2/

"I need 30,000." Danny declared as he walked into Ed's office.

Without missing a beat, and without lifting his eyes from the paperwork he was filling out, the older man responded, "Sorry, kid, but you haven't been doing well in school and you've been slacking in your chores, so your mother and I don't feel that you deserve a raise in your allowance."

Rolling his eyes, the ex-Marine responded, "I think my dad is in some sort of financial trouble. In fact, I know he is. He says he owes money on some equipment, but I think there's more to the story."

Intrigued, Deline lifted his piercing blue eyes and looked at his employees, "What sort of financial trouble? And what makes you think that I have 30,000 at my disposal?"

"Ed, come on," Danny said, "he who drives a Hummer and an Aston Martin, plus lives in a house that is probably worth close to 2 million dollars doesn't have thirty grand at his disposal? I'll pay you back every dime, I swear. How and when, I don't know, but you'll get your money back."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Ed responded as he stood up. Walking over to the younger man, he said, "Don't worry about repayment, okay? Just tell me what is going on."

The ex-Marine sighed deeply. Running a hand through his dark hair, he just looked at his mentor. "I got a call this morning from my dad, he wanted to see me. So I drove out to his job site and he was acting very weird."

"Weird how?" Ed prompted.

"Weird, Ed. Not like himself. He was fidgety and acted like it was I who called him. Anyway, he told me he needed to borrow the money and said that he was late in equipment payments and that he's been slow in business."

Ed shrugged a shoulder, "The construction business hasn't exactly been booming lately, Danny, maybe there's a shred of truth to that."

Danny shook his head, "No, cause he's got projects in Tahoe and Reno. Tahoe is a pretty lucrative contract, Ed."

The former CIA agent sighed as he nodded, "Yeah," he agreed, "Tahoe's pretty important. You think he got himself into some sort of jam?"

Danny looked at him, "Like gambling?"

"Yeah," Ed said, "like gambling."

"No," he said as he shook his head, "we are locals. Dad knows better, besides, he doesn't play."

"At all?" his boss asked, "No weekly card games with the boys or bets on games?"

"My dad doesn't have 'boys', Ed. I mean, he's got friends, but they don't hang out, you know? Plus, when he's not at the site, or in his office working, he's home watching an old John Wayne western. His social life kind of got buried when we buried my mom."

Ed nodded thoughtfully, "Yeah," he said quietly. Clapping Danny on the shoulder, he sighed softly, "I'll get you the money, Danny, but only after we do some digging and find out what's going on, okay?"

Danny nodded, "Okay, thanks, Ed." As he headed to the door, he stopped and looked at his boss, "By the way, how are things going with you and Sam?"

The older man narrowed an eye as he looked at his protégée, "Why?" he asked cautiously.

Shrugging his shoulders, the younger man responded, "Just asking."

"Fine," he said with a soft smile, "we are fine, thanks."

"And Delinda's cool with everything?"

Ed glared at him, "What is it with this sudden interest in my personal life, Danny? Feeling the need to live vicariously or something?"

Danny winced, "No, it's just that, I sorta thought we had a moment there, you know... bonding."

"You sorta thought we had a moment..." he repeated. "And how did you come up with that? You pull it outta your ass or something?"

Opening his mouth to respond, the man quickly closed it. "You know," he said, "I think I'm going to go and figure out what's going on with my dad."

"Yeah, you do that," Ed said with a roll of his eyes.

Not saying anymore, McCoy turned and walked out of Ed's office.

Sam Marquez walked into Mystique on a mission. Spotting her friends in a cluster at the bar, she approached them. "Hey, have you guys seen Alan Polk?"

Mary Connell turned and looked at her friend, "Alan Polk... Tall, blond hair, green eyed Alan Polk? From Dallas?"

The casino host nodded, "Yeah, he was supposed to meet one of the dealers for a private blackjack session that I set up for him, but he was a no show."

"Um, actually," Delinda started, "I think I saw him getting into a limo heading for the Bellagio."

Sam sighed deeply as she rubbed her forehead, "Damnit!" Quickly grabbing her cell phone, she dialed a number and waited, "Lauren, it's Sam, did you steal my Dallas whale?" Drumming her nails on the bar as she listened, she rolled her eyes, "Yeah, well, all I have to say is that payback is a bitch, and don't think I don't know about those commodities traders you have coming in from Hong Kong next week either!" With a flick of her wrist, she disconnected the call and threw her phone on the bar in frustration.

Mary winced as she watched Sam vent, "You think somebody stole your whale?"

"Yeah," she said with a heavy sigh, "thing is, nobody knew he was coming in... well, nobody outside of the hotel anyway."

"Maybe there's a mole," Delinda stated.

"A mole?" the casino host said, an eyebrow quirked, "What do you mean 'a mole'?"

"Well, you know," the blonde woman said with a shrug of her shoulders, "maybe somebody's out to hijack your clients or something."

Sam continued to stare at Delinda suspiciously, "Well, if that's the case," she began, "than that person will be in a world of hurt."

That said, she grabbed her cell phone and walked out of Mystique. As they watched her go, Mary turned and looked at Delinda, "You sent Alan Polk to the Bellagio, didn't you?"

Feigning shock, Delinda said, "Now why would I do something like that, Mary?"

"Because you can't stand the fact that Sam is dating your father."

Saying nothing, Delinda flipped her hair over her shoulder and walked out, leaving Mary at the bar. Sighing deeply, she pushed herself off a barstool and went back to work.