CHAPTER TWO
Mary's and my room was between Minx and Jess's room and the room now shared by Orion, Liam, and Loggin. Moo hopped onto the queen bed nearest the window and dragged his heavy claws across the comforter from the edge to the center, turning in a circle, until the entire comforter was in a ball in the center of the bed. He circled three times then flopped onto the pile.
Mary rolled the bow case into the corner then dropped her bag onto the other bed. "That"--she pointed at the bed with Moo--"is yours."
Moo rolled on his back and squirmed right and left. With a giant sneeze, he flopped to one side and stretched diagonally across the entire bed.
I sat down next to him. "What am I going to do with you, Moo?"
Upon hearing his name, he crawled across the bed and laid his head in my lap then rolled his eyes up to plead for scratches. I flipped his cropped ears a few times, a souvenir from his previous owners, who had abandoned him to a rescue before Liam adopted him last fall. I leaned over and kissed the top of his nos,e but I wasn't quick enough to pull away before his tongue flicked across my cheek.
"Gross." I got up to wash my face. "Hey, what were you and Orion talking about? He seemed nervous."
"He was. He told me that he's started dating a girl at his church in Salt Lake."
I turned off the water and rushed from the bathroom. "Oh no, I'm so sorry, Mary. Does that mean the Valentine double date on Saturday is cancelled? Are you okay?"
She bustled about the room, organizing her clothing and unpacking her bow from the case. "I'm fine, and the double date is still on. He just felt that it would be inappropriate not to tell me."
She had told me last month that she had a crush on him. They'd been spending a lot of time messaging each other and were pretty inseparable when we were in the same place. "You're fine?"
She blew out a long breath. "Yes. I'm pretty confident that this is only a minor setback, but in the rare case that I'm wrong, sitting around moping won't change anything."
There was a knock at the door.
I squinted at Mary. She seemed sad but not devastated. The tension in my shoulders dissolved when I realized she wasn't going to let it ruin her weekend. She and Orion were perfect for each other and enjoyed being together, and I didn't know why he was fighting the inevitable. "I'm sorry. That's still a huge bummer. If you need some girl time, let me know. We'll ditch everyone and go shopping or goof off."
"No, you finally get to hang out with Liam."
"Bah, we can sneak off for a few hours if necessary. Besides, he's riding back to the center with us after the tournament. I'll be seeing so much of him that I'll be sick of him in no time."
She rolled her eyes at me then went to the door as the knocking recurred, urgent and fast. "Hold your horses." She peeked through the peephole before opening the door. "It's Loggin."
He burst into the room, running a hand through his hair. "This is bad. Real bad."
I made a mock salute. "Angels reporting for duty."
"Remember that guy that I told you was hit by a van? He died."
I pulled out a chair for him to sit in. "Oh no, Loggin. Were you close?"
Mary moved to her backpack and pulled out a small notebook that would easily slip into a pocket. "His name?"
"Mike Champ. I didn't know him beyond a 'hi' at tournaments." Loggin scrubbed his face with his hands.
Mary scribbled on a blank page. "Do you know anything else about him?"
"He worked back east for a politician. He was... uh... what do you call them? Makes politicians look good?"
"Photoshop? Stylist? Money? A cavalcade of lobbyists?" I guessed.
"Spin doctor?" Mary looked up.
Loggin stared out the window. "Yes, a spin doctor."
I walked over and patted him on the back. "This might not have anything to do with the tournament. If he worked for a politician, then probably half the country wanted him dead."
"Maybe but why did the same van almost hit us? And what about my roommates' drinks getting doped? And I didn't tell you about what I just learned."
Mary dropped her notebook on the table then pulled out a tablet and started poking. "Don't keep us hanging. What did you learn?"
"Someone hung a banner on the railing that said, 'The playing field will be leveled.' You know how you go up the stairs from the casino floor up to the arena and the shooting rooms? They hung it over that railing so you see it as you come up."
Mary nodded along with his description. She had been attending this tournament for about a decade, while this was my first time.
