Chapter 9 Hey, Cuz #2
Mom made her way toward the foyer, while Dad hung back. “I’d much rather chill with just us, but we go with the flow, right?”
“Not me,” Sydney said.
“It’s just for a few hours,” Caroline murmured. “We like Aunt Valerie. When we were kids, she’d always bring us a little present whenever she’d come over.”
“I loved our summers at the lake house,” Sydney added. “Those were the best.”
Kathrine returned with their aunt. Seconds later, a stocky man with shoulder-length brown hair—who looked vaguely familiar—walked in, his attention on his phone.
Valerie Waters glanced from Caroline to Sydney and beamed. “There they are!” She hurried over, hugging them both. “You remember my son, Robby.”
Sydney did remember her cousin, but she hadn’t seen him in years.
Stubble covered his face, glasses framed his eyes. He was wearing in a white shirt, sport coat, and black pants. He shot the group a friendly smile.
“Hey, Robby, it’s been a while,” Sydney said.
Robby Waters made the rounds, hugging everyone. “Thanks for having me.”
Her dad laughed. “Your mom kept you a secret, Robby. Valerie, we thought you were bringing a boyfriend.”
Their aunt smiled at her son. “Robby is a much better date than anyone I could dig up.”
Iced teas were poured, and the family stood around the gourmet island catching up. As Caroline and Sydney shared their fictitious jobs, Robby’s eyes went flat. He unearthed his phone from his pocket, got busy on it.
“How ‘bout you?” Mom asked Robby. “It’s been years. Tell us what you’ve been up to.”
“I was living in Denver, then Phoenix,” he said. “Love the west.”
“Where are you now?” Mark asked.
“I’m hanging with Mom for a month or so.”
“What do you do?” Sydney asked.
Valerie beamed. “Robby’s a professional poker player. Don’t want to brag or anything, but—”
“Mom,” Robby snapped, the sharpness catching Sydney’s ear.
“He’s good enough to have bought me a beautiful new car.” Aunt Valerie beamed. “So proud of you. Dad would be too.”
He acknowledged her with a nod, but said nothing.
“I’m gonna fire up the grill,” Mark said.
Kathrine got busy pulling sides from the fridge. Caroline and Aunt Valerie jumped in to help, but Sydney made her way over to her cousin.
“Too many cooks,” she said. “Let’s catch up on the porch.”
With drinks in hand, they made their way into the screened room. Sydney eased onto the sofa, the one that hugged the back wall—the one that hid her from a sniper’s bullet.
Robby leaned his back against the chair rail, shot her a relaxed smile. “I would’ve walked right by you on the street.”
“Same.” She sipped the chilled tea. “Either we have terrible memories or we look nothing like we used to.”
He chuckled. “When was the last time we saw each other?”
“I think it was at your dad’s funeral.”
“That was the worst.”
She nodded. “How long ago was that?”
“Twenty years last month. I was twelve, so you would’ve been—”
“Eleven.” Thinking about death made her stomach hurt. “Whatever happened to the family cabin? Do you remember all those fun summers there?”
“We had a blast,” he said. “It was in my dad’s family, so I’m pretty sure my uncle sold it. I haven’t been back there in forever.”
They reminisced how every summer, she, Caroline, and their mom would spend the summer at the cabin. Her dad would spend every weekend there, then stay for the last two weeks. Robby and his parents were there for the entire summer, every summer, along with Robby’s dad’s brother and his family.
“Do you remember that rope swing over the lake?” Sydney asked.
“Yep, and all the afternoons we’d play hide-n-seek in the woods.” Robby smiled. “Good times.”
“Those summers seem like a lifetime ago.” Sydney wished her life was that carefree, but she’d chosen a challenging and demanding career path for herself.
Hunting the devil is never easy.
The more she talked to Robby, the more he started to resemble his childhood self. Though stocky, he still had the same strong nose, close-knit eyes, and easygoing smile.
“So, you’re thirty-two,” she said. “Did you get married? Are you seeing anyone?”
“Never married,” he said. “I’ve got a few girlfriends, but nothing serious. You?”
Am I seeing Tank or was that just a hookup?
Before she could answer, Robby said, “Oh, yeah, you’re definitely seeing someone.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You’re smiling.”
“It’s always fun when there’s someone new, right?”
“Absolutely,” he agreed as his phone started ringing. He lifted it from his pocket. “Sorry, work.” He answered as he made his way toward the French doors. “What’s the word?”
He vanished inside the house as her dad walked past with the platter of grilled flank steaks. “Time for sup, Syd.” He flashed her a smile. If there was one phrase he loved saying, that was it.
She followed her dad inside. In the kitchen, she spotted her cousin talking on the phone in the nearby family room. His brows were slashed down and he looked angry. When he caught her gaze, he flashed her a smile.
