Asher’s eyes burned after the call ended and the image disappeared. He tossed Tabitha’s phone onto the bed. “They plan to kill me. You know that, right? They’ll use me to bolster their story, and then I’m done.”
“When did you become such a pessimist?” Paige held up her phone and tilted it back and forth. “Not only did I find the app on my phone, I successfully logged in and I located Ivy—she’s at Circus Circus. They just made a big mistake.”
Asher curled his hand for a fist bump and Paige touched her knuckles to his.
“Vegas, baby. That’s our town.”
Chapter Seventeen
Paige grabbed Asher’s hand as they stepped outside of McCarran International Airport. The high desert had a chill in the air, but the dry breeze made her feel right at home. She’d be able to shed the winter jacket if not the sweater.
They weren’t going to stay with Mom or anywhere near her. They’d checked the KidFinder app as soon as they got off the red-eye from DC to verify that Ivy was still at the Circus Circus Hotel & Casino.
Paige grabbed Asher’s arm as they settled into the back of a taxi. “You’re sure Frankie Greco can help us?”
“Frankie the Greek and my dad go way back. Even though the Greek is retired from the mob, he still has his Vegas connections. All the hotel owners are legit now, but they still owe Frankie and Frankie owes my dad.” Asher kissed the back of her hand. “Are you sure your ladies of the night can help us?”
“I’ve seen more hookers than all the politicians in DC have, and I’ve signed off on their court orders even when they missed a few sessions. They’ll help us if we need it.”
“We’ve got mobsters and hookers on our side in Vegas. How can we miss?”
Paige glanced at the rearview mirror and whispered, “I hope they didn’t harm that kid we sent into the Ambassador to pick up your stuff.”
“Why would they? I don’t think there’s any way they could’ve followed him, especially not on that skateboard he took through the metro station. They just want me here in Vegas so they can do the trade and get me back on track at Hidden Hills. They’re not expecting any surprises from us.”
“Boy, do we have some surprises for them.”
The taxi dropped them off at the hotel-casino next to Circus Circus. Paige’s mom had made the reservations for them with Terrence’s credit card and prepaid for the room.
By the time they checked in and got settled it was one o’clock in the morning. Asher had already made contact with the old mobster Frankie Greco, and he’d agreed to meet with them for breakfast.
Paige plucked the sweater from her midsection. “I don’t know about you, but I’m getting an early start tomorrow and going shopping for an outfit. I’m sick of this sweater and these dirty jeans.”
“I’ll join you. We need to get a good night’s sleep. It’s gonna be a busy day tomorrow.”
* * *
THE FOLLOWING MORNING, Paige turned on her phone just long enough to check the app. Ivy’s GPS was accurate enough to pinpoint the wing of the hotel room where she was located. “They’re still at Circus Circus.”
“I hope they don’t plan to move Ivy hours before the meeting. For all we know, they could decide to do the trade out in the desert somewhere and make a move early.”
“Then the sooner we put our plan in motion, the better. I still don’t understand how Frankie is going to be able to get all the guests out of Circus Circus.”
“If anyone can get results in this town, it’s Frankie.”
An hour later, dressed in a pair of jeans with silver studs around the pockets and a top with a few too many sequins, Paige slid into a banquette across from Asher in one of the many restaurants in their hotel.
Frankie entered a few minutes after they sat down and caused a commotion as he made his way to their table—smiles, pats on the back and waves across the room.
Paige rolled her eyes at Asher. “He really is Mr. Vegas, isn’t he?”
“And he’s on our side.” Asher nudged her out of the booth and greeted the stubby, balding man who looked more like someone’s grandpa than a feared mobster. He gave the man a one-armed hug. “Thanks for meeting us, Frankie.”
Frankie the Greek collapsed in the seat across from them, huffing out a breath. “When someone takes a kid, the gloves are off.”
They didn’t have to explain to him why these people had taken Ivy, who they were or why they hadn’t involved the authorities. A guy like Frankie the Greek operated outside the boundaries of the law.
As soon as Frankie sat at their table, the waitress materialized as if by magic and took their orders. “You and your friends can order whatever you like, Frankie. The boss says it’s on the house.”
“Glenn may regret that, sweetheart. I’m as hungry as a bear and twice as fierce.” He winked at the waitress, who blew him a kiss.
Paige slid a glance at Asher. The guy had it made in this town.
When the waitress left, Frankie hunched over the table, blinking his bulging frog-like eyes. “So, they got her at the Circus Circus? I have my contacts there. Do you know which room?”
Asher shook his head. “We know the wing, but not the floor or the room.”
“I can change that.” He leveled a finger at Paige. “You got a picture of the little angel?”
Paige scrambled for her phone and pulled up a recent picture of Ivy.
“Send that to me, sweetheart. You know what the perps look like?”
Paige shoved her phone to Asher so that he could send the picture to Frankie. “We don’t have the slightest idea.”
Frankie peppered them with more questions, like when they would’ve checked in and did they know what Ivy was wearing. Unless the kidnappers had bought her additional clothes, Ivy would be wearing what she had on during their video chat yesterday.
