by Ali Vali
“Emma, Carol gave birth to you because she wanted to. You don’t owe her a lifetime of misery for the favor. She may think that and find plenty of passages in her Bible to prove that to herself, but it’s all bullshit.”
Her mother was the most pious person she knew and used the scriptures in her well-worn Bible to point out everything she was failing at in life. Carol’s biggest disappointment so far had been her choice to come here. Carol probably wouldn’t have wasted high school on her, much less college.
Good Christian women married and hung on every word their husbands and the Lord said. Every Christian woman except Carol, that was, because Emma was sure her father would agree she had no problem stating her opinion.
“I’m not giving in.” She lay back and rested her head on the nice leather bag that had been a gift from her father. “You caught me right after I found out. I liked the bookstore since I got to study as much as I worked.”
“Why not try what you did here when you had a problem to solve?”
She laughed. “I’d need a ride out of town to find a cow pasture, much less a lake.”
“I was thinking more of a walk some place you love. You’ve been there long enough to have found a favorite spot.”
“Thanks, Maddie, and I love you for making me feel better.” She hung up, brushed off her jeans, and said to herself, “She’s right. You’ve got to suck it up and think.”
She headed to her tiny apartment, wanting to forget the report that was due and everything else, at least for the night. Whatever happened next, it would point her toward her future, or at least give her something to talk about in her later years, as her grandmother used to say.
“Good Lord, no need to be so dramatic. All this will lead to is a barista job somewhere, and my memories of it will be hilarious some day when all I have to worry about is grading papers.”
Chapter Two
“I’m not sure how you’re bringing it now, but I’ve got better routes and a better deal,” Jake Kelly said loudly while pacing in front of Cain’s desk. “Word on the street is your father got lazy and just took what someone offered him. Aren’t you tired of getting screwed?”
“Jake, stick to what you’re here for and leave my da out of it,” Cain said, low enough that he had to stop. “We don’t know each other yet, so you should realize I’ve come close to shooting people for saying less about him.” She glanced back at Billy, surprised he’d kept his word to stay quiet. The switchblade he was twirling through his fingers made her think he wasn’t as out of control as her mother thought since it wasn’t sticking out of Jake’s chest.
“No problem, and I apologize.” He held his hands up and sat heavily in one of the empty chairs. “I’m just jacked about this deal, so forget I said anything.”
“Let me think about it.” She looked at Merrick, prompting her to open the office door. “But I’ve got another meeting if you don’t mind.”
“Don’t think too long. I won’t be in town that long, and I have other offers.”
“If I’m holding you back, then feel free to deal with whoever you want.”
Merrick pointed to the door when Jake stood up and took a step toward her desk. Jake seemed to think about it since he stopped and stared before waving the guy he’d brought with him out.
Once the door closed, Billy got off Cain’s credenza where he’d been sitting and put his hands on her shoulders. “Please tell me we’re not doing business with this guy.”
“Not now, brother.” She reached for his hand and looked at him. “Lou,” she said to the big guard that was with her most days.
Lou ran a scanner through the room and pointed to the right side of the doorjamb. “You ready for that meeting, Boss?” Lou asked when he gestured to her desk.
“Billy, you free?” she asked, shaking her head when Billy went over to rip both of the bugs off and smash them under his heel, she guessed.
“Come on. I could use a beer.”
The car her father used sat in the big warehouse, but she pointed to the big Suburban with tinted windows. She liked being higher than the sedans the feds were partial to, so Merrick and Lou got into the front, and Billy joined her in the back.
“Who’s this fucker and where’d you find him?” Billy said, once Merrick gave them a thumbs-up.
“He found me, and we’re going to keep leading him on until I find what I’m looking for.” She glanced out at the port as they drove out.
“What the hell are you looking for? To get screwed?”
She had to laugh at Billy’s ability to get right to the point. “Who comes to the office with good deals and bugs?”
“Are you kidding? You let the feds in to help you out on a deal?”
“Give me a little more credit than that. I’m trying to figure out if anything’s changed since Da died, so I’m playing dumb for now.” She squeezed the side of his neck. “Where were you today? Mum waited for you, and when you were a no-show, she got worried.”
“I can’t stand thinking about him in that box. If I’d been there I might’ve been able to save him.” He tried to pull away from her, but she didn’t let go. “I wasn’t there when he needed me most. I’m nothing but a fuck-up, so it’s hard to face her.”
“Stop blaming yourself. You know Da. He didn’t like hovering, so he would’ve run you off after an hour. None of what happened is your fault, and Mum loves you, so don’t go pushing her away.”
“I know, but I’m sure it was that fat bastard. You give me the word, and I’ll take him out. I’ll do it myself and make sure he sees it coming.” He punched his palm with his fist, making Cain wince. “The coward that killed Da didn’t give him the satisfaction of facing him.”
“Billy, you have to promise me that you’ll hold off until you get my okay. We’ve got to show the other families we’re not going to go back on our word when it comes to our alliances.”
“The others wouldn’t ask permission, Cain. They’d kill that son of a bitch and celebrate afterward.”
“Lou, head to the house,” she said, and sat back to think about the best approach. Her mum was right in that she had to find a way not only to reach Billy, but to defuse him.