“Robby, dinner,” his mom called.
As he made his way back into the kitchen, he said, “I’ll handle it,” and he hung up. “Idiots,” he bit out.
“Everything okay?” Aunt Valerie asked.
“All good,” he replied, but his fingers were flying over the keyboard of his phone.
The food was set out on the island and Kathrine handed Aunt Valerie a plate. “You start.”
“No, you go first,” Aunt Valerie insisted.
Her dad handed Sydney a plate. “Go, or we’ll be here all night.”
As Sydney filled her plate, she glanced over at Robby. He’d stepped away to make another call.
Busy guy.
The family had served themselves and were getting settled at the kitchen table when her cousin sauntered back in.
“I had no idea poker was such a stressful career,” Sydney called over to him as he plated his food.
“When you’re playing for millions, it’s a total pressure cooker,” Robby shot the fam a cheesy grin. “I’m a poker god with nothing but royal flushes in my hand.”
“And very humble,” her dad said, his sharp sarcasm front and center.
Sydney and Caroline laughed.
“Are your games televised?” her mom asked when Robby joined them at the table.
“They’re all private,” he explained. “Betting starts at ten grand.”
“Too rich for my pockets,” her dad said.
“Same,” Caroline added.
“In my world, it’s all about power,” Robby said. “And having the best damn poker face in the biz.”
“Don’t forget skill,” Aunt Valerie added.
As Sydney glanced across the table at Caroline, she wondered how power played into the game of poker.
In true Sydney form, she blurted, “Power?”
“Absolutely,” Robby replied with conviction. “Psychological power creates fear in the minds of my opponents. Manipulation is key too. Let them think they’re winning. Even throw a hand so they do win, then go for the jugular and slit their throats.”
Sydney leaned back in the chair and peered over at him. “Sounds like you know what you’re doing.”
“I’m the king,” he said with a smile. “And the poker world knows it.”
TEDDY
Teddy street parked in front of the Baker’s upscale Tysons two-story home. As he was exiting his SUV, Greystone pulled up behind him. With the flowers and gift box in hand, Teddy met his brother on the driveway.
He’d almost canceled, but Teddy wanted to get to know the couple who’d taken in his brother and loved him like a son.
Though they’d driven over separately, he and Greystone been on the phone hashing out the deets of the case like it was the first time. And just like all the other damn times, they’d come up empty.
“Read me the online message again,” Greystone said as he stopped on the Baker’s walkway.
Teddy didn’t need to read them. They were seared on his brain. “The raptors are back. The nest is full. Blessed be those who avenge the wicked. We will overtake and watch them fall one by one. Target one is marked for death.”
“Are they talking about us or them?” Greystone asked him for the hundredth time.
“Them.” Frustration spiked his blood pressure. “There’s no scenario where they’d be blessing us.”
Greystone pulled a hair tie from his pocket, pulled his hair into a man-bun. “I’m sorry, brother. You’ve said that, like, a dozen times. I’m so fucking angry we can’t find them. Anywhere.”
“The DMV is a big place.” Teddy gave his brother’s shoulder an encouraging squeeze. “We found ‘em once. We’ll do it again.”
While he had absolutely no idea how, he had to speak positivity into the universe. No point pulling everyone else into his private hell.
The front door opened and Sean Baker stepped outside. His friendly smile reminded Teddy that they were having dinner with Greystone’s parents.
Game face.
He pasted on a smile, shoved the trio box of wines under his arm, and extended his hand. “Theodore Santini. It’s good to meet you, Mr. Baker.”
“Call me Sean, Tank,” he said as they shook hands. After hugging Greystone, Sean gestured toward the front door.
Up the two steps, onto the front porch, and into the home. A wave of sumptuous aromas filled his nostrils. A baking chicken and something sweet.
Maybe cake.
Like Pavlov’s dog, his stomach started growling.
As Sean led them through the well-furnished home, he spotted Evelyn in the kitchen.
“Boys, whatcha drinking?” Sean asked. “We’ve got everything from milk to whiskey.”
“I’ll get myself a water,” Greystone replied.
“A shot of whiskey,” Teddy said.
Sean grinned. “That’s what I like to hear.”
Teddy set down the wine box, as Evelyn bustled over. One big hug for his brother, and a second for him. “Thank you for having me, Evelyn.” Teddy offered her the flowers.
“So sweet. Thank you.”
“And these are for you guys as well,” Teddy said. “A trio of Santini wines. Two chiantis and the collection’s newest, a chardonnay.”
Sean returned with two whiskeys, which he set down. “This wine is real nice,” he said, examining one of the bottles. “Thank you.”
Teddy lifted a shot glass, waited for Sean to pick up the other. “Alla famiglia e alla tua salute. To family and to your health.”