by Kelly Wood
“Good question. Every time I asked as a child, he said he saw an opening and took it.”
“Do you ever wonder?” I asked. I watched the scenery fly by the window as we zoomed toward the Bianchi homes.
“How cold-blooded my dad really is for him to defeat Costa?”
I watched Gray’s face as he digested the information. His face changed from disbelief to acceptance slowly. I kept my hand on his leg the whole time, hoping he could feel our connection and love.
“Why would he have told me the story, then? About how Milano died?” he asked.
“My guess? Pride. He got to boast, in a way.”
Gray’s face hardened. He turned back to the wheel, dropping the car into drive and peeling out. He pulled a quick U-turn while I hung onto the chicken handle and braced myself.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting us out of here. I’m done with this family. For good. No coming back.”
“Wait! We can’t leave.” I pulled on his arm, trying to get his attention so he would slow down. I used the only tool I had available to me. “Gray, you’re scaring me.”
My admission got through to him. He slowed the car but didn’t stop. I let go of the chicken handle.
“Please pull over. Let’s talk about this.”
“We’re leaving, Regan. There is nothing to talk about.”
“There is. My whole family is here. Passion lives here. I can’t just run away from them.”
“We can’t stay here! Don’t you get it? You’re right. He beat Costa, a man he admits was a killer. What does that make my dad? He could be lying about not being involved.” Gray jerked the car to the right. The tires skidded as the wheels locked up.
I kept talking. “We can for one night. Just one night. We’ll leave first thing in the morning with everyone. I’ll even drag Passion away if I have to.”
“One night?” He made it sound like a death sentence.
“Just one. I promise,” I said. Gray sat back in his seat, eyes closed, taking deep breaths.
“I can’t have anything happen to you, Regan.”
“I know. We can be safe for just one more night though.” I touched his arm again. “Do you need me to drive?”
“No. I got it.” Gray dropped the car into drive again before pulling another U-turn.
“Where are we going now?” I held on as the car swerved.
“Back to our plan. We’ll be the safest if we know who’s behind this.”
“And the only way to do that is to keep narrowing our list,” I said, finishing his thought. Gray nodded. Normally he would’ve given me a grin and a wink, but the news weighed on his heart. Knowing your dad called the hits and knowing your dad performed the hits were two different things completely.
Gray turned into a residential neighborhood. This one was new and polished. Lots of cookie-cutter homes, one right after the other for blocks and blocks. Every fourth house had a pathway next to it. I counted four different floor plans one could choose from. People tried to give the homes some individuality by painting them different shades but they were all shades of brown. They were probably limited in the color choices by the HOA. I felt nauseated just driving down the street. It was like looking at a painting that didn’t have anything special to draw your eye. My gaze moved from one spot to the next with nothing of note in between. I was glad Gray was driving. I’d get lost without any visual clues as to where I was going. Every block looked the same.
Gray pulled over and pointed out the house to me. We watched for any activity, but the house remained buttoned up. The shades were drawn over the windows, blocking out the afternoon sun. We didn’t even know if there were people inside.
“What do you think?” Gray asked.
“Let’s go for a walk.” I pointed to an opening between two houses, that I’d noticed while driving through the neighborhood. Instead of alleyways, walkways were installed behind each of the homes, linking the houses to the communal areas.
We strolled casually down the walkway. The alley was almost creepier than the street. Each backyard was fenced in by six-foot cinder block walls. They gave the neighbors a feel of privacy while they reminded me of prison.
“Can you see anything?” I asked Gray since he was so tall.
“Barely. Just the back doors really. I can’t get a good enough angle on the yards.”
“Which house was it?”
“Second from the last. We’re coming up on it.”
I looked to the end of the alley and counted back. Smoke from a BBQ drifted up over the fence. Yips and squeals of children playing could be heard, along with the occasional splash.
“Ooh, they have a pool!” I said. Growing up in the Midwest, a pool was a rare and spectacular sight.
“It’s Vegas, Regan. Everyone has a pool.”
“Lift me up so I can see.” Gray bent down and I leaned against his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around my legs and lifted me high into the air. I had a clear view of the party from here. Men stood around the grill with cold beers in their hands. Women bustled in and out of the house carrying bowls of fruit and assorted cold salads along with condiments. Paper plates and napkins were stacked on the end of a table by the back door. Kids in floaties jumped in and out of the inground pool. Two dads played in the water with them. Teenagers milled about trying to look cool in front of each other.
“Where did all these people come from? I didn’t see any cars out front,” I asked.
The cocking of a gun halted Gray from answering. Gray turned slowly toward the sound. Sal stood a few feet away holding a semi-automatic towards us. Gray loosened his hold on me and I slid down until my feet touched the ground.
“Watch yourself,” Sal said. His beady eyes were black against the sunlight. He’d replaced his suit with a Hawaiian shirt and shorts. Deck shoes covered his feet. He looked like a serial killer trying to blend into society.
Gray and I put our hands in the air to show we meant no harm. Sal pulled up his shirt and stuffed the gun in the waistband of his shorts.
“You gonna get yourself shot, go sneaking around people’s homes,” Sal said.
