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“This is an out-of-town appointment,” Didi told her, “so I won’t be back until tomorrow.”
“Where?” Remmi demanded.
“A private residence. Not in Las Vegas. So there’s some travel time involved. But it’ll be worth it.”
She stepped into the hallway, but Remmi called her back, “Mom?”
“What, luv?” She poked her head into the room and gave her a disarming smile.
“Weird stuff is happening. There was that fire in the desert last night. A car exploded.”
“Oh, I heard. It was all over the news.” Didi, wearing long black gloves, waved off her daughter’s concerns.
“A man died.”
“Honey, all kinds of awful things happen, I know.” She sighed loudly. “But it’s nothing to do with us, and though it’s sad for the man, we can’t let bad things that happen in the world control us, you know. There are always going to be hurricanes and floods and fires and the like, or . . . or that Y2K thing they’re already talking about, the computer problem, or the end of the world as some people see it, you know, as if we’re all going to vaporize at the turn of the millennium. You can’t worry about all those things.” She flashed a bright Didi smile. “We have to live our lives. Don’t worry. Look, when I get back tomorrow, we’ll go shopping or something, have a girls’ day.” Then, as if realizing something really could go wrong, she hesitated. “Now, listen, nothing’s going to happen, but if it does, if I don’t come back by tomorrow at this time, seven at night, then . . . Well, I’ve left some money for you, in the top drawer of my bureau, and there’s a piece of paper with a woman’s name on it.”
“What woman?”
“My friend. Trudie. Her number, too. If, for some unforeseen reason, I don’t show up, call her, and she’ll tell you what to do.”
“What? No! Mom, what is this?”
Didi’s face turned to stone. She reached out, grabbed her daughter’s arm, and held it so hard that even through the gloves, Remmi felt the points of her fingernails and the strength in her grip. “I don’t have time to explain, Remmi. Now just do as I say.”
“But . . .”
The tense fingers tightened. “Just do it. We’ll be okay. All of us. Just do your part.”
“Mom, I don’t think—”
“Good.” Remmi thought her mother was going to slap her. Instead suddenly, Didi released her, and for a second, tears shone in her eyes, but she quickly pushed them back. “Don’t think. Don’t worry. For God’s sake, honey, just trust me. If only just this once.”
And then, before Remmi could bring up Ariel or anything else again, Didi was gone, clipping down the hallway in her high heels, the garage door opening and shutting and the sound of the Cadillac’s big engine sparking to life.
Seneca had watched the entire exchange with wide, knowing eyes. “It’s best if you just do as she says.”
“But . . . what about Ariel? Seneca, do you know what happened to her?”
Was there just a flicker of understanding in the woman’s gaze? “I think it would be best if you quit worrying so much. It will do none of us any good.”
* * *
“You can do this,” Didi told herself as she drove through the streets of Las Vegas. Traffic was heavy, and pedestrians clogged the sidewalks, so she couldn’t step on the gas. No, she had to be cool, even though the big car, now dusty, caught a lot of attention—something she’d always longed for and now thought might not be a good idea.
She was armed with a plan, and it wasn’t a bad one. As horrible as she felt about how things had gone down the night before, she was determined to set things right. She’d been conned. Big-time. And despite the massive, painful hole in her chest, she was going to make certain that, at the very least, she was paid. As agreed upon.
She’d spent the last twenty-four hours unable to sleep, the image of that hellish explosion haunting her, the thought of her missing child crippling, but she was also pissed as hell. And she figured anger trumped sadness.
She had to get what was rightfully hers. Because this was the big payoff. She needed it. Her act was going nowhere, and let’s face it, she wasn’t getting any younger. It wasn’t as if Hollywood had her on speed dial.
This time, she wasn’t going to mess around. This time, she planned to go right to the source of all the money. And she didn’t bring Adam for an exchange. At least not yet.
That, if necessary, could come later.
Her heart squeezed a little at the thought of giving him up, but she reminded herself it was only temporary.
Oh, yeah? And what about Ariel? Hmm?
