Casting the Dice Read online

  “If you had money inside, you can kiss it goodbye.”

  “I have to ask.” Her purse contained all sorts of essentials. “I need my wallet and phone, and I never got a chance to properly look the day you dropped me there.”

  “You had a reason then? I thought you wanted to escape me.”

  That, too, of course. “Things change.”

  “Does that mean you trust me now?”

  “I’m telling you the truth.” Couldn’t he be happy with that?

  “All right.” He slapped his hands together. “First of all, you need to get your wrist x-rayed.”

  “I’m wearing the splint only because it’s sprained.” She tucked the book under her arm and smoothed the adhesive straps. “I told you yesterday it’s not broken.”

  “You won’t be able to do any rock climbing if the bones heal wrong.” Those dark eyebrows arched.

  “I’ve given up rock climbing.”

  “Why? Climbing down that brick wall do you in?”

  “That brick wall has nothing to do with my reasons.” She wanted to avoid the possibility of running into her ex-boyfriend, but Hal did not need to know anything about her personal life.

  “Get the X-ray as a favor to me.” The corners of his mouth rose. “I’m already having a hard time sleeping.”

  “I can imagine. That couch is probably ancient.”

  “The couch was fine. You’re the main reason.” The glint in his gaze set off sparklers inside her. She stepped closer. Then stopped.

  Falling for this guy would be so easy—if he had a different job. Hal would need to be aggressive, maybe even violent to arrest anyone who resisted. Cold seeped into her core.

  He was attracted, and he knew she was, too. But…

  “We need to establish some ground rules if we’re going to work together.” She crossed her arms. “The first one is to remember our relationship is only temporary.”

  The heat warming his gaze vanished. “That’s not going to be a problem.”

  “My mom used to work here.” Annie stepped into the downtown New Orleans casino for the second time in a week, this time on the lookout for trouble. “That’s why I recognized the place when you gave me a ride from the hospital.”

  Hal paid off the cab they caught outside the ER. They’d wasted over an hour there, but the X-ray had confirmed no breaks. She was happy and he should be, too. Instead, he scowled. “You told me you didn’t have family in town. Was that a lie?”

  Looked like he was the one with trust issues. “She passed a few months ago, actually right after her sister, my aunt, did. We’d lived in Nevada sixteen years by then.”

  “Sorry. My sympathies.” He pulled her from the path of some customers oblivious to anyone else in the aisle. “Why are you wearing that big shirt? Are you cold?”

  “It was cold at the emergency room, and it’s freezing in here.” He had a lot of gall commenting on her clothing choices. “Why are you wearing a windbreaker?”

  “You know why.”

  Yes, and she, for one, was glad he didn’t flaunt his wicked-looking gun.

  “We have to find the lost and found.” She intercepted a floor manager and explained what she wanted. The man left to investigate. “We’re going to have to wait.”

  “I got that.” Hal crossed his arms and looked around without interest.

  She fidgeted, sweeping the play area for Mr. Persistent or Red Cap. They didn’t seem to be here at the moment, but their absence didn’t calm her one iota. She steered Hal toward one of the craps tables. “Have you ever seen this game?”

  “Nope. Never been in here.”

  “The guy with the dice is making ‘come-out’ rolls.” She indicated one of the players. “You have to throw both dice at the same time, and they both have to hit the wall. He’s looking to establish the ‘point’ throw. Do you see that? He sevened out, so he has to give up his turn.”

  She explained the pass line, the do-not-pass line, and the box numbers stamped into the felt top. The stick man glanced at her then beckoned to the pit boss. They’d moved on to the roulette wheel when a security guy approached and introduced himself. He wanted to question her about her recent visit. “Would you confirm you were here Wednesday night?”

  “Wednesday? I don’t think so, but I’m not sure.” She glanced at Hal, and he shrugged. “I came in the next day looking for my purse. Here comes the man who went to search for it. Uh-oh, his hands are empty.”

