High stakes, p.23
High Stakes, page 23
But that bastard, Sandrino, hadn’t thought Tanner would walk away, Volkov thought bitterly. He could remember Sandrino lying there, propped against the wall, yet still taunting him. “You think you’re going to get away with this? You always were a fool. Tanner won’t give up. Tanner never gives up. I’ve told you about him. He’ll just keep coming.” He was actually smiling. “You’re a loser, Volkov. And you’ll lose to him, too.”
But he wasn’t a loser, he thought furiously. He had beaten that scornful son of a bitch, and that made him a winner. He had been the one who had walked away, and he would walk away from anyone else who thought he was less than he was. He had been so clever that no one had known what happened that night.
Yet suddenly Tanner had appeared in his life and had taken Lara. Coincidence? Or a connection?
Tanner never gives up.
Either way he’d have to take care of him. “I’ll pay whatever I have to pay. Just find him for me. I want Lara back.”
“As I said, the Gulfstream should be easy enough to locate,” Anton said. “I’ll put out the word. Check with the civilian air authorities. I’ll start calling different cities around the country and inquiring.”
“That sounds like a good enough plan.” Then Volkov added thoughtfully, “But why don’t you begin with Las Vegas?”
* * *
Durango Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada
5:40 P.M.
“This is where we part ways.” Tanner turned away from the rental car desk and handed Rennell a set of keys. “Find us a safe place to hang out for the next few days while I see if I can dig Walker out of the hole he’s dug for himself.” He turned to Lara. “The two of you go with Rennell. He’ll take care of you.”
“And when did I sign up for that job?” Rennell said dryly. “I can’t quite remember.”
“Would you rather I took care of you?” Maria asked. “There’s more to caretaking than shooting off big guns and yelling at everyone.”
“Is there?” He suddenly grinned. “That’s the only kind I know.”
“Where are you going?” Lara asked Tanner. “Kaskov told you Walker was hiding out. Wouldn’t he have left town?”
He shook his head. “The Strip. Kaskov said Walker has lived here in Vegas for the last thirty years. It has to be home to him. And he’s a gambler. He’ll have friends.”
“And probably told them not to tell anyone anything.”
“Anything that wasn’t safe. But everyone always has a different idea of what’s safe, depending on how big the bet is. I’ll just cruise along until I find the right friend and the right bet. It shouldn’t take me that long. I’ve got a list of his friends and acquaintances and the casinos they frequent.”
“I don’t see how that would work.” She frowned. “There’s such a thing as loyalty.”
“It will work,” Rennell said. “I’ve seen him do it. It used to amuse Sandrino.”
“Why?”
“I think he was always hoping that Tanner would fall on his face. He said everything was always too easy for him.”
Tanner shook his head. “He was always rooting for me. He was like you, Lara: He didn’t like the idea that loyalty could be compromised. He thought that anyone who allowed it deserved what happened to them.”
“And what about you?”
“I’m a cynic. I play the game.” He shrugged. “Sometimes I get bored with it. But I won’t this time.” He started to walk away. “Give me a call and let me know where I should come once you settle in, Rennell.”
“Will do.” He glanced at Lara and Maria. “Are you ready to—”
“No.” Lara was suddenly striding after Tanner. “I want to go with you. I want to see you do it. It must be harder than you say. Do you mind?”
He smiled. “Not as long as you’re the audience and not a participant. You might get in my way.”
“Whatever.” Lara glanced over her shoulder at Maria. “You’ll be all right?”
“Perfectly. I’ve no desire to run around casinos and watch Tanner perform his rather dubious magic. I’ve had enough of having to stare at Volkov and Anton salivating at the card tables over the years. I’m surprised you haven’t.” She glanced at Rennell. “Besides, Rennell may need my help finding a suitable safe house. I wouldn’t want anything sleazy. I’ve grown accustomed to Sandrino Place.”
“Then you should have stayed there,” Rennell murmured. “I’m not sleazy by any stretch of the imagination. We only needed one hostage. You might just be trouble.”
