Free The Devil's Orchard by Ali Vali Page B

father and uncle, Jasper depended on her unique brand of wisdom. Juan had come here with Anthony once to try to broker a deal, but like most, they weren’t invited to lunch. That took Jasper’s trust or Maude’s friendship. Cain was fortunate to have both.
    “Dino’s lucky to have you,” she said as they neared Jasper’s roadblock. “Your brother isn’t a bad guy, but it’s got to be exhausting to live in fear of everything all the time.”
    “Yeah,” Lou said as he waved again. “He loves to throw God in my face, but Dino gets the brunt of it and it’s gotten old. It’s good to see the kid happy, and he’s taken Emma’s safety seriously.”
    “Can’t ask for better than that.” They stopped at the barricades, and the guy who appeared the oldest rose from his chair and walked to her side of the vehicle. “How’s it going? Looks like a party,” she said as she pointed to the congested circle of houses. Every one of them, including the street, belonged to Jasper, so the city and the Feds couldn’t do anything about the roadblock.
    “Hey, Cain,” the man said as he waved to one of the men to open the gate. “Jasper ain’t too happy these days, so you know how that is. Even Miss Maude’s a little put off. She’ll be glad to see you.”
    “Thanks. We’ll park here and walk, if you want.”
    “Jasper will skin me for that. Go on down and leave it in the middle.”
    A few people behind them climbed the front steps to the house on the end, but Cain led Lou to the left. The two window units on the back of the smaller place next door made a puddle under them, but Jasper would flood the city to keep his Aunt Maude happy. She’d spent more time raising him than his parents had, and Jasper was devoted to her because of it.
    “Fall in love and forgot all about me, huh?” Maude said when they entered her large kitchen. “But I can’t blame you. Jasper told me that girl is big and pregnant again.”
    “Number three, so cut me some slack, beautiful.”
    Maude hugged her, and the firm embrace never failed to remind Cain of her mother. The two women had plenty in common, starting with their devotion to family. But her mother had also loved running the one room that gave heart to a home, as she’d love to say. Sitting with her mother as she stirred a big pot, Cain had learned as much from her as she had from her Da.
    “You here to take some of Jasper’s worry away? If that man wasn’t bald already, this past month would’ve sheared every hair from his head.”
    She sat with Maude at the small table in the corner. “He’s got a lot of company, so let’s us start in here first.” Since Maude did have so much of Jasper’s trust, and she knew him so well, Cain knew she had all the answers she needed.
    “You don’t dabble down in this neighborhood except with your shopkeepers and bar owners, so don’t disappoint me because it ain’t your business. Jasper’s been kind to you and always answers your call.”
    “I may not visit as often as I should, but you have to know better than that. Da and Fats were friends long before I was a thought in his brain, and relationships like that don’t die easy,” she said, referring to Maude’s late husband. “You remember the first time he brought me here?”
    “You were green still, but you were a charmer. I told Fats as y’all drove off that Dalton had himself a silver-tongued devil. Your father was a good friend to us, and he did a good job continuing his legacy, so don’t take my request like an insult.” She twisted the kitchen cloth in her hand as she spoke, and it was easy to read the anxiety across her forehead. “Someone is out to make a name, and Jasper’s had to bury more men in the last few weeks than either of us can remember. It’s never been this bad.”
    “Cain’s got enough on her mind, Auntie.” Jasper filled the door, and his voice carried even though he wasn’t talking loud. He embraced Lou before joining them. He was alone, but