“Don’t be a stranger,” Paul told Mikey.
He shrugged. “I might visit occasionally,” he mused. He looked at Merrie and grinned. “I hear Tony’s telling people he’s got an adopted daughter who paints like one of his famous ancestors.”
She grinned. “That’s sweet of him.”
Mikey tapped her nose. “Just don’t forget that people are what they are, kid,” he replied. “Don’t expect Tony to sing in the church choir and help little old ladies across streets.”
“He may be a bad man, but there’s some good in everyone,” she reminded him.
“More good in some people than in others,” he added with a sly look at Paul, who returned the look.
“Come tell us all about the trip!” Sari enthused.
“I’ll say goodbye, for now.” Mikey kissed Merrie’s cheek, and Sari’s, and shook hands with the men. “I’ll head for the airport.”
“The limo will take you,” Paul said.
“Thanks again,” Merrie said.
Mikey smiled. “You’re a nice kid,” he replied. “Don’t let life disillusion you too much.”
“I’ll try,” she promised. “You try not to be so gloomy.”
He shrugged. “Leopards don’t change their spots. See you.”
“What did he mean, about leopards?” Merrie asked when they were drinking coffee and eating Mandy’s sour cream pound cake.
Paul sighed. “There’s been a development. Sort of.”
Merrie’s eyebrows arched.
One side of Paul’s chiseled mouth pulled down. “They found the contract killer.”
“They did?” Merrie exclaimed. “Are they going to prosecute him? Will I have to testify?”
“He won’t be arrested,” Paul said. “See, they found him, but he’s in an oil drum in a river in Jersey.”
Merrie’s mouth fell open. Ren winced.
“Nobody knows who did it,” Paul assured her. “We can speculate, but we’ll never really know.”
“Tony?” Merrie asked slowly.
Paul shrugged. “Anybody’s guess. If I were guessing, however, I’d wonder if the contract man decided his reputation was more important than Tony’s orders. You don’t say no to Tony.”
Merrie felt faint. “You mean, the man was going to kill me anyway, to fulfill his contract, so that his reputation would remain intact?”
“That’s what Mikey thinks,” Paul replied. “He doesn’t know,” he was quick to add. “It’s an educated guess.”
Merrie touched her own throat. “I felt so safe...”
“You were always safe,” Paul said. He looked at his watch. “That reminds me. Since I sent Mikey in the limo, I’ll have to drive over to the airport in San Antonio. The plane should be landing soon.”
“Plane? What plane?” Merrie asked.
“The Avengers are due back from Morocco. Well,” he added when he saw Merrie and Ren’s expressions, “we didn’t dare take a chance without knowing for sure where the hit man was, right? So Rogers and Barton went on your honeymoon with you. They were very discreet,” he added with a grin. “They stayed in the same hotel, but they were wearing robes and sporting fake beards. Since they both speak Berber, they blended right in!”
“Good grief.” Merrie burst out laughing.
Ren grinned. “I never spotted them. Good camouflage.”
“They kept their distance. But if anyone had threatened you, they’d have found him. Even in Morocco.”
Merrie leaned against Ren’s shoulder and smiled. “They, and my adopted dad, have taken good care of me.” She was grateful, although she spared a single regret for the contract killer who was dead. On the other hand, if he was still alive, there would have been other assignments, other poor victims. In the end, she felt, it was God’s will. However he’d died.
“Taking care of you will be my job from now on,” Ren said softly.
“So it will,” she teased.
*
REN’S MOTHER HAD her surgery. The surgeon told Randall and Ren that he’d removed every trace of cancer. A few weeks of radiation and chemo, and she’d be good as new.
Ren and Merrie stayed with her in Chicago while Randall took care of Skyhorn business and visited when he could.
“You’re turning into a fine rancher,” Ren teased, hugging his brother while they waited for their mother to come out to the waiting room, after undergoing her last treatments. “I’m proud of you.”
Randall flushed. “High praise, coming from you. Thanks.”
“It’s your ranch, too,” Ren said, smiling.
“Well, I’m more of the junior partner. But I think I’m getting good at marketing.”
“Best ever,” his brother replied.
“Production sale in three months, you know,” Randall reminded him. “We’ll have to put on a fine spread for all those hungry ranchers we’re persuading to buy our bloodstock.”
“We’ll manage. Right now, I’m looking forward to the holidays,” Ren said, surprising everyone. “We’ll put up a tree and have turkey and dressing. The works.”
“Do you feel all right, Ren?” his brother asked.
“I’ve never felt better.” He looked down at Merrie with love beaming from his black eyes. “It’s going to be the best Christmas we ever celebrated. Mom’s coming with us, too.”