Dangerous Comforts (The Ruby Danger Series Book 3)

by Rickie Blair

  “Why not?”

  They left the restaurant and walked down a short corridor. A hum of distant noise deepened with every step until they emerged into the huge casino. Slot machines jangled, laughing partiers swept by, card players hunched over tables, and cocktail servers circulated with drinks. Over in one corner, a great roar went up from a group gathered around a craps table.

  “Let’s go watch,” Ruby said. “I’ve always wanted to learn how to shoot craps.” She craned her neck to try to see the players. “Dimitri was going to teach me when we were on the Apollonis.”

  “Are you talking about that Russian bastard on the cruise ship?”

  Ruby nodded, still craning her neck.

  Felicity gave her an incredulous look.

  “He tried to kill you.”

  “Well, sure, eventually. But in the beginning, he was actually quite sweet.”

  Felicity shook her head. “I worry about you sometimes.”

  “Only sometimes? That’s an improvement, then. C’mon.” She headed for the craps table. Another roar went up as they approached. Whoever was shooting the dice was having a hot streak, but Ruby couldn’t see him or her through the crowd. Two men directly ahead scooped up their chips and walked away, laughing.

  “Let’s get out while the going’s good,” one said.

  Ruby sidled into their vacated spot and leaned against the table. At the other end, a man in a dinner jacket stretched over with the dice in his hand. He shook the dice while studying the table markings, then released them. The dice rattled across the green felt, bounced off the inside wall right under her, and stopped. She looked down. A three and a four. Was that good? Ruby looked up with a smile, locking eyes with the shooter.

  It was Hari.

  The casino fell absolutely silent. All around her people smiled and laughed, but Ruby couldn’t hear a word they said.

  She stared at Hari with her mouth open. Pushing away from the table, she stumbled backward. Other players moved into her spot, blocking her view so she could no longer see him. She turned and bumped into Felicity, whose voice was drowned out by the buzz in Ruby’s ears. Her eyes stung as she rapidly blinked and hurried away.

  “Ruby, stop.”

  She glanced back. Felicity looked at her with her head tilted to one side.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Ruby shook her head, unable to speak, and turned away.

  “Ruby?” a different voice said. Hari’s voice. “Ruby?”

  She turned to face him.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked.

  “What am I doing here?” she sputtered, finding her voice at last. “What am I doing here?”

  Felicity swung her head from one to the other.

  “Hari? What are—”

  Ruby silenced Felicity with her hand in the air, glaring at Hari.

  “What are you doing here? Thousands of miles from London, playing craps without a care in the world?” She swept her eyes over his tailored dinner jacket and silver studded shoes. “And what on earth are you wearing? Did you just come from a wedding or something?”

  Hari cleared his throat and took a step closer to her.

  “I can explain—”

  “No, you can’t. I just talked to you on the phone. You said you were in London, but you were here the whole time. You lied to me.”

  Wincing, Hari crossed his arms and raised a finger at her.

  “To be fair, I never actually said I was in London. Besides, you told me that you were in Los Angeles when you were here—”

  “Shut up.” She stared at him, her mouth slack. “How can you possibly—”

  “Hon?” Another voice, female this time.

  Ruby turned to see a voluptuous brunette with pouting full lips. The brunette stood with one hand on a sequined hip and simpered at Hari.

  “Hon, are you coming back to the table?” She swiveled to face Ruby and extended a manicured hand. “Have we met?”

  Dumbfounded, Ruby briefly jiggled her outstretched fingers. She opened her mouth, but before she could say a word, the brunette spoke again.

  “I’m Ana,” she announced, stepping alongside Hari. She slid an arm around his waist and leaned her head against his shoulder before adding, “His wife.”

  As the floor dropped away, Ruby swayed a little before regaining her balance. Her lips parted but no words came out.

  Frowning, Hari pulled Ana’s arm from his waist and nudged her away without taking his eyes off Ruby.

