Veil of Crimson

And So The Sting Begins

LeBlanc leads me towards the table where Natalie and Didi are sitting, both of them already sipping on their drinks. I don’t have to smell it in order to know that those are alcoholic beverages. Damn it. We need our senses sharp for this. But I can’t show that I’m bothered that my ‘friends’ are drinking cocktails. They’re not cops as far as LeBlanc knows.

“Ladies, I hope you’re having fun. My apologies for the delay, we’ll have something to eat now and then we’ll finally descend into the den of fun,” he assures them, sending them both charming winks. Natalie blends well into the role.

She giggles almost as honestly as Didi, who’s completely mesmerized by the guy. And he seems to know it, because he turns his smirk to her, before looking at me. I try to keep a smile on my face, but it’s just so difficult when I can’t stand his guy.

“Why so glum, darling?” he wonders, making me pin my gaze on him. We keep our eyes locked for longer than I’d like, but I keep eye contact just to check how long he can handle it. He can handle it damn right.

In the end, I’m the one, who breaks the moment by saying: “Because you promised me one hell of a party, and all I’m seeing is an empty restaurant.” He smirks, still keeping his blue-eyed gaze pinned on me.

I’d be lying if I said he wasn’t exceptionally good-looking. He’s the type of man that I’d usually drool over, just like Didi. But the problem is, he’s opened his mouth way too soon. He can’t fix that impression that he left on me. Not even with his charms.

In that moment, a waiter gets to our table. “What can I bring for you, madame?” he asks, forcing me to tear my gaze away from LeBlanc. I look at what the girls are drinking, knowing that I have to keep my cover within the cover. You know, to have a toast with my ‘friends’. Maybe I’ve complicated things a little too much.

“I’ll have what they’re having,” I quickly respond, offering him a small smile. He smiles back, before looking at his boss with an almost knowing gaze.

“And for you, sir?” he still asks him, despite looking like he already knows the answer. LeBlanc smiles at him in a way that leaves me staring at him a little longer than necessary.

“Like usual, Joey. Thank you very much. Tell the kitchen that we can begin,” he tells him. The waiter nods in response, then disappears. I turn back to the table, not knowing what to say next.

I notice Didi watching me with amusement in her eyes, making me send her a questioning gaze. “What? Is there something on my face?” I ask, trying hard not to sound too defensive. She shakes her head, barely suppressing a smile.

“Nah, nothing like that, hon’. Ya look absolutely gorgeous,” she assures me, sending me a wink. A sly smile spreads across her face and I can’t help but smile back, shaking my head in disbelief. I know that something caught her eye but she clearly doesn’t want to say it in front of everyone. Fine, she’ll just have to tell me later.

“That, I can agree with,” LeBlanc chimes in, making me draw in a sharp breath. I turn towards him again, already prepared to be defensive, but he already continues. “Well, you all are,” he adds, smiling at Didi and Natalie as well.

“Oh, stop it, Mr. LeBlanc,” Didi tells him, waving her hand at him in a dismissive way. But I can tell she’s flattered. He glances at me in an almost triumphant way, and I resist the urge to roll my eyes once again. I seem to do that a lot around him.

“Please, it’s Adrian. I didn’t catch your names earlier, though,” he says, glancing between them in a questioning way. I quickly jump in before he gives too much attention to Natalie. Just in case he starts recognizing her as the shy cop who was with me during the interrogation.

“Pardon my manners,” I cut in, apologizing with a sheepish smile covering my face. He turns his gaze towards me, as I introduce the girls to him: “This is Nat and this is Didi. We’re having a girls’ night out and I told them you had something fun to show us. That’s why I brought them with me. Thank you once again for not making a big deal about it.”

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, ladies,” he tells them, his smile looking like it’s going to reach the ceiling soon. It’s almost like he rehearses it in front of the mirror every day. “And really, any friend of Detective’s is a friend of mine,” he assures them.

Just then, the waiter brings our drinks, placing my cocktail in front of me and another one in front of LeBlanc. But his is … Oh, God, he drinks that? “A Bloody Mary? Seriously?” I remark, scrunching my face in disgust.

