Holding Smoke

by Steph Post

  Levi, leaning back against a metal tool cabinet and picking at his nails with a pocketknife, only grunted.

  Judah shrugged one shoulder and lit his cigarette.

  “That ain’t exactly how it happened, but I’m here. What’ve you got?”

  Dinah turned back to Judah.

  “I’m not sure what you already know, but if you’re interested, I mean really interested, I’ll fill you in. I trust Elrod and Elrod trusts Levi and, well, you know how these things go.”

  Dinah made a point of looking around the garage.

  “This everybody?”

  “This is everybody. I got two other guys if you need them, but I don’t trust them to keep their mouths shut about something this big.”

  “Then they’re out. But this should be enough.”

  Judah nodded and took a long drag of his cigarette, waiting for her to go on. Dinah hated this part at the beginning, when she had to feel someone out and work them down on the fly. Did she need to waste time flattering Judah? Did she need to butter him up to reel him in? The hard-bitten look on his face, framed by the curl of smoke in his eyes, told her no. Best to just lay it out, get straight to the point.

  “Elrod tells me the Cannons can get shit done, and don’t back down if things get hairy, and that’s what I need. So, here it is. The take should be, at minimum, five hundred thousand. We might be able to get more, but not less. My girl Katerina gets twenty percent and then we split the remaining four evenly. Half to you, half to me. You divvy it up among your people however you like. Elrod’s share will come out of mine. I got a friend, guy named Luis, who’s going to take over the actual ransoming process. He’s a pro and I trust him completely. And he owes me a favor, a big one, which is even better. His share will come out of mine, too. It’s only going to take one night with everyone and then maybe another twenty-four hours for Luis to work his hand. Rich folk pay up pretty quick, I’ve learned.”

  Judah’s eyes narrowed.

  “You’ve done this before?”

  “Not with a horse. But, yeah, I’ve dealt with people like this in the past. So loaded they buy a new boat every time the old one gets wet. They usually got their own shady shit going on, too, so they don’t like the law, and half the time they’ve already been through this once or twice before. Katerina said Calypso’s never been stolen, but that don’t mean this’ll be the Oreans’ first rodeo.”

  Judah exhaled a long stream of smoke and leaned forward to crush his cigarette out in the ashtray between them.

  “Katerina? Calypso? The money sounds good, the payout fair, but maybe you’d better start at the beginning.”

  She risked a peek up at Ramey, standing behind Judah’s shoulder, but not as close as Dinah would have thought. Ramey’s arms were tightly crossed, she was listening, but her attention seemed to be focused on something just beyond the open doors. The sunlight? The stirring breeze that was picking up, tumbling bits of paper and trash across the gravel? Dinah wondered if the posture of inattention was deliberate or if Ramey truly was busy wishing she was somewhere else. Dinah spread her fingers wide across the torn green felt and leaned in on her palms, ready to divulge the details she’d so far held back, even from Elrod.

  “So, I know this woman down in Ocala. Katerina. Rich daddy’s girl, grew up in high cotton horse country all her life. I think she was on that MTV show once, the Sweet Sixteen one. Came riding into the party in a gold carriage like Cinderella.”

  From behind her, Benji suddenly spoke up.

  “Hey, I think I seen that one.”

  Judah shot Benji a look over Dinah’s shoulder, but Dinah ignored him.

  “She’s all right, actually, when you get to know her.”

  “And how do you know her? I mean, you don’t look like…”

  He left the thought in the air between them, but Dinah only shrugged.

  “Katerina’s also one of those girls who likes to drive up to Gainesville and slum it at the college dive bars. You know, straight as an arrow, but feed her one too many cosmos and anything seems like a good time.”

  Dinah wasn’t sure that Judah caught her meaning, but it didn’t matter. For a second, her stomach gave a queasy lurch. She needed to talk this way about Katerina, to put the pieces together for the Cannons in as simple a way as possible, but the necessity didn’t lessen the sting. Dinah drummed her fingers on the edge of the table, brushing the stab of guilt away.

