Dangerous Victor: (Soldiering On #3)

by Aislinn Kearns

  “All right,” she said. “I’ll let you know if I see anyone.” She spun around, edging towards the street to give her a wider view.

  Not waiting for her to change her mind, Zack made quick work of the lock on the door. It was old and not secure. Zack hoped the guy was better at security in his day job.

  A rush of stale air hit Zack as he swung the door open. The hallway was pitch dark, and glossy catalogues that had been pushed through the mail slot littered the floor.

  Zack felt Radha’s presence beside him.

  “He hasn’t been home in a while.” Unease coated her voice.

  Zack stepped inside, avoiding the crinkling pages of the junk mail as best he could. No sense in leaving evidence of his presence. More pages crackled as Radha followed him in.

  “You can wait outside,” he told her, glancing over his shoulder.

  She shook her head. “I knew him better than you. Besides, he’s my friend. If he’s skipped town, I want to know about it.”

  “Okay,” Zack replied. “Just don’t touch anything.”

  He started with the living room, moonlight slanting through the gap in the curtains, illuminating a ten-year-old TV and floral couch that could have belonged to his grandmother. Remnants of a microwavable rice dish sat on the coffee table, gnats hovering over it. Zack covered his nose, filtering out as much of the mouldy aroma as possible.

  “Disgusting,” said Radha.

  Zack nodded and continued his search. Nothing out of the ordinary; just the standard accoutrements of a middle-aged bachelor.

  “Not married?” Zack asked.

  “Widower,” Radha told him. That explained the pictures of the attractive fortyish woman in some of the photos, smile bright and dyed red hair gleaming. Louis, who must have been the man in some of the photos, was happy, smiling. All of the photos featured his wife. There were none of children, or Louis alone, or his parents. He’d clearly loved her a lot.

  Zack tried not to let it affect him. He was here to do a job, not feel sorry for a man that might have scammed the company he worked for—Zack’s new client—out of millions. But the contrast between the bright, smiling photos, and the sad, lonely life in the rest of the house was stark.

  The kitchen yielded nothing other than a few unwashed dishes. They followed the hall toward the back of the house, peering into the bathroom with its tile scheme straight out of the seventies. Again, an air of neglect had settled over the space.

  The light from the windows didn’t reach this far down the hall. Zack could just make out a door a few paces away.

  A sickly smell reached Zack; at the same time a sense of foreboding settled over him. He hadn’t noticed it at first, presuming it was from the kitchen remains. But this was something else.

  He swallowed, trying not to breathe as he made his way towards the room. It had to be the bedroom—the only room yet unexplored.

  “Stay here,” he growled to Radha. The rustling behind him stopped.

  He tugged the sleeve of his hoodie over his hand as he reached for the knob. Careful not to leave any prints, he opened the door.

  The smell assaulted him immediately, making him gag. His eyes watered, and he blinked to clear them.

  “What is it?” Radha asked.

  He didn’t know how to answer. Louis—at least, he assumed it was Louis—lay on the thin carpet. Dried blood, black in the wan light, pooled beneath him. Flies buzzed and writhed around him. He no longer looked human—a specialist would need to tell them how long he’d been there, but Zack’s best guess was about a week—the length of time he’d been missing.

  Louis hadn’t fled to Mexico with the casino’s money. He’d bled to death on his bedroom floor.

  The puzzle pieces shifted and rearranged themselves in his mind, becoming more entwined and complex, leaving gaping holes of knowledge.

  “What?” Radha’s voice was thinner now, anxiety dripping from the word. She shuffled closer, and Zack wrenched the door shut. He spun, blocking her with his body, forbidding her from entering that room. She didn’t need to see her friend like that.

  “I’m sorry, Radha.” He kept his arms out, stretched across the hall in case she tried to dart around him. Instead, she stared up at him as tears pooled in her eyes.

  “He’s not…” she couldn’t finish.

  “I’m so sorry,” Zack repeated.

