“Just don’t be gone long.” Emma rested her head on Cain’s shoulder and sighed. “I understand why you have to do all this, but after having you all to myself for these past weeks, and knowing this is dangerous, it’s going to be hard letting you go.”
“I’m thinking this bloke is going to start talking the minute I see him, so you’re not going to be by yourself very long.”
“I’d like to go by the house instead of Uncle Jarvis’s when we land to look at the damage and see what we can do about that situation. What do you think?”
Cain looked over Emma’s head at Merrick before answering.
When she nodded, Cain agreed with the plan. “Just remember to stick close to Merrick until all this is done. That house won’t mean shit to us if something happens to you.”
“I’ll keep my head down if you remember to do the same, Casey.”
The time had come for Emma to stand up for what she wanted and to keep her word.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Blue sat at a table in the back corner staring at the closest screen and screaming for a pony named Eagle’s Talon to get his ass moving. From the pile of ripped-up tickets on the floor around him, Cain could see his luck, or lack of it, was holding as steady as his losing.
The off-track betting bar Blue was sitting in reminded Cain of a cave. With the total lack of windows the patrons were bathed in the glare of television sets and neon. They all looked zombielike.
Without having to be told, Lou headed to the chair behind Blue, and Katlin stood behind Cain, who sat in the table’s other chair. The look of panic in Blue’s eyes was clear even in the dim lighting. He pulled his drink closer as if trying to find protection behind the glass of rum.
“Cain, what are you doing here?”
“It should be obvious. I’m here to see you.” Cain crossed her long legs and leaned back. “I hear we have a lot to talk about.”
Blue laughed and stood up, getting ready to deny whatever she was accusing him of. “I’m just placing a few bets, boss. What’s to talk about?”
“I suggest you take your seat, Blue,” Lou said from behind him. “You make me ask again and I’ll break your kneecaps so you don’t forget your manners. The lady wants to talk to you, so sit and talk.”
“Come on, Cain, there’s no reason for the muscle. And where’s Merrick? I’m sure she’d vouch for me. I didn’t do nothing wrong.”
A waitress came over with an empty tray and picked up Blue’s glass. “Can I get you anything?”
“A shot of Jameson, neat,” Cain answered.
“The good stuff’s extra.”
Katlin waved a twenty in front of the waitress. “This ought to cover it.”
“Now, Blue, what makes you think I’m here because you did anything wrong?”
The question sounded innocent enough, but Blue hadn’t worked for Cain for a couple of years without learning a few things. There was something behind it.
“That’s what I’m saying. I’m just sitting around waiting to go back to work.” The fresh round of drinks was placed on the table, and Blue smiled up at the girl he’d been trying to flirt with for the better part of the afternoon.
“Of course you’re out of work. That’s as good a reason as any to set up my family and get some of my people killed. You were just looking out for your own interest. Who could blame you for that?”
Blue spit the rum he choked on back onto the table. Swallowing wrong set off a furious round of coughing, and he knew the color of his face lived up to his name. “Wha…what?” he finally got out through the wheezing.
“Let’s go for a little ride, Blue,” Cain said. She stood, pulled out a money clip, and peeled off a couple of bills. The waitress reappeared as if by magic. “What’s your name, darlin’?”
“Mitzi.” She looked greedily at the crisp one hundred dollar bills in Cain’s fingers. “You need another drink or something?”
“No, Mitzi, I need to know where the back door is. Then I need to hear you give a complete description of me. If you can do that”—the money clip came out again and Cain peeled off another two hundred—“you can go shopping for something pretty.”
“The door’s by the restrooms, through there.” She pointed to Cain’s left. “And you, it’s going to be hard to say anything about somebody I’ve never seen before.”
Before the money exchanged hands Cain laughed, never taking her eyes off the woman. “See, Blue, we just met, and already this girl’s got something up on you. She’s smart, and she knows when to keep her mouth shut.” Cain handed the money over and walked out the front.
Behind her Blue was about to scream when Lou put a small knife up to his throat.
“You gonna be needing change on that twenty?” Mitzi asked Katlin.
“Keep it, sugar. I’m not as generous as my friend, but not many of us are.” The third race Blue had bought tickets for concluded, finally breaking his losing streak.
“Hey, I won.” He held up the stubs now worth five grand.
