Dr. Ellie Eschete knocked before entering the exam room at the end of the hallway. In Emma's chart were the results of the various blood and urine tests they'd run and Cain had insisted on waiting for.

"Well?" Cain asked when the door opened. She was sitting on a stool next to Emma, who was on the exam table. But she looked so nervous any thought of teasing her seemed like a bad idea.

"You don't have the flu," Ellie told Emma.

"Well?" Cain asked again.

"Honey," Emma put her palm against Cain's cheek, "calm down and she'll tell us."

"I'd plan to have another guest for Thanksgiving this year," Ellie said, staying in the doorway to keep clear of Cain's reaction. "It's not a stomach bug, sweetie,it's morning sickness. And if you're lucky it won't last as long as mine."

"She's pregnant?" Cain asked, sounding disoriented.

"She is, and I can even tell you when you got her that way," Ellie said, holding the chart up to hide that she was laughing.

"Congratulations, and don't forget to make an appointment before you leave. See you then."

Cain lifted Emma off the table as if she weighed nothing and let out a whoop so loud the guys in the waiting room could probably hear it. They kissed and cried again.

"I'm so happy it's almost as if the time we were apart doesn't exist anymore," Emma said after she dressed. "That feeling is the best gift you could've given me."

"It doesn't exist because it'll never happen again." Cain held Emma's hand as they walked out. "We need to celebrate tonight."

Emma stopped to make her appointment and nodded. "I'll get this.

Go share our news with Lou and the others before holding it in kills you."

Lou had his arms around Cain when Emma stepped out but let her go to give her a hug as well. "I'm happy for you, Emma."

"Another one for you to watch over," Emma said. "That'll keep you all busy enough, so it's time to finish what you started."

"You heard the lady," Merrick said. "Let's get to it."

"Senor Luis." Oscar sat in the seat Carlos had put his hands on the back of and puffed his chest out as if preening. "Thank you for your invitation." He accepted the espresso Carlos handed him. "My compadres are jealous they weren't called."

"It's you I want, Oscar." Rodolfo took a sip of his own coffee and tried to even his breathing. "Can I get you anything else?"

"No, Senor, the coffee's fine. What would you like me to do for you?"

"I want you to tell me where Jesus is." Rodolfo put his cup down and folded his hands in his lap. "I haven't seen him, and he didn't say where he was going."

Oscar leaned forward to put his cup down as well but couldn't keep it from rattling before it reached the table.

"Do you think he's with my nephew?"

Oscar let out a nervous-sounding laugh as he turned around and looked at Carlos."In Mexico? I don't know."

"Don't worry, Oscar." Rodolfo spoke in a soothing voice he'd used on Juan many times when he was a boy afraid of the dark after Gracelia had read him a bedtime story. After seeing the paper Cain had given him, he knew what Gracelia had been feeding him before he went to bed. "I already know where Jesus is."

"Where?I've been worried."

"That's a waste of your time. Jesus is no one's worry anymore."

"Where is he?"

"If I know Cain Casey, he's probably rotting in a dark hole somewhere." He delivered the news in the same soothing voice.

"Jesus was first on her list, but she wants me to hand over someone else."

"She killed Jesus?"

"What you should be asking is who she wants next and why. Or do you already have an idea?"

Oscar tried to stand but Carlos put his hands on his shoulders and pushed him back down. "Don't worry. I'm not about to hand you over to be killed for taking out some guy that worked for Casey, but I do need something from you."

"Whatever you want."Oscar put his hands together like he was praying.

"Where's Juan?" As Rodolfo asked, Carlos pressed a knife to his throat and grabbed a handful of hair.

"At the hotel at the end of Esplanade, and he got back the day Jesus killed Casey's man. I didn't want any part of that, but Jesus said you knew about it." Oscar's hands were bobbing from his chest to his lap as he cried. "Then Juan ordered me not to tell you."

"Who's with him?"

"That guy from the FBI. A few of our men come and go, but Juan seldom goes out." As Oscar explained in a begging manner, he glanced back at Carlos occasionally.

"Take him downstairs," Rodolfo told Carlos," but before you cut him loose, I want to know who else was at the airport that day."

"Senor Rodolfo, please, I didn't want to be there."

"Get him out of my sight."

"Like we talked about?" Carlos asked.

Rodolfo stood, walked to the window, and merely lifted his hand in response. When he did, Oscar let out a moan that sounded as if someone had shot him. Perhaps that's what would happen to him, Rodolfo thought, but he wasn't concerned what Cain did to Oscar once Carlos handed him over. All he cared about was defusing the fire keg Juan had lit.

The street in front of Ramon's club was lined with work trucks that morning when Cain and her group arrived. Whoever had thrown the incendiary device had managed to damage only the very front s.p.a.ce, but unfortunately two employees had been standing there. From the number of workmen, Ramon didn't plan to stay closed long.

Mano was waiting for them by the bar, and before he led them to Ramon's office on the third floor he embraced Cain and kissed both her cheeks. "Thank you for saving my sister."

