Nightwalker by Heather Graham Page B

of confusion, adding up to nothing. Traditionally, the maiden appeared when the tribe had need of her, or when a Native American was in trouble. But Tanner Green had been a Euro-mutt, without a trace of Indian blood.
    Whatever the cause—assuming there even was one—his restless night had imbued the morning with a strange groggy fog of hurrying. He never turned on the television, didn’t even check his e-mail, before he left the house.
    When he was shown into the office promptly at ten, he told Landon he wanted to speak with him alone, then waited patiently while the man made a show of protesting, then gave in and asked his retinue of leggy beauties, along with Hugo Blythe, to wait outside.
    “I think you have a big problem, and I think it’s someone close to you,” Dillon told him bluntly when they were alone at last. There were undoubtedly hiddencameras in the room, and for all he knew it was bugged, as well, but that was a risk he had to take. The cameras were Landon’s choice, and if the man didn’t sweep for bugs…well, there was only so far he could go in getting information to the man.
    “What the hell are you talking about?” Landon demanded. It was ten o’clock, but he was still in a dressing gown—cheetah-print silk. He was fit and tanned, a man who had a gym in his penthouse, along with the time to sit out in the sun just the right amount of time to acquire just the right amount of color. His hair was dark—aided by an expensive dye job, Dillon thought—but his face, despite expensive work, was showing signs of wear and tear. He could don the aura of a rich and attractive man, but time and stress were taking their toll.
    “I’ve been questioning the valets, and I’ve interviewed the bellmen and anyone else I could find who was outside when it happened. I’ll start on the inside staff next. Meanwhile, I’ve ID’d the car as a current model white Cadillac limo, and there are only two casinos that use those right now—yours and the Sun. None of the rental companies in the area have one. That suggests to me that you need to watch your associates and employees,” Dillon told him.
    Landon stared at him. “That’s it? For what I’m paying you, you come back to me with something like that? A fifty percent possibility at best? ”
    “As I said before, feel free to stop paying for my services at any time,” Dillon told him.
    “I need results. I need to know what the hell gotTanner Green killed. Especially if he found out something about who’s after me. Hell, I need to know anything. Someone out there knows something, and I want you to find out what it is,” Landon said angrily.
    “Be careful in your own house, that’s what I’ve got for you so far. What you do with that is your concern,” Dillon told him, standing. “If you want more, then you damn well need to give me more.”
    “What the hell more can I give you? Someone is after me. I know it. I don’t know who, but I know I’ve been followed. And now Green is dead. That’s what I’ve got, and if I had more, I’d damn well give it to you, because this is my life I’m trying to preserve,” Emil Landon growled. “Find out what happened to Tanner Green and why, then maybe we’ll know where to look and what the hell is happening. Now get out of here and go do something useful.”
    “Fine,” Dillon snapped. “I’d like to get your limo to the crime lab.”
    “My limo!” Emil Landon exploded. “You’re working for me, remember? Go to the Sun. Check out their fucking limo!”
    “I find that very curious, Mr. Landon. I’d think you’d want to know what was happening in your own backyard,” Dillon commented dryly.
    “You know what? You’re fired. Your sorry ass is fired,” Landon screeched. “Get out! Get out of my office now! ”
    “As you wish,” Dillon told him, and turned to leave.
    “Wait!” Landon called to him.
    Dillon turned.
    “Just check out their damn limo first, will you?” Landon demanded.