The Big Blind (Nadia Wolf) (32 page)

“Greyson’s stuck with me for another twenty-four hours.”

“He’s going to share that duty with me. He has a couple morning meetings he has to attend.”

“Shouldn’t you sleep, Greyson? You can’t go to the meetings half asleep.”

“Don’t worry,” Greyson said. “Meetings keep me on my toes. There’s no way I’ll fall asleep. Maybe the last one . . . taxes.”

“Yuck. I dread doing my taxes, let alone having to worry about a corporation.”

“Luckily, I just make an appearance. As long as everyone is on track, I can make a quick escape.”

“You can drive with me in the limo,” Remy said. “I’ll give you a tour of the cockpit.”

David smirked.

“Don’t be smirking,” Remy said. “I’ve done some killer renovations.”

“I don’t doubt you have.”

A nagging feeling crept into my head. I couldn’t shake the feeling I was forgetting something.

“Greyson, was I suppose to do something?”

“Not that I know.”

“Maybe it’s just my head. It hurts.”

“Let me get you something. I’m sure I have headache medicine.”

When Greyson left the room, David stood and crossed over to me. He peered into my eyes like a doctor.

“Do you have any other pain?”

“Yeah.”

“Where? Do you need ice?”

“No. I need food. I think my stomach is eating itself.”

“When did you eat last?”

“I think breakfast. I was working all day, and then I was dragged here.”

“No wonder your stomach hurts.”

Greyson returned with medicine and water. “There isn’t any food here. I can order something.”

I shook my head. “Now I’m starting to feel queasy. It probably wouldn’t be a good idea.”

Greyson sat and hooked his arm around me to lean against him. “Tell me if you decide you want to eat. I’ll order something.”

“Okay.”

“Since everyone is here, we should figure out a game plan,” David said. “I have to hit the road by tomorrow night. I don’t have a choice.” He stared pointblank at Greyson. “Don’t bother asking what I’m working on.”

Greyson narrowed his eyes but didn’t say anything.

David continued, “We have two problems: Dagor and the counterfeit money.”

“Dagor seems to be the biggest threat,” Remy said.

“Yeah, he’s a threat,” Greyson said. “But if I don’t get a handle on the counterfeit money problem, I’ll have a multibillion dollar corporation down the drain within days.”

“This is all the same problem,” I said. “I’m sure if one disappears the other will follow.”

Disappear?
The counterfeiters used an old illusion trick of making the money disappear. A false bottom provided a way to deceive every one in thinking the money disappeared.

“Nadia, honey, are you okay? You have a peculiar expression on your face.”

“My thoughts drifted. Why would a person who wanted the money to disappear make it into an illusion? I would think an average person would find a way to do it without the illusion. So why?”

“I guess,” David said. “They didn’t have many options.”

“It’s not so much about the options as it is about how they did it.”

“I didn’t see it. Explain it to me.”

“The false bottom was an exact replica. If it was me, I would make a false bottom with wood or something that would blend in. But it wouldn’t be exact. It would be plain with no detail. The person would need a picture of the bottom or some how obtain specs. Then they would need to install the bottom before the tournament.”

Greyson stood abruptly. “I’ll call for all the footage from the room before the tournament.” He immediately pulled out his phone.

David turned to me. “Who would make a table bottom replica?”

I pondered it for a moment. “Someone who was a perfectionist. Perhaps someone in the trade. Maybe an illusionist.” My eyes widened. “Holy shit! An illusionist!”

Chapter 25

“An illusionist? As in a magician?” David asked.

I scrambled off the couch. My pulse was racing. “It couldn’t be him, could it? Who would be his partner? There must be a link I’m not seeing.”

David followed me with his eyes. “Who are you talking about?”

“Lupier.”

“If it was an illusionist or magician, why Lupier?” David asked. “There are hundreds of magicians in Las Vegas. Are you sure you’re not seeing him as a possible suspect because he unleashed scorpions on you?”

Remy smirked. “It’s all over the internet. One site has it in slow motion. You should see her tackle Lupier in slow motion. You can see the instant his face turned whiter than snow.”

David nodded his head. “Yeah, I watched that one. It’s classy the way they made her eyes glow red.” David turned to me. “Or do your eyes normally glow red when you’re catapulting from glass coffins?”

I smacked him on the back of his head. “Would you be serious for a moment? There’s a connection. I’m just not seeing it.”

Greyson disconnected his call. “I should be able to download the footage in a few minutes. We might be able to find something.”

I nodded. Nothing was fitting together.

“Did I hear something about an illusionist?” Greyson asked.

“I think Lupier is involved,” I said. “I can’t fit it all together.”

“Don’t try to force the puzzle pieces to fit. If it truly happened, the pieces will fall into place naturally,” David said.

“I’m not thinking of something. I’m missing something.” I turned to Greyson. “Did you ever find out how the money was coming in or going out?”

“No. I haven’t been able to see any thing on the footage.”

“Maybe there’s an illusion there as well. If the operation is rigged by a magician, he would continue to use the same tricks.”

“You might be on to something,” Greyson said. “It wouldn’t hurt to look around. We should search the cash room but without raising suspicion.”

“Who will stay with Mya?” David asked.

“You will,” I said. “You said you didn’t want to be caught on camera any more than you had to be.”

“Yes, but if she wakes up, she’ll see me. I can’t let her know I’m alive quite yet.”

“Remy will stay.”

Remy scurried to his feet. “Nope. I’ll go with Greyson.”

“Nadia needs to come with me,” Greyson said. “I’m her babysitter.”

“Did you have to use that term?” I asked.

