“Mom, we have news,” Kai said as I bit into my first piece of fry bread.
He reached for Rachel’s shoulder as she removed some photos from her bag on the floor and handed them to Mrs. Nakos. “We saw the baby’s heartbeat, and we have ultrasound pictures.”
Mrs. Nakos covered her mouth, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes. “Does this mean you’re out of the woods?”
Rachel and Kai shared an uncertain look between them. Their connection was beautiful really, and I knew I wanted that with Dakota someday.
“I mean, anything can happen,” Rachel said. “But this is the furthest we’ve gotten so we feel very hopeful.”
“Oh, darling,” Mrs. Nakos said, hugging first Rachel and then Kai. “I’m so happy for the both of you.”
We all said a toast with our drinks, and I made a silent wish that they would get what they wanted.
After that, the mood stayed light and cheerful as we continued with dinner.
“So you just came from the police station?” Dakota asked unexpectedly.
I nodded, thankful that I had just taken a bite of the fry bread. I wasn’t sure if a change of topic was necessary.
“Any news?” she asked. Maybe she wasn’t able to forget her father’s presence at this table, either.
I considered leaning over and whispering that this was probably not a good time to be discussing the case, but then I noticed how Mrs. Nakos placed her silverware down and how Kai and Rachel had their attention directed at me.
“It’s okay,” Dakota said, squeezing my fingers. “We want to be able to discuss this openly.”
I met Mrs. Nakos’s gaze across the table, and she nodded. So I directed my next question at her. “What do you know about the Whitman Corporation?”
Mrs. Nakos bristled visibly before allowing her shoulders to relax. “They were involved in the sacred-ground case years ago. Uncle Elan will be stopping by for dessert later—you can ask him more about it.”
“I’ve already spoken with him,” I said, and her eyebrow quirked in surprise. “But I was curious what you’d have to say.”
“They were . . . upset, to say the least, when Linden filed that injunction against them,” she said. “There were a couple of angry phone calls threatening to cause trouble for us if we didn’t back off.”
Dakota’s eyes widened as if this had been new information, and I wondered if her father had kept his children in the dark in an effort to protect them during that time.
Uncle Elan had mentioned something similar to what Mrs. Nakos was describing, about how the new casino owner once showed up at his place of business, attempting to get him to change his mind.
They never left a paper trail with these threats, and once the injunction went through, all contact had ceased. And given the recent information we’d gathered, it seemed to fit their MO.
“Why do you suppose they wanted to build on that property?”
She tapped her delicate fingers on table. “Given its proximity to the freeway, it might’ve been a booming business for them. But it wasn’t right, what they did, exhuming those bodies.”
“That’s really messed up,” Rachel said, shaking her head.
“I do have some news,” I said, selecting my words carefully. “The Whitman Corporation is paying those picketers to stand outside your casino every day.”
“What?” Dakota said, her fork clattering against her plate. “Why?”
“You tell me,” I said, hoping to get any information I could from them. “Those protesters are being paid a daily stipend. They feed them and supply them with signs.”
“So the picketers aren’t truly against us?” Dakota said. “That’s all been manufactured?”
A stunned silence fell over the table. Each member of this family appeared as equally shocked as distressed and my gaze snagged on Dakota. “Getting paid was probably a huge motivator in helping them decide to join the cause. Especially if they were on the fence.”
“Like Herman and Leo?”
I nodded. We had checked into both employees but nothing stood out. At least not at the moment. They were definitely on the Whitman Corporation’s payroll, just like the other picketers who were helping lead that protest. But it seemed to strictly be a monetary exchange. And given what Stuart had told me about Herman’s living arrangements, he could definitely use the money.
“Why would the Whitman Corporation do that?” Mrs. Nakos said.
“There’s more,” I said. “Flint Thornfall has met with them as recently as last week. The company has an investment in his casino.”
“Would he have asked them to invest in our casino as well, if he had gotten me to agree to sign it over?” Mrs. Nakos said, but Dakota stayed strangely silent. “That might explain why they’re creating trouble for us now.”
When I placed my hand on Dakota’s knee beneath the table, she finally looked at me and said, “Is that who threatened me in the garage the other day—someone from that corporation?”
“We don’t have that information yet, but it’s possible.” I didn’t share that the plates that Charlie ran were registered to an alias. These guys were slick.
“Am I the only one connecting the dots here?” Kai’s frustrated voice boomed as he shoved back from the table. “If Flint is working with them, then he’s linked to everything underhanded that’s been going on. All the rumors about Mom’s bloodline and maybe even about Rachel’s supposed infertility.”
Rachel gasped, her hand covering her mouth. I stayed silent in an effort to urge the family to work through their own thought processes, because in many cases that gave me additional information.
“The question is why,” Mrs. Nakos said, a mix of sadness and anger in her eyes. “I can understand the corporation holding a grudge against us. This could be their way back into another lucrative casino.”
“So Flint is using that to his advantage,” Kai said, shaking his head. “And for what? More capital? Respect from the community?”
“Respect from his son,” Dakota said, unexpectedly chiming in. “Maybe in some backhanded way, he thinks Ridge will forgive the rift between them if he’s more successful and offers more money to his nonprofit.”