I mused over the wording. "'The playing field will be leveled'? What does that even mean?"
He shrugged. "No clue but it sets my teeth on edge."
I nodded. "It sounds ominous. Like a revolution."
There was another knock, but it wasn't from the entrance. There was a door set back along the wall between our room and the next. I got up and unlocked it.
Jess was on the other side. "Look, our rooms are connected. I can come over in my jammies to make sure you two aren't getting into trouble. I'm going to head down to the arena to check on our booth then gossip with some coach friends."
"What do you have to gossip about?" I teased her.
"We can commiserate about our students driving us crazy." She stuck out her tongue at me then disappeared, only to be replaced by Minx.
She had changed into a tight V-neck polo shirt, skinny jeans, and high heels. "What are you guys doing in here?"
Loggin stopped rubbing his neck and stared at Minx.
I chuckled. "You going somewhere fancy?"
She flicked her red hair over her shoulder. "Everywhere in Vegas is fancy."
I waited for Loggin to say something, but he sat with his mouth hanging open slightly. I shook my head. "Remember the guy hit by the van last night? Loggin just got a call that he passed away."
"Poor man, that's awful for him. Come hang out in my room, Loggin, while the girls change. I want to get downstairs to grab a drink and play the slots."
Loggin nodded and followed her back into her room. I locked the door behind him.
Mary was rooting around in her luggage. "I'm so excited to wear some non-archery clothing."
I pulled out a loose-fitting jersey knit top with an asymmetric hem and flowing sleeves. "I know what you mean." I had fallen into the habit of always wearing snug-fitting clothing that wouldn't interfere with a bowstring. On a daily basis at the center, Mary and I would grab our bows and shoot whenever we had half an hour of free time. Therefore we were always dressed in a way that was conducive to shooting. "Will we be able to practice today?"
"Maybe. The practice range is usually packed, but I hear they are extending practice hours. We can swing by there later if you want."
There was a knock on the door and I moved to answer while Mary grabbed her clothing and ran to the bathroom, clutching it to her chest.
I opened the door to find Liam and Orion standing in the hallway. Orion looked beyond me into the empty room, and his mouth pulled into a frown.
"Hi, guys, we're about to head downstairs."
Liam sucked air in through his teeth. "Unfortunately, they need us on the show floor. They're setting up the booths, and there are some problems. Do you know where Loggin is? Andersson Archery is one of the companies affected, and we could use his help."
Moo jumped off the bed at the sound of Liam's voice and padded over to the door.
I knocked on the shared door to Minx's room before opening it. "Loggin, Liam needs you."
Liam explained the problem to Loggin. It was regarding inventory and some issues with how the booths had been packaged after the last trade show. Before they left, Liam turned to me. "Sorry about this. Do you want me to take Moo?"
I shook my head. "Don't worry about it. Work's work. Dragging around an awesome dog will be a distraction. Moo can stay with me."
Moo sat down and offered Liam his paw. Moo and I had been working on how to shake, and now
he offered his paw when he wanted attention. When Liam didn't immediately shake Moo's paw, Moo dragged the paw down Liam's thigh, causing him to jump. "Easy, buddy. We'll hang out soon. All three of us." I smiled as Liam shook Moo's paw.
Once Moo finished his trick, he felt satisfied to come back to my side to lean heavily on my hip. "Mary, Minx, and I are about to head downstairs. I'll have my phone with me."
"I'll let you know when we're done." He smiled at me before they left.
I shut the door, and Mary's head popped out of the bathroom. "They're gone?"
"Yes. Are you going to avoid Orion all weekend?"
"No, not at all, but a bit of absence isn't a bad idea either. Let him miss me. What do you think of this outfit?" She gave a twirl. She had on yellow ballet flats, skinny jeans, and a flowing shirt.
"Adorable."
"Hot stuff, Mary." Minx had fluffed up and curled her red hair. "Let's get this party started."
I slipped Moo's backpack on him and moved his essentials into the pocket. I checked that I had my I.D., money, and the room key as we closed the hotel door behind us.
