3. Random Thoughts
RANDOM THOUGHTS
T he following Saturday, Emma walked into the Bond Casino ready to watch some action on the screens in the back.
She got what she needed from her few days as a bartender.
What shocked her was the amount of tips she’d made. She never put much thought into what it could add up to at the end of the night. It wasn’t even the tourist season yet.
“Griffin,” Emma said to her cousin Eli’s head of security. She’d texted Eli and been told Griffin would arrange for her to go to a private suite and show her around. “I love the personal escort. Thanks for letting me do this. I won’t touch anything, I promise.”
“No worries,” Griffin said.
“Garrett,” she said when she saw her cousin walking toward her. “I haven’t seen you in a while. I heard you were on the island for a year.” He was an oncology doctor just like his father. She’d spoken to him a few times when she had research to do.
She was lucky her family was so broad and willing to help out.
“Nice to see you,” Garrett said. “This is Justine Keller. She’s a big fan.”
“He wanted to score points,” Griffin said.
“I love fans,” Emma said, wiggling her shoulders, her hand reaching out.
She wasn’t often noticed off the island.
Even on the island, she wasn’t either, though many knew who she was in terms of being a Bond family member more than being a New York Times bestselling author.
One that had a mini-series in the works.
...but shhhhh on that because she was keeping it quiet until the contracts were signed.
“It’s nice to meet you. And can I say you have the most stunning eyes and hair color?
It’s natural, I can tell, and I’m being rude, but I just process things out loud rather than in my head.
So, sorry. I’m going to have to use your features with a character. ”
Justine’s light blonde hair was almost white, her eyes an ice blue color that opened up into her soul.
Ooh, she liked that and would have to save that line.
She just loved it when random thoughts popped into her head.
“No worries,” Justine said. “That’s exciting.”
“What do you do?” Emma asked, pulling her phone out. “I’ve got to take notes quickly before I forget.” She’d already been rude making the comments she had, might as well add to it. Garrett would explain it more.
“I’m a pharmacist,” Justine said. “I’m on the island for six months. Well, five more.”
“Seriously?” she asked. Woohoo. She didn’t know any pharmacists personally. Bingo! “First, that’s sweet. You two met at work and are both here temporarily. Love that. But more importantly, I’d love to pick your brain. The things I could get out of you in terms of murder and drugs.”
She was almost salivating and running ideas through her head right now. Not for this book, but for future ones definitely.
Justine laughed as if she was just as excited as her. “Any time,” Justine said. “I mean it.”
“Perfect,” she said. “Not to ruin your date, but can I get your contact information? Email works if you want.” She handed over her phone. “You can type it in my notes right here.”
Justine took the phone, put her information in, and handed it back.
“Thank you for meeting me,” Justine said.
“My pleasure,” she said. “Hate to run, but Griffin needs to get back on the floor and I’m going to pick his brain while I’ve got him.”
“That was nice of you,” Griffin said when they were walking to the elevator.
“I’m a nice person,” she said smartly.
Griffin put a keycard in the elevator bypassing the last floor and going to the penthouse.
“You are,” Griffin said. “How much of this are you going to put in your book?”
“I’d never tell family secrets,” she said seriously. “Even business ones. You can trust me.”
Griffin wasn’t just Eli’s best friend but also married to another cousin from Patricia’s line, Penelope.
Griffin nodded his head. “Eli will appreciate that. I also heard you get very excited over new things. You haven’t seen anything yet.”
She was silently clapping her hands and all but bouncing on her toes in the elevator.
“Now my anticipation is greater than the day of my first release.”
“I doubt that,” Griffin said, smirking.
When they reached the top floor, they got out and went to a smaller door on the right, passing a larger one on the left. “Is that Eli and Bella’s place?”
“It is,” Griffin said. “This is my old apartment. I used to be up here too, but now it’s where Eli is sent when he’s in the doghouse.”
She laughed. “I find that both funny and sweet.” The door opened. “Oh crap, this is a nice doghouse to be sent to.”
“It was too much for me, but you know your bougie cousin and all.”
The place had a shine to it that she couldn’t imagine Griffin living in.
“As I said, it’s a nice doghouse to be in,” she said. “What are you doing?”
He put another key card into a panel after he flipped it down and then it scanned his fingerprint and eye. She let out a little squeal. “I told you you’d be excited.”
“I wasn’t aware you set up security for things like this,” she said. “Can I?—”
“Yes, you can pick my brain any time you want,” he said, rolling his eyes.
She should have been utilizing him more. Who knew he did things like this? She’d had no reason to know it.
“I’m dying and have gone to heaven,” she said her eyes so wide they were already drying out as she moved in front of the TV screens all over one massive wall. There was more to count than she could get to quickly.
“Have a seat on the throne,” Griffin said.
“You know I’m thinking of something else when you say that.”
“I should have figured,” Griffin said dryly. “This ball will let you zoom in to any screen you choose. These arrows will allow you to move the camera you want.”
“This is sensory overload,” she said, shaking her head. “Oh my God. How do you sit here and see everything at once?”
“I don’t,” Griffin said. “There is a camera room set up bigger than this in another part of the casino monitored by more security at the same time. This is a special setup that very few know about. Don’t touch this keyboard.”
She lifted her hands. “I wouldn’t dream of it. All I want to do is watch and zoom in. Not that I know what I’m looking for.”
“Do you need a crash course on what we look for?”
“Yes, please,” she said. “Are you sure you’ve got time for this?”
“I’ll make the time for you,” Griffin said.
He pulled over another chair and she took her phone out and hit record, it’d be much easier while she typed notes into her computer. This way she had two references.
After thirty minutes, she had enough to be left alone.
“Do you want me to text you when I’m done or can I just leave on my own?”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re trapped up here unless you get Bella next door. The elevator won’t open without a card. They’ve got one that goes right into their penthouse, so you could get out that way.”
“This is the best thing ever ,” she said. “Do you realize, it’s like a wet dream for me.”
“Yeah,” Griffin said, clearing his throat. “I’m going to just pretend I didn’t hear that.”
There she went again, spewing words out of her mouth like she did on a computer screen.
Only she could delete those words and no one would be the wiser.
“Thank you for that,” she said. “I’ll send you a text either way. If you’re busy, I’ll bug Bella, but if it’s late, she’ll be sleeping or have Adrienne in bed.”
“She normally waits up for Eli, but you could be lost in your dream world up here too.”
“That is going to happen. I need to absorb it all.”
Two hours later, she was blinking her eyes.
They were sticky and dry from being so wide as her head swiveled around the wall at all the cameras. She might have a touch of whiplash on top of it.
She finally decided to just pick a camera and stick with it for twenty minutes and then move to another one. It was much easier that way.
Well, hello there, modern-day Hulk. What were the chances of Warren Showers being on her island twice in two weeks?
She knew who he was now and felt like a fool she hadn’t before she looked him up.
She was fascinated by his nickname. The War Show.
She got it, War short for Warren. Show was short for Showers.
Guess he liked to put on a show when he was playing. He was big, strong, and almost unstoppable.
Unless he was sidelined for an injury.
Two concussions this past season.
That had to be scary. She’d been stupid enough to even watch the videos of him being hit.
The idiot dove in the air over guys to score a touchdown and a defender was launching at the same time.
It was heart-stopping watching him get up and shake his head. Even crazier that he was on camera arguing for them to let him back in, then started to gag and dry heave on the sideline.
Talk about stubbornness.
But still a good hero. Going at it until the end. Head injury and all.
She was typing the thoughts in her head even though they had nothing to do with the security cameras.
Maybe she’d try her luck on the floor soon. Winning didn’t have to be about money.