  She thanked the employee, the security officer nodded, and Hal ushered her outside. At the curb, he hailed a taxi and gave the driver an address. Less than ten minutes later they pulled to the curb beside a high, white-washed wall. Through an open gate, she spotted above-ground tombs. “This is a cemetery.”

  “Yeah, it is.” Hal helped her out and pulled his sunglasses from atop his head. “Remember that card you had?”

  “Which one?” She shed her big overshirt and draped it through the bag strap. “The skeleton?”

  “The business card. The owner of Magick Charms is leading a tour here. I booked it while we were at the ER.”

  A sentry with a clipboard sat under a white party tent at the entrance. Hal showed him the phone receipt, and the guard shrugged. “I’m not supposed to let in latecomers.”

  “Please.” Annie blasted him a dazzling smile. “This is our last chance.”

  The guard waved a go-ahead. She gushed her thanks, and they hurried to join a group in front of the wall crypts. A tall man with shoulder length white hair wearing black glasses and a fringed leather vest stopped talking. She smiled. “I hope we’re not too late.”

  “We’re just getting started.” He studied Hal’s receipt. “I’m Fredo. I’m a noted medicinal herbs expert.” His gaze lingered on her and he tipped his head. “Good ta see ya again.”

  He recognized her. Had Hal known he would?

  Fredo gestured to the perimeter wall. “Y’all can see the ground’s sinking here. Only the very tops of those vaults on the bottom row are visible above the ground. A lot of swampy ground surrounded the early city, and this cemetery was built on the outskirts.”

  While the others on the tour stepped closer to read inscriptions, Fredo came over. “You all right today, girl?”

  “Yes. Thanks.” She opened her mouth to ask him how she met him, but he moved on, veering into the main burial area where they passed several tombs with rubble-filled entrances. “These older tombs are in pretty bad shape.”

  He stopped at a pyramid-shaped tomb and pushed his glasses up his nose. “This is a movie star’s tomb. Still alive. He’s saving his place for when he passes.”

  They snaked through the irregular aisles, passing other notables’ tombs and a large one for veterans of the Battle of New Orleans. She’d lived here almost ten years and had never seen any of this.

  After another hour they returned to the entrance. “That’s it, folks. Hope y’all had fun. I’ve got all kinds of mystical, magical things in my shop. Herbs, crystals, rocks, Mardi Gras masks. Follow me and come check it all out.”

  The other customers took a card and left. Fredo gave Hal a curt nod and patted her on the shoulder. “You take care, y’all hear.”

  “Come on, Let’s go see his shop,” Hal whispered. “I want to talk to him.”

  “About how he knows me?”

  “Among other things.”

  They followed Fredo through the streets to his shop. He unlocked the door and flipped over the “Open” sign. “Look around. Everything’s for sale except those crystals hanging in the window.” He gestured to the front. “I need them to balance the shop’s chi.”

  “What’s that?” she asked.

  “Feng shui, Oriental belief system about rooms and houses.” Fredo handed her a book from a display counter. “This here is my new book on medicinal herbs. I got samples in this case. Lots of other cool magical things. Y’all feel free to take a look ’round.”

  She couldn’t buy a thing, but she would look around and wait her turn. Fre
do recognized her, and he might be able to fill in some of the gaps in her memory.

  Inside the glass case individual packages of herbs filled the shelves. She replaced the book and wandered through the shop. Curtains closed off a small room with a table and chairs in the rear. Beyond, through the open door, lay a stockroom filled with stacked boxes.

  She paused at a table with Mardi Gras-themed masks. That silicone mask of a tiger’s head… Goosebumps rose on her arms. Her throat tightened. She couldn’t breathe and was backing away when an animal brushed past her leg.

  Her pulse spiked. Panic bubbled up…

  8

  The man stared at the headlines splashed across the newspaper page and clenched a fist on his pistol. The accompanying photo showed an ominous black cloud, but the explosion hadn’t killed anyone. Bad timing. The bounty hunter and the blonde were still damned loose ends.

  He crumpled the newsprint and dumped the wad in the garbage can. If his lawyer, the incompetent, had done his job, the bounty hunter wouldn’t even be around. Now he’d have to figure out another way to eliminate them. But wasn’t that half the fun?