Lara drew a breath of relief. No problem there. Maria could handle anything Rennell threw at her. “Then I’ll see you later.” She caught up with Tanner at the taxi stand outside as he was opening the door. “Where do we go first?”
“Bellagio. It’s glossy, beautiful, and touristy, and will be busy enough to be interesting at this time of day.” He closed the door and ran around the other side of the cab. “Why did you want to go along?” he asked as he got in. “You hate gambling as much as your mother. You should be as sick of it as her.”
“I’m curious.” She leaned back in the seat. “I’ve seen photos of Las Vegas, and it looked like a wonderful fairy-tale land. I wanted to see what you see in it. You own casinos. Do you own one here?”
He shook his head. “Though I spent a lot of time here when I was a kid trying to prove I was the best in the business. Everyone has to do Vegas at one time or another. It’s magical and addictive and there’s no other place like it. But when I started to create a career, I didn’t want magic. I wanted something solid that I could build on, and the only thing magical would be the way I handled the cards and the respect I received from everyone around me.”
“And you wanted that respect?”
“I didn’t before Sandrino picked me up in that alley. But yeah, he was not only the best, he was a class act. Everyone knew it. I was better than he was in many ways, but he left me behind when it came to class.”
“I don’t know anything about class, but I think maybe you have to grow into it.” She frowned. “Like Maria did. Things have to happen to you. Sometimes not good things. And just getting over them makes you this class act. Maybe that’s how Sandrino got there.”
“You could be right.” He smiled. “Because Maria is certainly on her way.”
She shook her head. “She’s there. You don’t know…”
“I guess I don’t.” The taxi had pulled up in front of the fountains of the Bellagio, and he got out of the vehicle. “But here’s the way we handle this. We go into the gaming room and I’ll get you chips to play with while I start drifting around the room looking for prey.”
“I don’t need chips. I don’t want to play.”
“But you do need them. I don’t want you to stand out too much. Just go for the slot machines.” They were going through the casino front door, and he smiled at her. “Relax. Enjoy yourself. It’s wonderland. And after this we’ll go to another wonderland where everything glitters and the music plays and promises you the world. You know about music and promises, don’t you? It might even make good on a portion of that promise. We’ll have to see…”
* * *
Wynn Resort and Casino
9:30 P.M.
Tanner was coming at last, Lara saw with relief as she watched him weave his way through the crowds of the game room. She slipped off her stool and walked toward him. “What’s the story? I knew it wasn’t going to be as easy as you told me.”
Tanner smiled. “Oh, ye of little faith. But you’re right, I did find one of Walker’s buddies here and he was very interesting. But he didn’t know anything that could help us.”
“So where do we go from here?”
He was studying her face. “That depends. You look a little tired. Are you?”
“I’m fine,” she said quickly. “After all, I’m the one who asked to go with you. It was interesting watching you when you were talking to those men at the tables. They…responded to you.”
He shrugged. “You just have to study each one of them for a few minutes and then start the conversation to strike the right note.”
“But it didn’t get you anywhere you wanted to go.” She held up her hand. “We’ve been to five casinos. The Bellagio, the Mandalay, the Venetian, Caesars Palace, now Wynn Las Vegas. Still, no answer. Are you sure this was worthwhile?”
“I’m sure.” He smiled. “But you’re getting tired, and the dazzle is wearing off, so we can leave now.”
“The dazzle?”
“I wanted you to feel what I felt, but without the lure of the tables you couldn’t quite get there. You came close, though, didn’t you? For a little while it was wonderland.”
Her memory was going back over those hours as she’d experienced all the glitter and magical wonder he’d been talking about. Her gaze met his. “I think I came close.”
“And it was good for you? Something new and different that you’d never experienced. A little like the horses?”
She nodded and said softly, “It was good for me.”
“Great, that’s what I wanted.” He took her elbow. “We can leave now.” He was pulling her toward the front entrance. “Call Maria and see if they’ve found us a place to lay our heads. If not, we’ll go to a diner and have a bite to eat. That’s a Las Vegas experience, too.”
