Chapter 5
FIVE
Gold medal deflecting
LILA
The second I finish my end-of-shift procedures, I storm toward the locker room with flames under my feet.
Once again, Reed Hayes materialized when I was at my worst and amplified my problems without batting an eye. He’s a master of disaster where I’m concerned. No wonder Kenzie can’t stand him.
As he was walking away, I mentioned her to see his reaction. That perplexed little look over his shoulder told me everything I needed to know. He’s clueless. Despite being a flipping FBI agent, he has no idea his sister’s been missing for six weeks.
Six. Weeks.
He’s not only a dunderhead of a law enforcement officer, but a craptastic brother. If I were lucky enough to still have a sibling, I’d be sure to see and talk to them all the time.
Given how devastated he was when his father passed away, you’d think Reed would cherish his remaining living family members, right?
Wrong.
After a week of being under Reed’s microscope, I hoped he found a connection between the creepy dude from last week and his sister. Part of me was excited that he was looking into it. Maybe he’d be able to bring her home.
Cue the buzzer sound.
He’s simply hung up on that guy because he was hovering near me. Classic Reed, snooping around for no reason other than to mess with my head. Guess I’m still his favorite toy.
I never expected him to join my table tonight. Certainly not after loitering for a week in the near distance and all the months before that from over in the bar. In all that time, he’s never played a single game. Not to my knowledge, anyhow.
Of course, his unwanted presence threw me off kilter, and I mentioned his badge in mixed company. Looking back, I bet that slipup was quiet enough that nobody except Reed and Keith heard the flippant comment.
I hope.
If it ended there, I probably would have been fine.
Regrettably, it did not end there. Because he’s Reed Hayes, which makes him unable to interact with me without causing harm.
While I can’t be entirely sure, I suspect two people who were playing when Reed joined the game are part of the ring.
More than likely, Silas has other creeps eavesdropping on what happens at my table.
I put nothing past that monster. By now, he knows a law enforcement officer was attempting to question me tonight.
And if he figures out it’s Kenzie’s brother, it’ll be worse for us all.
Reed might not realize it, but he likely put a big red target on my forehead with his questioning.
Curse him and those stupid dimples.
Related . . . who in Hades has dimples while frowning? What sorcery is that? It’s unfair to look that good and be that horrible.
Clearly, he was sent to punish me for my past. In that pressed dress shirt and dark blazer that do their best to disguise his strong shoulders.
Pants that fit him impeccably. The way he loosens his tie and unbuttons just the top button.
It’s barely enough to give me a glimpse of the ink I know covers parts of his chest and arms. I remember how the darkness contrasted with my ivory skin as I ran my hand over his taut flesh.
Reed Hayes is my penance. Looking like the most delicious snack when I’m on a permanent juice cleanse.
Metaphorically, of course. I don’t do juice cleanses anymore. It’s too hard to get off the casino floor for the frequent bathroom breaks required. I’d rather stay fat than need to wear diapers to get through a work shift, unlike certain elected officials.
I slam my locker door closed with a bit too much vigor. Despite causing the noise, I’m startled by the deafening sound.
Beside me, Kiona makes a show of jumping back. “Damn girl. What did that locker do to you?”
“Sorry.” I throw my bag over my shoulder and give her a tight smile. “I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing.”
Her mouth turns down, and she places a hand on my forearm. “Are you okay? You’ve seemed off lately.”
“Just tired,” I fib. “I’ll feel better tomorrow.” Another fib.
There is no chance of me feeling better. This nightmare is never-ending.
She locks our elbows together. “Are you too tired to join me for a drink? My tips were fantastic tonight. It can be my treat.”
I shake my head. “Nah. I can’t. Thanks, though.” Attempting to throw her off, I fling an out-of-pocket distraction her way, one from my frequently used arsenal. “Do you think anyone really enjoys kombucha? I doubt it.”
Her face screws up comically. “Oh, hell no. That’s like drinking salad dressing.”
“Good point. However, now I’d like to amend my opinion. Because have you ever had Ken’s Steakhouse Italian? I could chug that goodness straight from the bottle.”
Once upon a time, salad was a dressing-delivery device for me and nothing more. When the lettuce was gone, I was known to put the bowl to my mouth and drink it straight like other people do with cereal milk.
