Ian's Ultimate Gamble - Brenda Jackson [51]
"And if it is true," Vance said, his voice thickening with anger, "then we'll be ready for them." Ian sighed. ".And let's make sure of it. Come on. We need to get up to the surveillance room."
When Vance and Dare turned toward the elevator, Ian called over his shoulder, "You two go ahead. Brooke and I will be there in a minute."
Once Vance and Dare had left. Ian crossed the room to sit on the edge of his desk. He drew in a deep breath as he continued to look at her. Then giving her a questioning look, he said. "You're extremely nervous about something. There's more isn't there? There's something you aren't telling me."
Brooke sighed. She knew the time of reckoning had arrived. For a moment she didn't say anything and then. "Yes. I didn't want to say anything in front of Vance and Dare."
He nodded. "Okay, what is it?"
She lifted her chin a notch and met his direct gaze. "There's a reason I've been here at the casino this past week and a half, Ian."
He frowned. "So you weren't here for rest and relaxation like you claimed?" She shook her head. "No."
Silence surrounded them for a moment and then Ian asked. "You tracked the Waterloo Gang here?"
Her expression became somber. "No, it had nothing to do with the Waterloo Gang," she said, walking over to the window and looking out, trying to hold on to her composure.
He raised a brow. "Then what?"
She turned back to him. "You. I was asked to come here to make sure you were running a clean operation. But at no time did I—”
"What!" he said, coming to his feet. "Are you standing there saying that you were sent here to spy on me and that all those times we spent together— days and nights— meant nothing to you other than you doing your job? That I was nothing but an assignment?"
Brooke quickly crossed the room to him. "No! That's not what I'm saying. How could you think that? It really wasn't an official assignment and— "
"I don't want to hear anything else!" Ian said in a voice that shook with anger.
"Ian. please let me explain things to you," Brooke said, reaching out to grab hold of his hand.
He flinched. "No. I don't think you need to say anything more. You've pretty much said it all."
Both Vance and Dare glanced up when Brooke walked into the security surveillance room. Vance lifted a brow. "Where's Ian?"
Brooked shrugged as she approached the two men. "Not sure. He left a couple of minutes before I did."
They nodded, too polite to probe any further. "I'm having my men run the tapes of the vault to see if there's any particular person or persons who made frequent trips over in that area," Vance said.
He then turned to the man sitting at a monitor. "Show us what you have. Bob."
Before Bob could pull anything up, Ian walked in. Although everyone glanced his way, no one said anything. It was obvious from his expression that he wasn't in the best of moods. Vance explained to Ian what they were doing.
"Okay, Bob. let her roll." Vance said.
They viewed over thirty minutes of footage, and nothing stuck out to arouse their suspicions. At one point, Brooke glanced over her shoulder and found Ian staring at her. The look in his eyes nearly broke her heart. Whatever progress they had made over the past week had been destroyed. The man who had expressed his love for her last night looked as if he resented her in his sight today.
"Hold it there for a moment." Vance said to Bob. breaking into Brooke's thoughts and claiming her attention. "Give me a close-up."
The monitor zeroed in on the red-haired woman's facial features. Vance shrugged and said, "Okay, move on. I thought for a second she reminded me of someone."
Brooke, who had been sitting in an empty chair beside Dare, stood, her mind alert. She stared at the woman they had just brought up on the screen. "Hey, wait a minute."
Dare glanced up her. "What?" "I've got a funny feeling."
Dare chuckled and said, "If history serves me correctly, that means she might be on to something." Brooke glanced over at Vance. "Can we do a scan of the casino