“But you’re not finished. Are you going to just quit?”
“No, I got the information I needed when we were at the Venetian. But you were so fascinated by all that ambience and the boats that I thought we should take in a couple more casinos while the dazzle was still there. We hadn’t gone to Caesars Palace yet, and Wynn’s is completely different.”
“What?” she said, shocked. “You didn’t tell me because of the dazzle?”
“Dazzle can be important. Particularly when you’ve been deprived of it. I didn’t want you to miss it.” He grimaced. “And don’t look so stern. If it had required an urgent follow-through, I would have cut it short. Walker wasn’t giving out his address to anyone, but I did talk his friend Lou Delks into giving me his current phone number, which he used only two days ago. I’ll call Walker tonight and see if I can get the address from the man himself. I promise I’ll let you listen in.”
She shook her head dazedly. “And all because dazzle is important?”
“Only in certain cases.” He reached for his phone. “I’ll call Rennell and ask him about the safe house. You might think you had to explain to Maria.” He turned away and spoke into his phone. “Do we have a house?” After listening for a bit, he turned back to Lara. “No dinner. Rennell and Maria managed to agree on a house. Judging from Rennell’s tone, I believe it was more Maria than Rennell.”
“Maria approved of Sandrino’s house,” she said absently. “I think for my sake. She might have nudged him in a more luxurious direction.”
“For the love of Lara,” Tanner said mockingly. “Then she’d certainly approve of the dazzle.” He was heading for a taxi. “Even if you don’t.”
“I didn’t say I didn’t approve,” she said as she got into the taxi. “I was just surprised. It didn’t seem…practical.” She paused and then said awkwardly, “I think you might have been trying to be kind. I don’t really need that from you, but I thank you anyway. The dazzle was…different.”
“And that’s good enough for me.” He leaned forward to give the driver the address, then leaned back. “I’ll work on the rest later.”
She frowned. “The rest?”
He smiled and said again, “Later.”
* * *
Taj Safe House, Las Vegas
Lara closed the library door and crossed to the massive desk where Tanner was sitting. “Are you ready for me yet? You said only an hour.” She paused. “Or have you changed your mind about me listening?”
“I’m ready for you.” He gestured to the desk chair. “Sit down. Did you get something to eat?”
She nodded. “Maria made me a grilled cheese sandwich while she interrogated me about everything I did today.” She smiled. “She approved when I told her about the dazzle. She said I needed it, and wished she’d been there with me. I told her that when we’re both safe, I’ll take her. Particularly to the Venetian. She’d laugh at some of the theatrics, but she’d still enjoy it.”
“I think she would, too. Then I’m still in her good graces?”
“She wouldn’t commit herself, but as I said, she liked the dazzle.” She smiled as she looked around the luxurious library. “Of course she’d indulged in it a little herself today. The house looks like something from the Arabian nights. She was calling it the Taj. She said it was on lease from some Saudi sheik who only showed up once or twice a year. I think she only insisted on it because Rennell was telling her how impractical it was. She does like to goad him.”
Tanner nodded. “That sheik must have needed pretty heavy protection, because Rennell okayed the gates and the security arrangements. So maybe they both got what they wanted. I’ll have to ask Mallory when he gets here tomorrow morning.”
Lara tensed as she watched him start to punch in the number on his phone. “It’s late. Will Walker even answer the phone?”
“It’s Vegas. People like Walker never go to bed early, if they even sleep in Vegas.”
“You talk as if they’re vampires.”
“Sometimes it comes close.” He held up a finger as Walker answered. “Walker, you don’t know me, but if you hang up, you’ll be very sorry. You could be in deep trouble and I might be the only one who can save you.”
Silence.
“I know you’re hiding out, Walker. I don’t blame you. You thought you were safe these years and suddenly it’s right in your face. It wasn’t your fault, was it? That’s what you said. You just wanted to disappear and hide away so that no one would find you. But I’ve found you, and if I choose, I’ll let Volkov find you.”
