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“I wish you’d told me that’s what you were doing.”
“Why? They’re perfectly safe. Grady was eager to get to work and I feel better with them someplace secure.”
“I’m not convinced keeping the files is a good idea.”
“I can’t part with them until someone I trust goes through everything. Plus, their historic value can’t be measured until we know what’s there.”
“Wasn’t last night proof of how dangerous they could be for you? Tiberius lived awfully well for a man whose casino was barely staying out of the red.”
“What are you saying?”
“If it was a plot for a TV series, what would you deduce?”
“That Tiberius was blackmailing people?”
“That may have been what got him killed.”
“Even if I had a clue what to look for, I’m not planning on blackmailing anyone.”
“Maybe not—”
“Maybe not?” She interrupted in mock outrage. “Definitely not.”
“Very well, then. Definitely not. But just because you and I know that doesn’t mean Tiberius’s victims know that.”
Nonplussed, she stared at him for several seconds. “Then I guess the smartest thing for me to do is get with a lawyer and make certain that if anything happens to me, the files go public.”
Her calm determination impressed the hell out of him. This was no scared female in need of rescue. She was a woman who survived by her wits as well as her beauty.
Logan tightened his hold around her waist. “Then I guess until you meet with an attorney, I should plan on sticking with you.”
“Twenty-four/seven?”
“Whatever it takes.”
Eight
Scarlett had chosen to have Madison’s birthday party at Fontaine Chic’s poolside nightclub, Caprice. During the day, the pool offered a sexy Mediterranean beach-lounge vibe. At night when the well-dressed young crowd showed up, it became an extension of the club.
With all of Madison’s
Las Vegas friends too young to drink, Logan had voiced concerns that the eight teenagers would get into trouble, but Scarlett had met the kids and knew that even if they partied on a regular basis, they understood that abusing her trust would lead to all sorts of misfortune in their future.
Everything would go smoothly. It had to. She’d given Logan her word that Madison’s party would be as safe as it was fun. Nothing could get in the way of that. It was the reason she was double-checking her arrangements prior to showtime. She wanted to make sure all the waitstaff knew the kids were underage and shouldn’t be served alcohol no matter what sort of identification they produced.
After an afternoon at the pool, Scarlett had arranged for them to enjoy a suite at Fontaine Richesse. There would be fabulous food, a birthday cake at ten, and later the boys would be escorted home in a limo while the girls enjoyed a slumber party.
Madison had been over the moon with the arrangements, cementing Scarlett’s status as the coolest boss ever. Logan had accused her of buying Madison’s good favor, but his street cred had risen significantly when he’d agreed to Scarlett’s plans.
Scarlett was standing at the entrance to the club when the first of Madison’s guests arrived. Two girls and the boy Madison had been dating for the past couple of weeks. Trent was tall and lean with serious eyes. He had been captain of the basketball team in high school and third in his class. Under his influence, Madison had begun talking more and more about going to college in the fall.
“You all look like you’re ready to have fun,” she said, nodding to the doorman to let them through the velvet rope. “I booked you into cabana four.”
“Is Madison here?” Trent asked.
“She’s having lunch with her uncle,” Scarlett answered. “I expect her any minute.”
“She thinks you’re the best to do all this for her birthday.”
