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One Last Wish in Las Vegas .....................................................................Total Vaughn Lover

Part V

"Hi Danny," Nessa called from her table. She was cleaning up after she'd finally managed to push away the blackjack game that had gone on a little over three hours.

Danny just breezed by, his handsome face stern, as though he had a sense of purpose. And maybe his scowl was just a hint of irritation presenting itself. He didn't even look at Nessa which was out of character for lady's man Danny McCoy, Nessa was almost as voluptuous as his best friend, not to mention the way she insisted on keeping him out of the loop about Ed drove him absolutely insane!

"Danny, are you ever going to take me out to see the sights of Vegas?" she crooned as she shuffled her cards one last time then stuck it into its' box.

Danny still didn't give the sexy dealer another glance. He didn't even see her out of the corner of his eyes, so of course he didn't see Nessa coming until she physically put her arm through his.

"Mr. McCoy, are you ignoring me?" she teased, the question coming off her lips very playfully, making it sound as though it would be absolutely ridiculous for Danny to say anything other than, "A sexy black jack dealer who teases me just the way I like it while keeping me in my place? No way!"

But what the security protégé said was far from anything that sounded like that.

"Actually I was too busy that I didn't even notice until you grabbed me," Danny grumbled as he wrenched his arm out of her grasp and checked for messages on his phone. "And I'm sorry but I just don't have the time to sweet talk you right now."

Nessa reacted exactly the way any beautiful woman would after being thrown that comment. She stumbled back, looking a bit shocked, a mixture of pain, loathing and annoyance in her creole-complected expression. "Well excuse me, I should have known you were in a hurry, only I didn't notice because the chip on your shoulder is so big that it could cover your whole head!"

Danny shook his head as though he were chiding a misbehaving student, a girl who would make him waste his time saying no because she would never get it.

This seemed to turn Nessa off even more an her hot anger tinged her honey-brown cheeks with a light red coloring.

"Look Nessa, I don't know what happened last night of what drama you want to inflict on me but I just don't have the time today," Danny stated briskly, getting directly to the point. "I don't know if Sam or Ed told you but we've got an underage kid on the grounds and for some reason Ed wants her off...now."

He emphasized the now since his first one in conversational tone didn't make enough of an emphasis.

Nessa almost told him to shove it and that she certainly didn't have time for his wild goose chases but she didn't want to stoop down to his level. "Right, underage kid. Got it, can you give ma description of some sort so I would know what I'm looking for?"

"I...I don't have a picture but I know she's got shoulder length light brown hair with matching eyes. According to Sam she's developed, and she was sporting a light blue camisole dress," Danny informed her hurridely.

"So she's an underage hooker then? Maybe you should go check with Mary, she's always around the bars," Nessa said helpfully but Danny shook his head.

"No, she's not a hooker. Besides, I've already checked," Danny said as an after thought. His eyes had that look that indicated that he was planning his next move as they spoke.

"Well what is she? A young unregistered scammer? Maybe in with her pops who's retired and taught her the tricks of the trade?" Nessa asked then, a bit frustrated when he didn't react of answered her.

Again though, Danny shook his gorgeous expressionless yet serious head.

"What is it then? Is she a drug dealer, or perhaps she's intoxicated and you don't want her getting into trouble, or actually make trouble on your watch?" she suggested only to get the same annoying reaction. Ugh! Did Danny want her help or did he want to piss her off? If the latter was true, he was doing a good job of it.

"Actually, she's just an innocent naïve little girl who wondered into the adult playground a few weeks shy of her eighteenth birthday, assuming she's who we think she is," Danny clarified, looking suddenly as though he had a major headache, but his tone softened. Nessa could tell that Danny was holding something back but what came out next was nothing close to comforting.

"She's just underage? She's not even trying to pass of as a hooker? Danny, then what's the big deal? You could be handling more pressing matters with this time," the beautiful woman shrieked, her british accent made her voice sound that much angrier.

Danny wanted to reach out to her and squeeze her shoulder but he didn't. Some thing were perfectly comforted by touch, others were not. He drew his hand into his pocket to curb any urges he could possibly have.

"I totally agree with you. I don't see the big deal of having an underage girl on the grounds, it's not like she's going to rob the casino or anything. She just wanted her moment in Las Vegas just like the millions of non-vegas residents that fly into Sin City to fulfill their guilty pleasures," Danny sighed, hoping Ed wouldn't be offended by his feeling sorry for the girl Ed wanted absolutely nothing to do with. "Especially because if she's the girl I think she is, she'...she's dying."