Two gentlemen walked by with rolling bow cases and gave us a nod. The man in back with an impressive beard flowing down his chest cut his eyes to Moo and inched close to the wall. "Afternoon, ladies. That's a mighty big dog."
I smiled and replied over my shoulder as we continued down toward the elevators, "Yes, he is."
I hadn't quite figured out to reply to those types of statements. It wasn't a question to answer, but it seemed rude not to reply. It was like a compulsion for people to comment on Moo's size. It was often followed by a series of questions: how big was he, how much did he eat, did I ever ride him like a horse, et cetera. I was putting together a small list of witty retorts, but usually a quick smile and acknowledgement was enough.
Minx stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby. "I'm going to have a strawberry daiquiri then gin and tonics then a mudslide then finish it up with a beer or three."
I crinkled my eyebrows in disbelief. "We have to shoot tomorrow."
She waved a hand in the air. "They say that a hangover is better than beta blockers for calming nerves. Plus this tournament doesn't count toward our rankings."
"But you can win money. And if you drink all that this evening, you'll be more than hung over."
Mary quirked an eyebrow at Minx. "You really want to do less than your best?"
The elevator doors opened, and Minx sighed dramatically as she exited. "Fine. I'll have to figure out a different vice to entertain me this weekend." She muttered under her breath, "Bunch of sticks in my mud."
"I heard that." I followed her out of the elevator and hugged her from behind, pinning her arms to her sides. "You love us." I was here with my friends, my dog, and the man I was crazy about at a tournament to shoot archery. I couldn't imagine a more perfect weekend.
"If I say that I love you, will you let me go?" Minx laughed as she said it. "I love you."
Mary hopped in front of us. "What about me?"
"I love you, too. Let's get me a drink."
We laughed as we went up to one of the many bars. Minx ordered a drink while Mary and I asked for water. I stepped back to the walkway designated by yellow carpeting. Moo was technically only allowed on the walkway.
A large group of men was at the other side of the circular bar. This style of bar was spread throughout the casino floor; at least three were visible from where we stood. The men were adorned with hats and shirts that proclaimed their sponsorship from various bow companies.
A man called out his greetings to Minx and Mary, and I followed them over to say hi. A tall guy lifted his hand to offer a high five. Minx stepped forward, but Moo leaped in front of her, and Minx's hand sailed off to the side as she caught herself from falling.
A tall man with a beaklike nose laughed. "Nice job, Minx. Hope you have better aim this weekend." The group chuckled and he continued, "But that's what I'd expected from a girl. Women don't know how to do something complicated like a high five, right guys?"
The men around him chuckled again.
Minx's face grew bright red. "Shut up, Uncle Mike. You only think that because women keep slapping you across the face when you try to high five them."
The chuckles turned to guffaws while one guys in back called out, "Burn."
I leaned over to Mary. "Uncle Mike?"
"His full name is Mike Uncalous, but they call him Uncle Mike or The Uncle."
Uncle Mike narrowed his eyes at Minx then raised his glass. "You got me there. The ladies are heartbroken that they can't tie me down. Unless you want to try?" He drained his glass and placed it on the bar.
Minx crossed her arms. "No thank you."
Uncle Mike pushed off the bar. "I'm going to go check the target assignments." He passed us, giving Mary and me a once-over and a wink. A majority of the men followed, but one stayed behind to talk to Minx.
The male that remained was just taller than me and average in looks. In fact, most archers started to blend together after a whiles and I doubted I could pick this camouflage-swathed one from a lineup. But he didn't have eyes for me as he approached Minx and shook her hand.
"Nice to see someone give Uncle Mike a hard time. I'm Lucky."
"Glad to see someone appreciates my big mouth." She looked him over top to bottom then smiled at him.
"I think it's a nice mouth. Can I get you another drink?" His eyes rested on her lips as she licked them.
She nodded. "I'm Minx, and this is Mary, Di, and Moo. They were just leaving."
He gave us a passing glance and nod then turned back to Minx. He placed a hand on her lower back and steered her to the bar.
