Chapter 8 - THE HOUSE BY THE RIVER
Nell was already moving before Benny finished speaking.
Carmine caught her near the door.
“Car.”
“Let go.”
“No.”
“My father—”
“We find him faster if you don't run into the street without knowing where you're going.”
Her breathing came hard.
Carmine released her.
“Benny.”
“Already tracking Odette's phone.”
They were downstairs within ninety seconds.
During the drive, Nell called Saint Agnes three times.
The third call produced useful information.
Odette had arrived with documentation naming her as an approved transport contact.
Nell stared at her phone.
“I never approved her.”
“Palmira may have years ago,” Carmine said.
Palmira, sitting in the second vehicle, confirmed it.
Nell closed her eyes.
“This family signs paperwork for other people like it's a hobby.”
Under different circumstances Carmine might have smiled.
Benny looked at the dashboard screen.
“Got her.”
“Where?”
“River Road.”
Nell looked up.
“Why?”
Benny zoomed the map.
“She stopped moving near an old property outside St. Rose.”
Carmine recognized the address.
March land.
Abandoned shipping office.
He called Detective Landry.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
“Your compromised officer,” Carmine said.
Benny nodded.
“We can't trust the team.”
Nell looked at Carmine.
“Then what?”
For years, that question would have had one answer.
Carmine would have arrived with enough armed men to turn a rescue into a battle.
He looked at Nell.
We do it your way.
He had promised.
“Call the state attorney's office,” he told Benny. “Not police. Federal if necessary. Give them everything.”
“And until they arrive?”
“We get Emmett out.”
The abandoned property sat beside a dark stretch of river.
An old office building leaned toward the water.
Two warehouse structures stood behind it.
Carmine stopped the cars a quarter mile away.
“Three men with me.”
Benny nodded.
Nell opened her door.
“No.”
She looked at Carmine.
“Don't.”
“You're staying here.”
“You promised not to decide for me.”
“This is different.”
“No. It's exactly the same.”
“Nell—”
“He's my father.”
Carmine stared at her.
Every instinct inside him demanded he lock the door and leave guards behind.
Instead, he reached into the trunk.
He gave her a bullet-resistant vest.
“Put this on.”
Nell blinked.
That was not the answer she expected.
“Stay behind me unless I tell you otherwise.”
She put on the vest.
“That's still an order.”
“Yes.”
“I'll allow one.”
Benny almost laughed.
Carmine gave him a look.
They approached through the side yard.
No exterior guards.
That bothered Carmine.
The office door stood unlocked.
Inside, a lamp burned.
Odette sat in a wooden chair.
Alone.
Nell rushed forward.
“Where's my father?”
Odette stood.
“He's safe.”
“Where?”
“Upstairs.”
“Why did you take him?”
“Because Caleb was going to.”
Nell froze.
Odette held up her phone.
“I received another photograph this afternoon. Emmett in his room. Caleb's message said I had one hour to bring him out the service entrance.”
“So you did?”
“I brought him here because this property has an old caretaker apartment March doesn't know still has a second exit.”
Carmine frowned.
“You brought him onto March property to hide him from March?”
Odette looked at him.
“Warren and I lived here twenty-five years ago when he worked for Edwin.”
That explained how she knew the building.
Nell ran upstairs.
Emmett was sitting in an old armchair wrapped in a blanket.
Alive.
Frightened.
But unharmed.
Nell dropped to her knees beside him.
“Dad.”
Emmett gripped her face with his good hand.
His eyes filled.
Carmine turned away.
Some moments did not belong to witnesses.
Then headlights swept across the room.
Benny moved to the window.
“Company.”
Three SUVs.
Odette went pale.
“Caleb.”
Carmine looked at her.
“How did he find you?”
“I don't know.”
Her phone buzzed.
Benny snatched it.
A message.
YOU ALWAYS WERE TERRIBLE AT LYING, ODETTE.
Carmine checked the window.
Men exited the vehicles.
Caleb remained inside one.
