Deadly Odds Read online

  Well, he needed her, but not for security consulting. He had Don Sickler for that and Don was the best.

  Even if he was a pain in the ass.

  “Where’s Don?”

  “Surveillance room. I told him you might be calling. Do you want me to get him?”

  “Please. Would you let Ms. Daniels know I’ll be with her in five minutes? I need to eat before I drop.”

  He marched into his office, took his seat and went to work on the sandwich while Marcia patched Don through. Ross swallowed a mouthful of his sandwich and punched the ringing line.

  “What the hell is it, kid?”

  Don’s loud voice filled his office and Ross lowered the speaker volume. “Kate Daniels.”

  “Should I know that name?”

  “Actually, you should. She’s a security consultant. That’s your wheelhouse.”

  “I don’t know her. Probably a salesperson.”

  Ross eyeballed the remaining part of his lunch. “She’s also that redhead we were watching.”

  “Dammit.”

  “Marcia’s got her in reception. How soon can you get to my office?”

  “Three minutes.”

  He could finish eating in three minutes. “That works.”

  As promised, three minutes later, Don strode into Ross’s office, his suit jacket flying open, his belly protruding as he walked. “Where is she?”

  “Still outside. I just finished lunch.”

  “By the way, I had the ribs last night. Not the chef’s best work. Not enough flavor. Just so you know.”

  “Crap.” Ross made a note to visit the kitchen after they were done here.

  What he didn’t need was bland food being served to high rollers who would gladly take their millions to another casino. Way out here in the boonies, every detail needed tending to. Every. Detail.

  “Marcia,” he called, “would you bring Ms. Daniels in please?”

  “Sure.”

  Ross drummed his fingers on the desk while Don made himself comfortable in one of the guest chairs. “She works for Casino Consulting, Inc. Heard of them?”

  “Samuels was talking to the Dominion security chief about it last week. I told you, he’s shitting elephants.”

  “Why is she here then and not at Dominion?”

  Don shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out.”

  “After you left my office, I went downstairs and introduced myself.”

  “You were trying to pick up the security consultant?” Don threw his hands up. “Jesus, Ross.”

  “Hey, I didn’t know. All I saw was a suspicious—and gorgeous—redhead, and you know how I feel about redheads.”

  Don laughed, but let out a long sigh. “My blood pressure can’t take this. You’re killing me, kid. Sucking the life straight from my body.”

  “Don’t blame me. It’s the ribs. Do you even know how much fat is in those things? You have to eat better or I’ll be rolling you out of here in a body bag. You’re a pain in the ass, but I like having you around.”

  Voices—one belonging to Marcia—carried in from the hallway. “Right this way, Ms. Daniels. Mr. Cooper and our vice president of security are in here.”

  Mr. Cooper? Marcia had never once called him Mr. Cooper.

  Seconds later, Marcia led the gorgeous Kate Daniels into his office. Now that she was standing, he got a better, up close look at her and the bottom half was just as good as the top. She wore a black, belted wrap dress that fell perfectly over her hips and gave her lean frame added curves. He pegged her as an athlete. The runner’s build and her high-heeled sling back shoes only added to the toned look.

  Being a clotheshorse, Ross knew quality and Kate Daniels wore it. Simple. Refined. Elegant.

  She smiled and held out her hand as she approached. “We meet again.”

  “We do indeed.” He clasped her hand, but didn’t do any cheesy lingering. Not his style and a woman like this deserved better. “This is Don Sickler, our V.P. of security.”

  Don stood, but barely reached her nose. With Don at 5’8”, Ross estimated Kate to be around 5’9” in her stocking feet. And the way he saw it, her height would be damned near perfect for him.

  But not until he politely declined whatever she was about to try to sell him.

  He’d learned early in his career that business and pleasure didn’t mix, but prided himself on his ability to date a woman and then leave the relationship with no hard feelings. He was, in fact, a pro at it. What that said about him, he wouldn’t dwell on. Not with all his friends either getting married or having babies. The list of weddings and christenings he’d attended seemed endless, and he’d taken to going alone because the cracks about the flavor of the week had suddenly begun to annoy him. In his twenties, the endless dating had been an ego trip. At thirty-four it was getting old.

