Page 8 of Knife in the Back (New Orleans #4)

“That makes sense.” Lucien drew a breath. “Tell me what your attorney did in the courtroom.”

“Not much. Never made a single objection. Only called my mother to the stand, and mothers are not reliable witnesses for the defense. He didn’t call any of the cops who would have vouched for my integrity.

He didn’t object when Gaffney took the stand against me and told so many lies, or when my own husband lied and said I was a drug user.

Mason Lord just…let it happen. And then the judge said thirty years, and I knew my life was over.

But that Everett would be safe. Look, Mr.Farrow, I didn’t ask Mr.Broussard to clear my name.

I only asked him to protect my son. I need to know that you’re at least on board to do that. He’s only sixteen.”

The man’s lips thinned. “I have nothing against your son. We’ll keep him safe.”

“That’s all I’ve asked for. If I can also be helped, I won’t turn that down. But my son is the priority.” She was trembling, but she didn’t break eye contact with the man. “Are we finished here?”

“For now,” Molly said kindly. “I want to try to understand why you were targeted in the first place, but I think we’ve upset you enough for one afternoon. I’ll come back later.”

Hopefully without Mr.Farrow. “Thank you.”

—

Carrollton, New Orleans, Louisiana

Monday, February 24, 12:25 p.m.

“Mr.Broussard.” Jimmy Haywood sat behind his desk, a concerned expression on his face. “You mentioned this is about my son?”

Burke didn’t like him on sight, but that could have had something to do with him being Naomi’s ex. According to Antoine, they’d been married for ten years before divorcing due to “irreconcilable differences.” Naomi had said that Jimmy had cheated with a younger woman.

So yeah, he really disliked Jimmy.

“Your ex-wife came to see me this morning. She hired me to protect your son.”

“My ex-wife is mentally ill. I’m so sorry she wasted your time. If that’s all, you can stop wasting mine.”

Burke didn’t believe Naomi was mentally ill, but he thought about Lucien’s concerns and knew he had to dig deeper.

He kept his tone confused. “Mentally ill? How so?”

“She’s delusional and she’s a thief. You know that she was in prison, right?”

“Yes, I’m aware. I’m also aware that her conviction was overturned.”

Haywood waved a hand. “On a technicality. Look, she didn’t need to steal that cocaine. She didn’t need the money. I gave her sufficient alimony.” He scowled. “I still give her alimony. Way more than she deserves. She steals because it’s…I don’t know. Fun?”

Burke let the alimony comment slide for now.

Antoine’s cursory check of Naomi’s financials showed that, between her salary at the flower shop and the alimony, she was doing all right.

The alimony wasn’t extravagant, but it was enough to keep her lights on.

The mental health claim was more of a concern—mostly because her ex-husband really seemed to think that she had stolen the evidence.

“You think she has kleptomania?”

“That and she’s a drug abuser. Why else would she have stolen that bag of coke? If it went missing, she’d have been the first person suspected since handling evidence was her job. She had to have known she’d get caught.”

“True enough. Has she stolen anything else?”

“Not that they’ve caught her doing, but she got cocky.”

“I see.” Haywood had clearly given this a lot of thought, but he’d ended up in the wrong place. “Did you ever think that she didn’t steal the cocaine?”

Haywood laughed, a hollow sound. “No. At the beginning she talked about how she’d been set up by the NOPD and all that nonsense. Then she just folded like a cheap suit. She never even spoke in her own defense. How is that not mentally ill? How can anyone believe her to be not guilty?”

Burke considered his words carefully. Antoine’s background check on Jimmy Haywood showed that he was financially solid. He worked for his father’s insurance firm, which had an A+ rating.

Jimmy Haywood seemed honest enough from a legal standpoint. Morally, maybe not so much.

“Do you love your son, sir?” Burke asked.

Haywood blinked. “Of course I do. He’s my son.

I hate the time when he’s not in my home.

I hate that he’s with Naomi. I hate that he’s exposed to her mental illness, especially now that she’s an ex-con.

Who knows how twisted prison left her? But I have to say that now that she’s hired you, claiming our son is in danger, I have sufficient leverage to get full custody back. She’s delusional.”

“What if she’s not?” Burke asked quietly.

