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A/n hey all... Here's the next chapter. Thank you all for your wonderful and helpful feedback.

The reluctant Ladies Man

Reid shot out a hand and stopped the door from closing at the same time Rossi hit the door open button. A pretty, blonde woman hurried onto the car. She did a double take at Reid as the doors shut and he looked at her in surprise. They both said together. "I know you!"

Rossi raised an eyebrow at this mutual declaration. Reid went red in the face. "You remember her," He said to Rossi. "The last time we were here, I gave her two thousand dollars."

"Oh right…"

"You never did tell me your name!" She said coyly as her fingers played with the teardrop shaped crystal pendant at her neck. "I had to find it out on my own." She pouted.

"I'm R-Reid, um I m-mean Dr. Spencer Reid."

"He means to say SSA Dr. Spencer Reid of the FBI." Rossi said, smirking at his young partner.

"I know… I saw you on the news. You arrested that poor guy that killed his son's murderer. That was really sad." She reached out a hand wearing a ring with a small opal set in gold, and laid it on his arm.

"Yeah… So how are you?" Reid asked as the elevator rose higher and higher.

"I'm still lousy at the poker machines, but the hypnosis worked."

"Really?"

"Yeah… No more smoking. Thanks for the suggestion."

"Your welcome."

"Maybe I can thank you later." She ran a hand up his arm, ignoring Rossi.

"Um… Well I don't know -"

"Sorry baby," Rossi said. "We're here on business."

"Too bad!" She said as the door to her floor opened. "You're awfully cute." She blew him a kiss and exited the elevator.

"Smooth…" Rossi said as the elevator continued up to the fourteenth floor.

"I didn't do anything!"

"You don't have to."

Reid only stared at the older man as the door opened again. "I don't understand."

"I know…" Rossi's face twitched under his moustache as he spoke.

"You're not going to enlighten me."

"No! There are some things you have to learn on your own." His dark eyes openly laughed at the younger profiler.

Rossi turned left and Reid went right, shaking his head in confusion. What was he supposed to learn on his own?

He sighed as he put his key card into the door. He couldn't worry about his so-called education now. He had to keep his head on the problem of his father, not flirtatious hookers.

Mason Parker added his tuxedo jacket to his outfit. He picked up the old photograph that kept center stage on his mahogany chest of drawers. The last twenty years had been like one unending nightmare. He'd soon be able to rest without seeing blood and hearing screams in his head.

He smoothed down the front of his pleated suit pants. He had all of the best now, but it didn't make up for what he'd lost. He'd never get back the thing he most wanted. He'd punish the ones responsible for his pain and it would finally go away so he could sleep at night.

He thought about his lawyer, the beautiful Lily Camden. He shouldn't have seduced her. He should've waited until his plan had come to fruition. He sighed and adjusted the black tie and the crisp white shirt. She'd been impossible for him to resist with her golden beauty and her brains.

Damn it… If only she hadn't decided to spy on him. If she'd kept her nose out of his business, he wouldn't have had to kill her. She could've stayed with him forever. Well… At least he had his hands on Spencer Reid. Soon he'd have the son of his enemy and his plans would be complete.

He left his huge walk-in closet with its dressers and mirrors to his bedroom. His butler would be calling for his car in a few moments. He had one last phone call to make before he went to make an appearance at the Charity event.

Reid opened the door to his room and looked down the hallway to where Rossi stayed. He felt a bit like he was sneaking out of the house. That was ridiculous, as he'd never had to sneak out of his house. His father wasn't there to sneak away from and his mother didn't seem to care if he stayed or left. Still… He should be studying the file his father sent and trying to come up with an idea.

He shut the door behind him and slipped his key card into his pocket. He needed to get his mind off his dad and the potential hornets' nest they'd stepped into courtesy of the absent William Reid. He went to the elevator, pulling at the color of his violet dress shirt. If he could engage another level of his brain, maybe inspiration would strike.

The hotel's casino was very appealing to the eye. He noticed that they'd gone heavy on gold and black brocade on the walls, with matching carpet. The room was at about three quarters of capacity at the early hour of the evening. People wove in and out of long rows of one-armed bandits. The edges of the room held several small poker tables. The center of the room had several stations of black jack games. He looked over to the western wall of the casino, which held the doors to the private poker rooms. A tournament would be starting there in about four days. Morgan Parker would be here personally to oversee the beginning of the tournament. Reid thought fondly about participating in the tournament. If he'd come her under different circumstances, like a vacation, he could have some fun with all the pros.

