by Kathy Ivan
“I’m familiar,” Lucas responded, taking the empty chair. “Buy in’s three grand?”
“Yeah.”
Lucas pulled some money from the envelope, and put it on the table. “I’ll take five grand.”
Two-Step’s eyes widened slightly, but he passed the chips across the table, and handed the cash off to the guard standing close by. “Ante up.”
Everyone tossed their chips into the center of the table, and Joey was handed a new deck. Apparently he was the dealer, the rest players. Lucas knew it would take a couple of hands to get the feel of the other men at the table, assess any tics or quirks, any giveaway tells.
“What ya doing in Shiloh Springs, Luke?”
Lucas glanced at Pauly, a short, skinny balding man of indeterminate age, with thinning salt and pepper hair. He wouldn’t have suspected Pauly of being a high roller, and suspected that he might be a plant at the table, somebody who encouraged the others to keep playing and digging deeper into their pockets for the next hand.
“My sister moved here, and she’s getting married. Chances are good I’ll be traveling here several times a year, since she’s going to be living here.”
“That’s cool. You married?”
“No. Guess I haven’t met the right woman yet.” The minute the words left his mouth, a picture of Jill sprang forth. He shook his head, knowing he couldn’t think about her now. This wasn’t the time or the place to consider his feelings for Jill. He needed to concentrate, and Pauly was doing a darn good job of trying to distract him.
He lost the first hand when Weasel had a full house to his two pairs, queens over fours. The second hand he lost again, this time to Two-Steps’ four deuces. He folded. On the third hand, he drew to a straight flush, and won the pot. The men chatted, tossing digs and barbs back and forth, and he listened closely, trying to figure out who these men were, and how high up in the club’s hierarchy they stood, because a couple of these guys weren’t casual Saturday-night regulars.
They’d played around an hour and a half, when the dealer called a ten-minute break, for people to head to the bathroom or handle whatever other business they might need, like getting more cash. Lucas suspected Weasel needed to slip outside and smoke some weed. Dennis hadn’t said much for the last hour and a half, but he’d had shifty eyes and Lucas suspected there was more to Dennis than he’d uncovered. African-American, tall and well-built, he carried himself like an athlete, but he definitely knew how to play Texas Hold ’Em. He’d won a few hands, lost a few, always watching everyone. Kind of like him.
Standing up, he stretched his back, and Junior walked up to him. “I heard from the boss. If you’re gonna be here a while, he’s coming by in a couple of hours. Might be closer to midnight.”
Lucas smiled and slapped Junior on the back. “No problem, I’m having a good time, though I’m down a couple grand. Gotta see if I can win it back.”
“Who knows, maybe your luck will turn.”
“It might. I should tell you, I spotted Pauly as a plant right off. You might want to tell him to cool it with the third degree, he’s a little too obvious. Though it’s a good idea to have at least one guy at the table as a distraction.”
“Stupid punk. He’s in deep with the boss, and he’s working off the debt by steering the table. You’ve got a good eye.”
“It’s more like experience. I’m not exactly a newbie at the poker table.”
The big grin on Junior’s face was all the answer he got. “I’ll come get you when the boss arrives, if you’re still around.”
“Thanks.”
Grabbing a bottle of water, Lucas walked back to his seat, noticing Dennis had already returned to the table. Time for a little chit-chat before the rest of the gang got back. Insight into the players would add depth to his story. Besides, there was something about the way Dennis carried himself that reminded him of his brother, Antonio. Wait, that was it! He reminded him of a fed. Almost every single FBI agent he’d dealt with carried themselves with a certain air of confidence. No matter how hard they tried to hide it, unless the agent was adept at undercover work, the federal training showed. Wonder what he’s doing out in the middle of small-town Texas at an illegal after-hours gaming club?
“You from around these parts, Dennis?”
“I moved to Santa Lucia about six months ago. Originally from Oklahoma City.”
“I’ve never heard of Santa Lucia. Is it close to Shiloh Springs?”
“Next big town over the county line.”
