Thicker Than Water

Chapter Forty-Six

When he dropped Susan off at her house, she asked him if something was the matter. He told her nothing; he knew there was no way he could explain it to her. He wasn’t even sure he could explain it to himself.

Back there at the Cade place, looking at Eric’s face, he had made a decision. It hadn’t come from that place Susan called his cop-brain. It had come from some place deeper inside him.

He headed the Mustang due west into the low slanting sun. The Tokarev was hidden in the trunk. He showed his resident badge at the causeway and drove on to Sanibel.

This time, when he appeared at Candace Duvall’s door, the maid let him in without a word.

He found Candace and Hayley having drinks on the patio. Hayley saw him coming and set down her glass. Candace had her back to him, but turned when his shadow moved over the table.

She moved her sunglasses down the bridge of her nose and looked at him, then turned her back. “What do you want now?”

“Money.”

Candace spun around in her chair, pulling off her sunglasses. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

“Twenty years ago, your husband covered up the identity of Kitty Jagger’s killer and allowed Jack Cade to go to jail,” Louis said.

Candace’s eyes flickered and she put her glasses back on. Louis had the feeling that what he had just said was not a surprise to her.

“You’re nuts,” Candace said.

“I know how he did it and why he did it,” Louis said. “And I’m on my way to tell Jack Cade.”

“And why should I care?”

“Like I said, money. The Cades will sue your husband’s law firm. Then they’ll go after his personal assets, like this pretty house.”

Candace was sitting very still.

Louis moved around so he could see her face. “I might even suggest to them that you were behind your husband’s scheme. Then they can come after you too.”

“I committed no crime,” Candace said.

“You want to tell that to a whole courtroom?” Louis asked. “With your girlfriend sitting right there in the first row?”

Candace looked over at Hayley. “How much?” she said.

“Fifty thousand, and I promise you that you’ll never hear from me or the Cades again,” Louis said. “Think of it as a gift.”

Louis stared down at her. He was blackmailing her, but a part of him didn’t care. Blackmail would be the least of it, if the rest of his plan worked.

Candace got up and went inside. Louis glanced down at Hayley. She was looking at him with a small smile on her lips.

Candace came back with a check, made out to cash. “How do I know you won’t come back for more?”

“You’ll just have to take my word for it, lady.”