“That’s ok. Besides, the press’ll probably grab hold of this information pretty soon anyway, so… as long as you don’t snitch to anyone, we should be ok.”
Emily had only met Nanna once or twice and,, although she was downplaying her help, I knew this kind of stuff could put a cop’s job on the line. Despite that, I pressed on.
“What about suspects?” I asked. “Surely there must be a better suspect than a sweet old lady like Nanna?”
“No. I’m afraid not. Adam had no real enemies, and there wasn’t anything much going on in his life.”
I sighed. “I guess that’s good to know. Thanks again.”
She brushed off my gratitude gruffly, and we decided to meet for drinks in a few days’ time. Under normal circumstances, I would’ve spent some time chatting about my date with Jack, but I just didn’t feel like talking about anything else right now, and Emily understood.
“Good luck with your investigation,” she said, as she hung up.
Right, I thought. My investigation. So far I’d learnt that Nanna was the chief suspect, there were no other real suspects, and Adam had no enemies. It didn’t look very promising, but I had to get to work and try to find something useful.
Chapter Nine
Stone and Nanna had been watching me during my entire conversation with Emily, and now both of them were staring at me impassively.
“I never had this conversation,” I told them, and they nodded. “It’s pretty serious, you know,” I added to Nanna.
“You sound just like your mother,” said Nanna. “She keeps saying stuff like, ‘This is what happens when you go around threatening people.’ How was I supposed to know that the loser was going to get himself offed?”
I looked at her doubtfully and said, “Best not to talk about the guy like that. And since when do you talk about people getting ‘offed?’”
“You learn things. That’s what you call it, right? My friend Steven used to work for the – ” she jerked her head sideways twice, “as an enforcer, until he had his first heart attack. Still has connections.”
“La, la, la.” I covered my ears with my hands. “I’m not hearing any of this. La, la, la.”
I closed my eyes and wondered just how long Nanna intended to stay at my place. At least the duffel bag wasn’t big – but then again, I’d heard of people who went travelling through Europe for months on end with just a tiny backpack. Maybe Nanna was like one of those people, and she could survive for eons at my place, with just a stiff old purse, some paisley-print dresses and a fast laptop.
There was a knock on the door and I sighed, knowing who it would be.
“Hey!” said Ian, when I opened the door. He peered around me and caught sight of Nanna and Stone. “Everyone’s here! Cool!”
He stepped inside and stood in front of the sofa.
Nanna closed the fridge and turned around. “Hello, Ian. It’s nice to see you again.”
“Thanks.” He beamed, and I rolled my eyes. Most people probably weren’t very happy to see Ian after the first few times.
Ian glanced at me. “I was wondering if you’d like to go out for lunch?” His enthusiasm waned a little and he glanced doubtfully back at Nanna. “Unless you brought food with you or something.”
“No,” said Nanna. “Lunch sounds like a wonderful idea. Tiffany’s got nothing in her fridge.”
She shot me a disapproving look and I smiled. “You’re welcome.”
“Great,” said Ian. “Where’re we going?”
“McDonald’s,” I said decisively. I could really do with a Quarter Pounder.
I was half-expecting Nanna to offer up a different, more grown-up choice, but to my surprise, she said, “That sounds lovely. I’ll stop at Albertson’s on the way home and pick up something for dinner.”
I felt a pang of guilt and said, “Actually, I’ve got a shift tonight, so my dinner’s covered.”
“Right,” said Nanna. “I’ll dine solo, then.” She looked at Ian. “Unless you’d like to join me?”
“Sure,” said Ian. “I’d love to.”
We all looked at Stone, but he shook his head slowly. “Sorry. I’ve got work tonight.”
“Oh.” Ian sounded a bit disappointed and turned to Nanna. “Do you have a grocery list for Albertson’s? Maybe I should get something for myself, too.”
“I’ll decide when we get there,” said Nanna. “Tiffany can help me choose.”
“Actually,” said Stone. “I was hoping Tiffany could come with me after lunch.”
