Desperate Measures by Linda Cajio Read Free Book Online Page B

capable of giving it away to another family member—if Mario’s need was “innocent.” And Mario knew it.
    Joe had been puzzling about how Mario could have acquired the recipe. The only people who had the entire thing were Joe himself, his father, the senior lawyer, whose honesty would have made Diogenes ecstatic, and the safe. Mario had to be assembling the four parts. The situation was not as far along as he had feared. His other cousin, Jamie, and his own sister, Carol, had the other two quarters of the recipe. Ten minutes ago, he had complete faith in them. Now he wasn’t quite so sure. But even if Mario acquired only Thomas’s quarter, that in itself could be disastrous. In thesame way an anthropologist could rebuild a man from an arm bone, someone could rebuild the recipe from just a part of it. They might not get it precisely right, but they could get a fair clone.
    Joe’s head was spinning, and he felt as if he were playing a chess game with someone who was changing the rules every second move. He decided that he’d make a few rules of his own before it was over. He also decided this was not the time to be peering out from behind palm trees.
    “Joe!” Ellen whispered fiercely as he took her hand and headed straight for the booth cradling his relatives. “Wait! What are you doing, and let me in on it!”
    “Just follow my lead,” he said. Her hand was warm in his, and he smiled to himself, although he knew this was hardly the moment for one of Ellen’s distractions.
    “It figures,” she muttered loud enough for him to hear. “In I Spy , Robinson was always the impulsive one.”
    He grinned over his shoulder at her. She was right. He had no idea what he was going to do. He only knew he had to do something. “Just remember Scotty’s job was to rescue Robinson.”
    They reached the booth before she could reply. The gods were with him, Joe thought, then tried to look startled and pleased as the two men glanced up.
    “Thomas! And Mario!” he exclaimed cheerfully, watching his uncle smile back in innocent delight. Mario’s initial shock was instantly covered by a smile that didn’t reach the cold, narrowed eyes. Both men rose to their feet as Joe added,“We came down to do a little gambling, but I didn’t know you two were going to be here tonight too. And together.”
    “Joey!” Thomas said. Joe ignored the snort of feminine amusement at his uncle’s use of the boyhood nickname. Thomas shook his hand, saying, “This is a wonderful surprise. Are you here for Sinatra too?”
    “Sinatra?”
    Thomas nodded.
    Joe smiled sourly. Thomas loved Frank Sinatra. Mario was pushing all the right buttons. “We’re here for the gambling.”
    “You’re missing a great show then. Mario got some tickets from somewhere—I don’t ask—for this private late show Sinatra’s giving tonight, and he’s treating his uncle Thomas instead of some pretty girl, bless him.” Thomas looked at Ellen and smiled. “I see you have a pretty girl with you, Joey. A very pretty girl. Come and join us for a little while. Mario won’t mind my asking. We’re all family.”
    Joe pulled Ellen closer, putting his arm around her waist. His mind was racing with the twin thoughts of keeping Thomas from trouble and watching his own back at the same time, but it was instantly sidetracked by the soft curve of Ellen’s waist and the subtle wave of heat that threatened to send his senses into oblivion. She stiffened at the contact, and he realized she was as affected as he.
    “This is Ellen Kitteridge,” he said, keeping his response to her at a minimum. “Ell, my uncle, Thomas Carlini, and my cousin, Mario Penza.”
    Ellen’s smile was serene as she shook hands with both men. Joe wondered what Mario thought at seeing the woman from the skating rink with him again. Whatever he thought, it didn’t show on his face.
    “Do we have a few minutes, Ell?” he asked her, deferring to his “date” as any gentleman would.
    Her smile