Page 28 of The Unseen
T HEY WOULDN’T BE STAYING OUT LATE, L UCAS PROMISED, AND J OSH would remain at Belle Reve until they returned. In the meantime, Nicole focused on what it would take to keep her little brother out of jail.
She sat back in the passenger seat of the Jeep for the thirty-minute ride to the Four Queens Casino on the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge.
As the car drew near, lights on the front of the building glowed in neon reds, greens, blues, and purples.
The club wasn’t as big as one of the massive casinos in Vegas, but plenty of gaming action went on inside.
The Jeep pulled up beneath the wide portico in front of the entrance, where a fountain bubbled in welcome.
A white-jacketed valet opened the passenger door and helped Nicole out of the car.
Lucas took her arm and they pushed through the gleaming brass-and-glass front doors into the pandemonium on the gaming floor: the bells, whistles, laughter, and music that made the Four Queens a success.
Lucas guided her past rows of slot machines, lights flashing, chimes ringing; past a spinning roulette wheel; heading straight for the restaurant at the rear of the club. Players shouting numbers crowded around craps tables, and blackjack dealers flipped cards, keeping players hopeful.
A purple neon sign outlined in gold read: JOKER’S WILD. Nicole felt Lucas’s hand at her waist, guiding her through the door. Inside, the lighting in the room had touches of the same purple and gold. The hostess, a long-legged, voluptuous blonde, smiled as they approached.
“Lucas. It’s nice to see you.” A look of interest gleamed in her pretty blue eyes. “Remy is expecting you.”
“His usual table?” Lucas asked, and Nicole wondered just how well he knew the woman.
“Of course. I’ll show you the way in case you’ve forgotten.”
Lucas made no comment, just urged Nicole forward, and they fell in step behind the buxom hostess in the silver sequined dress. Nicole glanced over at Lucas, but the hostess’s interest in him didn’t appear to be returned.
She relaxed, determined to enjoy herself, even if they were there on very serious business.
Remy slid out of the booth to greet them, a tall handsome man behind his black mustache. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “ Cherie, you are looking quite lovely tonight.”
She’d chosen a simple white silk sheath, with gold jewelry and very high heels. She’d wanted to look good for Lucas. She thought it was one of her most flattering outfits.
“Thank you.”
Remy seated her in the curved, high-backed booth surrounding a linen-draped table.
Through the windows across the room, the Mississippi River sluggishly made its way to the sea.
As Lucas and Remy slid into the booth, one on each side of her, a young male server appeared, tiny diamond studs in his ears. He carried a bottle of wine.
“Red wine all right?” Remy asked Nicole. “Unless you prefer something else?”
“Red wine is perfect,” Nicole said. Either white or red worked for her, and she recognized the label as an expensive brand.
The server pulled the cork, poured Remy a taste, which he approved, then poured each of them a glass and set the bottle on a silver coaster on the table. The men ordered steak medium rare—no surprise there—and Nicole ordered halibut and risotto.
“Time to get down to business,” Remy said as the server quietly disappeared.
Lucas took a sip of wine and set the glass back down on the table. “We discussed the situation when I called, so you know what’s going on. Nicole’s younger brother is in a bad situation. I’m hoping you’ve had time to find out something that could help us.”
“Something, yes. Unfortunately, not enough.” Remy took a drink of wine.
“I figured out what sparked all of this. There is a car auction coming up at Casino Rouge Chateau. It’s a smaller version of a Barrett-Jackson event.
Though the number of attendees will be fewer, it is expected to draw some of the most expensive cars in the world in every category: Ferrari, McLaren, Bugatti, classic Mercedes, Aston Martin, and Jaguar.
Some of these cars go for twenty, thirty, forty million dollars. ”
“Wow,” Nicole said. “I had no idea.”
“If you are a collector, you understand how big an industry it is.”
“You don’t think they’re expecting Sean to steal multimillion-dollar cars?” Lucas said.
“No.”
“Thank God,” Nicole said.
“Unfortunately, it is nearly as bad. This kind of an auction attracts big-money buyers. They don’t drive Fords and Chevys. They drive cars worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Rolls, Bentleys, Porsches—anything and everything big money can buy.”
“No chance Sean’s getting away with it,” Lucas said.