When Frankie had exhausted all his questions, he slurped some coffee from his cup. “I’ll tell ya what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna get some people to go through the security footage at the hotel and locate your little girl. We’re gonna get her exact room number.”
“W-we have to get her out by at least nine o’clock tonight.” Paige folded her hands on the table in front of her, and her engagement ring cut into her flesh.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart.” Frankie patted her clenched hands. “I’ll get an army of people on this. We’ll find her.”
Asher draped his arm around Paige. “Then what, Frankie? Storm the room? We don’t want to endanger Ivy.”
Frankie spread his arms. “What do I look like? An amateur?”
He laid out the plan for them, arranged to have a gun delivered to their room for Asher and then ordered a second helping of hash browns. “The more distractions we have in that hallway, the better.”
“I have some...friends I can call on.” Paige crumpled her napkin next to her plate of food, which she’d hardly touched. “Thanks for breakfast, Frankie. Thanks for everything.”
“You kids get lost until game time.” He shoved a wad of cash toward Asher. “Treat your girl to a little spa action, Asher.”
Asher held out his hand. “I can’t take that, Frankie.”
The old mobster puffed out his cheeks. “Do it for an old man. I owe your father.”
Asher swept the cash off the table and into his pocket. “If we get Ivy back safe and sound, all debts to my father will be paid in full.”
Frankie waved his hand and secured his napkin under his chin before diving into his potatoes and peppers.
When they got to the room, Paige perched on the edge of the bed, pinning her hands between her knees. “Do you think it’s going to work?”
“It has to.” He thumbed the stack of bills in her direction. “How about it? You want to hit up the spa?”
“You’re kidding.” She fell back on the bed. “I wanna throw up.”
She clapped the money to her chest. “Are you suggesting I’m going to have to pay them to help me out?”
“Well, they are hookers.”
“They’re hookers with hearts of gold, and most have kids of their own.”
“Then maybe I’ll get the spa treatment.”
* * *
LATER THAT AFTERNOON, the call came and Asher wiped his hands on the thighs of his jeans before answering Tabitha’s phone and putting it on speaker for Paige. “Yeah? Took you long enough.”
The familiar, hated voice purred over the line. “You in Vegas?”
“We are. Where do you want us for the meeting?”
“We’ll pick you up.”
Paige poked his leg, shaking her head.
“I thought we were meeting you somewhere.”
“You thought wrong, Lieutenant. We’ll give you a location and we’ll send a car to get you.”
“I’m not getting into any car with anyone until Paige has our daughter.”
“We’ll be bringing your daughter with us in the car. She’s very excited about riding in a limousine. We’ll pick up you and Paige. You can verify the safety of your daughter, and then we’ll drop off Paige and the little girl...and you’re ours. And we’d better not see any information surface about our operation or the activities at Hidden Hills.”
“We don’t know anything.”
“Right. Here’s what you’re going to do.”
He gave them the time and location for the pickup, and Asher let out a long, silent breath. They still had plenty of time to put their own plan into action.
“We’ll be there.”
“Remember, no weapons, no police, no trackers, nobody following us. All those things would be very, very bad for your family, Lieutenant.”
“Got it.”
Asher turned off the phone and cupped it in his hands. Then he kissed Paige hard on the mouth.
“He didn’t say anything about old mobsters and hookers, did he?”
Four hours after that phone call and three hours before the scheduled meeting time, Asher stashed the gun, which Frankie had sent over, in his pocket.
“Are you ready?”
Paige squared her shoulders as if heading into battle—which wasn’t too far off the mark. “I’m ready. What if they see us? Recognize us?”
“How? Even if they have lookouts, which seems unlikely as there’s no reason for them to suspect we know they’re even at a hotel in Vegas, let alone that hotel, we have some pretty good disguises.” Asher stroked the beard covering the lower half of his face and tugged the baseball cap over his forehead.
Paige smoothed the short, sparkly dress over her thighs and tousled her dark pixie-cut wig. “I don’t think I’d even recognize you in that getup.”
“And Krystal packed enough makeup on your face to practically change the shape.”
“It’s called contouring, and Krystal’s trying to leave the life to go legit as a makeup artist.”
“She could use you in her portfolio.” He put his hand on the small of her back as he steered her out of the room. “Now let’s go rescue our daughter.”
They reached the Circus Circus Hotel & Casino just as a circus act was starting, which had brought in more people and created more activity.
Asher whispered in Paige’s ear, “The more chaos, the better.”
They took the elevator up to the tenth floor of the hotel, and Asher could almost feel the tugging at his heartstrings the closer he got to his daughter.
When they reached the tenth floor, they got off the elevator and headed for the stairwell. They climbed up two flights of stairs to the twelfth floor.
Asher paused, his hand on the handle of the fire door. “Are you ready?”
“Oh, yeah.”
They slipped through the door onto the twelfth floor and sidled along the wall to the vending area. Almost immediately, a swarm of hotel personnel, courtesy of Frankie the Greek, fanned out along the floor and began knocking on doors.
