The craps dealer looked up at Frank, who’d been on an incredible streak, rolling six sevens in a row. But Frank was looking down at his watch, adjusting for time zones, doing the math in his head.
It’s eight in Dallas, where the clocks were two hours ahead. That made it nine o’clock in Florida.
Time to call Nancy.
“I’ll be right back, babe,” he said to Suzanne, excusing himself from the table.
“You okay, darling?”
“I just need some air.”
It’s a perfect evening in Tahoe. Seventy degrees out, dry as a bone, a slight breeze coming up from the water. Frank had a habit of checking the weather before calling home, just in case Nancy asked what the weather was like wherever it was she thought Frank was. Now his iPhone told him that it’s as hot as a furnace in Tampa.
He fiddled with the phone some more, paced back and forth on the patio outside the casino.
There was a part of Frank that was afraid Nancy would pick up the phone when he called.
Another part of him knew that she wouldn’t.
And when Frank finally did call his home, the phone rang and rang, then went to voice mail.
When he called Nancy’s cell phone, it did the same thing.
Frank did not leave a message.
Suzanne was waiting for him inside the casino. His new life was waiting there with her. But only if Billie had actually made good on his promise. Billie, and whoever else Billie had picked for the job.
If there was one thing Frank knew, it was that Billie Earl and his associates had it in them to screw up.
Frank decided to wait a few minutes, then tried Nancy again.
His call went straight to her voice mail again. The same chirpy message, and this time, Frank left a message, making sure to sound a little concerned.
“Babe, I don’t know where you are. But I’m just finishing up for the day. These weekend meetings, I don’t know why the company bothers. But I’ll be home in a few days, and I’ll call you tomorrow. And, Nancy, I love you and miss you.”
For a moment, he almost believed what he was saying.
Then that moment passed. Gradually, the look of concern on Frank’s face began to twist into a smile.
By the time he got back to the craps table where Suzanne was waiting, Frank was grinning from ear to ear.