He enjoyed taking other people’s money. One might say it was his favorite pastime.

  Chapter Eleven

  Ericka’s get ready alarm went off on her phone, vibrating her side from her pocket. Bagger was on a tangent about how no judge would help them.

  She was starting to get sick of this town. A young girl had died, and all they cared about was baseball. Whoever had done her in, knew this perfectly well.

  “These judges, they have kids on the team. Scouts come out for the games. It’s a big deal. It could be the ticket out of town for some of these kids.”

  Ericka let that idea mull over in her mind.

  A ticket out…

  She would run the theory by Greg in the car.

  She grabbed his arm. “Sergeant Kane and I have a previous engagement. We’ll get back to you about the case tomorrow.”

  “You’re leaving?”

  “Sadly, we must, right Kane?”

  He looked at her. She widened her eyes hoping he would understand why they had to leave.

  “Oh, yes, we do. Maybe we can return after our appointment.” They started to walk back down the hill and Greg paused. “Bagger, you need to leave a detective or an officer here at the scene overnight. We don’t need anyone coming in and trampling on any evidence.”

  “Oh, yeah, yeah, right. I’ll do that.”

  Once down the hill a way, Greg asked, “Why are we leaving?”

  “The poker game.”

  “Ah, I forgot.”

  “And I have a hunch that a lot of things are connected in this town.”

  “I’m getting the same vibe.”

  In the car, Greg fired up the motor. Ericka waited until they left the farm before she got really animated.

  “I know you’ve been holding it back. Go ahead.”

  “You could tell?”

  “I could see your jawline tense, and it looked like you were biting your cheek.”

  Heat rushed to Ericka’s cheeks as she recognized that he had looked at her so intensely he had noticed all that.

  “Now I’ve embarrassed you. You remember that I’m a detective as well, right? I’ve been trained to notice body language.”

  She remembered. It was just having him notice her body meant she needed to watch how she presented herself. There were certain emotions and feelings she didn’t want shared, yet.

  “You better tell me the theory before you forget or before we get to town.”

  “Good point. So, here is what I’m thinking. Bagger said that baseball could be the ticket out of town. What if, just speculating, but what if Ann Marie had something on one of the people that wanted out of town. Something that would keep them from achieving their dream.”

  “Like what?”

  She bit the inside of her bottom lip, but quickly stopped as she noticed him smiling. He’d probably noticed her tells for years. She was good at hiding it around strangers, but she’d relaxed with him, so it was harder.

  A thought rushed into her mind at the same time as his because they both shouted, “She’s pregnant!”

  Greg slapped the steering wheel. “It makes perfect sense, and this is what Jaxon Lewis’ dad said as well.”

  “Good to have confirmation.” She wished he’d said something, but he really hadn’t had time. Ericka kept going. “She stopped being on this fake cheer team because she didn’t want to hurt the baby.”

  “She needed to tell the father, so she goes to the party.”

  “She tells him, and he isn’t happy. I mean, he lost his out, right?”

  His smile broadened. “We make a good team.”

  She nodded. They had always made a good team. Now they were just two types of teams. Sometimes she worried that being together all the time might make for a bad personal relationship. She’d dreamed about it for so long she had to give it a shot, but she prayed that it didn’t ruin their friendship.

  That was one thing she would never want to lose.

  ****

  Greg waited for a response to his team question, but Ericka just smiled. He didn’t want to push her. The last couple of weeks had been stressful enough. The move. Getting settled in a tiny living space. Seriously, he’d thought that part of his life was over. Sharing a bathroom was on his top ten things not to do ever again. But here was.

  He squeezed the wheel as he drove around the tight curves. A text came over the car. He pushed the button for the car to read it, but it stalled.

  Ericka lifted her phone. “No service.”

  “Hmm.”

  How far did the no service area go? The farm had service, or the officers couldn’t have called him. Or they could have called from a landline. But would all those teens have been there without cell service? He hadn’t seen a phone.

  “Did Ann Marie have a phone?”

  “I didn’t see one. And I was just thinking, did the farm have service? I don’t remember anyone calling anybody.”

  “Do you need to go back and check?”

  Greg shook his head. She had to get to that poker game. They couldn’t have Tyson getting suspicious.

  “I can go later, or I’ll have Quinn look it up from the computer. Nope, I forgot, he’s going with you.” It still rankled that he wasn’t the one going with her. But he understood. They were too close to one another.

  Of course, it had never stopped them before.

  “I think we should get a court order to look at every kid’s phone that was at the party.”

  “All right, reasoning?”

  “What if Ann Marie tried to text the father and tell him she was pregnant, but he didn’t respond. That would give a reason why she drove out here and waited. She would have reasoned that it was the day of the party and the only way to tell them would have been in person. She wasn’t going to practices, so the party was the only way to see him.”

  “Why not wait?” He agreed with her, but someone playing devil’s advocate often gave them more information.

  “Because she didn’t want anyone else to know, or she was afraid for anyone else to know before she had support?”

  “Her stepmother.” Greg had seen how crazy that woman had acted. He would put her on the suspect list but survivors of violent crimes acted weird so they would tread lightly.

