She paused, and Austin heard her heavy sigh through the phone line.
"I'm assuming you haven't tracked him down."
"I tracked him down, all right, but he refuses to return my calls.
That's why I'm glad to hear from you."
Austin had been about to leave his suite at the hotel when the phone rang.
He had considered not answering it, but thinking it might be Cassie,
he'd picked up.
Cassie. Thinking about her was driving him nuts, especially with that sicko ex of hers on the loose. If only she would let him help.
Dammit, she was too hardheaded for her own good.
Shutting down those thoughts, Austin willed his mind back to the conversation. His patience with Ran- dall had run out.
"Watch yourself with him, Austin," Mary Jane was saying.
"He's an explosion waiting to happen."
"I'll be fine. You just take care of yourself."
Once he was off the phone, Austin immediately left the hotel and headed
toward Alpine Road. When he pulled into the drive, he peered at his watch.
Eight a. m. Randall usually didn't go to the office until around nine.
Maybe he would get lucky and find the bastard home.
Instead of going to the front door, Austin went to the back, where luck was indeed with him. The door was open, and he walked in. An eerie quiet greeted him as his eyes took in the mess in the kitchen.
Frowning, he moved down the hall, toward the bed r room that Randall and Mary Jane had shared. Surprise was his best offense, he told himself.
With as little noise as possible, he eased the door open.
Austin had no idea what to expect. His mind had conjured up Randall in
bed humping his latest bimbette or simply alone, sleeping.
The bed was unmade, but empty. Grim-faced, Austin made his way toward the bathroom, where the door was open.
What he saw there grabbed Austin by the short and curiies, making it impossible for him to move.
"Why, you crazy son of a bitch!"
Randall was standing in front of his vanity, leaning over, snorting white powder up his nose. Cocaine. Randall was a coke head Good godamighty, Austin thought, sick to his stomach.
Randall's eyes bulged, and his mouth gaped when he saw Austin's reflection in the mirror.
"Well, if it isn't my old friend."
Hot, white rage sent Austin flying across the room, where he jerked Randall up by his tie and slammed him against the wall.
"Let go of me!" Randall squealed, his Adam's apple bobbing.
"Not until you level with me or I beat the living shit out of you."
Austin's nostrils flared.
"It's your choice." "I'll ... I'll level with you," Randall said in a
choked tone.
Austin let him go and stepped back, but not too far. If anyone deserved
to have a fat lip, it was Randall. Cocaine! Austin was both repulsed and furious. No wonder Randall was broke.
The land money? Austin's blood chilled. Was it in jeopardy?
"Start talking," Austin said.
"Before you have to be fitted for a new set of front teeth." "I said I'd
talk, so back off."
"Now's not the time to get a smart mouth."
Randall swallowed, then nodded.
Austin patted his cheek a bit harder than necessary, then smiled.
"I'm glad you agree." His smile disappeared.
"And once we've had our little talk, I want a promise that you'll get
help."
' "That ... that takes money."
"Money I'm guessing you don't have?"
Randall smacked his lips.
"You're right."
"So what about the land money?"
Randall went white, and Austin noticed he was shaking as if he were
having a seizure. Not a good sign.
"Suppose I listen, friend, while you sing me a song, like a bird."
Austin patted his cheek again.
"And while in concert, you'd best not tell me the money I gave you has
gone up your nose."
The ominous ring in Austin's voice was more than obvious, Randall's eyes glazed over and his body shook even more.
"Of course it's not.
I'd . never do anything like that. I. I promise the deal and the money
are still intact."
"Mmm, now that's just the song I wanted to hear. How 'bout singing
another verse, which should say you will get all the paperwork and let me take a look-see?"
"I ... I can do that," Randall said, continuing to shake and sweat.
Austin patted the other man's cheek, then stepped back.
"Good. And don't keep me waiting."
FR1;Twenty-Four Is something the matter?"
Austin didn't answer his trainer right off. Instead he continued with
his task, which was rubbing salve on one of his prize mare's front legs.
"Okay, so I'll mind my own business."
Austin stood, then patted the horse on her back before facing Robb.
"There's a lot going on."
"Anything I can do?"
"Just don't feed my paranoia."
Robb gave him a weird look.