Rainier sank all the way back on the couch, his focused gaze on Raine’s face. “Interesting idea you’ve come up with, although he’s had a couple of attempts on his life.”
“Anyone can arrange a couple of near misses.” Unexpectedly, it was Zahra who answered Rainier, not Raine. “It would give Daniel a great excuse to go into seclusion and surround himself with his own security force.”
“He knows that,” Raine said. “And the two of them have already considered the idea that Daniel Wallin set this entire thing up.”
“True,” Zale admitted. “But we didn’t consider that he had a grudge against our boss.”
“Why does a computer analyst have a team that would immediately come to her rescue and grab a truck out from under the hands of our people?” Rainier asked. “That isn’t logical.”
Raine lifted an eyebrow and winced, putting one hand to her head, covering her expression as she did so. “Don’t pretend you didn’t run a background check on all of us, Rainier. You know I have a high security clearance.”
“You’re practically a national treasure the way they guard you.” Zale made it a joke, but his tone wasn’t joking.
“Funny, I thought the same of all of you.”
“We’re open books,” Rainier countered.
“Are you?” Raine fired back. “I suppose you could say that if one believed the carefully crafted bios put out about each of you.”
“Carefully crafted?” Zale echoed. “You don’t think Rainier is a doctor? Or that I have a legal degree?”
“I believe the details of your education and your military careers are the only real things in your bios,” Raine said with a little shrug. “Not that it matters any more than what you couldn’t find on me. I don’t ask questions because I don’t think the answers are necessary. As far as the truck goes and any information it might reveal, I’m sure your agency and the people I work with can work out the details of sharing without us.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” Zale agreed. “So, let’s get back to Daniel Wallin. He’s an interesting man with quite the history. He’s the grandson of Angelo Bottaro, who was head of the notorious crime family in Vegas for years. Bottaro had a stranglehold on quite a few of the businesses in Vegas. His daughter, Isabella, gave birth to Daniel. Daniel was raised by his father, Norman, not Isabella, and no one knew he was Angelo’s grandson, although his father hung around the crime family for years.”
“That matches with what Raine found on Wallin,” Harlow said. It was clear she didn’t want either of the men to think they had more on the casino owner than Raine did.
Vienna didn’t want her to say anything at all. It was better to pretend ignorance and let the two men give them as much information as possible.
“Raine, you were using your skills to find out about Wallin?” Rainier asked.
“Naturally. Vienna told us about the men coming to her suite in an attempt to kill her and then Wallin’s strange story about no one ever winning at cards with him when it counted until Liam Gram did.” Raine kept her attention on her food. “Shabina, this is delicious as usual. Thank you for saving me some. I’ll bet there wasn’t anything left.”
“You would be correct,” Shabina agreed, amusement tingeing her tone. “Plenty of dessert though.”
“There won’t be,” Zale assured. “This crisp is terrific, Shabina. I wasn’t kidding about those cooking lessons.”
“Everything Shabina cooks or bakes is terrific,” Rainier said unexpectedly. He eased his body into another position. “Even when she first started learning, she pretty much cooked rings around all her instructors.”
Shabina shook her head, color tingeing her cheeks. “That’s not true, but thank you.”
“I don’t say personal things unless they’re true.” Rainier’s voice was gruff. “You know that about me.”
Vienna wondered more than ever when the two had known each other. Shabina rarely volunteered information about her past, now that Vienna thought about it. Rainier was a hard man, and he definitely felt he had the right to look after Shabina’s safety. Vienna had always made it a policy not to pry into her friends’ lives. She felt if they wanted to disclose any secrets to her, they would. She’d never been more curious in her life. To keep from asking questions, she turned the spotlight back on Daniel Wallin.
“You said you hadn’t explored the possibility that Wallin had a grudge against your boss and was killing his agents, but you must have discussed some kind of similar scenario with him. Did he know Wallin?”
“No,” Zale answered before Rainier could tell her that was information they couldn’t disclose. “He’s never met the man. Wallin called in a favor from a friend, and a guard detail was sent to him. Those agents were killed. Our boss wasn’t too happy. He’s no fool. Immediately suspicion fell on Wallin’s security detail. We went around that detail and another agent was killed. That made no sense.”
“No,” Raine said softly. “That wasn’t in the least bit logical.”
Vienna couldn’t help watching Rainier. He appeared to be enjoying the dessert, but his gaze was sharp each time it rested on Raine. A part of her wanted to stand between them. She didn’t know why. He didn’t feel as if he were a direct threat—and yet he did. Zale was a scary, dangerous man and gave off that vibe, but Rainier, now that he was revealed, more and more, seemed to really show what a truly dangerous man could be.
Rainier seemed as if he were cool and still, just like Zale, blending into the background when he wanted. Taking part in a discussion if he desired. Becoming very protective or in charge, taking over without hesitation. Then there was a side of him that suddenly came out that made Vienna think he could pull out a gun and shoot everyone in the room without hesitation. Did Zale have that same side? Did Stella’s Sam? Had she deliberately not seen that trait in them?
“It’s possible you’re onto something, Raine,” Zale said. “Wallin might be behind the attacks on the agents for some reason of his own. We haven’t uncovered what that reason would be, and our investigators have dug deep. Have you?”
Both men were watching Raine very closely. Tension slowly filled the room. Now it did feel as if a threat might be creeping into the air. Why that would be, Vienna didn’t know, but even Zale’s dark eyes were flat and cold, giving off that intense, focused attention that was just this side of terrifying.
Raine didn’t appear in the least fazed by the intensity of the gathering tension. She ate her dinner slowly while she contemplated the question. Waving her fork in the air after she swallowed her food, she gave them a small frown. “It’s impossible to know whether or not I uncovered an actual reason. Everything is speculation at this point. I don’t have the romantic views the others have, and it’s easier for me to take a different spin on Wallin. For instance, I didn’t buy the car accident that killed his son’s mother, Miriam.”
“We didn’t like that either,” Zale admitted. “It felt too convenient.”
“Exactly. Daniel Wallin likes control, and he didn’t have complete control of Miriam and Axel. He had to get rid of Miriam in order to train Axel the way he wanted him brought up. Vienna told us Wallin has a psychic gift he uses to persuade others in his business deals and when he plays cards. It’s one of the many reasons his casino has profited. It’s also the reason he doesn’t want to build a second one. He hasn’t disclosed that gift to the crime side of his family. I’m willing to bet his son has it as well, and he’s working with him in order to expand.”
Raine sent the two men a serene smile that told them nothing. “Of course, again, this is pure speculation on my part. Other than looking at the official reports on the accident, which were pure bullshit and clearly the result of Daniel or his grandfather, Angelo, bribing the officials to make it look as if they believed Miriam’s death was an accident.” She fell silent and put her fork and knife down, indicating she was finished with her food.
Immediately, Shabina stood. “Would you care for dessert?”
Raine nodded. “I’ve been thinking about it all day, Shabina.”