  The greasy smell of gun oil polluted the air. He finished wiping down his automatic before slipping the weapon into the custom-made sleeve.

  His phone pinged. He leaned over to view the caller. What a pain. He grabbed the cell. “Well, well, well. What a surprise.”

  “What do you mean? I’ve been calling you for days.” The annoyance in the other man’s voice flashed like the red light on a buoy. “I even went by the house. Where are you?”

  “That’s for me to know and for you to wonder about.” He squared off the edges of a dish towel and centered it on the stove handle before carrying his drink onto the balcony. Below, screeching gulls circled over the wake of a cruiser leaving the marina.

  “Did you get rid of the girl?”

  Bruce was talking about the girl who had spotted their actions at the craps table, but Bruce wasn’t in any position to question or demand. He wasn’t the one in charge of this operation.

  “I said I would handle her.” He swirled his whiskey.

  “Don’t tell me she’s still alive.”

  “This is my call.” He hadn’t been able to get rid of her where he’d planned and had to resort to dropping her at the house. Too bad some zoo idiot brought a show-and-tell to the party. As a kid he’d been bitten and nearly died. Snakes of any kind still gave him the heebie-jeebies, and he’d left as soon as he’d seen them.

  “So where did you ditch her?” Bruce demanded.

  He leaned his elbows on the railing. “Don’t worry. I have everything under control.”

  A seagull landed on the walkway of his boat slip with a fish. In the exact spot another bird had left a mess of bones and guts beside his cruiser.

  The smell wafting upward made him nauseous. He dumped the contents of his glass, but the bird danced out of range and continued feasting.

  “I can tell you haven’t done anything, but we need to get rid of her. She saw what we were doing. Nick says she looked right at him in surprise when he swept the chips to me.”

  “I got her away so you could continue playing. The least you can do is thank me.”

  The other man said nothing for a moment. “She came back yesterday. Shawn saw her. She spoke to a floor manager. She can get us all arrested, but don’t worry. We know where to find her and can take her out since you obviously don’t care.”

  “Don’t you dare.” Anger burned through him. These “friends” of his would screw up his plan good. “Leave her to me. I know what I’m doing.”

  Another gull joined the first, and they played tug of war with the disemboweled fish.

  “We need to keep it going another two months at least.”

  “No.” He clenched the crystal glass. Bruce could be a real idiot sometimes. “I’m folding the operation. You and Shawn and Nick should concentrate on staying under the radar. Don’t visit the casino again, you hear me?”

  “You can’t close us down until we’re square. You owe us money. Meet me at the usual time and place tomorrow.”

  Bruce thought he could give him instructions? He hurled the empty tumbler, smacking one gull in the head. Bullseye.

  Annie’s scream ripped through the shop. His pulse spiked, but Hal didn’t dare take his eyes off the lethal-looking automatic pointed at him.

  A loud crash came from the stockroom. A black blur raced past in the aisle. The herb man swung the pistol toward the floor.

  Hal surged across the aisle and scooped Annie out of the line of fire.

  Boom!

  Adrenaline surged through him. He cradled her on top of a table, shielding her from further fire. “You’re all right. You’re fine.”

  T-shirts slipped off the table, but he continued to stroke her face. Nothing else happened, though, and his heartbeat slowed. His hips pressed into hers. Her moist lips rested against the side of his neck, and his fingers tangled in her silky hair. None of those good.

  He lifted himself off her, but her eyes remained closed. Like when he’d first rescued her. His pulse revved again, and he touched her shoulder. “Annie?”

  No response.

  He took in the fan of her eyelashes against her cheek, the delicate arch of her eyebrows, her even breathing. Hell. If she’d been struck by the bullet, she’d be moaning.

  “Annie?”

  She blinked those Tahitian-blues open. “What happened?”

  He shifted to one side, pushing more T-shirts away. “Are you hurt?”

  “I’m fine.” Her brows drew together. “Something brushed my leg.”

