“I take it the feeling’s mutual.”
Feeling hollow and numb, Casey slumped back in her chair. The last person she’d talked to before leaving for GenMart on Tuesday was Summer. Oh, god, had Summer fed Devon the info? Had she been so angry over the grounding that she wanted payback? Was she capable of this level of betrayal? On the other hand, Summer had been acting strange lately, and it seemed like she wanted to tell her something. After Casey came home with her ear bandaged on Tuesday, Summer had seemed upset. Then she’d been shouting at someone on the phone. Maybe Summer hadn’t known what Devon had done until it was over, although she must have wondered. She’d probably confronted him.
“So, Summer told her boyfriend about the assignment?” Stan asked.
“Actually, Devon was there when Summer overheard me tell Lou about it. Our apartment door was open, and I had no idea they were listening outside until it was too late. That manipulative moron probably learned whatever else he needed to know from her.” She was going to kill Devon.
“What’s up with Summer?” Stan asked.
Casey didn’t bother to hold back a sigh. “Our relationship’s been strained since she hooked up with that disrespectful moron in December. Summer’s lost herself in that piece of crap.” Casey decided to stop venting before she completely lost it. “I’m sorry, Stan. I’ll talk to Summer as soon as I get home.”
“Good luck.”
Luck, she didn’t need. What she needed was patience.
AS USUAL, CASEY ENTERED THE house through the back door that led into the kitchen. There was no sign of Summer. She marched down the hall and peeked into the living room. Also empty. She started up the stairs and then paused, forcing herself to stop and think, to restrain the desire to barge into Summer’s room and start yelling. She took a deep breath, then another, but the adrenaline rushed through her body so fast that her skin was hot and prickly. When she reached Summer’s bedroom, she managed to knock quietly.
“Come in.”
Summer was on the bed, playing an electronic game. Cheyenne rested on the mat beside her bed. The dog raised her head and wagged her tail a little before resuming her snooze.
“I just came from an interesting meeting with Stan,” Casey said, walking up to the bed. “The police told him that the boys who attacked us on the bus learned about me and my assignment from Devon.” Summer looked up, her face flushing red, eyes guilt-ridden and fearful. “Why, Summer?”
As she tossed the game on the comforter, her eyes glistened. “I didn’t know he’d do that, I swear!” She moved to the edge of the bed and planted her feet on the floor.
Casey fetched a tissue from the box on the night table. “What do you know?”
Summer hesitated. As the tears began to spill, she took the tissue Casey handed her. “After we heard you talking about your job, Devon wanted to know more, so we followed you to the store on our bikes.”
Crap. Casey wished she’d spotted them. “Go on.”
“We were wet and freezing when we got there, so we snuck into the store while you were at the bus stop.” Summer shredded the tissue. Small bits floated to the floor, some of them landing on the dog. “Devon ran into some guys he knew.”
“Can you describe them?”
As she did so, Casey pinched her lips together to keep from swearing. Summer had just described the shoplifting trio. She sat next to Summer. “What did Devon say to them?”
“Dunno. He asked me to get him a chocolate bar.” She paused. “When I got back, we left.”
“How did Devon know his friends were the boys I was watching for?”
“After I got him the bar, they showed him how to hide it so he wouldn’t have to pay. We figured they were the shoplifters you were waiting for.” Summer choked back a sob. “Devon said I shouldn’t tell you or the cops about him stealing the chocolate bar, because we’d get in trouble and maybe even get kicked out of school. I didn’t like it, but I said okay.”
Casey took another calming breath. “Then what happened?”
“He brought the bike he’d borrowed back here, then took off. I still felt bad about him stealing, so I phoned him and said we needed to talk. He told me to come to the rink.”
“And then you brought him back here.”
“We weren’t finished talking when you called. So, I asked him to come with me; I told Devon I’d give him something to eat.” More tears spilled down her cheeks. “But you freaked out and that made him mad, so he left.”
And plotted revenge, the little bastard. “After that confrontation, he told the shoplifters about me?”
