Betting on Both

by Sheryl Nantus

  “They’ll drag this crap out for weeks, long after the usual news cycle would have gone on to something else.” Cole palmed his forehead. “Like they did last time.” He paced back and forth, his heavy footsteps dragging across the carpet.

  Kat forced herself to take slow, steady breaths. Her mind was spinning as she went back in time.

  “What ‘last time’?” Julien asked.

  “There was an incident while I was still in college. It involved my sorority sisters, plenty of alcohol, and a lack of clothing.” Kat winced inside, remembering the night in bits and pieces.

  “Did anyone get hurt?” Julien asked. “Sexually assaulted?”

  “No. No, no.” Kat shook her head. “It wasn’t like that. We had some fun, that’s all. And some photographer got inside the house looking for some beauty shots.” She pressed her palms to her eyes, feeling the headache start. “We joked about a toga party and did tequila shots, and I don’t remember much else other than giggling until I was almost sick.”

  “That’s all?” Julien let out a low laugh. “And this was a big thing?” He snorted. “I can find that every day of the week here.”

  “It wasn’t tabloid material because a bunch of college students got drunk. It was because she’s a McMaster,” Cole said. “Her entire security team was fired and replaced because she got out of hand.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Her grandfather was furious. Went through the company in a rage, firing anyone who dared look at him sideways.”

  “Surely there’ve been other scandals in the family,” Julien said. “I refuse to believe all of the McMasters have lily-white biographies.”

  “Of course not.” Cole’s smile was thin and forced. “But her cousins had the benefit of having parents who could deflect Mr. McMaster’s rage, of having someone who could stand between him and their errant offspring. Kat’s mother was his firstborn daughter, and when Kat’s parents died he took the job of raising her quite seriously.”

  Julien gave a thoughtful nod. “I can see that. And understand, if not approve. He loves her with all of his heart, as he should.”

  “I’ve behaved myself ever since,” she said.

  “Why?” Julien asked.

  Both Kat and Cole looked at him as if he’d sprung horns.

  “Why?” Julien repeated. “If no one got hurt and all ended well, why was there such a big deal?” He pointed at Kat. “You are a damned good businesswoman. You came here and made the decision to renovate the hotel and casino, to give me a free hand.” His voice rose, growing stronger. “You could have been like all the others who came in here with their minds made up about what to do with the Majestic, their visions of a glitzy neon heaven turning bad, and then blaming the staff for the poor returns. But you listened to your heart, and look where we are now.”

  “Look,” Kat said, her mind beginning to shut down. All she could think about was how Jacob would react to this. A knot of fear burned in her belly, twisting and turning with a wave of nausea spiraling up her throat. “This isn’t about business anymore. It’s about us.”

  A burst of static came from Cole’s earpiece and he tapped it, opening the link to the security office. He listened for a few seconds while Kat and Julien stayed silent.

  “They can be here for the reopening, but one word about the tabloids and I want their asses off-site. No comment from Kat at this point, and I’m on my way.” He closed the connection and looked at Kat. “TV crew’s poking around the lobby. We can’t stop them from coming to do setup for the ceremony, but we’ll be watching.”

  She nodded, still trying to gather her thoughts. Her world was shrinking, pulling in and threatening to choke the life out of her existence.

  Cole drew a deep breath. “I’ve got to get going. We can’t act like this affects us; we’ve got to keep on like nothing’s happened. The reopening is going to happen on time no matter what.” He looked at Julien. “Can you tamp down the amount of gossip on your end?”

  Julien brushed a hand in front of his face. “Done and done. This isn’t news to anyone who has been around here for longer than a day.” His face darkened. “I wish I knew who the scoundrel was, sneaking around in the shadows to grab those photographs.”

  “Plain old paparazzi,” Kat whispered. “They’ve probably been prowling around for weeks looking to catch me in something that would sell to the papers.” She shook her head. “I never thought about this; thought it was all behind me. It was years ago, it was . . .” She stopped.