I looked at him and groaned. “Do I have to? I don’t want to be late for my shift.”
“Bring your uniform,” he said. “I can drop you off at The Treasury and you can change there.”
I sighed. “But I never carry my gun. What’s the point of going to the gun range?”
“Practice,” said Stone. “You never know when you’ll need to shoot.”
“Hopefully never,” I said. I hated going to the range alone, so I should’ve been happy that Stone was dragging me along with him, but I just didn’t see the point. “How’re Nanna and Ian going to get back home?”
“I can drive,” Ian piped up. “My car’s just been washed and everything.”
I looked at him and sighed. Ian had a Ford Fusion and he hardly ever drove – which was a good thing, because he saved lives every day by not driving. I looked at Nanna and she said, “That sounds perfect!”
“Don’t drive too crazy,” I told Ian, and went to pack up my uniform before we all trooped out for a greasy, calorie-laden meal.
Chapter Ten
We ran into Glenn and Karma in the elevator. Which is to say, the elevator stopped at their floor, and we all decided it would be too tight a fit for six people. So the four of us stepped out and I introduced Nanna to Glenn and Karma.
Glenn is my handsome, octogenarian friend who lives downstairs. I’d first met him a few months back, when I was running away from a deranged psychopath and took shelter in his condo. He’s the perfect man: gorgeous, friendly, and a retired pastry chef. He’s a bit too old for me, but I’d had high hopes of setting him up with Nanna, until he dashed all my dreams by getting together with Karma, an aging hippie with waist-length grey hair and self-professed “second sight.” Which she was always claiming to use.
As soon as introductions were over, Karma put her hands lightly on either side of my neck and proclaimed, “You are worried. You must accept help.”
When I hesitated more than a few seconds, Glenn turned to me seriously and said, “Is something wrong?”
Normally, I’m quick to laugh at Karma’s pronouncements, but this time I really was worried.
And then it all came tumbling out – how Nanna was in trouble, how I’d witnessed the murder and was still confused by Adam’s last words.
“What could red roses have to do with his death?” I asked. I turned to Karma and added, “You don’t see anything, do you?”
She shook her head. “It could mean anything. I’m sorry.”
I sighed, and Glenn looked at Nanna sympathetically. “I feel awful about this. Tiffany talks about you a lot – I wish we’d met under happier circumstances.”
I smiled to myself as he, Karma and Nanna chatted for a bit. Nanna was dating Nathan, and Glenn seemed pretty happy with Karma, but I couldn’t help hoping that maybe something would happen between Nanna and Glenn in the future. I couldn’t think of a better couple.
***
Just as we’d all settled in with our meals, my mother called.
“How’s your nanna doing?” she asked. “Is she really planning to stay at your place? We can pick her up tonight, if she’s too much trouble. I know you don’t have any food in your fridge.”
Her voice was a little hoarse, as though she’d been crying, and I said, “No, it’s fine. She seems to want to stay here a few days.”
“But what about food?”
“She’s going shopping with Ian.”
“Hmm. What about lunch?”
&
nbsp; “We’ll eat out.”
“Ok, well, don’t let her eat anything unhealthy. You know she’s got stiff arteries.”
Nanna was already digging into her fries like she hadn’t eaten in a week. She’d probably had nothing but health food for the last few months, and now I was the Jezebel who’d reintroduced her to this vice. Best not to mention that to my mother. I changed the topic and told her that I’d be looking into Adam Bitzer’s death and that Nanna would be fine. We chatted a bit more and then I hung up, having successfully avoided mentioning McDonald’s.
On the ride to the gun range, Stone and I sat together in companionable silence for a few minutes. We’d just left Paradise Road when Stone said, “So, Ian’s going to be your partner, huh.”
“He only told you about a dozen times.”
“Might not be so bad.”
“It’ll be terrible.”
The corners of Stone’s lips went up. “Then why do you put up with him?”
