Will and Julia looked at each other, but Julia’s heart was racing. “Did you know him?”
She shook her head.
“Would you recognize him if you saw a photograph of him?” That was Will.
“I think so.”
Will pushed her, his voice excited. “Where did you see him, Maria? Can you describe him? Was it a man?”
“I think so. He wore hood on his head. And clothes were black. He not big as you.”
“Where did you see him?” Will asked again, pretty much taking over the questioning now. Maria didn’t seem to mind.
“Julio sick, a cold up here.” Maria pointed to her nose. “He cry early when it just getting day. I was in kitchen, getting Julio juice. I heard sound like scream that stopped real quick, and so I look out window. I see man at pool. He look around, and I see his face, very clear. He in shadows, but I think he see me. The blinds, the slats were open.” Her voice grew very low. “After I find Lucien I am afraid, afraid he come back and get us, too.”
“Did you see him accost the judge?”
“No, I never see Lucien. I rock Julio back to sleep and stay with him. We both sleep till late. That’s when I find Lucien, out on porch.” She shivered all over, no doubt remembering how Lucien Lockhart had looked.
“If we get a suspect, will you come back to Chattanooga for a lineup, or pick him out of a photo lineup?”
“Do you know who man is?”
“No, but we can get photos of some of Lucien’s colleagues and other suspects to show you. If we get you released, will you promise to keep in touch with us?”
Maria nodded.
Julia said, “You won’t run again?”
“No, Julio safe with mi madre now.”
“Does she have a phone number?”
“Sí.” She told them what it was and the address.
“Thank you, Maria. You are now a material witness. That’s very important, and you can be arrested if you flee again. Do you understand that?”
Maria looked at Julia and nodded. “I so afraid. I thought you take me to jail and send Julio away.”
“Why were you hanging around Circus Circus?” asked Will.
“I am maid. I want job.” Maria gave a little sob. “I have no money. Julio still very sick.”
Will frowned, then pulled out his wallet. “Here, take this. It should last until we get in touch with you again.”
When Will handed Maria a wad of cash that looked like the king of Saudi Arabia had just made him a crown prince, Julia blinked, stunned. Well, Will better hope she brought her debit card, or they were going to have to spend the night under a bridge somewhere.
Outside, they arranged with Sergeant York to have Maria released, but she declined their offer to take her home. Will put her in a cab and watched her drive off, and they both felt a little giddy when they got back into the Lexus. It had been an eye-opening interview, to say the least.
“Well, you were right. She did know something. Good God, this is a big break. We’ve got ourselves an eyewitness.”
“Yes, but she didn’t see the actual murder,” Will reminded her. “But anybody she can identify as the guy skulking around the grounds just before Lockhart was murdered is pretty good circumstantial evidence.”
“We’re going to get him. We’re going to bring this guy down.”
“Well, let’s not put the cart before the horse. We’ve got to find him first.”
Will grinned over at her. “I want to show you something, Cass. You game?”
“That depends. Like what?”
“God, cautious must be your middle name.”
“As if you’re not. So what is it?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“I hate surprises.”
“I know, I was there. But this is a much better one and nobody’s going to jump out and scare you.”
“By the way, you’d better hope I brought ten thousand dollars with me. How much cash was in that wad you gave her?”
“I don’t know. A couple of thousand.”
“That’s right, I forgot. You always carry around thousands of dollars in your billfold.”
“I guess you’re going to criticize my generosity, too?”
Julia spoke from her heart. “No, actually I think what you did was pretty cool.” She smiled, and Will looked pleased. “But not to worry, I have a gigantic wad of ones in my wallet. That should get us a half a night at Super Eight.”
Will laughed and turned the car onto the Strip, which was crowded with people this time of evening, gambling and already lining up for the casino performances. When they reached the three thousand block of Las Vegas Boulevard and the magnificent fountains of the Bellagio, Julia turned in her seat and watched in awe as the water shot up hundreds of feet in the air, then fell in graceful cascades, changing colors before doing an intricate crisscross design, all lighted up and spectacular in the darkness.
