Tex (Burnout) (45 page)

Abby wasn’t exactly sure how best to help her friend, but she knew she had to do something. She couldn’t make babies appear, or dig up serial killers, reanimate them, and then kill the fuck out of them all over again, but there had to be something she could do to help Sarah and Chris. They needed it. Badly.

That night, back in her condo after Mark had dropped her off, she knew exactly what to do for them. She tightened her robe around her and fired up her laptop.

The next night at Maria’s, Abby made a beeline for the table that the guys had snagged in the back, near the pool tables.

She slung her heavy purse onto the flat surface of the table. “Where’s your wife?” she asked Shooter, looking around for Sarah. She located the waitress at the booths by the jukebox and waved her over.

“Need a drink that bad?” Easy teased, but Abby smirked at him.

“Nope. Well, yeah, always. But nope. Not this time.” She opened her purse and looked at Sarah as she approached the table with a smile on her face.

“I come bearing gifts,” Abby announced. Sarah looked surprised and a little confused. “Consider it a belated wedding present.” Abby pulled out a large Fed Ex envelope that had already been opened.

Shooter glanced at Mark to see if he knew anything about this, but Mark shrugged. He didn’t know.

Abby fanned out a handful of airline tickets and placed them on the table. Shooter reached for one first.

“All expenses paid. I booked us a suite of rooms at the Canyon. Consider it a bachelor party slash honeymoon all rolled into one weekend.”

Sarah stared at the tickets. “Abby...this is too much.”

Abby waved her hand dismissively. “It’s Vegas. It’s not about how much money you have. It’s all about who you know.”

“Sweet!” Easy declared, plucking a ticket off the table. “So we’re all going to Vegas?”

“You guys need a reboot,” Abby told Shooter. “And
that
I can give you.”

“Oh, please,” Easy whined. “Please, please, please say we can go to Vegas, boss.”

Shooter looked at Sarah across the table. “You want to go Vegas, baby?”

Sarah bit her lip. “I’m not supposed to go to Vegas,” she admitted.

Abby laughed. “Have you been banned from the Canyon?” Sarah’s eyes widened and Abby laughed even harder. “Forget it. I’ll unban you. It’s not a problem.”

“You can do that?” Sarah asked, gaping at her.

Abby nodded. “Of course I can do that.”

Sarah looked at her husband. “Let’s...” she said, “Let’s go to Vegas.”

****

Abby had arranged for a shuttle to pick them up at the airport and take them to the Canyon. The sun was fierce, as it always was in mid afternoon, and she was wearing her sunglasses. But they did little to dull the sparkle of the Coral Canyon with its shimmering facade, bright white and tinted glass with lush palm trees lining the front. She still thought it was the best hotel on the Strip, though she admitted to herself that she might be biased. The lobby’s marble floors gleamed and the off-white walls made it seem a cool oasis in contrast to the desert.

They didn’t even have to check in. Chase had been standing by, ready to spring into action when they arrived. Before she finished hugging him, their suitcases were whisked away to the upper floors where Abby had reserved several rooms that were connected via a large sitting room.

Their sitting room had large floor to ceiling windows that over looked the Strip. It was fairly impressive now, during the day, but Abby knew when the sun went down and the lights came up, they’d have a glittering view of one the most amazing cities in the world.

Sarah flung herself at Abby and nearly started crying. Abby laughed.

“It’s so beautiful!”

“I know,” Abby agreed. “I’ve always loved it. It really is the best hotel on the Strip. It’s got the best views, the best pools, the best casinos. And we’ll hit the shops downstairs tomorrow. They’re some of the best in town.” She looked around at the men who were also admiring the view. “But tonight’s a busy night,” Abby announced. “So you’ve got two hours to shower and get dressed because this town moves fast, gentlemen, and you’ve got a long night ahead of you.”

Easy glanced at her over his shoulder. “You mean we’ve got like an itinerary and stuff? We can’t just hang?”

Abby smirked at him. “Jimmy, why would you settle for
just hanging
in the entertainment capital of the world?”

Easy frowned. “But there’s bars, and a pool, and strippers, and-”

“Jimmy,” Abby said again, shaking her head. “Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy.” She put her hand on his back and steered him toward the bedroom he’d chosen for himself. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. Something I don’t tell a lot of people.”

Easy narrowed his eyes. “Oh, yeah? What?”

“I run this town.”

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

Abby led the group out the hotel’s front doors and onto the sidewalk of the circular drive. “I arranged transportation for you guys,” she announced, nodding in the direction of the hotel’s garage to the left. “They’ll pick you up here.”

“Are we all going together?” Easy asked, eyeing the size of the group.

Abby shook her head. “Slick and I are on the town tonight. Try not to get into too much trouble.”

“What are-?” Easy started to ask, but Abby turned her head in the direction of the garage again.

“Here’s your ride,” she announced.

“Oh, shit!” said Hawk as a sleek black Hummer limo glided onto the asphalt and pulled up to the curb. The driver’s side door opened and an older man in a dark blue trouser suit and a button down overcoat stepped out.

Abby beamed at him and as he approached the sidewalk, she threw her arms around him. “Guys,” she announced. “This is Walter. He’s going to be taking care of you tonight while Slick and I are on an adventure of our own.”

The older man smiled and nodded to the group, then turned to Abby. “I’m afraid the car you ordered isn’t coming, Abby.”

