Page 14 of Knife in the Back (New Orleans #4)

That Everett called his mother by her first name was not lost on Burke, but the boy seemed to be getting through to his father, so he waited as the boy continued.

“Look, Dad, I get why you’re mad. I’m mad, too.

Naomi got herself in trouble and now I’m in danger, too.

But I’m not so mad that I’m willing to put us all in danger.

If I can stay with Grandpa in a house in the Quarter, why not?

You can tell McKenzie that I’m staying with my friends so that I don’t bother her. ”

“You don’t bother her,” Jimmy said.

Everett laughed bitterly. “Whatever. Mr.Broussard, I’ll go. I need to pack a suitcase.”

“I’ll take him to his house to pack,” Harrison said. “If your stepmother asks, I’m your friend’s dad.”

“She won’t ask,” Everett said with certainty. “She’ll be glad to get rid of me.”

Jimmy blinked. “Why do you say that?”

“Because McKenzie hates my guts. Maybe pay attention every once in a while.”

Burke clapped his hands once, thinking about Naomi, Val, and the others still at the flower shop. They needed to get them to safety, too. “Okay. Let’s get moving. James, will you go with Harrison and Everett?”

“Of course,” James said. “Thanks, Burke.”

“Part of the job,” Burke said. “You good, Harrison?”

“As gold. I’ll keep you up to date. And I’ve already arranged with Antoine to sit down with him to create a composite sketch of the guy in the van.”

Burke really liked Harrison. “All right, then. I need to go take care of Naomi.”

Everett’s brows pulled down, his bad attitude returning. “Why?”

“Someone shot up the shop where she works,” Burke said. “She’s fine, but she can’t stay there.”

“She’s coming to your house, too, isn’t she?” Everett asked grimly.

Kid’s too smart. “Big house. Four floors, including the attic. Lots of room to avoid her. But I won’t let her get hurt, Everett. Just like I won’t let you get hurt.”

Everett looked like he’d protest, but James intervened. “Please, Ev. I can’t lose you. Don’t fight us on this. Please.”

Everett huffed his displeasure. “I’m not talking to her.”

“You don’t have to,” James said. “Thank you. I…I almost had a heart attack when I heard you’d been attacked.”

So had Naomi, Burke thought.

“It’ll be fine, Grandpa.” Everett gave Burke a steely-eyed glare. “Go ahead. Go get her.”

“Thank you for your approval,” Burke said dryly. “Have Harrison text me with anything you want to eat. I’ll put in an order for groceries.”

—

Kenner, Louisiana

Monday, February 24, 4:05 p.m.

“Have you heard from Phin yet?” Naomi asked Molly Sutton, who’d arrived shortly after Phin had left with his wife and SodaPop.

Molly looked completely different than she had before.

The black wig was gone, revealing shiny blond hair pulled into a bun, and she was dressed professionally, in a white blouse, slacks, and a blazer that hid the gun at her hip.

Val and Sylvi were up front dealing with the two uniformed officers who remained on the property, waiting for forensics. Luckily Nora Langley and her astute partner Ferguson were long gone.

“Cora texted that SodaPop is fine,” Molly said. “I think taking her to the clinic was more for Phin than for SodaPop. Phin just needed to hear it from SodaPop’s vet. Cora says that Phin’s coming back to help Sylvi with the deliveries. You’re leaving soon. Burke will be here any minute to get you.”

Naomi glanced at the refrigerator that was still filled with flowers that had to go out, grateful that Phin would make sure that Sylvi met her delivery obligations. “I was afraid the cops would hold our finished inventory while they investigated.”

“I was a little surprised that they didn’t, actually.” Molly went back to watching the camera feed on her phone. “Oh. Well, now that makes sense.”

Naomi leaned over to look at Molly’s phone and was relieved to see that Burke Broussard had arrived. He was accompanied by a uniformed cop who was every bit as big as he was. The cop was a Black man with a shaved head. He looked familiar.

“Who’s that?” Naomi asked.

“Captain André Holmes. He and Burke go way back. He’s also Antoine’s brother. You met Antoine this morning before you talked to Burke.” She glanced at Naomi. “André tends to smooth our way. He’s a good guy. You can trust him.”

But why is he here? What does he want? Did Broussard ask him for help? She practiced deep breathing, trying to get her rapid pulse under control. “I heard good things about him…before.”

Before her life turned upside down.

