High Stakes Gamble

by Mimi Barbour

  “Is Alec down for his nap?” Aurora looked toward the playpen where she knew Debbie put her son to keep him safe anytime she left the room. Since the little beggar was almost a year old, a big fellow like his dad, he’d made up his mind that crawling was for sissies and he needed to walk everywhere. Bruises didn’t stop him and neither did the bumps he’d collected. Stubborn was part of his DNA and Aurora had no doubt the handsome little guy would be running everywhere soon.

  “He went down but not without a fight. My goodness he’s a handful. Into everything and demands our attention every minute. It’s impossible to get anything done while he’s awake.”

  Aurora knew Debbie used this excuse for the bit of messiness around them, but she also knew Deb loved to be with the baby and considered housework way down on the importance list while she could spend her time with her son.

  “Since you’re the only person I trust to babysit, can I leave Lily with you for a short time?”

  “Sure. You know you can leave her anytime. I love having her around; she’s no problem at all. I never knew such a happy, contented child. Goes to sleep when you lay her down, hardly ever cries and she’s always smiling, even with a tooth starting. You certainly lucked out.” Teasingly, she added, “She must have inherited her daddy’s personality.”

  The coldness that permeated the room halted Debbie’s rambling. Guilt filled her face. Her hands reached towards Aurora beseechingly. “I’m such a blabbermouth, Rory. I’m sorry. I know you don’t like us talking about him.”

  “I don’t want to hear about the bastard.” Her voice lowered on the profanity so Lily wouldn’t hear her mother swearing. “And stop calling me Rory. What is it with you guys today?”

  Breathing a sigh of relief for the subject change, Debbie quickly grabbed the reprieve and asked. “You guys? Were you with someone from work?”

  “That’s why I want your help. I need to go and make a statement with Hampton this afternoon. The craziest thing happened this morning while I was at the pediatrician’s for Lily’s two month checkup. A woman fell out of the elevator screaming that her baby’d been abducted right out of her arms.”

  “Oh no, not another one?!” Instantly, Debbie’s hand jerked to cover her mouth and she turned away.

  Aurora narrowed her eyes and drilled a look toward Deb. “What do you mean, another one? This has happened before? When?”

  “Forget I said anything, Aurora. Cory will kill me if he knows I blabbed. They’re trying to keep a lid on things so parents won’t panic.”

  “This is me you’re talking to, Deb. Not some jumpy idiot from the suburbs. What’s going on?”

  Debbie wrung her hands and stuck her lip out. “Can’t. If I do, you won’t be able to sleep at night. You know how you get, especially when it’s anything to do with kids. Since you can’t help, the less you know the better.”

  After working with the goofy blonde for five years, Aurora knew when Debbie’s stubbornness kicked in; there was no talking her out of it. Particularly if she thought she was protecting someone she cared about.

  “Fine, I’ll go and talk to Cory at the station. Since I’m only on maternity leave, he’ll fill me in.”

  Debbie smirked and answered, “You do that.”

  Aurora caught on immediately. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  Expression straightening from smirk to grimace, her ex-partner groaned and admitted. “Cory’s at a circle jerk for the Division Heads in L.A.”

  “He is? What’s the topic?”

  A huge sigh escaped before Debbie answered. “Human trafficking. There’s a sophisticated Chinese ring working in the Southwest, a syndicate of big shots. No one can touch them and Cory believes they could be tied to what’s happening here in Vegas.”

  “Shit! That’s bad news. If the Chinese have anything to do with this, it’s well-run and you’ve gotta know there’s a lot of money involved. But why babies? Why not older kids?”

  “Don’t ask me. I’ve said more than I should have. Cory is gonna kill me.” Debbie glanced over to the now sleeping baby nestled in the comfy seat and motioned for Aurora to look also.

  Lily lay contentedly sucking her thumb, her face resting on her collarbone like a pink-cheeked old man with jowls.

  Aurora tiptoed to the hallway and pointed at the pack she’d left on the chair. “I pumped milk for her and there’s a change of clothes and extra diapers. I should be back soon.”