  “No, that’s not…” He glanced at the players who were looking in their direction, straining to hear their conversation, and turned back to Ruby. He held up both hands. “We’re not—”

  Ruby looked directly at him.

  “Yes, hon,” she said in an icy tone. “By all means, go back to your craps.”

  She swiveled on one foot and marched off. Felicity caught up with her at the entrance, put a hand on her elbow and squeezed. The doorman waved up a cab for them and they scrambled inside.

  “Where to?” the driver asked.

  Ruby leaned her head against the window with her hand lying limp on the armrest.

  “Any quiet bar that’s not on the Strip.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Hari had taken barely two steps when Ana grabbed his arm and yanked him back. He tried to pry her fingers off his arm, preferably without breaking them.

  “Ana, stop it. I have to speak to Ruby—”

  “You can’t. Watson wants to see us.”

  “On Skype? Can’t it wait?”

  “No, in person. He’s waiting in our suite. He got in twenty minutes ago.”

  Hari craned his head to check the casino exit. Ruby and Felicity had disappeared.

  “You won’t catch her.” Ana yanked on his arm again. “They’ll be in a cab by now. Come on. Upstairs. Watson says it’s important.”

  Hari winced and rubbed the back of his neck. Probably better to give Ruby a chance to cool off before he tried to explain. He turned to follow Ana.

  Watson waited for them in the Andromeda Suite, along with a room service cart bearing two covered dinner plates and a stoppered bottle of Talisker. He raised his Scotch glass at them from the sofa and sat back with his stocking feet up on the coffee table next to Hari’s laptop.

  Jayden waved from the bar across the room and dropped ice cubes into a glass.

  “Can I get anybody anything?”

  “I’ll take a vodka martini,” Ana said, walking over to the bar.

  Hari settled into an armchair, facing Watson.

  “Nobody told me that you were coming.”

  Watson looked at his glass, swirling the whiskey.

  “It was a last-minute decision. We have rooms up the hall.” He took his feet off the coffee table and sat up. “But now that I’m here, what do you have to report?”

  “You were right about Zeke Turner. He emailed encrypted messages to non-existent companies.”

  “On his home computer?”

  “No. His work computer. He has another PC at his apartment, but I haven’t been able to access it.”

  “So why the encrypted messages?”

  “No idea. I’m running a decryption program on them and the results will be in soon. If that doesn’t work, I know some hackers who can help.”

  “Are they discreet?”

  “Very.”

  “What do you think you’ll find?”

  “That Turner was collecting information on your customers and selling it.” Hari turned to the bar to gesture Ana over. “Tell him.”

  Ana perched on the arm of Hari’s chair with a drink in her hand.

  “Our little friend Zeke is up to his ass in gambling debts. Online poker. When things went bad, he took out several loans from a local shark, Dragos Luca. And Luca is not someone Zeke can afford to disappoint.” She sipped her drink, raising her eyebrows over the rim.

  Watson slammed his glass down and Scotch splashed onto the coffee table.

  “Are you telling me a wee d
evil with a gambling problem put my hotel at risk? Shut him down. Now.”

  Ana raised a hand to her forehead, giving Watson a quick salute.

  “Underway. Iain went to Zeke Turner’s apartment to pick him up. They’ll be back any minute.”

  Hari looked up, his scalp prickling. When did that happen? He hadn’t seen Oliver all day. A sharp rap sounded on the door. Before anyone could stir, it opened and Oliver walked in. He was alone. Hari looked around at his companions. No one seemed surprised that Iain Oliver had a key to the Andromeda Suite.

  “Did you get him?” Watson asked.

  “He’s gone,” Oliver said.

  “Shouldn’t you be out looking for him, then?”

  “The police have been hunting him for hours without success.”

  Watson got to his feet to scowl at Oliver, jabbing a finger in the air.

  “I said ‘no police,’ Iain. Doesn’t anybody listen to me?” With a quick swivel of his head Watson glowered at everyone in the room including Jayden, who lifted both hands in the air in mock terror.