Nessa's face closed with concern. "What did you say, Danny? I thought I heard you say..."

"You heard right," the handsome security protégé spit as he stared at the ground. "She's dying and the One Last Wish Foundation came to us today to ask us to grant a wish but..." then he broke off. "Listen Ness, I've got to go. After all I'm on Ed's payroll and he is still my boss. And he wants me to go look for this girl."

"I know, especially if you want to keep this job of yours," Nessa reasoned, her voice and face softened. She now knew why Danny had been so on edge with her and felt a little bad for being so brash with him. "Well Danny, if you need anything, let me know, though I can't made Ed change his mind, I want to help."

"Thanks," Danny said, genuinely grateful. "If you want to help, find that girl and get the info to me before Ed finds it. Oh and the thing about the Last Wish, don't tell anyone. As soon as I get a hold of this girl, I'm going to hold a little meeting where I'll need Club Mystique's hostess, the special events coordinator, queen of the gaming floor, the casino's star hostess and even the valet guy to be in attendance. You'll find out why later."

Nessa gave Danny an uneasy glance as she folded her arms under her breasts.

"Okay Nessa? You've had experience keeping Ed's secrets, it won't be hard for you to keep one for me, right?" he demanded and Nessa could tell she was serious.

"O...Of course, my lips are sealed," she finally swore, giving him her most serious expression, complete with deep eyes and pursed lips.

Danny only looked semi-convinced but he knew he had more pressing matters at hand and therefore went off to continue his search as Nessa looked on. He pressed through the crowd only to smack into Mike who looked like he wanted to chat. He gave a very abrupt apology and went on without another glance or word. He could hear Mike cursing. "Ah no, that's cold. That's just cold."

He went through another throng of people, cell phone again his ear as the only man on the floor with a red beard filled him in on the latest update on the girl's position.

"She's in the corridor?" Danny gasped, amazed at how she could have ended up there. "Should I even ask how she knew how to get in there?"

Red Beard didn't reply.

"Okay, is there a security man near her that I can call to intercept her?" Danny barked, barely making out what Red Beard was saying to him. He almost told the crown to shut it but at the last moment he remembered this was a casino, and noise meant business, loud noise meant major buzz.

"No the closest guard right now is at the South Ed, that's over 2500 feet away from her and the target is moving fast. I think she knows she's being followed."

Hmm...Danny took this into consideration. What the man on the other end was saying turned the wheels in his head. "You know, I'm betting she cam upon that door on mistake, she's probably lost." He paused to think, making his way away from the loud crowd. "Okay, so, no security guard. Is there anyone near her at all?

He got about ten seconds of dead air before he came back on the phone to inform him that Mary Connell was about 350 feet from interception.

"Okay, thank you," he stammered then shoved the phone into his pocket before he could hear the man ask him if he wanted Mary notified. But it made no different, he was going to head over there anyway.

He worked his way through another throng only as he pushed through the last person, someone got the back of his pants and he ended up tripping on the floor. He lifted his head and was greeted two pairs of female toes, one was painted a nice rhinestone turquoise, the other a much more subtle peach. He gazed upward and began cursing to himself. No, God, did God have to be so cruel?

Standing above him was two teasing and condescending looks from his ex-girlfriend sporting a stunning short turquoise dress and Sam in what she'd been wearing earlier, a white halter and dark capris.

"Good afternoon girls, good timing as usual," he said wryly. Delinda and Sam began giggling as though it was the funniest thing he'd ever said.

Sam stood there as though she wanted to just ridicule him for the rest of the afternoon. Delinda was the one who leaned down to give him a hand. Danny took it but tried not to grip it too hard, afraid of what her father would do if he broke any of Delinda's delicate fingers due to his hangover-induced clumsiness.

"Hay Sam, lend the poor boy a hand," Delinda asked her friend who stood stone-faced. Today she was an ice queen if there ever was one! She did finally lend a hand despite that she looked like she wanted to squash his face with her heels. Together they yanked the much taller and muscular hunk of a security guard to her feet. "There ya go cowboy."

"Thank ya ma'a," Danny said with a smile, miming as though he were tipping his imaginary cowboy hat to her. Delinda just laughed, seemed Danny was taking the break up a lot better than she'd predicted. She didn't even feel she had to hook him up with one of her own girlfriends.

Yup, Danny was holding his won, and it made Delinda feel just a little hurt that he wouldn't be pining for her tonight.