“I’ve heard about these fountains, to be sure. So that’s the Bellagio?”
“That’s right,” Will said, turning onto a palm tree–lined drive. The wind was still tossing and rustling the lacy fronds. “That’s the surprise. We’re staying at the Bellagio tonight.”
That got Julia’s complete attention. “No way. Don’t tease me about something that big.”
“Believe it. So you’ve heard about this place?”
“Well, I saw George Clooney and Brad Pitt robbing it on Ocean’s Eleven. And I saw Julia Roberts coming down an impressive staircase in a red suit looking pretty darn confident about her sex appeal.” She peered up at the huge hotel. “Look, Brannock, fancy schmancy is great now and then, I have to say, but believe me, I don’t have enough cash for a bottle of water in this place, much less a room. I bet the valets here have more elaborate uniforms than Prince William at his wedding.”
“No, they don’t. And this is on me. More to the point, I’m way too tired to fly halfway across the country again tonight. I’m exhausted, and you probably are, too. I like it here at the Bellagio. Let me show you a good time, just this one time. Call it our celebration for nailing down an eyewitness.”
“Okay, very funny, ha-ha and all that, but get real. You can’t afford this place, either. I know what TBI special agents make. J.D. told me.”
“Well, I’ve got this rich friend, see? Remember him? He can get me in a high roller’s suite at a special rate. You’re going to be impressed, I guarantee it.”
“This friend of yours—Warren Buffett or Bill Gates, by any chance? Or the Donald?”
“Not Trump. He puts his name on all his hotels, if I recall. Just relax, Detective, and prepare yourself to be highly impressed.”
Chapter 19
Highly impressed, Julia was. Oh boy, and make that Highly Impressed with a capital H and a capital I. The Bellagio was quite the sight to behold, all right. The front entrance was a vaulted atrium with gigantic hanging lamps, but the lobby was all beige marble and patterned carpeted floors and giant chandeliers, accompanied by the riotous dinging of slot machines. Will strode through the casino like he owned the place, and Julia gawked around like all the other tourists around them. When an attractive blonde in the Executive Suite Lounge called him by name and handed him a room card without his saying a word, Julia knew something was up.
“Okay, Brannock, what is this? Queen for a Day, or what? If you’re doing all this to seduce me, it’ll probably work.” But it’d probably work in a Super 8, too, or in the backseat of the Lexus, she thought, a bit ashamed of herself for those admissions. But last night, well, last night was a revelation.
“I told you last night that I wasn’t going to pressure you. We’ve got a Grand Lakeview Suite, and you’ll have your own bedroom and bath. You won’t even have to see me, unless you want to. Like I said, my friend pampers me.”
“Is she a redhead, by any chance?”
“Please stop with that.”
“And exactly why’s this friend so beholden to you, Will? You let him off an embezzling or kid
napping rap?”
“What a rude thing to say to an honorable TBI agent.” But Will smiled as he led her through the casino and behind a beautiful balustrade to the bank of elevators.
“I was just starting to trust you, and then you pull this rather bizarre, all-expenses-paid adventure in never-never land.”
“Just quit complaining. Let’s go up, clean up a little, and I’ll treat you to dinner at the best restaurant in Las Vegas.”
Will showed his card to the man guarding the hall to the elevators, and they walked to the nearest elevator and entered it. Julia found it pretty darn elegant, too. Rich wood panels with red-and-gold tapestry on the back wall. A well-groomed, gray-haired old lady was already on board. Julia looked at her pink Chanel suit and her miniature poodle in its pink bejeweled collar, set with real rubies, no doubt, and decided the lady looked a hell of a lot more at home at the Bellagio than Julia did in her jeans and red polo shirt. She should have put on her diamonds and red spike heels, too.
“Wow, you’re quite the Prince Charming all of a sudden,” Julia leaned over and told Will in a low, hushed voice. The doors slid together with a well-engineered sigh, and she lowered her voice even further. “Why am I feeling like me fly, you spider—you know, that come-into-my-parlor thing?”
