“They’re not here anymore. The big fish they were trolling for is laid up in the hospital, so they don’t have any real reason to watch us peons anymore. Unless your girlfriend did you a favor and called off the dogs.”
“Back off, Merrick, and she isn’t a friend of mine. I met the woman last night, and she helped me through a rough spot. That doesn’t make us lovers. And as for Cain—” She was about get on a roll when Mook interrupted them.
“Ladies, I don’t mean to be rude, but we have bigger problems than who gets to walk home from school with the boss.”
“He’s right. We need to put our personal feelings aside and concentrate on how to get Hayden back. I think Merrick’s correct about him not being out for a walk. Someone’s taken my son, and I’m going to do something about it.”
Merrick started laughing so hard she almost fell over. “You’re going to take charge? That’s rich. You’re the reason he’s not here now. Leave this to me and the guys. Then you can go back to milking cows.”
“Mook, go downstairs with Carmen and assemble the men. We’re going to the hospital first. Then I have a job for you. With Cain being hurt and Hayden disappearing, there’s only one Casey left in this house and it ain’t Merrick, so move.”
The guard and house servant turned and left the room to do Emma’s bidding.
She wrapped the ends of her robe tie in her hands and cinched it closed. “Not you, Merrick.”
The guard had begun to follow the others, but the new commanding tone stopped her.
“I intend to resolve this situation before Cain gets too worried. She doesn’t need any extra stress during her recovery, and I
“I don’t take orders from you.”
“Fine, get out. Leave now or I’ll have you removed, and when Cain does wake up I’ll explain your reluctance to help.”
Merrick laughed again, only this time it sounded sarcastic. “My, the lady has claws, or is it the pit viper has fangs?”
“You’re wasting my time, so leave.”
“Come on, Emma. You don’t think Cain’s going to side with you on this, do you?”
She had a hard time keeping her calm exterior intact, when all she wanted to do was run to the hospital and beat on Cain until she woke up and fixed things. She knew, though, that she didn’t have the luxury of wasting time fantasizing. At the moment she knew two things with utmost certainty. The man who had taken her son wouldn’t harm him without negotiating first, and if she didn’t break Merrick now, she never would.
“I spent years being where you can only dream about, Merrick—in Cain’s bed. You know what I learned in all that time, aside from the meaning of true passion?”
The guard’s green eyes narrowed to slits, but she didn’t respond.
“No clue? Let me tell you, then. I learned how Cain thinks and how she plans. Last night you weren’t at the warehouse. The one night everyone’s been planning on forever, and you’re nowhere in sight. Why was that?”
“You think you’re so fucking smart.”
“I don’t think, I know just how smart I am, thank you, but getting back to my question. You weren’t there because your job was to watch our son. Cain counted on you, and now he’s gone. I’m not blaming you, but I’ll lay it on thick when it comes to telling her about the getting-him-back part. Because let’s not kid ourselves, shall we. We know who has him and why.” Emma strode toward the bathroom. The talk was over, and she had baited the hook. She needed Merrick, but only if the woman was willing to work with her.
“How did you know I haven’t slept with her? You’ve been gone a long time.”
“A wife knows, Merrick. Don’t forget that. I’ll see you downstairs in a minute.”
The humor returned to Merrick’s laugh. Cain’s partner had won a decisive victory without throwing a punch, garnering a bit of admiration from her, the loser. Merrick had no doubt why her boss was still lamenting the loss of this woman. Any other woman would have fired her out of pride, but by allowing her to go wait with the rest of Cain’s men, Emma was giving her a second chance.
Carmen and some of her girls were passing around coffee cups when Merrick entered the large den where they had all convened. The only men missing were the ones watching over Cain in the hospital. Mook tried not to smile at Merrick’s appearance, knowing what it meant. He had no reason to dig into her wounded pride.
“What’s the plan, Merrick?” one of the men asked, looking around Carmen, who was filling his cup.
“I’m sure when the boss gets down here she’ll tell us what we need to do.”
“Who, Cain? I thought she was still in the hospital?”
“Not exactly, fellas. For now we’ll be taking orders from Emma Casey, and before you start grumbling, let’s hear her out. This woman may surprise you. She sure did me just a few minutes ago when I had a run-in with her.”
Mook and Merrick listened to the group’s grievances, letting them vent before Emma came down. One man named Hank who had been with Cain for a little over a year sounded adamantly opposed to taking any direction from Emma.
“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I ain’t going along with no snatch ordering me around.” Hank crossed his arms and leaned back into the thick cushion of the sofa.
“And your name is what?” Emma strode in and took a seat in the chair Merrick was standing behind. The fact that the guard didn’t move sent a clear message to the rest of the people in the room.
“Hank.”