  “I’ve known her a while, let’s put it that way. She’s been engaged to this guy, Trent Orean, for a couple years now and they were supposed to finally be getting married this Christmas, but things got out of hand. I guess Trent’s always been a player, but banging the family housekeeper pushed Katerina over the edge. Called me up a few weeks ago saying she remembered some of the stories I’d told her, things I’d done in the past, and she wanted my help to get back at Trent by stealing his pride and joy, Calypso’s Bane. No fury like a woman scorned, right? So that’s where we come in.”

  Judah was taking his time lighting another cigarette and nodded with it still clenched between his teeth.

  “Okay. So rich girl’s mad at her boyfriend and she wants to get even by stealing his horse.”

  He blew a stream of smoke out of the side of his mouth.

  “You know, around here, girls just slash tires or bash in the guy’s headlights with a baseball bat.”

  “It’s trucks here, horses there. Sounds about the same, if you ask me.”

  “Must be some horse.”

  Dinah smiled, a little too sweetly.

  “Yeah, I didn’t know shit about horses, either, until I met Katerina. I’m not talking about some piebald pony hitched to a hayride. I’m talking about racehorses. Thoroughbreds. Studs. You ever hear of Storm Cat?”

  “Storm Cat is a horse?”

  “Storm Cat had a half-million stud fee.”

  From over by the tool cabinet, Levi bolted out of his slouch.

  “The hell?”

  Dinah’s smile grew.

  “Yeah. Seriously. Five hundred thousand a mount, as long as it produced a live foal. That horse could bring in twenty million dollars a year. Then, the sired yearlings went for a million and a half at auction. One colt went for almost ten. And we’re talking just breeding and selling here, not even racing. There’s a whole world out there, just reeking of horse money. I think they’ve got an edge on your trucks.”

  Levi’s eyes had sunk from glittering with greed to suspicion. He spat onto the concrete floor.

  “If these horses are worth so much, why would we steal one and then ransom it back for the price of one stud fee? Why wouldn’t we just sell it somewhere for a couple of million? You trying to shortchange us?”

  Dinah shook her head, but kept herself from rolling her eyes.

  “You can’t sell a stolen horse. Not these kind. Their worth is in their name, in the bloodline, the pedigree. It’s not like prying the VIN plate off the dash of a car. And Calypso ain’t Storm Cat. He’s a prize stud, but he won’t be going down in the history books.”

  Levi snorted and looked away, digging at his nails again. Dinah could sense the avidity in the room, not so much from Judah, who she could see was taking it all in, calculating and thinking it through, but from the others. Elrod and Benji and Shelia. They just wanted to be told what to do in order to make the money she was promising them. They didn’t give a damn about the logistics. And then there was Ramey, with eyes still averted and jaw still clenched. She had uncrossed her arms and rested her hand on the back of Judah’s chair, though. Dinah took this as a good sign and settled her attention back on Judah.

  “Anyway, Calypso is housed at Brandywine Farms, the Oreans’ ranch and estate. If you’ve never been to one of these places, it’s like a giant compound of sorts.”

  Judah nodded.

  “So, gates. Private security guards, I’m guessing. For both the farm and the house.”

  “Definitely. And lots of them.”<
br />
  For the first time, Ramey cast her eyes down to Judah. He was already looking uneasily up at her. Dinah waited on tenterhooks as something passed between them, but then Judah quickly turned back to her.

  “I’m guessing this Katerina has a plan, then? For how we get in to steal the horse for her?”

  Dinah grinned; she needn’t have worried.

  “Of course there’s a plan. And a party.”

  She had him. Judah, Levi, the whole crew she needed. Too damn easy.

  “I said you almost missed your chance. This horse heist goes down tomorrow night.”

  Dinah leaned back and put her arms behind her head, smirking at Judah’s raised eyebrows.

  “I hope you got something to wear.”

  *

  Judah did not like oysters. Not even fried. Not even drenched in Sukey Lewis’s secret homemade sauce. Sukey frowned at the uneaten po’ boy in front of Judah and shoved the checkered paper basket under his nose as she plunked herself down across from him at the two-top.

  “Eat.”