I shrugged. “He’s kind of like an orange-haired puppy. I can’t just kick him to the curb, now that he’s decided to follow me around.”
“Hmm. Well, who knows, he might be helpful sometimes. He kept mentioning how he saved your life, once.”
“Ugh. That was a lucky fluke. Although, I suppose I was glad he was there.”
“Get him to join you in Krav Maga class. Maybe he’ll be more useful, then.”
“Sure. I’ll take him with me next Wednesday.”
I wasn’t going to Krav Maga next Wednesday, but Stone just glanced at me and let the white lie slide. “What’re you going to do about this investigation?”
I looked out the window and watched the palm trees race past us. “I’m not sure yet. I haven’t been able to think straight, with Ian yammering away right next to me. But I guess I should talk to the victim’s family. Although it’d be easier to start with his workplace.”
“How so?”
We were pulling up in front of the range, and I put a hand on my seatbelt. “Jack’s friends with the owner of Verdant Wealth, where Adam used to work.”
Stone looked at me, and I tried to read his dark eyes, but failed.
“And Jack couldn’t think of a better place to take you for the first date,” he said.
“He was teaching me to break in,” I admitted.
Stone looked at me steadily for a few more seconds, and then he said, “Be careful around this guy. He’s already gotten you into trouble once.”
I frowned. “He hasn’t gotten me in trouble.”
“He got lucky, this time. The guy’s bored with his life and he’ll keep trying more and more dangerous things, just for fun. I don’t want you getting dragged into all that.”
“He’s a nice guy. And I like him. Why do you care?”
Stone reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind my left ear. “I’m concerned about you and I don’t like Jack.”
Our eyes locked, and I could still feel Stone’s fingertips where they’d brushed against my earlobe.
“Really?” I said softly. “Then who do you think I should be dating?”
Stone turned away and stared straight ahead wordlessly. He reached over to his seatbelt buckle, but I couldn’t just let him leave.
“What makes you such a dating expert?” I asked. “You’re not even dating anyone now, are you?”
He looked at me again, his eyes darker than before. “No, I’m not. Because I actually care about people and wouldn’t want them getting into trouble because of me.”
“Why would people get into trouble because of you?”
“You do my kind of work, people close to you get hurt. That’s just the way it is.”
We stared at each other for a few more seconds, and then he undid his seatbelt and got out of the car. I followed his lead, and we headed over to the gun range counter to pay the fees.
We practiced our shots silently, and on the ride back to The Treasury, we didn’t bother to chat.
Chapter Eleven
I got to The Treasury an hour before my shift started, so I helped myself to the cheap, all-you-can-eat buffet. I stood in a mile-long line with groups of obese tourists who seemed to have come all the way to Vegas just for the inexpensive, plentiful food. I imagined them collecting two-for-one vouchers, trawling the buffets, and trying to get comps for free food and drinks. And, of course, they’d just go back home and complain about how terrible Vegas was and how the food stinks.
As I waited in line, I sent Jack a text. I’d just finished my dinner when he called back.
“I’ve set up the meeting with Clark Morsely for you,” he said. “He’ll tell the staff to co-operate, and he’ll talk to you at 7:30, before he starts work for the day.”
“That’s great!” I said. “I know it was really short notice, and he’s a busy CEO and all. I was expecting maybe he’d see me sometime next week.”
“I did him a favor, once,” Jack said, “So now he owes me. Verdant Wealth might not be around if I hadn’t helped out.”
“Well, thanks, I really appreciate it.”
We were silent for a few seconds, and then Jack said, “I know our date went really badly, but maybe we could have a do-over?”
I smiled. “I think I’d like that.”
“Would you like to come round to The Tremonte for drinks after your shift ends? Or we could somewhere else, if you’d like”
My heart sank. “Uh, thanks. But I’ll probably be too tired by then.”
“Oh.” He sounded a little surprised by my sudden rejection. “I’ll see you later?”
“Sure.”
We hung up, and I changed and headed over to start my shift, knowing very well that I was using “tiredness” as a lame excuse.