“Back exit,” Odette whispered.
“No.”
Carmine looked around.
“Basement?”
“Yes.”
“Access to river?”
“Old service tunnel. Comes out near the dock.”
Carmine turned to Benny.
“Get Nell and Emmett out.”
Nell came downstairs.
“No.”
Carmine looked at her.
“You used your one disagreement.”
“That's not how this works.”
“It is tonight.”
She stepped closer.
“If you're staying, I'm staying.”
Carmine's voice dropped.
“Your father needs you.”
That stopped her.
He continued.
“Get him somewhere safe. That's what matters.”
Nell stared at him.
Then reached into her pocket.
She pulled out the pecan pie recipe card.
Carmine frowned.
She placed it in his hand.
“For luck.”
Carmine looked at the card.
“Five minutes?”
“Seven.”
He met her eyes.
For one second, neither remembered the men outside.
Then Nell touched his hand.
“Come back.”
Carmine closed his fingers around the card.
“I will.”
Caleb entered the building three minutes later.
He found Carmine sitting behind the old shipping desk.
Benny was gone.
So were Nell, Emmett and Odette.
Caleb looked around.
“Where are they?”
“Missed them.”
Caleb's face tightened.
“You are becoming irritating.”
“I've been told.”
Caleb walked closer.
“The evidence, Carmine.”
“Which evidence?”
“All of it.”
“You stole the box.”
“And soon I'll have the ledgers.”
“No.”
Caleb smiled.
“You still think this is about your maid.”
Carmine's expression hardened.
“Say that again.”
Caleb noticed.
And smiled wider.
“Oh.”
He leaned against the desk.
“Now I understand.”
Carmine said nothing.
“You care about her.”
“That isn't your concern.”
“It becomes my concern when sentiment interferes with business.”
Caleb shook his head.
“Your father made the same mistake.”
“Caring?”
“No.”
Caleb leaned closer.
“Thinking he could become better after profiting from being worse.”
Carmine stood.
“My father did terrible things.”
Caleb blinked.
He had expected denial.
Carmine continued.
“And I won't bury them.”
Caleb's smile disappeared.
“What?”
“The pharmaceutical operation. The warehouse transfers. Everything.”
“You'd destroy your own family's reputation?”
“If that's the price.”
“You'd lose contracts.”
“Probably.”
“Political protection.”
“Good.”
“Businesses.”
“I can rebuild businesses.”
Caleb stared.
Carmine stepped closer.
“You made one mistake.”
“What?”
“You thought shame controlled me the way it controlled my father.”
He took the recipe card from his pocket.
“I don't need him to have been innocent.”
Caleb's eyes narrowed.
“I only need you guilty.”
Sirens sounded in the distance.
Caleb turned.
Not local police.
Federal vehicles.
State prosecutors.
Carmine smiled faintly.
“You bought the wrong cops.”
Caleb pulled a gun.
The movement was quick.
Carmine's men appeared from the side rooms.
Weapons raised.
Caleb froze.
Carmine did not move.
“Put it down.”
Caleb's hand shook.
“You think prison scares me?”
“No.”
Carmine looked at him.
“I think being irrelevant does.”
The gun lowered.
Seconds later, federal agents entered.
Caleb March was arrested in the same building his family had once used to hide stolen medicine.
Nell watched from a car near the river.
When Carmine finally stepped outside unharmed, she closed her eyes.
Then she did something she had not planned.
She ran to him.
Carmine barely had time to open his arms before Nell collided with his chest.
He caught her.
For several seconds, she held him tightly.
Then realized what she was doing.
She stepped back.
“Sorry.”
Carmine looked down at her.
“I'm not.”
Nell's face changed.
Neither spoke.
Behind them, agents led Caleb March toward a vehicle.
But as he passed, Caleb laughed.
“You think this ends with me?”
Carmine looked at him.
Caleb's eyes moved to Nell.
“My father ordered the fire.”
Nell went still.
May you like
Caleb smiled.
“But someone else chained the door.”