By the time she looked up, Danny was already shooting down into the hallway. It wasn't until Sam tugged on her arm that she remembered she was working.

"Come on Dee, Danny knows what he's doing, and look, you don't have to worry about him trying to pick you back up. You're free to date whoever you want!" Sam cheered. "I happen to know the guy who was checking you out last night."

"I..I don't know if I want to go on a date tonight," Delinda sighed which prompted Sam to put a concerned hand to the beauty's forehead.

"No fever," Sam reported. "Come on Dee, we should get back on the floor. You know Danny will contact us if he needs to. Besides, apparently he's going to intercept Mary and get her help to catch the one...I let get away."

Sam bit her lip, looking upset with herself.

While Delinda couldn't but wish she was Mary Connell right now.

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"All right, I should be closing in on Mary very soon," Danny triumphed as he walked down the familiar silver hallway . "Then maybe Ed will let me get back on the floor so I could find my new potential chick.

Danny had a very serious and a little irritated expression but inside he was actually feeling macho. He'd been able to deal with Delinda as though she hadn't just broken his little heart. And the added surprise he hadn't expected was that it was quite possible that it was now Delinda pining for him.

Back to business. Danny looked forward and turned the corner, ready to grab the underage girl. Being in the marines for special operation and working for his boss who was former CIA had taught him at least one thing, to always go with your first instinct.

And he had the instinct that underage teen was going to make the horrible mistake of coming down the hallway just around the corner and smack into him.

He did smack right into a young woman.

But it wasn't the woman he was on pursuit for.

At least not at the present moment.

Danny backed up and put a hand to his chest before he recognized who it was he'd run into.

"Mary," he cried in concern as he knelt down next to the figure sprawled on the floor. "I'm sorry, are you okay?'

"Fine, Danny," she assured him and gave him her hand, her face beaming with a smile. Just looking at DannyMcCoy cured any pain she had. Of course other than the one he'd inflicted by insisting on dating any beautiful girl but her.

"Here, up you get," he coaxed her and gently helped the 5'8" brunette get back to a standing position. "You going to be okay?"

"Sure, let met just lean against the wall for a second," she murmured and Danny obliged. He stayed for about a second to determine whether she'd be able to walk straight. She blinked her eyes and focused on the floor, he could tell the way her pupils grew larger.

"Hey Mary, I've been looking for this young underage girl, light brown hair, hazel eyes, and apparently quite pretty," Danny inquired, getting directly back to business. "Red Beard told me that you were the closest in vicinity to her not even five minutes ago, did you see her?"

"N...no, I don't think so," she replied then put a hand to her stomach that had suddenly started rumbling. "So, we are still doing lunch right, Danny?"

Danny glanced at his cellphone and cursed. Damn, was it that time already?"

"Mary, you know I would like nothing more than to share fried with my best friend, which is you," Danny lamented, looking as though he had gone to the bathroom in his pants. "But I'm on Ed's clock and there 's that girl I still have to look for."

Mary turned around and folded her arms.

"Mary, you're not mad are you?"

"N...no," but it was evident from her tone that she was either jealous or feeling rejected.

"Mary..."he cajoled and turned her around and now he knew she was upset with him.

"It's just...we haven't been spending a lot of time with each other and I...I thought you'd want to talk about Delinda and maybe..." Mary began, looking down at the ground, purposely avoiding his gaze.

"Mary, you know I do," Danny insisted. "Maybe not talk about Delinda but I'd love to have lunch with you! It's just that is my job and I've got to do it before Ed yells at me." Danny heard his beeper go off.

Ed was just in time.

But he couldn't leave Mary so distraught and rejected, for one, he wouldn't be able to focus on his job if he did, everyone knew he cared for Mary Connell, Delinda even had asked him who he was really dating?

"Of course, your job. That's just a way of getting out of being with me," Mary accused. "And you know what, that's fine. I understand if you can't deal with women in general but you suggested it, you should be honest with me, not pull me in all directions or show me you have a gift and not let me have it."

"Mary, please, you know what you're saying is not true," Danny protested, putting a palm to his sweating forehead. "It's just Ed is not going to like me going on a thirty minute break when there's an unresolved situation at hand."

But Mary was not having any of that. "Well, I wish you'd told me earlier." She then let out an audible groan. "Geez Danny, I left a lot of things unfinished to go to lunch but do you see me sweating? No, because that's what normal people do, Danny, they have lunch as bossy as Ed is, he can't deny you a break."