A hushed quiet descended again over the table, everyone lost deeply in thought.
“Should we take this to the tribal council?” Mrs. Nakos asked after another beat.
“Leave that up to me,” I said, and she nodded. “For now, I’m just urging all of you to be extra cautious.”
“In other words,” Kai said, “watch our backs.”
Chapter Twenty-nine
DAKOTA
Uncle Elan stopped by for dessert, and Kai and Rachel took off shortly thereafter. Mom and I had been packing up the leftovers when Uncle Elan cornered her in the kitchen.
“I must urge you to reconsider selling, Johanna,” he said in a rush. “You’ve got to understand how much casinos are hurting our community.”
My mother’s mouth turned down and she remained silent. Uncle Elan’s plea stung, but it would fall on deaf ears. No matter what, Mom and I were sticking together and seeing this through.
“What’s hurting our community in this current crisis is not standing by each other,” I said. “Please, Uncle Elan. It’s not fair for you to rehash this fight with us, especially if you already laid it to rest with my father years ago.”
“But I’m only concerned about—”
“It feels like you’ve found an opportunity to worm your way in because we’re suffering,” I said with pleading eyes. “Just like everybody else.”
He took a step back and his hand flew to his heart. “I didn’t mean—”
“Then please stop,” I said. “We need your support, not your opposition.”
When Shane stepped inside the house to grab another drink, Uncle Elan clammed up and turned away. It was as if he still saw Shane as an outsider. That was going to have to change, sooner rather than later.
After he left, Shane and I took our coffee o
ut on the back deck.
“There’s something I need to take care of with Alex today,” Shane said. “If I’m not back in time, Charlie’s going to drive you to the benefit tonight.”
I wanted to ask him what he needed to take care of, but I knew he wouldn’t tell me unless I needed to know. This was frustrating, but deep in my heart, I trusted him. If we were somehow going to make our relationship work, I needed to get used to not always being kept in the loop.
“Are you sure I shouldn’t just ask Ridge—”
“I told you that I don’t want you to be alone with him,” he rumbled.
“Are you sure you’re not being a little extreme?”
He tipped my chin up with his thumb. “Extreme or not, he wants my girl back, and you’re meeting him there, yeah?”
Even though he was acting like a big gorilla, electricity coursed through me at his words. “Okay, yeah.”
He pulled me into his arms and whispered in my ear, “I almost forgot—I got you a present. Was going to give it to you later, but just in case I can’t see you tonight . . .”
“A present?” I said, my breaths choppy. “Why?”
He pulled a small rectangular box from the inside of his coat pocket. “I’m not allowed to get my girl a gift just because?”
He handed me the box and I carefully opened it, excitement coursing through me. Inside was a gleaming silver nameplate. Dakota Nakos was emblazoned across it in black letters. In smaller print beneath my name, it read, Boss Lady of the Golden Arrow Casino.
Tears immediately sprang to my eyes while I simultaneously giggled at the message. God, he was so considerate. And he was all mine.
He kissed my forehead and whispered, “I thought it was time.”
I nodded and buried my face in his chest. “Thank you.”
* * *
I’d just finished clasping my bracelet when the front door buzzed. I knew it was Charlie alerting me that she was waiting downstairs, so I inhaled a steadying breath. This was going to be strange and more than a little uncomfortable.
“Be right down.”
“Take your time.”
But the ride over wasn’t at all as I’d imagined. Unlike the day she saved me in the garage, when she was all badass female Marshal, Charlie was warm and friendly and put me at ease right away.
“This must be some fancy gig,” she said when I slid into the backseat. “Your dress is gorgeous. Shane will be bummed he didn’t get to see you all dolled up.”
“Thank you,” I said, feeling my cheeks staining red from the compliment. “Yes, these charity events can be a bit much. But Shane would probably be more surprised if he saw me in sweats.”
“Ah, got it, you dress up a lot for your job,” she said, connecting with my train of thought immediately. “It would be the opposite for me. I think the guys would fall over if they saw me in a dress and heels. I don’t get to go fancy very often. I kind of miss it.”
“Had I known that, I would’ve told Shane that you were my date to this shindig,” I said. “I’d rather talk to you than some of the stuffy suits that show up.”
“I would’ve probably embarrassed you by having too many drinks, and then you’d be driving me home,” she said with a grin. “I’m a lightweight.”
I laughed and sat back, feeling completely comfortable. Shane was right; we would probably be friends if we lived closer to one another. As it was now, she was only in town because Shane called in a favor after my father had been killed and tension escalated in the casino.
But more and more I had a niggling feeling at the base of my skull that there was something more to all of this. That there was a connection we were all missing. And I wondered if Shane knew it, too, but couldn’t say anything to compromise the investigation. And I nearly opened my mouth to ask Charlie a random question based on that observation before she beat me to the punch.
“So, is Ridge one of those stuffy suits you were just referring to?” Charlie asked, meeting my gaze in the rearview mirror. “Don’t worry, I’m not asking for Shane. Just making girl talk. I hardly ever get to do it.”