  They went back and forth with ideas and possibilities until they reached the office. Once there Ericka looked at her watch and jumped from the vehicle. She turned on the sidewalk and blew him a kiss.

  He hadn’t left the car.

  Before he could exit, his phone rang. He lifted his to his head without looking at the name.

  “Hello?”

  “Greg, dear, is that you?”

  “Mom. Is everything all right? Are you okay? Dad?”

  “Everyone’s fine. Can’t I just call and see how you’re doing in Tennessee? I’m a tad jealous. I told your father we might need to come visit while you’re there. He said no that he wasn’t sharing a bathroom with all those people.”

  “I don’t blame him!” Greg snickered. “You know I could put you up in a hotel if you really wanted to come.”

  “We’ll think about it. But we’ll probably just stay at the old home place. It needs to be cleaned, of course.” There was an overly long pause. “Greg…”

  “Yes?”

  “I just want to say that I love you.”

  Greg tried to tap down his worry. His mother had worried about him and his career choice for years. If she’d felt this way the entire time, then he would have felt terrible. It wasn’t a fun experience.

  “I love you too.”

  “We’ll get together, right? Now that you’re closer to us physically, you’ll come?”

  The question lingered in the air. Had he implied that he wouldn’t do that?

  “I guess you need to go. I’ll let you go. Love you, honey. Sleep well.”

  The phone went dead in his hands, and he looked at the receiver. The call had been so strange. Even though she’d said everything was fine, he was having trouble believing it. He’d have to call his sister later and see if she would give him a heads up.

  He climbed from the car and entered the building. Ericka had just come down the stairs decked out in her shiny, black, silk, body hugging gown. The upper half wasn’t as tight on her body as the lower half, but it left one creamy, white shoulder exposed. A fur wrap lay across her shoulders. She was bent over doing something when the bell above the door rang.

  “Um…”

  She looked up. A strand of heavily sprayed hair fell over her eyes. “Yeah, what’s up?”

  “It was my mother.”

  She straightened. “Is everything all right?”

  How was he supposed to answer that question when she looked like she did? If he wasn’t careful, his heart might stop right there.

  “I’m guessing everything is fine.” She smiled then a red hue covered her cheeks. “You can stop staring.”

  “What if I don’t want to?” He moved across the floor avoiding desks, chairs, and all things of no consequence.

  “Well, then I would say—”

  “We ready to go?” Quinn jumped from the last step and caused a loud plop. “Oh, um, should I come back later?”

  Greg had almost made it to Ericka. He had his hand out ready to grab hers and pull her into an embrace. He’d almost made it.

  An alarm on Ericka’s body, one he’d like to go hunting for, began to ring.

  “I’m assuming that the answer to Quinn’s question is yes.”

  She sighed and lifted her phone which still rang. “Afraid so. We don’t want to be late. Or rather we do. Not sure when the others will arrive, but I’m preparing to make an entrance.”

  “Oh, you’re going to do that.”

  There was that red flush across her pert nose and cheeks. He needed to release her. They were there for a job. He’d insisted she wear that dress later and they could go somewhere special, just the two of them.

  “Go. Work.”

  She nodded.

  “Thanks, boss.” Quinn raced passed and opened the door for Ericka. If anyone saw her inside the building, they could say she was being questioned about a crime. Maybe that would work.

  ****

  Tyson checked the lighting, and the table set up two, three, four times. The chairs were in perfect position. He had the special cards ready. He had the cameras set up to display on his AI glasses and to talk to him at the same time.

  The phone on his hip rang. He pressed the side of the glasses’ frame. “Hello?”

  “Grunley?”

  “Thomas?”

  “I can’t make it tonight.”

  “I figured. I heard about Ann Marie. A tragedy. Any idea who did it?”

  “It’s an active investigation.”

  Tyson would have pointed out how that had never stopped Thomas from sharing before but refrained. The young officer seemed more stressed than usual.

  “Of course. And we’ll be fine without you tonight.”

  “I’m sure you will.” The phone clicked.

  Tyson looked at the room once more then left and flipped the switch. The glare of the cameras from the light needed to be avoided. He’d brought in special lighting for the games. He called it mood lighting but really it was hiding lighting.

  The bell above the door rang. He thought he’d locked that.

  He faced the door and froze.

  A creamy, smooth shoulder was exposed as the fur wrap was removed and the burly fellow behind her took it. The sleek, black gown hugged almost every curve. And boy, were there some curves. Tyson could barely control his salivary glands. He bit his tongue to keep from whistling. He shouldn’t have worried so much about tonight. She was the perfect distraction.

  She rubbed her hands together vigorously. “Let’s get this party started.”

  He concurred wholeheartedly.

  Chapter Twelve

  Chill bumps dotted Ericka’s skin. Tyson stared at her like a meal to devour. It was almost the same as Greg. But vastly different. There was no love in Tyson’s expression only desire.

  She had to be careful not to tremble. Although doing so might help with the image she was currently trying to portray.