“I wouldn’t be so sure. This setup must have been in the planning stages for months. Most likely, Sean is not the only driver. My guess is, they have several people lined up.”
Nicole’s stomach knotted. Sean was in even worse trouble than she had imagined.
Lucas picked up his wineglass. “We need to find out who’s behind this. Any luck locating the infamous Bruno?”
“Not yet—but chances are, I will,” Remy said. “I don’t think Bruno is that high up in the chain of command. His name is bandied about too casually. There are definitely people above him, maybe several tiers before you reach the man at the top.”
Not good news.
Their meals arrived, but Nicole’s appetite had waned. When Lucas realized she was only pushing the food around on her plate, he leaned over and spoke to her softly.
“Everything’s going to be all right . Remy has the contacts to get the information we need. We’re going to keep Sean safe.”
“It is only a matter of time before we figure out what is going on,” Remy added.
Nicole fought to hold back tears. “Then what happens? How do we stop them?”
A look passed between the two men. “We will find a way,” Remy said. “In the meantime, cherie, if you wish to keep that beautiful figure, and you do not want to insult my chef, as well as me, you must eat.”
At the confidence in Remy’s voice and the concern in Lucas’s golden-brown eyes, she nodded. “You’re right. We need to stay positive.” She managed to smile. “And it’s ridiculous to waste this delicious food.”
Both men relaxed and dug back into their meals. Nicole was surprised to discover her appetite had returned. She trusted Lucas and she was coming to trust his best friend.
She took a sip of the rich red wine and began to enjoy her dinner.
Sitting in front of the gilded mirror above the dressing table in her bedroom, Rachel brushed her long black hair.
As her mother had also done, she counted the strokes: ninety-eight, ninety-nine, one hundred.
Finished, she tossed the heavy strands over her shoulder.
In the mirror, she looked thin and a little too pale.
It wasn’t just her deteriorating health, she knew. It was worry.
Things were happening at Belle Reve. Things she couldn’t control. Like the plumbing leak and the electrical fire, problems she was coming to believe had been caused on purpose.
Unlike the sounds in the night that came strictly from the house’s past.
She gasped when she looked in the mirror and saw a figure looming over her shoulder. She saw Francois’s high cheekbones, gleaming jet-black hair, and brilliant blue eyes. She took a deep breath and managed to calm her nerves.
“I hoped you would come,” she said into the mirror, afraid to turn and look at him, afraid he would disappear.
I missed you.
The words rang clearly in her head, and her eyes misted. “I missed you, too.”
I am lonely. I ache for you. Come to bed with me.
Dear God, it was insane. None of this could be real, and yet she found herself rising from the upholstered velvet bench, turning toward him, hoping he would reach out and touch her. His face was clearly visible above the faint, transparent figure of a man.
With a whisper of silk, her white negligee slipped off her shoulders. The tie at the neck of the matching white nightgown unwound and the gown slid into a puddle at her feet. Naked, she felt embarrassment wash over her. She wanted to cross her arms over her small, pointed breasts.
No. You are beautiful.
Her breath froze as her body lifted and he carried her across the room. The covers turned back and he settled her on the mattress. Gentle hands roamed over her. She felt the brush of his lips and closed her eyes.
The lights dimmed. She could feel him there, pressing her down on the mattress.
His lips melded with hers as his hands roamed over her, caressed her, began to stir the incredible yearning she had felt before.
At her small sound of encouragement, his lips pressed against the pulse throbbing at the base of her throat.
She wanted this, wanted him, for as long as she could draw air into her lungs.
Francois, she said in her mind, no longer wanting to disturb the moment with the sound of her voice.
Rachel.
It was the first time he had used her name, and love for him swelled inside her. She wondered if he knew.
He touched her as he had before, pleasing her, pleasing both of them. Soft French words whispered over her as he joined with her and brought her to fulfillment. When they were finished, he kissed her one last time and she closed her eyes, giving in to the weariness that pulled her under.
Minutes passed, perhaps longer. A noise, something out of place in the room, caught her attention. The sound of heavy breathing sent chills down her spine and her eyes flashed open. She felt Francois ease away from her, though she knew he remained nearby.
The sounds increased, the rustle of movement, a harsh, grating sound as the breathing grew louder. Something cold touched her face.
What’s happening? she thought. Francois?
He is mine! A woman’s voice, loud and demanding.