  Judah ignored the mound of oysters in front of him. He was too busy looking over Sukey’s shoulder and keeping tabs on the two men lounging at the far end of the screened-in side porch. Judah didn’t see any checkers or shotguns on the table, but he didn’t see any sandwiches, either. The men were sitting side-by-side so as to face Judah, and from underneath a red baseball cap pulled down low, one of them winked. Judah dropped his gaze back to Sukey and her small, drawn mouth twitching with impatience.

  “I told you. I ain’t hungry.”

  Sukey leaned forward on bony, pointed elbows. She wore a snowy white headscarf today, knotted up tight in front, and its austerity only made the honed angles of her face even more pronounced. Her eyes were chipping away at him as if mining for gold.

  “And I told you to eat. And then slide that envelope ’cross the table. Slow.”

  Judah picked up the dripping sandwich in both hands and glanced at the men watching him. They were both grinning now. The bareheaded man, his forehead glistening with sweat, showed him a mouth of stumpy gums with only one gray tooth barely hanging on. Sukey snorted.

  “Shoo. You don’t got to worry ’bout the boys behind me. They’s just up here on the porch enjoying the breeze. It’s the boys down in the yard, behind you, that you got to worry ’bout. The ones at the tables you can’t see. The ones waiting for you to take a bite.”

  He refused to turn around and look. Judah bit into the sandwich and made of show of chewing. He caught the man with the red cap giving him, or the men behind Judah anyway, a thumbs-up. Judah choked down the oysters and swallowed.

  “Does it always got to be so complicated?”

  Sukey’s eyes, pinched down to slits, were scrutinizing the yard and parking lot beyond. She snorted again and spat a griseous blob onto the warped porch boards. Judah tried not to look at it.

  “Yes. It do. Now pass me that envelope.”

  He dropped the sandwich into the basket and wiped his hands on his jeans. Judah picked up the envelope next to the empty napkin dispenser and bottles of Crystal on his side of the table. He extended it to Sukey, but she shook her head firmly. Judah sighed, set the envelope back on the table, and, using one finger, slid it with exaggerated slowness. As soon as he took his hand away, Sukey snatched it up and popped open the flap to peer inside. Judah waited anxiously as Sukey, with an indecipherable frown jumping from one corner of her lips to the other, folded the envelope and tucked it into the pocket of her flowered house apron. Finally, she looked over Judah’s shoulder and nodded once, her chin dipping sharply. Judah did his best not to let the immense relief show on his face, but he did exhale loudly.

  “Does that buy me some time?”

  “Huh. Not much. But I’d say you got good odds of making it out of here on your feet this afternoon.”

  Judah wasn’t sure what to say to that. He’d spent the entire day after meeting with Dinah running around, collecting everything he could from The Ace and the other bars, emptying out the safe behind the mini fridge in the garage and the one at the house, prying up the floorboards in the downstairs bathroom. Ramey hadn’t given him so much as a glance when she’d passed through the hallway and seen him on his hands and knees next to the broken toilet, digging out and rubberbanding handfuls of crumpled cash. Judah had briefly considered driving out to Hiram’s where Ramey had buried the money they’d stolen from Sherwood, but he hadn’t been quite that desperate. He and Ramey had agreed never to go near that stash unless it was a matter of life and death, and Judah didn’t think it had come to that. Not yet.

  Judah waited while Sukey’s mouth wrenched this way and that, as if she had a bee behind her lips, buzzing to get out. He glanced up at the clear plastic bags filled with water hanging on long strings from the porch rafters, meant to stun and confuse the flies. The sunlight rippled off the sides of the slowly spinning bags and reflected fingernail arcs of light against the outside wall of the Fish House. Judah watched the slivers of light dancing across the rough-hewn siding to keep from watching Sukey’s face as she considered his offering.

  “It’ll do. For right now. But I’d say this envelope is riding more than a little light.”

  Judah turned his attention away from the hypnotizing spangles of light.

  “It’s only five.”

  “So, half what Levi stole. And we agreed on double. Hell, this confetti will all be gone ’fore the sun goes down. Most of it to Toby and his mama to keep their yaps shut.”