The more Dennis talked, the more convinced Lucas became there was more to the man than a poker player. From his speech to his mannerisms, he screamed fed. Which piqued his curiosity even more, making him wonder if he’d stepped smack into the middle of an undercover operation to take down the clubs in the area, or if the dude really was simply a guy who liked to gamble his paychecks.
“I’m not from around here, so I have no clue where all these places are. I know Shiloh Springs, because my sister lives here now, and I know Austin. Dallas-Fort Worth too, but everybody’s heard of them. Won’t take me long to find my way around, I’m thinking.”
By now, the other players were making their way back to the table. Lucas immediately noticed that Joey was no longer their dealer, and an Asian woman slid into the vacant chair. Lucas couldn’t help noticing that she was a lovely woman with flowing dark hair, huge brown eyes accented with mascara, and a beautiful white smile. She expertly shuffled the cards with a skill he couldn’t help admiring. Meeting his gaze, she smiled, then moved on to Dennis. Seeing him, her smile dimmed the tiniest bit, before she regained her practiced composure, but not fast enough for Lucas not to notice. She’d recognized Dennis, and hadn’t expected to see him here. Interesting.
“Are you gentlemen ready to resume play? I’m Lucy, your new dealer. Please ante up.” Her voice was a low husky caress, professional and polished, exactly what he’d expect from someone in her position.
Lucas tossed his chips into the pile on the table, and glanced at his hole cards. King of Clubs and Queen of Clubs. Pretty good start. She quickly performed the flop and dealt the community cards in the center of the table. King of Hearts, Queen of Diamonds, and Ace of Clubs. He called the bet. The dealer then dealt the turn card, or the fourth card in the community cards. It was the Ten of Clubs. If the dealer uncovered the Jack of Clubs, Lucas would have a royal flush.
His heartbeat sped up as a shot of adrenaline raced through him. Even though he’d come for information, there remained an air of excitement he couldn’t quash at the thought of a royal flush. Although not impossible, it was a difficult hand to get.
The dealer turned over the river card, and he deflated. It was the six of clubs, which meant although he hadn’t achieved the elusive royal flush, but he did have a flush. Deciding to push his luck, he raised the bet by two grand. Dennis immediately folded, tossing his cards face down onto the table. Pauly tugged at his collar, a sign Lucas picked up on, which meant he was about to bluff. He called. Weasel looked at Pauly and then at Lucas, and tossed his cards onto the table.
“I’m out.”
“Raise it another two grand.” Lucas grinned when Pauly gulped, the sound audible even in the noisy back room. Looking at the stack of chips in front of Pauly, he had enough to cover the bet, but barely. If he folded, he could play a few more hands. If he called and lost, Pauly was out of the game.
“I—I fold.”
Lucas turned over his hole cards, and watched Pauly grin. Guess his hand hadn’t been that good after all. Surreptitiously, he glanced at his watch, wondering how long it would be before the big boss got there. It was already eleven thirty, and he was down about half the cash he’d brought with him. The loss would be worth it, if he managed to get enough info to help Rafe nail these jerks to the wall.
For now, he’d keep playing, waiting for Junior to take him to meet the big boss. The thought filled him with a sense of urgency, because Lucas had the feeling something big was in the air. Nothing he could
put his finger on, but his gut instinct never let him down.
With an inward sigh, he picked up his cards and started the next hand.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Jill had barely pulled the T-shirt and pajama bottoms on when the doorbell rang. She’d planned to take her e-reader to bed with her since she felt wide awake and knew sleep wouldn’t come easily. Looking at the doorbell’s camera, she took an automatic step back in shock.
The doorbell sounded again. This time, knowing who stood on the other side, the sound resonated with an eerie sense of foreboding. Fleetingly, the thought raced through her head to pretend not to be home, but she got the feeling her unwanted guest already knew she was cowering behind the door. She wondered if he was amused or irritated by her delay in answering his summons.
“Can I help you?” she asked through the intercom on the doorbell.
“Ms. Monroe? It’s Emmanuel. Emmanuel Benevides. I’d like to speak with you.”
