Vegas Moon
Vegas Moon
(a Donovan Creed Novel)
by
John Locke
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental.
VEGAS MOON
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Amazon.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.
Copyright © 2011 by John Locke. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical without the express written permission of the author. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
Cover Designed by: Telemachus Press, LLC
Cover Art :
Copyright © istockphoto 9409269 (VeronikaCH)
Copyright © istockphoto 95009 (Graffizone)
Edited by: Winslow Eliot
http://www.winsloweliot.com
Published by: Telemachus Press, LLC
http://www.telemachuspress.com
Visit the author website: http://www.lethalbooks.com
ISBN: 978-1-935670-58-2 (eBook)
ISBN: 978-1-935670-59-9 (Paperback)
Version 2011.04.03
If You Like Vegas Moon, You’ll Love A Girl Like You
All six of John Locke’s previous Donovan Creed novels have made it to the Top 20 on the Amazon/Kindle Best Seller’s List. His western adventure, Follow the Stone, became the #1 western seven days after publication! He had four different books in the Top 10 at the same time, and seven books in the top 34 at the same time, including #1 and #2.
Praise for John Locke’s A Girl Like You:
FIVE STARS! “John Locke has a very infectious writing style. He does not disappoint with "A Girl Like You". There's plenty of action, mystery, and of course, an adult-dose of humor.”
FIVE STARS! “John's books are best enjoyed with an open mind and willingness to let the author take you where he intends. Do this and I promise you will become a fan.”
FIVE STARS! “I finished "A Girl Like You" in one sitting; something I never do.”
FIVE STARS! “Five Stars not enough…this is a ten star book!”
FIVE STARS! “John Locke has done it again. I keep thinking that I will read one of his Donovan Creed Books that doesn't appeal to me...nope. Again I must say John Locke is a wonderful Writer! Run don't walk to get all of his books. You won't be sorry.”
FIVE STARS! “Another John Locke book? How fast can I hit that “Buy Now” button?”
FIVE STARS! “As I was reading the comments section in J.A. Korvath's blog interview with Mr. Locke, Mr. Locke listed the chronological order of his Donovan Creed books. Lo and behold there was a new novel: "A Girl Like You". As fast as I could I hit that link to Amazon and bought that sucker. I walked a block to the nearest WiFi hotspot and it was on my Kindle.”
FIVE STARS! “It was so nice to welcome back Mr. Creed that I read the first third of this book during lunch and devoured the rest that evening. Talk about getting your money's worth! Mr. Locke is now on my top 5 best *living* writers list (replacing the late Robert B. Parker). What a wonderful new author discovery. I haven't felt this way about a new author since Lee Child.”
FIVE STARS! “I just wish I hadn't plowed through it all in one afternoon. I couldn't find a good stopping place so I could set the book down--I just kept reading because I was dying to know what would happen next!”
FIVE STARS! “I have to say that I absolutely love the Donovan Creed series. My crazy love for this series aside, you have to go into it with an open mind. If you are in the category of the easily offended then this may not be the book for you. However if you are in the better category (hehe) of people with a sense of humor it certainly is for you. See how I did that, if you were offended by the last statement you are probably classified as the former. Mr. Locke does an incredible job of putting action, comedy, and a unique sense of romance together in a way that has compelled me to read the entire series in a month. Please go forth and read...”
FIVE STARS! “Best of the Creed series thus far. Marvelous blend of suspense, humor, and snappy dialogue. The novel ended nicely and laid the foundation for the next isssue. Can't wait for Vegas Moon.”
FIVE STARS! “This was an awesome Donovan Creed book! Made me laugh out loud and get a lot of funny looks. I read all 6 books in 7 days they are so good I can’t put them down. Can’t wait for the 7th book!”
FIVE STARS! “I can’t get enough of Donovan Creed!”
FIVE STARS! “I highly recommend "A Girl Like You" and all of John Locke's books to anyone with a sense of humor and an appreciation of entertaining stories.”
FIVE STARS! “I stumbled upon the Donovan Creed series b/c of the 99cent price. I have to say, it's a great series and a quick read. I didn't read them in order and was able to follow along. Donovan is a great character.”
FIVE STARS! “Do you like action? Mystery? Tied up naked people with attitude? Then you are in the RIGHT PLACE!”
FIVE STARS! “Donovan Creed is a character with wide spread appeal....I mean, who doesn't like a compassionate hit man with a sense of humor?”
FIVE STARS! “Addicting!!!!”
FIVE STARS! “Locke you are the man. What a Great Great series. Keep them coming, Creed makes my reading time fun and most enjoyable.”
FIVE STARS! “I have once again found a writer that has caught and held my attention. I thank you Mr. John Locke. I have actually read all your books except for the western but from the review I am sure I will also purchase it. Your writing keeps me smiling and I like that.”