Abby’s face fell. “Walter, Chase swore to me he ordered these cars.”

Walter’s grin perfectly mirrored Abby’s frown. He slid his arms around her shoulders and squeeze. Turning her around he said, “I know, honey. But the boys got wind that the cars were for you. And, well, they just couldn’t let you out on the Strip in a Lincoln Town Car.”

As the group watched, a gorgeous blue and white ‘53 caddy with the top down made the corner and pulled up behind the Hummer.

“Whoa,” said Easy.

Abby gasped. “Oh, Walter!”

Walter squeezed her shoulders again. “When you go,” he told you, “you go in style.”

The driver got out and handed Abby the keys with a wink. Abby squealed and turned to Sarah. “Your chariot awaits, Thelma!”

Sarah made an excited squeak of her own and threw open the passenger door.

Abby adjusted the rearview mirror. “Take care of our boys, Walter!”

The older man smiled and gave her a small wave. “Will do,” he promised.

Abby gave the men her own wave. “Have a good night, boys!” she called before she peeled away from the curb and headed toward the main drag.

Tex and the boys watched as the girls headed for a night in Sin City.

“Think they’ll be okay?” Shooter asked.

Tex nodded. “Apparently, my girl really does run Vegas. I’d be more worried about us, honestly.”

Walter chuckled. “Oh, not to worry, Sir. Ms. Raines has taken care of all tonight’s entertainment for you.”

Easy looked unsure. “A chick planning a bachelor party? I don’t know. Are we gonna end up at a synchronized swimming show?”

Walter’s eyes twinkled. It was clear he had no doubts about Abby or her plans. He opened the back door and gestured for the men to climb on board.

After they piled in and took their seats, Easy leaned toward the lowered partition between the driver and the passengers. “So,” he said, clapping his hands together. “Which club are we hitting first? Which one has the hottest chicks?”

Walter smiled and pulled away from the curb. “First stop is off-Strip, gentlemen.”

Easy groaned. “Awww. I knew it!”

But Tex shook his head. “My girl’s anything but boring, Easy.”

Walter wasn’t kidding about going ‘off-Strip’. The large vehicle swung into an alley three blocks from the main drag. Walter got out and opened the back door for them. Easy looked around, particularly uneasy. Even Hawk looked a little cautious.

“Did anyone think to bring weapons?” Easy asked.

Walter herded the group to a steel door and knocked succinctly. It opened, revealing a large bouncer in leather pants and a black t-shirt stretched across his huge pecs. Tex was tempted to tell him the pants were less badass and more Siegfried and Roy, but kept his mouth shut. Walter produced a business card and handed it to the man. He nodded and stepped aside.

The five army rangers cautiously entered the building, making their way down a nondescript hallway. At the end they were greeted again. But not by a juiced up bodybuilder with questionable attire. This time they were greeted by a woman with long, silky brunette hair and the shortest red dress that Tex thought could still be considered clothing.

“Gentleman,” she said, greeting them warmly. “It’s this way.”

Easy apparently approved because he shouldered his way to the front of the group and followed the siren across a well-appointed sitting room with cherry furnishings and a large, thick carpet that stretched nearly wall to wall. The group headed toward two large oak double doors that were closed. Apparently, the siren liked what she saw, as well, because she kept peeking over her shoulder at the youngest of the group.

She opened the doors revealing a large felt table with five chairs.

“Oh, sweet!” Easy remarked, temporarily forgetting about the siren.

As they took up the chairs, a side door opened and two women appeared, each carrying stacks of chips in racks. It was hard to look at the racks because of their racks. Both women were topless and only had on black short shorts.

Hawk laughed.

“Your stakes, gentleman,” said the blonde, leaning over the table seductively to divvy out the chips.

The hostess took a brand new deck of cards from the solid oak bar off to the side of the room and placed them in the center of the table. She nodded to the other brunette, who set down her chips and headed to bar, returning with a humidor. She opened the lid and offered them some of the finest Cubans Tex had seen since his army days. The other took their drink order, explaining that everything was covered. Except tips, she playfully pointed out and grinned cheekily.

Easy leaned back in his chair and arranged his cards. “You’re right. Not boring,” he declared.

Tex sipped his scotch and smiled. “Nope. Not my girl.”

****

Abby and Sarah pulled up in front of La Celestine, which Sarah had seen on the Food Network Channel. The valet grinned at the classic car and Abby led her friend straight into the lobby. The hostess made a beeline for them and greeted them warmly.

As they made their way across the dining room, Sarah kept close to Abby. “I’ve never eaten at a place like this before.”

Abby looked at Sarah over her shoulder. “Well, don’t get your hopes up. You’re not eating here tonight.”

Sarah’s face fell but Abby smiled. “Well, you might,” she amended. “If you do a good job.”

Sarah’s eyebrows knitted together. “A good job?” she asked as the hostess led them past the other diners and through the swinging doors of the kitchen. The slightly older girl’s eyes got impossibly wide as she took in the gleaming stainless steel appliances and counter tops, the bright white of the chef and sous chef’s jackets, and the mouthwatering smell of French cuisine.

Alphonse Remoude himself made his way toward them.

“Abby!” he cried, smiling. His arms were held wide.

Abby stepped into them and returned the older man’s hug with enthusiasm.