“We can drive to Emma’s and take the tunnel out to the river,” Lou suggested. “I’ll have the boys leave a car close by.”

“Good, let’s go. It’s been a while since we’ve been out there. It’s still working after the storm?” She put her jacket on and let Emma know where she was going. Remi was providing her plane again, so it wasn’t like they’d be late for their flight.

“It flooded in the back, but the rest of it is working. At least for what we need it for, it’ll be good.”

The bar that shared Emma’s name was closed until the repairs from the drive-by could be done, but Muriel’s firm was still working upstairs. Lou lifted the trapdoor behind the bar, and the only people watching when they reached the other side of the tunnel, hidden beneath the length of a city block, were the ones who worked for her. Lou got behind the wheel of the crappy car the boys had left for them at the exit to the tunnel and took his time and his usual circuitous route when he wanted to ensure there was no one behind them. New Orleans east was still desolate, so a tail would’ve stood out.

The processing plant in New Orleans east had been in her family for years, and it’d been about that long since it had been used for meat processing. Its history was much grimmer than when they lined cattle up in the small stockyard toward the back. There were only weeds growing there now, with litter washed up by the storm against the walls.

Lou pulled in through the large doors and motioned for the guys to close them. The small Hispanic man didn’t say anything as she walked up and sat in the old leather chair across from him. Dino had put Castillo on the rollers that led to the grinder, and Cain was sure he’d been thinking about that since they’d arrived. If she was a gambler, she’d bet a flax seed wouldn’t fit up his ass he had it puckered so tight.

“We haven’t met, so let me introduce myself.” She crossed her legs and placed a hand on her boot. “I’m Cain Casey.” The guy stayed quiet, but she could see in the movement of his eyes that he understood what that meant. This was a trapped animal looking for any escape. “We haven’t met, but you know me. I know that because you shot up my place and wounded one of my people.” She tapped loudly on the alligator skin covering her heel and stared at him to see if he’d say anything. “My question is why? Why would you do something that has done nothing but piss me off?”