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“You will. I…” Anne pressed her face into Evie’s neck and felt tears starting to prick her eyes. “Thank you, Will.”
/> “Don’t mention it, love.”
When William was gone, Anne ached. It rolled over her body from her insides out. Pain born of regret and bad luck, and her own stubbornness. If William hadn’t been arrested, would he be there with Evie every day? Would Evie have had her father to hold her and play with her, and give her everything that Anne couldn’t?
Anne had learned at a young age how to get by. But getting by wasn’t thriving. It wasn’t happiness. She just wasn’t sure that she could have that and still do what was best for Evie and Michelle.
Chapter Ten
Anne stepped into the limo waiting for her and looked at William dubiously. He’d styled his hair back, causing him to look more severe, and much more handsome. Still, she had to admit she preferred his hair the way he usually wore it, with minimum styling and a bit wild. She mentioned none of this. She simply took a seat, opened up a file that she’d brought with her, and started talking about the suspects they would be surveilling that night. Mostly men, all rich as sin, and not one that Anne would’ve been able to easily interact with if it were not for the gala.
“Relax, love,” William said, rubbing her shoulders. “You’re a vision. Everything will go smoothly. All you have to do is be friendly and keep your ears pricked, alright?”
She looked down. She couldn’t bring herself to correct William about what was bothering her. She still wasn’t over seeing William and Evie together. This wasn’t the time to start this conversation though.
“I’ve got it,” Anne snapped.
William pulled his hands back and folded them in his lap. “How are the girls doing?”
“Fine.”
“Please don’t be angry with me. I just thought that—”
“I’m not angry with you, William. I’m incredibly pissed at Kristie, but you didn’t—and I can’t believe I’m actually saying this—do anything wrong.” Anne sighed heavily and straightened the fabric of her skirt. “When you’re a parent, things are more complicated. Can we talk about it later? We have a job to do.”
“I understand. Or I think I do, not being a parent myself.”
Was he trying to goad her into talking? Or did he not suspect? She had a hard time believing he didn’t after spending a whole afternoon with Evie. William had a way of prying someone’s dearest secrets out before they even knew what they’d given up. Still…
Anne didn’t have time to dwell on it. They arrived at the gala, a large benefit raising money for children’s medical bills, and William took her hand to help her out of the car. The clicks of multiple cameras and phones serenaded them as Anne took William’s arm and walked into the immense ballroom. Anne had seen a few in her time working on the Vegas beat, but this ballroom seemed to be three times larger than any other on the Strip. Maybe it was the floor-to-ceiling decorations, including a number of acrobats twirling and dancing along scaffolding that had been painted in gold. A fountain had been placed in the center of the room that sparkled pink as it bubbled forth. The men and women glided across the floor as though floating to their destinations.
Anne’s eyes widened so much that they began to water. There were so many things designed to catch the eye that she couldn’t possibly take it all in, and that was saying something for a woman who had lived in Las Vegas all of her life. Even the women’s dresses were a spectacle. They were as ornate as Anne’s was simple, but somehow not as gaudy as dresses with similar sparkle that Anne had seen while patrolling the Strip. The only bit of shiny Anne was wearing were her mother’s diamond earrings and one pin, among many, in her hair that crowned the meticulous up-do that Michelle had arranged for her. Unlike the simple twist-bun she often wore, the hairstyle seemed to elongate her face and make her seem softer, rather than harsher.
“How much did all of this cost?” Anne wondered aloud.
“No telling.” William looked up and around them. “Most of these galas spend enough money to cure the disease they’re scrounging for.”
“Ugh.” Anne resisted making a face. They were here to work, not judge. She put on a pleasant expression and took William’s lead.
They made the rounds together, and William introduced her by the name Anne Pruit. There were couples young and old here, and a few singles clustered together. William spoke to all of them with an easy smile and a ready wit. Anne spoke less but put on the persona of a simple girl dazzled by the gala (which wasn’t too far from the truth) and only spoke when she had to answer for the sake of politeness. Apart from a time or two when she played up her naïve role so well that William had to cough to cover a laugh.
“You’re good at this,” he said, handing her a drink.
“It’s my job.”
William shrugged his head to one side. “There are other jobs that would require skills like this.”
“I’m not looking to be recruited.”
“Fair enough.” William leaned in closer to her and lowered his voice as he pointed across the room. “We’re going to listen in on them a bit, if we can. That’s Clary Egerton. Went to school with her for a time.”
“Catching up with old friends?” Anne raised her brow. Clary was a tall woman, whose poise disguised her actual height and strength. Her hair, a reddish-gold, was arranged impeccably, but even with the lift from the twists and pins, it came midway down her back. Her father was only a few inches taller than she was and had the same red hair, albeit with streaks of gray at the temples.
“Hard to go that far. Her father’s the man that put a hit out on me. I was still in Europe at the time, and my reach had inadvertently crossed over into some of his territory. Given who my father is, he couldn’t believe that it was a coincidence.” William shook his head. “Maybe it wasn’t, or perhaps my father would’ve issued me a warning. He was keen on object lessons though, so I suspect he wanted to teach me some abstract lesson about business or war, or both.”
“Is your father here? He might be connected to the murder,” Anne suggested.
William shook his head. “I don’t think so. He’s not so clumsy. I do, however, believe he’s the one who had me followed. Him or Egerton.”
