beach house somewhere. This isn’t even dipping a toe into the debt of gratitude I owe you. I have no idea what kind of nonsense is going on here, but let’s get to clearing it up so you can get back to enjoying your retirement. You’ve certainly earned it.”

  He shot a disparaging look at Carter as he made the “nonsense” part of his statement. Carter shook his head and headed for the door.

  “I’ll leave you to it,” Carter said as he shut the door behind him.

  I turned to Ally. “Ally, this is former federal prosecutor Alexander Framingham III, otherwise known as the Grim Reaper.”

  Alexander grinned. “I did have a lot of fun with my job.” He extended his hand to Ally.

  Ally stared at him, eyes wide, and shook his hand. “Federal prosecutor? For real? Do I need that kind of representation?”

  “I’m sure you don’t,” I said, “but w
hy drag it out with a local when I can get the best here and have this all wrapped up this morning? Alexander, this is my good friend Ally Lemarque. As you can see, she’s clearly both a threat to the local population and a flight risk.”

  Alexander nodded. “You know, when you kill someone in these parts, you’re supposed to dump the body in the bayou. Less chance of recovery that way. And it’s hard to make a case without a body, especially in Louisiana. Lots of reasons to go missing on the water down here and most don’t have anything to do with murder.”

  “I’m going to guess most have to do with stupidity,” I said.

  “Well, there’s that.” Alexander motioned to the chairs. “Take a seat and let’s go over everything. I know there’s not much, and that’s a good thing. I’ll get up to speed, we’ll have a brief chat with the deputy, and you can be on your way.”

  He looked over at me. “You didn’t say why you were in here. Are you a suspect as well?”

  “No. I kicked the mirror off the deputy’s truck so Ally wouldn’t have to spend the night in here alone.”

  “I like it!” he said. “We can probably get you out of here with Ally as long as you agree to pay for the damage. Do you anticipate any pushback from the deputy?”

  “Not if he likes the benefits of his current situation,” I said. “We’re sorta in a relationship.”

  Alexander stared at me for a moment, then began to chuckle. “You are everything I hoped for and more. Now let’s get this dangerous woman out of here.”

  Alexander flipped open a pad of paper that already contained some notes from my phone call, asked some more questions, then proclaimed himself ready to speak with Carter. I volunteered to go get him, as I wouldn’t be able to sit in on the official interview, and left Alexander prepping Ally for the chat.

  Chapter Eight

  Carter was sitting in his office, staring out the window, and looking slightly miserable. I rapped lightly on the door. “They’re ready for the interview if you are,” I said.

  Carter looked over at me and shook his head. “You called in a favor to a federal prosecutor. And not just any Fed. The Grim Reaper.” He looked slightly peeved but mostly impressed.