by Leann Harris
“Maybe I got the name of the hotel wrong. Thanks.” He took J.D.’s arm and led her away. “That tells us our lady friend is up to no good.”
“Too bad we don’t know the man’s name.”
Luke shook his head. “You can count on one thing, Counselor. If Gail doesn’t want her name recorded in the hotel records, her companion won’t, either.” He glanced around the room. “We can check the casino and bars, and if they’re not there, then we’ll camp out in the lobby until they show up.” She did not look convinced. “Don’t worry, we’ll find them.”
“I wish I shared your confidence.”
He wished he did, too.
* * *
They found their quarry in the third bar they tried. Luke pulled J.D. down into a booth where they had an unobstructed view of the other couple. A waiter materialized and took their order—a coffee and a cola.
“I wish I could hear what they’re saying.”
“You’ll have to settle for tailing them, J.D. I doubt if we could talk either one into wearing a wire so we could have evidence to convict them.”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “You’re so-o-o funny.”
Resting his forearms on the table, he leaned forward. “I try.”
Their drinks were delivered, stopping the conversation.
“How are we going to—” She swallowed the rest of the sentence.
Luke stiffened when he saw a tall, blond man in an expensive suit walk up to Gail’s table.
“Oh, no,” J.D. groaned.
Luke threw her a puzzled look.
“Keep watching,” she whispered in a strained voice. “I need to leave.”
She started to rise when the blond man’s head jerked up, and he pinned her with his eyes. J.D. moaned and settled back in her chair.
Luke wanted to ask her what was wrong, but before he could get the words out, the mystery man was at their table.
“This is a surprise.”
The words rang false.
“I can’t believe you’re here in Las Vegas,” the blond said coolly, his perfect smile showing pearly whites. “Is there a lawyers’ convention? I don’t recall one.”
“No, I’m not here for a convention,” J.D. answered, her words stilted.
“Well, you can’t possibly be here to gamble, since I know how much you hate gambling.” The man’s nasty tone grated on Luke’s nerves. His instinctive reaction would have been to jump up and punch the jerk in the mouth, but that sixth sense of his warned him against any rash actions. Besides, he knew J.D. wouldn’t appreciate his interference.
“What I hated and objected to,” she countered in a steely voice, “was gambling away our rent money three months in a row.”
“There wouldn’t have been a problem if you weren’t too damn proud to ask your rich daddy for more.”
J.D.’s eyes turned icy blue, cold enough to freeze everyone within a hundred feet. She stood, her back straight, her chin up. “That’s all you ever wanted, wasn’t it, Allen? My father’s money. Tell me, why are you here—since you’re the one who had the gambling problem, not me?”
The situation was deteriorating at an alarming rate. Luke knew that if he didn’t act fast, J.D. would blow their chance to discover why Gail was in Vegas. Standing, Luke held out his hand. “I’m Lucas McGill. And you’re...?”
“Allen Danford.” He ignored Luke’s hand, turning back to J.D. “Why are you here, J.D.? What possible reason could you have for being here?”
Luke had an uneasy feeling. Allen Danford had an unhealthy interest in why J.D. was in Vegas.
“I am not accountable to you.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Luke caught the movement of the couple they’d been observing. They stood and started toward their table.
“You can’t possibly be here for a lovers’ tryst, since I know how frigid you are.”
He would pay back Allen Danford for that insult, Luke vowed, but now was not the time.
J.D.’s eyes went black with rage. Be calm, Counselor, he silently urged her. Don’t blow this opportunity.
“Allen, is there a problem?” Gail queried as she stepped to his side.
“I don’t know,” he answered. A look passed between Gail and Allen that set Luke’s teeth on edge. “I was just trying to find that out.”
Gail studied J.D. “Do you know these people, Allen?”
He nodded. “Gail Williams, Bill Frank, may I present my ex-wife, J.D. Anderson.”
J.D. shook their hands, then introduced Luke.
Frowning, Gail asked, “Didn’t I see you two in Austin this morning?”
