Dangerous Bond (Jamie Bond Mysteries Book 4) (12 page)

I tossed an extra pair of strappy sandals into my luggage, just in case, and headed to the bathroom to gather my toiletries. The last time I'd been in Vegas was years ago. It was before I'd taken over the Bond Agency. Way before I'd met Aiden and before Derek had become a permanent part of my daily landscape.

Sam and I had snuck away from the modeling for a weekend of sin. While it was supposed to have been two days of gambling and dancing, it ended up being two days of us getting drunk and whining about our careers. Deline Modeling Agency had been weaning Sam out of jobs because she had a kid and five extra pounds of post-pregnancy weight. And it had been evident I was getting older. If the calendar and the number of candles on my birthday cakes hadn't told me, Deline certainly had by passing me over for jobs in favor of their younger girls.

I zipped shut my cosmetic case and placed it beside the sandals. This time would be different though. There would be no need for whining. We had secure jobs. And there'd be no headaches or hangovers. We were going to find a killer.

*   *   *

I got back to the office, snagged the keys to the SUV, and locked up before walking to the back of the parking lot. I opened the hatch and pushed my luggage inside as Sam and Caleigh pulled in. Sam grabbed an oversized purple camo tote bag from her backseat, and Caleigh lifted a large rectangular piece of luggage with wheels out of her trunk.

"You know we won't be gone for a week, right, Caleigh?" I asked as she trotted over, dragging her luggage behind her.

She batted her baby blues. "You never know what kind of situation you'll be in and what you may need. Better to be prepared than not."

I couldn't argue with her logic.

After piling their things in and leaving space for Maya's bag, which hopefully wouldn't be as big as Caleigh's, I asked Sam about Julio.

"He's fine. A neighbor's watching him. He loves staying with Craig—the boy who lives next door to us. They are fast friends, and Craig's mother is strict. Not as bad as my military father but enough that I have peace of mind when Julio's over there." She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"But you're worried."

She shook her head and swallowed. "Not about him. About Julio Senior. What's going on with him? He's never acted this way before. Yeah, he sucked as a boyfriend, but he's been a good father lately."

Caleigh laid her head on Sam's shoulder and gave her a quick squeeze. "It'll work out. You'll see. And if you need someone to hold him down while you kick the crap out of him, I'm your girl."

That made Sam smile. A genuine one this time.

Caleigh widened her eyes. "I even have handcuffs, if we need them."

Sam and I exchanged glances. I didn't bother asking if they were lined in pink fur.

Maya's car pulled into the lot, and she parked on the other side of my Roadster.

My stomach knotted when three car doors opened simultaneously. Maya had either suddenly become a magician or she wasn't alone. That's when I saw her passengers. Her mother, Charley, and Elaine.

Seriously?

Maya tugged her large backpack from her backseat and sprinted over. "I'm so sorry. I couldn't say no."

"What happened?" Caleigh asked.

Maya glanced over her shoulder before continuing, probably making sure they weren't in earshot. "When I got home, Mom and Elaine were there. I tried rushing them out, but they lingered and kept talking."

Elaine and Charley slammed their doors shut and walked toward us.

Maya sped up her words, making it almost impossible to understand the line of gibberish. "They pushed me for info. They knew I was hiding something, and I finally caved in and told them your plans. Then they insisted on coming. I had to stop at Mom's and then Elaine's so they could pack. The most surprising part is they each did it in ten minutes flat."

Caleigh gasped.

That was impressive.

Maya frowned. "I'm so sorry."

I shook my head. "It's okay. It's not a big deal. The more the merrier."

Elaine and Charley heard that last part and smiled and "ooohed" in relief.

I wasn't sure I believed my words. This could put a major crimp in our plans. On the plus side, however, at least I'd be able to keep my eye on Elaine.

It was dark out by the time we arrived in Sin City. Even though I'd been there before, I smiled in awe at the bright lights and general feeling of excitement in the air. There were people and cars everywhere. Cheers echoed from a car beside us, and a few others honked their horns in rhythmic fashion. People on the sidewalks turned and waved—it was like one giant block party.

Charley "oohed" from the third row of seats. "This is so exciting. I've never been here before."

Elaine gasped. "Why on earth not? We live so close."

She shrugged. "My husband and I weren't the gambling type. What other reason is there to come here?" Charley asked.

She was definitely a Vegas virgin. Gambling may have been the highlight, but there was more than just that to this town. There were shows and plenty to see, like the Shark Tank at Golden Nugget and the Mob Museum, one of my personal faves. And there were tons of great places to eat and sightsee. Vegas had so much more than the casinos and quickie weddings of the past.

We headed straight for our hotel, The Elite, one of the new mega high-rises just off the strip, and checked in. Caleigh had managed to reserve us a suite while we'd traveled. She'd also managed to make sure it was in the same hotel where Heavy Cash happened to be staying. How she'd gotten that info, I wasn't sure. And I wasn't sure I wanted to know. There was the teeny-tiniest chance it wasn't 100 percent legal.

