Kit called me at six this morning. We’ve decided to get an early start on this case. You’ll be under surveillance to keep you safe. When I get home, you and I have a lot to talk about. Please tell me that last night wasn’t just a dream. You did say you loved me, right?
Oh, Vic—she pressed the note to her chest, dying with love for him.
“Jeremy? I’m going to shower, and then I’ll fix your breakfast. I thought it would be fun if we went to the library this morning and picked out some books to read.”
“But I want to play with Daken.”
“You can do both. Want to call Nate and see if he wants to go with us?” She bet his mom was trying to think up ways to entertain her children now that they were out of school.
Claire kept them busy all day. Since she hadn’t heard from Vic by six in the evening, she took the boys to the Dairy Queen for Hungr-Buster burgers. They topped off dinner with chocolate chip ice cream Blizzard shakes for dessert.
Pretty soon it was time to take Nate home and get Jeremy ready for bed. Her phone rang at ten o’clock. The second she saw the caller ID, she picked up.
“Vic?”
“Sorry I couldn’t get back to you until now.”
“I knew there had to be a reason.”
“Kit and I are in Luckenbach. I’ll explain everything later. All I need is the answer to one question. You’re going to marry me, right?”
What a time to ask her. Joy that he’d asked her, plus pain that he might be gone a long time, buffeted her in waves. Tears trickled down her cheeks because he wasn’t here to take her in his arms. “Yes. After last night, how could you think anything else?”
“Just making sure. Now I can breathe. We’ll talk out all the details when this is over. But this much I can tell you. We got a break in the case while we were looking at a set of tapes. It has leapfrogged me to the higher-ups faster than I would have guessed. If I get the answers I want, then this case can be closed and we can celebrate.”
She shuddered. She couldn’t think about celebrations when he and Kit were in terrible danger. After the powers that be had arranged to kidnap Jeremy, they would definitely eliminate Vic if they could. But she needed to keep that concern to herself. He’d just asked her to be his wife. If she was to break down now and beg him not to do it, what kind of a fiancée would she be?
“This means you could be gone for a while.”
“Hopefully not too long. You’ve got Carol’s and Clint’s help if you need it, plus twenty-four hour protection. Give Jeremy a kiss for me. I’ll contact you as soon as I can. You won’t be able to reach me by phone. If you have any questions, call headquarters. They’ll keep you informed and convey any messages either way.”
“Vic—please be careful and come back safe.”
“When I do, I’m going to love you senseless. Are you ready for that?”
She fought the tears. “Hey, Jim—you’re talking to Elaine. Remember?”
His deep chuckle came over the phone. “I love you, Claire.”
“I love you. More than you’ll ever know.”
When she heard the click, she could hardly bear to be cut off from him. Last night he’d broken the silence and had let her know how he felt. How unfair was it that he was snatched away from her at the very moment he told her he wanted to marry her?
No way could she keep this news to herself. After she got ready for bed, she sat down to call her parents. Her mom answered.
“Hi, honey. How are you?”
“That’s a good question. Is Dad there?”
“Yes. We’re in the living room.”
“Then put your phone on speaker. There’s something exciting I have to tell you.”
“Go ahead.”
“Vic asked me to marry him!”
Her parents sounded overjoyed. They knew how much she loved him.
“We haven’t made any plans because he’s out on a case and might not be back for a while, but I had to tell you tonight. I guess it’s no secret that I’ve loved him forever. He and Jeremy are my heart.”
“We couldn’t be happier,” her dad told her. “What does this mean for you in terms of work?”
“Well, I won’t be accepting either of the Houston job offers now. Vic’s work is here in Austin. With it being summer and Jeremy out of school, I’ll be taking care of him. In the fall I’m thinking I could get a part-time job as a chemist here in Austin. But it’s all really up in the air. Are you two ready to be grandparents? He likes you both a lot already. Since Vic lost his parents, it’s going to be especially important for Jeremy to bond with you.”
Her father’s voice broke when he said, “We can’t wait to welcome that cute little fellow into the family.”
“Your sisters are going to be thrilled for you,” her mom chimed in.
“Just think. Jeremy’s going to inherit two more aunts and uncles and some younger cousins. He’s so cute. Did I tell you Vic bought him a miniature horse the other day?”
“You mentioned that,” her father said.
“Yes. It’s brown with white spots and so tiny it’s absolutely adorable. Jeremy named it Daken. It follows him around everywhere when they go out to the pasture.”
“Why don’t you bring Jeremy over tomorrow?” her mother said.
“I will, but I’ll call you first.”
“Is he thrilled?”
“He doesn’t know yet.”
“When are you going to tell him?”
“In the morning. I can’t wait. Now I’d better let you two get to bed. I love you.”
“We love you. Good night and congratulations. We couldn’t ask for a finer son-in-law-to-be, as if you didn’t know.”
There was no one like Vic. “Good night.”
She’d barely hung up when Jeremy came into her bedroom. “Well, hi. Couldn’t you go to sleep?”
“No. Can I get in bed with you?”