“What? Babysitter?”

“Yes. It makes me think I’m a minor. Which would make me jailbait and you a creepy old guy.”

“I’m a creepy old guy?” His hands were on his hips, but his lips slightly curled. “I don’t know which offends me more; the creepy part or the old part.”

“Only if you were a babysitter. Otherwise you are . . .” My face heated up. He was one hundred percent sexy.

A full smile appeared on his face. “I’m what? Spit it out so David and Remy can hear.”

“I was going to say you’re otherwise a pain in the ass.”

“Nice cover,” David said. “If you two are done, we should try to figure out who is doing what.”

“Since David and Remy are both too chicken to stay here and watch Mya, we can call Frankie. He would be willing to do it,” I said.

“I’m not chicken to watch my own wife. I just can’t have her see me yet.”

“All of Las Vegas has seen you,” Greyson said.

“Don’t be dramatic. The only people who know I’m around are the three of you.”

“And Caleb, and Frankie, and Dagor.”

“None of those guys know who I am nor would they care.”

“So, can we pick up Frankie?” I asked.

“Frankie would be fine to watch Mya. Why don’t you give him a call and tell him we’re on our way.”

“I need a phone. The temporary one was smashed.”

Greyson handed me his phone. I dialed Frankie. He didn’t pick up. He normally stays up late after the chapel closes. I’m sure he would be awake. The nagging feeling returned.
Uh-oh!
I knew there was something I was forgetting.

“Did anyone go release Frankie after the call from Dagor?”

Everyone stared at each other with wide eyes. I cringed.

“The three of you need to pick up Frankie right now.”

They all backed away. I narrowed my eyes.

“I’m not going,” I said. “He’ll be angrier than a starving lion. He’ll take his revenge by signing me up for embarrassing gigs. One of you needs to go. I don’t care who. You’re all cuter than I am, and he won’t bite your head off.”

David lost at rock-paper-scissors so he was the one recruited to pick up Frankie. Remy would stay and watch Mya until David returned with Frankie. Greyson and I high-tailed it out of there and drove to the casino.

He parked near the back door where we quickly entered the building. I followed Greyson through several hallways.

“We’re going to the cash room,” he said. “We need to make sure we’re not too obvious that we’re looking for something. I’m going to call the security office and tell them I’m giving you a tour. This might raise a red flag. It’s not something normally allowed. Since I’m the boss, they shouldn’t question it.”

Greyson made the phone call to security. He only used a stern tone once. Judging from the interactions with his employees, he was an excellent boss but stern. No one ran away when they saw him coming nor flipped him off behind his back. But I didn’t think I would want to get on his bad side. He had a way of unnerving a person. The way he carried himself and the tone of his voice demanded respect. He wasn’t a boss you could put up your feet and crack open a beer with.

Greyson opened the door to the cash room. We both stepped in. There were three employees working in the room. They watched us for a moment then continued their work.

“Search for anything peculiar,” Greyson whispered. “I’ll start blabbing tedious details about the cash room.”

I nodded and quietly poked around the room. Greyson relayed specifics on how money traveled through the casino. I ran my hand along some of the workers’ tables. They eyed me but kept working. I smiled at them.

Mounds of dollars were stacked and banded. Counting machines flipped through the money and gave them a total.

The room wasn’t overly large. It was big enough to have three stainless steel counting tables and shelves against the wall holding more money. There was also a walk-in safe. I didn’t think the counterfeiters would go to the trouble of rigging a safe when there were easier options. There were a couple of secured carts to move money around the casino. Maybe a cart would have a false bottom.

“Greyson, can you show me inside one of these carts? They’re so impressive.”

“Anything for you, sweetheart.”

He had one of the workers unlock the carts. They were all empty and looked exactly the same. I felt inside them. It was hard metal and the seams were welded together. I peeked from the carts to see the employees staring. They had to figure something wasn’t right about this visit.

“Oh, sugar dumpling,” I gushed as I flung my arms around Greyson’s neck. “Thank you for showing me the cash room. It’s a girl’s dream come true.”

Before Greyson could answer, I planted a kiss on him that backfired. I had wanted to give a little performance for the employees, but the kiss was so much more than I expected. Luckily, Greyson had the sense to pull back but not before nipping my bottom lip.

“Sugar dumpling?” He whispered.

“It’s a term of endearment,” I whispered back.

“Have you ever used it before?”

“Do I look like a person who goes around calling men
sugar dumpling
?”

His lips curved slightly.

In a louder voice, I said, “Look at all the money on the shelves.”

I roamed from Greyson to the shelves. Greyson followed behind. As I studied the shelves, I noticed they were metal and sturdy. They were probably bolted directly to the wall. I couldn’t see any seams where the wall might have been cut. Each shelf had its own denomination. Singles were at the bottom. Hundreds were at the top. I ignored the lower bills and studied the hundred dollar shelf. This had to be where the “magic” happened.

If Greyson didn’t see the money come or go, maybe it just disappeared and reappeared on this shelf. I studied the ceiling. It was white drywall. No seams or vents. I wanted to scream. It had to be here. Why the hell can’t I see it?

Lupier made sure his tricks were hidden from the audience. The gimmicks he used were shielded. Only the magician and his assistant learn where triggers were placed. I shivered at the remembrance of the scorpion coffin. Even then, the faulty button I pushed was hidden from the audience.

I pondered. The cash room and cameras were like the audience. Any thing the audience could see would be part of the illusion. I needed to find the area the magician was working in.

I smirked and glommed onto Greyson. “Sugar dumpling, when we get married, will you shower me with money?”