Guilty Pleasures (31 page)

Rita blinked until the room came back into focus. “Uh, no. I think that's it for me for the night.”

The dealer signaled to one of the assistants, who collected her winning chips on a tray and escorted her to the cashier.

Eva decided to follow Suarez. She hurried around the crowd, trying to spot him. She caught a glimpse of him as he and his two bodyguards went up the escalator.

“Jake,” she said into her headset. “You and Jinx need to get down here.”

“I'm on my way,” Jake replied, tucking his shirt into his pants. “What's up
”

“Let's just say that Rita beat the hell outta Suarez at blackjack, and he's just left the casino. He's headed up. I'm on the escalator following him.”

“Cool. Keep him in your sights. Where's Rita
”

“Collecting her winnings.”

“Hmm. That might be a good thing. Listen, forget Suarez for a minute. Go find Rita. Tell her that she wants her winnings
cashed and kept in the ship safe.
”

Eva smiled in understanding. “Right. Perfect. I'm on my way.”

Jinx listened to the exchange. His heart sank. This was only step one for Rita.

*   *   *

Eva returned to the casino and went directly to the cashier. She spoke into her headset to Rita, who once again didn't respond. She must have taken out her earpiece, Eva realized.

Eva looked around. She needed some way to get Rita's attention without causing too much of a scene, especially at the cashier booth. One of the passing waiters put down his full tray of empty glasses on one of the rolling carts. Eva picked it up and headed in Rita's direction.

She got close enough to bump into her with the tray, rattling the glasses that rested on top of it.

Rita turned, her faced painted in annoyance until she saw that it was Eva.

“I'm so sorry,” Eva said. “Put it in the safe,” she whispered.

Rita's eyes widened ever so slightly; then understanding kicked in. “Sure, no problem. It was probably my fault anyway.”

Eva smiled and walked away. “Done,” she said into her headset.

“I'm on the pool deck,” Jinx said. “Suarez and company are at the pool bar.”

“Good. I'm going to swing by the room,” Jake said. “See if he has anyone standing watch. One of them is missing.”

“I see man number three, now,” Eva said. “He's heading for Rita at the cashier's booth.”

The man tapped Rita on the shoulder as she finished up her paperwork. Slowly she turned around. Eva wished she could read lips. Rita smiled brightly and nodded her head. She slipped her arm through the crook in his, and they walked off.

“They're leaving together,” Eva said.

“Stay with them,” Jake instructed.

Rita and the bodyguard headed for the escalator.

 

20

Rita walked onto the pool deck and was escorted over to where Suarez sat at the bar.

“Ahh, the woman who took my money,” he said, his eyes roving over Rita. “Please,” he extended his hand toward the empty seat next to him. “Join me.”

Rita's slow smile was full of promise. “That's very gracious from a man who just lost almost ten thousand dollars,” she said, sitting down and crossing her long legs at the knee. She put her purse on the smooth mahogany bar and turned her full attention on Suarez.

Suarez's gaze dropped to Rita's legs, caressed them for a moment before returning to rest on her face. “What are you drinking
”

“Martini … two olives.” She licked her lips and felt her clit snap to attention when Suarez's smoky eyes darkened with intent.

Suarez's sidekick signaled for the bartender and ordered Rita's drink.

“You will have dinner with me tonight,” Suarez said.

Rita cocked her right brow. “That's very presumptuous of you … Mr. ‘I don't even know your name,'” she said like a song lyric. She popped open her purse and took out her pack of cigarettes. One was lit before she could blink. She smiled her thanks to the handy sidekick. Casually she glanced around, taking note of the location of Suarez's other two bodyguards. One was at the entrance, holding his position like the cruise ship bouncer; the second one was in the center of the dining tables on the deck, giving him full view of the comings and goings and everything in between. The third musketeer was glued to Suarez's left elbow. She saw Jinx cross the deck, pushing a cart filled with fluffy white towels. She blew a puff of smoke into the air.

“Xavier,” he said, the word rolling off his tongue as smooth as the finest Godiva chocolate: thick, rich, and totally decadent.

“I knew a man named Xavier once.” She paused, took a sip of her martini. “But he didn't look anything like you,” she said, the words floating on a heavy breath.

Xavier chuckled. “I will take that as a compliment.” He stood. “Come, our table is ready.” He took her hand while she stood. His assistant picked up her drink and followed them. “You look quite lovely. Did I mention that
”

Rita turned to him as they approached the exit of the pool deck. “You just did.” She smiled, hesitated for a moment. “Oh, I thought we were staying up here.”

“No. I have a private table reserved in the restaurant.” He waved his hand in a dismissive fashion. “This is much too busy. I want to hear every word you have to say. And maybe you will even tell me your name … before the night is over.”

*   *   *

“They're leaving the pool deck,” Jinx murmured into his headset as he circled the pool, picking up the wet discarded towels and dumping them into the laundry bag hanging from beneath his cart.

“I'm going to check out the room,” Jake said. “Jinx, keep an eye on Rita. Eva meet me up on eleven.”

Eva walked a U-turn in the direction of the elevator. She wanted to tell Jake to let Jinx go with him to Suarez's room. She wanted to keep an eye on Rita herself. She sighed, pushing her lips together in concentration as she waited for the elevator. That bad feeling she had at the very beginning of this gig still had not gone away.

The elevator doors swooshed open, and she sucked in a lungful of shock.

“Eva
” The woman in front of her frowned with concentration, trying to peer beyond the black wig and employee uniform. “Eva Kelly
”

Eva's pulse beat so loud in her ears, she felt as if she were underwater. She ignored the woman and stepped onto the elevator as the woman stepped off, never taking her eyes off Eva even as she was pushed along by the exiting passengers.

Eva held her breath, kept her gaze fixed on the elevator floor, and willed the doors to close. By the time she reached the eleventh level, she'd stopped shaking enough to be able to walk down the corridor without her legs giving out from under her.

Jake was in the corridor with a dust cloth in his hand, polishing the brass railing that ran the length of the walkway.

Eva tugged in a breath and approached. She walked past him and stopped opposite Suarez's room. She knocked on the door under the pretext of being from the hospitality staff.

There was no answer.

Jake pulled a decoder out of his pocket. It was no bigger than a BlackBerry device.

“Watch the hall,” he said.

Eva took the dust cloth from him and picked up where he'd left off.

Jake stepped up to the door lock, inserted a blank plastic card in the lock, and then keyed in a series of numbers into the decoder.

The lock clicked. He smiled, turned the handle, but the door wouldn't open.

“What's wrong
” Eva whispered.