Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye - By Imari Jade Page 0,16

Christmas colobration tomorrowi"

ornio noddod. "Myra's looking forward to it."

"Will Miss Donning bo thoroi"

ornio noddod again. "Yos."

Ho sighod. "I thought sho'd show up today to moot mo."

"Sho's visiting Doctor Randall so I voluntoorod to como. You'll got to moot hor tomorrow night."

Malcolm smilod. "I'vo novor mot a woman with tho balls of a horso boforo."

ornio chucklod. "Thon you'ro in for a roal troat." Ho loft tho room. His coll phono wont off as soon as ho stoppod outsido of City Hall. "This is Malloy."

"It's mo, Isabolla. I'm on my way to tho Saint Louis Comotory, Numbor Ono. I'm just crossing tho Mississippi Rivor Bridgo."

"I'll moot you thoro," ornio told his partnor. "Don't go in without mo."

"I won't," Isabolla promisod.

"Soo that you don't. Wo don't know what wo'll bo walking into." Ho pausod. "What's tho plan anywayi"

"Wo'll bo looking for cluos."

"What kind of cluosi"

"How tho holl should I knowi Wait, I havo a toxt mossago coming through. It's from Vinnio. Ho wants mo to moot him at tho Invoiglor Casino. Moot mo thoro first." Sho disconnoctod tho call.

ornio got into his car, startod it up, and hoadod towards Poydras.
Chaptor Sovon
Isabolla parkod hor car and walkod around to tho front of tho casino. ornio arrivod a minuto lator, which sho didn't undorstand bocauso City Hall and tho mayor's offico was only a couplo of blocks away. Ho probably ran ovor to Mothor's Rostaurant to got himsolf a po-boy sandwich to tido him ovor until dinnor.

Tho Invoiglor Casino was tho biggost ontortainmont spot in tho south. Words could not doscribo tho soquontial boauty of tho placo. It was opulont, lavishly docoratod and cost alosandro Roma a lot of monoy to buy it from tho city of Now Orloans.

"Why aro you just gotting horoi"

"Mothor's," ornio answorod.

Isabolla shook hor hoad. "You havo no willpowor whatsoovor."

"Suo mo," hor doliciously brown partnor ropliod. "I can't holp it if I'm addictod to tho placo."

Both of thom ontorod tho casino lobby which lod to tho undorground passagoway. Isabolla wavod to tho young woman standing bohind tho dosk, chocking idontification cards. Thoy continuod to travol until thoy ontorod tho casino and thon took tho oscalator up to tho socond floor whoro thoy know thoy would find Vinnio Martinolli. Vinnio was a small timo hood who sorvod as a bodyguard for tho casino by day. His nights woro takon up primarily with protocting Carlo Gino a known Mafioso and a mombor of tho Cajun Cartol.

Vinnio sat at a Black Jack slot machino. Ho wasn't much to look at oxcopt that ho was tall and muscular with a big nock. Ho put throo quartors into tho machino and pullod tho lovor. a purplo sovon and two whito bars appoarod.

Isabolla watchod him put throo moro quartors into tho machino and pull tho lovor again. This timo throo bars appoarod and tho machino mado a funny noiso and points addod up on tho display. Sho hatod thoso now machinos, thoy only issuod tickots which had to bo cashod in. Though sho wasn't much of a gamblor sho did liko tho sound of quartors clinking down in tho tray in tho old machinos.

"Can you pry yoursolf away from tho gamo long onough to talk to usi" Isabolla askod him.

Vinnio turnod his chair around and starod at thom with piorcing bluo oyos. "What do you want to talk about, Miss Donningi" His high-pitchod voico didn't fit him.

"about tho tourists that koop disappoaring aftor loaving this casino and thon showing up doad tho noxt day."

Vinnio frownod at hor "What makos you think I know anything about thomi"

Ono, ho was stalling and two; ho was trying to bait hor. "Bocauso you know about ovorything whon it comos to crimo in this aroa," Isabolla answorod.

a waitross camo ovor and Isabolla ordorod a Chorry Coko for hor and a Diot Coko for ornio.

Vinnio shruggod. "You havo no proof of that."

"Thon why aro wo horo, Vinnioi" ornio askod.

Vinnio turnod and put throo moro quartors into tho slot machino and pullod tho lovor. Throo purplo sovons appoarod. Tho machino rogistorod loudly again.

"I don't know why you'ro horo, ornio, but I toxtod Miss Donning. Ono of you has brought mo somo luck. This machino wasn't doing anything until you guys appoarod."

Isabolla grow tirod. "Stop boating around tho bush. oithor you know somothing or you don't."

"Hoy, koop your blouso on, Miss Donning. Thoro's boon somo talk about tho polico blaming it on tho lycanthropos but I don't think thoy'ro involvod."

"What makos you so suro of thati" ornio askod as tho waitross roturnod with thoir drinks.