Ray Hoy - Jack Frost 01 - The Vegas Factor Read Online Free Page A

good.”
    “I’m on my way.” I clicked off and swirled the ice in my glass with a fingertip, looking at Ripper without really seeing him.  
    I had a feeling it was all starting. I felt a strange tingle of apprehension—or perhaps it was anticipation.
    * * *
    “What’s going on, Jilly?”  
    The old man grunted and stirred his drink. He downed half of it without hesitation. “Nothing good, Jack.” He paused, his face bitter. “Nothing good.”  
    He walked to an entertainment complex, then turned and stared at me with bloodshot eyes. “I record every phone conversation that comes into or goes out of this house. An old habit, and a good one, I think.” He turned to the recorder and pushed a button. His voice was weak. “Listen to this.”  
    The expensive speaker system filled the room with the sound of the receiver being lifted, and Jilly’s gruff “Hello.”  
    “You have a cute wife, Jilly,” a man’s oddly high-pitched voice said. “Send Felicia Martinez back where she belongs, and she’ll stay cute. If you don’t, you won’t recognize her the next time she comes home.”
    The speakers faithfully reproduced the caller’s laughter, and Jilly’s reply: “You sick, depraved bastard!” I listened to the rattle of Jilly’s phone being slammed down on the cradle.
    “I know who that is,” Jilly said. “His name is Benny Florentine, and he’s Varchetta’s main muscle. He’s huge and scary, and dangerous as hell.”
    Varchetta had gone straight for Jilly’s soft spot. Only the most ruthless or desperate kind of individual targets a man’s family. “Has Felicia been out of this place since the funeral?” I said. Jilly shook his head without speaking. I went on: “But Vi has?” He nodded. “Has she had any problems with anyone?” I said.
    “No, but she left late this afternoon to go shopping. She’s out there somewhere right now.” I could see the fear on his face. He tilted his glass and let the golden liquid run down his throat. He poured another and glanced at me, his eyes hard. The fear was suddenly gone. “If Varchetta harms her, I’ll—”
    We were interrupted by the slamming of the front door, downstairs. Jilly rushed to the top of the steps. “Vi, is that you?” he bellowed down the stairway.  
    A very upset Vi Evans answered: “I’ve never been so angry in my life!” Her voice grew louder as she stomped up the stairs. I stood as she brushed past her husband and into the room, a frightened Jilly on her heels. Her hair was plastered to her head, and the front of her dress stained. “Look at me!”
    “What the hell happened?” Jilly said.
    She turned to face Jilly. She was still angry, but her voice was mixed with fear now. “I was walking to my car, and found this huge man leaning against it. He was holding a big cup of Coke, or something, in his hand. When I asked what he wanted, he threw his drink into my face and then walked away, laughing! What kind of person would do something like that?”  
    Jilly’s face went white and he fought to catch his breath. I put a hand on his shoulder to steady him.
    Vi brushed at her stained dress, frustrated. She stomped a small foot angrily, then spun on her heel and stormed out of the room.  
    Jilly sat down and put his hands over his face. “My God,” he said. He looked up at me, a stricken expression on his face. “Are you available, Jack?”
    “Damn right, I am!”
    “Thank you. You’re hired as of now.”
    “Hired! Now don’t piss me off, Jilly.”
    “I want to pay you.”
    “If you must, okay. My price is a nice dinner out somewhere after we get this settled.”
    My old friend gave me a weak smile and just nodded. “Okay, Jack, a dinner it is, then.”
    Jilly had a history of heart problems going a long way back. I felt a nagging need to take some of the pressure off his shoulders. “Maybe you should send Vi on a little vacation,” I said. “Say, for two or three weeks, enough to buy us some time.”  
    I