Waking Hearts (26 page)

He left daisies on her pillow one afternoon.

Allie was being quietly romanced in a very Ollie way. She was trying not to analyze it. She just wanted to enjoy.

He also wasn’t joking about her taking it easier. He didn’t interfere when she cleaned the kitchen or did laundry, but he protested if she tried to do any housekeeping, complaining she was taking Vicky’s work. They still couldn’t agree about bills. But he was as affectionate and steady with the kids as he’d always been, even if the looks he gave Allie went far beyond affection.

“You’re thinking awful loud over there,” he said.

“I’m thinking about you.”

He looked surprised.

“Sorry,” she said. “Should I not have told you that?”

“No. I mean, yes. Tell me. It’s just refreshing that you’re not playing games, you know?”

She laughed a little. “You’ve been hanging out with the wrong girls, Oliver Campbell. I don’t play games. I wouldn’t even know how if I wanted to.”

“Good.” He smiled. “About the games, I mean. But there’s nothin’ wrong with a little playing now and then.”

“Is that so?”

“Just tell me when, darlin’.”

She pressed her lips together. “Now who’s trying to ruin concentration?” she asked quietly.

He laughed as they reached the edge of Palm Springs.

The restaurant where they were meeting Alex and Ted was off Palm Canyon Drive, not far from the tennis club. It was the kind of place that, even if Allie had the money, she probably wouldn’t have gone. She wasn’t ashamed to admit she was a burgers and pizza kind of girl. She liked pretty candles and a fancy table as much as the next woman, but it wasn’t something she craved. Jena’s gourmet diner food was about as adventurous as she got.

“Should have taken you out before this,” he muttered as he pulled the Bronco up to the valet. “Sorry I didn’t think of it.”

The attendant opened her door, and she waited for Ollie on the curb. “It’s no big deal. This is nice.”

He stood in front of her, standing below the curb so their faces were a little closer. “We’re having our first date with three other people.”

“Details.” She leaned forward and kissed the edge of his jaw. “Tell you what. We’ll skip dessert, and you can take me out for ice cream after this. Just the two of us.”

He hummed deep in his chest. “Sean is staying until we get back. Want to take off for a few days? I’m sure he won’t let them starve.”

She laughed. “Probably not a good idea.”

“He’s got a house at the beach, and Alex might have a key.”

“You’ve been thinking about this, haven’t you?”

“About getting you alone?” He kissed her temple and backed away. “Constantly.”

She paused. “It’s not quite as easy as other girls, is it? Dating a woman with four kids who has to live with you.”

He grabbed her hand. “I like having the kids around. Doesn’t mean I don’t want time alone with you.”

They walked in, gave their names, and were ushered to a tree-filled patio strung with little lights where faint music floated in the background and a breeze cooled the dry desert air. Ted, Alex, and a man Allie had never seen before sat at a table in the corner, drinking wine and talking intently.

“Alex,” Ollie said, brushing the waiter off so he could pull Allie’s chair out. “Ted. Nice to see you.”

Alex and the other man both rose as Allie sat down.

“Allie,” Ted said, “this is Cameron Di Stefano, a friend of Alex’s and mine. Cam was down in Palm Springs on business today, so I’m glad you guys were able to meet with us.”

“Miss Smith,” Cam said. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

“You too.”

Cam continued, “And Mr. Campbell I know by reputation, of course.”

Ollie paused in the act of lifting his water glass. “Is that so?”

Cam’s mouth twitched. “Your bar is quite well-known.”

“Yeah?” He put an elbow on the table. “Well, it’s a friendly place.”

“I suppose that depends on who you are.”

Cam smiled, and Allie couldn’t decide if she trusted him or not. Of course, she often felt that way around people from outside the Springs. Unlike Ted and Jena, she’d lived her whole life in the little town. Cameron Di Stefano was a worldly man, that much she could tell. But she also got the sense he enjoyed playing the kind of games that Allie hated.

