When Cain’s eyes finally found her, she smiled and waved her out. As Emma hurried to where Cain was standing, she stopped and put her arms around Lou and kissed his forehead when he bent down to return the kindness. “I know you’re not going to listen to me, but you need to lie down for a while. This wasn’t your fault, Lou.”
“It might take a bit for that to sink in, and I couldn’t sleep now unless someone cold-cocked me.”
“I’m in no position to tell you what to do, but can I ask you for a favor?” When he straightened up and she dropped her head back to still see his face, she had to shield her eyes from the brightness.
“You know you can.”
“Lie down for at least an hour. When Cain decides to move, she’ll want you with her, and I want you at your best. You won’t be protecting only her, but my heart as well. That’s a really corny thing to say, but it’s true.”
“You’re a tough opponent, Emma.” Lou hugged her again and headed to the pool house. After Katlin had moved out, the guys used it as a sort of bunkhouse when they kept long hours and needed to get some sleep.
“Undermining my authority, lass?” Cain asked, but from the relaxed set of her eyes Emma could tell she was kidding. “I’m glad he listens to one of us.”
“I just told him the truth. He does go out everyday with my heart in his care.” She leaned against Cain and put her arms around her hips. “One thing I’ve learned about you big ruthless types is that most of you are closet romantics who can’t fight it no matter how hard you try.” Cain laughed and scratched Emma’s back. “Did Lou give you any clues?”
“I needed a point to start from, and I think he provided that. Sounds like three or four guys waiting for something else jumped Rick and killed him. From Lou’s sketchy descriptions they sounded Hispanic.”
“Rodolfo’s guys?”
“I can’t answer that right now, but give me some time and maybe I can narrow it down.”
“Before I lose you to the people waiting inside, remember that I love you, and I’m here to take care of you.”
“I love you too, and even though I’m working, I want to see you.”
Emma pressed her cheek to Cain’s chest and laughed. “See what I mean about you big ruthless types.”
They walked back to the house hand-in-hand, and Emma saw Dallas standing at the French doors of the sunroom watching them. Aside from when they arrived, Emma hadn’t seen Remi and Dallas together. She was looking forward to it, if only to see if there was anything worth celebrating.
“Ramon and Mano arrived while you were out there with Lou. I put them all in the kitchen since there aren’t enough chairs in the study, but don’t worry. I’ll keep the kids out of the way.”
“Thanks, lass.” Cain kissed her and nodded to Dallas as they entered the house. “Why don’t the two of you join the kids upstairs and watch some television?”
Emma rubbed the small of Cain’s back to let her know she’d understood the request. No one minded Dallas being there, but she was still a wild card in Cain’s opinion as well as Remi’s. While they wouldn’t send her home, Cain didn’t want her too close to the upcoming meetings.
“Call up if you need anything.”
Cain waited until she heard the door to the den upstairs open and close before she entered the kitchen. She spotted Muriel first and noticed the anger twisting her face. “I need you to contact T-Boy and get with him, Muriel. Tell him it’s worth a lot to me to have today’s list of all the passengers who flew in and had to go through Customs.”
“There’s something else you should know,” Muriel said hesitantly.
“This isn’t the time to withhold any information, no matter how trivial it is.”
“One of Vincent’s men came to see me last night after he talked to you. Somebody’s bringing in a shooter, but we don’t know the target.”
“Or who hired this guy?” Remi asked.
“That’s probably easier, since we can narrow it down to two people we’re dealing with right now. It’s the why that’ll take more time,” Cain said as she cracked open a soft drink from the refrigerator. “What do you think, Ramon?”
“I think like you that it’s Nunzio Luca, but what does Rick have to do with that?”
“The shooter isn’t due until Friday,” Muriel said.
“That’s why today didn’t have anything to do with Luca,” Cain said after she’d sat between Remi and Ramon.
“Then with whom?” Mano asked. “If we’re going to be targets I’d like to have some idea why before one of us gets killed.”
“We have to work together to answer that question, before anyone else gets hurt. I’m guessing, so you can’t take what I say for fact.”
Remi nodded and butted shoulders with Cain. “When you guess, you’re usually in the ballpark, so let’s hear it.”
“Today was like I just told Lou. Our guy Rick was in the wrong place and someone recognized him. To hide the fact that Rick knew who they were, they killed him.” Cain stopped and glanced at Muriel. She didn’t appear as upset now, but no way could Cain let her leave now if she was so angry she couldn’t think straight. “I’m not discounting the shooter and whatever reason someone has for bringing him here, but it had nothing to do with today.”
“I think we can all agree that today, while tragic, is over. Our new problem is Friday and why this guy’s coming,” Mano said.
“Today isn’t over. No one walks up and kills one of my people for no reason, and he’ll pay. Friday has to do with Nunzio Luca and how he plans to break us.”
“What if you’re wrong?” Mano persisted.
“Then we sit and wait to find out which one of us Nunzio’s planning to knock off and afterward come up with a plan. I don’t know about you, but that’s not one choice I’m going with.”
“Cain,” Ramon said with his hands spread out on the table in front of him.
Cain raised her finger for Ramon’s patience and studied Mano and his posture. “I want to hear what you have in mind. I’ve been doing all the talking, and I haven’t given you a chance.”
Mano glanced up and Remi nodded her head, brought her hand up, and curled her fingers over so he’d start talking. “If this is Nunzio Luca, he’s going after the weakest link as a scare tactic to get us to deal. He’s tried being nice, so now he’s going to try the other plan available to him.”
“You should speak up more often, Mano. I agree,” Cain said, lifting her can in his direction.
“So you think I should just sit around and wait for someone to put a bullet in my head?” Mano asked.
Muriel covered his hand with hers and patted it before sitting back. “It’ll be a shot through the heart. That’s Jorge’s signature. He likes the chest shot so whoever’s lucky enough to have him as an assassin can have an open casket. That way your family can look at you before you’re buried and realize it’s their fault they put you in the ground.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Mano asked, laughing finally.
“I don’t think Nunzio hired this guy to kill you, so you should feel better,” Cain said.
“Forgive me if I’m still a little on edge,” Mano said.
“You’re assuming you’re the weakest link in the chain, and in this case you’re not.” Cain peered first at Ramon then at Remi.
Mano didn’t take his eyes off Cain. “What are you talking about?”
“Mano, you’re Remi’s right hand, or you will be eventually, but unless she gives over the reins, you won’t be the head of your family.” She spoke softly and with as much compassion as she could muster, not wanting to hurt his feelings. “I’m not telling you this to hurt you, and it shouldn’t be a surprise to you.”
“You’re right, but that’s not something I’m worried about. Remi will take over for my father one day, and I’m fine with that.”