Kiona kicks her head back with a melodic laugh. “I’ll take your word for it. I’m not a salad fan.”
As we stroll through the bowels of the casino, she relentlessly tries to get me to change my mind. I stand firm because there’s no way I’ll drag her into my drama. I bet Silas will be looking for me tonight. It’s better for her if she steers clear.
Chills run through me at that thought.
“Good night,” Kiona tells the guard as we clear the last security checkpoint.
We retrieve our purses from the bag check station and trounce away. She prattles about a guy she started seeing, but I lose focus on what she’s saying almost instantly. My earlier morose thought demands attention, pounding raucously inside my mind.
I cannot let anything happen to Kiona. I need to protect her.
My vision freezes on the exit door—the final barrier between me and whatever Silas has planned. Panic surges through my nervous system, making my stomach plummet.
Instinctively, my legs stutter to a jerky stop while a horrific image skitters through my mind. I jump backward, putting distance between the two of us.
Kiona’s always so touchy-feely, which normally doesn’t bother me. Yet what if Silas is watching and he sees her being too chummy? He might take her next. Like he did Kenzie.
No, no, no.
I won’t let another person suffer at the hands of this monster.
“What’s wrong?” Kiona asks, reaching for me.
“You go on ahead. I forgot something.”
Before she can object, I sprint in the other direction.
Unfortunately, the guard blocks my path before I can get five feet away. He casts a disapproving look at me. “You need to go through the metal detector again.”
Working to control my breathing, I flash a forced smile and divert my path as instructed. “My mistake. Sorry.”
Kiona hollers at my retreating back. “Should I wait for you, Lila?”
I wave over my shoulder at her, offering a fake smile. “No, thanks, sweetie. I’m good. See you tomorrow.”
With a resigned shrug, she waves at me and heads out the door.
Thank goodness.
The night guard studies me closely. His penetrating gaze says he doesn’t trust me one bit. Smart man.
“I forgot something in my locker,” I tell him, attempting to explain my odd behavior.
His stern expression doesn’t change as he waves me in.
And since I’m sure he’s watching me go, I briskly scamper all the way to the locker room to sell my malarkey.
Definitely getting my steps in today. I’ll need to grab my hairbrush from my locker so my purse has something in it when he checks my bag again.
Otherwise, I’ll be even more suspicious.
Lies, lies, and more lies.
When I catch my reflection in the locker room mirror, I barely recognize myself. Look at what I’ve become.
Not only am I a criminal, but a habitual liar. I hate this so much.
When I finally make it to the parking lot several minutes later, I bolt straight to my car with quick strides. My gaze sweeps around me, watching for danger with each step.
The lot is brightly lit, and security patrols often.
Yet my heart slams violently against my ribs as fear overwhelms my senses.
Even though I don’t need to take my key fob out of my purse to get into my car, I grip my house key so it extends from my tight fist, poking out between my index finger and middle finger like a makeshift knife.
Tomorrow, I should get a real knife. Or a gun. At a minimum, a taser.
Can’t believe I haven’t bought something like that already. I’ve been so focused on getting Kenzie back or figuring out how to solve things that I never considered my personal safety.
Perhaps Reed isn’t the only dunderhead among us. The call is coming from inside the house.
My pace picks up when I spot my car. I check the back seat and jump in, locking the doors immediately. After a relieved exhale, I start the ignition and motor out.
Twenty minutes later, I struggle to unlock the front door to my apartment with shaky hands.
Convinced danger is lurking, I strain to decipher every little sound.
The crickets and frogs in the woods nearby perform their nightly symphony.
But I keep listening for the telltale signs of an attacker. Any second, Silas’ thug will pounce.
Instead of detecting footsteps on the sidewalk or rustling of leaves under a pair of men’s boots, something else comes into auditory focus—the ominous scratchy hoot of a barred owl.
Nothing like setting the mood, Mother Nature.
Apparently, a cheery song from a nocturnal whippoorwill was too much to ask on a night like this.
I peek over my shoulder three times before I get the key in the slot in the right direction.
My shoulders slump forward, and a whoosh of air shoots past my lips when that familiar click of the bolt unlocking reaches my ears.
I hurriedly enter and lock the door behind me. And in the dark, I lean against the foyer wall and attempt to catch my rioting breaths. My purse drops to the floor with a thud. My head hits the wall with another thud.