  Sukey leaned forward.

  “One word. Just one word about what Levi did to Toby. You got no idea how many of my folks wouldn’t mind running you and yours out of Bradford County for good.”

  Underneath the table, Judah was digging his nails into his jeans, but he tried not to let anything show on his face.

  “I’ve got an idea. And I appreciate you keeping the peace.”

  “You appreciate nothing.”

  Sukey wriggled around in her chair. Judah thought he could hear her hipbones cracking.

  “I ain’t protecting you ’cause I like you. Or out of respect for your daddy or nothing like that. I’m pleased as punch that old fat man is dead. Made me a mountain of money, but reckon he got what he deserved in the end.”

  Judah held his tongue; all he wanted was to leave, but Sukey clearly wasn’t done with him.

  “No, I’m only keeping the lid on for now ’cause I think we can go on making more money together. And I ain’t jeopardizing Tiffy’s chance at election. She got that badge in the bag, but not if we start shedding blood ’cross the creek. Now, I ain’t saying we won’t do it, you push us hard enough, Judah Cannon, but I ain’t stupid, neither. My daughter being sheriff is going to open up a whole new can of opportunities for me. Opportunities and perks. The kind you been enjoying for so long. I ain’t messing that up if I can help it.”

  Judah nodded.

  “Understood.”

  “But you best get me everything you owe, and quick.”

  Sukey pushed her chair back and Judah stood up with her.

  “I wouldn’t have come out here in the first place if I didn’t think I could get you the rest. Things go right and you’ll have it by the weekend.”

  “And things go wrong?”

  Judah stepped away from the table, shaking his head.

  “You’ll get your money. Don’t worry. Just make sure I drive out of here without your boys taking any wild shots.”

  Sukey huffed.

  “I pay my boys right and they listen. Yours on the other hand…”

  Sukey grinned roguishly and patted the envelope in her apron pocket.

  “I’m guessing these bills ain’t the same ones your brother stole. He give you any of the money back? Or did he conveniently lose it? Or spend it? Or just keep it for himself?”

  “That’s none of your damn business.”

  Sukey hooted with crowing laughter, slapping her thigh.

&n
bsp; “That boy! Levi’s day is coming, ain’t it?”

  Judah felt his chest seize, though he kept his face as blank as stone.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  There was an iniquitous twinkle in Sukey’s beady eyes.

  “Just that I got a feeling, one day soon, Levi’s time is going to be upon him. A man like him, the things he done. I’d ask myself, I was you, if you want to be standing next to that house when it goes up in flames.”

  Judah took a step toward her, his chin down low. He was keenly aware of the men still around them, but he couldn’t just let it go.

  “Is that a warning? Or a threat?”

  Sukey wiped the corner of her eye with the side of her hand. When she dropped it, that dark fire was still burning away, holding back a secret.

  “Maybe it’s just the truth.”

  *

  Tulah had been certain Brother Felton would come to her. She sneered even as the thought crossed her mind. Brother Felton. Brother. He was no saint of her church. No follower of God—either the True or the one Sister Tulah commanded in church—and no follower of hers. No brethren, no kin. Felton was a traitor, nothing more. A snake in the grass. A worm, and she would have him stamped out. She would have him eviscerated, snipped into smaller and smaller wriggling worms until there was nothing left. Tulah stepped over a fallen branch on the dirt pathway leading through the woods to the back acres of her property and stumbled, nearly tripping, as the spray of dead leaves snagged the hem of her dress. She caught herself, kicked at the branch, and glared upward as an arrow of crows darted overhead, shrieking into the lowering dusk. Tulah would not let her nephew get to her. He was a man of no consequence. A man that simply needed to be yoked and whipped back into line. A man like all others, and like the others, he would crumble and fall before her. Sister Tulah glossed her palms down the sides of her floral chintz dress and patted at her tightly pinned hair, familiar motions that reinforced her authority. She brought the backs of her clammy hands to her cheeks and then carefully adjusted the elastic strap of the patch over the cavity of her eye. When Tulah finally strode into the clearing, she had composed herself completely.