  The tears slipped from her eyes and slid down her cheeks. She let out a gasping sob, and Zack gathered her into his arms and half-carried her out the front door. He breathed in deep gulps of the fresh night air as he held her close.

  She cried quietly against his chest, and all Zack could do is offer murmured words of comfort as he stroked her back. When was the last time he’d comforted a woman? Held her close?

  Too long.

  “We need to call the police,” Zack told her softly as her tears subsided.

  She nodded, eyes vague. “Yes.”

  “They’ll need to ask us some questions,” he warned her.

  “Of course.” The nod was slower this time.

  “Radha, you’ll have to tell them about the strange finances at the casino.”

  At this, her eyes snapped to his. “Why? We can’t tell them.”

  “I think it’s best we do,” he coaxed softly.

  “But it doesn’t have anything to do with…” Her eyes widened as it dawned on her. He had to say it aloud, anyway.

  “He was murdered, Radha. And there’s every chance it was to do with the casino.”

  Chapter 2

  The flashing red and blue lights of the police cars illuminated the street. Curious neighbours gathered in their yards, watching the crime scene investigators traverse the lawn between the house and the road.

  Radha sat on the curb, huddled under a blanket one of the officers had handed her. The ground was damp and cold beneath her, but she couldn’t bring herself to stand. Numbness had infused her—her limbs, her mind, her heart.

  The smell still clogged her nose and throat. She couldn’t escape it. It clung to her, reminding her.

  Louis was dead, most likely murdered. The two of them had worked together for years, and she’d seen him through some difficult times, including the death of his wife 2 years ago. He’d gone through a dark spiral then, turning to alcohol, nearly losing his job in the process. But he’d cleaned himself up and continued on.

  Her eyes shifted to Zack. He stood straight, his face passive as he talked to an attractive African-American policewoman.

  “She’s my client, Destiny,” he was saying. “That comes with certain levels of confidentiality.”

  “I have to do my job. You know that,” Destiny implored.

  Zack sighed, and they both turned to look at Radha. A smile ghosted across Zack’s lips; not his smile from before—the handsome one that lit up his eyes—but one that tightened his eyes and the corners of his mouth. Radha tried to give him a reassuring smile in return, but emptiness overwhelmed her and her lips wobbled.

  Zack came towards her, the woman he’d called Destiny close behind. He crouched in front of her, taking one of her hands between both of his.

  “Destiny—Officer Jones—is going to ask you some questions. It would really help her if you could give as much information as possible.”

  Radha looked into his eyes and knew he hadn’t told Destiny about the money. She’d asked—begged—him not to, not wanting Jeri to find out about the investigation. She’d lose Jeri’s trust, disappoint her, and possibly lose her job as well.

  But Louis, her friend, was dead. Radha wanted to do everything in her power to find the person responsible and make them pay. The temptation to blurt out everything to this cop was on the tip of her tongue. She hated lying to anyone, but cops especially. Radha had a very healthy—and well-earned—respect for authority.

  Her ultimate loyalty lay with Jeri, though, and until Jeri allowed her to investigate the casino finances, she had to keep what she was doing an absolute secret.

  “Okay,” she
said, determination welling in her. Zack must have seen something in her eyes, because he nodded with satisfaction before settling next to her on the curb. Destiny took the other side.

  Destiny cleared her throat. “So, how long have you known,” she checked her notes, “Louis?”

  “We’ve worked together for about four years.” She hesitated. “I mean, we did.”

  Destiny’s expression was rich with sympathy. “I’m very sorry.”

  Radha shrugged, unsure what to say.

  “Has he ever been in any kind of trouble?” Destiny asked delicately.

  Radha shook her head automatically, then stopped. She twisted her hands together as she considered. “About two years ago, his wife died. She was his everything. He…didn’t do well with her death. Turned to drinking. He became unreliable, nearly lost his job. There were rumours at the time that he’d got into debt with some bad people, but every time I asked him about it, he blew me off. I never found out if it was true.”

  Destiny scribbled notes on her pad with furious scratches of her pen, then paused. She glanced up at Radha. “I assume he got clean?”