  “What you did years ago shouldn’t have any reflection on who and what you are now,” Julien said. “And only a fool would let a trashy article like that affect their perception of you.”

  “Damn it. We’re so close . . .” She crushed the paper in her hand. “I can’t let these bastards win. I won’t.” She stood and looked at Cole. “Please escort me to my office, and then I’m going to let the dogs loose. I’m going to call legal and see if there’s any way to find out who the photographer is and if we have a case against them.”

  Cole nodded. “Good.”

  Julien waved his copy. “I’ll fire anyone I see reading this crap on the work site. If they want to indulge their desire for cheap gossip, they can do it on their own time.”

  Kat smiled. “Thank you.”

  “What?” Julien smiled and she felt a weight move off her chest. “You did nothing wrong. We’ve done nothing wrong. The only one at fault here is the idiot photographer and the people who decided to publish this.” He headed for the door. “I’m going on the hunt. I’ll call later.”

  Cole waited until he’d gone before speaking. “Your grandfather.”

  Kat sighed. “I’ll call him when I get to the office. Maybe a preemptive strike will take a bit of the sting off.”

  It was a lie, and she suspected they both knew it. But Cole said nothing as he escorted her downstairs, scowling if anyone glanced at her for longer than a second.

  “Kat.” Jacob sounded neutral, calm.

  It was easy to imagine him in his office, sitting behind his laptop with a fresh cup of tea by his side.

  “How are you?” It was as weak a conversation opener as she could muster for the moment.

  “Fine. And you?”

  “Looking forward to the reopening. It’s going to be great.” Kat relaxed, now on her favorite topic. “You won’t believe how big it’s going to be. We’ve done plenty of television interviews, handed out thousands of fliers, and sent invitations to anyone who’s anybody in New Orleans. We’ve set up a few charity events for the future, and the local press is running articles almost daily about the Majestic.”

  “Among other things.”

  She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.

  “Did you think I wouldn’t find out?” The calmness held a familiar rage, one she knew she’d face in person when he arrived.

  Her grandfather wasn’t one suited to long-distance rants.

  “It’s not like that—”

  “Like what? You whoring around with the lead man in your security detail and the local site manager?” The bite in his voice cut deep. “Your parents are spinning in their graves like lathes.”

  “My parents—”

  “I’m coming for the reopening tomorrow, as you know. I can’t get out any earlier due to business commitments; otherwise I’d already be in your office and we’d be having this talk face-to-face. Since I can’t, that’ll have to wait for my arrival. Get ready to put on a smile for the ceremony. We’ll talk about what you’re doing, what you’ve done, and your future.” He paused. “Katherine Mary McMaster. What would your mother say?”

  The line went dead.

  “She’d want me to be happy,” Kat said to the silent room.

  She put her phone down, feeling the headache surge up and over her in a tidal wave of pain.

  Julien forced himself to focus on the job, the daily tasks that kept the property running. It was hard when all he wanted to do was run around, growling and snapping at people until he found the
photographer or the scum who had written the tabloid story and beaten him to a pulp.

  He went to the front desk and found the staff ready and waiting, competent with the new computer system. Housekeeping survived his spot inspection as did the bar staff who showed off the new drinks they’d created specifically for the reopening.

  He caught a glimpse of Kat in the kitchen, surrounded by eager chefs hanging on her every word.

  It was hard not to smile, seeing her contagious cheerfulness. In the middle of what could be one of the worst days of her life she was still determined to make the property a success.

  If it were possible, he loved her more.

  Julien left the hotel and went to the riverboat, searching for Cole. He found him in the casino, standing in the middle of the blackjack area, his hands on his hips as he studied the location of the surveillance cameras.

  Cole had laid them all out personally, showing Julien how the overlapping coverage would ensure a high degree of safety for their visitors. It’d also help the pit bosses by allowing them to call the surveillance room for help to check on someone who might be cheating.

