Colby Control

Well, that made all the difference in the world. “I can do whatever I have to do.” Working for Jim had given her the credibility she’d been looking for her whole adult life. Joining the Colby Agency crew would add prestige to her position. She wasn’t a fool. This was a priceless opportunity.

More than that … it offered her a way to continue helping those who needed it most. Generally when people came to a P.I. group, they were desperate because they hadn’t been able to find that help with the police. Maybe here the clientele would be a little less desperate and a lot more inclined to want discretion, but according to Jim, there were still plenty who were truly desperate for the right and fair kind of help Nora liked to provide. What more could she ask for?

She wasn’t letting a smart aleck like Ted Tallant screw this opportunity up for her. Working with him this one time wouldn’t be the end of the world. All she had to do was look at it for what it was—a bad assignment in an otherwise good job.

“I’m good to go.” She produced the expected smile. “You know I’ll do whatever I have to in order to facilitate the merger.”

“Good.” Jim passed a file across his desk. “You’ll find the details about the case there. Victoria is briefing Ted. It’s imperative that the two of you get on location as quickly as possible. We have reason to believe time is not on our client’s side. When we’re done here, check with Mildred about the travel arrangements.”

Nora couldn’t wait. Not. She scanned the dossier on a Dr. Brent Vandiver, cosmetic surgeon. Forty-four. Judging by the photos, he’d been enjoying a number of the procedures he got the big bucks for performing on his patients. Store-bought tan and personal-trainer physique, all nicely packaged in a couture suit. Apparently the man had a penchant for infidelity.

Clearly this was a case that didn’t include desperation in a real sense. Yeah.

“This isn’t the first extramarital affair,” Jim went on as she scanned the pages and photos, “but the wife feels that this time Vandiver wants his freedom with no strings attached.”

Nora’s gaze met Jim’s. “He wants her out of the way, as in dead and gone.”

Jim nodded. “She suspects so. I’m sending Rocky to L.A. to check out the wife. See if we’re getting the whole story.”

“I could do that and let Rocky work with Ted.” Why the hell hadn’t Jim laid it out that way in the first place? He had to know she couldn’t stand Tallant. Why not make this easier for everyone? She’d gone to high school in L.A. Still had a mother there somewhere.

Probably still hawking her body downtown after business hours.

Jim’s gaze narrowed once more. “Did you miss the part in the dossier that the mistress is a manager at a Vegas casino and hotel? Or that the husband is in Vegas as we speak?”

Damn. “I gotcha.” Five years ago she’d completed an assignment in Vegas for her previous employer. Nora had spent eight weeks under deep cover there. She’d made it her business to know the ins and outs of the city … the life. Of course she was the logical candidate for the assignment.

Just her luck.

“We’re square, right?” Jim stared at her with an unyielding gaze that warned he didn’t want to hear otherwise. “This goes down just the way it’s supposed to. No personal feelings getting in the way.”

“Sure.” She closed the file. Lifted her chin in defiance of the protests screaming in her head. “I’m a professional. Just because I’m better than Tallant doesn’t mean I can’t step back and learn—” she lifted one shoulder in a shrug “—something from him.”

“You might just learn something, all right,” Jim tossed back, his tone pointed.

Nora frowned at what was clearly a not-so-subtle reprimand. “I’m not sure I understand.”

“When you stop learning,” Jim explained, “that’s when you no longer have a place in this business. No exceptions.”

Enough said. “I understand.” She stood. “Anything else?”

Jim moved his head from side to side. “Just remember, none of this changes what I expect from you, Nora. You’re damned good. Don’t let me down.”

Nora’s smile was real this time. “Now, that’s one guarantee I can make without the first reservation. I will get the job done.” For an Equalizer, failure was not an option. “I wouldn’t dream of letting you down.”

“Keep me posted,” Jim said as he turned his attention to the mountain of files on his desk.

Jim Colby was in the process of reviewing every case the Colby Agency had worked for the past five years. His team, including Nora, was doing the same. The decision had been made, and he would do whatever it took to fit in … to make this merger work.

Nora would do the same.

All she had to do was get through this one assignment.

She exited his office and headed for Mildred Ballard’s desk at the other end of the corridor. Her office was actually the small waiting area outside Victoria’s office. Jim had taken an office at the opposite end of the corridor from his mother.

Space had been made for everyone.

As long as Nora had her space, she could deal with anything temporarily.

As she turned into Mildred’s area, she came face-to-face with Tallant.

A truckload of frustration laced with a hint of disdain instantly drowned out her determination to play nice.

Maybe she was wrong … but she highly doubted an entire city block—or two—would be enough space between her and this guy.

The idea of spending the next few days with him, forced to submit to his lead … Well, maybe they would both survive.

One thing was certain, Nora would.

She had been equalizing situations long before she’d hired on with Jim Colby.

Tallant was the one who needed to be worried.

Chapter Three

Palomino Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas4:00 p.m.

At least it wasn’t the Copacabana.

Nora kicked aside the nasty memories that accompanied the thought. Five years was a long time. She hadn’t heard a peep from the sick bastard in more than four of those years. Chances were she had nothing to worry about on that old score.

Still … she was back in Vegas.

There was always the possibility.

“That’s her.”

Nora blinked and followed Tallant’s gaze. A tall, lithe blonde floated across the gaming floor, then paused to chat with a guest.

“Camille Soto,” Tallant went on. “Twenty-eight. MBA from UCLA. She—”

“Yeah, yeah,” said Nora, interrupting his narrative. “I read her dossier.”

Tallant shot her a look.

Yeah, yeah. He was in charge. She was supposed to listen. Even if she already knew exactly what he was going to say.

“She was hired as an assistant manager for the casino one year ago. Promptly promoted to manager just six months ago.”