Free A Love to Cherish by Connie Mason Page A

have been a whole year looking for the lad without finding a clue to his whereabouts.”
    “Yeah, well, as I was saying, there are still some things that need defining.”
    Instantly suspicious, McAllister asked, “What things?”
    “For instance. What about the boy’s mother? Do you intend to share custody with her? Or give her visiting rights?”
    “Belle?” He gave a bark of laughter. “You’ve got to be kidding. The woman’s a whore. She could care less about the boy.”
    Casey felt his temper rising. “How well do you know Belle?”
    McAllister’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “The question is, how well do
you
know Belle? Are youfalling for the whore? I told you she was good. I warned you about her. Look how she snared Tom. Lame or no, that woman lured Tom into her bed then talked him into marrying her.”
    “Cut the crap, McAllister! I think you know the truth about Belle but are afraid to admit it. You’re blind to everything but the need to salve your own conscience for Tom’s death. You think you can do that by giving Tommy everything his mother can’t.”
    “You weren’t paid to pass judgment, Walker. I gave you hard cash to find my grandson. You’ve found him, I’m satisfied. Now, tell me where he is.”
    “You haven’t answered my question. Are you willing to share custody with Belle? Or offer her a place in your home so she can see Tommy every day? It’s only right, you know.”
    “Who in the hell made you my conscience? I want nothing to do with that whore. If not for her my son would still be alive. There will be no sharing of custody. I don’t want Belle anywhere within my sight. And she’s not going to get a red cent of my money, either.”
    He’d tried, sweet Jesus, he’d tried. Nothing in Casey’s life had prepared him for something like this. He’d been accused of being cold, determined, and thoroughly merciless. Unfeeling. Even heartless. He’d had taken pride in his ability to do his job without becoming emotionally involved. He’d always brought in his man, always solved his case using whatever means available, and gone on to the next assignment with a clear conscience. Not this time. Oh, no, not this time. Something inside him balked at betraying Belle.
    “I feel sorry for you, McAllister. Wild horsescouldn’t drag the information from me. It will be a cold day in hell when I tell you where to find Belle and Tommy.”
    McAllister leapt from his chair, waving his hands before Casey like a madman. “What do you mean? You took my money! You accepted the assignment. I paid you in good faith. I was right, wasn’t I? You’ve bedded the bitch.”
    Casey’s clenched fists and white lips should have warned McAllister, but they didn’t.
    “How was she, Walker? She must have been damn good in the sack to get you so fired up. Go ahead and screw her head off, it won’t change a damn thing. I paid you to do a job and you owe me. Give me the information I want.”
    Grasping McAllister’s lapels, Casey pulled him out of the chair and halfway across his desk, giving him a vicious shake for good measure. “Go to hell! I wouldn’t give you the time of day. You needn’t worry about your money.” Releasing McAllister, Casey grabbed paper and pen from the desk, scribbled an IOU and threw it in his face. “Here! I’ll see that you get every penny I owe you.”
    Free from Casey’s bruising grip, McAllister slumped back into his chair, his face mottled with rage. “Allan Pinkerton is going to know about this. I’m not without influence. I’ll see that you never work again for the agency.”
    A vision of Belle appeared before Casey’s eyes, her face tear-stained, her arms raised beseechingly as McAllister carried off her son. An instant later it was replaced by Mark’s face, wan and pinched from his months in prison, pleading with him to set him free. He was being torn from both sides. And in the center was his honor, his very reputation as adetective. In the end there was no