“Why don’t we go back to your room and I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep.”
“Okay. Who were you talking to?”
“My mom and dad.”
She followed him into his room. He climbed under the covers while she sat on the bed next to him. “Do you miss them?”
“I’ll always love them, and I miss them if I haven’t seen them for a while.”
“They’re nice.”
“I’m glad you like them. They want us to go over there tomorrow. Would you like to do that?”
“Will Dad go with us?”
“No. He’s out on a case and won’t be home for a little while. He called earlier when I thought you were asleep. He told me to give you a kiss.” She leaned over and pecked his cheek.
He was missing Vic. Hopefully her news would put a smile on his face. “Guess what?”
“What?”
“Tonight your dad asked me to marry him.”
“He did?” Jeremy cried. His eyes shone with happiness.
“Yes, and I told him I wanted to be his wife more than anything in the world.”
He shot up in bed and hugged her so hard he almost knocked her over. “Dad said a lady has to wait for the man to ask her. I’ve been waiting and waiting for him to ask you.”
She laughed gently. “I’ve been waiting, too. Sometimes your father is slow as molasses before making up his mind about something.”
“I know.”
Jeremy sounded so adult just then, she melted with love for him.
“I always wanted my very own boy. I love you, Jeremy. If it’s all right with you, I want to be a mother to you. No one can replace your own mother, but no one could love you more than I do.”
He wiped his eyes. “I love you, too. Do you want to know a secret?”
“What is it, sweetheart?”
“I’ve wanted y
ou to be my mother for a long time.”
“Then aren’t we lucky that we can be together as a family.”
“Can I tell Nate?”
“You can tell everyone, even Comet and Daken.”
He giggled. “You’re funny, Claire.”
She put an arm around his shoulders. “I’m the happiest woman in the world tonight.”
“I’m happier.” He looked at her with a loving expression.
“How come?”
“I never have to have a nanny again.”
Chapter Nine
At 10:00 p.m. Vic got out of the Ford Super Duty F-350 Platinum crew cab truck he was using for his undercover role. It had New Mexico plates and a decal of the Lipan Apache Nation on the back window. He locked it, looked around and then walked to a brown van parked two cars away in the packed casino parking area on the outskirts of Luckenbach.
Kit and two of the staff from the bureau running the surveillance van did a double take when Vic opened the door and climbed in.
“Good grief. When I look at you, I know it’s you, but I don’t recognize you at all. The Dream Tan really worked.”
Vic grinned. “That’s the idea. It’s called red bronze. Clint’s wife, Sandra, put it on me. She did my hands, too.”
“It’s a perfect job. Natural. Hey—take a look at the leather jacket.” The guys whistled. “Nice. Expensive. The turquoise beading gives it an authentic air.”
“It is an authentic Lipan design. One of my relatives lent it to me.”
“The fit of the shoulders makes you appear bigger.”
“He weighs fifty pounds more than I do. It’s a good thing, considering I’m wearing a bulletproof vest underneath my plaid shirt.”
“You’re taller, too.”
“I’ve got lifts in my cowboy boots.”
“With that long black wig you closely resemble your Apache ancestor, minus the bandana. The touch of gray at the temples has aged you ten years.”
“Sandra does a good job, don’t you think?”
“I think you look scary as hell, in a classy, modern way. Claire and Jeremy need to see a picture of you dressed like this.”
Before Vic could stop him, Kit took a couple of pictures with his camera phone. “I gotta tell you I wouldn’t want to meet up with you in the dark. Do you know that spray tan makes your black eyes glitter?”
“Hopefully I look like a tribal elder from across the state line with means, ready to make some money at the roulette table and maybe something more.” The casino came fully packed: slots, bingo, Texas Hold’em poker, blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat. “From there I’ll graduate to the backroom poker game. I’ve got my small dagger in case there’s any trouble.” He pulled it out from a sheath beneath his turquoise belt to show them, then put it back.
Kit squinted. “Like I said, I’m glad I’m on your side. Have you picked out a name?”
“Clint helped me. It’s Eskaminzim. Don’t worry about trying to pronounce it.”
“I won’t.”
“It’s authentic, but I go by the translation.”
“Which is?”
“Big Mouth.”
The guys chuckled.
“The Lipans speak English and Spanish now. I know enough to get by.”
“I like your ring.”
“Clint lent me all this ancestral turquoise jewelry. The listening/recording device is hidden in the necklace I’m wearing. You can’t buy stuff like it nowadays.”
“I believe you’re having fun, Ranger Malone!”
“Aren’t you?”
Kit nodded. “The top man needs to pay after kidnapping your son. Here’s the cell phone you’ll be using inside. It’s programmed to reach us. That’s it.”
Vic put it in the front pocket of his jeans. “Well, gentlemen, I’m going hunting. See you later.”
“Watch your back, Vic.”
“Always.”
He stepped down from the van and headed for the entrance to the casino. His plan was to get cozy with the management. Vic needed to mix with the casino personnel to find the man who’d been tapped to take over the money laundering scheme since Quarls’s imprisonment. Given time, that man would divulge the author of the multimillion-dollar scam.