"You're right but Mary he needs me to do this for him," Danny repeated, trying to get Mary to understand so he could skedaddle as soon a possible. He'd already left his ringer going on for two minutes.

"And I need you to spend time with me. I think you've been working with that Ed Deline for too long," Mary sniveled, as she took his large hand into hers. "You know you don't have to work so hard.

Mary stepped forward, planning to drag her quite tough best friend along, only he didn't come instead, he dropped her hand.

"Mary, I'm going to have to do a rain check on this lunch," Danny apologized but the tone of his voice indicated that it was his final decision.

"What? But Danny?'

"No, buts. Mary, you can't compare my job to yours, okay? You make good connections, set up all our special events and somehow coordinate everything so it all works out and that's admirable."

That comment actually made Mary's cheeks blush a deep shade of rose.

"But the welfare and safety of this casino depends on my doing my job well," Danny added, a bit smarmy. "That's a tad more of an important responsibility than your is. Which means that the rules that would apply to the rest of the casino wouldn't apply to me.;

Mary stared at Danny with wide eyes, thinking he couldn't have said what he just had. "So you're saying that our rules are different because you're Big Ed's apprentice and I'm one of the lowly employs of the Montecito casino?" her voice became shrill again, causing the occasional passerby to wonder what Danny had done to make her upset.

"Mary, wait a minute."

"No, you wait a minute," Mary scowled as she pushed him in the chest and smacked him with the bag in her other hand. "And just for your information, wasn't it for my grueling hours of planning interesting concepts throughout the years, you wouldn't have the opportunity to watch over half of what you're overseeing right now." She then paused before she looked into his beautiful eyes with her wet ones. "And security guard or not Danny McCoy, the rules of friendship do apply and you broke...at least ten in this conversation alone."

Danny didn't have time to realize what had hit him because Mary began stalking away, her red hot stilettos made clacking noises that shook Danny's heard with every step she took, pushing him deeper into his guilt pool.

"Mary!'

But she didn't stop or send him a disappointed glance. Damn, had he been that harsh? He shoved his hand into his pocket and remembered his boss was calling him.

"Danny, here."

"Danny, YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE 3 MINUTES AGO!"

"Yeah, I know but I had this situation with Mary and I think it cost us our friendship," he explained to Ed as if his boss would care,.

"You and Mary have known each other since childhood. I'm sure you've majorly screwed up in the past. She'll live. But you are not going to last much longer in your position unless that girl is on her way to the interrogating room right now."

"I'm working on it Ed, give me five minutes.'

Ed didn't reply. He didn't like speaking with idiots and right now Danny was acting like quite a big one. He just ended the phone call leaving Danny in the dark.

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Had Danny really said the things he had?

And had he meant them?

No, of course not, Mary knew that she was always somewhere near the center of Danny's heart.

In fact, she knew she'd already forgiven him and maybe she had overreacted just a tad. But what could she say? The truth was that even if Danny's heart had been hurt by that sexy as a supermodel Delinda Deline. She was selfishly relieved that Danny was no longer attached and her main lunch goal had been to show her what she'd lost by dumping him and what Mary had gained as a result of it.

Only it was seeming more and more like she'd taken her jabbing at Danny's job too far. She knew she had to have really been unreasonable or offensive for him to be so brash with her. Danny was the only one she could run to when thing went wrong. He knew how fragile she was.

Now how was he supposed to go back to work when the only thing she wanted to do was run to Danny and apologize to him? She stole a look at her watch. Crap, she had to get back. And it wasn't like she could see him anyway, with him being chief of security.

She would have to worry about dong that later. And maybe n her next hours of planning she could plan some way to show Danny how special he was to her.

But right now she was late to a meeting with the executives of Kraft who wanted to use the Montecito to advertise their new line of cheeses and she probably shouldn't wear such a low cut top.

What was it, just another five feet, two corner and then she'd be back on the

CRASH!

Mary couldn't believe that she was back on the floor. But instead of worrying about herself she reached over to help up the girl she'd collided with,

"Hey, let me help you," she said gently to the young lady sprawled on the floor.

"T...thank you," Mary replied and flashed her a very nice smile. "I'm Mary Connell, I'm Director of Special events. What's yours?"

"It...it doesn't matter," she replied, keeping her gaze downcast. "Thank you for helping me but I'm okay. I'll be okay."

"There's no reason to be nervous. Besides if you're a new employee we'll be seeing each other around," Mary pointed out and put her hands on the girl's bare shoulders, her trembling bare shoulders.