FIVE STARS! “Another prize book from John Locke. He is a new author for me and I can't get enough. Funny, fast paced can't put it down kinda read! Love!”
FIVE STARS! “The old Donovan Creed is back!”
FIVE STARS! “Today is Wednesday 11am. I just finished reading "A Girl like You" after starting it at 8am. I read the first book in the series "Lethal People" on Sunday. So in 4 days I have devoured all 6 of these books. I've become a huge John Locke fan in a few short days.”
John Locke
“Author John Locke only improves, like an aged wine. John Locke's writing draws you in. You fall in love again on every page, and it is never predictable. Except that I am always left satisfied.”
BOOKS BY JOHN LOCKE
Donovan Creed Series:
Lethal People
Lethal Experiment
Saving Rachel
Now & Then
Wish List
A Girl Like You
Vegas Moon
Other:
Follow the Stone (An Irreverent Western Adventure)
Every novel John Locke has written has made the Amazon/Kindle Best Seller’s List. Every seven seconds, twenty-four hours a day, a John Locke novel is downloaded s
omewhere in the world.
For previews of upcoming books by John Locke and more information about the author, visit http://www.SavingRachel.com
“The wind blew some luck in my direction,
I caught it in my hands today.”
—Moonlight Feels Right, by Bruce Blackman,
Performed by Starbuck
Acknowledgments
When I write the Creed books, I try to put something in every chapter that I think will make my brother, Ricky Locke, smile. He’s the one who tells me, before the first sale, how well each book is going to do. So far, he’s batting 1,000! A hearty thank you to best-selling author Winslow Eliot, who edits my books without trying to turn me into a “real” author; and to my amazing publisher and cover designer, the incredibly talented Claudia Jackson, her wonderful husband (and my good friend) author Steve Jackson, and their wonderful company, Telemachus Press; and their tremendous staff, including of course, the hard-working, “no problem, can-do!” Terri Himes.
This one is for my wife, Annie, whose looks and personality surpass even the Creed ladies. The line in Vegas Moon regarding Callie being able to charge men to watch her put on her lipstick is a direct quote from two businessmen at a party, talking about my wife.
Prologue
I
Jim “Lucky” Peters was in Jamaica, getting a colonoscopy from a Rastafarian proctologist, when his cell phone started buzzing.
“Wha’s that, Hon?” the doctor said to his nurse. “Some sarta buzzin’ sound.”
She located Lucky’s cell phone, frowned, confiscated it. Lucky was half-conscious, and loopy enough from the “relaxing” medicine not to care. What he did care about was whatever the hell Dr. Gayle was doing in his lower tract.
“You’re gonta feel some pressure, now, Mon,” he said.
Pressure?
Understatement.
Was Dr. Gayle drilling for oil? Impaling him through the ass with a flagpole?
“If you’re looking for Jimmy Hoffa, I can tell you right now, he’s not in there,” Lucky said, through clenched teeth.
“Who’s Jimmy Hoffa, Mon?”
“Seriously. You push that thing any deeper, you’ll scratch the back of my eyeballs!”
“Almost done, Mon, and clean as a whistle she is.”
The pain and suffering was all on Lucky, since he decided to forego the anesthetic. Like all his decisions, this one had been a calculated risk.
Lucky Peters knows a lot about risk. And reward, and odds of every sort. He’s a legendary gambler, allegedly worth something above fifty million dollars, the man Las Vegas casinos fear more than any other. More than they used to fear the mob, even. When Lucky sets the line on a game, casino owners hold their breath. When he wins, they shit their pants. On any given day of the week, Lucky’s got a million bucks riding the line. And three times that on the weekend. And historically, sixty-eight percent of the time he wins.
Lucky’s success is based on vigilance, and keeping up with the constant flux in the betting landscape. Case in point: last time he went under the knife he accepted the anesthetic, missed the injury report on Packer cornerback Johnny Sullivan, and it cost him eighty large!
So, never again.
One p.m., still in Kingston Hospital but significantly recovered, Lucky located his cell phone among his belongings and saw he had four messages, all from world-renowned plastic surgeon, Dr. Phyllis Willis. Lucky pressed the replay button to retrieve the first one.
“Lucky, this is Phyllis. Connor Payne is in the lobby of my practice! What should I do? Please call me back!” Dr. Willis sounded frantic.
Suddenly Lucky wasn’t feeling so lucky. A cold chill swept through his body. Connor Payne was an international assassin. If he was in Dr. Willis’s lobby, it could only mean he had information that could eventually lead to Lucky.
Second message started.