Vic had a hunch the corruption had been coming from the deputy secretary of the Department of the Interior, Fred Waters. He’d been overseeing Indian casino gaming interests throughout the United States for a long time. Waters had to be the one who’d orchestrated everything.
He was a millionaire many times over with accounts in the Caymans that law enforcement couldn’t touch. He had the financial clout to order Leroy’s early release from prison and put out a hit on Vic’s son. Waters had to be the one who’d picked Quarls to launder money through this casino.
Vic had traced some fraud problems to Quarls and eventually made the arrest. The whole shady business with Jamison Lowell and the big sums of money in his bank account sent up a red flag. That kind of money came from drugs or gambling. Vic was prompted to take a look at the tapes pulled from the casino.
Yesterday, he and Kit had identified Jamison among the gamblers, and everything clicked into place. With Quarls taken out, Waters had picked another corruptible goon who carried out orders to play against Jamison. Once the district school administrator, who had a gambling addiction, was losing money, it was easy to blackmail him into setting up the kidnapping.
As soon as Jamison wasn’t needed, they sent him to Colorado, where he was eliminated on the freeway near Vail. With the scent of coming victory in the air, a fresh surge of adrenaline filled Vic’s body. He entered the casino and headed straight to the cage for chips. He pulled out his player’s card linked to the hotel where he was staying in Luckenbach.
“Five thousand.”
Once he had what he needed, he headed for the Mini Baccarat table. Earlier in the day, he and Kit had gone over the architectural drawings of the casino. Vic memorized every part of it for exits and rooms not open to the public. No expense had been spared to make it the most loaded casino in Texas.
All of it at the taxpayers’ expense, with little of the proceeds benefitting the Indian nation.
The bulk of the money lined the pockets of the fat cats like Waters who believed they were untouchable and above the law. Eliminating a seven-year-old boy meant nothing to them. But Leroy hadn’t finished the job. Claire had been the one who’d found Jeremy in time, thwarting Waters’s plan to get even with Vic for the arrest. Now the tables had turned, and this was personal for him.
Despite the smoke, the place was well ventilated and attracted a cross section of people of every age and social class, many of whom were from out of state, judging by the license plates. Many people preferred a casino here in Texas to the ones in Las Vegas.
Vic joined the fast moving Mini Baccarat table and won fairly consistently for the next two hours. The house edge of 1.6 percent still allowed for him to build some earnings. When an African-American man, probably in his late twenties and wearing a tux, came by and whispered something to the dealer, Vic realized he’d been flagged. It was time to buy more chips at the cage.
“Three thousand.”
After he moved on to the blackjack table, he knew he was being watched—which was the point. A half hour later, the same man came around again because Vic was steadily winning. This time he struck up a conversation with him.
“We haven’t seen you in here before.”
“Some friends in New Mexico told me to come and check out this place. It’s a good set up, but I was hoping for some action.”
“Who are you?”
“My name is Eskaminzim. My people are thinking of putting up a casino near the Texas–New Mexico border. I’m visiting several casinos for ideas.” Vic knew that Waters was alwa
ys looking for another Indian tribe that wanted to build a casino. They were his cash cows.
“If you’ll come with me to the back room, I’ll introduce you to Mr. Ruban, the manager. He’ll want to buy you a drink.”
“No drinking while I’m on business.”
“As you wish. Follow me.”
Vic was led into another gaming room with two tables. One was empty, the other surrounded by some serious gamblers playing poker, some no doubt losing their shirts. A thin man of maybe forty came down the stairs in a tuxedo. He looked as if he could be Cuban with his three-inch-high El Yonki haircut.
“Mr. Ruban? This gentleman is taking a look at our casino in the hope of building one along the New Mexico border. He doesn’t drink during business.”
“Is that right? Thank you, Jori.”
“Yes, sir.”
After he disappeared Mr. Ruban told Vic to sit down at the empty table, but Vic preferred to remain standing. He stood two inches taller than the other man.
Ruban’s speculative gaze swept over him. “You did well at our establishment so far this evening.”
“I am pleased.”
“What can I do for you?”
“I want to meet the person overseeing the casino.”
“You can talk to me.”
“You are the manager. Who is your boss? He’s the one I came to see.”
“He’s not always here.”
“Will you tell him I’ll come by again tomorrow night to discuss business?”
“What’s your name?”
“It’s too difficult for you to pronounce. I’m known as Big Mouth.”
“What tribe are you?”
“Lipan Apache.”
“You must be an important member.” His eyes were studying the jewelry.
“You like turquoise?”
“Yes. Yours is impossible to come by.”
“That is true,” Vic said with satisfaction. “I’m leaving now.”
“If I can, I’ll pass on your message.”
Vic nodded and left the back room. After he stopped at the cage to claim his winnings, he walked outside and reached for his cell phone to call Kit.
“I’m almost to the truck. Meet me at the hotel as soon as you can. I’ll call the kitchen for room service.” Kit would be in disguise as an employee working the night shift.
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