People were everywhere. The noise was deafening between the whirling and buzzing of machines and ringing bells and chatter of people enjoying themselves. She didn’t see anybody who looked like an easy target.
She did see Savannah talking to the man Kit had bumped into in Klerksdorp. She quickly about-faced and headed in the other direction. No reason to be seen by either of them. She made her way to the craps tables. She found a group of young women there, all dressed to the nines wearing jewels that were probably family heirlooms. She pondered approaching one, but then thought better of it.
Kit cruised through the blackjack area and sat and played a few hands. She lost so got up to leave. As she did, she literally bumped into one of the young women from the craps tables.
“Sorry,” she mumbled.
“Don’t be,” the woman said.
She was a plump young woman with a cherubic face and cupid bow lips. Her skin was olive, her eyes brown, her teeth gleaming white.
“Excuse me?” Kit said.
“I’m here for my bridal shower,” the woman said.
“Oh, well, congratulations.”
“I have a favor to ask of you.”
“What’s that?” Kit said.
“I saw you checking us out at the craps tables. I find you very attractive.”
“Thank you?”
The woman laughed. It was soft and sensual.
“I don’t mean to be so forward, but I have to ask, are you a lesbian?”
“Why yes. Yes, I am.” She looked around for the rest of the women, but they had vanished.
“Can I buy you a drink?” the woman said.
“Sure.” Kit was curious what the woman wanted from her. She would have a drink with her, then send her on her way. Kit had business to attend to. And, while the woman was cute enough, and was adorned in diamonds that Kit would love to have, she wasn’t exactly her target type.
“So what’s up?” Kit asked when they were seated with a bottle of champagne.
“My name is Tiffany. I’m from New York. And we’re here for my bachelorette weekend.”
“That’s great. What has that got to do with me?”
Tiffany took a deep breath, held it, and exhaled slowly.
“I’m getting married in a few weeks.”
“Right.”
“To a wonderful man.”
“Again, I offer my congratulations.”
“Well, here’s the deal. I’ve never been with a woman. I’ve always been curious. No one knows about my curiosity. Not even my closest friends. And certainly not my fiancé. I was wondering, would you kiss me?”
“Just a kiss?” Kit said.
“Well, we’ll start with a kiss and see where it leads.”
Kit smiled at her.
“That’s an interesting proposition. Let’s relax and enjoy our champagne. Maybe after getting to know me you won’t want me to kiss you.”
“Oh, I doubt that. I find you drop-dead gorgeous.”
“Thank you for that. I find you adorable, but that doesn’t mean a kiss is in order. We have to jive, you know?”
Tiffany seemed to relax as she sat back in her chair.
“I suppose you’re right. So, tell me about yourself. What’s your name? Where are you from?”
Kit laughed.
“You forgot to ask me what’s my sign.”
“What?”
“Never mind. You’re too young. My name is Ronnie. And I’m from Maryland. Are you from the state or the city?”
“The city. Manhattan to be specific. Upper East Side.”
Kit raised her eyebrows. Tiffany obviously came from money. The night just got more interesting.
“Nice. And your fiancé? Where’s he from?”
“I’d rather not talk about him. Let’s talk more about you.”
Kit chuckled.
“Okay. What do you want to know?”
“Are you originally from Maryland? You don’t sound Eastern to me. And you seem very cultured. Are you from wealth, as well?”
“I’m originally from California. I did not grow up with wealth. I made some smart investments and tend to be very lucky at gambling. Money isn’t something I lack.”
“Very interesting. Tell me, Ronnie. What’s your favorite color?”
“Honestly? Black. And yours?”
“Black isn’t really a color,” Tiffany said. “But, okay. Pink for me. I love pink.”
Kit smiled at her. She could have guessed that.
“What?” Tiffany said. “Are you laughing at me?”
“Not at all. You seem like a pink girl.”
“Oh, very much. I guess I’m a femme, huh?”
Kit almost spit champagne out her nose.
“I suppose so.”
“So it makes sense I’m attracted to a butch like yourself.”
“Yes. It makes perfect sense.”
“You’re very easy to talk to, Ronnie. I find my nerves are settling down.”
“Were you nervous when you approached me? You didn’t seem like it.”
“I was terrified.” She laughed.
“Are you used to getting what you want, Tiffany?”
“For the most part. Does that make me a bad person?”
“Not at all.”
“Would you like to go back to my room? I have champagne there.”
“Are you in this hotel?” Kit worried about running into Savannah.
“No. I’m at Treasure Island.”
“Let’s get a cab.”
“Lead the way.”
“Oh, no,” Kit said. “After you.”
Kit got to Tiffany’s room and once again got cold feet. She wanted her jewels, there was no doubt about that. But she couldn’t take her to bed. It just didn’t feel right. It was wrong and she knew it. But the boss would love those diamonds and she’d make a pretty penny.
She plied Tiffany with glass after glass of champagne. Soon her eyelids were drooping and she was slurring her words.
“I feel terrible, but I can’t keep my eyes open. Stay with me and make love to me when I wake up?”
“That’ll be fine.”
“Will you be here when I wake up?”
“I promise,” Kit lied.