A bellhop secured our luggage on a cart and showed us to the fifth floor. He swiped a key card, and the red light turned green. Then he opened the door and waited for us to enter. We stepped into a living area with a minibar, television, seating for at least seven, and a desk. There were open doors on each side of the space, and they led to the bedrooms, which each held two double beds.

Charley was totally starstruck. She stepped out onto the balcony with Elaine at her heels. The rest of us acted as if we'd never left the job. We tossed our luggage into our rooms—Caleigh and Maya took the one to the left, and Sam and I the one to the right. Sam and Maya used the glass coffee table to set up Roger's laptop alongside mine as a mini command center. Caleigh put on her Bluetooth headset and began calling around for Heavy Cash's current whereabouts. By the time Charley and Elaine stepped back into the room, it looked like PI headquarters.

"What do the two of you plan on doing tonight?" I asked. "It's probably too late to get tickets to a show, but…"

They both shook their heads. "No. We didn't tag along to take in the sights," Charley said.

I raised my eyebrows, suddenly feeling nervous about their expectations. "You didn't? But this is your first time here."

Charley waved away my words. "I can come back."

"No. We came here to be a part of the investigation," Elaine said.

My nervousness rose. "You did?"

They nodded in unison.

"You know you can't actually go out and do much. I can't allow you to do anything risky or illegal."

They smiled to one another with big grins. "We don't want danger," Elaine said.

"Just excitement," Charley added.

I chuckled at their jovial expressions. How could I deny them a little adventure? We'd find some way for them to help out without putting them at risk.

"Got it," Caleigh shouted and removed her headset. "The party Heavy Cash is DJ-ing at? It's a private event being held downstairs at the hotel's Palm Bay pool. And it's just gotten started."

"Perfect," I told her.

She beamed.

"Wait, did you say it's a private party?" Charley said.

Since I'd never met a party I couldn't crash, that would be a piece of cake. "No problem. We just have to look stunning enough to be VIP arm-candy material."

Charley widened her eyes. "All of us?"

Everyone stared at me, waiting for my answer. It was obvious Charley and Elaine wanted to tag along. This could be the one chance to include them. How dangerous could a party be?

"Any chance either of you brought something slinky to wear?"

Elaine cackled and ran to her luggage. I had no doubts she'd pull out something…interesting. Charley, on the other hand, looked a bit troubled. She went to her bag and began rummaging. The rest of us split up, and somehow the six of us managed to get ready in two bathrooms in record time.

I chose the black cocktail dress for this occasion. It was sexy yet still tasteful. When I emerged from the bedroom, Caleigh and Sam were ready and waiting. Caleigh wore a red strapless minidress, and Sam had on camo short shorts and a midriff black halter top. Each rocked three-inch heels. They looked to me and shook their heads.

"What?"

"We're not going to have a martini at the bar," Sam said.

"Or appetizers served on silver trays with white doilies," said Caleigh. "This is a private pool party, and Heavy Cash will be there. I imagine there will be Jell-O shots, club music, and a lot of exposed skin."

The others joined us at that moment. Maya wore a shimmery gold tank top and a black miniskirt with fringe. Elaine had changed into a silver sleeveless tunic with white shorts, and even Charley had the right vibe in a light-blue slip dress.

I glanced back down at my outfit and suddenly felt like I was going to a funeral compared to them, so I turned and headed back to my room. "Fine, but I'm gonna need some tape."

*   *   *

We took the elevator down to the Palm Bay pool, which had been closed off to the regular guests for the evening. Someone had dished out big money to do this. A couple of tall, big men, dressed all in black, stood guard at the curtained double doors.

Caleigh, Sam, and I stood side by side and strode over in true Charlie's Angels style. Maya, Charley, and Elaine brought up the rear.

Caleigh started to step forward, probably to greet them with her effervescent nature. I laid a hand on her arm and silenced her. If the girls had been right about the party—and I wasn't standing here about to flash two strangers for nothing—then bubbly was not going to get us in the door.

I looked to Sam and gave a soft nod.

She stepped forward and laid out her best street-tough attitude. "Yo, we're here fo' the party. You gonna move or what?"

The guy to the right said, "I need to see your invitation."

Of course he did.

I stepped to Sam's side. "We don't have one. Heavy Cash told us to come along if we were in town, and look at that—we're in town."

The big guys seemed less than impressed.

"No invitation? No entry," the first guy said.

Sam narrowed her eyes at him. "You mean to tell me you goin' against Heavy's wishes?"

"Call Heavy. Have him put you on the list, and I will obey his wishes." I swear I saw the guy smirk as he said the last word.

I was about to give up and see if there was a wall we could scale somewhere, when Caleigh cleared her throat beside me.

"Um, excuse me, boys," she said, her southern accent coming out in full sugary force.

Both beefy heads turned her way.

"Hi." She gave them a little one-finger wave. "Surely you recognize me, right?"

Both gave her blank stares, and the first guy shook his head. "No, ma'am."

Caleigh gasped. "Oh, I am insulted. It's me…Caleigh Presley!"

More blank stares.