“I’m sorry, sir. We just have a few questions.” I glanced a look up at Gray. He and Sal kept their eyes on one another, both wary of the other.
“HOA don’t let us park on the streets here. That answer your question?”
“That doesn’t make sense. There’s plenty of room,” I said.
“HOA’s moodier than the mob. Lots of rules here.”
“Why do you live here then?” I asked.
“What better way to blend in? Everything looks the same.”
I glanced at Gray and shrugged my shoulders. Sal had a good point.
“Who are all these people?” I asked, waving my hand toward the party.
“Friends.”
“Of yours?” I asked.
“Are you serious?” Sal asked.
“Sorry. I don’t get it. I thought you were some big, bad mob killer.”
“You want to know who I am? Follow me.” Sal led us through a concealed doorway into the backyard. People nodded and smiled at us as we passed. I hoped he’d invite us to dinner. The burgers smelled amazing.
In the house, Sal led us to a hallway near the front door. Family photos filled the space. Sal and a pretty blonde throughout the years. As the years went, kids popped up in the photos and aged before my eyes.
“This is me,” Sal said, waving his hand to the photos. I looked between him and the pictures. The blank, cold look in his eyes I’d seen the first time I met him was gone. Smiles lightened his face, making him almost good-looking. Happiness shone through when he looked at his kids and wife and the life they’d lived.
“How?” I asked.
“I grew up. I got smart.” Sal tapped his temple with his index finger.
“It’s not you sabotaging the hotel?” I asked but I knew the answer. A man this happy and content didn’t rock the boat.
“Heck no. Tony and I almo
st caught the guy, though, the other night. We were this close.” Sal held his fingers an inch apart. “Listen, I like my cushy job. I make a good living. A good, safe, living, I might add. I barely put in forty hours and get the rest of the time with my family. I don’t want to jeopardize that.”
I reserved judgment on whether or not he was telling the truth until Gray and I had a chance to talk later. But, based on the evidence in front of me, I’d say he was. The man looked sincere.
“What about your brother?” Gray asked.
“Tony?”
“He a happy family man, too?” Gray asked.
“Oh, no. He lives across the street.” Sal motioned to the house where we were parked. It was dark. No sign of Tony anywhere. “The kids love him, but he went a different route.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“He’s a playboy. New woman on his arm each week. This life would’ve bored him to death.”
“Would he want Frank’s job?” Gray asked.
“Absolutely not. He wants women and booze. Frank has too many responsibilities for Tony’s liking.”
“Sorry we barged in on your party,” I said. I held out my hand to shake his in a truce.
“No worries. I figured you’d get around to me.” Sal locked his eyes on Gray’s. “Have you talked to your father?”
“We have. He hasn’t been eliminated as a possibility.”
Sal nodded and walked us to the front door. He stood holding it open but paused to ask one more question.
“What about Gracie? Have you thought of her?”
“What about her?” Gray asked. His eyes squinted and his voice deepened.
“Frank and your father are thick as thieves.” Sal laughed at his own joke. “Gracie’s always blamed both of them.”
“For what?” Gray asked.
“For making Guy leave. Gracie swears it was their fault. The problem is she doesn’t actually know what happened. It’s just a gut feeling she has.”
“Why would she think it was Frank and Michael?” I asked.
“Michael? That man will always be Costa to me. Like I said, just a feeling. I think that’s why she’s stuck around here. To find out the truth.”
Gray’s face paled as he took in Sal’s words. Garrett Costa, the heartless killer, and Michael Thomas, Gray’s dad, were one and the same person.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Gray and I were silent on our drive back to the hotel. I thought about Gracie the whole time. She was kind and sweet and very likable. Everything used to describe serial killers by their neighbors. I warmed to the idea of her being behind the pranks except for one detail.
I’d never seen her around the hotel. The only person I’d seen more than once was the bald man. And, I’d actually seen him in the act of hurting the hotel. Gracie could be working with a partner or a hired hand, I admitted to myself. I wanted to broach the subject with Gray, but I didn’t think he wanted to open his mind to the fact that it could be Gracie behind this. Especially after coming to terms with his dad’s ruthlessness.
Gray pulled into the parking garage and we headed to the hotel together. I glanced his way several times between dodging people. The hotel and casino were much busier tonight with the big grand reopening shindigs.
“Gray?”
“Don’t. It’s not her, Regan.”
“I know how you feel. Truly.” Gray had been with me in Chicago when I found out my best friend was involved in an escort service.
“I know you do, but I know her. She hates everything about this life. Gracie would never lower herself to their behavior.”
“Then why would she stay here? If she hates it so much, why stay?”
“I don’t know. Maybe someone forced her? Maybe she always wanted to be in the same place in case Guy returned? I don’t know.”
“Forced her? Come on. She’d practically have to be living in their backyard—” I let the thought trail off. Gracie was practically living in someone’s back yard. Michael’s. What better way for him to keep an eye on her? Of course, the view went both ways. If she suspected Michael all these years then she would have the perfect view of his movements.