“Thank you, Ronnie. You’ll make my dreams come true.”
Before Kit could answer, Tiffany was snoring. Kit shoved Tiffany’s diamonds in her pocket. She hailed a cab and locked the jewels away in the safe in her room. She took a quick shower and dressed again then texted Savannah.
Kit: Can we meet a little early? Or are you busy?
Savannah: I’d love to meet early. Like when?
Kit: In about fifteen?
Savannah: I’ll be by the roulette tables.
Kit: Excellent. See you soon.
Savannah sought out Li to tell him she was going to get food.
“I think we can call this a night. Hopefully, we won’t hear of any robberies later.”
“I wish I could be as optimistic as you, boss.”
Savannah smiled at him.
“I just want it to end. It has to sometime.”
“Not until we catch whoever’s behind this.”
“Or until they quit.”
“But I want to catch him. Or her. I want them locked up.”
Savannah thought of Kit behind bars and forced herself to smile.
“So do I, Li. So do I. For now, get some sleep or do whatever you need to. I’m off to get breakfast.”
She saw Kit milling around the roulette table and walked up behind her. She wrapped her arms around her and nibbled on her ear.
“Hey, gorgeous. Come here often?”
Kit spun around and kissed Savannah.
“Hey, baby. So good to see you.”
“I’m glad we’re meeting earlier. I was missing you.”
“Come on. Let’s hit a buffet.”
“Where are we going?”
“To the Bellagio. I love their buffet. Let’s go outside and catch a shuttle.”
They enjoyed the buffet and almost ate their money’s worth. It was a pricey meal, but Kit didn’t care. She loved it. She was with Savannah and she was as happy as she could remember being.
“Where are you traveling to next?” Kit asked.
“Connecticut. And you?”
“Same. I don’t really like that casino, but I thought I’d check it out next weekend.”
“Great. I’m sure we’ll find something to do to pass the week.”
Savannah wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Kit smiled at her. Her dimples showed and Savannah’s heart skipped a beat.
“I’m sure we will. While we’re on the east coast, do you think you’ll stop by home?” Kit asked.
“No. Not this trip. Soon though. I’m getting a little homesick.”
“Will you take me home with you then? When you’re ready? At least for a visit?”
“We’ll see.”
They walked back to the MGM and made out in the elevator on the way up to Savannah’s room. Savannah couldn’t get enough of Kit. She couldn’t wait to feel Kit on her and inside her again.
Kit didn’t disappoint. She made love to Savannah until the sun was up. Savannah dozed in her arms, content and satiated. She was startled awake by the shrill sound of her telephone.
“Hello?”
“It’s Li. There’s been a robbery.”
“What? Where?”
“Treasure Island.”
“Okay. Give me a few.”
“What’s going on?” Kit asked.
“You need to go. I’m sorry. But something’s come up that I need to deal with.”
“What is it? Can I help?”
“Sorry. Not this time. I’ll text you later.”
She watched Kit dress and tried to be present while she kissed her good-bye. But her mind was already working. Another robbery. Another woman victim. What would she learn? Was Kit behind it? Would the woman admit to it?
Savannah dressed in black slacks and jacket with a white shirt underneath. She grabbed her bag and headed to Treasure Island.
Chapter Twenty-four
The victim was a young woman. She couldn’t have been thirty years old. Definitely different from previous victims. Was Kit behind this? Did she seduce this young woman? The woman, a Tiffany Weems, was very cute. Is that why Kit targeted her? Had she enjoyed herself with this one?
Savannah knew her line of thinking wasn’t healthy, but she couldn’t stop it. She wanted to cry. She felt like her heart was breaking. But she had to get it together. She didn’t know Kit was behind it. So why did she feel like she’d just lost her best friend?
She took a deep breath and approached the young woman wearing a fluffy pink robe.
“Ms. Weems?” Savannah reached out her hand. “I’m Agent Brown, but you can call me Savannah.”
Ms. Weems smiled at her.
“Thank you, Savannah. And I insist you call me Tiffany.”
“Will do. Now, please tell me what happened.”
“I wish I could remember. I had a little too much champagne and was beginning to feel ill. So I came back to my room. That’s all I remember.”
“Who did you bring back to your room with you?” Savannah probed.
Tiffany sat up straight, looking indignant.
“I resent what you’re implying, Savannah. I’m a respectable woman. And I’m engaged to be married.” She held up her gaudy engagement ring as if to prove her point.
“I don’t mean to imply anything, Tiffany. I simply noticed that the champagne was open and there are two glasses by the bottle. Both appear to have been used.”
Tiffany opened her mouth in a shocked expression.
“I don’t have an answer for that,” she said.
“Look, Tiffany, I’m going to be frank with you. You’re not the first woman to be robbed in a casino. We believe the thief is a middle-aged man or masculine woman. Now I need to know, were you here at Treasure Island all night?”
Tiffany seemed to weigh her answer.
“Yes.”
Shit. Savannah had assumed Kit was at the MGM all night. But she couldn’t prove that. Could Kit?
Savannah stood and handed Tiffany her card.
“Please call me if you remember anything that might help us.”