“Cass, you have to stop being so distrustful. Then again, that’s a good thing in our line of work. Think about it. We got a big break today. We’re in Las Vegas for the night, with nothing else to do. We deserve a reward, at least till morning. What’s wrong with that? Loosen up, and enjoy life for a change. It’ll do you good.”
Behind them, Coco Chanel smothered a chuckle behind her white-gloved palm. In seconds, they reached her destination, the doors slid open on the thirtieth floor, and she stepped out with her teensy dog in tow. She turned, looked back at Julia, and presented her with a wise and knowing smile. “Sometimes, my dear, being the fly in the parlor turns out to be quite a pleasant experience. I imagine you’ll find that out soon enough.”
“I like her. Smart lady,” Will said as the elevator closed and rose with the barest of whispers. Julia watched more floors whisk by. “Are you kidding me? What floor are we on?”
“Thirty-six,” Will told her. “Better views, just for you.”
“And for high rollers with unlimited bank accounts, I bet.”
“Them, too.”
“Okay, I am suitably enthralled now and ready to step into your parlor.”
“Great. Follow me.”
Julia trailed him down the romantically lit hallway, all marble and beige and cream and pale blue, with embossed wallpaper and beautiful sconces. He stopped in front of a door, swiped the key, and stepped back. He gave her an expectant smile. “After you, my dear.”
“This better be good, Brannock, with all this buildup and all-for-the-likes-of-me stuff.”
As it turned out, it was better than good. Maybe even Taj Mahal–ish. They entered a spacious marble foyer, with its own powder room, no less.
“Do I have to take off my sneakers?” she asked Will.
“Nope. There’s housekeeping service twice daily. Track in all the mud you want. These doors go into the bedrooms—take your pick. They’re pretty much the same.”
At the end of the foyer, they entered a huge living room and dining room. Soft mood music was playing somewhere in the background. “Do you think there’s enough room for both of us, Will? I mean, I do like to spread out the stuff in my backpack.”
“Five-diamond resort hotels think big. This suite’s got about three thousand square feet.”
“Is that all? I’m insulted.”
Julia looked around at the wet bar with the mahogany credenza behind it, but it was the wall of four curved, floor-to-ceiling windows that really blew her mind. Will hit a switch, and the drapes and the sheers slowly drew open to reveal one of the most beautiful vistas Julia had ever seen. The fountains and lake below were breathtaking. She could see the lights of a helicopter coming in off the desert. Beige marble floors, crystal chandeliers, a long white sectional in front of a lavish gas fireplace, glass-topped tables with beautiful lamps. Artwork all over the place. A forty-two-inch LCD television with the works. All done in muted tones of rust and tan and beige and green. She looked up to see if there was a reproduction of the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Nope, they forgot all about Michelangelo.
“Like it?” Will asked, obviously still fishing for compliments.
“It’s okay, if we’re only staying one night,” she returned, but then she laughed. “I have to say, Will, you and that lady in the elevator got this one right. I just have one question: When do I meet Queen Elizabeth?”
“Let me show you to your room.”
“Said the spider to the fly.”
“Keep that up and you’ll have to beg me to make a move on you.”
Her room was almost as big as her entire boathouse, and a lot pricier, to be sure. Not a doily in sight. The decor was more beige and pale blue and soft brown. And a king-size bed that even the princess from “The Princess and the Pea” wouldn’t object to.
“The bedrooms have his and her baths,” Will said, pointing them out like a proud papa. “His has an oversize steam shower with a built-in seat. Hers has a whirlpool bath and Bellagio spa products and bathrobe.”
“I think you’ve been memorizing the hotel brochure.”
“I’ve stayed here a few times. I want you to enjoy yourself.”
Julia couldn’t help it. She kept looking around at all the goodies, so very lush and expensive and heavenly. “We both have a bedroom like this? You sure?”