Jill felt a shiver race through her at the sound of his voice. Did he think she wouldn’t recognize the man who’d had her brother beaten bloody? Not likely. “Mr. Benevides, is this something that can wait until tomorrow? It’s late, and I’m really not comfortable opening the door to a stranger this late at night.”
“Ms. Monroe…or may I call you Jillian? Such a lovely name for such a lovely woman. I’m only asking for a moment of your time.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Benevides—”
“Please, call me Emmanuel.”
Jill shook her head, unable to believe she was having a conversation after ten o’clock in the evening with a known thug. Was thug even the right word? No matter how he tried to pretty up the circumstances, he ran a gambling ring, and she wasn’t about to open her door to a man like him—especially when she was alone.
“Mr. Benevides, it’s late, and I barely know you. Unless this is some kind of emergency, I’d really like you to leave.”
“Querida, I heard you had some difficulty with your car. I wanted to see for myself you were alright. I hope it was nothing serious.”
An eerie sense of dread spread through her with each word he spoke. How could he possibly know about her tires? She doubted it was the hot topic around Shiloh Springs. Jill knew she was a tiny fish in her small town, and didn’t warrant any kind of attention or notoriety.
“Everything’s fine, Mr. Benevides. It wasn’t serious. My brother, Dante, fixed the problem right away.” Instantly she regretted mentioning Dante’s name, bringing up the reminder of what the other man’s actions had done to her brother.
“Ah, yes, your intrepid brother. I haven’t seen Dante is a while. He’s doing well, I presume?”
“My brother is fine. Is there anything else, because I’d like to turn in. It’s been a long day.”
“Very well, querida.” I’m going to leave my card with my number.” Jill watched a small white business card appear beneath her front door, and picked it up with two fingers, not wanting to touch it.
“I have it.”
“Excellent. I look forward to hearing from you.”
Eww, why does the thought of talking to him make my skin crawl?
“By the way, did you receive the gift I sent you?”
“Gift? What are you talking…do you mean the bracelet?”
“Si, the diamonds. I know it will look beautiful on you, though not even their brilliance compares to your beauty, Jillian.”
“I got your gift, although I had no way of knowing it was from you, Mr. Benevides, since there wasn’t a card. I turned it over to the police. I’ll make sure that Sheriff Boudreau makes sure it’s returned to you. I can’t possibly accept such a gift. It’s far too expensive.”
“I insist. I’ll personally notify Sheriff Boudreau to return it to you. Please, call me tomorrow. I look forward to getting to know you. Good night, my dear. Pleasant dreams.”
“Ah, good night, Mr. Benevides.”
She kept her eyes glued to the camera, watching until he was out of sight before leaning against the door and drawing in a ragged breath.
That was weird. I’ve barely spoken to the man, and he’s acting like he wants to—what—go out with me? Date me? I wasn’t very pleasant the only time we’ve been face to face. What in the world is he thinking?
“Well, guess that confirms it. No way am I sleeping tonight.”
She’d barely taken two steps before her phone rang, and she jumped. During the whole conversation with Mr. Benevides, she’d held her cell in her hand, and once he’d walked away, she’d forgotten she still held it. She was surprised to see her brother’s name on the caller ID.
“Dante? What’s wrong?”
“You tell me. What was Emmanuel Benevides doing at your apartment?”
“How’d you know he—”
“Never mind how I know. Sis, you need to stay away from him, he’s bad news.”
Jill walked over to the couch and sat back against the cushions, tucking her legs beneath her. Something in her brother’s voice had goosebumps popping up on her skin. Guess her instincts were right about Benevides. He was trouble, the kind she didn’t need to get involved with. She had enough on her plate, and didn’t need to attract the unwanted attention of a psycho.
“It’s not like I invited the guy over, Dante. He showed up at my door, saying he heard about my car trouble. I have no idea how he found out about my flats, but he gives me the creeps, so I didn’t open the door. He did admit he’s the one who sent me the bracelet.”
“What bracelet?”