They were in hot water now. If Luke didn’t miss his guess, Allen was somehow tied in with Gail Williams. And they both were suspicious of him and J.D.
Only one plausible answer for their being in Vegas came to mind. He didn’t know if J.D. would go along with it, but it was worth a try. “No, we were in Dallas this morning. That is—” Luke grabbed J.D.’s hand and laced his fingers through hers “—until I asked J.D. to marry me.”
J.D. gaped at him. Afraid her stunned expression would give them away, Luke lean over and kissed her behind her ear. “Play along,” he whispered. Then he added more loudly, “I know you wanted to keep this a secret, sweetheart, but I’m afraid the cat’s out of the bag.”
He released her hand, then slipped his arm around her waist, drawing her close. Glancing around the gathered group, he said, “When she accepted, we hopped the first plane to Vegas.”
Allen Danford looked like someone had kicked him in the seat of his perfectly pressed slacks, and Luke took a great deal of pleasure in his reaction.
Bill pumped both Luke’s and J.D.’s hands. “Congratulations.”
“I don’t see a ring on J.D.’s finger,” Allen pointed out, his voice carrying a sour note.
“We’ve yet to do the deed,” Luke explained, wagging his brows. “We thought we’d catch our breath before trying to find a chapel.”
“That’s wonderful,” Bill said. “Isn’t this great?” he asked Gail and Allen. “I haven’t been to a wedding in ages.” He rubbed his hands together.
“Gail, isn’t there a chapel just past the hotel?” Allen asked.
“Yes, I believe there is one.”
“Oh, you don’t need to go to any trouble,” Luke told the trio.
Bill went still. “Forgive me. I didn’t mean to strong-arm your wedding.”
“Oh, but I think their eloping is so romantic.” Gail’s words were tinged with venom. “I’d love to see you two get married—that is, if you don’t have any objections.”
“We’d be honored to be your witnesses,” Bill offered.
Luke glanced at J.D., expecting her to come up with some valid excuse that would get them off the hook. Instead, J.D. wound her arms around Luke’s waist. As she smiled shyly at the three witnesses, her fingers, which were beneath Luke’s jacket, dug into his waist. He tried not to flinch. He felt fortunate that she didn’t snatch his gun from the holster and shoot him with it.
“That’s very nice of you, Mr. Frank. Luke and I appreciate your thoughtfulness.”
Luke couldn’t believe his ears. She was agreeing to let these people cart them off to some chapel and be witnesses to their marriage. Maybe he’d heard wrong.
When his eyes met hers, he read her message clearly. You got us into this mess. You can darn well get us out.
Terrific. The one time he needed the contrary female to come up with a brilliant idea, and she’d tossed the ball into his court.
Too bad, because he didn’t have the slightest idea how to get them out of this mess.
CHAPTER 9
Was she out of her mind to let Allen railroad her into marrying Luke? J.D. wondered as she stared out the window of the limousine. Well, if she was honest with herself, Allen hadn’t been the culprit. Luke had put his foot in his mouth all by himself. After Bill Frank jumped on the bandwagon, there’d been no turning back without jeopardizing the whole murder investigation.
But why couldn’t she have come up with some valid reason for the three musketeers not to accompany her and Luke to the chapel? She was a bright, golden-tongued lawyer. She should’ve come up with something.
That is, if you’d really wanted to, a little voice in her head taunted.
That’s ridiculous, she argued back, but she couldn’t deny the thrill that ran up her spine when Luke had announced they were in Las Vegas to be married. What she really wanted to do was tell the driver to stop the car and let her out, but Allen’s smug expression kept her silent.
Somehow, someway, her ex-husband was involved with Gail Williams. And he’d probably known Gwen.
“What are you doing with yourself these days, Allen? Did you find another rich wife to help you finish law school?”
Bill’s and Gail’s shocked eyes flew to J.D. She felt Luke nudge her, reminding her not to blow it at this late date. But she didn’t care. They needed to know what Allen did for a living and if he was somehow connected with Gwen.