  Radha nodded. “He’s been going to AA ever since. Apparently he’s had a few close calls, but managed to hold it together. He still misses—missed—his wife.”

  Behind Destiny, the medical examiner directed a black-bagged body into the waiting transport. Radha swallowed as what remained of her friend disappeared behind a slammed door.

  “Is that why you didn’t report him missing? You thought he’d relapsed?”

  Radha turned her attention back to Destiny, pushing away the shock that threatened to numb her again. “Yes. I thought if I could find him, bring him out of it, he wouldn’t get into trouble. I checked all his usual haunts, but no one had seen him. I was really starting to worry, so when Zack offered to come with me…” She trailed off and glanced at Zack, offering him a small smile. He returned it, his hand squeezing hers.

  Radha continued. “I feel so bad that I didn’t look harder. Didn’t call sooner.” Tears gathered, and she blinked them away.

  Zack leaned into her, a warm, comforting weight. “It’s not your fault,” he told her, then hesitated. “Reporting him when he first went missing wouldn’t have helped save him.”

  A lump formed in her throat. She nodded, understanding what he was saying. By the time Louis didn’t show up for work, he was probably already dead.

  Radha turned back to Destiny in time to see the officer’s gaze shift from Zack to Radha. There had been a warning there as she’d looked at him; it was subtle, but there.

  Destiny considered the notes she’d already taken. “Can you think of any reason someone would want to hurt Louis?”

  Radha shook her head vehemently. “No. Everyone at work loved him.”

  “He was your Head of Security, right? Could there be something there? Someone trying to get at the casino money?”

  Radha opened her mouth to deny it, then closed it. She glanced helplessly at Zack. He studied her, considering.

  “There’s no money missing,” Zack told Destiny.

  Her gaze narrowed. “And what, exactly, are you doing here, Zack? Why did she hire you?”

  Zack’s gaze shifted to Radha and back to Destiny. “You know I can’t answer that.”

  Destiny quirked an eyebrow, a smug smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “I know Soldiering On is short staffed with Blake still in the hospital, but Duncan could have sent Sam on this job. However, he sent you. That tells me this job has something to do with numbers. Or more likely, since it’s a casino, money. Now, I believe you when you say there’s no money missing—or you think that for now. But I bet there’s still something hinky going on in that casino, and it might be related to Mr. Louis’s death.”

  Destiny’s expression was triumphant. Radha turned her head, expecting Zack to be annoyed. Instead, he looked mildly amused.

  “Again, I can’t confirm or deny. But I can tell you, if you walk into that casino tomorrow and start asking questions, you don’t know me.”

  Destiny’s expression turned to one of confusion. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean that as of tomorrow, I’m the new Head of Security at the Portsboro Grand Hollywood Casino. While I’m there, it would be very detrimental if anyone were to suspect me of being anything other than that.”

  His gaze was pointed. Destiny nodded slowly. “Okay. I’ll keep your secret for now. But if you find anything that can help us in this investigation, you need to tell me immediately.”

  Zack nodded. “You know I always do. I promise that as of now, as far as we know, there is nothing illegal happening in the casino. If that changes, you’ll be my first call.”

  Radha tapped Destiny lightly on the arm. “Please don’t mention money to Jeri—my boss. She’ll think I broke her trust. And, really, there isn’t anything to tell. Please believe me.”

  Destiny tilted her head, gaze piercing. Radha shifted uncomfortably, ending up closer to Zack. He didn’t move away, and neither did she.

  Eventually, Destiny gave a short nod. “Again, if that changes…”

  “You’ll be the first we call,” Radha told her.

  Destiny eased herself to her feet and brushed off the seat of her pants. “I’ll see you both tomorrow, then.”

  She left to join the rest of the officers milling around, leaving Radha and Zack alone. Radha didn’t shift out of his semi-embrace immediately. Just let his warmth seep into her, warming the coldness in her bones.

  “Thank you. For not telling her.”

  “You’re welcome,” he grumbled.