“Yes, ma’am. Just across the foyer from each other.”
“I’m not sure I’ll know how to act in a place like this,” she told Will. “I’m used to hotels that let Jasper sleep on the beds.”
“Tonight, I’ll have to do.”
Their eyes met, held for a moment, and she had a funny feeling, despite all their objections to the contrary, that some kind of erotic die had been cast last night on that picnic table. They could ignore it, question its wisdom as long and hard as they wanted, but it was there. Pure D desire. And it wasn’t going away anytime soon, at least not inside her betraying body.
She looked at Will, who was appraising her hopefully, very obviously trying to please her with this fantastic place. Her heart reacted, skipped a beat, then another one. Oh my Lord, was she actually falling in love with him? Already? How could she feel this way after such a short time? Not her. Will’s eyes remained on her, alive and warm and naked with his own brand of suppressed need. She forced herself to look away, not sure she wanted him to recognize the same thing in hers. Were they really ready to go to that next step, a step that would be difficult to take back? Well, one thing was for sure: if they did, Will couldn’t have picked a better setting for a seduction. The view alone was about as romantic as anything she’d ever seen or expected to see.
“Okay,” Will said as the silence between them lengthened. “Let’s clean up a bit and go downstairs for dinner.”
“I didn’t bring any clothes suitable for dining in this place.”
“Look in the closet. There might be something there that’ll fit you.”
“You just happen to have women’s clothes in my size lying around? Why doesn’t that sound legitimate? Let me think.”
“They belong to my friend’s daughter. You’re about her size. Suit yourself. You look fine just the way you are. Just make it quick. I’m hungry.”
Actually, Julia was pretty hungry herself. She did take a shower in that luxurious, garage-size shower stall and put on the snowy white robe and complimentary house slippers. She found herself wanting to forget dinner and slip beneath those soft white sheets that probably came from some kind of rare Beijing silkworms, or something even more exotic. However, Will was treating her to some fantastic fun out here in Sin City. If he had some more tricks up his sleeve, she was ready to pull them out and enjoy the heck out of them.
Standing in front of the lo
ng expanse of windows in the living room, Will watched night settle over the desert and the lovely spectacle of the sparkling lights of the casinos along the Strip. He had changed into a blue dress shirt and trousers that he kept at the Bellagio, but he was more than impatient for Julia to come out of her bedroom. It was good to see her out of her detecting mode, becoming more relaxed. Just for this one night, that’s all he asked. God knows, they wouldn’t be able to think of anything but the Tongue Slasher case once they returned home. He found out last night, and in no uncertain terms, that he cared a hell of a lot more about Julia Cass than he had ever intended to. It had taken everything he had to let go of her and drive away in his truck. He had wanted more from her, more than those long and passionate kisses. And he had for a long time, if he really admitted the truth to himself.
It was a good thing she had come to her senses and pushed him away, or they would probably still be in her bed going at it. That’s what he wanted to happen tonight; he had to admit that, too. Julia turned him on like crazy. Now that he was so blithely admitting his true feelings to himself, he could also admit that he had wanted her from the beginning, even though she’d turned up her nose at him at the time. He had liked her humor, even on that first ride, until she’d been assigned as his partner and both of them had thrown the brakes on any kind of personal involvement between them. Those brakes were wearing thin, almost ready to give, at least in his case.
“Okay, I’m ready.”
Will turned and found Julia scrubbed fresh, without a trace of makeup, which he liked. She didn’t go in for artifice, not in any way. And she was one woman who did not need a bunch of makeup to be beautiful. She had chosen to wear the short black silk dress and high heels. Beautiful, elegant, just like everything else about her. He couldn’t drag his eyes off her.
“What?” She glanced down at herself. “Is it too short?”
“Nope. You’ll do, I guess.”
“Thanks a bunch for being so effusive. Now I really feel confident in these stupid shoes.”
“C’mon, Cass, time’s a wastin’.” But Will felt happy to be alone with her like this. Happier than he’d been in a long time.
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