High Stakes Crime: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Novel (Shelby Nichols Adventure Book 15)

by Colleen Helme

  He dropped his hand. “Why do you call him your Uncle? You never told me, and I’ve always wondered.” I shook my head, and he continued. “I’d like to know.”

  I let out a sigh. “Okay, but you’re not going to like it.”

  He shrugged. “We’re partners Shelby, you can trust me.”

  I searched his gaze and knew he meant it. Taking a breath, I began. “Well… it all goes back to the beginning. Do you remember Kate Cohen? She was the lawyer who worked with Chris at his firm?”

  At his nod, I continued. “Well, she’s the reason I got involved with Manetto in the first place. She called him Uncle Joey, so I called him that too, mostly to bug him. Anyway… it became a habit until now it’s like… the truth. You know the saying… the road to hell is paved with good intentions; then, before you know it, you’re in too deep to ever get out.”

  He shook his head. “Uh… I think you’ve got some of that mixed up. I mean the last part doesn’t normally go with the first part.”

  “Yeah… you’re probably right, but you get the gist of it.” I raised my gaze to his and caught his lips twitching. I smiled back. “I really am trying to do the best I can. You know that, right?”

  “Of course. I get that you’re in a tough spot.” He understood the fine line I was walking, and he appreciated that I cared enough to help him at all. He just wished I didn’t care so much about Manetto. But he could understand it. Hell, he’d been around Manetto enough to be on a first-name basis with the mob boss himself. Who would have thought that would ever happen?

  “See what I mean? You’re not so different.”

  His eyes widened. “Uh… yes I am.”

  I sighed. He was right. “Okay… that’s probably true. Anyways… I’d better get going.”

  “Wait. So this whole prospecting thing… when are you going… and who’s going with you besides Billie?”

  “There’s Dr. Stewart, his nephew, Ian Smith, me, and Billie. I think Uncle Joey’s sending a few other guys for protection… so probably Ramos and maybe someone else. I’m sure Billie and I will stick together with our own tent and everything.”

  Dimples shook his head, inwardly sighing. Even though he’d told me he didn’t mind that I called Manetto my uncle, it still made him wince inside. He sucked in a breath, knowing I’d just heard that. “Sorry… I’ll try and get over it.”

  “It’s okay. I’ll try not to call him that in front of you.”

  He shook his head before catching my gaze. “No… just… forgetaboudid.”

  His mob accent was so bad that I couldn’t help laughing. “Okay.” I climbed out of the car and sent him a smile. “See ya.”

  “Thanks for your help. Hey… could you come to the station tomorrow if I bring in Jinx?”

  “You think you can find him that fast?”

  “Probably not, but with you gone next week, I’ll have to try.”

  I pursed my lips. “Well… I can’t come in tomorrow. I’m going out of town, but I’ll be back on Sunday.”

  “Oh? Where are you going? Some place fun?”

  “I’m not sure how much fun it will be. I’m headed to Las Vegas to play in a high-stakes poker tournament.”

  His mouth dropped open, and I realized I should have kept my mouth shut. Now he’d want to know all the details, and it wasn’t a good idea to mix my two worlds together. Damn… why did I do these things?

  He opened his mouth to ask who I was going with, but decided it was better not to know. Still, he was having a hard time wrapping his head around me playing in a poker tournament… in Las Vegas of all places.

  When did I start playing poker? Reading minds probably had something to do with it… along with Manetto. He shook his head. Would I ever learn my lesson? Or… maybe he didn’t want to know.

  “I’m sure I can help you next week, after I get back from prospecting. I might even come back with Billie Tuesday night. You never know.”

  He just stared at me, thinking I had to be joking. I was probably just saying that to make him feel better. “Okay… let me know… and… uh… maybe I’ll see you Monday morning before you and Billie take off.”

  “Yeah, maybe so. I don’t know all the details yet, but I’m sure we’ll have it figured it out by then.”

  “Okay. Well… good luck with the poker tournament.”

  “Thanks. See ya.”

  Poor Dimples. He had no idea how complicated my life was. I knew it was better that he didn’t know more about my involvement with Uncle Joey, since it might put him in a tough spot. But lately, he seemed to accept it more. At least he wasn’t telling me how to take Uncle Joey down.

