“For now. When it’s time, we’ll have to sit together again and decide how the city will be restructured so that everyone is happy, but for now she just needs time.”
Blue smoke circled above his head for a minute after he exhaled, and Ramon finished his drink. From his inner jacket pocket he pulled out a card with only a number printed on it and handed it to her. “When she’s ready, just call. There are ways to do this without anyone having to know. I’m thinking that’s what she wants.” He smiled, still biting the cigar in his mouth.
“There’s a reason you’re still at the top of your game, Mr. Jatibon.” The card made its way into her inner jacket pocket. “You never have to have it spelled out for you.”
He spread his hands out to his sides and shrugged. “I try,” he said, making her laugh. “This is a favor I look forward to doing. Surprises are sometimes the best part of this job. I’m still laughing at what those policemen must have been thinking when they opened those crates.”
For the longest time the Caseys had been supplying his clubs with liquor, and some of the more requested choices were illegal in the United States, even if the taxes on them were paid. Sort of like the cigar he was enjoying. Just because the government couldn’t appreciate a good Cuban smoke and a glass of Havana Club twenty-five-year-old rum didn’t mean his customers didn’t.
“I was there when they finally figured it out, and I can safely say they didn’t find it as humorous as we do.” She finished her drink in one swallow, then squeezed his hand. “Thank you for coming out of your way on such short notice. I won’t keep you away from your lovely wife any longer.”
They exchanged kisses again before Ramon and his bodyguard walked her to the elevator. Outside the sun had set, and, from the look of the trees, the wind had picked up coming off the river. She still had plenty of time to stroll to the luxury hotel the Piquant to meet Shelby for a drink.
Muriel buttoned her coat as she veered away from the river and walked up Canal Street thinking of the FBI agent. Shelby Daniels was the first woman who’d ever invaded her thoughts in the course of her day, and it was starting to concern her. It was dangerous enough to lose your head over a woman, but it was disastrous to be interested in one set on trying to catch you in a mistake only to lock you up for it. As logical as that sounded to her, Muriel still picked up her pace, wanting to see Shelby again.
“Let’s just go see if there’s anything to this luck-of-the-Irish thing,” she whispered. Perhaps for a little while she could forget what had happened that day by losing herself in a pair of pretty blue eyes, because, from the expression on Cain’s face, the storm was coming.
And Muriel was sure that when it did, Shelby would be the last woman in the world who’d offer her a safe harbor.
Chapter Nine
“Lose something?” Cain asked without opening her eyes. She smiled when she heard the orderly’s breath hitch.
“I’m just getting you some fresh water. I’m Todd, by the way.”
“Thanks, but you finished pouring quite a while ago. Do you need something else?” It was the same guy she’d seen planting the bug earlier that morning.
For a split second Todd wondered if the guy listening in from wherever would make it there in time if something happened to him. He thought hard before opening his mouth and saying anything that would put his life in danger. “I was just hiding out for a while. My boss is the bitch from hell. You know how it is.”
The smile that followed the statement was insincere since it was more of a smirk than a smile, and Cain fought the urge to force-feed him the surveillance equipment. “Trust me, buddy, there are worse things in life than a boss who’s a little hard on you.”
Her smile widened, but instead of offering Todd comfort, it made him suddenly want to get out of there.
“Much worse.”
He practically ran from the icy tone of her voice, and she laughed as the door slammed behind him. For Cain the hospital flunky was just a minor annoyance, but she did want to know who had put him up to bugging her room. She had no proof but wanted to believe that it wasn’t Shelby. She wondered if the friendly feebie had any knowledge of Todd and his little caper.
“Scaring the help again?” Emma poked her head in and gave Cain a mock glare.
“It helps pass the time while I’m being bored to death in here. Of course, there are other ways to do that which are much more fun.” Cain held out her hand in invitation. She’d sent Emma on a small errand and found herself missing her more than she wanted to admit. It had been much too easy to fall back to the sense of completeness Emma brought to her life.
“That would be wonderful, but you have to be good. Nothing but kissing for a while yet, honey. Doctor’s orders.”
“Then come over here and kiss me.”
Emma stretched out next to her and stroked Cain’s cheek. She couldn’t get enough of the feeling that came from touching her partner after four years of missing her. Slowly she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Cain’s for a fleeting moment. Then she pulled back just enough that she could trace the full lips with her tongue, liking the way Cain moaned.
When Cain cupped her breast, squeezing gently as if to convince herself she really did have Emma there with her, Emma inhaled sharply. “Be good, honey.”
“I’m trying, but I can’t prove it if you keep on holding my hands captive.” Cain laughed as Emma covered her hand to keep it from roaming but didn’t remove it from her chest. Emma groaned at both the answer and the touch, so Cain moved her hand to Emma’s back. “I’m sorry, love, I’ll behave. Did you get the kids squared away?”
“Your uncle took them in for the night and said he’d have them back here first thing in the morning for a visit. Getting Hannah to leave here was a nightmare, though. She’s madly in love with you already and didn’t want to go anywhere if you weren’t coming with us.” Emma couldn’t stand to maintain eye contact as she said the words. The more she saw Cain and Hannah together, the guiltier she felt. “I’m so sorry.” The apology was muffled by Cain’s hospital gown when Emma buried her face in her chest.
“You know what’s important here and now, lass?”
Emma shook her head, and Cain could tell she was crying.
“That you and she are here with Hayden and me now, and we want you to be. Some things will take time, and we might have some setbacks, but we’ll get through those together.”
“I’m so lucky.”
“Yes, you are,” Cain joked. “I’m good-looking, have money, and am a wonderful catch.”
“And so modest.” The light teasing pulled Emma out of her funk, and she thanked God again not only for Cain’s willingness to try, but for her willingness to forgive. “I love you so much. I never stopped.” She kissed Cain again and tried to express through her touch just how much.
“I’ve missed hearing you say those words.”
“Not as much as I miss saying them.” The words were as open and honest as the expression on Emma’s face.
Some days in the four years they’d been apart she had yelled them into the wind when she walked her father’s land. She’d found some comfort in imagining the wind carrying them south to find Cain.
Cain brushed her fingers over Emma’s cheeks, wiping away the last of her tears. Now free to let her heart feel again, Cain found her own comfort in the smooth, familiar skin. “You want to help me up?” Cain wanted to tell Emma something but didn’t want to share it with a stranger. In reality she’d let the conversation go on long enough.
“Are you all right?”
“Just fine, love. I have to go to the bathroom, and the group of Nazis they call nurses around here want me to get up as much as possible.”
Cain had to laugh when Emma took the opportunity to explore a little as they walked. The gown Cain was wearing gave her plenty of real estate to work with.