“You have my word.”
“Then yes, we’ve got a deal. I never really thought my fieldwork would end so quickly.”
Cain looked confused as to why she would say that. “Do you think I’m going to post your picture on the gangster Web page?”
“The thought does seem reasonable, you have to agree.”
“Shelby, I wouldn’t recommend you take any other plane trips with Vincent to plant these babies.” Cain dropped the minute listening devices into her palm and pressed her hand closed. “And I’ll have a hard time forgetting such a pretty face, but the only way someone else will blow your cover is to do their homework like I did. It won’t be because I sold you out. Despite my less-than-reputable ways, I understand you have a job to do. You’ve worked hard to get here, and I’m not about to mess that up for you.”
“You’re something else, Cain Casey.” As their time together drew to a close, Shelby felt like she had run up a mountain carrying a boulder on her shoulders. “Thank you for not recommending he just toss me out.”
“You’re welcome, and you be careful from now on. The world’s full of big bad wolves waiting for pretty sheep to come along.”
“I’m a trained agent, Cain, hardly sheep material.”
“Uh-huh. Does the term ‘fish food’ hold any meaning for you?”
Shelby laughed and thanked the heavens Cain had asked for so little in return. Gazing into the beautiful blue eyes any longer would have made it easy to forget which side she was on. “Point taken.”
“Good, and good night.” Cain reached for her coat and started to get ready to leave. The deal had taken longer than she thought, and she would be pushing it to get back before the good citizens of Haywood were awake and witness material. It was a safe bet to say helicopters dropping off outlaws at the feed store weren’t normal occurrences in the small farming town.
“Cain, I hope I get to see you again under better circumstances, but I do want to thank you. I had no idea you two had made me.”
“Rookie mistake, Shelby. You’ll get better, I promise. I was impressed when I read your jacket, but don’t believe Barry when he says all of us are idiots.”
“How did you know?”
“I have a few tricks of my own.” Cain smiled once more and moved to the door.
Shelby stopped her and pulled her down for a thank-you kiss. It was out of character for her, but at the moment she felt like celebrating life. “I won’t forget what you did tonight.”
Cain nodded, and they both made their way back to Vincent.
“Why don’t you entertain Agent Daniels on the way home with stories about your last vacation, Vincent?”
“Are we set to all fly back to New Orleans?” Vincent asked.
His meaning wasn’t lost on Shelby. The seriousness of her situation slammed into her brain so hard she had to sit down.
“Yes, sir, I gave my word you all were going to have a pleasant flight home.”
When Cain stressed the word “all,” Shelby wanted to kiss her again.
“Good, I’ll wait to hear from you, Cain.”
Cain waved them good-bye and headed back to the helicopter. She and her pilot waited for Vincent’s craft to clear the runway before they took to the air themselves.
Shelby watched the ground getting farther away and shuddered at the possibilities of “what ifs.”
“She’s something else, don’t you think?” Vincent’s question dragged her attention back to her travel companions.
“Yes, sir, she is.”
“Now you understand a little better, I think, why Agent Kyle’s hair is a little grayer and a lot thinner.” Vincent smiled at her and arched his brow. “You might want to fix that smudged lipstick before we land. We wouldn’t want the federal government to think you were taken advantage of.”
Shelby laughed and was grateful this was the last bit of small talk she would have to exchange with Carlotti for the rest of the trip. She spent the rest of the flight mentally writing her report of their night at one of Biloxi’s casinos. She would have to ask Vincent which one he frequented most so there would be no other questions about her absence.
*
Cain addressed the man who had just put down with a little too much force. “Thanks for the ride.” If his shaking hands were any indication, he wasn’t going to be having a long chat with Kyle’s men.
“No problem, ma’am.”
Cain drove back to the farm at the same unhurried pace, with the same company as before, only now the sun was just starting to rise. She used the time to consider her first problem before she could worry about Hannah. For now, she couldn’t afford the luxury of thinking about the little girl or giving in to the anger she felt toward Emma. Now she needed to concentrate on all the pieces that would need to fall into place to make her plan work. Parking in the same spot, she took a deep breath before she stepped out into the cold.
“Morning, Cain, out for an early drive?” Ross stood on his porch drinking a cup of coffee.
“Something like that. I was having trouble sleeping, so I went to talk to a friend.”
She heard the door to the bunkhouse open and surmised it was Hayden in the doorway. “How about breakfast in town, son?”
“Great.” He moved to the passenger-side door in no time, bundled up for the cold.
“Ross, want to ask Emma if she’d like to join us?”
“She’s out running an errand this morning, Cain. I’m sure she’ll be sorry she missed out.”
She could see his discomfort for telling the lie, but she wasn’t about to push. Ross was too honest for the position he found himself in.
“I’m sure you’re right.”
Chapter Seventeen
Emma ran around to the back door of Maddie’s house, eager to spend time with her daughter. Being away from the sweet child was killing her, but she couldn’t take the chance that Cain would see Hannah. It wouldn’t take a DNA test to determine the roots of Hannah’s family tree. The four-year-old was as much a Casey as Hayden.
A squeal greeted Emma when she opened the door and spotted the object of her secret covered in oatmeal. “Mama!” The blue eyes, identical to Cain’s, lit up when Hannah saw her mother, and like they often did, they flooded Emma with memories.
Over Four Years Earlier in the Casey Home in New Orleans
“Good night, honey.” Emma kissed Hayden’s forehead and pulled the covers under his chin. She had just read their second book of the night, hoping Cain would make it home before she was finished and Hayden fell asleep.
“But Mom isn’t here yet.”
“I know, sweet boy. She must be running later than she thought, but I promise she’ll be here when you wake up.” Emma ran her fingers through his hair in an effort to relax him and help him go to sleep.
“Aunt Marie’s party’s coming up, Mama.”
“I know. We’ll have to sneak into our room and finish wrapping her presents. Now go to sleep.” Emma kissed him again and watched the blue eyes flutter closed.
Outside the room Cain relaxed against the wall and waited for Emma to finish. A warm smile came easily as she listened to their conversation and thought about spending time with Emma. She wanted nothing more than to go in and kiss their son good night, but she knew it would take another forty minutes to calm him down again.
“Thanks for not coming in. He’s been wired since seven, and sleep wasn’t high on his list of priorities tonight,” whispered Emma when she emerged. Together they peeked in on the sleeping child.
“Maybe he thinks he’s missing out on something while he’s doing all that sleeping.”
“No, lover, that would be you who thinks that. He really missed you tonight. Come to think about it, so did I.” Emma pressed closer and started unbuttoning Cain’s blue shirt.
“I’m here, and I’m all yours for the rest of the night.”