Nick’s temper stirred. He didn’t have time for this. He had leads to follow, threads to unravel. Beth Weber was out there somewhere, and he was going to find her.
“Brian,” he said, warning in his tone.
His cousin gave him a slap on the shoulder. “Relax, Nicky. You had to know it was coming.”
That was the problem. He had no idea what was coming. And if there was one thing Nick Santiago hated, it was surprises.
“Don’t start without me,” Mrs. Penny bellowed as she hustled across the marble foyer with her cane. Burt trotted after her, snarfing up the steady sprinkle of crumbs shed from her generous bosom. “I’ve got some cases we can work!”
“Can’t wait,” Brian said under his breath. He wheeled himself into the office with Nick’s surprisingly loud silent partner in his wake.
Nick blew out a breath and debated making a run for it.
“You’d never make it. My mile time is almost a full minute faster than yours,” Josie called from inside.
“Fuck,” he muttered and turned to face his office, remembering to leave the door open so as not to get locked in with these pains in his ass. “Let’s get this shit show over with.”
Riley was leaning against his desk. Her nose was twitching, and if she hadn’t known what this bullshit meeting was about, he bet she did now.
Mrs. Penny flopped down onto the cheap couch he’d dug out of Lily and Fred’s basement. She ignored the waterfall of papers that spilled out of folders onto the floor.
Nick leaned against the bookcase closest to the door, keeping his options for escape open.
Brian cleared his throat and looked pleadingly at Josie, who stood like a tiny, deadly sentry behind Nick’s desk.
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll do it.” She locked in on Nick. “You need to start working paying cases again.”
Possibly sensing the uprising, Burt tiptoed over and sat at Nick’s feet.
“And why is that, exactly?” Nick crossed his arms over his chest and dared his insolent employee to keep going.
Josie wasn’t the least bit intimidated. “You’re spending all of your time and resources on a case that isn’t bringing in any cash. We’re twiddling our thumbs while you’re turning down paying work.”
His jaw went rigid. “I don’t see how that’s anyone’s business but my own.”
Riley shifted uncomfortably against the corner of his desk.
“How are you gonna keep this big-ass roof over your head if you’re not bringing in any cashola?” Mrs. Penny demanded.
“At least Ihavea roof over my head,” he shot back.
“Look, Nicky,” Brian interjected. “We get why finding Beth is your priority. None of us are asking you to give up on that. We just think you need to find some balance or we could be heading into some seriously lean times.”
“I didn’t invest in this business just to watch it go belly-up like some whale carcass in Ocean City,” Mrs. Penny piped up.
Nick’s hands clenched into fists. No one told Nick Santiago what to do. Especially not when it was about his business in his own house.
“Thorn?” he asked, zeroing in on Riley, who looked as if she’d rather be anywhere but there.
She winced. “Uh. Yeah?”
“Do you agree?”
“I guess I can see both sides?”
That wasn’t the answer he wanted. “Way to have my back.”
“Oh, quit the wounded macho bullshit,” Josie groused. “Riley’s too nice to give it to you straight. But I’m not. You’re fucking up. This place doesn’t look like a place of business. It looks like the lair of a deranged psychopath with an obsession.”