  “You do think the two things are related, don’t you?” She turned, looking up at him. His scar wasn’t visible from where she sat. This side of his face had sharp cheekbones, and an artful five-o’clock shadow. Classically handsome, rugged. Her opinion didn’t change any time she caught him from a different angle. He’d done his best to hide the scar from her, but it was impossible she wouldn’t notice.

  The other side of his face, from what she had been able to see, had no stubble where the scar extended across his cheek. It spread, disappearing under his collar and up into his hairline. Radha suspected that was why he wore his hair long and shaggy.

  He’d been lucky it hadn’t taken out his eyes, or damaged more of his face. He was still quite attractive, even with the mottled skin over a third of his face. From his movements, he seemed intact elsewhere, but there was no way she could be sure given the way he hid himself.

  She wondered if he did it on purpose—hiding the scars from her as best he could. She wanted to tell him he didn’t have to—that she wasn’t scared or disgusted with them, or whatever he thought. But she had no idea how to bring it up. Besides, if she was wrong, it would make the situation awkward.

  Hopefully, in time, he’d see she wasn’t bothered by them.

  Not that it should matter either way. He was her employee. As of tomorrow, they would be colleagues who had never met before. They’d need to keep it completely professional. This night of close partnership would by necessity have to end if they were to keep up Zack’s cover.

  “Yes,” he said, and Radha couldn’t remember what they’d been talking about. His eyes were dark as they fixed on hers, searching. Her breath caught at the intensity of his expression. They were so close—closer than she’d realised.

  Her gaze roamed over him. What was he thinking behind that inscrutable expression?

  She blinked and tore her eyes away, determined not to get caught up in him, not be intrigued by him. There were far too many reasons that would be a terrible idea.

  She stood, putting distance between them, building some walls around herself. She was too vulnerable right now. She needed home, and family, and comfort, not an unnatural intimacy with a near stranger and employee.

  “Can we leave?” she asked him, not turning around.

  She jumped as his voice sounded from right behind her—he must have been completely silent as he stood. “Yes. Dest
iny just gave me a nod. Let me take you home.” His voice was colder now. Perhaps he, too, was building his walls again. She turned to study him, but his face revealed nothing.

  “Can you take me to my parents’ restaurant? It’s in Oakland.” She needed the warmth of family.

  He agreed, and they slid into his car. It took them a while to maneuvre past all the crime scene techs, and around the yellow tape that had cordoned off the area, but eventually they were cruising down the main road towards Oakland.

  The traffic had disappeared in the late hour. It was now close to midnight, and most people were tucked up in bed ready for the next day. Would she sleep at all tonight? She scrubbed her arms, trying to ward off the chill and the creeping sensation that she was tainted by that house.

  Without saying a word, Zack increased the heat through the vents.

  Radha remembered her question from before. “So, are you sure Louis’s death is connected to whatever is going on at the casino?”

  He slanted her a glance. “Well, I never want to be sure of anything, because it doesn’t leave room for flexibility. But I think it’s a fairly safe bet.”

  “That would mean it’s a lot more dangerous than I thought.” They passed a cyclist with his lights flashing, parents carrying a sleeping child into a house; normal life, continuing on.

  “You’ll have to be careful,” he murmured.

  “Me?” she asked. “Surely you’re the one that has to be careful. You’re taking Louis’s job.”

  Zack sounded a little affronted. “I can take care of myself.”

  “I’m sure you can,” she replied. And she had no doubt he could. Broad shoulders and strong hands, plus he seemed to be intelligent. A deadly combination.

  They lapsed into silence for a moment. Unwilling to sink into thoughts of Louis and what had transpired, Radha searched for another topic of conversation.

  “Where will you start your investigation?” she asked.

  He hummed, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel as he considered the question. “It seems the finances might be the root of it all, so I’ll get my hands on those. It’s possible one of the other employees are involved, so I’ll have to check on them, as well. But I’ll let the police handle the investigation of Louis’s…what happened to Louis from their side.”