Hold ’Em Hostage by Jackie Chance Read Free Book Online Page B

put his hands on my shoulders and turned me to face him.
    Opening my eyes, I took a deep breath, trying to ignore Frank’s deepening frown and the strength of his fingers as they unconsciously squeezed my shoulders tighter. “I don’t know if it was the Dragsnashark guy or his boss but one of them called after you left. He told me he’d kidnapped Affie, and that if I wanted to save her, I would have to take my seat at the Main Event.”
    â€œAnd do what?”
    I shrugged. “I think they want me to make them money. He said to make sure I was still in at the end of the day, which I suppose I can do by just posting my blinds and playing only the nuts. Of course, this kind of exaggerated conservative play will compromise my stack and what I can accomplish later on, but maybe that won’t matter. Maybe this is all they want from me. Maybe tomorrow they will set Affie free.” Saying it out loud seemed like a good idea, but instead made the option sound ludicrous. I sighed and sat back down on the couch.
    â€œWhat are they after? Why blackmail you into doing something you were planning to do anyway?” Frank mused, sliding his hands down my arms before dropping them to his sides as he strode to the window, looking out, his eyes obviously seeing nothing in the scene before him.
    â€œI asked, but he wouldn’t say. He just reminded me he knows where my parents live, that he knows Shana and Ben are here with me, that Affie is scared.” I paused, trying to swallow the sudden lump in my throat. “He was cold, matter of fact, which was actually more frightening than an overt threat. His voice didn’t sound like the guy who’d tried to run off with me at the Image.”
    Frank had paced over to the bar, and now with his forearms braced against it, he closed his hands into fists, opening them again, studying them with an intensity. “Ingrid should be flying in about now, to keep an eye on Shana. I considered having Shana go home, but our routines at home are much easier for a kidnapper or stalker to predict and follow. Here, they can lose a tail. Joe is already here, searching out a couple of leads for me. I have a man on your parents. We can keep him as a silent shadow, or tell Elva and Howard about him.”
    I shook my head. “No, I think if she knew, Mom would manage to dilute his protective capabilities.”
    Frank allowed a quick smile as we both imagined Elva chatting with a Joe look-alike, aka the Marlboro Man, nonstop, trying to set him up with all the single daughters of friends within two decades of his age and telling half of coastal Texas she had a bodyguard. “You’re right.”
    â€œFrank, this is very kind of you, but I hate to interfere with whatever jobs all your people are supposed to be working on.”
    â€œBee! Stop worrying about everyone else and worry about yourself and your goddaughter. My people don’t work without me. Now we are all working on this. End of story.”
    I opened my mouth to ask more, wanting as I always did to know more about what Frank did and for whom. He would say for himself because he ran FBG Enterprises but it was his client list I wanted a peek at. I suppose I was on it now. I closed my mouth and figured a way to be sneaky. “I don’t think I can afford you or Ingrid, for that matter, she told me she doesn’t work for you, just with you.”
    Frank rolled his eyes. “Just like a woman.”
    â€œHey!” I warned to hide my “ah-ha!” “So what will I owe you?”
    Frank raised his eyebrows. “Probably more than you are willing to deliver, but I’m willing to work something out in trade.”
    â€œBe serious, Frank.”
    â€œI am.”
    I sighed. Enough playing footsies. Fun as it was. I had to know what he wasn’t telling me. “So how did my name keep cropping up at the cop shop?”
    Frank’s face tensed, and he turned away. I