“I will. Believe me.”
“Team, meet me at my suite in fifteen minutes.”
She walked back to her rooms. She was tired and disgusted. They needed a break. Desperately. So why couldn’t they catch one?
The team showed up and Savannah began her meeting with a question.
“Does anybody notice anything different about this case?”
“She was young,” Li said.
“Yes. Yes, she was. What else?”
“She didn’t meet her robber at the main casino.”
“Also true. Do you believe her?”
“Why not? Why lie about that?”
“I wish I knew. But I don’t. I don’t have any more answers than I had when this investigation started. Did you guys find any fingerprints?”
The team shook their heads.
“Damn. Did we learn anything?”
“Sorry, boss,” Li said. “There were so many people at the casino last night. I have no idea if I saw Tiffany there or not.”
“Me, either,” Savannah said. “Okay, well, this meeting is going nowhere fast. We need to put our thinking caps on and come up with a way to catch this person. I feel like we might get lucky at Foxwoods. We need to tweak our strategy though. I want each of you in my suite Thursday afternoon. Three o’clock. And come with ideas.”
She dismissed them and watched them all file out. All but Li.
“You wanna brainstorm now, boss?”
“Not now. I need a break. Go see your family. I’ll see you Thursday.”
She closed the door behind Li and collapsed on her bed. The tears that had been threatening overflowed and she sobbed thinking of Kit with Tiffany. Had Kit been gambling at Treasure Island? Is that where she met Tiffany? Savannah needed to know. She pulled her phone out of her bag. She had texts from Kit.
Hey, babe. How’re things? Are you okay?
Babe, I’m worried about you.
Savannah. Please text me back. I’m freakin’ out here. Is everything okay?
And one final text.
I didn’t like leaving you this morning. Please text me so I’ll know you’re okay.
What did she really want? To know if Tiffany had fingered her? Or was she really worried? Savannah had no way of knowing. She began composing a text in her mind when her phone rang. Director Bremer. Double shit.
“Hello?” she said.
“Another robbery? And no suspects? What the hell kind of investigation are you running, Brown? Do you even care to catch this guy?”
“We’re trying. This last one didn’t even happen at the casino we were at. We can’t be everywhere at once.”
“Save it, Brown. I’m tired of your excuses.”
“I really believe we’ll catch him in Foxwoods. I can feel it.”
“You know what I feel?” Bremer said. “I feel you’re not giving this your all. I don’t know why but I wish you’d tell me what’s going on.”
Savannah felt like she’d been punched in the gut.
“Sir—”
“Yes?”
“There’s nothing to tell. We’re trying. We’re all trying.”
“Not hard enough. You’re off the case. I’m putting Nguyen in charge. I want you to come home. Take some R and R. Get your head on straight.”
“But sir—” She couldn’t believe her ears. She was being pulled from the case.
“I want you in my office Tuesday morning. Eight o’clock sharp. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, sir.”
The line went dead. Savannah threw her phone on the bed and cried again. What would her next case be? Would it be as exciting? She doubted it. And when would she see Kit again? Kit! She grabbed her phone and sent her a text.
I’m on my way.
What could she tell Kit about having to go home? She needed to think of something. Maybe a sick aunt. That was always a standard excuse.
She took a shower and dressed in linen shorts with a short-sleeved button-down shirt. She was drying her hair when Kit knocked on the door. Savannah was about to answer when she realized the whiteboard was still up.
“Just a minute,” she called.
She quickly cleaned up the sitting room and let Kit in.
Kit was relieved when Savannah opened the door and didn’t greet her with handcuffs. She pulled Savannah into her arms and hugged her tightly.
“Are you really okay?” She searched Savannah’s eyes. “You look like you’ve been crying.”
“I’m fine. I do have some bad news though. Come. Sit on the couch with me.”
Kit pulled Savannah close with one arm and held her hand on the couch. Shit. Was she about to be told Savannah knew about her? Kit’s stomach was in knots. And yet Savannah didn’t speak. The longer she drew it out the more nervous Kit became.
“Babe?” Kit finally said. “Talk to me.”
Savannah took a deep breath.
“I have an aunt who’s not doing well. I have to fly home and help my cousin take care of things.”
Kit’s heart soared in relief. It had nothing to do with her. Thank God.
“Would you like me to come with you?” She asked.
Savannah kissed her cheek.
“That’s very kind of you, but no thanks. This is something I need to do alone. I can’t have any distractions.”
“Okay. I understand. How long will you be home? When will I see you again?”
“I don’t know, Kit. It may be a long, slow process.”
“What are you saying? That we’ll have to do a long distance thing? That’s not ideal, but I’m willing if that’s what needs to happen.”
“I think it may be best if we don’t see each other anymore. I really need to focus.”
“Savannah. Babe. I can’t accept that. You can’t be dumping me.”
“Please, Kit. Don’t make this harder than it has to be. If things resolve themselves sooner rather than later, I’ll get in touch with you. But until then, we need to cool it.”
Kit stood up and paced the sitting room. She couldn’t believe her ears.
“Has this been some sort of game to you?” she demanded. “Was I just a fling?”
Thief of the Heart Page 17