She decided to cut right to the chase.

“So, Cam, what do you know about my ex-husband’s murder?”

Chapter Sixteen

OLLIE ALMOST SNORTED WATER through his nose.

Lord, he adored that woman.

Cameron Di Stefano sat blinking across from Allie, clearly unaccustomed to being called out for criminal connections at five-star restaurants.

Allie quickly raised a hand. “I’m assuming you didn’t have anything to do with it directly. I trust Alex and Ted aren’t friends with murderers. It’s just that… I don’t have much experience in any kind of criminal activity, and I don’t really have any interest in gaining that experience, if you know what I mean. I have four children. I don’t have time.”

Cam tried to break in. “Miss Smith—”

“So the whole… double-talk, innuendo, imply-things-so-we’re-not-criminally-implicated thing is just going to piss me off. I prefer being told things directly. It causes a lot less confusion all around.” She smiled then, her dimples peeking out. “I’m sure you understand.”

Luckily, Cam seemed to be as charmed as Ollie was. He glanced across the table, saw Allie’s hand in Ollie’s, and gave him a look that said,
You’re a lucky bastard, Campbell.

Yes, he was.

“Miss Smith,” Cam said, “I hope you take this in the best way possible, but I feel a little sorry for your kids.”

“I don’t let them get away with much, if that’s what you mean.” She sipped the white wine Alex had poured into her glass and looked around the courtyard. “This is so pretty.”

Ted said, “Allie, you and Cam’s mother would get along.”

“Yes, they would.”

Ollie saw the urbane, cautious mask fall from Cam’s face, and it set him at ease. His bear didn’t like enemies who camouflaged themselves. So even though Cam’s eyes were a little harder, Ollie trusted him a little more. He could also see why Cam and Alex were friends. Despite the fact that the man wasn’t a shifter, he and Alex were similar animals.

“I didn’t know your ex-husband,” Cam started, keeping his voice low, “but I know who to ask. Alex and Ted are good friends. I’m just happy I could find some answers for you, even if they’re not all the answers you need.”

“Any information is appreciated,” Ollie said. “Like Allie said, she has four kids. They need to know what happened to their father.”

Cam turned his attention to Ollie. “We all understand that the police aren’t going to be involved in this, I trust?”

“Man, do I look like law enforcement?” Ollie leaned on the table and ignored the wooden groan. “This woman and her children are under my protection. I trust
you
know what that means.”

“Fine.” Cam glanced at Alex, then back to Allie. “Joe was invited to a private poker game. I’m not sure by whom. It wasn’t hosted by one of my… friends, but it was someone who wants to stay in my good graces.”

Allie sipped her wine again and picked through the olive plate the waiter had set on the table. “Would this be Pinky?”

Cam’s eyes laughed. “I thought you didn’t know any criminals, Miss Smith.”

“I don’t. I also don’t know a lot of guys named Pinky. The name kind of sticks in your mind.” She passed the olives to Ollie. “Did you want some? They’re really good.”

“That’s okay, darlin’. Thanks.”

“So what else do you know?” Allie said, putting the plate back. “Because we already knew about the game.”

“Three of the other participants are no one you need to worry about,” Cam continued. “One of them is an acquaintance of my father’s, whom I’ve already talked to. The others were simply rich men from out of town.”

“And the other?” Ollie asked.

“The other…” Cam’s voice dropped even lower. “The other man is the one who you need to worry about.”

“Is his name Lobo?” Ollie asked.

Cam cocked his head. “I am not overly surprised you have that information, Mr. Campbell, though I’d be curious how you heard it.”

“I bet you would.”

Cam waited.

“Sorry,” Ollie said. “You have your sources; I have mine.”

“Fair enough.” Cam paused as the server came by to take their orders.