"You'd do the same for me." The guards hung back until they finished their talk, and Cain took her time with Mano because she, better than anyone, understood what an emotional wringer he'd been through. "I failed when it came to Marie and Billy, but I'm glad you were able to avoid that pain."

"After seeing how much you care, I can't believe you failed at all. I can't replace the loss of your family, but I want you to accept that you're part of mine. Whatever you need, call me and I'll treat you no different than if Remi was asking."

"Thanks, that means a lot to me."

"Good. Now if you're ready to go up, I got the package you asked for."

Richard looked like he was in shock when Cain entered and saw him standing in the corner, his back against the wall. His eyes were on Remi, and he kept blinking like maybe he could clear Remi from his sight if he tried hard enough.

"Good morning, Richard," Cain said to snap him out of his trance.

"Sit down and close your mouth."

"Why am I here?"

"You're here so we can offer you the deal of your life."

"Ramon, what's this about?" Richard asked.

"Cain speaks for me and my family, so ask her. I just brought my checkbook," Ramon said with a laugh.

"The reality of our situation is that you own a casino in someone else's name. You're Junior and Nunzio Luca's front man, but in the eyes of the lawyou, and you alone, own the Capri," Muriel explained. Ross, Steve, and Dwayne sat next to her merely listening to what was going on. "Understand me so far?"

"If this has to do with the casino deal, you need to call Nunzio,"

Richard said, his breathing speeding up noticeably.

"We don't need to call Nunzio," Cain said, "when we have the true owner right here."

"Cain, no matter what you do, you're not going to make me sign anything. Whatever you threaten me with, Nunzio's only going to do worse, and you know it."

"Why not listen to what Muriel has to say before you turn us down?" Cain held her hands up. "But before you decide to walk away no matter what, consider this. Today is the last day any of us will talk about this deal, much less consider it. A decision you made without Nunzio's permission brought us to this point. Do you think he's forgotten that?"

"What do you want?"

"We want the casino, and we want to buy it from you."

Richard was laughing so hard he slapped his knees. "That's hilarious. Really, what do you want?"

"I'm not a huge fan of repeating myself, just so you know."

Richard's merriment died at Cain's words and the room fell silent again. "But I'll explain again since it seems over your head. You can turn me and the Jatibons down and face Nunzio. Or you can accept our offer and retire to a palm tree somewhere with the money we're going to pay you for signing your name."

Richard sat up straighter and put his hands over his mouth. While he thought about it, Cain made a bet with herself how long he would hold out before he took the money.

"How much?"

Cain accepted a slip of paper from Ramon and handed it over.

"That amount in a Cayman account in your name. You can enjoy the beach for awhile if you want, or you can transfer it wherever you like."

"Who's going to protect me from Nunzio?"

"That check has enough zeros to buy all the protection you'll need."

Richard closed his hand over the paper and took a deep breath. "If you tell me why, I'll give you what you want."

"You should know the answer to that," Cain said, "but I'll let Remi explain."

"Nunzio took his shot at me, and this is our response. Hiring someone to kill me doesn't come without consequences. The casino is his consequence."

"I sign it over and you give me the moneyit's that simple?"

"You got it," Cain said.

"But it's worth so much more," Richard said as he glanced at the amount again.

"Do you remember how well your negotiations went the last time you tried?" Cain shot back.

"You have the papers ready?"

Cain and Ramon nodded.

"And you'll help me get out of here?"

"I'll have our plane take you wherever you want to go after the transaction is done," Ramon said.

"Let me know when and I'll be there," Richard said, putting the paper in his coat pocket.

"Steve, Dwayne, and Ross will escort you to the Mississippi Gaming Board Office today," Cain said. "The application's complete and waiting for you to sign." Richard stood after Cain did and shook her hand, then Ramon's."Only your signature, Richard, nothing more that'll delay this."

"When did you set up the meeting with the gaming board?"

"Yesterday afternoon," Cain said, smiling when he appeared surprised. "I'm buying a casino, but I never gamble unless it's a sure bet. You struck me as a sure bet."

"I'd tell you to kiss my a.s.s, but with all that money I don't care what you think of me."

Simon and Muriel left with Dwayne and Steve, but Cain stopped Ross. "Are you sure about this? It's not too late to change your mind if you don't want the added scrutiny in your life."

"You're my family, and I don't mind helping you out when I can.

Besides, you don't have to ever question your trust in me. What happened with Richard today will never cross my mind, and it's got nothing to do with Emma or the kids."

"Then we'll have plenty to celebrate when you get back."

Once the group had left, the guards did too, so Cain and the Jatibons were alone. They needed to discuss the rest of their plans, and after considering all the options Cain thought it best to strike back fast.

"Our people are in place at the casino's hotel waiting for our call,"

Mano said as he handed everyone a folder. "Muriel and I worked up a list of immediate firings. She has the pink slips with her so she can distribute them when she hears from our new owners."

"When are we telling Nunzio?" Remi asked. Her time with Dallas had been productive as far as their relationship, but Cain and her father had given her some time off from her responsibilities to heal.