As I tapped out the previous dealer and clapped my hands out behind a blackjack table, I thought about my relationship with Jack.
I’ve always known that Jack was a mega-millionaire casino owner, and till today, it hadn’t really bothered me. But he was part owner of The Tremonte, next door, and here I was, just a lowly dealer at The Treasury. It was the stuff of fairytales and Cinderella stories, except Cinderalla never had to worry about her prince finding someone more “appropriate.” And Jack certainly had many “appropriate” women fawning over him – models and starlets beside whom I was just a slightly chubby, slightly clueless casino dealer.
I really liked Jack – I had from the very first, strange moment that we’d met. But I realized, as though for the first time, that his wealth put him solidly out of my league. Sure, he might be interested in me for a bit, but pretty soon he’d understand that I was all wrong for him, and that would be the end of us. He would move on to some gorgeous, Amazonian beauty, and I’d be stuck with my same-old, same-old life.
I reminded myself that I didn’t have the luxury of wallowing in self-pity, and turned my thoughts to tomorrow morning’s appointment instead. I needed to plan out what I’d ask Clark Morsely and his employees. With any luck, I’d be able to find out something – anything – that could get Nanna off the hook.
Chapter Twelve
Nanna was fast asleep when I got home, sprawled out on my bed. I’d been half-expecting her to be down at one of the casinos, playing poker against unsuspecting tourists, but I supposed she was more worried than she let on.
I slept fitfully for a few hours, huddled on my sofa, until the clanging of pots and the smell of something cooking roused me.
“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Nanna said when I groggily pulled myself upright. “I just wanted you to enjoy some healthy breakfast for once. Not cupcakes and instant coffee.”
“Cupcakes are healthy.”
“Not as healthy as this.”
“It smells nice. What is it?”
“Zucchini, carrot and cheese muffins. They should be done in about ten minutes. How was your shift?”
“Ok.” I yawned and looked at the clock. It was just past 6.30, and then I suddenly remembered and jerked my eyes wide open. “Shit. I’ve got an appointment at 7
.30. I’ll need to set out in forty-five minutes.”
“Well, you’ve still got time to eat. Where are you going?”
“Verdant Wealth. I’ve got an appointment with the CEO. Hopefully I’ll find something.”
Nanna and I stared at each other, and she nodded. “I’m sure you will.”
I wasn’t quite so confident, but I showered, dressed carefully, and devoured two of the zucchini-carrot-cheese muffins. They weren’t as good as cupcakes, but they were still pretty yummy, and Nanna assured me that they were full of good vitamins and minerals and proteins. Much more so than cupcakes.
“Speaking of cupcakes,” I said, grabbing my big tote bag, “We should call in on Glenn. I’m sure he’s up by now, and I need to drop off some chocolate blocks.”
Well, actually, I didn’t need to drop off the chocolate blocks. The blocks were cooking chocolate that I’d bought by mistake, thinking they were regular, edible chocolate. I’d been mentally debating trying to eat them raw vs trying to mix them with milk and flour, and microwave the whole thing into something edible.
But now that Nanna was here, I needed an excuse to drop her off at Glenn’s, in the hope that something might transpire between them. Despite the existence of Karma and Nathan, I was keeping my meddling fingers crossed for Nanna and Glenn.
We were waiting for elevator, when the doors slid open and Ian stepped out with a rolled-up newspaper under his arm.
“Hey!” he said. “What’re you guys doing up so early?”
He looked at me eagerly and I frowned, wondering how he was so alert, so early in the morning.
“Tiffany’s going to talk to the CEO of Verdant Wealth,” Nanna said. “And she’s taking me to her friend Glenn, on the way out.”
“Cool!” Ian said. “I’ll come with.”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Come on, I can help out with the investigation.”
“Let him go with you,” Nanna said. “You never know when he’ll be useful.”
A.R. Winters - Tiffany Black 03 - Red Roses in Las Vegas Page 4