Deadly Charade - By Virna Depaul Page 0,69

You need to leave now.”

Linda glanced at Molly Snow, who had begun to stir. “Okay.” She walked toward the door, took out one of her business cards and placed it on a small table on her way out. She then turned to Diana.

“I want to help. Call me if you think of anything. Please.”

Diana Wilson didn’t respond. But she looked down at Linda’s card and stared at it for several long seconds before she turned back to her. “Goodbye, Ms. Delaney.”

* * *

Tony tried calling the Rapture supplier after the guy had hung up on him but the phone just kept ringing. The man had probably switched cell phones anyway.

A week, he thought. It wasn’t ideal, but like the guy had said, at least he was still willing to meet with him.

As he’d done several times since returning to Sacramento, Tony called Justine’s cell. Again he got no answer. He thought about driving to the house on Tortuga Boulevard, but he suspected that once he showed his face there again, he’d be delayed far longer than he wanted to be. He’d have to go back eventually. Tomorrow even.

But right now? Right now he wanted to get back to Linda and make sure she was okay. And since he’d already made contact with the Rapture supplier, he felt perfectly justified doing so.

Then again he’d always been particularly good at justifying things when he needed to.

By the time Tony got back to the hotel, Linda was asleep. Exhausted himself, he watched the rise and fall of her breasts as she slept, curled in a tight ball on the corner of the mattress. He’d asked for a suite when they’d checked in, but the best the hotel could do was a room with two double beds. Linda had claimed one, which meant he’d be sleeping in the other.

Alone.

He whispered her name, but Linda remained still. She was dead to the world. Good for her. She needed her sleep.

Tony brought his phone into the bathroom and tried once again to get a hold of Justine. When she didn’t pick up he left her yet another message, telling her he was back in town and asking her to call him. He pressed the button to terminate the call and quietly entered the bedroom again. He sat on his bed and looked at Linda.

He looked at her for what seemed like hours.

Then he lay down and went to asleep in his cold bed.

And dreamed about holding her in his arms once more.

Chapter 26

The next morning Linda woke to find Tony had come and gone. He’d left a note, saying he had something important to do and promised to call soon. After eating breakfast, she used her laptop to run a background check on Molly and Toby Snow. Neither of them had had trouble with the law until six months ago, when they’d been cited twice for disorderly conduct outside a local nightclub. She next ran a background check on Molly Snow’s sister, Diana Wilson, the woman she’d met at the hospital. Unlike her sister, Diana did have an arrest record. She’d been arrested twice for possession of methamphetamine. What was interesting was that she’d been arrested for driving under the influence of a controlled substance after she’d left Club Matrix, the same nightclub where the Snows had gotten their citations.

It was as good a place to start as any.

Linda put in a call to Tony, but only got his voice mail. She left a message telling him she had a lead and asked him to call her back. He called her in less than fifteen minutes.

“Tell me about this lead you’re talking about.”

“There’s a place called Club Matrix. Do you know of it?”

“Yeah,” Tony said. “It’s an odd place—caters to an eclectic mix of clientele. Straights, gays, professionals looking for a little excitement by being in a dive. Sometimes even bikers go there, but not often.”

“I have reason to believe Rapture deals go down at the club. I think we should go there tonight, Tony. Pose as a couple out for a good time and see what we can ferret out.”

Silence filled the air. Linda waited, knowing what Tony was thinking. He wanted to protect her. Keep her safe. But her reputation was on the line. And so was Tony’s life. Even if he wasn’t in physical danger, his ability to move on and get on with his life was at stake. She wanted to help him get past that.

Finally Tony spoke. “There’s no need for