“He doesn’t know that for sure. He says they went to see her at least once, during the day, he thought. He doesn’t know what they said. But they borrowed his pickup on the night she died, and he didn’t have no option to say no, if you get my meaning.”
“What exactly do you mean?”
“I mean, they wanted it because they was going out to do something illegal. And they didn’t want to use their own vehicle.”
“But why use your husband’s truck? He’s also a Double Eagle.”
“Because they’re lazy shits, that’s why. They didn’t have to walk but two streets over to get Will’s truck. And they didn’t ever expect to get caught. So they figured that was enough insulation.”
That’s enough, I think. If Devine will testify to this in Dad’s trial, he will guarantee an acquittal.
Nita Devine raises her finger and shakes it at me. “But none of this even begins to count all the nigras they beat and burned out and killed back in the day. Or the women they messed with. Hell, for Snake and his bunch, that was just fun and games.”
Serenity’s breathing has gone shallow, and I worry she might lash out at Devine’s wife.
“Mrs. Devine,” I say quickly, “do you have any idea where Snake is now?”
She shakes her head. “No. And you won’t find him easy. Snake’s a survivor. And people are scared to death of him. He could be living next door to them and they know it, and they won’t tell you nothing.”
“But your husband will,” I say softly.
“If the deal is right. It wasn’t easy, I tell you. Frank Knox brainwashed all those boys, way back. Made them think they were heroes. They thought Frank was a hero, and maybe he was, but he made them think they could be like him. Bigger than life, you know? But Snake Knox ain’t bigger than life. He’s lower than snake shit. He’s the spawn of the fuckin’ devil, sure as I tell you. And that Wilma Deen is just as bad. Helped him kill her own damn brother. How low can you fuckin’ get, I ask you?”
Nita stubs out her cigarette and lights another, blows the smoke over Serenity’s head.
A thought strikes me. “There’s a young guy I’ve seen around, blond. Looks like he’s in the Hitler Youth or something. Do you—”
“Alois Engel. That’s Snake’s bastard son. Had him off a woman over in Texas. Never did a damn thing to take care of the kid, but now the little bastard worships him. And he’s just like a baby rattlesnake. Smaller in size, but the poison’s twice as deadly to make up for it.”
Great.
“Now,” Nita says, “I’ve shown you mine. Time for you to pull down your drawers and show me yours. Let’s talk about the deal.”
I nod, thinking hard. “Deke can start back toward my house. This won’t take long.”
“Did you hear that, boy?” she calls.
“I heard him. I’ll take the Liberty Road turnoff and head back downtown.”
I wave my hand in thanks.
“Okay, Mrs. Devine. What you’re almost certainly looking at is full protection for your family. A move to another part of the country, and—”
“Can we pick where?”
“Ah, you might be given two or three choices. But you can’t just pick a city off the map.”
“Okay.”
“They’ll either get Will a job or provide him a pension sufficient to support you in your present standard of living.”
She makes a sour face. “I guess we haven’t won the lottery, huh?”
“No. But you’ll be surprised at how well they’ll take care of you. If Will keeps up his end of the deal. Why don’t you let me talk to my FBI contact before we get into any more details? Then you can speak to him directly.”
“Sounds good to me. I like to get it from the horse’s mouth.”
I almost laugh picturing John Kaiser dealing with this woman.
“There is one thing,” I tell her, leaning forward. “For me, it’s the most important thing.”
“What’s that?”
“The FBI’s primary goal is nailing Snake Knox and the remaining Eagles for their 1960s murders. But my main concern is saving my father.”
Mrs. Devine nods but says nothing.
“From what you’ve told me, Will has the power to get my father acquitted, by making reasonable doubt impossible to ignore. But to do that, he’d have to testify in my father’s trial within the next two days. Possibly even tomorrow. And I doubt Will’s plea deal can be completed by then.”
The fear in her eyes rises to the surface again. “So he wouldn’t have the federal protection?”
“Oh, he’d be protected. Absolutely.”
She begins chewing her lip again. “I know Dr. Cage is a good man. He took good care of Will when he worked at Triton, and my sister and aunts all go to him. They swear by him.”
“Do you think Will would be willing to help my father, if I help him arrange this plea-bargain deal? I’ll tell you right now, the feds won’t consider it a priority. Your husband will have to insist on it.”
Nita takes another drag with her quivering hand. “We ain’t no fans of the government. I just want to know Will is safe.”
“I can guarantee that, Nita.”
A new glint shines in her eyes. “If he does that, you reckon you could sweeten the pot a little? You personally, I mean. We ain’t greedy. Just something to help with the transition.”
I take a deep breath before answering, and in the silence I hear Serenity grinding her teeth. “How much were you thinking?”
“Well . . . twenty-five thousand?”
I look down at the table, taking my time with this. I expected her to start much higher, and of course there’s always time for them to go up, once they know they have me over a barrel.
“It’s a big risk,” I tell her. “The FBI would flip out if they knew we did something like that. They might revoke the agreement.”
She’s watching me like a hungry dog waiting to snatch a piece of food from my plate.
“But I could probably find a way to get that to you in cash. But—”
“Fifty,” she says suddenly, looking almost defiant. “Fifty cash, and I’ll guarantee Will stands up for Doc Cage in court.”
This kind of agreement breaks so many laws I don’t even want to think about it. “Tomorrow? He’ll testify tomorrow for fifty?”
“You get me the money and guarantee his safety, and it’s a deal.”
“Don’t ask me for a dollar more later. You do that, and I’ll tell the FBI. And it’ll blow your deal.”
She holds up both hands and grins. “Fifty’s it, baby doll. Fifty’s good.”
Five excruciating minutes later, they let Serenity and me out on the corner of Washington and Union again. Tee looks like she’s about to throw up. After the Winnebago rumbles away, she hugs herself and shivers.
“I feel like I need a bath,” she says, her voice dripping with disgust.
“That’s your KKK elite right there.”
“Did you hear her talking about what they did to Viola? All she cared about was that her fat-ass husband cheated on her to rape a black woman.”
“I thought you might lose your cool, but you stayed cold. You were like an ice statue.”
Tee’s eyes flash with fury. “Not on the inside. Man, when she said ‘nigras’ I nearly went across that table and snatched her tongue out of her head. It was worse than any time I ever heard ‘nigger.’”