more space in case things got out of hand. “These men wanted to know where Robert Chesterfield is, and I explained that I have no idea where he’s staying. They were just about to leave.”
“Is that right?” Jeff asked.
Marco glared at Jeff.
Rafael put a hand on his forearm. “It’s okay, Marco.” Then he turned to Robin. “If I find out you’ve been lying to me, there will be consequences.”
When Rafael and Marco walked away, Robin turned on Jeff. “That wasn’t necessary,” she said. She sounded upset.
“From where I was standing, it was.”
“I had everything under control, Jeff. You didn’t have to ride in and save me like a knight in shining armor.”
“Do you have your gun?”
“I left it in the office because I was visiting Jimmy O’Leary in the jail. And I don’t need you to act like a mother hen.”
“I acted sensibly, and I worry about you.” Jeff smiled. “You’re a big pain in the ass sometimes, but I don’t want to lose you.”
The tension in Robin’s shoulders eased and she let out a breath. Then she touched Jeff’s cheek. “You won’t lose me. I know you followed me because you care. I appreciate that. But I don’t need a man to babysit me. And I’ll make sure I have my gun with me at all times. Okay?”
Jeff holstered his gun and wrapped his arms around Robin. “I love you. You know that, right?”
“I do, and I’m sorry that I’ve worried you. But I think we’ve seen the last of Montenegro’s enforcers.”
Jeff looked over Robin’s shoulder in the direction Rafael and Marco had walked. “I hope you’re right,” he murmured.
“Jimmy O’Leary is getting released, and I promised I’d give him a ride home. I’ll come back to the office after I drop him off. You go back and investigate a place to eat tonight. It’s on me.”
“I’ll make sure it’s pricey as payback for scaring me.”
Now Robin smiled. “You do that, cowboy. See you soon.”
* * *
During the drive to O’Leary’s house, Robin kept a tight grip on the steering wheel to keep her hands from shaking. For all her bravado, the encounter with Rafael and Marco had scared her, and she decided that it was time to cut her ties with Robert Chesterfield.
When she returned to her office, Robin found Horace Dobson’s number in Chesterfield’s file. She had done an internet search for the agent and discovered that Dobson didn’t have many clients. He’d been living in London when he read about Chesterfield’s murder charges, and he’d moved to Las Vegas when he made Chesterfield’s deal with Caesars Palace. Hobson had made a lot of money representing Chesterfield, and he’d picked up several clients because he was representing a celebrity, but his client list had slimmed down as Chesterfield’s star descended.
“Dobson Talent Associates,” Dobson sang out enthusiastically as soon as he picked up.
“Mr. Dobson, this is Robin Lockwood, Mr. Chesterfield’s attorney.”
“Oh,” Dobson said, his enthusiasm evaporating when he realized that Robin was not a potential client.
“Mr. Chesterfield told me to call you if I needed to get in touch with him.”
“Yes?”
“I talked to Joe Samuels. He refuses to settle. He’s still very angry and I don’t think he’ll change his mind, so I’m going to send back the rest of Mr. Chesterfield’s retainer. Should I send it to your office?”
“That will work.”
“There’s something else. Tell Robert that the two men who confronted him behind the tavern tried to get me to tell them where he was living. I told them I have no idea where he is.”
“You didn’t tell them about me, did you?” Dobson asked, alarmed.
“That’s the other reason I called. I wanted to warn you. You’re Robert’s agent, and they may come after you.”
As soon as Robin hung up, she got her handgun out of her desk drawer.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
The Imperial Theater was a reclamation project funded by a Portland developer who was building expensive condominiums in a section of the city that was known for drug deals, strip clubs, and the homeless. The developer was trying to make the location attractive by bringing in high-end retail stores, upscale restaurants, and a performing arts center. During its various recent incarnations, the Imperial had been a porn theater and a venue for local bands. The developer had remodeled it and brought in legitimate theater, upscale musical acts, and currently, a semi-famous, still-notorious magician.
On the evening that the Chamber of Death was going to debut, and during the two weeks of rehearsals beforehand, a small group of protesting magicians