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“Now that I think about it, she’s far more ruthless than you are,” his mother mused. “It’s your polite upbringing. You were taught to be a gentleman, and she had to fight it out on the streets.”
“Yes, the mean streets of Papillon,” he deadpanned. His mother was making it sound like Jayna had fought her way through her childhood like a Dickensian character. Or more likely a kid in a Scorsese film who knifed her own sister to claw her way to the top of the Mafia.
“I think she might be one of those shark people.” His mother proved she knew neither Jayna’s history nor pop culture references. “You know, the kind who can sense blood in the water and don’t mind taking down a fish or two. That’s what your brother needs. He needs someone who knows how to fight dirty.”
Paul nodded as though this had been his plan all along. “Yes, I think she’s what we all need. You know our grandfather used to say that every generation needed an infusion of fresh blood to stay on top of things.”
“Ideas,” Quaid corrected. “Grandad said we needed fresh ideas. He was not talking about DNA.”
“Oh, he was,” his mother said with a sigh. “After Momma passed to her glory he tried to marry a stripper, and that was his excuse. That the family needed fresh blood. I think he was more interested in her boobs. I never told you this but I think she gave him a stroke. Or all that Viagra did it. Poor Daddy. Do you think we could get Jayna to grow out her hair? I know it’s chic in the city, but here a woman needs her hair.”
“I think Jayna is beautiful the way she is,” Paul announced.
It actually felt a little nice for his brother to have his back for once. And Jayna’s hair—which was perfect the way it was. “No one is going to talk to her about her hair. Her hair is fine.”
The door opened and Armie and Lila were there again.
“Time to get you upstairs,” Lila said. “Quaid, follow us. Paul, you can drive in with Jayna, but I’m serious about not lifting heavy items or doing anything physical until that heals. I don’t want it opening up or getting infected.”
“I’ve got Jayna. She can do all the physical stuff. I’ll be around to amuse everyone.” Paul stood and sobered. “I promise. I won’t worry my mom any more than she already is. I’ll be careful. When she gets home she’s going to need me to take care of her.”
Quaid wanted to believe him. Was there truly something different about his brother this time? He stepped aside to let Armie lift the side rail of his mother’s bed.
“I’ll see you soon, baby,” his mother said as they wheeled her out.
He followed them toward the elevator that would take them to the helipad above. Jayna looked up from the paperwork in front of her.
“Thank you for everything.” He kissed her, wishing she could come with him.
“Of course.” She glanced over to where Paul stood by their mom’s bed and lowered her voice. “And I’ll figure out what’s going on. I promise.”
“You thinking what I’m thinking?” The bell dinged and they started to slide the bed inside. He would be taking the stairs. The elevator was too tight for three adults and a patient in a bed.
“That this has something to do with Paul’s loan shark? Like his car did? Yes,” she replied with no judgment in her tone at all. “I’ll get that name out of him and you’ll pay him off. This can’t happen again. Do you want me to get the cops involved?”
Sadly, that might make things worse in the short term. “Not yet. Let’s get the loan shark off our backs and my mother healthy before starting anything else.”
Jayna’s eyes lit up. “Then I can find a way to legally screw him over and possibly send him to jail for a long time?”
His mother was right. His love was a shark, and she enjoyed the kill. “Something like that. See you in New Orleans.”
He hustled as Paul was coming back to join Jayna.
His brother was in good hands.
“Hey, Jayna, Mom wants you to know that she’s got a tea with the Jaycees planned for two weeks from now and you’re going to need to be properly dressed for it,” Paul said.
“What does that mean?” Jayna asked.
It meant he might have just made a monster.
It also meant his mother would come around. Now he had to make sure Jayna did,too.
chapter thirteen
Jayna drove, the night black around them with only the headlights to illuminate the way. Quaid would likely land soon and then he would text them any updates. She’d gotten all of the paperwork Lila needed done and now it was time to start the second part of the assignment she’d given herself.
To figure Paul out.