“Burke would never betray you,” Molly said, clearly adept at reading the room. “If he asked André here, it’s because he thinks André can help.”

Naomi hoped that was true. And if it wasn’t? If Holmes was here to take her away?

Then he does. You survived prison before. You’ll survive again.

But she wasn’t sure if that was true.

Nevertheless, she stood as the door opened and the two men entered. Broussard’s gaze immediately found Naomi’s, his shoulders relaxing a fraction.

Her shoulders relaxed as well and she couldn’t deny that the man’s sheer presence had a calming effect, despite the cop he’d brought with him.

“I’m okay,” she said quietly. And she was. Or she would be.

“I know,” Broussard said. “But this has been a day.”

She laughed, surprising herself, but his statement was so understatedly true. “That it has. Where is my son?”

“On his way to my house with his grandfather and his bodyguard. I have good security, so you don’t need to worry.”

Naomi wondered where she’d be going after this, but was almost afraid to ask. She was hoping to go where Everett was, but that might be a big ask. And if Everett didn’t want her there, he might run, putting himself in danger again.

She’d do anything to avoid that.

“Thank you. What about my ex?”

“Everett convinced him it would be better for Jimmy’s wife and small children if he hides out elsewhere.”

She smiled sadly. “My son is smart. I guess he’s had to learn to be. Jimmy requires…handling.”

“I noticed.” Broussard gestured to the man beside him. “Do you know Captain Holmes?”

Holmes was watching her with an intensity that was disconcerting. He and Broussard went “way back.” What if Holmes didn’t believe her? What if he thought she’d somehow set in motion today’s chain of events?

“I’m not here to judge you, ma’am,” Holmes said, his voice deep and resonant. “I’m here because I heard about the shooting on the scanner and it’s not the first time Sylvi’s had problems at her shop. I thought I’d stop by and see how she was doing.”

“There was another shooting here two years ago,” Molly explained. “Poor Sylvi’s front window was shot out then, too. Everyone was okay, but it’s never easy to process events like this.”

“No, it’s not,” Naomi agreed. Poor Sylvi. “I need to go somewhere else, Mr.Broussard. I’ve put Sylvi through enough.”

Holmes frowned. “The way I understand it, this isn’t your fault. Or is it?”

Naomi froze, suddenly unable to breathe. “No?” she choked out, but she didn’t sound sure.

“André,” Molly chided. “You know her history. You know where she’s been. Don’t scare her.”

But Holmes didn’t back down. “I’m protecting you all. I need to understand what’s happening if I’m to keep you safe.” He met Naomi’s gaze directly. “That includes you, Miss Cranston.”

She closed her eyes, weariness hitting her like a hard wave. “I didn’t ask for this, Captain. I never asked for any of this. I didn’t steal anything six years ago. I didn’t steal anything now. I just want my son kept safe.”

“So do I,” Holmes said. “I went back and looked at the evidence against you. It was weak. Why didn’t you defend yourself?”

She glanced at Broussard, and he gave her a nod of encouragement. Bolstered, she returned her attention to the cop. “I was threatened, sir.”

“Please be more explicit. Threatened how?”

The question uttered in his authoritative tone of voice was like a trigger, dragging her back six years to a time when no one believed her except her mother. When every cop turned their back on her. When a judge said thirty years and she’d known that her life was over.

Her heart raced faster and she had to blink away the black dots that were rapidly becoming a dark curtain. Sheer terror overwhelmed her and once again she couldn’t breathe.

“Naomi, sit down.”

Burke Broussard’s rumbly voice cut through her panic. His hand was on her back, gently urging her to sit. His other hand cupped her face, tipping her chin up so that she looked into his dark eyes.

“He’s not here to arrest you. He’s here to help you. But he’s ornery and needs to hear your story from your mouth. Molly, can you get her a glass of water?”

A moment later, the glass of water was pressed into her hand, but she didn’t think she could drink it. “I…can’t,” she managed. “I think I’d choke on it.”

“Dammit, André,” Broussard snapped. “I told you to be gentle.”

“And I told you that I need to know what happened six years ago,” Holmes snapped back.

“What happened,” Broussard said with a fury that somehow made Naomi feel a little braver, a little more in control, “was that this officer right here, whose record was unblemished, who’d never even had a negative report in her file, was accused of stealing evidence.

Evidence that Captain Cresswell had been stealing to sell for his own profit. ”

“Let her tell me that,” Holmes said. “Miss Cranston?”