He smirks at my reaction. “What? You don’t like world’s best hangover cure?” he asks, already reaching towards the drink. I shake my head, while Didi chuckles. She knows. She was with me when I first drank it. And it was my last time, too.

“Yeah, more like the worst hangover cure. I puked so hard after drinking it that I can’t stand the smell,” I reveal, not knowing why I’m opening up. He chuckles, then grabs his glass.

“Don’t worry. I’m not sharing my favorite indulgence with anyone,” he reassures me. Then, he raises the drink. “This gathering does call for a toast, though. To you, ladies,” he says, another charming smile spreading across his face.

“To you, Mr. LeBlanc,” I add, grabbing my own glass and raising it in his favor. He seems surprised by my gesture, but the look on his face tells me that he likes it very much. He better. I’m trying to get him to open up. I want to get some useful information out of him tonight, not just those irritating comments he throws my way.

“You flatter me, Detective,” he says, before glancing at Didi and Natalie. “Cheers, girls,” he then adds and we chime in almost all at once, before clinking our glasses together.

What LeBlanc initially called ‘snacks’ turns out to be such a fancy pants dinner, that I’m almost embarrassed that I agreed to it. It’s really a few steps higher than donuts. Or pizza. Stereotypical, I know. But it’s not like I have much time to cook when I’m investigating a case.

As we finish, LeBlanc finally gets up, grabbing his wooden box, and we follow his lead. “Come along, ladies. Let’s go have some fun,” he invites us, leading us right to the wine rack. As he opens it, a noise travels to us. Sounds like a New Orleans party, alright.

There’s jazz, I can hear laughter and something that sounds an awfully lot like the sound of poker chips, being thrown around. I can literally smell alcohol and cigarettes, realizing that this pretty dress will soon have to go into the bin, too. What a shame. Just as I was starting to like it.

I notice Natalie tensing next to me right when LeBlanc starts turning his head our way again. Damn it. I act quickly, without giving it much of a thought. There’s no time for it.

I get closer to LeBlanc, having to tilt my neck up a little to look at him. “You better make sure that no one tries to snatch me away,” I blurt out the first thing that comes to my mind. My words clearly surprise him, but he falls for them so swiftly and happily, that he’s completely blind for everything else around him.

“Don’t worry, Detective. No one will dare to try,” he assures me, placing his hand at the small of my back. Mm. That’s a dangerous spot. Couldn’t he have gone for the shoulder blades or something?

He leads me down the stairs and I step carefully in order not to tumble down them in heels. That wouldn’t be a pretty picture and let’s be real, it could get me in trouble. I really don’t want to explain why I’m equipped with a mic and camera in front of gamblers who come from God knows what criminal backgrounds.

As soon as we’re safely on the ground, I take in the room that we were just searching through earlier in the day. It’s so much different now that it’s filled with people. Musicians have their own spotlight somewhere in the corner, entertaining everyone along with a few cabaret dancers.

Of course. Those better not be hookers. Other than them, I see lots and lots of people, who are more or less male. They’re all playing games of their pick and I’m already scanning the crowd to check if I notice anyone familiar.

I’m surprised as LeBlanc slides his hand up my back and wraps his arm around my shoulders. He leans closer to my ear, whispering: “Keep a close eye on your friends, there are some guys here that don’t mean well. I’ll make the introductions. Be natural. Don’t tell anyone that you’re a cop.”

I nod in understanding, surprised that he’s capable of having such good intentions. I guess I should’ve told him that my friends are cops as well. But the less he knows, the better. I have to remind myself that he’s still not off the suspect list. And I literally threw myself into the lion’s den to save Natalie from being exposed.

As I turn to look over my shoulder, they’re both taking in the scene, already scanning the crowd … in a way that screams police. I attract their attention with my gaze, putting a meaningful smile on my face. They smile back and I call out: “Stick close to us, I don’t wanna be looking for ya two in stranger’s beds.” They both seem amused by the way I copied Didi’s dialect.

LeBlanc chuckles at my accent, making me turn towards him with a smile still covering my face. “Come, Bayou girl,” he invites me, already leading me to the closest table. “Time to bring me some luck in Blackjack.”