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Tai clapped his hands together, adrenaline surging. “That’s what I want to hear. Time to go hunting.”
“We need to clue the LAPD detectives in to Zhezhnov’s death.” Bridger said. “Obviously, the NSA peeps have neglected to share their discovery.”
Kate frowned. “Agreed. They’re wasting time hunting a dead man. Seems like we should let them know.”
Tenaya froze, a kitchen sponge in her hand, her delicate face pale. “Absolutely!”
Paige winced. “My friends at the, uh, unnamed agency, probably won’t love us leaking their intel.” She paused, fingers flying over the keys. “But no worries. I can filter the information through enough back channels that it won’t bounce back on them. If I bounce the contents of the report off a State Department server, and send it to the Russian Embassy––” She looked up, eyes gleaming. “Oops, forget I said all that. Just trust me, the cops will get what they need anonymously.”
Tai gulped the last of his coffee, the bitter taste bracing. Around him, the sleek modern lines of Tenaya’s condo felt jarringly at odds with the seedy criminal underworld they planned to invade.
He set down his empty mug with a decisive click. Time to hit it.
“Okay, let’s look at Zhezhnov’s known hangouts,” Paige said. “I’ve got three listed in the FBI files—a bar in West Hollywood, a seafood spot in Malibu, and a legal card casino in the Valley. All Red Hand fronts.”
Tai leaned over her shoulder scanning the locations, anticipation rising. Perfect.
Bridger eyed him warily. “I know that look. No casino.”
“Negative on your negative, bro.” Tai tugged at the hem of his tailored shirt. “You know I can do it.”
Bridger dragged a hand down his face. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“Not even a little. You know I can pull this off.”
“He is stupidly good at cards,” Fenn pointed out.
“The last time you crashed a casino, we barely escaped Monaco ahead of the police,” Bridger reminded him.
Tai waggled his eyebrows. “We’re not in Monaco. I’ll just win enough to get their attention. Promise.”
Around the room, reluctant nods answered him.
“Fine. Looks like we’re going gambling this afternoon.” Bridger agreed. He didn’t look happy about it, though.
Ignoring his friend’s lack of enthusiasm, Tai clapped his hands. “Now we’re talking.”
He’d win big, but just big enough to attract the attention of casino management. Then he’d deliver his message for “Zhezhnov.”
Let the chips fall where they may. The others might be skeptical, but the Red Hand running a legit card room? That was a gift straight from the Lord.
28
Tenaya stared blankly at the unfinished child custody motion on her computer screen, unable to focus.
She leaned back in her leather chair, tension coiling through her body. At this very moment, Tai and part of the team were invading one of Zhezhnov’s haunts to bait her stalker into the open. And all she could do was sit here, waiting and worrying and glancing at her silent phone, willing it to ring with an update from the team.
The waiting was pure torture. Tai was risking his life, deliberately antagonizing the Russian mob, while she hid here, useless, protected by the father she’d spent decades resenting.
Somewhere in the building, Graham kept watch over her, unseen but present, a guardian from the shadows. She shifted in her seat, skin prickling. His nearness made her profoundly uncomfortable, despite the fact that she was undoubtedly safer with him lurking nearby. Safer, yet utterly on edge at the same time.
The unfinished document on her screen practically shouted at her to get back to work, but the words seemed jumbled, the sentences crashing into each other. She jumped up to pace, nerves jangling, and strode to the window overlooking the bustling city. Far below, the afternoon sunlight glinted off a stream of cars crawling along the jammed freeway that cut between the shiny high-rises. The traffic was light for a Saturday, mostly tourists and beach-goers making the slog from the Valley to the ocean, she guessed, and the luxury shoppers zooming between Rodeo Drive and Westwood’s exclusive boutiques. Two enclaves that housed most of the firm’s elite clientele.
Tenaya pressed her forehead to the cool glass, willing her phone to ring. Somewhere out there Tai was spinning his deadly web of deceit. And there was nothing she could do but pray.
Sighing, she retreated to her desk. Unable to face the motion again, she clicked through to a file of financial documents, preparing for an upcoming deposition. Just one more high-powered executive trying to hide assets from his soon-to-be ex.
The numbers on the pages blurred as she scanned them. She used to take satisfaction in meticulously picking apart these elaborate deceptions, making sure vengeful husbands didn’t cheat their families. Now even these small victories rang hollow.
