Guilty Pleasures (44 page)

“Something like that.” He closed the door and walked inside. He went to the bed and picked up the micro digital camera and handed it to Rita.

“The pictures you take will show right up on this computer. It can take stills as well as video. Click the switch once, and it takes pictures. Hold it down for about five seconds, and the video will start to run.”

Rita held the tiny gadget in her hand, turning it over. “This is some real James Bond shit,” she said only half-joking.

The camera resembled a brooch that could be affixed to her purse or worn on her dress.

“Just click right here.” He pointed to the small switch on the side.

Rita nodded, pursing her lips. “Pretty neat.”

“Let's try it out.” He took Rita to stand on the other side of the room. “Okay, go.”

She pressed down on the switch. Seconds later, a picture of Jinx appeared on the screen.

Jake grinned.

“I see you do have some skills,” Jinx teased.

“Very funny. Now listen, Rita, when you go in there, try to get as many pictures as possible of the inside, any cameras, the metal box layout with the valuables, stuff like that.”

“It'll probably be better if I clip it onto my purse. I can get a better angle of stuff that way.”

“Right,” Jake agreed. He worked with it a little until it was secure on her purse. It looked like a fancy buckle. He stepped back to observe his handiwork. “Ready
”

“Yep.”

“Easy does it,” Jinx said, giving her a light peck on the lips.

She used the pad of her thumb to wipe away the hint of lipstick on his mouth. She started for the door and then stopped. She turned, frowning. “Where's Eva
”

“Went for a swim.”

Rita eyed him for a minute, but Jake wouldn't look at her. “Tell her to meet me at the casino around three. No, scratch that. Xavier will be there, I'm sure. He doesn't need to see me and Eva together. Just tell her to call me so we can hook up later on. I'll have my phone on vibrate, but she can leave me a message.”

“Yeah, I'll tell her,” Jake said, keeping his attention on the computer screen.

Rita gave him one more look, slashed her eyes in Jinx's direction. Jinx shrugged his shoulders, not knowing any more than she did.

She closed the door behind her.

Jinx meandered over to the bar and poured himself a glass of Coke. He waited awhile, hoping that Jake would open up and spill his guts. The suspense was killing him.

“I know you're waiting for me to say something,” Jake blurted.

“Naw, not at all,” he lied. “But hey, if you wanna talk…”

Jake chuckled, needing a bit of levity in his morning. He spun around in the chair to face his brother.

“Things are pretty bad between me and Eva.”

Jinx put his glass down and gave Jake his full attention. “You fucked up, didn't you
”

Jake twisted his lips to the side, ready to protest. “Yeah, big-time.”

“Is it about the kid
”

Jake nodded.

Jinx was silent.

“Made me sleep on the couch. That never happened before.”

Jinx tried not to laugh. “Damn man, what did you say to the woman
”

“That's just it, I didn't say anything. I didn't respond, react, nothing.”

Jinx shook his head in disbelief. “You know better than that. I bet she had a fit.”

“Pretty much.”

“Did you try talking to her this morning
”

He thought about their aborted conversation. “Not really.”

“Then you need to talk to her, man. Tell her how you feel and why. She'll understand. Eva is good people, bro, and she loves you.”

“It's not that easy.”

“Of course it is. She's your wife.”

“Naw, you don't understand. See…” He reminded Jinx about his confession to Eva regarding their friend Earl and that even though she acted like she understood, she still had him sleeping on the couch, knowing how bad the ship was rocking last night and what that did to him.

“Jake, she was mad. And she had every right to be.”

He jumped up. “And I don't
We promised each other: no kids. We agreed. So how did this happen
She did it on purpose, and that's what's really digging at me, man. She tricked me. It's what trifling women do to a brother when they wanna hook 'im. Not to somebody you claim to care about.”

“Jake, be for real. Do you honestly believe that Eva is trifling
Come on.”

He couldn't answer. It wasn't Eva he was angry with; it was himself.

“You have a chance that a lot of folks don't get.”

Jake looked at Jinx. “What's that
”