Why the fuck would I pursue answers if there were armed people involved?
My body carried me out to the sidewalk and across the street, where lights flashed and neon glowed.
I could only hope I wouldn’t regret whatever happened next.
10
NOVA
“Okay, spill it.What’s going on with you?”
Of all times for me to zone out, I discreetly glanced toward the windows beyond our table for the man currently in charge of watching over me.Laura’s question brought to a screaming halt any illusions I had over my distractedness going unnoticed.
“Nothing, really,” I insisted in response to her gentle but knowing laughter.“I’m serious!”
“That’s why you keep looking outside like you’re waiting for something to happen?I would probably have a better conversation with you if I stood outside and talked to you through the glass.”She tossed her lustrous, golden locks over one shoulder before adding, “At least then, you would pay attention to me.”
“Ow, really?Is that what I’ve been doing?”I reached across the table and squeezed her hand.She deserved better than that.“I’m sorry.I am distracted.A lot has been going on.”
“Getting acclimated to life back home?”she asked, her voice heavy with sympathy.Sure.Let her think that.
“Yeah, I’m not exactly thrilled with some of the decisions Dad has made with the casino.”Let her think that too.It wasn’t exactly a lie, even if I still couldn’t believe he was behind it.
“He’s always respected your smarts, right?And he was all about you going to Oxford for business.He’ll come around,” she predicted, smiling brightly because, as far as she knew, it was that simple.If only.
“I’m sure you’re right,” I agreed because there was no other option.“But now I feel like I owe you another dinner.Next time, I’ll actually pay attention.”
With her eyes narrowed, she said, “It’s a good thing we’re friends, and I know how to find you.”
She wasn’t the only one who knew how to find me, and that was the problem.I hadn’t seen the guy with the ponytail or anybody else who looked strange or threatening in the past couple of days, but then maybe I wasn’t looking as intently as I did before, knowing there was someone doing the watching for me.It was a strange feeling, the sort of thing I could get used to.And that was wrong because I couldn’t get used to it.I still had to rely on myself, on my wits.I couldn’t let Vaughn or anybody else do the thinking for me.
Funny.I used to feel safe in this building, though if I were having dinner at the casino, it was normally delivered to Dad’s office.We would talk up there and share stories about our days.He might ask for my advice—almost jokingly when I was a kid, but more seriously as time went on, and I showed an affinity for business.Those memories had kept me warm during the early days in England when I was a fish out of water, thousands of miles away from home and longing for something familiar, something comfortable.I would think back on all the times we’d spent under this roof while people gambled and celebrated far below us.
I made it a point to show my face here tonight so Dad might get word I was around.He’d supposedly been too busy to see me since Saturday.In the few minutes I’d managed to grab with him on the phone, not only had he complained about being slammed with work, he’d urged me to take a little time to rest, relax, and enjoy myself before moving on to the next phase of my life and career at the casino.
Strange.There was a time I would have loved him for that.I would have felt almost smug, having such a doting father who cared so much about my well-being.Now, only suspicion resulted from such a decision.Nico must have told him I was outside his office.There was no way he hadn’t.And now, Dad would go out of his way to keep me at arm’s length like I was still a child who might forget what I’d heard if given enough time.
To think he didn’t know what I hadseen.He didn’t know I witnessed that sad scene downstairs.I never got the chance to tell him and had no idea when I would at this point.This was too big of an issue to talk about over the phone.Besides, I wanted him to look me in the eye.Maybe I could talk some sense into him, convince him to stop working with whoever was connected to this bullshit.But when could I do that without Nico lurking around?
Part of me wondered as I settled the check if I could have a minute alone with him now.A couple of glasses of wine had given me a little extra courage, so much so that by the time I hugged Laura and promised to follow up in the morning, I was determined to go upstairs rather than head outside where my guard could see me.
It was once I left the restaurant through the rear door leading to the casino floor that something else occurred to me.It was Friday night.Hadn’t Nico said something about Friday when he was with Dad in the office?Yes, it would be a week tomorrow, meaning this was the night he’d referred to.I checked my phone for the time—five minutes to nine.The time the van would leave with the new so-called shipment.
There was a choice in front of me.Go upstairs, where Nico could very well be in Dad’s office, or go out to confirm what that ghoul meant when he was talking about shipments.I was running out of time to see for myself.I could go up once I was sure, and Nico could get fucked if he thought his presence would intimidate me.
One of the benefits of being raised in this casino was knowing how to get in and out no matter where I happened to be.There were too many people wandering the floor for anyone to notice me almost hugging the far wall until I found the nearly hidden panel which, when pressed, sprang open to give me access to one of the service hallways running around the building on three sides so staff could quickly move from one end to the other without guests getting in the way.A handful of staff members walked it now, though they were all new enough that none of them recognized me and vice versa.I walked quickly, with purpose, keeping my gaze focused straight ahead.They would probably forget they ever saw me.
It wasn’t them I was worried about, anyway.It was what I would do if I found what I suspected I would find.How could I confront my father?Would Nico intercept before I had the chance?There was so much uncertainty I almost stopped, reconsidering what could only be considered a vague plan in the first place.
What was the alternative?Losing hour after hour of sleep as those poor women continued haunting my dreams?There was no getting them out of my head.Even the privilege of enjoying a meal like the one Laura and I had just shared was something those women couldn’t experience.
I had to do something.
I couldn’t turn away.
Finally, I came to the end of the hall, where I could turn left or exit through the door leading outside.With my heart in my throat, I turned to my right and eased the door open onto a cool, dry night.
And right away, I heard them—the men talking to each other, two of them farther up on my left, smoking cigarettes with their heads on a swivel, keeping watch.
