“What’s going on, Charlie?”
Outside, a man in a dark suit got out of the car. Zach knew the look of hired muscle—the bulge of a gun under the man’s suit. The man’s blank face. The man held open the car door on the back passenger side. From behind the house, Lucy walked out to the car, the rain flattening her hair and darkening her shirt. She ducked into the car.
Charlie sat up, her stare focused on the car and nothing else.
Zach looked from her to the car and back again. “Charlie? What the hell is going on? That guy outside looks dangerous and if he doesn’t have a gun, I must be going blind.”
“They are dangerous.” She turned to look at him. “I am sorry, Zach, but it’s Lucy’s story not mine. She’ll have to tell you—if she wants to.”
Chapter Seven
Lucy had been hoping Martino wouldn’t show up, but it really wasn’t that big a surprise since she’d hadn’t paid him yesterday. Heading to her room through the back of the house, she grabbed the pack of bills she had read and made her way to Martino’s car. Mud splashed onto her boots and rain soaked her hair and shoulders. She didn’t care. The driver held the car door for her and she slipped inside. If Martino minded her dripping onto the expensive leather he didn’t show it.
He smiled at her. “Lucy you are late. You know there are consequences for being late.”
Martino looked more like an accountant than anything. The black hair receding from a high forehead, wide-spaced dark brown eyes, and olive complexion spoke of an Italian heritage. Sharp cheekbones, a thin build, and a perfectly cut suit spoke of someone who cared about details. A diamond ring sparkled from the little finger of his right hand and he wore a gold ring on his wedding finger. He looked smooth—and rich. Lucy hated both those things.
She pushed the envelope of cash at him. “I tried to pay yesterday but you were not at the casino.”
“And why not leave it?”
“So your men could take the money and tell you I never paid? The deal is I pay off my dad’s debts—to you.”
He waved for her to drop the cash on the seat between them. Unbuttoning his suit coat, he let it slide open. Lucy glimpsed the gun in a shoulder holster. Her mouth dried. Martino smiled. “If I am not at the casino, find me. Or do you want me to add interest to what your family owes my family?”
“I’m paying you what my dad owed. That’s it. You keep changing the deal, and you don’t get anything.”
His smile widened. Leaning forward, he allowed his suit to fall open even more. She stared at the gun. Martino patted her cheek. “So like your father—he got pushy too. You saw how that ended for him. I have been very patient with you, Lucy. Don’t make me regret that patience.”
She pulled back. “Just remember—I can’t pay if I’m not working. So let me get the hell back to work.” Pushing open the door, she headed back to Charlie’s house. Heat burned on her face, but she could feel the chill of the rain soaking her. She heard the car start up and pull away. Clomping onto the porch, she kicked off most of the mud and pulled off her boots, leaving them outside so she wouldn’t track in mud.
Dragging in a breath, she stepped inside, ready to face the next ordeal—Zach and Charlie.
Charlie stood, shook her head and headed to the kitchen. Lucy didn’t miss the gun she carried with her. She turned to Zach. She knew he’d have questions.
He crossed his arms. “Some social call. Just what are you mixed up in?”
“Nothing that has anything to do with you, Zach.” She turned to walk away.
He snagged her arm and spun her around to face him. “You’re working for me. If there’s something that could change that arrangement, I want to know about it.”
She stared at him. “It’s none of your damn business.” Jerking free, she headed for the kitchen. She found Charlie making soup.
Waving a spoon, Charlie gestured to the back door. “Use my boots and rain slicker. Get yourse
lf a shower and get yourself back here for a hot meal.”
“I’m not—”
“If I hear the word ‘hungry’ coming from you we’re going to have words about lying, missy.”
Mouth pressed tight, Lucy did as she’d been ordered—Charlie could get away with that, but not Zach. The hot water of the shower did feel good, and eased both her knotted muscles and the chill in her bones. She dressed in a sweater and a jeans skirt and used Charlie’s rain gear to head back to the house. She found Charlie in the kitchen, but no sign of Zach.
Charlie waved her into a chair and served up soup and cornbread. “No, you didn’t drive him off, but not for trying. He said he had to take some calls, so he’s up in his room doing that. Guess he’s got some other business going, by the sound of it. His brother left a half dozen messages for him.”
Lucy nodded and poked at her soup. Sitting down opposite, Charlie took up her spoon. Lucy looked at her. “What? No lecture?”
Shaking her head, Charlie spread butter on her cornbread. “Honey, you don’t need me telling you what you need to do. You know it. You need to find a way to make Martino back down—that kind of bully is trouble until the day you stand tall.”