Ollie ordered a steak that didn’t seem to have too much stuff on it. Allie ordered some stuffed-chicken thing, which was good. He’d noticed her losing a little weight the past couple of weeks, probably from stress. While Allie would probably complain she had the weight to lose, Ollie didn’t much like her not eating.

After the server had left, Allie asked, “So do you know this Lobo guy?”

Cam shook his head. “I know of him, but he’s not someone I’ve done any business with. In fact, some would consider our… business interests in conflict. I hope you’ll excuse the double-talk a little, Miss Smith. One might say that this man’s friends have certain international pharmaceutical investments, while I am currently trying to sell my pharmaceutical interests.”

Her eyebrows rose. “I got that one pretty clearly. And you can call me Allie.”

Ollie considered what Cam had said. If Alex and Ted were right, and the Di Stefano family was trying to bring their operations into legitimate territory, then this Lobo might be the one trying to take their place, which would leave Cam in an awkward position with some of the people who’d looked to him for protection. The bookies, club owners, and dealers had to think about their futures too.

As always, Allie asked the question. “So did Joe work for Lobo?”

Cam’s eyes darted around, and Ollie had to wonder at the reputation of a guy that made a Di Stefano nervous to talk about him.

“I can’t know for sure,” Cam said quietly, “but I don’t think so. I truly think Joe was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or… the right place at the wrong time.”

“Why do you say that?” Allie asked.

“Because he won,” Cam said. “Even with what happened later, he did win.”

Allie’s face grew pale and she gripped Ollie’s hand under the table.

“I’m sorry,” Cam said, noting her expression. “I thought you knew.”

Ollie put his arm around her. “We suspected, but we didn’t know.”

“Well, he did,” Cam said. A smile briefly touched his lips. “I don’t know if this will make you feel any better about your ex-husband, Allie, but my father’s friend—who’s been beating me since I had the guts to start playing cards with him—said it was one of the best games he’s ever played. He said Joe, who was using the last name Russell, was a great competitor, and he would have loved to play him again.”

Allie lifted a hand and covered her eyes for a minute, then pulled it away and dashed a few tears from the corners of her eyes. “The boys will like to hear that.”

Ted murmured, “Maybe not right away. Mark can already beat Alex at cards.”

That pulled a watery laugh from Allie, but for Ollie, it only made the situation that much worse. Joe Russell had won, and Lobo had probably killed him to get his money back. But Joe obviously hadn’t had the money, nor had he told his murderers where to find it; otherwise, they wouldn’t be tearing up Allie’s house.

Of course, that didn’t mean they wouldn’t come after her or the kids to get it.

While it meant Allie might have a chance to pay off Joe’s debt and breathe a little easier, it also meant that a criminal whom Cameron Di Stefano was afraid to talk about was after his girl and her kids.

Yeah, he was going to need to take care of that.

Ollie leaned forward. “Di Stefano,” he said, “you’re sure that this guy is the one responsible for Joe’s death?”

“My friend is. Bull said Lobo was furious. Trying to play it off, but furious. Pinky backed up Bull. He was not surprised to hear that Joe had turned up dead.”

“Pinky. Bull. Lobo.” Allie sniffed. “Honestly, the names these guys think up.”

Cam’s mouth quirked. “You’d see the humor if you knew Bull. This Lobo character? He’s another story.”

“Why?” Ollie asked.

The look Cam gave him told Ollie everything he needed to know. There were old guys like the Di Stefanos and even some of his ancestors who lived in the grey areas of the world out of necessity, family tradition, or an innate distrust of the law.

Then there were others.

Some men caused suffering to make themselves feel alive. For some, violence was as much a drug as alcohol. Ollie had a feeling he knew which category Lobo fell in.

Ollie leaned forward and looked into Cam’s eyes. “I want to know everything I can about this guy. If you can find information that will make my woman and her kids safer, then I’ll owe you a favor.”

Cam was interested. “I’ll see what I can do. Alex tells me Allie and her children are family to him as well. And I have no interest in some animal going after innocent women and children.”