Veil of Crimson

I Spy With My Little Eye ...

I stand beside LeBlanc, completely devoting myself to my current role. I exclaim every time he wins the game, which is almost suspiciously often. At one moment, I find myself staring at him in disbelief, while the other players don’t seem particularly happy with the fact that they’ve lost.

“LeBlanc, I’m not sure if you’re cheating or if that pretty lady around your arm is bringing you such luck,” one of them remarks somewhere mid-playing. He smirks and looks at the man at the same time as I do.

He seems to be in his mid-forties, sporting a mustache that you don’t see around often in these days. LeBlanc straightens his suit, putting his arm around me and pressing me against his side. Ugh. How much more of this do I have to endure?

“It’s the pretty lady, of course,” he answers smoothly, before returning to his cards to let out a cheerful chuckle. “It seems like she’s my lucky star tonight,” he then adds, turning back towards the man.

He shakes his head in response, but he doesn’t seem mad or anything. He’s genuinely curious, yes, maybe even a little entertained, but he doesn’t seem like a bad guy overall. At least that’s my first impression of him.

“And who might the pretty lady be?” the man asks, making Adrian turn towards him with a smile. He doesn’t let me speak. Like I’m a doll on display by him. Seriously, what does he think I’m doing here? I’m investigating.

“This is Elise Gauthier, my escort for the evening. Elise, darling, this is Bruce Mendoza. He’s a fellow businessman, the owner of one of the most notorious nightclubs of New Orleans,” LeBlanc makes the introductions. I can’t say I’m thrilled by his ways, but I still smile.

“Pleased to meet ya, Mr. Mendoza,” I greet him, using that thick accent as I offer him my hand. The man takes it, offering me a sly smile as he turns my hand, so the back of it faces upwards and leans down, pressing a kiss on it.

“Call me Bruce, please,” he says in response, and I can’t wait to pull my hand away from him. I just smile, not showing my open displeasure. Jeez, what is it with these men, do they all think that I’m going to be jumping up and down in joy just because I get to say their first names or what? My momma didn’t raise me like that.

Adrian presses me a little closer against him, making me look up at him in a friendly way. At least that’s what the others see. Because in my eyes, I’m hiding a warning for him. He better keep his paws to himself.

“I’m all bored out by this game, darling. Let’s go play a round of poker, what do you say?” he wonders, clearly having some sort of hidden agenda here. I smile at him, nodding.

“Sure thang, Adrian,” I say in response, using his name for the first time since I’ve met him. It makes something in his eyes glisten and I’m not sure if it’s a good sign. It looks … dangerous. I’m just not sure in what sense. I turn my head back to Mr. Mendoza before I get pulled into the depths of those blue eyes. “It was really nice meetin’ ya, Bruce,” I force myself to say.

The man seems really satisfied as I wave at him and he sends me a wink before LeBlanc drags me away. He leans towards my ear, while I’m looking for my colleagues in the crowd. Okay, Natalie is by the roulette. And Didi … “Well done, Detective, you’re a natural,” he whispers into my ear.

I glance at him shortly, before returning my gaze to the crowd. “Thanks. Do you happen to see Didi anywhere?” I wonder. I’m getting a little worried because I can’t spot her anywhere. LeBlanc is a little on the taller side, so he might see her sooner than I do.

He grows quiet for a moment, before suddenly, I hear someone answering me from the inside of my ear. “I’m by the baccarat table.” I pretend like I didn’t just hear what she said and keep looking around.

Funnily enough, LeBlanc notices her right after she speaks to me through the ear bud. “Look, she’s over there, playing baccarat,” he informs me, making me glance at him in surprise, before quickly turning my head into the direction he’s looking into.

“Oh, you’re right, there she is!” I say in surprise. Now that was one hell of a coincidence. Is our intercom set so loudly that he was able to hear it in all this noise? There’s no way. When we tested it at the station I couldn’t hear anything through the girls’ earbuds.

I shake the strange feeling away, letting LeBlanc lead me towards the poker table. Just as he’s about to sit down, I notice someone in the crowd. Someone that I think I’ve seen before. Huh. But I just can’t put my finger on it.

“Is everything okay?” LeBlanc asks, making me turn towards him. I’m not sure what to tell him. “Did you see someone you recognize?” he asks as he leans a little closer.

I know that we look suspicious, so I force myself to step a little closer and lean into side of his face, while putting an arm around his shoulders. I pretend to be occupied with him, so I make my hand travel up and down the back of his head, making it seem like we’re actually there together.

I don’t miss the satisfied ‘mm’ that he lets out as I start doing that, but I can’t exactly smack him at the back of his head now. He does have incredibly strong hair, though, what the hell does he do with it to make it this way?