Haywood shook his head in disbelief. “You believe her? Really?”

“I believe certain things she’s said,” Burke hedged. He actually believed her wholeheartedly, despite Lucien’s concern. “Did you know that she was threatened with harm to your son if she fought the charges six years ago?”

Haywood was still shaking his head. “You seem like an intelligent man, Mr.Broussard. I did a quick internet search on your firm before I invited you into my office. You’ve been very successful since you hung your PI shingle.

But as a former cop, surely you see that she’s lying. No one threatened her.”

“It’s because I’m a former cop that I believe her, sir.

” Burke watched the man’s eyes for his reaction and was relieved to see a flicker of hesitation.

“Look, I’ll be blunt with you, because we’re talking about the safety of your son.

Naomi Cranston is not the first person to cross my path who was confronted by the NOPD in such a way.

And she was confronted again on Friday afternoon.

There are recordings of the encounter outside her place of employment. ”

Haywood frowned. “You’re serious.”

“I am. And if it makes a difference, she’s aware that you’ll use this to regain full custody. She thinks it might be safer for Everett not to be with her until this situation is resolved.”

Haywood’s frown deepened. “That’s…new.”

“She’s scared, sir. And, given what I know, she has a right to be.”

Haywood drew a breath. “What would your protection look like?”

“A bodyguard attached to your son, preferably twenty-four-seven. At a minimum, he’d sit outside your house, monitoring any risks or threats. Ideally, he’d be stationed inside your home—”

“No,” Haywood snapped before Burke had finished speaking. “You will not come into my home. My wife is pregnant and I won’t stress her. We have young children and a bodyguard would frighten them.”

The presence of a bodyguard might save their lives , Burke wanted to say, but did not. “Then we would station our protection detail outside your house.”

Haywood said nothing for a long moment, during which he looked like he might agree to an external presence, at least. Then he shook his head again. “No, thank you, Mr.Broussard. I won’t whip my family into a terrified frenzy because my ex-wife is insane. We will be fine. There is no threat.”

“She still has custodial rights and she’s asked us to watch over Everett. We will do that, with or without your consent.” He held up his hand when Haywood opened his mouth, his expression one of rage. “From a distance, of course. It’s not ideal, but we’ll work with what we have.”

“You’re as delusional as she is.” Haywood’s eyes were crackling with fury. “I should call the cops right now and report you.”

“That’s your right, of course. But, given that the threat is coming from a cop, that will only put your son in more danger.”

Haywood lurched to his feet, his fists clenched. “Get out of my office before I call security.”

Burke rose, sliding a business card onto the man’s desk. “If you see anything odd around your house, feel free to call me.”

Haywood ripped Burke’s card into confetti. “Get. Out.”

Burke got out, exhaling once he was clear of the man’s office door.

“He didn’t like what you had to say, huh?” the receptionist asked dryly. “Thanks for pushing him into a bad mood. My day’s gonna be great from here on out.”

“Does he have issues with his temper?” Burke asked.

“I see nothing, I hear nothing.” She glanced at a complicated phone, which had just lit up. “He’s making a call.”

Haywood was probably calling his divorce attorney. Or the cops to report Burke and his wife’s “empty” accusations. That had been a possible outcome. But a call to the divorce lawyer was the more likely scenario. “Thanks for the warning.”

The woman hesitated. “Is Everett really in danger?”

“You heard that?”

She rolled her eyes. “I may have gotten up to stretch my legs and paused at the door.”

“I see. And if Everett is in danger? What would you do?”

“Tell Jimmy’s dad.” She pointed to the office door to the right of Jimmy’s. It bore a gold nameplate that read James Haywood Sr. “James Senior loves Everett. If he thought there was real danger…”

Burke took the opening. “Would he talk to me?”

“I’ll call him right now.”

Burke needed to field this with Naomi before discussing her personal business with her ex-father-in-law. “I need to step out and make a quick call. I’ll be right back.”

He stepped outside and started to dial Val, only to blink when his phone buzzed with an incoming call from Val herself.

“Is everything okay?” he asked.

“Naomi’s fine, but you need to have a chat with Lucien,” Val said. “He was really rude to Naomi just now.”

