Bo swatted Karina’s rump. “Darlin’, I’m a full blown junkie. You cast some kinda spell on me, that’s for sure. Now, come on. I’m takin’ you out for breakfast at my favorite place before we go get the material. Hope you like biscuits and gravy.”
“Okay. Let me go get my purse and lock up. Be right back.”
Karina turned and went inside. She grabbed her gun and shoved it in her purse, took the phone off the charger, and double-checked the camera on the back porch. Ranger followed her every move. When Karina reached the front door, she gave him the command to stay and guard. He whined but complied, his big, brown eyes reflected his sadness at being left alone. Once outside, Karina checked the lock on the door, stood on her tip-toes and re-positioned the camera. Satisfied things were locked up tight, she bounded down the front steps.
Bo was inside his truck, waiting for her. Just as she made it to the passenger door, she heard a vehicle approaching. Karina turned to look, and grimaced. Perfect timing. Not.
Karina opened the door and set her purse inside. Bo was busy looking out the rearview mirror and didn’t notice Karina extract the gun and slide it in her back waistband. “Babe, hang on. Unexpected company just arrived. Listen,” she said, a heavy sense of dread hanging in her throat, “I wasn’t planning on bringing this up until later, after breakfast, but plans change. You’ll need to hear this, too. Come on.”
Bo looked at Karina, his head cocked in curiosity. “Karina, what are you talkin’ about? And, why are the cops here?”
The black car with its tinted windows and unmistakable look pulled up and stopped behind Bo’s truck. Karina let out a long huff of air. “Just, come on. Once they leave, I’ll fill you in with all the other details, as soon as I make sure they are the real deal.”
Two men exited the car, stuffed inside their suits. Matching black sunglasses and shoes topped off their look. Karina wondered why all federal agents insisted on dressing alike. Maybe they were all forced to take the same fashion classes at Quantico. It was probably taught by the same fool who told them the unmarked cars would blend in.
Idiots.
The one who’d been driving spoke first. “Ms. Summers?”
She shut the door and walked toward him. Karina stopped at the tailgate and leaned against it. “Yes. And you are?”
“Special Agent Winslow. This is my partner, Agent Phillips. I assume you know why we are here.”
Karina could see Bo had exited the truck, but he didn’t come closer. Instead, he held open the driver’s door and watched. “I take nothing at face value, gentlemen. Need to see some I.D. please.”
In a well-practiced move, both men pulled their badges from their pockets. They held them out so she could see. They looked authentic enough, but as Karina well knew, documents were easy to forge. “Excuse me for being cautious, but if you really are who you claim to be, you’ll completely understand my concern. So, which one of you spoke with Melissa Doster?”
Special Agent Winslow removed his sunglasses and replied, “Ah, you are on edge, Ms. Summers. Neither of us did, because it was Cheddy Singleton who contacted our office about you and your mother, Detective Tuck. By the way, is she here as well? We’d like to speak with you both at the same time.”
Karina’s heartbeat slowed down a fraction. She glanced over at Bo and motioned for him to come over. She waited until he was by her side before responding. “Yes, I am on edge. Still am, actually. Again, I’m sure you understand why.”
Both agents eyed Bo with mild interest. He returned their gazes, his face projecting a sea of calm, but Karina could feel the tension in his muscles. His hand rested on the small of her back, and she felt him stiffen when he touched the gun.
“We do. We only have a few questions, then we’ll be on our way and let you get back to your day. Would you please have your mother come out and join us?”
“She’s not here. Won’t be for the next several days. Whatever questions you have, I will be able to answer. She knows nothing more than what I do.”
“Perhaps this conversation needs to be done in private, Ms. Summers?” Agent Phillips said, his focus never leaving Bo.
Bo tensed, so Karina squeezed his hand. “Gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to my boyfriend, Bo Barton. Whatever you need to ask me, or say, feel free to do so in front of him.”
“As you wish. Have you had any contact with the subject since we spoke last?”
“No. Not in person. I do have video of her entering the apartment of Mr. Pickard from a few days ago, but nothing else.”
