Just
then Madrigal, dressed in apple green, flounced through the emergency room
cubicle curtain. She read Belinda’s
mind. “Well, you’ve got no choice now
but to come home with me.”
Belinda
didn’t want to live in a Lincoln
“So
you have bottomless pockets of money?”
“Not
really. But my insurance agent called
me. I’ll have some left from the
insurance money.”
“Let
me put this another way. You’re coming
home with me. If you don’t cooperate,
I’ll grab your shoulder till you squeal.”
“Oh
forevermore.” Drugged on pain pills, the
Lincoln
#
On wy to Maddie’s Belinda texted Sam. Did u
find blue car drvr?
Pain stabbed her shoulder. The hospital sling didn’t help the broken
collar bone at all.
Of course, he texted back. U didnt luk so gud last time I saw u.
Well, who dz the blu car belong to? She
replied.
A guy name of Sears.
Texting set her
arm on fire.
“Sears? That’s Phillip’s last name.” Her stomach knotted, which made her shoulder
hurt more.
“Do
you think your stepfather is a killer?” Maddie said.
“Heck
no. He didn’t even stand up to my mother
when she was on a tear.”
Sears my stpfther, she texted back. U call me at Maddie’s OK? 2 much pain.
‘K he finished and ended the
call.
“There
are probably a couple thousand Searses, you know.”
“I
don’t understand any of this. Where are we going? Do you actually have a house?”
“Sort
of. We’ll be there real soon. Just sit back and try not to move.”
The
Lincoln
#
Maddie
pulled into a parking garage attached to the newest Spokane Casino. “Here we
are, home sweet home.”
“You
lie.”
“Nope,
come on. Do you want me to get you a
wheel chair?”
“Over
my dead body.” Belinda regretted that
crack with every step to the apartment on the seventh floor which had its own
private elevator.
Maddie
opened the door to a room done in beige and fifty shades of blue. It was a suite actually, two bedrooms, with a
view to Idaho
She
waved Belinda into the suite with a huge smile.
There are advantages to being Native American.
“All
the Native Americans have their own casino apartments?”
“Only
the ones who own the casino.”
Belinda’s
mouth dropped open. She gaped at every
part of the apartment. Everything
upscale and brand new.
“I
was thinking you need to paint a picture for me, to go right there.” She pointed to a recessed place on the wall.
“Absolutely.
She managed a grin for her friend. But I
may be out of business soon. The
destroyed painting I was working on was valued at $3200, and that was before it
was finished!. Now I can’t use my
arm. I may starve to death before the
shoulder repairs itself.”
Maddie
walked to change the thermostat and tossed her serape over her head onto a soft
lamb sofa. “I don’t think so. One of the largest stockholders of the
original building conceptualization board was....well, sit down, we need to
talk.”
“We
do?”
“Yes. I didn’t get a chance to tell you that your
father was one of the originators and contributors to the casino. Which is probably why all this is happening
to you. I just thought maybe I was
imagining things.” Madrigal stood and started
to pace the room, her eyes on some horizon known only to her.
“But
my father wasn’t Native American.”
“Right. But previous to 1988 when the Indian Gaming
Regulatory Act was passed, the tribal councils didn’t have enough money to
build a real casino and it was critical to the well being of all our
tribes.
“Your
father made the initial loan in 1986 to open the Child of the Sun Casino. He was making gaming machines all over the
country and had the only company that knew how to make the Cadillac of
machines. He knew that Indian Gaming
actually was in action long before 1988.
The U.S. Congress made a mess of regulation, since their goal was
obviously skimming.
“Your
father explained to the tribal conference that they could buy his machines because
the Supreme Court would allow the Gaming Act soon. Meanwhile, his machines were sold all over
the United States
Belinda
interrupted. “Wait a minute... I’m beginning to see why Chris was adamant about
marrying me. Somehow he must have found
out about an inheritance I didn’t know I had.”
Was it Chris who had killed her ex and her mother? So he could marry her, then kill her as well
and inherit a possible fortune? Or was
it Reedy who ran his mouth about an inheritance he could claim until somebody
(Chris?) stepped in.
“No,
not puppy-eyed Chris.” He was adamant a bout marriage, but he wasn’t
mean.
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