  Iain tossed his driver’s cap onto the bar and pulled out a stool to sit down. He leaned back against the bar with both elbows on the counter.

  “The police don’t know about the Starlight’s problem. They want to ask Turner about the body they found in his apartment this morning. The one without a head.”

  The room fell silent.

  Watson flopped back into his seat, staring at Oliver. Ana paused with her vodka martini halfway to her mouth. Hari’s mouth went slack.

  Jayden looked up from concocting a fancy fruit drink in the blender.

  “Who was it?”

  “One of Dragos Luca’s enforcers,” Iain said.

  Jayden’s eyes widened and he whistled.

  “I hope I meet this Zeke Turner.” He switched off the blender and poured a frothy peach-colored drink into a glass. Jayden walked over to the sofa to sit next to Watson, then lifted his shoulders. “This is exciting. What’s next?”

  Rolling his eyes, Watson drained his Scotch.

  Hari’s voice wobbled a bit as he answered.

  “Next? I’ll unscramble Zeke’s emails and see what’s on them. Even if we shut him down, he will have sold the stolen data by now. There’s no telling how much information those buyers have on Starlight customers, or how they intend to use it. But we won’t know which customers to notify without first determining what Zeke took.”

  Oliver gave a snort of derision and they all turned to look at him.

  “Typical accountant talk.” He straightened up, pushing off the bar with a shake of his head. “That’s your department, Bhatt. For all the guid it will do you. I have an appointment downstairs, William. I’ll check in with you later.” He picked up the cap and tucked it under his arm, then gave Watson a curt nod before walking out.

  Hari watched him go. When the door closed, he turned to find Watson glaring at him.

  Watson pointed at the floor directly in front of him.

  “I want Zeke Turner right here, explaining what the hell he did and why he did it. I want him now.”

  Watson said now with such a low voice, drawing out the word, that it made Hari catch his breath. Surely Watson didn’t mean that he should go after Zeke?

  “William, I don’t—”

  “Find him.”

  Hari glanced at Ana, who looked away, sipping her martini. Whatever happened to, I’m here to help you with the case?

  “I’m sorry, William, but I don’t run down the perps. I do the paperwork, that’s all.”

  Watson steadied his gaze on him, darkening his features.

  “Find him.”

  “No.”

  They glared at each other. Jayden sipped peach froth. Ana put her martini on the coffee table and cleared her throat.

  “That’s not Hari’s job, is it?”

  All three men turned to stare at her and she shrugged.

  “I have contacts at the station. Why don’t I call in a few favors to find out what they know?” Watson opened his mouth and Ana held up a hand. “Unofficially. Meanwhile, Hari can talk to Zeke’s friends.” She winked at him. “Geek to geek, I mean.”

  Hari looked around. Now everyone was staring at him. He got to his feet and headed for the door. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  Ana followed him out into the hall.

  “Wait. Take this,” she said, tugging her Glock from its holster and handing it over. “I’ve got a spare.” Ana leaned in with a hand on his arm and lowered her voice. “Go out to the range, shoot a few rounds, then come back and say you can’t find him.” She patted his arm before disappearing into the suite.

  Hari blew out his cheeks in a gusty sigh. This was definitely, absolutely, the last time he was going undercover.

  * * *

  Ana walked through the suite to the bedroom without stopping. Watson tracked her with his eyes. Given all the people he was paying in this city, you’d think at least one of them would get something done.

  “I’m going to make those calls,” Ana said over her shoulder.

  Watson grunted and turned his gaze to the fireplace.

  Jayden walked over to the room service cart and lifted the domed cover off a plate. A porterhouse steak oozed red next to a raft of asparagus and a mound of caramelized onions.

  “You haven’t eaten any dinner.”

  Watson grunted again while pouring another Scotch.

  Jayden replaced the cover and sat on the other end of the sofa, facing him.