“Drop me at the club then. I’m not ready to go home.”
“You’re not going anywhere. I have another meeting, and you’re going to be there.”
“You’re the boss now, so deal with whatever however you want. I need to blow off some steam.” Billy leaned forward and slapped Lou on the back. “Drop me at the corner. I’ll find my way from there.”
“Lou, if you stop at the corner, go ahead and get out with him.”
“I don’t need a sitter, sister. My guys will take care of me.”
“You get out of this fucking car, and both of you are out. You better pray Lou and your guys can take care of you, because you’ll be on your own.”
“Yeah, right.”
“This isn’t the time to test me. You’re my brother, but I’m not going to fight battles from every direction. Especially from some place I shouldn’t have to worry about. You either accept that I’m the boss or get out. I’m not going to argue about it.”
The rest of the ride was quiet, but Billy wasn’t giving in. She wasn’t about to think that, but she was tired of lecturing too. She didn’t want to honor her father with this type of legacy.
Their mother was waiting but Cain discreetly shook her head, so Therese just hugged Billy and stayed outside when they entered the study. She’d invited her father’s brother Jarvis and his only child Muriel.
“Thanks for coming, Uncle Jarvis,” she said embracing him, then Muriel. “It’s time to settle some stuff so we can move forward.”
“What’s to settle? We all know and accept who Da’s heir is, and none of us dispute it. Right?” Billy asked, staring at everyone there as if daring any of them to contradict him, even if he’d done it himself in a way.
“Billy, sit please,” she said. “Today’s the first anniversary of Da’s death, so it
’s time to decide how we move forward.”
“What do you have in mind, Cain?” Jarvis asked, his demeanor and gestures, just like his looks, exactly like her father’s.
“You and Da wanted Muriel away from the family business, and I agree, but we need to make one big change. Muriel, you should start establishing your own firm. It’ll give you the distance you need from me, but I still need you close to give counsel.”
“I’d be honored to,” Muriel said.
“Uncle Jarvis, you’ll keep your place at my side as my advisor, like you were for Da. You need to come with me for the long-overdue meeting with the other families.”
“Vincent and Ramon wanted to give you the space to grieve, but they’ll be happy for some normalcy.” Jarvis stood and covered her hands with his. “You’ll never have a moment to doubt me.”
“I know that because I know what family means to you.” She smiled at Jarvis and stood up, ready to finish. “Could you all give Billy and me the room?”
Billy seemed restless once it was the two of them. “So you’re cutting me out?” he asked after a few minutes of silence, and the allure of the bottle on the small table finally won out.
“Put that down, or I’ll shove the decanter and every single matching glass up your ass.” She moved around the desk and sat on the edge. “No one’s taking anything away from you, but we’re not leaving here until we get some stuff straight.”
“If you’re worried about me accepting how things are—don’t. I know what Da wanted.”
“I know that, but I still have two questions for you.”
“What?” He could only keep eye contact for a brief time before he turned and faced the wall.
“What can I do to help you? And what’s it going to take for you to remember who you are?”
“Everything we learned together doesn’t make any sense anymore. Da was the strongest man we both knew, so how did this happen? It’s been a whole fucking year, and I still don’t understand it. If they could get to him, then I don’t know if I can protect you, and you and I both know we’re screwed if something happens to you.”
“Forget about that right now, and think about one important thing.”
“What?” He faced her, and she was glad to see his smile again—not forced or fake, but finally that relaxed expression that set off his handsome face.
“Your name is William Dalton Casey, and Dalton Casey expects you to remember the legacy of your blood. We need to be the strongest bastards in the city, and only then will we bring our heel down and smash every enemy we have.” She put her arms around him, and they both finally came to accept their reality. “You’re the only one who understands what we need to do and why. Neither of us can let him down.”
Billy clung to her and started crying until he was sobbing. Her tears fell silently, but their pain was the same. When he was done, she kissed his cheek and poured two drinks. “To the future, brother. It will always belong to us, and we’ll make Da proud by how we shape it.”
“Damn straight, and you won’t ever have to worry about me again. He taught you to lead, Cain, and he taught me to always have your back. We both learned those lessons well.”
* * *
The report on early American poetry was roughed out, so Emma shoved a few bucks into her pocket and headed for the streetcar stop near her studio apartment. She’d made a few friends in town, but everyone was busy with rush week, so she rode down to Canal Street alone.
One of the things she’d done on her first weekend off when she’d moved here was find the Hotel Monteleone. She wanted to stay and teach in New Orleans, and maybe write some, so the Monteleone had some impressive writing ghosts in its past. Hemingway, Faulkner, and Tennessee Williams had written and drunk there, so she enjoyed walking through the Carousel Bar and imagining her future here.
Right now it was a dream, but she wanted to settle either here or somewhere like it. No way did she want to end up in Wisconsin with her mother. She’d miss her father, but she had to get out from under the weight of her mother’s disapproval and judgment.
Barry, the bartender at the Carousel, greeted her when she sat next to one of the windows. “Hey, Emma. School’s only been going on a week. You need a break already?”