I shrugged. "So much for the three Loggin's Angels."
Mary looked at Lucky and shook her head. "I hope this vice doesn't leave her hung over like drinking does. What now?"
The bartender held our water aloft. I slid a tip onto the bar. "Can I see where we're going to shoot? Then maybe check out the animal area for Moo."
At the sound of his name, Moo danced at my side then lifted his head and let out a long "Woo woo."
Heads around the casino lifted and peered around slot machines for the source of the noise.
"Moo, don't get yourself uninvited." I started walking, and he fell in stride with me.
"Sounds like a plan. I'm pretty sure everything is in the same place as always." Mary chugged her water and handed it to a casino waitress as she walked by in a colorful outfit that looked like a one-piece swimsuit with high heels and black stockings.
A woman in her twenties thundered down the walkway directly toward us. She had reddish hair with thick pink highlights. I stepped aside to let her by but she veered to intersect me.
"Hi, I'm Pinkie, and I need to talk to you, Di." She nodded at Mary then turned back to me. She had lovely blue eyes that were staring at me with a frightening intensity.
"Uh, me? I think you might have me mistaken--"
"No, I saw the video about you being the new pro-staff coordinator for Westmound-Andersson Industries, and as a fellow woman, I know you'll appreciate the points I've put together about pay inequality in the industry." She rifled through a backpack and handed me a pamphlet.
I took it on instinct but shook my head. "I'm not the pro-staff coordinator. The video was mistaken. I don't have any control over pay for men or women."
Her face fell. "Rats. You don't work for Westmound?"
"No. I mean I don't not work for Westmound." I blew out a breath. "Let me start over. I...I mean, we both work at the Westmound Training Center for Competitive Shooting Sports in Wyoming. I, along with Liam, gave a speech to some visiting archers about getting sponsorship--"
"You know Liam?"
Mary snorted next to me. "Does she know him? They're rather close."
I blushed and elbowed Mary.
"You are? When you can talk to him, tell him about this." She pointed at a black piece of fabric tied around her arm. "It
's disgraceful that the women's pro division is paid so little. The tournament raised the men's payout to one hundred thousand for the winner, in part by contributions from Westmound, and do you know how much the women get for first place? Do you?" She jabbed a finger at me while her face turned an unhealthy purple hue.
I took a half step back. "Less than that?"
"Five thousand."
I grimaced and sucked air through my teeth. "That's a lot less than the men." I looked at the pamphlet that she had handed to me. There were charts and graphs detailing the payout, entry fees, and participation numbers. I'd need to dig in more later. "That can't be right."
"It's right and Westmound is responsible, in part, for the discrepancy. You say that you're devoted to women in the industry, but you don't put your money where your mouth is. So you'll talk to Liam about it? Mark!" she yelled beyond me at someone passing by. "I'll catch you guys later. Read that, then do something." She jogged away.
"Is this right?" I turned to Mary.
"Let's walk and talk. I don't want to get cornered again."
We headed across the casino floor at a brisk pace, and I followed Mary when she veered left, past an open air restaurant and down a huge corridor. "Yes, I'm sure that information Pinkie gave you was correct. The difference in pay between the genders has been a hot topic for a while. We've talked about it before."
"Yeah, but this is a difference of twenty to one. There's Tiger. Tiger!"
His head swiveled around until he spotted us. He had two girls on each side of him. "Hey, Mary, Di, let me introduce you to my new friends. This is Daphne, Bethany, Abigail, and Carissa."
"Nice to meet you all. Tiger, do you know anything about this?" I turned the pamphlet toward him.
The smile fell from his face. "Gals, I'll catch up with you at the bar."
They implored him to hurry up then left, casting glances over their shoulders. They put an extra wiggle in their walks, and one of them blew a kiss over her shoulder.
He grinned after them, watching them go, before turning back to grab the pamphlet from my hand and flip it over. "This is Pinkie's doing, isn't it?"
Death in the Casino: Target Practice Mysteries 5 Page 2