Muriel stopped tapping her fingers and flattened her hand on the cool wooden surface. “I’m not saying that’s a bad idea, but hold off on that call. Get Emma and the kids out of there for now and over to the hospital. Cain will want to see them all as soon as possible, just for peace of mind.”
“I think we should phone the feds now, Muriel. This has someone else’s fingerprints all over it, since I don’t believe Giovanni can be this stupid. I say we turn them in to the proper authorities and let them give us a head start on the investigation.”
“I’ll make the call after I talk with Cain, but only when you’re out of the house. After all, Cain’s the one who says you should live with your blinds open every so often, even when you should be locking the doors. Shows whoever’s watching you that you aren’t dirty.”
On her end, Merrick twirled a paring knife between her fingers, trying to temper her desire to plunge it into someone’s chest. “Do you think it’s a good idea for me to leave? Won’t the police wonder where I’ve gone? I’ll look like I’m running from something.”
“You’ll look like you’re trying to protect the people you’re hired to protect. I know who we’re dealing with, my friend, so I can only imagine the damage they’ve left behind. No one’s going to blame you for trying to keep Emma and the children safe. If the police need to talk to you, they’ll do it with me in the room. It’s not like they won’t know how to find you.”
Muriel stood and buttoned her jacket. “Get moving, and I’ll deal with everything. After all, that’s my part of the job. Oh, make sure we have the gun permits handy, and everyone’s license to carry them all the time. Having those might get me out of there before midnight.”
“Call me if you need anything else.”
“Merrick, that’s my line.”
Merrick grimaced, afraid that when Cain heard about this episode, she might want to stick a knife in her.
Chapter Two
“My God. What’s wrong? Is Cain okay?” Emma said when she saw the startled expression of the hospital administrator who met them and their protection in the lobby. It had never occurred to her that Cain might be in danger, since she was always the one who kept everyone safe. If someone had attacked Cain in her vulnerable state, Emma didn’t know if she would be able to endure it.
“Please, Ms. Casey, I didn’t mean to scare you. Everything’s fine. Your partner just wanted me to escort you to her new private room.” The administrator waved toward a bank of elevators.
As Emma, the children, Merrick, and Mook, Hayden’s longtime bodyguard, rode to the sixth floor, Emma felt immensely better that they had a contingent of armed guards in the lobby. She imagined an assassin around every corner and jumped every time she heard a noise.
Considering all she’d been through in the last couple of months, Cain looked amazing. Being shot two weeks earlier by Agent Barney Kyle on her enemy Giovanni Bracato’s order hadn’t been the only thing that had taken its toll. She’d been dealing with the return of her partner Emma after a four-year absence, and the discovery of their daughter Hannah. Those emotional blows had been hard, especially since she was still grieving the murder of her sister Marie.
Now, though, there was no sign of the pallor that lingered since Agent Kyle shot her. She sat up in a chair talking to Lou, freshly showered, appearing like the Cain Casey all of them were used to dealing with. She still looked a little tired and on edge, but the strength that always seemed to pour from her was returning.
“Ah, now there’s a good-looking group,” Cain said, seeming surprised to see Emma.
When Cain nodded, everyone whose last name wasn’t Casey left the room. Without any encouragement, Hannah ran to Cain and started climbing into her lap.
“Careful, honey. Cain’s got an owie and we don’t want to make it worse,” Emma said. She moved to pick the little girl up but stopped when Cain shook her head brusquely.
“It’s all right. Let her do what she wants. I feel better after a shower.”
“Was that wise? You’re still weak. And what about your sutures?”
“Don’t worry. A big guy from the ward helped me since you weren’t here. And they wrapped me up fairly tight before I got wet.” Cain waved Emma off and opened her hand to her daughter. “How are you doing after all that excitement this afternoon, sweet girl?”
“It was scary, Mom,” Hannah said, her fingers in her mouth.
“I know, sweetheart, but you’re going to be all right. Nothing bad’s going to happen to you, your mom, or your brother.” She stroked Hannah’s thick black hair and kissed her forehead. “I promise. Want something to drink?”
“Can I have a Coke?”
“What do you say, Emma, just this once?” Cain looked at her.
“Just one, Hannah, and you have to stay with Hayden the whole time.” Emma helped her off Cain’s lap and walked her and Hayden to the door. The sight of them following Mook down the hall made her heart hurt.
“Are you all right?” Cain asked as the door closed.
“Two carloads of men came and shot up the room where I was sleeping with our daughter and destroyed the room where you sit day after day working. Am I all right?” Emma’s voice grew louder with each sentence, and Cain didn’t try to stop her. “No, I’m not all right.” The controlled veneer she’d put up for the sake of the children disappeared in a second as she twirled around to face Cain.
“Can I ask you something else?” Cain put up her hand this time when Emma opened her mouth. “Just be quiet and think about what I’m asking before you answer.”
“What?”
“When you first met me, did you ask anyone who I was before you went out on our first date?” They had come a long way from that first night at the Erin Go Braugh, an Irish pub Cain owned in the French Quarter. That first date had blossomed into a relationship that had produced two children, but also the betrayal of Emma leaving.
“What does that have to do with anything?”
Cain stared at her and tried to appear relaxed, though she was convinced that Emma would leave her again. And this time would be the last. “It has everything to do with everything.”
“I knew you were the owner of the pub and people had a million stories to tell about your women and what you did for a living. It was just all rumors, but I didn’t go out and ask anyone about you specifically. Why?”
“Because I want to know if you knew me before you entered the devil’s lair, Emma. No one forced you, so don’t act like you think I was some saint who deceived you into a life you didn’t want. Do you regret leaving the farm this time around?”
“Of course I don’t regret coming back, but I love my children and want them to be safe.”
“Come on, then, let’s be done with it.” With considerable effort Cain put her hands on the arms of the chair and pushed herself into a standing position. “Keep your place.” Cain swayed a little, but didn’t want any help from Emma. “I’ll be keeping my feet and dignity as you tell me what you want.”
“I want you—”
“But. It sounds like you wanted to end that statement with a ‘but,’ sweetling.”
“I can’t live like this. It’s not you. I love you more than life, but we have to consider other people. Yes, I knew who you were before I committed to you, and I thought I could handle it, but I just want to keep us all safe. Is that wrong?”
The pain was starting to come in short aching throbs again, and it wasn’t just from the wound. Cain dug deep to stay on her feet. “This time I didn’t set myself up with unrealistic expectations of you, Emma, so I’m not disappointed. If you want to go, then go.”