She heard Walker’s breathing suddenly sharpen.
Tanner heard it, too, and immediately pounced. “But I won’t do it, if you can convince me that you weren’t to blame for Sandrino’s death.”
Silence, but the breathing was very heavy now. Finally, a hoarse voice. “Who is this?”
“Logan Tanner. You might not have heard of me.”
“I’ve heard of you. Sandrino talked about you a lot. He was always bragging about you. Sometimes I heard him taunting Volkov about how much better a poker player you were than him.” The words were suddenly tumbling out. “I think Sandrino hated the son of a bitch, and the only reason he agreed to the game was the chance to beat him again. I hoped he’d do it.” He was silent again. “None of this was my fault. All I did was rent the casino, set up the game, and pick up Sandrino at the airport. The last time I saw him was the night Volkov lost to him again and told me to get out and keep my mouth shut.”
“And Sandrino was alive then?”
“He was alive.” He was suddenly cursing. “But I didn’t go back and pick him up to take him to the airport as we’d agreed. Volkov called and told me he was already gone. I didn’t like the way that sounded. So I took off for Yuma and told my buddies to tell me when Volkov left Vegas.”
“But none of this was your fault,” Tanner repeated sarcastically.
“You don’t understand, Volkov was really mean.” His voice was frantic. “He paid good, so I set up games for him whenever he came to Vegas, but I’ve seen how nasty he could be when he lost or someone talked back to him. He liked to hurt people. I heard stories about him. I didn’t want to be the one on his bad side.” Another pause. “And I didn’t really know what happened to Sandrino. I guess I didn’t want to know. I told myself that Volkov could have been telling the truth. Then about two months later I got a postcard in my post office box from Sandrino from Santa Rosa, some town in Bolivia. It was the type of picture postcard that bars make on the spot and sell to their tourist customers. He was sitting at a bar and smiling. I was relieved. The date stamp proved he was okay. Right? Since Volkov had never come back to Vegas after that night, I thought I’d gotten off lucky.” His voice turned bitter. “Until that other Russian tracked me down and started asking questions. I knew then that I was in trouble. He wouldn’t listen. He beat me up and almost broke my nose. I only got away when he took me to the hospital.”
“You’re lucky he took you to the hospital. Next time I wouldn’t count on it. He probably didn’t want you to die before he got the information he needed.”
“Why do you think I’m hiding out? Whoever that guy was, he was asking questions zeroed in on Volkov. I started to think maybe that postcard was a phony. But it looked real. I didn’t want to be caught between the two of them. I’ve had my fill of those Russians.” He stopped. “I’m talking too much. You sound as if you know them. I was hoping that you could get me away from them.”
“No, I’ve no love for either Volkov or the man who was looking for him. And I might be able to help if you can give me more information.” His voice was suddenly harsh. “But I’m a hell of a lot more dangerous to you than they are, if I don’t get what I want. Sandrino was my friend and I want to know exactly what happened to him. I want to take Volkov down, and I want your cooperation to do it. Otherwise I’ll turn my attention to you, and you don’t want that to happen.”
Walker’s voice was shaking. “Hold on. Haven’t I done everything I can to help?”
“You haven’t even started. I want to see that postcard. I want a map of where that casino is located. I want you to tell me what Sandrino was doing and where he went all the time he was there. I want to know the same thing about Volkov. I want to have time with you face-to-face so that I can tell if you’re lying to me. And you know what will happen if I think you are.”
“What the hell!” Walker added defiantly, “What’s to stop me from just hanging up and taking off again.”
“I’d find you. I’ve gotten this close. Don’t you think that I’ll get the rest of the way? But maybe I’d bring some of my friends along. I know a few Russians myself.” He lowered his voice menacingly. “Though I’d rather handle you on my own. I have motivation to get the information I want from you and I have similar talents. You did mention that Sandrino had spoken of me.”