  She sat up and looked around. A black cat crouched at the street entrance. “It must have been that kitty. He looks innocent sitting there now, but he sure scared me.”

  A howl erupted behind them, and he rolled off the table.

  Fredo sprawled behind the counter, gripping his bleeding leg. Hal squatted next to him. “Take it easy.”

  “Where are they?” Fredo struggled to see around him.

  “What are you talking about?” Hal urged him prone again and glanced around. “Where are who?”

  “The cops.” Fredo yelled, “I told y’all I don’t sell no drugs.”

  “There are no cops here.” Hal lifted the other man’s pant leg and ran a hand under his bleeding leg. The bullet appeared to have only grazed Fredo’s calf but it had produced a lot of blood.

  “We have to stop the bleeding. Use this.” Annie handed him her big shirt.

  They needed more than that. He took out his phone. “I’m calling an ambulance.”

  “No.” Fredo screamed. “No police.”

  “Paramedics.” Hal kept his voice steady and tied Annie’s shirt in a tourniquet.

  “I-I’m fine. F-fine.” Fredo drew in a shuddering breath, contradicting his words. “Hospitals always call the cops for gunshots.”

  “If you don’t treat it, it’ll get infected.” Hal laid a hand on the other man’s shoulder. “EMS can be here in minutes.”

  “My leg. My way.” Fredo patted the floor. “Where’s my firearm?”

  Hal grabbed the small handgun from under the glass cabinet behind them.

  “Let me have it.”

  “Not now.” Hal removed the ammo clip before placing the weapon out of reach. Fredo had an itchy trigger finger, and he sounded frantic enough to shoot anything that moved. “You don’t need it. I recognize that this is your territory.”

  Fredo glared at him, picking at the makeshift tourniquet. “About time.”

  “Take deep breaths.” Annie rested a hand on the herb man’s shoulder, her voice sweet. Soothing. “You’re making it worse by getting upset. Hal, go see if there’s a medicine cabinet somewhere.”

  “Get the yarrow.” Fredo waved a hand toward the front of the shop. “People been using yarrow on wounds for centuries. In the front. Grab me a T-shirt, first.”

  Annie tossed a tee to him and ran to the front of the shop.

  The herb
man directed him to a sink in the stockroom. Hal took in the tumbled boxes and broken merchandise that must have startled the cat. He rinsed his hands, found the alcohol and a roll of gauze.

  Annie handed Fredo a plastic bag with grayish green twigs. She took the alcohol and gauze packs from him. Seconds later the astringent odor bit the air.

  Fredo tugged at the bag closure, glaring at him. “Did you call ’em?”

  “You asked me not to, but—”

  “Surprised you listened.” Fredo shrieked and clutched his leg.

  “Do you want me to stop?”

  “It’s o-o-kay. S-stings is all.” The herb man stuffed yarrow into his mouth and chewed while Annie continued to wipe blood.

  He applied the chewed wad of yarrow to his wound. Between modern and ancient medicine, the blood eventually slowed enough for Annie to wrap the wound. Fredo lay back and threw an arm over his eyes.

  Hal’s gut twisted. Not calling for help went against his training, and he touched the other man’s shoulder. “You sure you’re okay?”

  “For now.” Fredo winced.

  “I still got some questions, but you have to promise me you don’t have another weapon.”

  Fredo dropped his arm with a grimace.

  “That’s a ‘no’?” Hal squatted. “You were saying you saw Annie at a party.”

  Fredo’s chin rose. “So what?”

  “Would that by any chance have taken place at the Lemoyne mansion?”

  “Why do you want to know?”

  “She’s in danger.” Hal stood. “We’re trying to figure out why.”

  “You asking me? All I know is that Mattie wanted my daughter Shala to do some readings at this party she threw. I went inside and sold some books when I dropped her off.”

  The street door opened. The cat that had been sitting there streaked past the young woman stepping inside.

  “I’m back.” The newcomer closed the entrance and walked toward them, gauzy scarves fluttering. Her gaze moved from him to Annie. “Hey, y’all.”

  She gasped at the sight of Fredo. “Daddy! Why are you bleeding?”