“That’s right, you didn’t know about that. It’s been kind of a crazy night. Somebody left a diamond bracelet outside my front door. There wasn’t anybody outside, because I checked. I called Rafe and he came over and took the bracelet to the sheriff’s station, because those diamonds looked real, and I didn’t know what to do with something that expensive.”
There was a long pause before Dante asked, “Emmanuel Benevides sent you a diamond bracelet?” Each syllable got louder than the last.
“Yep. Of course, I told him I’d given it to Rafe, and I’d have it returned. Mr. Benevides insists I keep it. Said he’d talk to Rafe and have it given back to me. Which seems really odd, don’t you think? I don’t know the man. Only met him one time, which I’m sure you remember?”
“Yeah, it’s kinda permanently etched into my brain. A beatdown like that isn’t something you forget.”
“He left me his number. He wants me to call him tomorrow.”
“Jilly, you stay as far away from Emmanuel Benevides as you can. You aren’t part of his world, and if I have anything to do with it, you’ll never be.”
“I’ve got no intention of calling him. Now how about you answer my question? How did you know Mr. Benevides came to my apartment?”
When her doorbell rang, it startled her enough she almost dropped her phone.
“It’s me, Jilly. Open the door.”
She slid open the deadbolt and the door lock, and found her brother standing in the hall. He wasn’t alone.
“Douglas, I mean Mr. Boudreau, what are you doing here?”
“You can call me Douglas. I think we’d better talk.”
Pulling the door wider, both men walked into her apartment, and she found herself nervously pulling on the edge of her T-shirt, tugging it down to cover the gaudy sleep pants she’d put on. She hadn’t expected company, so she’d grabbed a pair or bright yellow bottoms with rainbow-hued unicorns dancing on them.
“Okay, somebody tell me what’s going on. First, I’ve got the local gambling lord showing up on my doorstep, sending me diamonds. Then the two of you show up immediately on his heels. What aren’t you telling me? Oh, by the way, what’s the big idea not telling me the tires were tampered with? I had to hear it from Rafe.”
“My son’s got a big mouth.” Douglas took her arm gently and steered her to the couch, taking a seat beside her. “I wasn’t convinced you’d rolled over something when I looked at your flat tires earlier, so I asked your brothe
r to give them a once over. He spotted some scratches and damage around the valves.”
Jill nodded, understanding what he was saying. It had finally sunk in, though she still didn’t have a clue why. “I’m still not sure why I was kept out of the loop. Shouldn’t I have been the first person to be told?”
“Sis, we didn’t want you to worry.”
Jill rolled her eyes, before giving her brother a disgruntled glare. “I’m a whole lot more worried now than I would’ve been if you’d told me the truth.”
“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
“Darn right it won’t. You’re not too big for me to wallop.” She smiled sweetly to temper her threat. “Now explain to me why you and Douglas are here? Or should I simply assume you decided to watch my apartment, since you couldn’t bother to tell me my tires were tampered with?”
“I was worried, okay? Lucas and I agreed—”
Jill stood up and slammed her hands on her hips, glaring at her brother. “You dragged Lucas into this without telling me? You are so dead!”
“Jill.” She froze on the spot at the sound of Douglas’ deep voice, filled with command. Fisting her hands, she turned to look at him. “Dante doesn’t bear all the responsibility. I knew. Lucas knew. None of us were going to stand idly by while somebody threatened one of our own.”
A feeling of warmth spread through her, displacing the icy chill which enveloped her for the last several minutes, ever since Benevides had knocked on her door. Something about the way Douglas said those words made her feel…cherished.
“While I appreciate the sentiment, guys, I’m a grown woman, perfectly capable of taking care of myself. From now on, include me in anything pertaining to me and my safety. Got it?”
“Understood,” Douglas nodded as he spoke, and Dante’s head bobbed in agreement. “Now that we’ve cleared that up, tell me about Emmanuel Benevides. Dante seemed very closemouthed when you mentioned him.”
Jill’s eyes met Dante’s, reading the shame and regret filling his expression, before he nodded. “Let me tell him.”