“Tell me,” he said, groaning quietly as Val did. “Yeah, I think I should accompany him when he talks to Mason Lord. Good call, Val. I’ll text Lucien to give me the guy’s address.”

“What happened with Naomi’s ex?”

“Is she there with you?”

“Yes.”

“Well, it’s not settled yet. The ex said no, but her father-in-law might be an ally. Can you put her on the phone?”

“Sure.”

A moment later, he heard his client’s quiet voice. “Jimmy said no, I take it.”

“He did. He thinks you’re delusional and a klepto drug abuser and will be suing for full custody.”

“I figured as much,” she murmured. “Thank you for trying. But the bodyguard will stay on Everett’s protection detail, yes?”

“He will. Don’t worry. Listen, do you trust your ex’s father?”

“James? Yes. Why?”

“Because the receptionist is offering to get me a meeting with him. It seems she listened at the door when I was talking to your ex.”

“Rosemary,” Naomi said fondly. “She’s the real authority in that office. She’s nosy as all get-out, but she’s got a great big heart. If she thinks that Everett’s in danger, she’ll make sure James Senior will listen.”

“So I have your permission to speak with him?”

“You do. Tell him thank you, by the way. He always sent me a care package with snacks on my birthday. It was supposed to be from Everett, but I know it was from James. Tell him it allowed me to build a lot of goodwill when I shared with the others.”

Burke’s gut twisted. “Is that how you survived once you left solitary?”

“One of the ways.” But the terseness of her answer told him that this was a topic she was uncomfortable discussing.

He could only imagine.

“I’ll tell him. Is he trustworthy?”

“Yes. He was like the father I never had. You can tell him that, too.”

“Do you not speak to him?”

She sighed softly. “James loves Jimmy, and Jimmy’s new wife hates me. If James and I talked and Jimmy found out, it would cause all kinds of friction between them and I don’t want that. So no. I don’t. I’d like to, but I won’t.”

“Got it. I’ll let you know what happens. Can you give the phone back to Val?”

“Of course. Can you also give my regards to Rosemary? She was always so kind to me.”

“I will.”

“Hey,” Val said a moment later. “Good luck with the father-in-law.”

“Thanks. Any package deliveries?”

“Nope, but the day is young.”

Burke thought about exactly what Gaffney had said to Naomi on Friday afternoon. He’d wanted her to carry the package in the flower van. “Check the delivery van. Make sure it’s not hidden in there.”

“I put sensors on it when Naomi and I took it out for deliveries this morning. They’ll alarm loudly if someone even touches the van, much less tries to break into it. Antoine walked me through the installation. Pretty simple, overall.”

“You done good, kid.”

“Aw shucks. Thanks, boss. Anything else?”

Burke thought about the rage he’d seen on Haywood’s face. If the man had laid a single finger on Naomi…“Make sure her ex didn’t abuse her.”

“Oh,” Val murmured. “Will do.”

“Thanks. Talk more soon.” He sent a quick text to Lucien. Address for Mason Lord? Time you’re going to meet with him?

Lucien’s reply came quickly. Val told you about my convo w the client?

Burke sighed. Shouldn’t she have?

Dots appeared on his screen. They stopped and started again, indicating that either Lucien was typing a long answer or he was deleting what he’d typed. Finally, the reply came through.

I wanted to tell you myself. But yeah. I was out of line.

At least Lucien was owning up to it. Burke wondered if something else was going on, because Lucien wasn’t normally rude. Send me address and time and we’ll figure this out.

Then he went back into the insurance company, finding Rosemary the office manager watching for him.

“Mr.James Haywood will see you when he gets back from his lunch meeting. Can you wait an hour?”

“I’ll go get lunch and come back. Does that work?”

“Of course.”

“Would you like something, Miss Rosemary?”

She smiled. “I’ve got my lunch, but thank you for asking.”

“Naomi says to give you her regards, and that you always had a big heart.”

Rosemary’s smile dimmed. “I miss her. When she and Jimmy split, I wanted to keep Naomi, but that’s not how it works.”

“No, ma’am, I guess not.”

Hopefully James Senior would side with Naomi in this case. If he didn’t, Burke was going to have to get very creative with Everett’s protection so that he kept his promise to Naomi Cranston.

Because Burke always kept his promises.