  I sighed. It was a balancing act, and I hoped that someday it didn’t come between us, because if I wasn’t careful, it could easily ruin our partnership.

  CHAPTER 7

  There was a lot to prepare before I left in the morning. Not only did I need to get ready for my trip to Vegas, but I also had to get everything settled before I left on Monday morning to go prospecting.

  But before I did anything else, I needed to talk to Uncle Joey about the details of the trip and settle things about Jackie. With apprehension, I put the call through, and we exchanged pleasantries before he got right to the point.

  “So what’s going on with Jackie?” he asked. “Anything I need to know?”

  “Uh… well, she is keeping something from you, but it’s not a big deal. You should talk to her.”

  “I’ve tried. Why do you think I sent you? I think she lied to me about something, and now she won’t come clean.”

  Needing to be diplomatic, I took a calming breath. “Look… you and I both know that she loves you, so if she’s not telling you everything, it’s probably because she’s worried that she’ll disappoint you. You’re kind of a… well… a hard man to please… not that that’s bad, but you do have certain expectations that can make it hard for someone to tell you something they think will upset you… you know?”

  I waited for his response, but he didn’t say anything. It made me nervous, so I continued. “But she wants to tell you, so just give her a chance. Okay?”

  He let out a sigh. “You’re right. I’ll try not to be such a hard-ass.”

  A smile tilted my lips, and I was grateful he couldn’t see it. “That should do the trick.” Oops… did I just say that out loud? “So… where are we meeting in the morning? Should I drive to Thrasher?”

  “No. I’ll send a car to pick you up at seven-thirty sharp.”

  “Oh… okay. Thanks. Anything else I need to know?”

  “Yes. Pack an overnight bag, and make sure to bring a couple of nice dresses. This is a formal affair, and you need to look the part.”

  “Okay, I can do that.”

  “Good. See you in the morning.” He disconnected, and I worried that I may have hurt his feelings. Oh well… at least he didn’t insist I tell him Jackie’s secret, so that was a win, right?

  After several calls to work things out for my kids’ schedule, I had recruited my best friend, Holly, for most of the stuff Chris couldn’t do, along with my mom as a back-up, in case the kids needed her.

  Telling Holly about my trip to Vegas was a lot easier than telling my mom. By now, my mom was getting used to all the trips I took, but going to Vegas to play in a poker tournament was not something she’d expected. “And you’ll only be there for the tournament?” she asked.

  “Yes. Then I’m coming right back, but Chris and the kids will be fine for the weekend. It’s next week that I might need your help.”

  “Why? What’s going on next week?”

  I explained the news of the Lost Taft Mine, and the opportunity I had to go prospecting with the group. I included that Billie was going too, so she’d feel better about it. “You remember how I used to go up there with Grandpa, right? When the opportunity came along, I couldn’t pass it up.”

  She sighed. “Yes… it was always a dream of his to find that goldmine, and I can understand the pull to go, but I think it was
an excuse for him to get away from everything for a few days. Do you really think there’s a chance you’ll find it?”

  “Well, Dr. Stewart has Jeremiah’s journal, so that will narrow it down, but I’m not holding my breath. Anyway, I’ll only be gone for two or three days, so it’s not a big deal.”

  “Sure, dear.” She paused, and I could imagine her resignation that my life was one adventure after another. She wasn’t always happy about it, but she’d learned to accept it. “I’m sure Chris can handle most everything, but if the kids need me, I’ll be happy to help. You just be careful. It’s easy to get lost up there.”

  “I will. Thanks, Mom.”

  With those things taken care of, I packed an overnight bag with the essentials, along with two of my favorite dresses. I hated the thought of playing poker all dressed up, but I didn’t have a choice. Still, I decided that, if I ever had to play in a poker tournament again, I’d specify that I could wear whatever the heck I wanted.

  I figured that, with Chris drawing up the non-disclosure agreement for Billie, he probably already knew I was going prospecting by now, so that would make it easier to tell him my plans.

