Triple Diamonds (Mystic Nights #2)(46)



He’d been busy for weeks. Campaigning hard, and he and Jewel hadn’t had a lot of time together since their Saturday night date. They squeezed in a quick meal, coffee together twice, and they had managed to slip away up to his room upstairs twice this week, but he hadn’t been around the boys much.

He quickly threw the net of balls in the storage closet and began to exit the gym. He hoped to catch up to them and have a quick word. Maybe make plans for the weekend for all of them. He hoped to get to know her brothers better before the end of the year and they went off to college. And that was happening soon. He wanted to make an effort with them, not only because he was beginning to want Jewel in his life permanently, but he knew from his own experience that having a male role model at that age was important. Something he desperately missed. True, many of his mother’s friends through the years had stepped in and provided him guidance when he needed a male perspective, and that had helped. Tom Watson, the head of security, had been one of those men. A close friend of his uncle’s. But it was not like having a steady guiding hand. Other than Tom, his grandfather who’d passed away when he was sixteen, and Senator Silver, who never had children of his own, his wife had been too ill to raise children, he’d had no other male role models during a critical time in his life.

He quickly walked to the corner of the block where he had seen the boys’ pick-up truck parked earlier. He saw them standing beside their car. And what he witnessed stopped him short. He ducked behind the fence and watched as Lesley handed the two other boys several bills, counting them from a roll he pulled out of his pocket. The one young man, who he recognized as the young man from the coffee shop, was shuffling his feet nervously. But the other confidently pulled an envelope from his inside jacket pocket and handed it to Wesley who clapped him on the back, and then turned, pivoting on one heel. He was smiling broadly, and then made his way round to the driver side door. Lesley laughed at something, and then he, too, got in the truck.

His earlier suspicions returned in a heartbeat. What were these kids up to? And why were they handling that much money? He couldn’t fathom it. The only thing that was logical was gambling. It made him think of the conversation he’d had with Jewel last week. How gambling addictions led to other problems. Like perhaps theft to feed the addiction. He didn’t want his thoughts to lead him there. But he just couldn’t help but wonder what these two boys were involved in. And who was that fourth young man? He didn’t recognize him at all. Not from the youth center or his dealings with the tribe and his recent campaigning.

He was unsure of what to make of the situation. Should he mention it to Jewel? That had not gone over well before. He knew she was doing the best she could, but did she know what else the boys were up to? Their other extra-curricular activities?

Should he follow? They were probably headed to school. But what was in the envelope? Could he find a way to have them show it to him? For her sake and theirs, he hoped they weren’t involved in drugs. But was he overstepping? Their future could be on the line. This could be serious. He needed to consider his actions seriously.

Joseph decided to head to work and not confront the situation just yet. He decided that perhaps he needed to hang out with the boys, earn their trust, and his thoughts of doing something over the weekend was going to be pushed up to tonight. Jewel had the night off. And he could spare one evening from the campaign trail to do a little digging. It was all he could think of at the moment. Whatever they were doing could be thrown back on her. He needed to find out what that was.

*

Before heading into work, Joseph drove quickly to his home in Ledyard. He needed a shower and to come up with a plan for that evening. Something they could all do together, but something that would give him a chance to talk to Jewel’s brothers alone.

Pulling up to the house, which was next door to his brother’s, he quickly parked near the front and pondered what he could plan.

There was a comedian that the boys might enjoy at the casino, but then he had another thought. They loved sports. He knew there was a cage match at the Mohegan Sun. He was sure he could snag some tickets from some of his friends on the other reservation. They might not be the greatest seats at such late notice, but it was something the boys would most likely want to do if they hadn’t made other plans for the night.

Unlocking the door, he simultaneously retrieved his cell phone and made the call to Gerald Plunkett, a friend he knew that worked at The Mohegan. He was in luck. The tickets would be waiting for him at all call. He bartered with tickets to the opening night of his sister’s new club. Gerry had a bit of a crush on Dawn, and he hoped she didn’t get mad at him over it. But this was something he needed to do, and he didn’t want to waste any more time.

While making his way to his bedroom and master bath, he dialed Jewel’s number. She was surprised to hear he had changed his plans for the evening, but was more than eager to spend the extra time with him. She was also thrilled to hear about the tickets to the MMA fight. Her brothers were boxing fans as well as fans of mixed martial arts, and hadn’t been to see a match since their father had passed. She was sure they would be more than willing to change their plans, if they had plans, and promised to text him as soon as she got ahold of them.

He promised he would text her the information and would pick her and her brothers up for the fights at seven that evening.

Joseph made quick work of his shower. He heard his notifications on his phone the moment he stepped out. He had missed two calls. One was a text from Jewel saying the boys would love to go, but they would drive themselves there and meet them. They had plans but would push them back until later in the evening. They would go to the fight first. And the second call was from his brother. With the text was a picture. An ultrasound picture. The text beneath it said, a boy!, and there was something circled on the picture.

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