Read Merciless for Free Online Page B

problem.”
    Mac sighed. “I suppose I could talk to Grier,” he said grudgingly. “But if Harris’s client gets into any more trouble, ever, I’ll be his worst nightmare.”
    â€œI’ll be his second worst. Thanks.”
    â€œWhy are you making your own phone calls?” Kilraven asked suddenly. “Doesn’t your AA do that for you?”
    â€œShe didn’t come in this morning,” Jon said, and the worry he felt was reflected in his tone. “Didn’t call, either. That’s not like her.”
    â€œDid you phone her apartment?”
    â€œYes. No answer.”
    â€œCurious. Does she have enemies?”
    Jon laughed in spite of himself. “I’m not likely to find her in a sack in the river, if that’s what you mean.”
    â€œSorry. I guess I’ve been in law enforcement too long.”
    â€œJoin the club. You and Winnie coming to dinner Friday night?”
    â€œYes, if Cammy isn’t going to be there.”
    â€œWinnie likes Cammy!”
    â€œI know, but we’ve both had the tirade from Cammy about her new candidate for your affections. She’ll be on a roll and we don’t want to spoil a perfect dinner with a lot of argument. If you get what I mean.”
    Jon chuckled. “I haven’t invited her, if that’s a help.”
    â€œThen you can expect us. Winnie will bring homemade rolls. I didn’t ask. She offered.”
    â€œI’m amazed she can still manage to bend over the oven with her belly sticking out that far,” Jon remarked. “Cammy’s sure it’s going to be a boy because she’s big in front like that.”
    â€œChildbirth is a mystery to most people. Not to Cammy. We’ll be over about six.”
    â€œSee you then.”
    Jon hung up. He hadn’t let it show in his tone, but hewas worried about Joceline. It was the first time she’d ever missed work without calling first. Something big must be up. He immediately thought of her son.
    He picked up the phone and started calling hospitals.
    Â 
    Joceline was pacing the waiting room floor. She’d brought her knitting bag with her, but even that chore hadn’t diverted her. This had been a bad attack, the worst one yet. She’d tried to go into the cubicle with Markie, but the attending physician and a nurse had shooed her out in the kindest way possible. They needed to run tests, they explained.
    It was hard to leave a child who sounded as if he were smothering to death. Joceline was beside herself. Markie was her whole life. What if he died this time? What if they couldn’t save him…?
    â€œJoceline?”
    She jumped and gasped at the sound of her boss’s voice behind her. She jerked around, astonished.
    â€œIt’s not like you,” he explained, “not to call, if you can’t make it to work. I figured it had to be something catastrophic.”
    She bit her lower lip. “It’s Markie,” she said on a long breath. “A bad attack. The worst one he’s had yet.” She folded her arms over her small breasts. “They’re running tests.”
    At least she had medical insurance, good insurance, from her job. But it wouldn’t cover all of the expense, andshe didn’t know how she’d add another monthly payment to the bills she already had.
    â€œWhat sort of attack?” Jon repeated. Her mind was busy. She hadn’t even heard him.
    â€œHe has asthma,” she said heavily. “In the spring and fall, colds go down into his chest. He has chest infections, sometimes pneumonia. There are new drugs, good ones, for his condition, and we use them. He has allergy shots every week, too. But his lungs are just weak. He’s never had an attack come on so quickly, or be this bad. I didn’t think I’d even get him here in time…” She bit her lip and turned away.
    â€œHas he seen a specialist?”
    â€œYes. Lung specialists,