Page 16 of Joker's Ghost
I busy myself storing the other duffel. “Of course not, but you gotta admit it is kinda freaky.”
“What’s freaky is my hard-ass VP believing in this voodoo shit.”
“I didn’t say I believe it. I said it was weird.”
“I think Daisy’s getting to you with all this Halloween shit.” Cobra throws his leg over his Harley. “‘Cause the only thing we have to worry about is making sure the Nomads hold up their end of the deal and stay the fuck outta Vegas.”
“Right.” I pull on my fingerless gloves and hit the throttle, but the deep ache in my gut hasn’t left me since Python pulled the trigger on that Nomad.
CHAPTER 6
JOKER
After Cobra and I store the money in the safe hidden in the floorboards of The Gold Mine, I head to the garage. He wanted to toast our victory, but the thought of putting alcohol into my tender stomach made the constant ache worse. Hopefully, losing myself in work would wash away the uneasiness living within me.
Three hours later, I didn’t feel much better. If anything, I felt worse. The overwhelming paranoia and dread forced me to head home, check on my family, and convince myself what’s spinning through my brain is the result of not enough sleep.
When I enter our condo, an unusual silence surrounds me. Normally, Derek is blasting music while Deana watches the latest Disney movie at an earsplitting volume. The living room is empty, along with the kitchen, so I head toward the bedrooms. I check Derek and Deana’s rooms, and both are empty too.
My bedroom door is closed, and the ache in my gut intensifies along with a cold chill inching down my spine. I drawin a deep breath, slide my hand to my shoulder holster then slowly ease through the door—and freeze.
In three large steps, I’m standing over Daisy’s body sprawled out on top of the bed.
“Daisy?” I grasp her shoulders and shake her.
She bolts upright, eyes wide. “What the hell?”
I huff out a breath. “What are you doing?”
“I was taking a nap until you screamed. You scared me to death.” She pushes herself to a sitting position. “What’s wrong?”
“Sorry.” I ease onto the side of the bed, exhaustion overwhelming me. “Rough day.”
“So, you thought you’d come home and scare the shit out of me for fun?”
“No, no. It’s just . . .” How the hell did he tell his wife he was freaked out by an old Shoshone chief who basically told him his life was in danger?
She cups my face with her hand. “Usually it’s me freaking out, so tell me what’s bothering you.”
“Where’s Derek and Deana?”
“Derek took her to seeHocus Pocusafter school.” She grins. “I bribed him by promising to make fettuccine Alfredo tonight for dinner.”
“Oh . . . nice.” I force myself to settle.
“Now, tell me why you’re white as a ghost, and your eyes are darting around the room.”
I rake my hand through my hair, willing my heart to stop ricocheting against my chest. “Nah, it’s stupid. I was just worried about you.”
Daisy’s cool palm strokes my cheek. “I’m fine; we’re all fine. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“Right.”
Daisy throws her legs over the edge of the bed and stands. Pretty fast for a woman seven months pregnant.
She motions to the box in the corner of the bedroom. “Ifound all kinds of good stuff in those boxes. You’re going to make an amazing Bugsy Siegel.”
The name hits me like a bucket of cold water, and I feel the blood drain out of my face. As if on cue, my stomach rolls, the room spins, and I bolt for the bathroom to empty my stomach for the second time today.
