Page 46 of Collateral Claim

“Scarlett! Oh thank God you’re okay. You’re okay, aren’t you?”

“I’m fine.” Her eyes drift to where my guns lie on the table. “For now.”

I nod in approval.

“How are you?” she asks. “How is your leg?”

“Forget my leg. I’m worried about you. Hope he’s treating you well. Is he?”

Scarlett opens her mouth, then closes it, opens it again. I don’t think she knows what to say.

“I’d like to come home,” she finally says.

“I know, honey, and I’m working on it.”

“Work faster,” I interject.

A long pause before Daniel speaks again. “I’m trying. Most of my connections don’t know your brother or where he is.”

I grit my teeth. “If you deny your involvement with Cass again, you will regret it. I’ve been patient with you.” I lock eyes with Scarlett. “And I’ve been patient with your daughter, but if you continue with the charade, I will do what I must.”

“His guns are on the table. Please tell him what he wants to know.”

Nice. I give her a thumbs-up.

This time, Daniel doesn’t deny anything. “I need more time.”

Scarlett blinks. I’m not sure what she expected, but I’m sure by the end of this call, she’ll understand I’m not the only villain here. “Can Wilfred help you find this man?”

“Wilfred?” I ask abruptly. Inwardly, I curse myself for the outburst. There’s something strange brewing under my skin. I don’t like how she asked about Wilfred. But she’s not my fiancée, and even if she were, a woman can speak another man’s name, for fuck’s sake.

“He’s helping already,” Daniel answers.

“How?” I ask. Might as well ask now that she brought him up.

“He’s reaching out to his contacts in another part of the world.”

“Which part of the world is that?” she asks.

This should be fun.

“Scarlett, dear, don’t worry yourself with this. I’ll deal with the Macarley problem.”

“I know you will.”

“Answer her question,” I snap.

Daniel pauses, then says, “I have other contracts. Ones that the government could offer you instead of your rival.”

I smile. “I’m not interested.”

“They’re valuable contracts. With those, your business can go legitimate.”

“Let me get this straight. The man you hired to sell your cargo is now missing, and you want his brother, that’d be me, to work with you lot? Nah, I’m good. But I can recommend you to my rival so you could put him out of business.”

Scarlett is quiet. That smart brain of hers is putting together bits and pieces of her life as I confront her lying father. It really turns me on that she’s a bright, capable woman, not easily rattled.

“We meant no offense,” another voice says. Wilfred. I glance at my Nighthawk on the table.