Allen’s smile looked as artificial as Gail’s fingernails. “I’m an administrative assistant to Senator Sam W. Thomas. And no, I haven’t married again. Once was more than enough.” The words were knife-sharp, slicing through her heart. “And yes, I finished law school.”
She wondered how many exams he’d bought.
J.D.’s heart sank when she saw the ironically named True Love Chapel. From the grin on Allen’s face, he was enjoying every moment of her humiliation. The tiny wood structure, painted hot pink, with hearts decorating the doors, bore little resemblance to the stately old church with soaring stained-glass windows in Midland, where she and Allen had exchanged vows.
Luke leaned around J.D. and gazed at the building. His brow arched and he turned his head, meeting J.D.’s eyes.
“A bit garish, don’t you think? Not the kind of place we wanted to get married in, is it, J.D.?”
“It definitely isn’t what I envisioned.”
“Why don’t we try to find a place a little less...uh...showy.”
She had an overwhelming urge to kiss Luke.
He tapped the driver on the shoulder. “Do you think you can find another chapel with a bit more dignity?”
The man nodded and found a small non-denominational chapel less than a mile away.
There, the minister welcomed the group. Then before J.D. and Luke could protest, his wife began playing the organ.
J.D. kept waiting for Luke to come up with some valid reason why they couldn’t get married or why the three musketeers couldn’t be present. Only when the ceremony began and she listened to him say his vows did she realize he wasn’t going to come up with any excuse.
Luke’s strong voice resonated throughout the room, warming her. As she heard herself repeat the words promising to love and honor, she wished for a fleeting instant the vows she spoke were true.
“Do you have rings?” the minister asked.
“No,” Luke answered. “We were in too much of a hurry to think about the incidentals.”
“That’s all right. By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss your bride.”
The words broke through her stupor. She looked up into Luke’s eyes. Something she couldn’t quite identify flashed in their depths. His large, strong hands cupped her face. Slowly his head descended and his lips covered hers.
The room and the people in it ceased to exist for J.D. Her world consisted only of her and Luke. His mouth was gentle and coaxing. But before she could respond, he pulled away. His gaze held hers for a moment before he turned to the others.
Grinning broadly, Bill patted Luke on the back. “It’s so good to see young people in love.”
Luke simply nodded.
“Well, c’mon, folks. Let me treat everyone to a drink. We’ll toast the new bride and groom.”
* * *
In the silence of the limo on their way back to the hotel, J.D.’s stomach growled. Every head turned to look at her. Luke watched in amazement as J.D.’s face turned scarlet. His heart went out to her. She had put up with a lot of garbage this afternoon, her ex-husband topping the list.
He put his arm around her shoulders. “With the exception of a piece of fudge, J.D. and I haven’t eaten all day.” The way he worded it, it sounded like he’d spent the night with her. From the narrowing of Allen’s eyes, her ex thought as much.
Too bad.
“So, J.D. still has a thing for chocolate, huh?” Allen asked.
It’s none of your damn business, Luke wanted to growl in the man’s face. “C’mon, Danford. You don’t expect husband number two to discuss his wife’s little quirks with husband number one. Why, it just isn’t gentlemanly, is it Bill?”
Bill laughed. “He’s got you there, Allen. Well, if you two haven’t eaten today, let me treat you to dinner.”
It was a good opening for Luke and J.D. to discover how these three were connected. “That’s very generous of you, Bill. What do you say, sweetheart? Want to eat?”
J.D. looked thunderstruck. “You’re asking me?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Why was she making a big deal over his asking what she wanted to do?
Her lips curved into a smile that made his toes curl and his blood go hot. “I’d like that.”
During the balance of the ride, Luke’s gaze alternated between J.D. and Allen. He found Allen’s intimate knowledge of her distasteful and disturbing. It seemed a desecration of her life that someone like Allen Danford would know her deepest thoughts and actions.
But what really touched a raw spot in Luke was that Allen’s knowledge of J.D.’s addiction to chocolate seemed to intrude on his relationship with her—whatever that relationship was.
