Thigh High (29 page)

“Promotion?” he repeated stupidly.

“Yes, you know, like”—Hestia used her hands like a banner—
“If You're Opening a Savings Account at Premier Central Bank When the Beaded Bandits Strike, You Get a Toaster!”

He could not believe the nerve of these Dahl women. “Nobody wants a toaster.”

Nessa smothered her mirth behind her hand.

Hestia was not discouraged. “Then how about using the Beaded Bandits in your advertising? Like that furniture guy who yells at the camera and jumps in the air?”

“You know if you jump in the air, Hestia, your knee will give way,” Calista said.

“We don't have to do precisely
that
,” Hestia said. “I'm certainly not going to yell at anybody, but I know we could bring business into the banks. Jeremiah could pay us!”

“Toasters don't sound so bad now, do they?” Nessa said to Mac.

Calista must have noted Mac's expression. “Or we could raise money for a charity. You know, show up at the bank in costume and pass the hat.”

In their faces, he saw the shape of his future world. In a conversational tone, he said to Nessa, “Do you know, all over the world, people are afraid of me.”

“Why is that?” she asked.

“I'm known as a mean bastard.”

Nessa sounded kind. “You would never know it now.”

“No. You wouldn't, would you?” He looked at the aunts. “No mice.”

“You'd let us do it?” Hestia clapped her sister on the back. “I told you it was worth a try!”

“No mice, no other living creatures of any kind,” he said.

The aunts' faces fell.

“Well…but we were thinking of raising money for the animal shelter and using some of the poor homeless kitties,” Calista said.

He put his foot down. “Kittens only.”

“And the cute little puppies!” Hestia said.

How did his foot get stuck in this quicksand? “Kittens and puppies only.”

“We have to start working on the schematic now!” Calista headed for the door, Hestia on her heels.

Nessa called them back. “Aunt Hestia. Aunt Calista. Don't you think you should start planning our wedding?”

Hestia waved an airy hand. “We already have it planned. We planned it when you were five.”

Heads together, the Dahl sisters left the room, leaving Nessa and Mac staring after them in disbelief.

“They always intended to use the banks to collect money for the shelter, didn't they?” He had been thoroughly manipulated. “The rest of that was a ruse.”

“When I was five?” Nessa said.

“I'm going to be knee-deep in puppy piddle, aren't I?”

“Knee-deep seems an exaggeration.” Nessa rubbed her forehead. “I wonder what my wedding dress looks like?”

“I don't know, but you'll look beautiful in it.” Mac held out his hand.

She came to his side and took his hand. “Thank you, MacNaught.”

“My name is Jeremiah.”

“Jeremiah.” They smiled at each other.

Without looking around, Mac called, “Would you nurses scram for a while?”

Gabriel walked in. “Hey, bro. You're looking better.”

Mac's exasperation exploded. “You can't come in. I'm trying to kiss my woman, and everyone in the city of New Orleans is visiting my bedside!”

“We're convivial people, we Southerners.” Gabriel grinned at Nessa and Mac's joined hands. “We like you to know we care.”

Nessa tried to step away.

Mac wouldn't let her go. “The report on the security at the banks can wait.”

“I'm here on a job. Just not that one,” Gabriel said.

“Why don't you nurses go get a cup of coffee?” Nessa suggested. “Miss Maddy always has a pot brewing in the kitchen.”

Nessa waited until the nurses had left, then perched a hip on Mac's bed. “What's wrong, Gabriel?”

Trust Nessa to see what Mac was too irritated to take in.

Gabriel's expression—serious, uncertain—meant something momentous had occurred.

Mac tucked a pillow under his head. “Sit down.”

“I'll stand.” Gabriel braced his feet. Squared his shoulders. Clasped his hands before him. “You're one of Nathan Manly's illegitimate sons.”

Mac heard the unspoken words.

Gabriel knew a lot about Nathan Manly. Stuff he'd been concealing from Mac.

Gabriel continued, “A few months ago, I convinced Carrick Manly, Nathan's legitimate son, and Roberto Bartolini and Devlin Fitzwilliam, his two known illegitimate sons, to hire me to track down their remaining brothers.”

“Jeremiah, you've got more half brothers!” Nessa said in astonishment.

“That doesn't actually surprise me. Nathan Manly wasn't known for his principles,” Mac said.

Nessa clasped his hand tighter in hers and beamed. “I've always wanted siblings. Now, honey, I have all of yours.”

But Mac didn't know what he felt, really. Pleasure at having more brothers? In his experience, family wasn't a pleasure, and if Nathan Manly's other sons were anything like Nathan Manly, he didn't want to know them. “Do you know them, Gabriel? Are they good men?”

“I've handled the case personally, and I've come to know Roberto and Devlin well. They are good men. Married to good women.” Gabriel stood rock still.

Typically, Nessa listened well, and picked the interesting statement out of Gabriel's speech. She asked, “Why did you handle the case personally?”

Gabriel answered to her. “Because there's a lot of interesting mysteries here. Why Manly destroyed his own company and stole the bankroll. Where he fled and why there's never been a trace of him. What happened to the money? And last but not least, how many sons did he produce?”

Mac studied Gabriel.

The guy looked like he was steeled for a punch.

“How many did he produce, Gabriel?” Mac asked.

“I know of five. Carrick, Roberto, Devlin, you”—Gabriel looked Mac right in the eyes. “And me.”