“I think I know someone back there, but I can’t remember where I’ve seen him. It’s right there at the back of my mind, but I just can’t get it. Do you happen to know him? Black striped suit, white shirt, no tie, brown hair pulled back, seven o’clock,” I whisper into his ear.

I hope that both Natalie and Didi are listening, so they can take a closer look at the guy as well. Maybe the two of them will have a better idea about where I know this guy from.

“Let me take a look,” he murmurs back, before catching me by complete surprise as he spins towards me and pulls me onto his lap. I gasp in shock, while he smirks in amusement. I’m about to protest, but I remember that we might be being watched. He glances past my ear just for a moment, before turning his gaze back to my face and making us both turn towards the poker table. “No, I’ve never seen him before. Which is strange, considering the fact that I come down here often.”

I’m completely tense on his lap, because I haven’t felt another man’s body this close … I mean, not that I wasn’t intimate with my ex-fiancé, what I’m trying to say is that I haven’t had someone new this close in a really long time.

My whole body is fighting the connection that I have to endure and as I lean towards his ear, I’m already whisper-yelling at him: “Really? You didn’t put it like that when I asked you about this place! Are you begging to be arrested?”

He chuckles in response, his hand sliding dangerously low. I tense up even more if physically possible. “Based on what? You know this gambling den isn’t mine.”

I still have my face against his, partially because I’m so flushed with anger that I’m afraid the redness is going to stand out even through my almond skin tone. As I feel his hand sliding down my hips, I completely lose it. “For harassing an officer, now keep your paws to yourself,” I hiss at him.

I can clearly hear someone laughing through the ear bud, probably Didi. As I pull my head away from him, I send him a warning look, while he flashes a smile at me.

“Anger suits you, darling,” he murmurs in response, but removes his hand from my hips and lets it rest on my waist. I’m about to get up, but he digs his fingers into the flesh of my skin, hurting me a little. “Will you be my lucky star again?” he wonders a little louder now, loud enough for everyone else to hear.

He sends me a meaningful look, probably trying to tell me that we’ll check out that guy later, in case he got suspicious of us. He can’t know that we’re trying to look into him. I agree with LeBlanc regarding that matter. “Of course, sugar,” I respond, forcing a bright smile on my face.

“Excellent,” he murmurs, sending me a wink before turning his head forward. “Deal me in,” he tells the guy to his right, who is just mixing cards from the game that was just finished. As I wait for either of the girls to tell me if they recognize that guy in the back, the game is already in full swing.

Just as they’re in the middle of the second round, I hear Natalie’s voice coming through the intercom. “Oh my God, boss … That’s the manager of NoLeaks,” she tells me, sounding a little surprised. I am, too. I stiffen in LeBlanc’s lap, who notices my distress immediately.

He removes the hair from my back, pulling it to one side to reveal my neck. I breathe in sharply as his fingers brush against the delicate spot at the back of my neck. Damn it, as much as I hate to admit it, this guy knows what he’s doing.

I can feel his presence right beside my face. In the next second he already talks to me. “Who is he?” he whispers into my ear. This is getting more and more ridiculous. His instincts are starting to freak the hell out of me.

But I can’t waste any time now. There’s a high chance that this is the killer. Not LeBlanc, as much as I hate to admit it. “The victim’s boss. I think we got our murderer,” I whisper back as I turn my head, almost brushing my nose against the side of his face in the process. I pull my head back immediately.

In the next moment, two things happen. Didi says: “I’m coming at him from three o’clock.” I know Natalie’s position, she’s at ten. LeBlanc and I are at two. Which means one thing. We have the exit uncovered. He could get away from us.

I make my decision, knowing that I can’t waste any more time. I get up from LeBlanc’s lap and turn straight towards the suspect, who is already watching me. As soon as he meets my gaze, he freezes, then starts making his way through the crowd, going straight for the tunnel. Damn it! We can’t expose ourselves!

Before I know it, LeBlanc rushes past me like he’s the one being paid for it. He moves through the crowd like he’s walking through a park, pushing people aside so effortlessly and smoothly that I’m starting to question my own physical abilities.

Didi and Natalie are both trying to come at the suspect from their sides, trying to close his way out, but they’re too slow. I move forward as well, but nearly as quickly as LeBlanc does. And as I realize he’s being a tad too slow as well, I do the only thing that comes to my mind.

I jump on the nearest blackjack table, lift my dress and pull my gun from the strap around my thigh. I shoot it in the air, making everyone freeze for a moment, including the suspect. But LeBlanc doesn’t wait around. Like the sound didn’t surprise him at all. In the next second, complete chaos erupts.