Gray and I entered the elevator along with a dozen other people. We let our conversation come to a halt until we were secure behind the doors to our suite. I saw my cell phone sitting on the table the moment we entered. I hadn’t even realized I’d left it behind. I picked it up and scrolled through the messages. Nothing important. All from family making sure we’d be at the show tonight. I ignored them and put my phone back down.
“Gracie isn’t part of this,” Gray said. I let it slide. For now. I didn’t have proof one way or another.
“Okay. Where do we go from here? What’s our next step?”
“We need to know who all of the players are.”
“Did you believe Sal?” I asked.
“I did. You?” Gray nudged me to the bedroom. “We’re running late. Change and talk.”
“I believed him, too.” I pulled my dress from the closet. It was shiny and sparkly and fun. “We’ve crossed off Sal and Tony. Sorry, but your dad could still be a culprit.”
“And, my mom.”
“Okay, and your mom. And Gracie.” I mumbled the word, but Gray heard me based on the dirty look he shot my way. “And Guy.”
“Guy’s dead,” Gray said.
“Says who? The only suspects we have left are your parents, and that’s iffy.” I decided to forgo listing Gracie again. He was well aware of my thoughts. “I have an idea. You have your computer?”
“Yes.” Gray buttoned up his white dress shirt. His dark hair stood out against the stark white, along with his tan. “Why?”
“Get your laptop out and I’ll tell you in a moment.” I pulled the dress over my head and rushed into the bathroom. I touched up my make-up and added some lip gloss. My short, sassy do was looking purposefully wind-blown so I sprayed it to stay in place. I added another layer of deodorant, just in case, and walked away.
I shooed Gray out of the seat and Googled a picture of Guy from the newspaper articles. I pointed to the screen. “Make that guy bald and wrinkly and add a beard.”
“Regan. Come on. We don’t have time for this.”
“It’s just a hunch. Humor me.”
Gray sat down and went to work. I dug in the closet behind him for a pair of shoes. I needed to keep busy or I’d hover over his shoulder. Since I wanted to be prepared for anything, I slipped on a pair of ballet flats. Just in case I needed to run.
“Regan, who do you think this guy is?”
“He’s the man from the pool and I saw him again the night of the fake fire.”
“I don’t think so.” Gray wheeled his chair back so I could get a clearer look. In the photo, Guy was smiling and happy. Once the hair was removed and lines added around his eyes and mouth, he just looked like a cancer patient. Not at all like the man by the pool. That man had carried his baldness with attitude and confidence. He looked like he was naturally meant to look that way. Guy looked like a kid playing dress-up. Plus, the face shape was all wrong. Guy was lean while the bald man was broader.
“Oh, well.” I guess that just left Gracie. I didn’t say it out loud.
Gray stood and tucked in his shirt. I tied his neck tie for him. There was nothing sexier, but my heart wasn’t in it. I felt like we were close to figuring it out but were still missing pieces. Ultimately, the why.
“What are we missing?” I asked.
“A lot. What’s bothering you?”
“Can we agree this is about Frank in some way? His hotel?” Gray nodded yes. “If you hated someone – I mean hated them and you wanted to harm them in some way – how would you do it?”
“I don’t know. How would you?”
“I’d wait ‘til their big moment, whatever that is, and then strike.”
“The big moment like the reopening of their hotel?” Gray asked.
The answer fell on me like a ton of bricks. Passion was the targ
et. Frank’s pain and humiliation was the goal, but Passion was the way there. Tonight was her big night. Her big debut as a headliner in a show. What better way to get to Frank than to ruin his show and have him watch while his lover was hurt. I felt lightheaded as the blood drained from my head.
“Gray, Passion’s in danger.”
We raced through the hotel and into the theater. I pushed past people, not even apologizing. I was out of shape from my recent inactivity. I huffed and puffed as I tried to keep up with Gray. I spotted my family standing together near the entrance. Everyone was decked out for Passion’s show.
Gray’s parents and Gracie stood next to them.
“I’ll keep tabs on my parents. You go find Passion.”
I nodded to him instead of trying to speak through struggling for a breath. I headed to the secret entrance by the stage which Passion had shown us. I walked with purpose hoping any security people would think I was supposed to be there.
The backstage area was a mad house of activity. Dancers in varying stages of undress fluttered around me. I scanned faces and dodged half-naked bodies until I found Passion. She sat in front of a long mirror spraying her hair with hairspray. She caught my reflection as I neared.
“Regan, what a surprise! Did you come to tell me to break a leg?” Passion extended one of her ridiculously long legs straight up in the air. I knew it wasn’t really that long, it just seemed that way.
“Passion, I’m sorry, but you can’t go on,” I said.
“You brat. You just don’t want to share your wedding lime-light with me!”
“Oh, please. You sound like the brat. Please listen to me. Gray and I figured it out. The target is Frank.”
“Tonight has nothing to do with Frank.” Passion turned back to the mirror and started applying make-up. I thought it was pretty thick already, but what did I know? “It’s just a pre-show opener for friends and family. Tomorrow is the real deal.”
“Wrong. You are in Frank’s life—”
“Shhh! Don’t say that too loud! People will think I got this part only because of him.”
“Who cares? Your life is on the line!” I yelled back.