  “Take all the time you need. Alec will be thrilled to see her when he wakes up. And I’ll get in some huggy-time since the monster will hardly let me hold him anymore. He’s in too big of a hurry to explore and get into mischief—just like his dad.”

  Chapter Four

  John Hampton looked ridiculous with a childish pout clinging to his features. “You didn’t bring Lily?”

  Aurora remembered the one and only time the little beauty had held center stage in the office, goo-ing and dimpling, acting just like her asshole of a father who loved attention. Unlike Aurora who felt uncomfortable with most people and tended to stay low-keyed.

  “No! Last time I brought her with me, she disrupted the place so much, I felt guilty. You guys drooled all over her. It was sickening.”

  “Yeah and she loved it. I was looking forward to spending some time with her while you were here.”

  “Oh suck it up. You can come over to the apartment anytime to see her.”

  He brightened visibly and nodded. “Okay, how about me and the missus dropping by on my next day off? Hold it now, with this muck going on in the city, crazies stealing babies for Lord’s sake, that could take ages.” Gloomy now, his lips tightened and he rubbed the back of his neck.

  Aurora had noticed that his normally stacked desk looked more loaded than usual. “Where is everyone? I tried calling Lisa and she didn’t pick up. Figured I’d catch up with her here and she’s nowhere to be seen. In fact, the whole place looks weirdly empty.”

  Ham scanned the empty chairs pushed in to laden desks. The few officers who were in evidence walked around sluggishly, no oomph at all. He brought his hands up behind his head and leaned back in the office chair. “Half the office is sick with the flu and the other half are worn out from covering all the shifts.”

  “Lisa too?”

  “She worked up till yesterday and then had to give in. Feels like shit about leaving us in a mess, but nothing she can do. I found her asleep on her desk and called her a taxi.”

  Guilt for not being here rode Aurora and made her shy away from pursuing that subject. Instead, she returned to the scene from that morning at the doctor’s offices and asked after Mary Fulton.

  “It’s a real shit-show, Aurora. These parents are dealing with the worst tragedy that can happen to anyone.”

  Playing along as if she knew all about the crimes, she asked. “Is there some kind of pattern? Could anyone identify a suspect from this morning? What did the video tapes show? How about forensics?”

  “The video showed a shrewd person with a mask who covered the lens of the camera so we got nothing there. He also wore gloves, not surprising. And the women who were attacked all say the same thing. The man—they all identified the person as male—never shows his face. None of them can give us a description. In all the cases, the woman had no time to even think before they were put out of commission. Two with chloroform like Mrs. Fulton. One mom with a Taser, shot from behind as she walked the baby in the park. The perp left her propped up on a bench and walked away with the baby, not a care in the world. We found the child’s carriage left by the road, no prints, nothing. Slick and clean!”

  Aurora thought over what she heard and then asked, “So Cory’s gone to a symposium in L.A. about Human Trafficking crimes? Any connection?”

  “Yeah! Seems like they’ve had similar kidnappings in their city.”

  Aurora added what she already knew to be true. “Feds working the cases also? Kidnapping is in their jurisdiction.”

  “Oh yeah, they’ve set up downstairs. But you kn
ow Cory. He likes to stay on top of what happens in his city. He’ll work with them, sure, but he’s pushing his own buttons.”

  Glumly, she nodded; her keen brain hummed, trying to figure out all the angles. There was a definite din attacking her ears and she knew something still unclear was just out of reach.

  “Have you any idea if these babies are being processed through an agency? I’ve no doubt they’ll have to be put into the system to make them legal for adoption. There’s people out there who will pay big money nowadays to have a family handed to them, to bypass the waiting—no questions asked.”

  “Sure, but there’s records tied to those adoptions, easy-to-follow records.”

  “Okay, in the government offices. What about the private agencies? Maybe some from out of the country?” She gnawed on her bottom lip and tilted her head to stop the vicious twanging.