“Evacuation. This is an evacuation. Everyone out of the rooms and into the stairwells.”
Guests began opening their doors and grumbling or shouting. Asher kept his eye on one door only.
He held his breath as a hotel employee banged on that door. “Evacuation. Everyone out.”
People began streaming down the hallway, jostling each other to reach the stairwell doors. Frankie had picked the perfect time—right between daytime activities and dinner and gambling. Most people were back in their rooms getting ready for their nighttime plans.
Paige’s brigade of helpful hookers further clogged the hallway and did their best to push people along and create more distractions.
Asher elbowed Paige as the door to Ivy’s cell inched open. A woman poked her head into the hallway and then called back over her shoulder. A man joined her at the door, and then it slammed shut.
Asher’s heart slammed with it.
Paige hissed, “They can’t stay in there, right? They’re going to have to come out with everyone else.”
“If they don’t, we’ll send in one of Frankie’s guys to get them.”
The door swung open again, and Paige clutched his arm as the couple appeared in the frame, the man holding Ivy in his arms.
As soon as they stepped into the hallway, Paige’s friends began to march toward them, chattering and grabbing on to other guests.
As the man carrying Ivy moved down the hallway, Asher’s gaze dropped to the right hand he kept in one pocket—most likely curled around the handle of a gun.
The couple passed Asher and Paige without a second look, and they stepped into the hallway behind them. Ivy looked over the man’s shoulder and met Asher’s eyes.
Asher looked away, his muscles coiled, but the danger passed. His daughter had never seen him with a beard before in her young life.
A clump of people shuffled to the fire door, but everyone had to wait their turn. Two of the women in Krystal’s crew swooped in on the man who had Ivy.
“Ooh, is this your little family?” One of the women stationed herself in front of the man, while the other pushed up against the woman.
The man jerked back. “Who the hell are you? Get outta my way, you whore.”
The woman confronting him waved a finger in his face. “That’s no way to talk in front of your daughter. That’s also no way to talk in front of the woman you were cuddling up to last night.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Get outta my face.” The man’s hand hovered at his pocket.
The other woman took Ivy’s hand. “Hello, sweetie. Your daddy is a bad boy, isn’t he?”
“What the hell?” The man shoved the woman against the wall, but his grip on Ivy loosened.
His companion took over and pulled Ivy from his arms.
Paige stiffened beside Asher and growled, “You take care of him. I’ll get our daughter.”
Asher tried to grab Paige’s arm to stop her, but it was no use. He turned his attention to the man, and as soon as Ivy left his arms for the woman’s, Asher charged and punched the man in the kidney.
He choked and staggered forward, reaching for his gun.
Asher had his out first and slammed the butt of his against the man’s skull. Blood spurted from his scalp as he fell to the floor.
The scuffle beside him had Asher spinning around—just in time to see Paige smash her fist into the side of the woman’s face.
“That’s my daughter, bitch.”
Epilogue
Asher put a finger to his lips as Ivy crawled over his legs singing, “London bridges, London bridges, London bridges.”
Paige swooped in and scooped up her daughter. “S
hh. Daddy’s on the phone.”
She carried Ivy into the kitchen, where her mother and Terrence were drinking coffee.
“I don’t know why you didn’t call me as soon as Ivy...” Terrence glanced at Ivy’s blond curls bobbing in time to the song she was singing. “You know.”
“They told me not to, Terrence.” Mom stirred some cream into her coffee. “You would’ve gone in there with guns blazing. I knew Asher...and Paige could handle it.”
Asher joined them in the kitchen, pocketing his phone. “We handled the most important part, but the army still refuses to exonerate Major Denver. Said there’s still too much evidence tying him to that terrorist group to clear his name.”
“But your name is cleared, right?” Paige wrapped her arms around his waist. “Is that what the phone call was about?”
“Let’s take this in the other room.” Asher ruffled Ivy’s hair.
Mom pushed back from the table. “Ivy, do you want to go to the park across the street with me and Terrence?”
Ivy curled one arm around Asher’s leg. “Is Daddy going away?”
Asher hoisted Ivy into his arms. “I’ll be here through Christmas. Are you going to stay awake so we can look at the Christmas lights tonight?”
“Daddy, can we have hot chocolate after?” She patted his face as if to make sure he didn’t have that beard that had scared her the night of her rescue.
“Of course. What are Christmas lights without hot chocolate after?”
“With marshmallows?”
“Hmm.” Asher raised his eyes to the ceiling. “I think we can find some marshmallows.”
Paige leaned over Asher’s shoulder and kissed Ivy on the tip of her turned-up nose. “As long as we can have whipped cream, too.”
“Marshmallows and whipped cream.” Asher set Ivy on the floor. “Now go with Grandma and Terrence. Mommy and I will be over in a minute.”
When Terrence and Mom took Ivy out the front door, Paige still felt a chill race up her spine. Would she ever feel comfortable allowing Ivy out of her sight? She still had her chip, but she and Asher had agreed to have it removed.
Delta Force Daddy Page 18