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“I’ll hold you to that,” he said, reaching to grab the phone and hand it to her. An automatic glance at the caller ID revealed unknown name, unknown number.
He returned to the coffee pot to finish pouring his cup and added a dash of sugar, a drop of cream. The uncomfortable fit of his jeans made him think twice about sitting at the table, so he leaned back against the island counter. He let his gaze linger on Marley’s curves as he raised his mug.
“Who is this?”
Her ashen face and harsh tone halted his hand before the rim even touched his lips. Her gaze sliced to Justin. Her voice shook with a hint of apprehension and, if the tightness of her features was anything to go by, the onset of anger. Justin nearly dropped his mug on the table. Coffee sloshed over the sides as he set it down and started toward her. Marley held up a hand while taking a step back, her expression grim.
“I don’t have that kind of money!”
Justin felt his own rage begin a slow boil. More blackmail? This guy was growing way too greedy, way too fast.
“But I can’t—”
Marley clamped her mouth shut and Justin held up both hands in surrender as he approached, letting her know he wouldn’t interfere. She hesitated, then held the phone at a slight angle so he could listen in from the position he took up alongside her.
“…bring the cash,” the caller instructed. The muffled voice was low enough to be male, but also sounded purposely disguised. There was no way to know for sure if it was a man, and possibly the same person blackmailing his family.
“What if I can’t get that much?” Marley asked.
“Oh, you’ll get it. I know you’re not stupid.”
She drew in a deep breath. “Then what makes you think I’d meet you at a deserted job site after dark?”
Justin’s gaze met hers. He shook his head swiftly. She stared back without batting an eye. That scared him. It told him she actually contemplated meeting this low-life scumbag. Not if he had anything to say about it.
Footsteps sounded in the hall. He and Marley looked toward the doorway as Jordan walked in, looking ragged and in need of some caffeine and a shower.
“If you know what’s good for your brother, you’ll be there,” the voice on the other end of the line warned.
“Smells good in—” Jordan started to say. Justin sliced his hand frantically in the air to shut him up while Marley rushed to cup hers over the receiver.
“What?” Jordan asked.
“Is there someone else there?” the caller demanded.
“It’s the TV.” Marley directed a warning glare toward Jordan. He frowned, but continued to the coffee pot.
“Something to keep in mind, Marley,” the caller said. “St. Mary’s, room three-forty-five.”
Nate’s room. Marley’s indrawn breath made the jerk on the other line laugh while Justin’s muscles tensed.
“That’s right. I can still get to him any time I choose.”
“Listen to me you son-of-a—”
“Bring the money and only the money. I even smell a cop and Nate’s dead.”
There was a distinct click on the line, telling Justin the caller had hung up. When Marley didn’t move right away, he reached to take the phone from her hand. She resisted at first, but the moment he gained the handset, she whirled around as if snapping out of a trance.
“Can you believe this?”
Justin punched in the universal code to dial back the phon
e’s last caller, but all he got was a recording saying, “Number unavailable.”
“Someone want to tell me what’s going on?” Jordan asked from behind them. Justin watched Marley struggle to contain her anger.
“He wants ten grand to leave Nate alone,” she said to Justin.
