“How you holding up, kid?” asked Jarvis.
“Trying to convince myself she’s gone, even though all this time has passed. Marie was an innocent. She didn’t deserve what happened to her.”
“You took care of your own, Cain. Don’t go doubting yourself now. It’s only been a few months so cut yourself some slack. Walk across the street and buy an old man a cup of coffee, and I’ll tell you a tall tale, I will.”
The two strolled out, followed closely by Merrick and three other people. Under their assorted coats the four were wearing enough firepower to take out the entire block, if necessary. As backup, a team of ten guards looked on from the roof of the Casey warehouses. Each of them had a legally registered high-powered rifle strapped to his shoulder.
“What’s up?” Cain cocked her head up from under the brim of her hat to give the telephoto lenses, always aimed at the warehouse to catch her in a misstep, a clear shot.
“Why do you always look up when you know they’re there?” Jarvis turned the brim of his own hat further down on his head.
“I figure the ladies in the jury pool will never convict me if I provide enough good-looking photos for them to study in the deliberation room.”
The joke made her uncle laugh and slap her on the back. “Ah, it’s nice to hear a little of that ego back. I missed it.” They walked across the street to a cafe where Cain ate lunch almost every day. “Your father loved coming in here for the eggs.”
“You left your house in this rain to tell me about my father and eggs?” Cain waved to the waitress, holding up two fingers before she pointed to the coffeepot.
“It could be I just wanted to see you.”
The finger tapping on the table clued Cain to the fact that something was bothering Jarvis. Once the waitress put down two cups mixed with the right amount of cream and sugar, Cain laid her hand flat on the Formica surface, ready to hear whatever was on her uncle’s mind. “What gives?”
“Emma called.”
Had Jarvis stood up and slapped her, he wouldn’t have gotten a more stunned response. Cain slid her hand away from the coffee cup and curled it into a fist at hearing the woman’s name. “What did she want?”
Jarvis lowered his head and played with the top of the wet hat resting on his lap. He’d consider himself lucky if the fist close to him on the table didn’t lift and strike him before he was finished. He felt like the room had become nearly glacial from the color and look in her eyes.
“She’s in town and wants to meet with you. I offered her my protection as long as she doesn’t try to contact Hayden without your permission. I’m not telling you what to do, kid, but you need to finish with this business.”
“There’s no business to finish, it’s done. She walked out, remember?”
“She went home…” said Jarvis.
“
Jarvis was surprised at the outburst since Cain was usually all about control when she was in public. He noticed that everyone else in the diner went about their business as if the two of them were sitting in a soundproof box.
“Just a chat, Cain. Then you’re done.” Jarvis put his hands up in an effort to calm her down. He knew he was taking a chance, but he thought it was the best decision for all of them in the long run. He was willing to gamble anything for Cain to be happy.
Cain turned in her chair and addressed Merrick. “Call Mook now. Tell him no detours today, straight home, and he doesn’t open the door unless it’s one of us. Any fuckups on this one and it’ll be his last.”
Merrick didn’t ask why. She just pulled her phone out and relayed the message to the big blonde who was in charge of Hayden’s personal security.
Cain glared at Jarvis. “Tell Emma to meet me at the Erin Go Braugh at one o’clock. She’s got twenty minutes. And next time, uncle, never pick someone else’s loyalties above your family’s. If you learned anything from my father, besides what foods he liked to order, it should’ve been that.”
Chapter Three
The guards left Cain to her thoughts when they arrived at the Erin Go Braugh, a pub she owned. The crew who ran the place were restocking the bar and finishing their cleanup in preparation for the nightly crowd, and they too worked in silence. Cain closed her eyes and revisited the night that had changed her fate.
“Emma, pickup for table five, and try not to spill it this time.” The bartender slid the tray toward the new server, thinking he was going to have to start taking the lost liquor out of her paycheck. He felt sorry for the kid who’d begged for a job so she’d be able to stay in the city and in school. Too bad she wasn’t as graceful as she was cute.
“Don’t worry, Josh. I think I’ve got the hang of it now. This place’s so crowded it takes a miracle to make it to the tables without spilling something.”
Emma Verde had walked by the Irish pub numerous times when she was out with her friends. The live music