“We’ll need to get a copy of that. Email will be fine. What about your mother? Did she speak with her on Tuesday or Thursday while at The Magnolia?” Special Agent Winslow asked.
Ah, so they truly have been investigating. “She did not. We are pretty sure the woman is steering clear of us, ever since she saw me leaving Mr. Pickard’s room. Now, I have a few questions of my own. Since you are here, the case is active, which means you took our concerns to heart. What have you discovered?”
Agent Phillips shifted his weight but remained silent. Special Agent Winslow answered. “We are still gathering evidence at this stage, Ms. Summers. We have confirmed, however, that the suspect is one and the same as you assumed.”
“Tell me something I don’t know, please. Like, have you figured out yet if her brother is here, too? And, is there more going on at The Magnolia besides stealing money from its residents? What about Vincenzo Molinero? Same guy as the doctor in New York?”
“We aren’t at liberty to say more about an on-going investigation, Ms. Summers. We only came as a courtesy today, to let you and your mother know we are working the case, see if you had any new information for us, and to assure you not to worry. We’ll take care of things from here, so please don’t attempt any other undercover investigating. We have things under control. Oh, and one final thing. Please advise your mother to discontinue her attendance to Jimmy Calhoun’s painting class, as well as her visits to the property, until we finish our investigation. For her safety, of course.”
“What? Why?” Karina barked, but neither responded to her question. Both men turned and went back to their vehicle. Karina was furious, and had Bo not been next to her, would have given them a hefty piece of her pissed off mind. Instead, she bit her lip and kept her words inside. In seconds, the car backed out and disappeared down the driveway.
“What the hell was that all about? They were talkin’ about that retirement home in Hot Springs, right? The Magnolia? Why did you feel the need to grab your gun? What’s goin’ on, Karina?” Bo asked, his voice full of worry.
“Bo, let me fix you breakfast here. It would be best for others not to hear what I have to say. Come on. I have a lot to tell you.”
Karina saw the reluctance behind his eyes, but he never said a word. He followed her inside in silence. Ranger didn’t growl at Bo but never took his eyes off him, either. Her loyal dog had learned to deal with Bo’s presence but still remained on guard. Once in the kitchen, Karina motioned for Bo to sit while she opened the fridge. “Coffee?”
“From the sound of things, I may need more than caffeine.”
Two hours later, Karina sat at the opposite end of the table and watched Bo. Rather than drumming her fingers on the table, she rubbed Ranger’s head. She told Bo everything, from beginning to end, and to her surprise, he never spoke during her entire monologue. Karina left no details out, and her last sentence was the question she didn’t want to ask: Did he want to call it quits and part ways?
During the long tale, Bo’s face displayed a myriad of emotions. Shock, confusion, worry, disbelief, and finally settled on anger. He sat rock solid, staring out the picture window in the kitchen, his eyes glazed over. The afternoon sun streaked across his hair, and a lump formed in Karina’s throat. If he decided to end their budding relationship, she would miss him. More than she originally considered.
Karina had grown quite fond of Bo during the last several weeks. Besides their physical connection, sh
e enjoyed his company. Bo was funny, a smile always on his face, a joke never far behind. He loved to tease, and was devoted to his family. A good heart and solid spirit. Karina wanted to prod him for an answer, but knew it was best to let him digest everything before he responded. Her stomach was in knots, waiting for him to speak. A wave of sadness and regret washed over her, for Karina couldn’t help but feel he was about to get up and walk away.
When he turned to look at her, Bo’s beautiful blue eyes bored a hole into her heart. He looked pissed as hell. Karina couldn’t blame him. The implications of everything, how staying involved with her might even put his family in danger, anger for not telling him sooner, would infuriate anyone. Karina held her breath, steadying herself for an ass-chewing, followed by his departure.
“I’m not sure what pisses me off the most. You thinkin’ so little of me, or the fact some lowlife criminal has you and your family in her crosshairs.”
