Triple Diamonds (Mystic Nights Book 2) (29 page)

“I’ll come with you to the center when you drop the hint to Justin. You won’t be alone. I’ll tell the boys I’ll still take them, and then I’ll pick them up and bring them to my mom’s house. I’ll explain on the way there. They deserve the truth. Eve and Dawn will be there, and they can keep them occupied. And there will be someone outside watching the house.”

Jewel was shaking her head no, but she had made up her mind. She needed to do this. This gang was a bigger threat if they remained on the loose. “No, don’t tell them on the way. Just make up an excuse. I don’t want them to worry about me tonight. They might try something stupid. We will tell them together. Afterwards.” The only way to prevent Justin and Eddie from coming after other teens, kids like her brothers, was to ensure they were locked up. She had to do it. “I’ll do it.”

With those words said, he pulled her into his arms and felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest. God, how he loved this woman. She was so brave, so courageous. So good. And he was glad she was his. He would do whatever it took to keep her safe. And he would never put her in harm’s way again.

*

The afternoon pick
up of the twins went off without a hitch. Jewel had hid her fear well. He had then taken her to work himself after dropping the boys off at home with strict instructions to not leave the house. Outside, sat an unmarked car. They were private security hired by the Marinos to keep an eye on them until Joseph came to get them later. But they would be tailing them all evening.

As Joseph headed to his mother’s house with the boys in tow later that evening, he could tell by their lively banter that they had not suspected a thing. He was having them over for dinner to meet his moms and sisters and he would head out around eight o’clock to join the security team on the second floor operations room. The movie they were supposed to go see started at nine, so that would give him plenty of time to cancel the movie, and then head to the casino to be there for the sting op that night. His sisters were keeping them occupied for the duration. He was cutting it close, but Jewel had insisted on it. She didn’t like her brothers not being watched by someone she didn’t know or trust. He understood that. She had lost so much already. And spending this time with them, it was the least he could to do to assuage her fears even though he wanted to be closer to where she was.

But he still didn’t like leaving her either. She had an undercover police officer assigned to watch her and the kitchen staff, but he still wanted to be nearby. Dinner was going to be long and difficult. But he’d make the best of it. Lesley and Wesley were actually looking forward to it, and they had hinted that his sisters were quite beautiful. He knew they were teasing him. His response was a humorous growl. “My sisters are off limits to you two.”

“Hey, how do you think we feel seeing you with Jewel?” Lesley threw back at him.

He had to laugh at that. Lesley had been spot on.

Pulling into his mother’s driveway, he saw her open the door to greet the boys, a genuine smile on her face. And right behind her were his sisters. They would definitely help and be the distraction the boys needed. They had been briefed that afternoon, and promised to do their part by staying away from
Mystic
Nights
and keeping the boys occupied.

Getting out of his car, he plastered a smile on his face, and made the introductions, although more than anything he wanted to be the one by Jewel’s side.

‡

A
t 8:15 he
and his mother were ushered into the security office of
Mystic Nights.
Inside the secure room, they were immediately surrounded by their own personal, local PD, and now four massive Marinos. Introductions were quickly made, and then Gio stepped forward to run through the plan once more.

“We have our decoy in place. Her name is Barbara Sampson, late forties, undercover PD, and the man playing her husband, Mark Miller, also PD, are near the lobby. When we see the perps approaching on camera, they will be ready to do their part. The wife will walk by and mention loud enough for them to hear, that she is going to change her jewels before dinner and will meet the husband in the dining room. Then she’ll leave, go up to the fourteenth floor. Go in the room, wait two minutes, then leave and come back down wearing other jewels. I’m heading to that room with my brother Blaze and two PD. It’ll be secure and we will nab the thieves once they have put the jewels into their duffels. At the end of the corridor we will have more PD to take down the lookout. Nikko will stay here and coordinate with security. He and Tom will be our eyes and ears.” He tapped the mic already in place in his ear. A quick scan told him everyone else was already equipped.

“What about us?” Joseph asked wanting to know what role he could play. Jonathan and his mother stood beside him.

“We would really like it if you could stay here. We don’t want your presence to spook them.”

Joseph didn’t like it, but he wanted this to be over. “What about Jewel?” he asked. He wondered how she was holding up.