“I’m walking and thinking.”
He smiled and poured some ginger ale. “Here, so you look like every other lush in here.”
“Thanks.” She immediately started chewing on the straw. “Know of any coffee shop hiring right now?”
“Try the ones by campus. You don’t need to be going home late at night by yourself from the Quarter.”
“I’ll start my hunt tomorrow, but eventually I’ll have to find some place, even if it’s in the Quarter.”
“Then I’ll keep my eye out.”
She finished her drink and headed toward the river, window-shopping as she walked. The bar a few blocks away made her stop and listen to the loud singing pouring out the open door. Inside, the patrons looked like young attorneys and engineers, but every one of them seemed to know every word of the Irish song the small band was playing. The place was packed and fueled by plenty of beer and whiskey.
“Good God, it’s Monday,” she said as she watched the wait staff work the room. The tips they were pulling in seemed to be triple what she made at the bookstore.
“Sing, drink, or hit the road, missy,” the bartender said.
Glancing at him made her notice the Help Wanted sign. “I’m here about the job,” she said, not thinking about what she was saying.
He wiped his hands on the bar towel and smiled. “Sure you are, little lady. Are you even old enough to be in here?”
“I’m in college, so way old enough, and I’m not kidding.”
“Maybe you should try some other place. The hours here are brutal, and if you’re in school that’ll be a killer. I need someone who’ll show up and keep up.”
“You give me a chance, and I’ll prove that I’ll be good. Come on. I need the job to stay in school.” She stood and stuck her hand over the bar. “I’m Emma.”
He stared at her hand before finally taking it. “Josh,” he said as he shook her hand. “Here.” He gave her a card with his name and number. “Can you be here at four tomorrow afternoon?”
“I’ll be here earlier if you want.”
“Four, and you’re working until ten and not a minute later. That’s my deal, so decide now so I can get back to my pouring.”
“I’ll be here, Josh. No problem.”
“I’ll spend a few hours going over the ropes before it gets like this, and believe me, it’s like this every night of the week. You’ve worked as a waiter before, right?” She smiled as she shook her head. “Of course you haven’t. Okay. Get out of here before I change my mind.”
“Thanks.” She slapped her hands together, happy with her lack of caution. Here was her chance, and she hadn’t even noticed what the name of the place was. The card said Erin Go Braugh. “What’s it mean?” She pointed to it.
“My boss said it expresses allegiance to Ireland, which makes sense. She’s big on loyalty, so don’t make me look bad.”
“No way, and the boss will think I’m the best. Trust me on that.”
* * *
Therese had prepared a large meal for everyone, so Cain enjoyed some of her favorite food and the stories they all shared about her father. Her sister Marie sat next to her and laughed when she poured a sip of her beer into her glass. Cain knew it made Marie feel like she was participating equally with everyone else without getting her tipsy.
Once dinner was over, Marie held her hand as they went upstairs. Marie was an adult, but only because of her age. Her mind would never progress past that of a child, which made the world consider her mentally challenged, but Cain only saw the pure and true happiness Marie brought into their lives. Others might’ve also seen Marie as a burden, but no one in the Casey family ever thought that.
“Cain, do you think Da can see us from heaven?” Marie asked, sw
inging their hands between them.
“Da will always be able to see us. Don’t worry about that.”
Marie’s room had a wall of bookcases full of all the stories she’d read over and over, like the Nancy Drew series. “He’s probably got the biggest wings, huh?”
“Probably so, and I bet he loves flying around keeping an eye on us. I miss him though.” She got Marie’s nightgown and pointed toward the bathroom so she’d remember to brush her teeth.
“I miss him too, but I’m not sad.”
“Why not?” She folded Marie’s clothes as she handed each piece over.
“Father Andy said he’s somewhere nice and he’s happy, so we shouldn’t be sad that he’s gone. I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to be sad.” She nodded and went into the bathroom with Marie. Once Marie finished, Cain pulled the covers back so her sister could get comfortable. “Does that make me bad that I miss him?”
“You’re the best person I know, so you couldn’t be bad even if you tried real hard. Da’s somewhere nice, but I think he still misses us too.”
“Okay, and Father Andy said we’ll see him again,” Marie said before kissing her cheek.
“Don’t rush that, okay?” She leaned over and tapped the end of Marie’s nose. “We have plenty of time for that.”
“Are you happy, sister?” Marie peered up at her with her usual beautiful smile.
“I’m happy because you love me.” She took Marie’s hand and wished for some of Marie’s outlook on life. In Marie’s mind, no monsters were waiting to hurt you, but she knew better. She also knew one of her jobs was to keep Marie from ever finding out that truth.
“I love you, so you never have to be sad.”
“I know, sweet girl, so get some sleep, and we’ll go for snowballs tomorrow. What’ll it be tonight?”
“Can you read The Secret Garden again?”
She read until Marie fell asleep, then quietly closed her door. Father Andy might’ve convinced Marie that their da was sitting on a cloud somewhere strumming a harp, but Marie’s faith fractured somewhat at night. Ever since Dalton’s murder, Marie couldn’t and wouldn’t go to sleep unless she was holding Cain’s hand and listening to her read.