the stopped traffic. “Call 911. Tell them that I’m in pursuit of a possible homicide suspect. And stay on that side of the street.”
A woman standing next to me laughed. “I guess he told you, now, didn’t he?”
I ignored her and dialed. When the dispatcher came on, I moved down the street to keep Greg and Cali in my sights. “I need a car dispatched to outside the Venetian. Greg King, police officer from South Cove, California, is in pursuit of a homicide suspect from South Cove.”
“We have a substation in the Venetian. Our officers have been alerted and will be joining Detective King shortly. Can he keep the suspect under control until then?” the dispatcher responded. I was shocked. I’d thought I would have to explain who I was and why I was calling in a foot chase. “Ma’am? Is he near the suspect?”
“Greg can handle his own, but there are two of them.” I didn’t say one was a girl, but even girls could have a gun.
“Just stay on the line with me,” the dispatcher tried to calm me.
I heard a scream. Not from Cali, but from Aaron. “Oh, thank God you’re here, she’s trying to kill me.”
“Shut up,” Cali screamed at him. “If you would have done this right, we would have been gone by now. But no, you had to stop at the casino for your lockbox.”
“You idiot. How far did you think your inheritance was going to go once they figured out you were the one who masterminded Frank’s death?” He pointed to his leg. “The witch shot me.”
Now Cali was waving around a pistol. “For the last time, I didn’t shoot you. This gun just went off. I hardly even touched the trigger.”
Aaron’s response was cut short by the sound of a shot. From Cali’s gun. A window shattered in the building behind them. Then, before anyone could say anything, a team of black-suited men rushed behind Cali and took the gun from her hands. She was cuffed in record time. Then she and Aaron were taken inside the casino. I waited for the walk light, then sprinted after them. I caught Greg just as he was going into a door marked “Staff Only.”
“Are you all right?” I hugged him. Then stepped back to make sure there weren’t any bleeding holes in my boyfriend.
“I’m fine. Thanks for the assist. I was expecting a patrol car, but with that traffic, I don’t think they could get through. Come on, let’s see what our friends have to say.” He put his arm around me and, as we walked down the plain hall, a voice came from my phone.
“Is everyone all right? Hello?” the dispatcher asked very loudly.
Greg took the phone from my hand. “This is Greg King, detective from South Cove, California. Thanks for sending your men in so quickly.”
He listened and laughed. “Well, still, I appreciate the assist.”
He hung up and handed the phone back to me.
“What did she say to make you laugh?”
He opened the door marked “Security” and motioned me to go ahead of him. “She said your call wasn’t the weirdest one she’d had to deal with today. And she had just got on duty.”
Greg checked in with the front desk and they started to lead him back to the cell area. He looked at me. “Go eat. I’ll be along in a while.”
The receptionist at the desk stood up. “I’ll take you over to the buffet. And get you in as our treat. We appreciated the help you provided to apprehend the suspects. The alert just went out that these two have been suspected of stealing several pieces of art and multiple counts of identity theft.”
I stepped toward her, then stopped and looked at Greg. “You’d better have this tied up by eleven. I’m not explaining to Aunt Jackie why you’re late.”
“I’ll be there. I promise.” He pointed to the door. “Go with the nice officer. You get grumpy when you don’t eat.”
“Whatever.” Although I was starving, I didn’t want him to think he was the boss of me or anything.
Chapter 23
My aunt brushed Emma hair off my dress with her hand. She really had gone all-out with one of her favorite Chanel suits. Harrold stood nearby, looking handsome in a black suit. Greg was wearing dress Dockers, but not a suit. I hoped they would forgive him. Or let him borrow a jacket if he needed one.
“Where did you say he was?”
Greg had arrived back at the room right