High Stakes Gamble Read Online Free Page A

Sonny, the stepson of the boss who offered him a job as his kid’s bodyguard.”
    “And he took it?” Christ! So that’s what happened! At peace now, Cory sat back to hear the rest.
    “Truthfully, the man didn’t feel as if he had a choice. His own sense of justice, plus a few pertinent words from me, coerced him into taking it in order to bring down the scum. No one imagined it would go on for so long, though. Thing is, he got deeper into their gang politics than anyone else had ever managed.”
    “What’s their names?”
    “Father is Dominic Angeli. Sonny is the punk Kai’s been babysitting. You might know them as the Angeli mob. They’re pretty infamous on the west coast for their interests in extortion, money laundering trafficking, prostitution—”
    “Not to mention smuggling and counterfeiting. Yeah, I know about them. They’ve been a boil on our backside for quite some time. Thing is, I heard the father disliked the stepson and kept him out of the loop.”
    “He did. And Sonny ended up pissed about it. Being that he’s far worse than his old man, and craved leadership in the organization, we’re pretty sure he was instrumental in the old man’s death.”
    “Was? Sounds as if there were new developments.”
    “Thanks to Lawson, last week we were able to catch them red-handed with a load of young hijacked girls bound for the dens in the east and a shitload of drugs being shipped alongside the human cargo. He set up a sting that worked like a charm except for one thing.”
    “What’s that?” Cory sensed the drama and knew he wasn’t going to like the answer. He didn’t.
    “Lawson was shot in the line of duty, took one in the arm and the chest. Don’t look so worried, he’s getting better every day, enough to drive the hospital staff crazy. In fact, I received notice a few hours ago that he’d signed himself out and has taken leave.”
    “Then he’ll be at his old place?”
    “If he’s keeping his ass outta trouble.”

Chapter Six
    Weary and heartsick, Kai returned to his apartment to find a dusty, cold shell of a home. Captain Powers had made arrangements for one of the flunkies to periodically check the joint, pick up his mail, which was scattered over his table, and water his artificial plant if the Chinese pot now filled to the brim yielded a clue. Dumber than stumps, some of those guys. He shook his head, sighed and looked around.
    At one time, he’d been proud of his place. His man-cave, he had all the guy things that make a residence home for a regular sports-loving, game-playing, popular with a lot of friends kind of dude. A big-screen TV took the central position against the wall and the man-size comfy brown leather couches and chairs circled it.
    First thing he tackled—listening to his totally filled answering machine took more guts than standing in front of a maniac firing a weapon in his direction.
    The first call had recorded her soft voice pleading for him to come back so they could talk. Telling him she had a reason for the actions she’d taken by killing Rhondo. Begging for his support during her ordeal while under investigation.
    The inquest had happened quickly and he’d done everything he could from L.A. He’d written a statement to exonerate her, explaining that she’d returned fire and might have saved lives by her actions.
    A misrepresentation, but the investigators didn’t need to know that. Both he and Cory had shot to disarm the crazed man; Aurora had taken the final unnecessary shot, aiming for his heart. A traitorous move since just moments earlier she’d begged him not to kill Rhondo, to let justice run its course.
    He still had no idea how she justified her actions to the committee. The difference was that he now knew she could and her reasoning would be sound.
    Her tear-filled voice during the next few messages, telling him she loved him and needed him, tore away all the armor he’d built up over the last months he’d been forced to stay away. Aware