Mystery Lover(4)

First things first. She would find a restaurant, eat and call Jerry.

He answered on the fourth ring.

"Am I interrupting anything?" she asked.

"Oh, hi, Jennie. I must have fallen asleep. Couldn't figure out what was happening at first."

"Things must be tough on the job these days, huh?"

He laughed. "No. Just resting up for our big date tonight."

"That's why I called, Jerry. I'm afraid I'm going to have to cancel."

"Is there something wrong?" She heard the concern in his voice.

"Not really. A friend needed some help this weekend and I volunteered."

"Where are you? I keep getting all kinds of background noises."

"I'm in a restaurant."

"Oh. Well, I'm sorry I won't see you tonight. I've been saving all kinds of things to tell you."

"Look, why don't I call you next week? We can check our schedules and pick another time, okay?"

"Sure. No problem. Well, you take care. I'll talk to you later."                       
       
           



       

Jennifer hung up and walked out to her car. The desert heat caused her  to wish she'd worn something besides her jeans and shirt. One of her  halter tops and a pair of shorts would have been more appropriate.

"Not in a casino, Sunshine."

"Oh! There you are. You pop up at the most unexpected times."

"I told you I'd contact you once you got to Vegas, didn't I?"

She shrugged and realized that that wasn't much of an answer. "Okay. I'm here now. What next?"

"/ want you to go into the Lucky Lady Casino, go all the way to the  back. You'll see a sign that says Manager's Office. Whoever is there,  tell them that you need to see Tony Carillo. That you have a message  from Tiger and that you have to see him personally to deliver it. "

"Tiger?"

"That's right."

"And he'll know what I mean?"

"Sunshine, this isn't going to work if you're going to question and  analyze everything I tell you to do. Are you with me or not?"

"Of course I'm with you. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't."

"No need to get testy. All right. The Lucky Lady is on the Strip. You shouldn't have any trouble finding it."

She didn't.

Now that the time had come for her to do something, Jennifer felt her  heart begin to race in her chest. She had never before realized what a  coward she was. There seemed to be no adventure in her soul. No doubt  there were many people who would enjoy the mystery and intrigue of what  she was now doing. But not her.

"You can back out anytime."

"Oh, shut up," she muttered. A couple coming out of the casino glared at  her as they passed. "I'm sorry, I wasn't talking to you," she tried to  explain. They pointedly looked around the area. No one else was around.  Jennifer knew her smile was a little weak as she shrugged and hurried on  in.

"I thought I taught you better manners, Sunshine."

She kept her head down and tried not to move her lips. "This is not the  time to go into my behavior, Chad. I'm doing the best I can at the  moment. I'm just not used to this sort of thing."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you. You've limited yourself too  much all these years. You need to reach out and stretch your potential  to its maximum."

"Right now all I want to do is find Tony Carillo."

"May I help you?" The beautiful young woman sitting at the desk in the manager's office asked Jennifer a few moments later.

"Yes. I'd like to see Mr. Carillo."

"Do you have an appointment, Ms.-"

"Chisholm. Jennifer Chisholm. Uh, no. I'm afraid not. Would you tell him that I have a message for him from-uh, er-Tiger?"

"Tiger?"

Jennifer could feel the heat in her cheeks as she determinedly kept her  gaze on the woman in front of her. "That's correct. I'm supposed to  deliver it in person."

The woman picked up the phone on the desk and dialed. Then she spoke  quietly into the receiver. She waited, obviously listening to something,  then responded and hung up the phone.

Her gaze was filled with speculation when she glanced back at Jennifer.  "There's an elevator across the lobby. Push the top button. Someone will  meet you to show you his office."

"Good work, Sunshine. You passed the first hurdle."

"What do I do next?"

"Wait until you meet Tony, then I'll tell you."

"What's the matter, don't you trust me?"

"Yes. I just want to make sure they aren't giving you the runaround."

Jennifer stepped off the elevator onto plush carpeting. A young man  about her age stood there waiting. He grinned. "You're here to see Tony,  right?"

She nodded her head.

"This way."

She followed the man down the hallway and into a well-decorated office. A  secretarial desk was on one side, and what looked like a word  processing unit was carefully covered. There was nobody in the office.

The young man tapped on another door, then opened it. Motioning for her  to enter first, he waited until she passed him, then quietly closed the  door behind her. She was now alone with the man Chad called Tony  Carillo.

His office appeared to be the size of Jennifer's entire apartment. She  looked at the ornate wall hangings and furnishings with awe before her  eyes turned to the man who had gotten up from behind a massive desk and  started toward her.

He looked to be in his mid-thirties, and was of medium height, with dark  hair and eyes. He held out his hand to her as he approached.                       
       
           



       

"I'm afraid I wasn't told your name, young lady," he said with the hint  of a smile. "The only information I got was that you have a message from  Tiger."

"Jennifer. Jennifer Chisholm. I was told to-"

"Ahh. So you are Chad's Jennifer." He took her hand and held it between both of his. "Yes. He has chosen well."

"Chosen?"

"What I meant to say was that I've heard many things about you and am delighted to meet you at last."

"You know Chad well?"

He laughed. "Extremely well. We grew up together in California."

"Oh."

"So what can I do for you? You said you had a message from him."

"From Tiger."

"Right."

"You mean Chad and Tiger are the same person?"

"Yeah. It was a joke because we always hung around together. You know..  .Tony-the Tiger." His smile widened. "That was probably before your  time."

"He's in trouble."

Tony's smile disappeared. He led her to a sofa and they sat down. "What sort of trouble?" he asked with a frown.

"I'm not sure. He said he walked into a trap."

Tony gazed out the window and she could tell that he was thinking. Finally he turned back to her. "Where is he?"

"He didn't say."

"When was the last time you talked with him?"

"Well, you see-"

"Tell him late last night."

"Late last night," she managed to parrot.

"Uh-oh. Then something must have turned sour at the last minute. He thought he had them for sure."

"You talked to him recently?"

"Yes. He's working on something for me."

Jennifer gave a quick sigh of relief. "Oh, good. Then you can help him."

"Not if I don't know where he is. I know who he was dealing with, though. Max can play rough."

Jennifer wished she knew what more to say. Never had she felt more helpless.

"Tell him that I'm somewhere in southern Utah, in the mountains. I'm in  some sort of shack. I haven't seen anyone since they dumped me here last  night. I have a hunch no one is going to bother to see if I'm eating.  There's nothing here."

Jennifer repeated Chad's words. When she finished, Tony stared at her in  confusion. "I thought you just said you didn't know where he was."

"Well, I didn't. I still don't. That isn't enough information to find him, is it?"

"It's a hell of a start, let me tell you. Max, the man I've been hoping  to get enough evidence on to take to court, owns property in southern  Utah. Before we had this falling out, he took me up there hunting a  couple of times. I think I know exactly where that shack is."

"That's a relief, Sunshine. Looks like you've managed to get me some help."

"May I go with you to find him?" she asked.

"No!" Chad replied quickly.

"I can't see any reason why not. I'm sure you're anxious about him."

If he only knew. After all this time she was finally going to meet Chad face-to-face.





Chapter Three


Contents - Prev / Next Sunshine, I don't want you involved in this. Let Tony do what he has to do. You go on back to L.A."

Tony had left his office, telling her to wait while he made some arrangements, so Jennifer was alone.

"Chad, I want to know that you're all right."