Chapter Seven
Isabella parked her car and walked around to the front of the casino. Ernie arrived a minute later, which she didn’t understand because City Hall and the mayor’s office was only a couple of blocks away. He probably ran over to Mother’s Restaurant to get himself a po-boy sandwich to tide him over until dinner.
The Inveigler Casino was the biggest entertainment spot in the south. Words could not describe the sequential beauty of the place. It was opulent, lavishly decorated and cost Alesandro Roma a lot of money to buy it from the city of New Orleans.
“Why are you just getting here?”
“Mother’s,” Ernie answered.
Isabella shook her head. “You have no willpower whatsoever.”
“Sue me,” her deliciously brown partner replied. “I can’t help it if I’m addicted to the place.”
Both of them entered the casino lobby which led to the underground passageway. Isabella waved to the young woman standing behind the desk, checking identification cards. They continued to travel until they entered the casino and then took the escalator up to the second floor where they knew they would find Vinnie Martinelli. Vinnie was a small time hood who served as a bodyguard for the casino by day. His nights were taken up primarily with protecting Carlo Gino a known Mafioso and a member of the Cajun Cartel.
Vinnie sat at a Black Jack slot machine. He wasn’t much to look at except that he was tall and muscular with a big neck. He put three quarters into the machine and pulled the lever. A purple seven and two white bars appeared.
Isabella watched him put three more quarters into the machine and pull the lever again. This time three bars appeared and the machine made a funny noise and points added up on the display. She hated these new machines, they only issued tickets which had to be cashed in. Though she wasn’t much of a gambler she did like the sound of quarters clinking down in the tray in the old machines.
“Can you pry yourself away from the game long enough to talk to us?” Isabella asked him.
Vinnie turned his chair around and stared at them with piercing blue eyes. “What do you want to talk about, Miss Denning?” His high-pitched voice didn’t fit him.
“About the tourists that keep disappearing after leaving this casino and then showing up dead the next day.”
Vinnie frowned at her “What makes you think I know anything about them?”
One, he was stalling and two; he was trying to bait her. “Because you know about everything when it comes to crime in this area,” Isabella answered.
A waitress came over and Isabella ordered a Cherry Coke for her and a Diet Coke for Ernie.
Vinnie shrugged. “You have no proof of that.”
“Then why are we here, Vinnie?” Ernie asked.
Vinnie turned and put three more quarters into the slot machine and pulled the lever. Three purple sevens appeared. The machine registered loudly again.
“I don’t know why you’re here, Ernie, but I texted Miss Denning. One of you has brought me some luck. This machine wasn’t doing anything until you guys appeared.”
Isabella grew tired. “Stop beating around the bush. Either you know something or you don’t.”
“Hey, keep your blouse on, Miss Denning. There’s been some talk about the police blaming it on the lycanthropes but I don’t think they’re involved.”
“What makes you so sure of that?” Ernie asked as the waitress returned with their drinks. He handed the Cherry Coke to Isabella and then tipped the waitress and sent her on her way.
“It doesn’t fit their pattern. There are too many victims. Granted, most of them travel in packs, but someone is bound to see a group of wolves wandering around. Another reason is because there hasn’t been a full moon.”
“Well, if it’s not the lycanthropes, then who?” Isabella asked. She’d eliminated them as possible suspects long ago because she couldn’t recall a time when wolves built altars or worshipped any significant religious symbols like the ones found at the crime scene. Vinnie needed to brush up on his lycanthropic culture. Anyone who knew anything about lycanthropes knew they didn’t need a full moon to change. The full moon made them unstoppable.
“Does the name Samedi ring a bell?” Vinnie asked.
Isabella frowned. Of course she knew who Samedi was.
“Baron Samedi?” Ernie asked. “Ah, come on Vinnie. I haven’t heard his name since I was a child. He’s a myth.”
Vinnie shrugged again. “You wanted info and I gave you all I know.”
Isabella put her empty glass next to the slot machine. Baron Samedi? She sure hoped it was a mere speculation on Vinnie’s part. If what she knew was true, Louisiana was in for one hell of a blood bath. She thought about it for a moment. The end of the Mayan Calendar. Shit. She signaled Ernie with her eyes.
Ernie put his glass down. “Well, thanks for the information. If you hear anything else will you let us know?”
“Sure thing,” Vinnie said, looking back at the slot machine.
Ernie and Isabella walked away from him and headed toward the escalator. Lucius Jones waited for them at the top. He walked toward them, running those wolf eyes all over her as she neared.
Lucius was immaculately dressed, as usual, in an expensive dark brown suit, tailored perfectly for his wide shoulders and narrow hips. His dark brown eyes continued staring at her as she approached. Isabella would have felt flattered had it been any other man. Lucius was good-looking and clean-shaven with a close cropped afro and thin nose. He was a product of a mixed heritage like her.
“Leaving so soon?” he asked as they met.
“We didn’t come to gamble,” Ernie answered.
“I know,” Lucius replied, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “I saw you talking to Vinnie.”
“Is that a crime?” Isabella asked, still trying to avert his eyes.
Lucius smiled. “No. Vinnie gets a lot of visitors.”
“It wasn’t a social call either,” Ernie said, measuring up Lucius with his eyes. “We needed to ask him a few questions.”
Lucius put his hand on his chin. “Let me see. You needed to ask him about the murders on the east and west banks?”
Isabella stared at him. “Do you have the place bugged?”
A bell went off somewhere in the casino. All three of them looked over to and saw a young woman dancing around near one of the slot machines. Three Double Wilds displayed on her machine.
“Some people have all the luck,” Ernie muttered.
“You haven’t answered my question,” Isabella said, turning her attention back to Lucius. They had things to do and Lucius was messing with them.
“No, I don’t,” he finally said. “I don’t need to bug the casino. Most of the workers have perfect hearing and are very loyal.”
Isabella frowned knowing he spoke the truth…or at least his version of it.
“Why would you think Vinnie knows anything about those murders?”
“Because he usually knows everything,” Isabella admitted.
Lucius smiled, showing near perfect teeth which made her stomach do this funny tightening thing. “I often wonder how Vinnie does it. He’s always here gambling when he’s not working for Carlo Gino and he stays pretty much to himself while he’s here.”
“What about you, Lucius? Have you heard anything?” She knew he wouldn’t tell her anything even if he did know but she couldn’t resist watching the fine black man squirm.
“No,” he answered. “The only thing I know is what I’ve heard on the television or read in the newspaper.”
Figures. “What do you know about a rogue vampire named Daton?”
Lucius looked surprised. “Why?”
“He’s looking for Alesandro,” Isabella replied, noting fear registering on Lucius’ handsome face.
“Is he here in New Orleans?”
Isabella nodded. “Right nasty bastard.”
Lucius gasped. “You’ve met him?”
“Yes, he’s one mean son of a bitch and he’s very stuck on himself. He kept insisting I tell him how to find Alesandro.”
Lucius shifted his weight again. “Did you tell him?”
“Hell no,” Isabella answered quickly.
He looked at her like he didn’t believe her. “Are you sure?”
“Bella didn’t tell him,” Ernie answered, defending his partner. “She took a pretty bad whipping to keep Alesandro’s secret.”
Lucius ran his eyes over her again.
“I heal fast,” Isabella told him.
“Good,” Lucius said with relief.
Was that concern for her in his eyes? “Are you going to tell us anything about him?”
“To stay the hell away from him,” Lucius replied.
Isabella signaled Ernie with her head. “We have to go. Tell Alesandro hello.”
Lucius moved aside and allowed them access to the escalator. “I will give him your message.”