He sighed and headed to the door of the private room. If he could get a look inside… He could imagine being in there with other players and winning the contest. He stopped as a group of four couples dressed in expensive eveningwear passed him. They all looked like the kind of people you see in an old time film noir. He watched them head out of the casino through the wall of doors to the south end of the room.

The doors to the private room still called to him so he went boldly to the entrance. It didn't appear that anyone guarded it, so he opened one of the doors and let himself into the empty room.

It was huge, taking up seven thousand square feet. Several green-topped tables were spaced throughout the room, hung with gold and pink, rather than black. At the edges of the room, there were several kitchen stations. He'd read that food was available for private parties and safes for the winnings of high rollers. He turned in a slow circle looking over the room, checking for other entrances and exits. It looked innocent but appearances could be deceptive. He left the room closing the door behind him having noted the placement of all the so-called hidden cameras.

"What did you find out?"

"We've been watching him since he came back with his partner. He just came out of the private poker room."

"Good… What's he doing now?"

"He's playing poker on one of the machines."

"Keep an eye on him."

"Security is asking questions."

"Tell them the truth… That he's an FBI agent."

"Won't they wonder what he's doing here?"

"You'll think of something Hank. Use your head. I shouldn't have to tell you everything."

"Yes sir…"

"Did you search his room?"

"Yes sir… We didn't find anything out of the ordinary. I did find a file with a letter in it from William Reid. Unfortunately, I couldn't read it. It was in some kind of code. I took photos of it. Jack's working on it, but so far no luck. He says it's unlike any code he has ever seen. He said whoever came up with it is a genius."

"Really… I never would have expected that from the genius son of William Reid. Now, stop playing around and figure it out."

"Jack said that we might not be able to read it without the key."

"I don't want to hear excuses. Get it done!

"Yes sir…"

"I'm nearly there. Don't call me again unless it's a matter of life and death."

Mason slipped his phone into his jacket. He had to do all the thinking for his people. It was a wonder how he'd gotten as far as he did with idiots and morons around him. His car pulled over to the curb and he prepared to face the cameras.

"Did you make contact with him?"

"Yes!"

"How did it go?"

The blonde-haired woman sat down on the couch and crossed her legs. One foot swung back and forth as her siren red dress rode up to her bare thighs.

"It went great. He remembered me and so did the other guy."

"That could be a problem."

"No… They're profilers. I've dealt with the feds. They're all men under those stuffy suits." She grinned at Hank who wasn't smiling.

"Just be available to provide Dr. Reid with access to your charms."

"That won't be a problem. Dr. Reid is yummy."

"I don't want to hear about it. Just keep an eye on him. Flirt with him and find his weakness. You'll be paid very well."

"I'd do this one for free."

"Don't get cocky Angie… If you close the deal with Dr. Reid, Mr. Parker will be very pleased."

"Like I said no problem. It's always the quiet, uptight ones that turn into drooling, panting puddles if you play them right. I know exactly how to do that."

"He's smart - some kind of genius."

"Doesn't make him immune to my charms. You'll see Hank."

"Just get on with it. He's down in the casino right now. Go break the ice."

"The ice is already broken. He's mine."

Reid heard with half an ear the jingling of the machines around him as he played. He'd worked up to three thousand dollars so far. He'd play until he lost or reached five thousand dollars that was his self-imposed limit.

"Handsome and smart," a flirtatious voice said from his right.

He looked up and automatically smiled at the prostitute from the elevator and from his last case in Vegas. "Oh hello… How are you?"

"I'm fine. I thought I'd play a few games. I'm feeling lucky," she winked at him.

"Really," He punched the keys on his machine and listened to the bells and whistles signaled more victory for him.

"Yeah… Hey listen, I just realized I never told you my name. I'm Angie…" She held a hand out to him.

He took it… A bit surprised when she hung on just a little bit longer than was polite.

"So… Are you here on another case?" She asked sitting down right next to him.

"No…" He lied smoothly. "Rossi and I are here for a teaching seminar on profiling for the local police. We do that all the time."

"It sounds fascinating… How about we pick up where we left off last time and you buy me a drink."

"I'd like that!" He decided.

As she led the way out of the nosy casino, he wondered just what it was that she was up to. There was something in her eyes and the way she moved that had his profiler side working overtime. In any case, perhaps getting his mind completely off his dad would jolt something loose.