  “Can we go out?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “This is my hotel. Everybody knows me here.”

  “So?”

  Watson rubbed a hand across the back of his neck.

  “You know what I mean.”

  “William, you said—”

  “I know what I said.”

  “Well, when—”

  “Not now,” he barked.

  Jayden stood up and walked to the door.

  “I’m going back to my room.”

  “Have some dinner first.”

  “Not hungry,” Jayden said over his shoulder, walking out and closing the door.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Felicity and Ruby landed in a noisy bar several blocks from downtown’s Fremont Street. Ruby slid onto a stool and ordered a gin and tonic. Felicity bit her lip, but said nothing. At least it wasn’t a double.

  “Order me a dry martini, please, Ruby? I’m going to the ladies.” Felicity headed down the darkened hall to the left. In the washroom, she pulled out her cellphone and tapped in a number.

  “Yes?”

  “Sam? Are you still in town?”

  “Why?”

  “Ruby and I are at the bar in the Blue Monte. Can you join us?”

  “Why?”

  “It’s an emergency.”

  “One of you break a nail?”

  “Not funny. Can you make it?”

  “Give me twenty minutes.”

  * * *

  Ruby was deep into her gin and tonic by the time Sam slid onto the bar stool beside her. She centered her glass on its coaster and rested her elbows on the bar before glancing at him.

  “So. Felicity called in reinforcements.”

  “Not at all,” Sam said, nodding at Felicity. “I was still in town and thought I’d join you. Any objections?”

  “Certainly not. I’m happy to see you.”

  Ruby raised her glass and swiveled on her stool to survey the darkened room. A tangled conga line of drunken tourists lurched around the postage-sized dance floor. The round tables lining the walls were covered with jugs of draft, half empty glasses, and sodden paper coasters. A group of young men by the door shouted “Salut” and chinked their glasses before chugging the contents, slamming the glasses back onto their table, then pouring another round.

  Ruby swiveled back to face the bar. Not much danger that anybody would recognize her here.

  The bartender poured Sam a draft and set it in
front of him.

  “So, what’s up?” Sam asked, picking up his beer and taking a swallow.

  “Ruby’s business partner, Hari Bhatt, is in town unexpectedly and we’re … surprised,” Felicity said. Ruby sipped her gin while glumly staring at the bar.

  Sam looked confused.

  “Why surprised?”

  “Hari didn’t tell Ruby he was coming to Las Vegas.”

  “Is he supposed to check in?”

  Ruby’s face flushed hot as she pressed her fingers against the counter.

  “No,” she snapped without looking up. “Felicity is overreacting.” She took another sip, frowning. “Hari can do whatever he wants.”

  Felicity’s phone buzzed and she slid it from her purse to glance at it.

  “Rats. I have to take this. Sorry.” She slipped off the stool and walked away from the bar. “Calm down,” she said into the phone. “Start at the beginning.”

  Ruby glanced at her watch.

  “That’s a record. Felicity hasn’t had a call about a client for nearly six hours.”

  “I thought this was supposed to be her weekend off.”

  “Me, too. But you know that never happens.”

  Ruby turned her head as Felicity walked back, gesturing with the phone.

  “There’s a problem on the set in Indonesia. I have to go back to the hotel.”

  “Is it—”

  Felicity raised a finger to her lips.

  “No names. But—yes.”

  “Is he—”

  “I’m afraid so. More than usual, even. I have to make a few calls, sorry.”

  Ruby reached out to squeeze Felicity’s arm.

  “You got me through it, and you’ll do the same for him.” She moved to slide off her seat. “I’m going back to the hotel with you.”

  “Absolutely not.” Felicity pushed her back onto the stool. “Stay here with Sam. You can talk about the movie.” She mouthed to him over Ruby’s head, Don’t talk about the movie.

  “I’m right here,” Ruby said with a sigh.

  “I know. See you later.” Felicity walked to the exit.

  Ruby had another sip of her gin and tonic.