  Fast.

  He offered Ms. Daniels a chair. “What can we do for you?”

  She set her briefcase on the floor and sat, taking a second to adjust the hem of her dress. Don watched as she smoothed the fabric, her long fingers sliding over her knees. Her French manicured nails, like the rest of her, were perfection.

  She crossed her legs, reached for something in her briefcase, and Don slid Ross the universal my heart stopped look.

  I hear you, buddy.

  If the two of them got out of here without making fools of themselves it would be a miracle.

  She set her notepad on her lap, tucked her hair behind her ear and glanced up at Ross. “Okay. All set. Where would you like to begin?”

  She was asking him? Huh.

  Don drew his eyebrows together, but for once didn’t speak.

  She flopped out her hand. “The review. Where would you like to start? Any areas of particular concern?”

  What the hell was she talking about? “Areas of concern?”

  “Yes. Anything in particular? Slots, table games, Sportsbook.”

  “Lady,” Don said, “what the hell are you talking about?”

  Ross may have been thinking it but, as usual, Don was the one to say it. New to Don’s direct manner, Ms. Daniels gave him a hard look. “Excuse me?”

  Scorcher. The lady had a steel spine underneath all that polish. Ross held his hand up before Don lost his mind. “Hang on. Ms. Daniels—”

  “It’s Kate.”

  Right. Kate. “Kate, I don’t think we’re all on the same page. Why did you want to meet with us?”

  Confusion wrinkled her perfect forehead. “Gentlemen, this is not my meeting. Mr. Samuels called my boss, Dev Branson, and requested we do a security review of Dominion and Fortuna. He wanted us here today. We were told you’d be notified.”

  Don let out a long breath and Ross glanced at him. The color in his cheeks deepened. Blood pressure. If Ross didn’t get this under control he really would be sending Don home in a body bag.

  “Okay.” Ross stood and headed for the door. “We have crossed wires. Let me make a call.”

  Samuels had ambushed them. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but at the very least it was embarrassing. As if the two of them—the ones running a $2.7 billion dollar property—couldn’t organize a simple business meeting.

  Ross shut the office door behind him, strode to Marcia’s desk and grabbed her phone.

  “What’s up?”

  Gritting his teeth, he dialed Samuels’ number and let out a breath. Concentrate here. He didn’t need to lose his cool on a boss who made a sport of challenging his employees.

  “Ross? What’s wrong?”

  After the second ring, he gripped the phone, let all his anger filter through his fingers into the hard plastic. “For a guy who’s supposed to be running this place, I don’t know what the hell is going on. I’m calling my boss to find out. And my guess is I’m not going to like it.”

  * * *

  Kate tapped her pen on her notepad while she and Don Sickler waited for Ross to return. Initial visits to clients always proved interesting and she’d given up trying to prejudge the outcome
but this, she had to admit, was a first.

  Unable to stand the silence, she shifted in her seat, angling her body to face Don. “I’m mortified. I have to apologize. Mr. Samuels told us you’d be notified.”

  An alarm sounded from Don’s jacket pocket. “Don’t sweat it, honey. Samuels is famous for this. Excuse me a second.”

  He dug into his suit pocket, retrieved his phone and silenced the alarm. “Damn alarm drives me crazy.” He shoved his bulk from the chair, walked across the office to a small refrigerator where he grabbed a water bottle. “Can I get you something? Water? Coffee?”

  “No. Thank you.”

  He dug in his pocket again and the distinct rattle of pills sounded. He held up the small pill bottle, shook a pill out and popped one. “Between the cholesterol and the blood pressure, I’m sick of pills.”

  Ah. “Sorry to hear that. Have you tried adjusting your diet?”

  “You sound like Ross. Always with the exercise and eating right.”

  Kate smiled, waited for him to sit again then leaned over her armrest. “You just don’t want to admit he’s right.”