Gio turned to the monitors and nodded at one of the technicians. The screen changed and now he was looking in the kitchen. Finally it panned onto Jewel. She mopped her brow with the back of her sleeve and then went right back to work at her prep station. “You can keep an eye on her from here. Although Andreas is going down to the kitchen to replace the guard on duty.”

Joseph nodded at the tall sinewy version of his brother. He felt good about that. He knew these men’s reputations preceded them, especially this man’s. “Good. I like that. It’ll make me feel better.” Both men sized each other up and then nodded.

“Us too. I won’t let anything happen to her. You have my word.” Andreas spoke gruffly. “But, we’d better hit it though and get in position in case they show up earlier than expected.”

“Good idea,” Tawny spoke the words as she shook each man’s hand as they began to file out of the security suite. He watched as each man left to go to their designated positions.

The chief of the Ledyard police department, Marshall Grant, who was staying behind as well, added his two cents, “Make it clean, boys.” When the room cleared and it was just two security men, Nikko Marino, Chief Grant, and them, he tried to relax. Glancing at the clock once more, he knew the next hour would be the longest of his life.

*

At five minutes
before nine, Nikko’s radio chimed in. “We got a visual in the parking lot.”

Camera Two showed four young men entering the casino. They were dressed in nice button down shirts looking like they were headed into the casino for a night of gambling and drinking. Joseph recognized Justin right away.

Nikko spoke into the headset he wore. “Justin and Eddie Bauer identified, accompanied by two younger unidentified youth.”

A chorus of voices checked in. “Got it.”

“In position.”

“Decoys heading to the lobby.”

They watched the cameras and the two undercover police officers do their jobs. Justin was nearby and although they couldn’t hear the words spoken, they could see him smile. He headed over to Eddie who stood at the entrance to the casino from the lobby. They briefly conferred.

The two younger boys sat on a bench in the lobby conversing. Both looked slightly anxious.

Then Justin crossed the lobby once more. He stood near the exit and started a conversation with a guest. Apparently he was the lookout tonight.

A few minutes later, the female police officer rejoined the other man, and left. She wore different jewels. The minute they walked into the casino to head to the dining room, Eddie nodded at the two youngsters seated by themselves. They got up and joined him at the elevator, but stood off to the side. They waited and took the third elevator that came, not wanting to get into an elevator with other guests.

And, Joseph knew why. The three would go up, but one would stay by the elevator as lookout, and he would hold the door open preventing anyone else from taking it. He knew how fast they worked.

Once in the elevator he knew it was just a matter of minutes and it would all be over. He said a quick prayer that it would all go smoothly. He glanced at the monitor and saw Jewel. Everything looked good there. Thank goodness.

*

“All right kiddos,”
Eddie encouraged the two newest recruits. “Do your thing. You got this.”

Although it was their first time, Eddie knew Rick and Dylan would do fine. He’d recruited and trained them himself. This was an easy gig. He’d seen the Vic himself. The diamond necklace she had gone to change would be worth a small fortune. That, plus whatever else she had brought for her trip made this one more than worth it. Normally he liked to have more time to target his heists, but Justin had sworn the info was good. And it looked like it was. Maybe his cousin would do well climbing the ranks. He was already doing well with recruiting.

He watched the two sixteen year olds who had taken off their shirts in the elevator. Underneath they had the black long sleeve t-shirts they were told to wear. From his nap sack, he removed the masks they were to wear. Tonight he’d selected gorilla masks. He laughed to himself. He had an array of old Halloween masks. He liked to change it up and use different ones every time. For himself, he used a ski mask. Keeping it simple tonight. The three shirts were stuffed into the small bag he had carried under his own shirt. It would be dumped. They’d take the stairs down, but he needed to keep pushing the elevator button while Rick and Dylan took the jewels from the room. It decreased the elevator traffic for the two to three minutes they would be in the room. He liked the odds. Again, Eddie laughed to himself at his own joke. This casino gambit, he’d come up with the idea himself, and it brought in a lot of money for the Dominguez syndicate. He knew Willie was pleased with him. He’d be moving up soon, and he’d give Justin his position.

He looked at his watch, and a trickle of fear coursed through him. The boys had been gone three minutes. They should pop out any second. He watched the door they had gone through pleased that the floor was still quiet. He began to count in his head. Sixty seconds. That’s all he could give them. Meanwhile, he fingered the phone in his pocket to alert Justin to get the car and bring it round to the stairwell exit.