Stunned, Karina stuttered, “Bo, I didn’t tell you until now because…”
Bo interrupted, dismissing Karina’s words with a flick of his hand. “No, I meant assumin’ I would just walk away. Like a scared hound, runnin’ home at the first sign of a predator in the woods. You seem to be under the impression I only think of you as a piece of ass, or a fun way to pass time until somethin’ else catches my eye. I thought I made it pretty clear how I feel about you, Karina. You think I’ve been hangin’ out here, workin’ in this heat, just for my health?”
Heat flushed Karina’s cheeks. Bo’s reaction surprised her. “No, no, of course not. I…this situation could get dangerous. Not really sure what we are dealing with, and I thought I would give you the chance to steer clear. You know, in case things do take a turn to the ugly side. It’s not every day someone with ties to the mob comes sniffing around. This has kind of thrown me for a loop, so…”
Bo stood and walked over to where Karina sat. Though still angry, his gaze softened as he extended his hand. Karina took it and rose from the chair. “My joke about bein’ addicted to you wasn’t all said in jest. It ain’t been long, but in the last few weeks, I’ve kinda fallin’ for you, Karina Summers. I like havin’ you around, so if someone is tryin’ to mess with that, they just became my enemy. And there ain’t nothin’ worse in this world than a pissed-off redneck. This Carmella chick may have ties to the mob, but she’s still flesh and bone. If she tries to harm you, or anyone you love, I’ll introduce her to my version of the Southern Mafia.”
Bo kissed her, his lips warm and tender. His right hand stroked her hair with gentle caresses. The emotion conveyed through his mouth and body was subtle yet powerful, and it left Karina a bit unsteady. When he pulled his lips away, his hand moved from her hair to her chin.
Bo lifted her face toward him. “I ain’t goin’ anywhere. I made a promise to your ma to watch out for you, and I am a man of my word. Just one request.”
Karina swallowed the lump in her throat and whispered, “What’s that?”
“If I’m gonna be your man, which I assume I am since you introduced me as such, please don’t keep secrets from me. A relationship will never last if it’s built on deception. Deal?”
Warmth spread through Karina’s chest, and despite her attempts to stop them, the sting of tears burned her eyes. Unable to find her voice, Karina simply nodded.
“Good! Now, before we go to the lumberyard, and my latest class on how to be a southerner starts, I want to learn a bit on how to be a P.I. Will you show me how this recordin’ thing works on your phone? We’ve been havin’ trouble at our farm with people stealin’ equipment. Might just need you to install some at our place.”
Karina grinned through her tears. “You bet.”
31
Goodbye, Sweet Romella
Caesar said his goodbyes to Carmella and Franco on their front porch. He climbed behind the wheel of the car, anxious to get the day started. The last two had been spent at their home, going over every detail, all the nuances of the business, with Franco. The man wasn’t the scholarly type, and training him turned out to be a bigger problem than what Caesar initially thought.
He pulled out onto the highway, enjoying the sensation of driving. Normally, Carmine drove him everywhere, so Caesar could use the time to mentally prepare for whatever they had planned. However, after the night he laid out the plans for his retirement, things became strained between the two of them. Carmine waited, just like Caesar knew he would, until everyone else left, and asked what was really going on. Caesar replied with the bare minimum and was surprised when Carmine continued to press him for the truth. Caesar exploded, informing Carmine to mind his own damned business and to get busy plotting out the death of Nick the Prick. Carmine stormed out in a fit of anger, and the two hadn’t spoken since. Caesar knew once Carmine vented his frustrations on the unsuspecting Nick, he’d come around. If he didn’t, Caesar would visit him one last time before he left for Tahiti to say his final goodbyes. He owed Carmine that much.
It had been years since Caesar had taken someone out, and he was excited. Giddy, actually. The hit was all plotted out. All he had to do was wait for the cover of darkness to execute it. While at the red light, Caesar glanced over to the duffel bag in the passenger seat. It was crammed full of all the necessary items to take out the girl, plus a change of clothes. Before Caesar left his sister’s house, he’d checked the contents four times, making sure he hadn’t forgotten anything. In the past, he wouldn’t have because his mind had been like a steel trap, but things had changed. He’d changed. Gotten old. Forgetful. Sentimental. When the light turned green, Caesar forced his foot to remain steady on the gas pedal, even though he wanted to burn rubber. He would wait to satiate his need for endorphins to flood his brain until later.