Finally the girl lifted her head. Mary was taken aback by her beautiful hazel eyes, her slightly flushed cheeks framed by beautiful light brown hair. Tthe beauty of a teenager.

"I'm Belle...Belle Sears," she replied, showing a little bit of her bright white teeth until she realized how Mary was looking at her, just like that other so-called Sam. "Um...why are you staring at me that way? You're making me nervous."

"Oh...sorry, it's just that you're a guest and I'm appalled that our hosts and hostesses couldn't keep you from getting lost back here. Just wait, I'll get my best friend to escort you back out onto the floor."

"No, I'm fine."

"No, compliments of Montecito for throwing you into our lowly employment quarters," Mary said with another beautiful smile then pulled out her cell phone. "Just let me make a call, okay?"

"Um, okay," Bell replied, continuously darting her eyes from left to right.

Mary nodded in approval and then bit her lip when she heard Danny state his name in way of greeting.

"Hi Danny, it's Mary. Listen I've got this Belle Sears who somehow got back here. Yes, in the same area we just met. W...what? She's right he..."

Mary turned to look at Bell, only she was no longer standing there. "Danny, she's gone. But that's impossible, she was just here."

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"I believe you, she did the same with Sam," Danny groaned. "I'm heading your way and yeah, that fight was crap. Maybe we can do dinner," he suggested with a grin. "You're right, I'll ask you when it's closer to dinner time. You try and go off in the direction you think she went, I'll be there before you know it."

And this time when Ed called for him, he pretended he didn't hear it. Any second he wasn't on task could mean he'd be continuing this chase all night long.

He paused when he heard footsteps that were distinctly different from Mary's stilleto's. He then slowly made his way down the side of the way till he was in perfect position to see anyone passing by in the main walkway.

Yes! He heard nervous mumbling and panting, the kind a seventeen year old, Belle Sears would make.

Finally he saw a swish of blue material and lightly tanned legs, stuffed into a pair of last year's sandals.

Before he knew it, he reached out and put his arm around her waist, which caused her to loose her footing. Danny had to kneel down to make sure she didn't hit the floor, which made her face closer to him than he thought was appropriate.

Wow, he thought, aside from the blotchiness and tear stains, he was staring into the face of a very pretty and innocent looking teenager.

He really wished he didn't have to do what he was about to do.

"Belle Sears?"

Belle turned her head away, but Danny wasn't having any of that.

"Look, I think that what you did coming here was really not that bad of a thing. But if you don't cooperate with me, I'm going to have to assume that you're here for more than that reason."

Belle looked into Danny's beautiful and assuring hazel eyes. She wasn't going to win this round.

"You already know who I am."

"Right and I think you know who I am, considering you knew that I wasn't someone to mess with," Danny pointed out with a hint of that intimidating grin. "Then you bolted."

"No, I have no clue who you are, you're just really tall and not to mention confident, which is intimidating enough," she replied. "So are you going to tell me who you are any why you think you have any right trying to interrupt my life?"

"I'm Danny McCoy, head of security. My boss received some kind of letter and he thinks maybe she'll try and break in. Which is the only reason why we're even watching for underage," Danny informed her with another grin. "No that's we'll allow them in anyway." He then helped her to her feet, careful to keep at least one hand on her wrists. "So Belle, if you can provide me with I.D that will indicate you're over 17 years old, I will gladly let you go and make sure that the casino does everything to make sure your stay is nothing short of royalty."

Belle then looked down at the strong hand on her wrist then gave in, looking like a puppy who'd just been caught digging a hold in her master's prized petunias. "I don't, okay...you caught me. IIs there a chance that you're just let me go? I'll promise to leave the grounds."

"I...I would but you've taken most of my day and my boss insists we question you," he said in a quiet, almost apologetic tone as he pulled out a pair of handcuffs and cuffed one of her hands before he locked the other one around his wrist. "I'm going to need you to come with me for a minute, is that okay?"

Danny really expected for her to say something in the realm of, "Do I have a choice?' But Belle just looked at Danny with very sad eyes.

"Mr. McCoy, I'm sorry to cause you so much trouble. And of course I will come with you."

After hearing that it took a lot of Danny to take her hand and lead her up the stairs to that small interrogating room.

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So Danny finally caught her and yeah, Mary likes Danny! But things are going to get interesting, more interesting than having Delinda pine for Danny!

Stay tuned!

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Till next time: Total Vaughn Lover