  He saw the tension in Cole’s stance, the anger simmering under the surface. Someone had hurt the woman they both loved and there’d be hell to pay.

  Cole spotted Julien and nodded, giving permission for him to approach.

  In another time and place Julien would be making a joke, poking at the bodyguard’s alertness and attitude, but not now. It wasn’t the time or place to make light of anything.

  “I’ve already called in a few favors,” Cole said. “Looks like multiple photographers over time. Someone recognized Kat and spoke to someone who called someone else and so forth.” He shook his head. “Nothing illegal about it.”

  “Of course not.” Julien rubbed his chin. “The deed is done. Question now is what happens?” He studied the cameras. “I’ve never met Jacob McMaster. You’ve worked for him for years. What do you think is in our future?”

  “Likely scenario? I lose my job. You lose your job. Kat ends up being hustled far, far away from both of us under her grandfather’s strict supervision.” Cole shook his head. “Not the happy-ever-after scenario you were thinking of.”

  “Not really but we’ll figure something out.” He smiled. “From what I hear Jacob McMaster’s a reasonable man. We’ll negotiate . . .” He stopped speaking, seeing the pained expression on Cole’s face.

  Cole froze as a high-pitched tone came from his earpiece. He pressed his lips into a tight line, his entire body tensing up as he listened. He curled his hands up into fists, prompting Julien to take a step back.

  “Fuck.” Cole spun around, glaring at the cameras. “Fuck.”

  He said it loud enough to stop several nearby workmen in their tracks.

  “What?” Julien felt a chill in his bones as he studied Cole’s face, his pulse already soaring. “What?”

  “It’s Kat.” Cole paused. “She’s been taken.”

  Chapter Nine

  She opened her eyes to blackness.

  For a horrible few seconds Kat thought she’d been blinded. A few deep breaths steadied her as she realized she was blindfolded, the dark fabric tight on the bridge of her nose. A thin line of white edged at bottom of her vision where the blindfold didn’t cover.

  Another strip of cloth filled her mouth, the gag tied behind her head. She swallowed instinctively, forcing back a surge of panic.

  She was lying on her side, her arms and hands behind her and her ankles secured tight.

  Kat felt the floor move and shift, her inability to see adding to her dizziness.

  A car? A train?

  A plane?

  Her mind ran through a dozen scenarios, all ones she’d been briefed on over the years by various security experts, the yearly reminders an annoying family routine.

  She’d gone from being terrified to nonchalant, shrugging the last meeting off with a laugh before going to see Jacob in New York about taking over the hotel in Vegas.

  Now it was happening, it was real, and she was scared beyond belief.

  Her thoughts flew to Cole and to Julien, her grandfather close behind.

  They’d all be angry and afraid. Jacob would be on the next flight, yelling and threatening anyone who got in his way. He’d flip tables, real and virtual, demanding her quick and safe return. While the standing policy was to not pay ransoms, Kat knew she’d be bought back for any price, Jacob breaking his own rules to save his granddaughter.

  But she wasn’t going to let it come to that.

  Her pulse hammered in her ears as she forced herself to stay calm, assess the situation, and decide what options were open to her.

  Fight.

  She damned well hadn’t rebuilt the Majestic and taken two men as her lovers to give up without kicking and screaming until the very end.

  Kat ground her teeth together as the humming under her feet slowed and stopped, giving her more information on her situation.

  A car door slammed shut nearby. Another noise, a door handle unlocked and tugged on. A burst of hot, humid air crashed against her back.

  I’m in a car. A van. The florist’s van. Except this isn’t a florist.

  This is a kidnapping.

  Kat kept analyzing the clues around her, keeping her fear at bay.

  “Not in control now, are you?” The low, gravelly voice was familiar. “How does it feel to be at someone else’s mercy?”

  Stars exploded behind her eyes as something smashed into the side of her head.