  “Damn straight.”

  The two of them shared a laugh and he waved her off. “Women. Always did drive me nuts. Ask any of my three ex-wives.”

  “Three!”

  Apparently enjoying her outrage, his lips quirked. “This might surprise you, but I’m not an easy man. Irresistible as I might be.”

  The man was insane. But she liked his humor and his direct manner. Something told her that with Don Sickler, honesty, no matter how brutal, was the norm.

  The office door opened and Ross strode in, his jaw set, his gaze straight ahead. Not a happy camper. He took his seat, nodded at Don and addressed Kate. “As I said, miscommunication. We didn’t receive the message that you were coming. Mr. Samuels has explained why you’re here. Whatever you need from us, we’ll be happy to accommodate.”

  Don shifted his considerable weight. “Uh, you wanna tell me why she’s here?”

  “Mr. Samuels is concerned about the situation on the strip. He would like Ms. Daniels—Kate—to do a thorough security review and report on vulnerabilities. The same is being done at Dominion.”

  “Like I said, shitting elephants.”

  Ross slid a disapproving eye his way and Don waved him off.

  Shitting elephants? Everything Kate had heard about Don Sickler was true. A total throwback. He’d already called her honey and maybe doll would be next, but there was something refreshing about Don Sickler and his complete lack of political correctness.

  “Whatever it is,” Ross said, “we’re at Ms. Daniels disposal.”

  He met her gaze, those rich dark eyes giving her chest a little whump-whump. Wow. She needed to start carrying a fan. This man bypassed hot and went right to scalding.

  “I’m sorry. This isn’t how this was supposed to go.”

  “Not your fault. Just tell me what you need and we’ll make it happen. I’ve had my assistant clear my schedule for the afternoon. Where do we start?”

  Chilly. Gone was the charming man who’d flirted with her at blackjack. Pity. She’d rather enjoyed the banter. She couldn’t blame him. His boss had just destroyed his day. And if she intended to get cooperation from these men, she’d have to smooth things over. Go to work. “I’ll make you both a deal. Ross, how about you give me a tour of the facility and then I meet with Don regarding surveillance. That way I won’t tie up both of your afternoons. Does that work?”

  Don shot out of his chair. “Works for me.”

  The three of them filed out of Ross’s office into the outer hallway where Marcia circled her desk, clipboard in hand. On cue, Ross reached for the clipboard. “Whatcha got?”

  “A few things.” She glanced at Kate then back to Ross. “One is that thing we talked about this morning. The other is a request from Barb for one of her whales.”

  Ross signed the first document on the clipboard then flipped the page and scanned the next one. His mouth dipped to a frown. “Seriously?”

  “Yep.”

  “He’s a piece of work this guy.”

  He signed it, handed the clipboard over. “What else?”

  “I moved that meeting regarding the poker tournament, but I can’t get hold of your three o’clock yet. You might have to do that one.”

  “That’s fine. Thank you.”

  “And the other meeting—the monkey guy? He’s tomorrow.”

  Kate burst out laughing. Couldn’t help it. That monkey thing sounded interesting.

  Ross turned to Kate and grinned. “We have a guest about to ask me if we can accommodate his monkey. I will most likely agree because said guest will drop a million dollars at our tables.”

  “A million-dollar monkey,” Kate said.

  Don shook his head. “We’ll put a cage outside. He’s not bringing that thing inside. No way. That’s all I’m saying.” He inhaled, and then let it out. “Now I’m aggravated. Over a monkey. Find me when the tour is over.”

  Don went one direction and Marcia swung back around her desk. “Your schedule is a war zone. Total disaster.”

  “Find me!” Don yelled.

  Ross held his arms wide. “As you can see, I’m highly respected around here.”

  Crazy bunch.

  Marcia rolled her eyes. “Also, on the employee issue—”

  “—the disability payment?”

  “Yes. There’s a problem with the paperwork.”

  Ross looked at her, his face more than a little unforgiving and she threw up her hands. “I know. It’s maddening. I have calls into everyone.”