“I didn’t know he’d do that!” Summer wiped her eyes. “When you came in all beaten up, I got a bad feeling about it and called him to find out if he’d talked to those guys, and he just laughed.” She poked at bits of tissue with her toes. “Said it was your own fault. So I broke up with him.” Collapsing against Casey, she began to sob.
“You did the right thing.” She put her arms around Summer.
“I wanted to tell you that Devon knew those guys,” Summer said between sobs. “But I knew you’d be really pissed.”
Casey squeezed her tight. “Not with you, sweetie.”
Summer sniffed and wiped her eyes. “Are you going to tell Mom?”
“No. You are.”
Summer sat up. “She’ll yell.”
“Probably, but once she’s had a chance to think things through, she’ll be happy you dumped a guy who didn’t deserve you.” Rhonda would be disappointed, though, that Summer hadn’t fessed up earlier. Casey had to admit she was disappointed too.
Her cell phone rang. When she saw Kendal’s name on the screen, she cringed from guilt. “I need to take this call,” Casey said and left Summer’s room.
“This is one shitty day,” Kendal grumbled. “The manager is blaming me for letting those boys rip us off so much. It will probably go in my file and blow my chance for a pay raise.”
“I’m so sorry, Kendal.” Casey headed upstairs to her suite. “I owe you a huge apology for suggesting GenMart staff were behind the leak.” She closed the door. “I just found out that I was indirectly responsible.”
After Casey explained everything, Kendal gave a low whistle. “Tell Summer not to feel bad. Choosing a loser boyfriend is practically a rite of passage. Can you get me a photo of this Devon jerk? If he comes into the store again, I’ll want to know.”
“Summer probably has one on her phone. I’ll send it to you. And there’s something else. Did you hear what happened at Fraserview last night?”
“No. What?”
The news of Winson’s death prompted a “holy shit!” from Kendal. “We need to do some serious digging before Justin becomes the permanent scapegoat,” she added.
“It won’t be easy. Mia’s not happy with me, so I doubt I can go back and start asking questions. Speaking of which, guess who Fraserview’s latest resident is?” She told Kendal about Jamal’s arrival.
“I’m not worried about that little shit,” Kendal said, “and I want to learn more about Winson’s death. The place is filled with gossips who’ll bring me up to speed.”
“I know a way to do some digging that’ll be more fun,” Casey said. “What are you doing tonight?”
“Nothing, why?”
“How would you like to go to a casino, incognito?”
TWENTY
“YOU TWO AREN’T GOING TO make trouble if you see someone from Fraserview, are you?” Lou asked as he pulled into the casino’s parking lot. “I know all the high school stories.”
“Not all of them,” Kendal replied, winking at Casey.
Nestled between her two favorite people, Casey chuckled. “It does feel like old times.”
“We’re just older and wiser now.” Kendal leaned forward and grinned at Lou. “Seriously.”
Lou turned off the engine. “I’m already nervous.”
Casey followed him out of the truck. “You’ll be too busy reclaiming your former glory at the blackjack tables to worr
y about us.”
Lou and his buddies used to hang out a fair bit at casinos, until grownup responsibilities consumed their time and money. With a self-imposed hundred-dollar limit, Lou was hardly a high roller these days, but he’d wanted to come along and had even offered to be designated driver. Summer was sleeping over at a friend’s house, and Casey welcomed the chance for an evening out, even if they were on a mission. She knew that Lou truly was concerned about what might happen tonight. With two dead Fraserview staff members, maybe he had a good reason to be. Casey looked around the full parking lot but didn’t see Phyllis’s Smart car. Too bad she didn’t know what types of vehicles the other staff drove.
“If you see Phyllis or any of the others we talked about, avoid them,” Casey said to Kendal.
“Don’t sweat it. No one will recognize us in these getups.”
“How many others?” Lou asked.