  My kids didn’t seem too bothered that I was leaving for a day or two. They thought heading to Las Vegas in Uncle Joey’s private jet was pretty awesome. As long as nothing bad happened to me, but, since I was with Uncle Joey, they trusted that I’d be fine. He was a big, bad, scary dude who no one dared cross… so they wouldn’t worry.

  Hmm… should I be worried they thought that? I shook my head. As long as they weren’t worried about me, I should count it on the plus side, right?

  Out of everyone, Coco surprised me the most. He picked up my anxiety and kept sniffing at my bag. Once I had it packed, and placed by the door, he sat beside it and woofed you go?

  I knelt down beside him. “Yes. I have to go, but it’s just for a little while and I’ll be back.”

  He whined I come.

  I let out a breath. “Sorry, buddy, but you have to stay here so you can watch over Josh and Savannah while I’m gone.”

  He let out a moan and lay down beside my luggage. Placing his head on his paws, his eyes took on a mournful look that melted my heart and sent guilt into the pit of my stomach. Damn… that was not fair. “I’ll be fine, Coco. I promise. I’ll be back before you know it.”

  He sat up and woofed back you come?

  “Yes. I’ll come back. How about we go for a walk?” He woofed yup, and the tension drained from my shoulders. I didn’t have time for a walk, but did that matter? Nope. I cared about my dog, and this was the best way to prove it.

  The next morning came too fast. Wearing comfy jeans, a t-shirt, and a hoodie, I stood beside the door, waiting for my ride to show up. Chris got up to say goodbye, and Coco stuck to me like glue. “He’s not happy I’m leaving.”

  “I understand that.” Chris ruffled Coco’s fur, knowing exactly how the dog felt. “Don’t worry, buddy, she’ll be back.”

  The car pulled up, and I gave Chris a quick kiss and a tight hug. “I’ll call you when I get there.”

  “Okay. I love you. Be careful… and try to stay out of trouble.”

  “I will. Love you.”

  I picked up my bag and opened the door, closing it on the sound of Coco’s whine. There weren’t words to describe what that whine meant, but it came across as a feeling of sorrow that I was leaving him. I shook my head. It didn’t make sense. I left him every day to go to work, so why was this different?

  Did he have a sixth sense that something bad was going to happen? No… of course not. It had to be the bag that did it. So how was I going to handle leaving on Monday to go prospecting? I’d have to put my pack in the car, when he wasn’t watching, and just pretend like it was another day at work.

  Hey… maybe I could take Coco with me? It might be nice to have him around. On the other hand, I didn’t want him to get in the way or make a mess of things. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to ask.

  Surprising me, Uncle Joey stepped out of the car and popped the trunk for my bag. I got into the back seat and found that Jackie was driving. “Oh… hey Jackie. Are you coming after all?”

  “No. I’m just taking you guys to the airport to see you off.” It was Uncle Joey she really wanted to see off, but knowing that didn’t bother me.

  He slid into the car and sent me a smile.

  “Where’s Ramos?”

  “He’s meeting us there.” Uncle Joey buckled his seatbelt, and Jackie began the drive to the private airstrip. Several minutes later, she pulled into the cargo bay that held Uncle Joey’s private jet. As we retrieved our luggage, Ramos pulled up on his motorcycle with a small bag strapped on behind him.

  I got out of the car, and Jackie stepped to my side, stopping me before I boarded the plane. “Good luck, Shelby… and… don’t forget your promise.” Since Uncle Joey still wanted Sonny dead, she knew it was up to me to stop him if I could.

  “Thanks Jackie. I won’t.”

  She nodded and hurried to Uncle Joey’s side, giving him a hug and a kiss goodbye. I tried not to eavesdrop, but I picked up enough to know that she’d told him everything, and it had brought them closer together. I couldn’t help the smile that widened my lips.

  Ramos came to my side, wondering what I was smiling about. “Them.” I motioned my head toward the couple. “Don’t worry, I didn’t tell Uncle Joey anything that Jackie was thinking. They worked it out themselves, so I didn’t cross a line.”