I smirked, feeling like I might be able to trust her. Weird, since this was only the second time I’d met her, the first occasion being under duress.
“Kind of, yeah,” I said, honestly. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s handsome and kind and will probably make the right girl a good husband someday.”
“But you’re missing that feeling that only happens when another certain someone walks in the room?”
“Exactly,” I said, and she nodded.
It felt as if only five minutes had gone by when Charlie was pulling up to the ballroom entrance to drop me off. “See you in a couple of hours.”
The charity event went as it usually did, with me moving from group to group, being pulled into conversations with different charity organizers or politicians. After an hour, I was already bored.
I sat next to Ridge during the dinner portion and shortly after, it was my turn to formally present the casino’s substantial donation.
“In closing, this donation means a great deal to the Golden Arrow Casino. It’s signifies growth in helping this great organization provide services to my people and their families,” I said, stepping down from the podium. I refrained from speaking directly about my father, though it might’ve helped the recent climate. But truth be told, this event didn’t feel completely personal to me, even though I admired the charity’s work. Besides, we couldn’t keep using his name as our contingency plan; we needed to move forward on our own two, or four, feet.
Afterward, I moved toward the exit, hoping to make my escape. My eyes scanned past a familiar name on one of the flower arrangements by the doors. I scaled back and read it again, bile clawing its way up my throat. THE WHITMAN CORPORATION.
I scanned the room, my nerves fraying at the edges, not really certain who or what I was expecting to find. Suddenly there was a hand on my elbow.
“You okay?” Ridge said in my ear. “You look upset.”
“Fine,” I said, turning to him. “I just was surprised to see that the Whitman Corporation had made a donation.”
His eyebrows knit together. “They invest in quite a few Indian organizations.”
“It’s just that . . .” I inhaled a lungful of air, trying to calm my racing heart. “Never mind.”
“No, Dakota,” he said, clutching my arm. “What were you going to say?”
I huffed out a breath. “The Whitman Corporation is providing supplies and meals to our picketers. They organized that protest.”
Shock registered on his face and he took a step back. “Are you sure? Why would they do that?”
“I guess to create conflict.” Something told me that Shane wouldn’t want me to divulge his part in this investigation, so instead I said, “Could your dad have put them up to it, since he’s had a financial relationship with them?”
“I hope to hell he didn’t,” he said, his jaw clenched together. “Damn, I’m sorry.”
“Is your dad here?” I asked suddenly. “I haven’t seen him anywhere.”
“Hell, no,” he said. “He donates privately. He rarely comes to these events.”
I couldn’t help it, but my eyes kept swimming around the room, wondering if the man who approached me in the garage was somewhere close by. But Charlie had said he was probably just somebody’s henchman, so it wasn’t likely. Still, I was glad to know she was waiting for me just outside the door.
“I can tell you’re shaken up about this,” Ridge said, placing an arm around my shoulder.
“I am,” I said, taking a steadying breath. “What do you know about the Whitman Corporation?”
He shrugged. “Not much. I run a nonprofit, remember? They made a generous donation. Not a lot more I’ve wanted to know about them, to be honest.”
He turned and looked around the room, checking on his event.
“Can I get you anything, Dakota?” he asked. “Do you want me to—”
“No, i
t’s okay,” I said, holding up my hand. “I was actually just about to leave. I have an early morning.”
“I plan on having a talk with my father about this,” Ridge said, concern evident on his face. “If they’ve done something to upset you, he needs to know.”
When he hauled me into a hug I realized what a stand-up guy he’d always been.
But if Shane saw me in the arms of another man, especially this man, he’d go badass U.S. Marshal on him. I withdrew from his grasp. “You’re a good friend. Thanks for your concern, but I’ll be just fine.”
He cupped my cheek and nodded. He really was very handsome, sure to have the eye of any woman in this room, so why didn’t he seem to make himself more available?
Guilt slammed into my chest. I hoped to God he wasn’t waiting on me. But there was nothing more I could do; I’d made my intentions clear. Short of telling him about Shane, which might feel like a slap in the face, there wasn’t anything left to be said.
That night, I had a hard time getting to sleep. I felt like my thoughts were on spin cycle, constantly steering me in a loop through everything that had happened since my father’s death.
When Shane slipped silently through the door and into my bed, I’d been lying on my side for hours, just staring at the watery moon through my bedroom window. As soon as I had gotten home, it had started steadily pouring and the rain hit the glass in thuds and thumps, lulling me into an almost soothing incantation.
Shane’s cheeks were damp as if he’d been standing beneath my window, sharing the moonlight with me. Tiny beads of glass appeared to glisten on his eyelashes and as I lifted my lips to kiss those droplets away, my heart could scarcely contain the affection I felt for this beautiful man.
After silently gazing into my eyes for minutes or perhaps days, reading my every thought and emotion, he didn’t even bother with formalities.
My shirt was tugged off right before I was pressed to the mattress and kissed breathless. He made love to me in an overwhelming, hypnotic, and desperate kind of way. As if he needed to claim me, brand me, and remind me unquestionably that I belonged to him.
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