  Earlier, as she walked out the door of the office, Greg had said, “Knock ’em dead.”

  She’d managed little more than a nod.

  Now she was here with a piranha. Knocking him dead didn’t seem like such a bad idea.

  Quinn closed the gap. He was the perfect bodyguard. “Miss Nova, you need anything?”

  “I’m good, but thank you, Hans.”

  Tyson led them to a back room. Yellow lights embedded in the low ceiling highlighted the table. Oddly no light struck the walls.

  “I saved this seat just for you.”

  Quinn moved in and pulled it out. She sat and he pushed it in. He stood directly behind her.

  Tyson frowned.

  They were blocking his view!

  Good. She needed every advantage she could get. And it was a clue in how Tyson was winning so many games.

  Slowly others began to trickle in. No one in the group was someone she’d met, which she realized was a good thing. Why was she just now realizing this had been a possibility. Because she was off her game, that’s why. Working and relationshiping took a lot of mental capacity.

  Apparently, more than she’d realized.

  “Well, well, well who do we have here?” The gentleman wore all black with a black fedora. He sounded like a cowboy but looked like a gangster.

  Ericka held out her hand. “Nova.”

  She expected a shake, but the man in black lifted her hand to his lips and gave her a quick peck on the knuckles.

  When he looked up, he said, “Just call me Mystery.”

  She cocked her brow.

  He leaned in. “We don’t usually use our real names or personas. This little activity isn’t exactly legal in our town.”

  Ericka covered her rounded mouth. “Oh, thank you for telling me.”

  “No problem, sugar. I’m betting your real name ain’t Nova anyway, but you could go with Star since you’re as bright as one.”

  She smiled. “I’ll consider it.”

  The dude had charm; she’d give him that. Corny charm, but still charm.

  More individuals entered with names like Cricket, Casper, Headly. Each was more lavish or ridiculous than the last.

  Playing a game of poker wasn’t illegal, however, betting on it was. And with the amounts they were prepared to spend in this room, with good reason.

  Quinn busily tapped the sides of his glasses taking secret snapshots of the players. They needed to know their true identities so they wouldn’t run into them on the streets. At least in the next little bit while they were figuring things out. Although she had a cover—she’d say she was a dirty cop. Everyone would believe it. They expected that to happen a little too often.

  Tyson shut the door and came to the table. He tapped the frame of his glasses. Quinn shot her a look with a raised eyebrow as he moved around behind him. Then he came back around Ericka. He squeezed her shoulder. Apparently, he knew how Tyson was cheating.

  Using Morse code by tapping, she communicated they couldn’t leave yet. Ericka figured Tyson would throw a few bones at first. She could detect a pattern and beat him, but then he would know something was up. She just needed to play the game and see where it went.

  ****

  Greg sat on the edge of his desk and reviewed Ann Marie’s financials. They weren’t very extensive. She had barely been a senior in high school. She’d only worked part time at the dry cleaners. According to her debit card and the location where money was spent, money had gone out on normal girl things. Hair care, body care, a few pleasantries.

  “Medical records.” Maggie dropped them next to him. She only stared a moment at his position.

  “The lighting is better here.”

  “Uh-huh. Are you sure it’s not because you have a better view of the door?”

  “Whatever.” He sat behind the desk. The wood was getting uncomfortable anyway.

  “No word?”

  “Quinn sent photos of the players. We need to match them to the town’s rich and famous. Apparently, some pretty big bucks are being dropped.”

  “I’ll do that.” She moved back to her computer.

  “Why don’t you visit Tristan? Maybe have supper.”

  “Boss—”

  “Don’t worry about me. You need a break. We’ll switch places if you like later. After you visit.”

  “Hmm.” She leaned back in the office chair.

  Greg lowered his voice. “Look he’s come down the stairs twice, sighed, and disappeared. He’s lonely. I don’t think he got that job he was looking for. So…”

  Maggie stared at the stairwell. “Making him come was a mistake.”

  “I wasn’t aware you made him come. I thought he wanted to.”

  Maggie shrugged and shuffled papers on her desk.

  “Go.”

  “All right. I’ll go.”

  “Good. I’ll just review these records and come up afterward.”

  She nodded and made a beeline for the stairs.

  Greg leaned back in the chair and perused Ann Marie’s medical records. Her mother had kept up with shots and physicals until she was eleven. There wasn’t another appointment until last week. Urine sample, blook work, pregnancy test. All were administered at a local clinic attached to the county hospital. He flipped through the pages but there were no results.

  He lifted the phone receiver and dialed.

  “Colson Labs, how may I direct your call?”

  “Who do I speak to about lab results?”

  “Date of birth?”

  He rattled off the number.

  “Name.

  “Ann Marie Hudson.”

  “You’re Ann Marie Hudson?”

  “No, I’m a police officer working her murder.”

  “Please hold.” Was followed by the worst elevator music. Then, “Can I help you?”

  “Look, I know Ann Marie Hudson had testing at your lab earlier this week. I need the results. You didn’t send those over.”

  “The family requested we hold those.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “If you need more information feel free to come by with a court order.”