“Six,” Casey replied. “Amir, Rawan, Mia, Oksana, Cristano Cruz, and Ruby. Although Ruby wasn’t working when Mac had his heart attack, and Cruz wasn’t around when Winson died, as far as I know. But I think Phyllis mentioned the gambling thing because she knew I’d recognize someone connected to Fraserview if I came here.”
“What about the corrections officers?” Kendal asked. “I don’t know their names but I’d recognize their faces.”
“Same here,” Casey replied. “Let’s watch for them too.”
The plan was to scour every inch of the casino for familiar faces. Kendal would scope out the poker rooms and, if possible, the VIP area. Casey would wander among the slot machines and gaming tables. The first one to spot a familiar face would call the other. Casey wasn’t quite sure what this mission would accomplish, but given Phyllis’s hints and the likelihood that a Fraserview employee, or Cruz, was a killer, checking into their backgrounds and off-duty activities seemed a more useful way to spend time than watching TV.
“What do you think of Casey as a redhead?” Kendal asked Lou. “Better than those old brown curls, right?”
“It’s awesome,” Lou replied, sweeping his hand down the long red wig.
Did he really like her better as a redhead? Casey felt like an idiot. Admittedly, the wig changed her appearance almost as much as Kendal’s black one altered hers. The dark brown contact lenses and heavy makeup were a bit over the top, though.
“Rawan’s been acting kind of strange,” Kendal said, glancing at three couples who were approaching the casino’s entrance. “I’ve caught her in two intense phone conversations, and both times she hung up the second she saw me. She also seemed kind of embarrassed. The chick is definitely hiding something.”
“Maybe she knows more about what’s really going on in Fraserview than she can say.”
“We should talk to her away from the place,” Kendal said. “Wouldn’t it be cool if she was here tonight?”
“I thought we agreed that you two are just observing, not interrogating,” Lou said.
“We are,” Casey replied. “Right, Kendal?”
“Right,” she said with less enthusiasm.
Judging from the look on Lou’s face, concern had turned to worry. Casey didn’t blame him. In the old days, Kendal’s willingness to confront people had nearly gotten them into bar brawls on more than one occasion. Hopefully, Kendal would keep her curiosity and boldness in check.
Lou opened the door for them and Casey followed Kendal into an enormous room decorated in red and gold. They faced a crush of bright lights and people. There was chatter, laughter, bells, whistles, and music—quite a contrast from the dark, quiet parking lot.
“Wow,” Casey murmured. She’d been in casinos before, but the bombardment to her senses was always a shock.
Grinning, Kendal turned full circle. “Awesome.”
“Can I buy you ladies a drink?” Lou asked.
“Just soda water for me,” Casey replied.
“That’s it?” Kendal asked.
“Want to stay sharp. Plus I have to get up early tomorrow.”
“What for?”
“Tons of report and essay writing to catch up on.”
After her conversation with Summer earlier, Casey had called Stan to let him know what she’d learned about Devon’s involvement. He told her to document every detail and have her report ready first thing Monday morning. So far, she hadn’t gotten around to it.
While Casey strolled past a bank of slot machines, bells rang loudly for a lucky senior with sprigs of purple hair on her balding scalp. The woman barely broke a smile, as if winning was routine. Somewhere in the middle of the room, cheers erupted. Casey slowed her pace and looked for Phyllis, but the slot machines faced different directions, making it impossible to see every patron. Worse, a disturbingly high number of players sported Phyllis’s gray poodle curls. Some of them even wore the same style of blue-framed glasses.
Trailing Lou and Kendal, Casey tried to get her bearings, but the room was so large that she couldn’t figure out where it ended. At the bar, Lou ordered drinks while she and Kendal people watched. By the time the drinks were ready, Kendal was antsy.
“I’m going to look for the poker room,” she said and wandered off.
Lou leaned close to Casey. “What do you think of this place?”
“There are a lot of solemn faces.”
“Who are counting on winning to pay down debt.” Lou took Casey’s hand and headed for the gaming tables.
When they reached the blackjack area, he stopped and watched the action. Casey glanced around the room. No sign of Phyllis.
