Private Dick Casefile 01 - Lily White Rose Red

sleek, all chrome and leather.
    I wanted a gander at this Mr. X, to decide for myself if he was the kind of man who could kill his own daughter. But Lily didn’t strike me as the kind of woman who would accept a man like that as her lover, and she seemed certain he hadn’t done it.
    I didn’t have long to wait. A door hidden in the wood paneling opened, and there was Mr. X himself, shaking hands with another man as he escorted him out, a man I recognized.
    What was Captain Billy Woods doing here, in the center of the web that Mr. X spun around the city of Las Vegas? Hard on the track of crime, as befitted the brave and handsome captain of police? Or maybe he did have political aspirations after all.
    Captain Woods gave me a quick glance, and his smile grew wider in recognition. “Thank you, Mr. Hamilton. Don’t worry about a thing.
    I’ll see you soon then.”
    Funny thing, Big Billy Woods was taller than Mr. Hamilton, but somehow he didn’t seem like the bigger man.
    Sometimes when you see a picture and you meet the man in person, you’re disappointed, as if he were smaller than you’d thought he’d be, but that wasn’t the case with Mr. Max Hamilton. I could tell that Mr. Hamilton was definitely Mr. X. He radiated dominance and a hard ruthlessness that made you want to keep on the good side of him.
    Even Captain Woods seemed to be feeling the effect as he looked down at Mr. Hamilton.
    I realized that Mr. X wasn’t simply the owner of two casinos; he was in the business of power. Wherever Mr. Hamilton ended up, he would make certain that he was in charge.
    Funny thing, when I first saw the color photograph of Marguerite, I’d thought she was an exact duplicate of Lily, but I could see the resemblance to her father when he smiled. Of course, he was all hard edges and she had softened them up some, but the likeness was there.
    Captain Woods gave me his hand to shake, and I tossed him a grin as he squeezed my hand in his. I had a feeling he was this close to warning Mr. Hamilton about me, but he didn’t.
    “Mr. Randall, isn’t it?” When I nodded, he went on. “I didn’t 106

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    know you knew Mr. Hamilton.”
    Considering that until yesterday, Captain Woods hadn’t known I existed, it wasn’t exactly astounding that he wouldn’t have a list of who was in my address book, but I didn’t point that out.
    “We have an interest in common, Captain Woods,” I said.
    Captain Woods gave Mr. Hamilton a sidelong glance. Mr.
    Hamilton stood there looking suave and unthreatening, giving nothing away. “What would a private dick and an important businessman like Mr. Hamilton have in common?” From his tone, you would have thought he’d said “snake” instead of “private dick.”
    “We both like to garden,” I said recklessly. He didn’t need to know that I lived in an apartment. “He likes lilies and I prefer roses.” Mr. Hamilton surprised me by looking as if he was trying not to laugh. “I am fond of a good bloom.”
    “We’re comparing the merits of spreading on a good, thick coat of manure or straw for the winter,” I said solemnly.
    “I think I can smell it now.” The tightness of his lips was the only thing that gave away the fact that Captain Woods knew he was being kidded, but he had enough self control not to push the issue. He nodded at both us. “Good day, Mr. Hamilton.”
    I waited till he was gone and held out my hand. Hey, Mr.
    Hamilton might be a crook, but a guy can still be polite.
    “Grey Randall, private dick.” We shook. He had a firm grip.
    Businesslike. But he didn’t try to crush my hand like Woods had.
    “Ah, yes. Miss McIntyre said you’d be calling. Come in.” He gestured and stood back to let me pass into his office.
    “Wow, what a view!” I said, unable to suppress my reaction. The windows looked out toward Red Rock and over the other casinos on Route 91. But I wasn’t so impressed that I overlooked the two gunnies holding up the wall in his office.
    “I like to keep an eye on the competition,” Mr. Hamilton said with a chuckle. “Have a seat. What can I do for you?” I sat and looked over his muscle. One guy was a regular gunsel, average face, average height, average build, nothing to grab hold of if Lily White, Rose Red: Grey Randall, Private Dick Casefile #1
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    you were asked to describe him after witnessing him commit a crime, but the other one was a fireplug in that he had no neck. He was stocky and muscular, and I assumed he had