  She noticed when Hampton realized how much he’d disclosed to a fellow cop on sabbatical. “Leave it lassie. You don’t need to worry your pretty little head…”

  In a flash, she had her finger in front of his face and she hissed a warning. “You’re beginning to piss me off, Ham.”

  Her gently pushed her away, held his own hands out front and backed his chair up. “You taking your postpartum vitamins? A might cranky, even for you.”

  His teasing grin did her in every time and today was no different. She calmed and grimaced. “Just don’t push me. I miss the job so badly; I could chew on the envy I feel coming in here, seeing you and knowing I can’t stay.”

  “It’s just for a few more weeks, Aurora. We’ll hold the fort and you’ll be back before you know it.”

  Her head dropped to her chin and she slumped back into her chair. “I know. I love being home with Lily, really I do. But some days I can’t breathe for wanting to have a problem to wrap my brain around that doesn’t include the words goo or poo.”

  The ringing phone stopped their conversation. Ham picked it up on the second ring. His expression had the adrenalin pumping instantly for Aurora.

  “Ya don’t say? At the truck scales? Right. I’ll be at there in a jiffy. Tie it down and don’t let anyone mess up the crime scene.”

  Red-cheeked and eyes glittering, Ham unwound his huge size. His drooping shoulders gave Aurora a hint about the news he’d received. Only a few things she knew affected his overly big Irish heart in this way. Either a woman or kids were involved—or a cop.

  She watched Ham look around to spot someone to partner him. She saw him settle on a Jason, a veteran who looked like hell as he sat holding his head up with one hand while listlessly plucking at the buttons on his computer. He sneezed then groaned and pulled another tissue from the box on his desk.

  “Let me work backup for you today. I can fill in for Lisa.” Ham rubbed at his mustache and turned to look at her.

  She stood waiting for his nod, and when he hesitated, she added, “I’m begging you here, Ham. It’ll be like you called me out for auxiliary duty… except I’ll forget to put in the paperwork.”

  “You have no gun or badge. Means you stay in the background. I mean it, Rory.”

  “Hell, I can do that!”

  Ham snorted as he gathered his own piece, pushed his chair in, and waited for her to precede him.

  She moved in front and snidely grinned over her shoulder. “Just this once you can call me Rory!”

  “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Colleen. It’s good to have you back.”

  Chapter Five

  Cory knocked on the door of an old colleague and waited for permission to enter, which came soon enough.

  “Cory Ashton, you old dog, how long has it been? Last time you contacted me, you screwed me out of one of my best men without even a thank you kiss or an after-the-fun cigarette.” Bob Powers, Police Captain for the Los Angeles division stood with his hand outstretched.

  Cory moved in smiling and they shook, both delighted to be together once again. “Bob! You’re looking good for an old man who sits around all day with nothing to do.”

  “Right. My job runs itself. I just sit on my ass and play solitaire on my computer like you.” He smirked and pointed to the comfortable chair next to a matching sofa across the room from his office area. “Can I get you a coffee or a cold drink?”

  “A coffee if it’s no trouble.” Cory made his way over to sit in the plush chair and took the time to glance around the space of a very busy man.

  “As much as I’d like to believe that you’ve come to see me personally, I know better. What’s on your mind?”

  “You do know me too well, Bob. I’ve come to enquire about Kai Lawson. He left my precinct in Vegas after the Rhondo shooting over eleven months ago saying he needed time and that he’d check back. I’ve called, sent e-mails and since I was in town, I went to his address and he’s not there anymore.”

  “Why do you want to see him?” The older man’s thick eyebrows met above a frown that made rookies shake in their boots. It had had that effect on Cory back in the day when he’d called this tough guy Sarge.

  “It’s personal.”

  “Nothing’s personal with my men. Lawson’s gone through a tough time lately. The man will be receiving a special commendation for his outstanding bravery. He went above and beyond. Therefore, I’d stand in the way of anyone messing with him right now, even you.”