There were only two things Caesar had left to do before departing the states for good. Once his final kill was completed later, he’d head home and burn every piece of paper, any shred of his former life, including his disguises. He wished he could live out the remainder of his time on earth under his real name, rather than continuing to hide under the alias of the man’s whose identity he stole nearly thirty years ago. Only a handful of people, including The Prick, his delivery boy Lucas, and Caesar’s family knew his real name. It was a necessary part of living out in the open, under the radar of the Feds. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t in the cards. To remain untouched and hidden, Caesar couldn’t risk it.
The other item he needed to address was a more pleasant task. He pulled into the parking lot of Carmella’s favorite flower shop, went in, and purchased a dozen white roses and a candle. Caesar paid with cash and never said a word to the young girl behind the counter. Once back in his car, he drove out past Lake Hamilton for ten miles. Admiring the view, a sense of melancholy hit his gut. He would miss the beautiful state’s scenery, but certainly not the weather. The humidity wreaked havoc on his joints. Tahiti was a tropical climate, and he knew it would be humid there as well, but he hoped the brisk trade winds would buffer the moist air.
Caesar arrived at his destination. Several months had passed since the last time he walked through the rolling acreage, and just seeing the endless green grass and rows upon rows of headstones made his heart pound. Gathering up the flowers and the candle, Caesar exited the cool interior of the car and walked the path that would take him to Romella’s grave.
Though still early in the morning, the heat bore down on him as he trudged uphill. Each time he visited, the path seemed to elongate. Caesar was out of breath and sweat dripped into his eyes by the time he stopped in front of Romella’s headstone. His knees popped as he crouched down to place the roses at the edge of her grave. Retrieving the lighter from his pocket, Caesar lit the candle and smiled as he set it in the holder he had specially designed.
After glancing around to ensure he was alone, Caesar closed his eyes and whispered, “I miss you. Going to leave next week, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to come back to visit anymore. I hope you understand. It’s time. Time for me to move on, to put
my past to rest.”
“Liar.”
Caesar jerked at the sound of Romella’s voice, his blood pressure soaring. It wasn’t from inside his mind. She was behind him. Her presence was strong. Opening his eyes, he turned around, praying she wouldn’t be in the form of the ruined corpse from Ray-Ray’s funeral. To his relief, she wasn’t. Romella’s long, raven hair flowed behind her in the gentle breeze, blue eyes shimmered with life, and her white dress floated around her, a small smile on her lips. Her feet hovered several inches above the grass.
Swallowing hard, Caesar returned her smile. “No, I’m not, my love. I’m doing exactly as you’ve begged me to do in the last few months. I’m retiring and moving. To Tahiti. You wanted me to, remember? Said you wanted to spend eternity in paradise.”
Romella’s features hardened, and anger danced behind her eyes. “You lie, Caesar. You want to leave me for that blonde whore. I saw you two together. How you looked at her. The way she looked at you.” Her face shifted. Silent tears fell from her eyes as sadness replaced the anger. “You fell for her, didn’t you? You’re finally leaving me for another. A cop, no less. My, how you’ve changed since my death.”
Pain at hurting her thrummed in his chest. Caesar reached out to touch Romella’s hand, but it went right through the ethereal form. He craved to touch her, to gather her into his arms, reassuring her of his undying love. Since he couldn’t, Caesar responded, “Ro, you’re wrong. I was just…using her to gather information. For business. Nothing more, nothing less. She was simply a means to an end, that’s all. In fact, she won’t be alive after Sunday. Carmella and Franco are taking her out, along with her family. I promise. Look, see?” Caesar pulled out his plane ticket to Tahiti from his pocket, holding it up. “I was just researching the last job. Doing my portion tonight, and by this time next week, it will be just the two of us. Forever.”
Blood Ties - A Magnolia Novel Page 28