  “Marcia, the woman was in tears yesterday. Her landlord is threatening to throw her out. Where the hell is her check?”

  “Clerical error. Someone transposed two numbers.”

  “This woman can’t pay her rent because someone goofed up a spreadsheet? We can’t fix that?”

  “Well, yes, we can. It’s taking some time.”

  Apparently not satisfied with that answer, he whirled and headed back to his office. A minute later he returned with a folded slip of paper and held it to Marcia.

  “No.” She crossed her arms. “You’re not doing that. I’m working it out.”

  He dropped the slip of paper, one that looked an awful lot like a check, on her desk. “I signed that. Please find out who to make it out to.”

  “I won’t.”

  He hit her with a flashing smile and laughed. “Yeah, you will. You know it’s the right thing.” With that, he faced Kate. “You may have figured out that Marcia runs this place. Be nice to her.”

  Marcia rolled her eyes. “Your charm is wasted on me, but thank you.”

  Ross did a little bow and that same low squeeze Kate had felt in the casino hit her again. Trouble. But, wow, trouble looked awfully good.

  “I’ll be giving Ms. Daniels a tour of the casino. Call me if you need me.”

  Kate followed Ross to the emergency stairs where he held the door open for her. “Stairs are faster. Hope you don’t mind.”

  “Nope. All for it. You have an easy rapport with your staff.”

  “I do. There’s a line though and they know when they’re getting close to it. I like to be clear on that. I’m still the boss. Except with Don. He doesn’t report to me. We both report to Samuels. We work well together. I try to stay out of his wheelhouse. He’s old school so our methods are…different.”

  There were just enough rumors swirling around Vegas to make Kate believe that Don Sickler shouldn’t be messed with. “You’re a Wharton grad?”

  “I am.”

  At the bottom of the stairs, he shoved his thumb against a pad, swung the door open and the shouts and blinging noises of the casino filled the stairwell.

  “Why casino management?”

  “I love it. I worked as a dealer while in business school. The energy in a casino appeals to me. When it came to running a business, this was the business I wanted to run.”

  A man wearing a red blazer and
black pants—the casino uniform—walked toward them. He was accompanied by three other employees, two of whom also wore red security jackets. The third man pushed a cart. From her own experience, Kate recognized them as the team who gathered cash from the tables and gaming machines and delivered it to the vault area.

  “Morning, Mr. Cooper.”

  “Morning, Bruce.” They strode past and Ross jerked his thumb. “Drop team. They’re collecting the drop boxes from the tables.”

  “Do you know everyone by name?”

  “No, but I do my best. We have over ten thousand employees. Like every business, we have turnover. Every time we get a new employee in the casino, I get a file on them and introduce myself.”

  “A good practice. They know you’re hands on.”

  “Yes, they do. And it’ll stay that way.”

  An hour later, while doubling back toward the mini-baccarat tables, a young blonde woman wearing a chic black dress and towering strappy heels stopped him. She was a tiny little thing, but her doe-eyes and sleek bob gave her a presence—refined, yet sexy.

  “Hey, boss.” She smiled at Kate then went back to Ross. “Got a sec?”

  Ross excused himself and the two stepped away. After a brief conversation, Ross returned. “That’s Steph. She one of my VIP team members.”

  “VIP team?”

  Ross nodded. “They manage the biggest gamblers. Whatever the whales need, her team is responsible for getting it.”

  “Who’s on the team?”

  “Anyone who comes in contact with the player. Housekeepers, butlers, the concierge, casino hosts, credit managers. You name it. No matter what their function, they’re the best we could find.”

  Something caught her eye, but Ross was still in tour guide mode and directed her attention to the ceiling where all that hand-carved molding had probably taken a year to create.

  “1,500 cameras are monitored 24/7 by surveillance agents. Seventy-five percent of the cameras can rotate 360 degrees. The zoom is so tight we can see the serial numbers on a bill.”

  She slowed her pace and focused on the man sitting at what Ross had earlier identified as table six. Whoa.