“My receptionist told Connor Payne I’m in the middle of a procedure. He doesn’t believe her. He’s giving me two minutes to come out, then he’s coming to get me. Should I call the police? I don’t know what to do! I’m terrified. Please call!”
Lucky closed his eyes. This didn’t sound good.
Third message came on.
“I’m making a corporate decision. I’m in the bathroom, the door’s locked. I’ve got the controller. I’m going to punch in the code and melt his brain right where he stands. I can’t see any other way out of this. Okay, I’m hanging up. I’m going to do it. Please forgive me!”
Lucky pressed the pause button, thinking, Please don’t kill him. They’ll do an autopsy and find the chip we implanted in his brain. On the other hand, Dr. Phyllis Willis was a surgeon. Maybe she could slice his head open and retrieve the chip before anyone finds out what killed him.
Lucky shook his head. That was ridiculous. First of all, the receptionist, Shelby, was a witness. Second, there’d be no reason for Phyllis to slice open the brain of a man who suddenly died in the lobby of her building. If pressed by the police, Phyllis would crack and tell everything she knew. Lucky had half his life’s savings invested in Ropic Industries, a company whose stock had been slipping for months. This type of news could send it into free fall.
Lucky noted the time of the calls. All four were back-to-back, made in the space of three minutes. He reminded himself that whatever he was about to hear had taken place two hours ago. It had already happened, and there was nothing he could do now, but listen how it played out. Lucky took a deep breath, hit the play button on his cell phone.
“Mr. Peters, I-I entered the code. I entered the code, b-but he’s still alive! He’s moving through the office! I-I think he may have killed Shelby! Oh, dear God! There are five people here. Connor Payne is going to kill us all! I can’t believe you never called me back! I’m going to die today.”
Phyllis paused a moment, then said, “I need to tell you something. Two things. First, I don’t regret our affair. I’m glad we did it, because…well, because I love you. I always have and always will. And second, you need to know where I hid the device. Since the code didn’t work, you’ll need the device to re-set it.”
Phyllis paused again, as if listening for Connor Payne. Then she whispered, “Don’t be angry. What I did was really stupid, but—
On the phone, Phyllis suddenly went into full-blown panic mode. “Shit! Here he comes! I-I love you, Lucky!”
II
Lucky needed to…not panic. He tried not panicking for awhile, but his heart was racing a mile a minute. He decided to think, instead. Okay, so he needed to make some calls.
Several calls. How many, exactly?
Three.
But who first?
Phyllis? His wife Gwen? Mob boss Carmine Porrello?
Phyllis’s cell phone went unanswered. When he called her office, a cop said, “This is Detective Scrapple. I’m logging calls for Dr. Willis. Could you state your name, please, and your relationship to Dr. Willis?”
Lucky hung up. He knew it was a stupid thing to do, since Phyllis’s cell phone records would show he was the last person she called before her murder. Assuming she’s dead.
Assuming?
Of course she’s dead! Or she’d have called him.
Damn good thing I can prove I was in Jamaica when it happened, he thought. Of course, the details of his affair with Phyllis might come to light. Then again, beyond the cold shoulder he could expect from Gwen, a public affair could enhance his reputation as a lady’s man. A plus, in a town like Vegas.
If Lucky was anything, he was lucky. He calculated the odds of surviving Phyllis’s murder relatively unscathed, and put them at 12 to 1.
Connor Payne was a different matter.
Did Phyllis tell him about Lucky’s connection to the device? If so, Lucky and Gwen were both in danger.
Lucky called Gwen’s cell.
No answer.
He tried their home.
No answer.
This was a problem. If Gwen’s cell phone was operating, her voice me
ssage would have come on. He caught himself wishing he’d taken Gwen to Jamaica. It would’ve been nice to have a friendly face here, but he’d wanted to sample the local talent. He didn’t get far with the Jamaican women, though. In fact, he never got started. Because by the time he landed he was already shitting blood through his shorts. After gagging everyone in first class and then baggage claim, Lucky caught a cab and went straight to the hospital. After a day of tests and prep, they scheduled his colonoscopy. Welcome to the Islands, indeed, Lucky thought.
His third call got a response.
Mob boss Carmine “The Chin” Porrello couldn’t wait to take Lucky’s call. He’d been trying to infiltrate Lucky’s sports betting empire for years. But so far, Lucky had managed to resist the charms of doing business with the mob.
“What’s up?” Carmine said.
“You know this hit man, Connor Payne?”
“Never heard of him.”
“Really?”
“Really. Why you askin’?”
“He might be after me.”
“Sounds like you got a problem.”
“I need a body guard.”
“If your boy’s for real, none a’ my people are gonna want the job.”
“I just need a name. Who’s the best hit man in the business?”
“By business, you mean the family?”
“No. In the world. Is there someone who’s considered the best in the world?”