Smoke and Mirrors

92

Brad met Winter in the Gardners’ foyer, and after following him to the master bedroom where a still-dressed Leigh was stretched out on the bed, he filled them in on his meeting with Klein. He didn’t tell them he suspected that Klein had been behind the plan to kill the Gardners, as the injustice would gnaw at them. The important thing was that the Gardners were no longer in danger and Cyn would soon be safe at home.

“He’s paying five million, in cash? Just like that?” Brad asked.

Winter nodded. “I think he would have probably paid more, Leigh. But it’s what you thought was fair and it is an amount he can live with.”

“What about Mulvane?” Brad said. “Does he know what he’s done?”

“He seemed convinced,” Winter said. “Hard to tell with a man like Klein. He gave me the impression that he has suspected some subterfuge on Mulvane’s part all along. After the deal is done, we’ll take the bonds, put them in Brad’s evidence safe, and you can move them to your bank when it opens.”

“I don’t care about the bonds,” Leigh said.

Winter asked, “Where’s Alexa? I want to tell her.”

“You didn’t see her? She took off to watch your back when I told her you went to the Roundtable.”

“No,” Winter said.

He opened his cell phone and dialed Alexa, his fingers trembling involuntarily. After three rings she answered.

“Yes?” she said.

“Lex!?”

“What’s up?”

“Where are you? Brad told me you followed me.”

“I saw you leaving the casino and as I was getting ready to follow you, I got a call from Deputy Director Hatcher. He insisted that I meet with some field agents from the Memphis office. No biggie. I’m driving to the FO now.”

“Okay. We’re doing the deal tonight at nine.”

“So you don’t need me right now?”

“No. I guess not. You scared the hell out of me is all. I was about to call in the cavalry.”

“I’ll be back from Memphis as soon as I can get away,” she said. “I want to be there when Cyn calls or shows up. You stay sharp, you hear?”

“There’s no danger. Klein will make sure Mulvane doesn’t pull anything.” Winter closed the phone and slipped it into his pocket.

“Can you imagine Mulvane’s face if a dozen armed deputies had thundered into the casino hollering out Alexa’s name?” Brad said.

“The only thing I know is that nothing is going to happen to Alexa on my watch. Anybody does anything to her, and it’s scorched earth time.”