Unsurprisingly,allof the suspected cheaters hit Dana’s table at some point.
I might not have figured out their routine so easily if they didn’t leave immediately following their big score. As a former gambler, that stood out to me. Back when I pissed my money away to make myself feel alive, I would have stayed at a hot table. And if it was a huge win like some of those have been tonight, a fucking forklift couldn’t have hauled my ass away. Now, I could understand one or two of them acting counter to the norm, but all of them? No. That doesn’t happen.
Honestly, I’m surprised the casino didn’t catch this behavior sooner.
I polish off my third glass of water and push the empty dinner plate aside. Time for a bathroom break before I float away. Lila is safely off the casino floor in the break room, where she’s being watched by casino security for us. We contemplated putting an agent under cover as a casino employee so they could trail her in the staff-only areas, but security already has peoplewho do that. And unless she’s in the restroom, she’s keeping her camera and audio rolling. We’ll know if something goes wrong.
I catch my bartender’s attention as I exit the lounge, heading to the restroom. “Kat, I’ll be right back.”
She waves, eying me curiously.
After relieving myself, I unmute my mic and casually stroll through the mezzanine level. I study each face I pass, fossilizing their images in my mind. Despite tonight being low risk, I’ve got my guard up for anything unusual. I meant it when I said I’d keep Lila safe.
With nothing standing out, I leisurely start my return trek to the bar. On the way, I stop by one of the gift stores to get a little pick-me-up for Lila. If memory serves, they have something near the register that she’d love. As I linger in the store, my eye catches on a bottle of red nail polish. That’ll be a treat for me.
Carson cracks her mic. “FYI agents, we arranged it with management to get Lila alone with Dana in the break room for a little chat. Move to channel two if you want to listen to Lila’s feed. If that’s gonna distract you from your surveillance of other players, stay on channel one, and I’ll give you updates.”
Slipping my hand into my pocket, I click the button to switch to channel two, then saunter into the bar.
As soon as my ass hits the stool, Katrina bounds over with a fresh glass of water, which I need like another hole in my head.
With oddly stiff movements, she removes my plate and tosses it in a dirty dish bin. Her silence is deafening. Robotically, she swipes the dish rag off its shoulder perch and begins scrubbing the bar beside me.
While keeping her eyes downcast, she speaks quietly out of the corner of her mouth. “Is Lila in danger?”
“What do you mean?” I whisper, matching her secretive vibe.
She moves to the empty spot on the other side of me, continuing to buff away the nonexistent mess. “My ex was a copfor twenty years. I know when someone is on the job. You’ve got that look about you. The only time you camecloseto turning it off was when Lila went on break. Is she mixed up with something? Should I be worried?”
I take a long gulp of my water, buying some time to come up with a believable story.
Undeterred, she adds, “If you need me to ask around, I’m game to help. Just say the word.”
Obviously observing our interaction, my partner hails me through my earpiece. “Hayes, you need to find a new recon spot. You’ve been made.”
He’s right.
“Nobody hurts one of my girls,” Katrina utters under her breath, her ire barely restrained.
She’s a pit bull, not a cougar.
I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t respect her for offering to help and appreciate how she seems to care about Lila and the other dealers.
My mind reels at the possibilities here. Having another informant inside Oak Winds could help the case.
Then I remember all the stories she’s told me about her son, and I bat the idea away as fast as it came.
These people are too dangerous to bring in a single mom with a child that needs her. Besides, we’re so close to solving this I can taste it.
“You’re safer if you stay out of it,” I whisper, then stand abruptly to end the interaction. “Can I get the check?”
She stops wiping the bar, tosses the towel over her shoulder, and meets my eyes for the first time since she started inserting herself into this shit.
Coldly, as if miffed at my refusal, she snarks, “Absolutely,sir. It’ll be my pleasure.”
All piss and vinegar, this one. Which is probably why I’m so fond of her.
I hold her stare, using my expression to telegraph how imperative it is that she stands down and acts normal.