No matter how hard he tried to envision it, Luke couldn’t see J.D. with Danford—the most obnoxious, self-centered, self-absorbed man he’d ever run across, and that was going some. What had J.D. ever seen in him, aside from his godlike good looks? Once you got past the physical perfection of the man, there was nothing to admire on the inside.
And he certainly couldn’t imagine J.D. taking any trash off this guy. Yet, from their conversation, he knew she had. Why?
Love, a little voice in his head answered. People do strange things when they think they are in love. Had that happened to J.D.? Or had she put up with Allen because she didn’t want to admit she’d failed like her father had implied?
The questions nagged at him the rest of the way back to the hotel. When Bill suggested they eat in the hotel restaurant, no one objected. The conversation over dinner was bland and inconsequential until Gail asked, “What do you do for a living, Luke?”
Luke glanced up from his steak. Gail’s expression was one of polite interest, but he had this itch between his shoulders that told him the lady had ulterior motives.
Before he could think of a creative lie, J.D. said, “Luke works with me.”
A spark of irritation flashed in Gail’s eyes. “And what do you do, J.D.?”
Gail’s reaction perked J.D. up. “Why, I’m a defense attorney. Luke helps me with my cases, don’t you, dear?”
Ah, she was good. With anyone else, telling the truth would’ve given them away. J.D. simply stated the facts, putting her particular slant on it, and voilà—truth took on a whole new meaning.
He couldn’t hide his pleasure at her response. “Indeed I do. I try my hardest to give you ammunition to use in court.”
J.D. choked on her potato. Her watery eyes fixed on his face, then she burst into laughter.
“I didn’t know I asked so humorous a question,” Gail complained.
“You didn’t,” Luke said. “It’s just that J.D. and I like to tease each other about our work. Speaking of work, what do you do, Gail?”
She carefully set her fork on her plate. “I’m a lobbyist for the insurance industry.”
“In Texas?” Luke asked.
Her smile strained, she answered, “Yes.”
“Ah, yes. You mentioned Austin earlier. How
careless of me not to have made the connection.”
Gail’s expression was as stiff as the hundred-proof hooch brewed in the backyards of some East Texas homes. “If you will excuse me for a moment, I need to powder my nose.”
“That sounds like a good idea,” J.D. said. She placed her napkin on the table. “I’ll go with you.”
Gail’s lips compressed into a tight line, yet she voiced no objection. Once in the ladies’ restroom, J.D. took down her hair and ran a brush through it.
“I take it you met Allen in Austin at some political function,” J.D. casually threw out, working the tangles from her hair.
Gail paused in applying her lipstick. “Not really. Since I’m a lobbyist, I regularly go to each senator’s office. With Allen the administrative assistant for Senator Thomas, our paths often cross.”
J.D. tried to sound casual as she asked, “Well, what are you, Allen and Bill doing here in Las Vegas?”
Gail whirled to face J.D. “If you must know, Bill and I came to be together. The reason we didn’t broadcast it was because Bill’s wife would use it against him in their divorce. As to why Allen is here, I don’t have a clue. Since he knows both Bill and me, he came over to say hello. That’s when he saw you and we started this marathon.”
J.D. wanted to hold Gail’s red head under the cold-water tap for a few minutes. It might improve her attitude. “I can assure you, Ms. Williams, the idea of having my ex-husband at my wedding to Luke was the last thing I wanted.”
“Good. Then we can part company soon.” Gail pulled open the door, and J.D. was seized with the urge to place her foot in the middle of Ms. Williams’s backside. Fortunately for Gail, a very pregnant woman appeared at the door beside her, and J.D. decided not to risk hurting the innocent.
The table was empty when she and Gail returned. Immediately the waiter appeared. “The gentlemen,” he explained, “went next door to the lounge. They asked for you ladies to join them. Mr. McGill told me to tell you, ma’am, that he has your chocolate cheesecake with him.”
J.D.’s brow arched. “A bribe?”
The waiter nodded. “I think that’s what he said.”
A chuckle escaped J.D.’s lips. Luke knew her a little too well.