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Karl stared impassively at Malcolm, who laughed in response. “I’ve had hardened criminals try to intimidate me, Karl. You’d be better off trying your luck with Greta.”
Karl sighed. Since when had everyone in his life become immune to his silent stare? “She’d only mother me in response.”
“One of the new paralegals, then. Anyway, Vivian Milek, née Yap, was dealing roulette when an associate of her father’s sat at the table. There were some serious chips on the table when Vivian shifted, blocking the view of the camera.”
“And her father’s associate took the casino to the cleaners, as it were.”
For the first time, Malcolm looked unsure of his information. “That’s the strange part. The associate didn’t win that much. Probably the only reason anyone gave the video a second look was that someone else at the table made a fuss over the bet.”
“So, she didn’t cheat.”
“The casino investigated. Her father owed the man thousands of dollars—”
The wheels turning in Karl’s head clicked into place. Vivian hadn’t gotten fired because her father gambled, but because she’d tried to help him get out of his hole.
“And the video is clear, especially when compared to every other video they have of your wife dealing. Successful or not, the man sat at her table because he expected her to help him cheat, and she knew that was her role.”
“So these crimes are alleged. She’d be in prison otherwise.”
“Alleged is lawyer-speak. As far as a government dick like me is concerned, she’s either guilty or she’s innocent. Middle Kingdom is pretty certain she’s guilty. She’s been added to their black book and is banned from walking into any casino in the state. She’d be lucky to find employment in Nevada, period. The casinos take cheating seriously—especially by an employee.”
Karl leaned back in his chair, folded his arms and closed his eyes. Unwittingly, Malcolm had answered more than just the question of why Vivian got fired. Karl now knew why she’d been so desperate to get out of Nevada and why she wasn’t looking for a job on a riverboat casino. Vivian was a hot potato no casino would ever touch again.
When he opened his eyes, Malcolm was looking at him with pity. “Are you sure she’s pregnant with your kid? She’s a fine-lookin’ woman, and someone who would accept cheating as payback might accept more physical forms of payment.”
“I’m sure she’s pregnant.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
VIVIAN DIDN’T REALIZE someone else was in the apartment until Xìnyùn started to whistle. When she turned around, Karl was standing by the bar, still in his coat and scarf.
“I didn’t hear you come in. You must have shut the front door just when I shut the oven on dinner. It won’t be ready for another two hours. I didn’t expect you home so soon.” She knew she was rambling, but seeing Karl lifted her heart, especially after the past couple of days. Despite their talking about friendship and the night of near sex, Sunday at the museum had been the first day she’d really felt as if they could be friends and actually maintain a relationship through Jelly Bean’s birth. Topped off by reconnecting with her aunt Kitty and the email correspondence with her friends, she was ready for whatever relationship she and Karl developed.
Especially relationships that involved hand holding. Or more near sex. Or actual sex.
“I’m not staying. I have to go back to work.”
“Oh.” He wasn’t still wearing his coat and scarf because he’d wanted to see her before taking them off. He was still dressed for the outside because he was going back outside. “It’s snowing.”
A stupid, nervous thing to say. Of course he knew it was snowing. It had probably been snowing when he came in.
“I’ve lived in Chicago almost all my life. I don’t mind the snow.”
“I finished your hat yesterday.” She rushed past him into the living room and dug the green-and-brown fisherman’s cap out of her knitting bag. When she held it out to him, he just stared at it. “The color matches your eyes, and even though you seem impervious to the cold, I think you should hide your superhuman powers from the masses.”