She rolled her eyes and giggled. "Well, I guess I don't bear
that
much resemblance to my cousin, but I would have thought ya'll would recognize Elvis's kin."

It was as if she'd said the secret Vegas password. Both men stood up a bit straighter, and the chatty one's voice took on an apologetic tone. "Uh, I'm sorry, Miss Presley. Of course."

"That's all right, sugar," Caleigh crooned, running one finger down his lapel. "We all make mistakes from time to time. I won't tell Priscilla." She gave him a wink, and he moved aside, easily letting her saunter into the party.

If I were a cartoon, I'm pretty sure my jaw would have dropped to the floor.

Caleigh paused, turned her baby blues over her shoulder, and flicked a finger toward us. "Oh, they're with me, boys."

"Yes, Miss Presley," the guy said, nodding us through the curtain.

I made a mental note to give Caleigh a raise as we quickly skittered through the doorway before they changed their minds.

As soon as we stepped through, I stopped for a moment and took a deep breath. Finding Heavy Cash wasn't going to be as easy as I thought. The poolside was mobbed. Scantily clad bodies lay both in and out of the clean blue water, gyrating to music loud enough to shatter eardrums.

There were two rectangular-shaped pools side by side, with a strip of concrete separating them. Along that strip were six squares of concrete that were set into the sides of the pools, three to each one. And on each square was a double-size canopy bed for people who wanted to rest, and possibly nap, poolside. Now there were young bodies lying, talking, dancing, and one couple heavily making out on them.

To the opposite sides of the pools were rows and rows of dark-brown lounge chairs. Most of them were empty. The sun had already gone down, and those who were near the chairs were dancing and drinking, not sitting. At the far back, behind the pools, stood a microphone stand, musical equipment, and a DJ bobbing his head to the beats of the music.

To our left was a large wraparound wooden bar—also mobbed. And set into the side of the hotel itself was a lounge area with sofas and cushioned chairs. When a few people parted, I noticed doors, which must've led to restrooms.

This reminded me of so many parties I'd been to during my modeling days, back when a pounding bass worked its way through my bones and made me move my body. Now, it just left me wanting to leave and enjoy a drink in a quiet bar, or better yet, a nice soak in a quiet bathtub.

When the heck did I become old?

It didn't matter. Tonight wasn't social, and I could pretend with the best of them. I turned to the girls. "Everyone mingle, and keep your eyes out for Heavy. If you spot him, call me. I want to talk to him myself."

Five heads nodded. I smiled at Charley and Elaine, then walked up the center strip between the pools, gazing at each face I passed. They laughed and talked, bodies rubbed against one another, and by the time I reached the top or end, depending how you looked at it, of the pools, I felt like a voyeur. I worked my way around the sofas and then to the lounge chairs along the sides.

A lot of heads turned my way. Some men and women smiled in that flirty way that suggested I stop and chat with them. I just nodded and kept going.

Was it possible Caleigh had gotten Heavy's whereabouts wrong? Maybe he was at a different poolside party at a different hotel. There were, after all, many in town.

On my way to the alcove a man in swim trunks grabbed my hand, shook his hips to the music, and twirled me into a spin. Then he gyrated more, and if I wasn't on a mission, I would've found it funny. He had long, curly hair, tanned skin, small round vintage sunglasses that reminded me of John Lennon, and his Speedo was neon lime green. The guy was runway model slender, and all the components together were an odd combination.

I twirled again, giggled, and went on my way. When I glanced back, he had grabbed another woman's hand, but she wasn't nearly as accommodating. She yanked away with a scowl on her face and returned to her group of scoffing girlfriends. The dude barely seemed to notice. He just kept on swinging his hips and dancing.

As I stepped into the alcove, I immediately noticed a guy in a sleek navy suit with a sheen that caught the strobing lights like a wearable disco ball. Heavy Cash's manager, Johnson. Yes! This meant Caleigh hadn't gotten it wrong, and Heavy was definitely close by. Before I could approach Johnson though, my cell buzzed in my hand. That was what happened when your dress was too tight and short and you forgot to pack a small evening purse. You had to hold your phone.

I glanced down. It was a text from Derek.

How's Elaine?

I looked up and to my right. Elaine was just outside the alcove toward the bar, twerking with some hot, young guy. At least I believed that was her idea of twerking. The guy seemed somewhat respectful considering how close their bodies were, but at least he wasn't groping her. There was a look of pure joy on her face, and she looked relaxed and like she was having a great time. Something was so mesmerizing in the way she threw her hair around, so youthful. Shoot, Elaine acted younger than I did.

I looked back to my phone and typed in:
Elaine's having a quiet night in.

Derek didn't need to know the truth.

Heavy Cash's manager headed toward me, and I realized Heavy was right behind him. This was perfect. But before they got to my exact spot, they veered off and headed out to the pool.

I followed as quickly as I could, but there were so many people. I pushed past a couple of bodies. With my head titled up, looking over heads to keep my gaze on Heavy, I didn't notice the little person until I nearly mowed him down.

"Watch it, honey. Not everyone is a giraffe." He came up to my navel and was dressed in bright-blue swimming trunks.