Pt. XIV: The Bait
Jack persuaded Kim to pick up Caitlin at McCarran International Airport. "It will give you a chance to get to know one another. I'm going to meet with the governor's daughter, Sal Bridge."
"Sure Jack, I'll go get her. I feel like I already know her quite well. Do you think Caitlin made reservations at a hotel?"
"I doubt it, why do you ask, Kim? Caitlin most likely assumes I will get her a room at my hotel, which I certainly will do if that's what she wants."
"My friends, Andrea and her husband, are on vacation and in Hawaii for two weeks. I have the entire house to myself. I thought Caitlin might like to stay with me."
"That's a good idea, Kim, see what she says about it."
Jack met Sal Bridge at the zoo, the Southern Nevada Zoological Park on North Rancho Drive. He had no idea why she would pick that spot and thought he just might ask her. Not much of a zoo Jack recalled, certainly not the likes of the San Diego Zoo. But then, Las Vegas is a gambling town he said to himself, with over 100-degree heat in the summer and not an environment suited to many animal habitats.
According to Jack's sources, Sal Bridge had an MBA from Stanford, worked as her father's administrative assistant and was extremely bright and talented. "Kind of a Hilary Clinton but with real beauty and brains," is what one of Jack's Republican friends joked. That friend also told him nobody called the lady Sally to her face except her family. To everybody else she was Sal or Ms. Bridge.
Jack greeted Ms. Bridge with "Hello, Sally." In return she gave him a look that could fry ice. Despite that, he considered her to be one of the most beautiful creatures God ever made. Tall, long blonde, almost white hair, and the milkiest skin he had ever seen. She could almost pass for an albino but for her eyes. The kind of skin that would never tan and Jack wondered about her past bouts with sun poisoning.
"Please, Mr. Davis," were the gorgeous lady's first words, "can we stand over there in the shade?" Sal had said to meet her at the Barbary Ape exhibit. She seemed fascinated by the tailless monkeys.
"See how they pout?" Sal pointed out. "A warning to keep your distance. See how their teeth chatter? They do this to calm down and make-up after confrontations. They are also known to eat their own kind.
"Cannibals, 'eh?" Jack responded. "I've been hearing a lot about cannibals lately."
"Yes, I know, Mr. Davis. You have been under electronic surveillance. By me. I'm rather an expert at it, actually. Nobody knows but me."
Jack was too shocked to say anything at the moment. His hotel room had been swept for bugs several times.
Sal took his silence as a sign to continue.
"Mr. Davis, no Jack, I think I know you well enough to call you by your first name, do you always sleep with your employees?
"Jack, the late Thomas Peterson paid you $25,000 on behalf of my father. Due to Mr. Peterson's unfortunate recent demise, you now deal with me. Here is another $25,000 to assure you we are even more interested than before to secure your assistance in this matter.
"Like I said, Jack, I bugged you. I know about your trip to Reno. I know about your meeting with the yakuza Nobura Isaka at the restaurant. I know what you know, at least what you have said you know.
"What I want to know now is what is your next move? Lilith has likely left the scene of the assignations since she now has what she wanted, this 'leshonah' or Golden Wedge of Ophir."
"Yes, Sal, I am afraid you are right. Lilith may be difficult to find. Until she surfaces again, I think the best idea I have at the moment is to get hot on the trail of these 'locusts' on Harleys who are causing the mysterious disappearance of the lovely ladies."
"Do you have a plan, Jack?"
"Yes, yes I certainly do, Sal. I plan to use bait. Caitlin and Kim."
"I want to be involved in this, Jack. Could you use me as bait also?"
"Funny, I don't really think you are asking, Sal, more like telling. It's your money and it's your call. This could be dangerous."
"I like dangerous, Jack."
"Kim is picking up Caitlin at the airport. I'll tell the three of you together my plan."
"That's fine, Jack. In the meantime, take me to your hotel room. I will remove the bugs. Since we are working together now, no need for that. Besides as you know it is quite illegal. I don't want to be tossed in jail and lose my panties, like what's her name, Binion's girlfriend."
When they got to the hotel and Jack opened the door to his room, Sal said, "Wait outside while I remove the bugs, Jack. This is top secret stuff. I don't want you learning all my tricks just yet, not until I am sure I can trust you. You come in the room in ten minutes."
Ten minutes later when Jack entered the room, Sal was in the bed. Her clothes were neatly folded on a chair.
"What do you think you are doing, young lady?" Jack asked in astonishment.
"Hey, Jack, I just want to show you what good bait I can be."
"Well, Sal, since you are paying for my time I don't suppose I can say 'no' now can I?"
Sal laughed and pulled the covers down, exposing her luscious breasts, and motioned for him to come on over.
Kim and Caitlin hit it off from the moment they set eyes on one another at the airport. Caitlin said she was starving and uttered, "Let's go to the Pamplemousse Restaurant, Kim. I've never been there but a friend told me it is the best French in Las Vegas."
"That's funny, Caitlin, Jack told me you do the best French in Vegas."
"Yeah, right, Kim, he said the same thing about you.
They both knew then that the other had been sleeping with Jack. Their knowing smiles told the other they had a mutual understanding that it was not a problem and not a barrier to their budding friendship. In fact, it bonded them closer together.
After Kim made a left turn on Swenson and headed north she handed her cellular phone to Caitlin. "Call Jack and tell him where we are going."
Jack just caught his breath after a most erotically intense hour with Sal when he picked up the phone. He and Caitlin exchanged very warm greetings.
"Caitlin, don't start talking about the case until we get there. Right, we. I'm bringing Sal Bridge with me, daughter of the governor."
Caitlin told Kim what Jack had said. "Kim, I wonder if Jack is sleeping with Sal Bridge."
"Probably," Kim replied with a silly grin.