They’d wandered past four tables when Lou stopped at a quiet table with only two other players. “I’ll stay here,” he said.
“Good luck.”
Casey kissed him and then wandered toward another cluster of slot machines. Trying to be inconspicuous, she studied faces. It didn’t take long before she realized she was lost and quite possibly strolling through ground she’d already covered. The bank of slot machines with the nautical theme looked familiar, as did the players with their blank stares and rounded shoulders, regardless of age. The mind-numbing, repetitious spin of symbols held these people captive, as if they were pinned to their seats by giant, invisible tacks. Casey’s phone rang and a moment later she heard Kendal’s exuberant voice.
“Guess who I just saw in the poker room?” Before Casey could reply, Kendal blurted, “Mia! And she’s sitting at a five-hundred-buck-minimum table.”
“Whoa. Given that she’s in a custody battle and angling for the permanent director’s job, she wasn’t my first pick. Where are you now?”
“At a slot machine outside the room, but take your time. It looks like she’ll be here a while. The woman has four stacks of chips in front of her, maybe more.”
“Sounds like a hell of a lot of money,” Casey said.
“It is. Our acting director’s quite the player. But even if she knows what she’s doing, you’ve got to wonder how long she can keep it up without completely crashing.”
It did make Casey wonder. Mia’s salary couldn’t support a gambling habit.
She peered past the sea of bodies and machines. “Where’s the poker room? I’m totally lost.”
Casey tried to follow Kendal’s directions but soon found herself back at the blackjack tables. Lou seemed fully absorbed in the game. With three stacks of chips in front of him, his eyes didn’t waver from the dealer’s cards.
A couple of old gals bumped Casey’s bruised arm with their gigantic handbags. She winced and clamped her hand onto the sore spot while the ladies shuffled on, apparently oblivious to the incident. Despite the noise and other distractions, most patrons seemed oblivious to everything but the pursuit of winning. Sure, a few groups of people were socializing and having fun, but they were in the minority.
Finally, Casey found a sign with an arrow pointing in the right direction. Dodging and sidestepping the people constantly crossing her path, she managed to spot Kendal playing at a slot machine near the poker room’s entrance.
“Are
you winning?” Casey asked as she watched Kendal push a button.
“No, and it’s boring as hell.” She turned to Casey. “I’m going back in the room to get another drink and see how Mia’s doing with the chips.”
“Maybe I should go. If you show up too often, you could draw unwanted attention.”
“Why don’t we both go? It’ll look like I was waiting for you.”
Although Kendal’s strategy wasn’t bad, Casey would rather go alone. Surveillance often worked better without the distraction of conversation. “I don’t know. Two hot chicks in the room will definitely draw attention. I’ll just be a minute. Meanwhile, keep playing while I get you another Caesar.”
Before Kendal could respond, Casey stepped into the long rectangular room, also draped in red and gold, and illuminated with enormous chandeliers. She liked this room. There were fewer people milling about, the music was quieter, and there was a definite absence of chatter. Still, the solemn concentration was more predominant here than in the rest of the casino.
Nearly every table was full, but Casey easily spotted Mia’s short yellow spikes. Her black, sequined tank top showed off muscular arms and a rose tattoo on her right shoulder blade.
Casey ordered the Caesar and turned to face the room. From her spot at the bar, she could see Mia’s downcast expression and only three stacks of chips in front of her. The quick, dramatic loss explained the strain on her face. Would Mia stay until she lost it all?
Casey paid for the drink and returned to Kendal. “She has only three stacks left and doesn’t look happy.”
“If she’s addicted, she’ll eventually lose her job, her home, and definitely her custody battle,” Kendal remarked. “It makes you wonder who else, besides Phyllis, knows how Mia spends her free time.”
“I wouldn’t call it free,” Casey remarked. “I suppose Phyllis could have told Mac about the gambling. She and Mia seem to have issues. Others might know, too.”
“If Mac and Winson knew about the gambling,” Kendal said, “then I wouldn’t want to be Phyllis.”
TWENTY-ONE
The Deep End Page 14