  Kat rolled with the punch, her body scraping along the warm metal. She bit the inside of her cheek to hold back the tears.

  Don’t let him see you cry.

  “Rich bitch.” The door closed, sending her back into darkness.

  Julien stood in the Majestic’s security office and tapped in another phone number, watching Cole giving orders and snapping at his staff. The uniformed men and women scattered in all directions, grim-faced and glaring at anyone who dared to smile.

  The police had arrived, the officers taking as many details as they could scribble on their notepads. The overflow out of the office now filled the hallway and the boardroom nearby, cables and power cords snaking along the floor as people set up work stations.

  The hotel was locked down, all employees on-site waiting to be interviewed. Julien had seen the news vans out the windows, scrambling to get good spots in the parking lot for their live broadcasts.

  The Majestic’s grand reopening had turned into a hostage drama.

  He hoped it’d only go that far. It was hard to contain the cold shard of fear vibrating through his heart and soul, the chance Kat that wasn’t coming home.

  A plainclothes detective mumbled into his phone while others stood around in the security office, tapping on keyboards and scrambling to pull data together. The parking lot had cameras but none of them gave a clear shot of the attack, showing the kidnapper had surveyed the area and picked out the best place to launch his ambush. The best they could do was piece together the alternate angles to pull as much detail as they could about the vehicle.

  This wasn’t his area of expertise. Security was what Cole did and he did it well.

  But Julien wasn’t going to sit back and wait for news.

  There were some things that Cole couldn’t do.

  He stepped out into the hallway and leaned against the wall. It took a second to find the first number, scrolling through the directory on his cell phone. A few more seconds and a voice sputtered through the communication link.

  “Jean-Pierre?” Julien waited, took in the condolences and best wishes before continuing. “Thank you. I appreciate your kind thoughts.” He shifted his voice lower as a uniformed policeman trotted by, holding a sheaf of files in one hand.

  “Listen,” he continued. “You know the streets better than I ever did, more than I ever could. I want everyone looking for her, every street urchin, every delivery boy, every dishwasher from your club, along with all of your mistresse
s.”

  The sharp laugh ground against his senses but Julien forced himself to stay calm. “I’ll tell you what I’m going to tell Bruce and Elliot. I’ll play in your club for a month for free if what you tell me brings her home. I’ll point more people your way than you know what to do with, fill your chairs every night.” He paused. “I know McMaster’s offering a reward but we’re talking about the woman I love. That we love. The police aren’t going to run down every lead but we will. Give us what scraps you can and we’ll make a meal from it.”

  The enthusiastic response caressed his ears. “We agree. Call me if you have anything, the smallest clue.” He said his good-byes as Cole approached.

  The tall man’s shoulders slumped. “They’re cutting me out,” Cole snarled. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead despite the air-conditioned room. “I’m not a suspect, but . . .”

  “But they think you’re too close to this. And you are.” Julien put up his hand, anticipating Cole’s angry reply. “As am I, which is why I’ve already reassigned everything to my assistant until this is over. I sure as hell can’t focus on my job.” He nodded toward the cluster of lawmen huddled over the table. “How are they doing?”

  “They’re running everyone Kat fired when she took over.” Cole stared at the ceiling. “It’s a long list.”

  “Indeed. She tore through the staff like a hurricane. And they deserved it, each and every one of them,” Julien said. “But that only works if it’s an ex-employee. If it’s someone with an agenda outside of revenge, someone with a grudge against her family or her wealth . . .” He held up his phone. “I’ve called around to my friends, my contacts.” He studied Cole’s face for any signs of disapproval. “Off the beaten track, as it were.”

  Cole nodded. “I don’t care who it is if they can give us a good lead.” He glanced at a nearby detective, busy talking to a baby-faced crime-scene investigator. “They’re also getting warrants for the tabloids to cough up the photographers who sold them the pictures. Maybe one’s the kidnapper or knows who might have moved on her, a connection somewhere.”