And he had done it with no resentment and even a touch of amusement.

Strange …

CHAPTER

16

CATHERINE PAUSED IN THE DOORWAY, her gaze searching the room.

Table three.

Yes, there he was. She’d had Venable send her a picture of Thomas Jacobs on her phone. He was a small, wiry man in his middle or late fifties dressed in a tux that looked a little too big for him. His thin brown hair was receding to such an extent that he was totally bald in the front. But his cheeks were as flushed as Gallo had told her, and his gray eyes were sparkling with excitement as he gazed at the dealer. He had a stack of chips in front of him, and his expression was totally absorbed.

But he might not stay absorbed if he saw someone glance in her direction. She’d better put the play in motion.

She glided forward, moving to the side to approach Jacobs from the rear.

Be anxious.

Let everyone see her concern.

Okay. Stop short as she pretended to see Jacobs.

She inhaled sharply, her eyes widening with panic.

Now clinch it.

She ran toward Jacobs and touched his shoulder. “No, Thomas, you know you can’t do this.” Her voice was shaking with emotion. “Why don’t you listen? You know what the doctor said about your heart. No excitement. This addiction could be the end—” He was turning to face her, his expression wary. As soon as he saw her, he’d recognize her. She had perhaps thirty seconds. “Do you want to kill yourself?” Her tone was agonized. “I won’t let you do it. I know I told you I wouldn’t stop you if you were this crazy, but I can’t let it happen.”

He was looking at her face, and she saw his expression change as he recognized her. He jumped to his feet. “Get away from me.”

“You have to listen to me, Thomas.” Her hands clasped his shoulders near his throat. “I’m only trying to help you.”

“The hell you are.” He was trying to push her hands away from his throat. “What are—”

“Just leave here and we’ll talk.” Her grasp tightened, her nails pressing into his skin. “You don’t look— Thomas?” His eyes were glazing. “Thomas!”

Jacobs’s knees were buckling, he was falling.

She instinctively put out her arms to catch him.

No, be weak, be helpless.

She let him fall to the floor as if he were too heavy for her to hold.

She dropped to her knees beside him. “No!”

Tears.

That was always harder, but they came. She could feel the tears flow down her cheeks. “Thomas…” She reached out with a shaking hand to check the pulse in his neck. Strong. Steady. He’d be out no more than the twenty minutes she’d told Gallo.

“Pardon me, Mrs. Brookman.” A plump man was pushing his way through the crowd surrounding her. “I’m the casino manager, Anthony Solano. May I help you? Your friend is ill?”

“My brother.” Her voice broke. “His heart. The doctor told him to stay away from gambling. He had his last heart attack after he lost at Monte Carlo.” She gazed pleadingly up at him. “Can you do something for him?”

“Catherine.” Gallo was suddenly beside her, his expression mirroring frustration mixed with concern. “I told you not to come, dammit. He doesn’t deserve it. Is he dead?”

“No, but his pulse is so weak…”

“I saw him fall and called an ambulance. They should be here any minute.” He dropped to his knees and was searching through Jacobs’s pockets. He pulled out a prescription bottle and opened it. “This has to be his medication. Put two under his tongue.”

She took the pills and did as he told her. Then she sat back on her heels, gazing at Gallo in an agony of despair. “Why would he do this? Why wouldn’t he listen?”

“You’ve been asking that for ten years,” Gallo said grimly. “Just because he raised you doesn’t mean you have to follow him around and pick up the pieces every time he goes off the rails.” He turned to the casino manager. “Do you have a defibrillator on the premises in case we need it, or do we have to wait for the ambulance?”

“No, I’m sure we have one in the first-aid room,” Solano said. “I’ll send someone to check and bring—”

He was interrupted by the shrill whine of a siren.

“Never mind,” Gallo said. “The EMT should have one in the ambulance. I’ll go meet them.” He jumped to his feet and was gone.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Brookman.” Solano was bending over her. “Your brother was a good customer of my casino. I can’t tell you how much I regret this happening. Naturally, we’ll do everything we can to help.”

“There was nothing you could do. You couldn’t stop him.” Her lips were trembling. “I don’t blame you. He is a sick man in more ways than one. Perhaps after this attack, he’ll come to his senses.” The tears began to fall again. “If he lives…”

“He will live,” Solano said as he reached out a hand and gently helped her to her feet. “I feel it. I will personally come with you to the hospital and see that he has everything that he needs.”

“You’re very kind.” She leaned against him, her eyes lowered. Ten minutes. Where the hell was Gallo with the ambulance EMTs? “And I’ll be very happy to see you tomorrow morning. Tonight it’s better if it’s only family with him. You understand?”

“Of course. Whatever you wish is—”

“Stand aside.” Gallo was pushing through the crowd, leading the EMTs with their stretcher. “How is he? Has he stirred, Catherine?”

“No. He’s too quiet.”

Gallo bent over him. “Still breathing.” He turned to the EMTs. “Get him in the ambulance and get that defibrillator ready. You may need it.” He glanced at Catherine. “Do you want to ride in the ambulance or in the car with me?”

“I want to be with Thomas.” She turned to Solano as they took Jacobs out to the ambulance. Keep him close. Don’t let him have time to think and change his mind before the ambulance pulled away from the casino. “You’ve been so very kind. Could you walk to the ambulance with me? I don’t want to impose, but I feel—”

“No, it is my pleasure and duty.” Solano took her arm, and she leaned against him as they walked through the lobby. “I’ll give you my card, and if you need anything tonight at the hospital, just call me. I have many friends in New Orleans, and they’ll be happy to help you.” He opened the front door for her. “And I will be there for you tomorrow.”

“Thank you.” She let him help her into the ambulance. She gave him one last look from beneath tear-wet lashes. “If God is merciful, Thomas will live, and I’ll be able to tell him what a good friend you were to both of us.”

Gallo slammed the doors of the ambulance shut.

Fifteen minutes.

The sirens started wailing as they pulled out of the driveway of the casino.

She smiled at the EMT bending over Jacobs before she leaned back and drew a deep breath.

Done.

The ambulance sirens were cut off three minutes later as the driver pulled to the side of the road.

Gallo opened the doors. “Is he awake yet?”

“We’re close.” She jumped out of the ambulance. “But he has two minutes left.”

“Two minutes. You have it down to a science.”

“No, Hu Chang does. He gives me a chart with precise measurements.” She watched the EMTs quickly bind Jacobs’s wrists before putting him into the backseat of the car. “You should give them a bonus. They did very well, and Solano will probably be out looking for them tomorrow.”

“I don’t doubt it,” he said dryly. “Solano’s going to be frustrated as hell that he’s not going to get his chance to get you into the sack. You had him practically drooling.”

She shrugged. “It was just sleight of hand. If he was paying attention to me, he wasn’t paying attention to you and the EMTs.” She smiled and waved at the EMTs as she slipped into the passenger seat of the car. “Hurry. Solano may start to process what happened.”