“She could have slipped it to Hoffmann’s security guys while you weren’t looking.”
“Not possible.”
“Dude, I asked you to look after the emerald because you are the only person I trust in the world other than my wife. You are street smart, you are daring and I’ve trusted you with my life so many times.”
“I’m going to make this right.”
“And you still think this woman is innocent?”
“Yes,” Travis replied. He couldn’t explain to Aaron that he trusted his gut instinct on this. Aaron, the most understanding guy he knew, simply wouldn’t understand.
There was a tense moment of silence. “You slept with her again, didn’t you?” Aaron said accusingly.
“What?”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. What kind of pull does this woman have? It’s bad enough that you fell for her innocent routine the first time. I thought you went there to confront her. Instead you went there to have sex with her. Again.”
Travis had to admit that his actions looked bad.
“You were so sure she was the one who had the emerald,” Aaron said. “And the minute you see her, you suddenly think there is no possible way she could have played you.”
“That’s not it at all. I looked through her house.” He hated every minute of invading her privacy, but he had been thorough. When he didn’t find the gem with her valuables upstairs, he systematically went through every room in Christine’s house after she’d left for work. “There is no emerald. No jewelry at all. No valuables, no money and no indication that she knew who to sell it to.”
“Keep looking,” Aaron urged. “I know she has it. She must have it hidden somewhere else. Try her workplace. Try her purse. Hell, try her pocket.”
“My gut tells me she never had it.” If she had taken it from him, Christine would never have allowed him to get close to her, to stay in her house alone and to sleep next to her.
“Then who does?” Aaron’s voice rose, and Travis pulled the phone away from his ear. “We have lost three days looking for my lucky charm. It could be anywhere.”
“My guess is Pitts and Underwood,” Travis said as he got off his motorcycle and walked to the bank. “They were determined. They could have pickpocketed me after Christine won her jackpot.”
“You would have noticed.”
Travis thought he would. He had learned how to avoid getting pickpocketed during his travels. He knew how to steer clear of certain situations. But all his experience meant nothing when his full attention had been on Christine. “I’m coming back to Vegas and we can figure out our next move.”
“You sound disappointed,” Aaron said. “I thought you’d be thrilled to get out of Cedar Valley.”
He didn’t want to leave. It shocked him, scared him, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he wanted to stay. How could he leave Christine after this morning? Her trust in him had been a rare gift. What was she going to think if he left now? It was the worst timing.
“I don’t know what you hope to accomplish in Vegas,” Aaron asked. “All my poker buddies have left Nevada. Hoffmann and his crew are gone. The trail grew cold while you were chasing Christine. And it’s too late to go to hotel security or the police.”
Travis gripped his cell phone more tightly. “I’m not giving up,” he said through clenched teeth. “I’m going to find the emerald.”
“I thought having you carry the emerald in your pocket was a stroke of genius,” Aaron said. “I saw this emerald broker from Colombia do it. He had been dressed casually and had no security following him. Everyone was focused on the guy in the expensive suit and his bodyguard. No one knew the other guy had the gem.”
Travis had heard that story several times in the past few days. He closed his eyes as he gathered the last of his patience. “I don’t know what went wrong.”
“When are you coming back?” Aaron asked. “I can’t stay in Vegas for much longer or Dana will start asking questions.”
Travis halted at the bank’s entrance. “She doesn’t know the emerald is missing?” That surprised him. He thought Aaron told his wife everything.
“I don’t want her to worry,” Aaron said defensively. “That emerald isn’t just my lucky charm. It is the most expensive thing I own and I was going to use it for...” Aaron’s voice trailed off. “If that’s gone, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
Travis didn’t think he could feel worse about letting his friend down. “I’m going to leave Cedar Valley in an hour,” he told Aaron.