  Ramos sent me a nod, knowing that I’d picked up his disapproval yesterday. Still, hadn’t I told him he could yell at me anytime he wanted? He raised a brow. He hadn’t voiced his disapproval out loud, but, since I could hear it anyway, it should still count. Now came the true test… were we going to kiss and make-up?

  “That’s not… you are so full of… argh.”

  His smile widened and he shrugged, thinking it didn’t hurt to try. “After you.” I boarded the plane, and he followed behind.

  This was the fourth or fifth time I’d been on the jet, and it still boggled my mind to be part of the jet-set. The six-seater had four seats facing each other, with two in the back facing forward. Ramos sat facing me, his back to the front of the plane, and Uncle Joey took the seat across the aisle from me.

  After take-off, Ramos lowered the small table between us and pulled out a deck of cards. “I thought you might want to brush up on your poker skills.”

  “Oh my gosh! That’s right.” For some reason, I’d forgotten all about actually playing poker, and now panic washed over me.

  We spent the whole flight playing Texas Hold’em, and it took nearly that long for me to get the winning hands straight in my head again. It was hard to believe I’d forgotten so much of the strategy, and I was grateful for the opportunity to brush up on my skills.

  On the plus side, playing so many games kept me from checking the time. That’s why it came as a surprise to hear the pilot tell us we were ready to land at a private airstrip just north of Las Vegas.

  My stomach cramped with sudden anxiety to know that, in a couple of hours, I’d be playing for a ten-million-dollar jackpot against a ruthless conman. Could I really do this? “I’m not sure I’m ready.”

  Ramos glanced at me, noting my deer-in-the-headlights expression. “Yes you are. You’ll do great.”

  I took a deep breath and slowly let it out, but it didn’t help much. Uncle Joey nodded. “He’s right. You’re ready.”

  Uncle Joey had joined the poker game during the last half hour, and I’d easily trounced him. “And we’ll be with you the entire time.” He thought about Ricky and the information he’d gleaned from Jackie’s friend. It cast a new light on the whole deal.

  “Why? What did Ricky find out?”

  Uncle Joey frowned. “It’s a bit of a mystery, but I’m sure with your talents, you can uncover the details when the time comes.”

  “What details?”

  He hadn’t wanted to tell me everything since it would only add to my anxiety,
but now there was no holding it back. “It sounds like Sonny’s involved with a man known as “The Debt Collector.” He’s a shadowy figure who has financed a lot of the prominent real-estate development along the Las Vegas Strip. He’s been at it over the course of several years, but no one really took notice until recently.

  “Now it sounds like he’s in town to collect on his loans, and Sonny’s hotel and casino are on the line. I wish I knew more about him—like why he targeted Sonny in the first place—but Ricky hit a wall. No one wants to talk, and, from what Ricky could gather, his identity and motives are a well-kept secret.”

  A chill ran down my spine. “That’s kind of creepy.”

  Uncle Joey nodded, thinking this was the first time he’d heard of the man, which was unusual, since he liked to keep informed of the movers and shakers out there. For the first time in his long career, he felt a wave of unease telling him that this might be the one person he needed to avoid.

  Unfortunately, playing in Sonny’s tournament would shine a light on me, and he almost regretted it. Almost… but if it kept Sonny from winning, it was worth it. Maybe this ‘Debt Collector’ would take care of Sonny, and he wouldn’t have to kill him after all.

  I nodded, but refrained from agreeing out loud, a little shocked that there was anyone who could intimidate Uncle Joey. The jet touched down and taxied to the hangar where it came to a stop. The pilot told us we were safe to disembark, and I gathered my things before following Uncle Joey to the exit.

  I caught sight of Ricky standing beside a limo, just as the heat hit me square in the face, taking me by surprise. I’d totally forgotten that it would be so hot here. At least I wouldn’t be spending any time outdoors, with the tournament starting so soon.

  Just thinking about that, coupled with knowing a sinister figure lurked in the shadows, sent my pulse racing. What was I doing here? Could I really pull this off? What if I didn’t and Uncle Joey decided to kill Sonny after all?

  “Don’t worry, Shelby,” Ramos said, stepping to my side. “I’ll be with you every step of the way. You’ll be fine. We’ll get through this together.”