  Cory’s ears perked up and he relaxed the tightness in his shoulders and inched back from the righteous indignation that swept him every time he thought of the prick. He’d come prepared to play whatever hand necessary to get to the guy and beat the crap out of him. A punishment well deserved in Cory’s estimation.

  Playing fast and loose with a cop like Aurora Morelli, not to mention that Aurora was one of Cory’s best friends, then leaving her pregnant and heartsick was as low as a man could go.

  It would satisfy the revengeful devil in him to punch the guy’s lights out. Not that he’d mention any of this to the keen-eyed man across from him. Especially after the Captain’s last statement.

  “I need to understand, Bob. Trust me. It’s really important.” He suffered the other’s gimlet-eyed gaze and didn’t back down one iota. This had to be settled… now!

  “Fine. I’ll tell you what I know but only because you look like a man itching for a fight. What I have to share might change your mind.”

  He passed a steaming, strong scented mug of coffee to Cory and set his own down on the table across. Hitching up his pant legs, he sat in the chair opposite.

  “When Lawson first came back to L.A. all fucked up, his words not mine, his dilemma took him to one of the seedier nightclubs in town to drown his sorrows. While there, the stepson of a kingpin, an Italian gang we’ve had our sights on for a long time, happened to drop in to the same place. Cutting to the chase, Lawson saved the guy’s life. Stepped into a fight, took down four men to rescue the jerk and won daddy’s deepest appreciation.”

  “Must have pissed you off to have one of yours behaving so irresponsibly.” Cory stopped the chuckle after seeing the straight expression on the hard face of the man across from him. “And…?”

  “Our boys were new and they didn’t recognize him as one of ours, so along with the other drunks; they pulled him in for disturbing the peace, assault and a few other misdemeanours.” Captain Powers stopped to take a sip of coffee.

  Hmmm. This was getting more and more interesting. Cory also sipped the hot brew and watched the captain organize his thoughts before continuing.

  “I happened to be in late that night and became aware of the unusual circumstances surrounding his arrest. You must understand, we’d been trying to infiltrate that bunch for quite some time and Lawson’s behaviour that night had given us the most opportune break we’ve had to date.”

  Cory slammed down his mug. “You set him up!”

  “I gave him a chance to do his job.” Hard and biting, the man revealed his authority in his piercing tone.

  Cory looked away and took a deep breath, releasing the burning indignation that
had blown up on behalf of the man he’d once loved and called friend. Forced to admit that as mad as he was at Kai, dammit, he still cared about the stupid bastard, he stroked the rage to keep in under control.

  “What happened?”

  “The mob lawyered him up and bailed him out, along with Sonny, the stepson of the boss who offered him a job as his kid’s bodyguard.”

  “And he took it?” Christ! So that’s what happened! At peace now, Cory sat back to hear the rest.

  “Truthfully, the man didn’t feel as if he had a choice. His own sense of justice, plus a few pertinent words from me, coerced him into taking it in order to bring down the scum. No one imagined it would go on for so long, though. Thing is, he got deeper into their gang politics than anyone else had ever managed.”

  “What’s their names?”

  “Father is Dominic Angeli. Sonny is the punk Kai’s been babysitting. You might know them as the Angeli mob. They’re pretty infamous on the west coast for their interests in extortion, money laundering trafficking, prostitution—”

  “Not to mention smuggling and counterfeiting. Yeah, I know about them. They’ve been a boil on our backside for quite some time. Thing is, I heard the father disliked the stepson and kept him out of the loop.”

  “He did. And Sonny ended up pissed about it. Being that he’s far worse than his old man, and craved leadership in the organization, we’re pretty sure he was instrumental in the old man’s death.”

  “Was? Sounds as if there were new developments.”

  “Thanks to Lawson, last week we were able to catch them red-handed with a load of young hijacked girls bound for the dens in the east and a shitload of drugs being shipped alongside the human cargo. He set up a sting that worked like a charm except for one thing.”

  “What’s that?” Cory sensed the drama and knew he wasn’t going to like the answer. He didn’t.