As Jordan extended his hand, Andrew stepped forward and gently pressed it down. "Did you forget? Marion never shakes hands with anyone." Jordan nced down at his hand, realizing that maybe he hadn''t yet earned the privilege to shake hands with someone like Marion.


    Andrew smiled, turning to Marion. "Mr. Houston, would you do me the honor ofing upstairs? There''s something I''d like to discuss with you." Marion slipped an arm around Debra''s waist. "Debra''sing with me."


    Debra''s cheeks flushed. She shot him a sharp look. "Who said I''m going with you? Whatever you two need to discuss, go ahead. I''m not getting involved." She pped his hand away from her waist.


    Andrew smiled and then instructed the butler to wheel him into the elevator.


    Erica nudged Debra yfully. "Why don''t you go with them? Those two always keep their talks so secret. Neither Randy nor I have ever gotten a word out of them. You could spill some juicy gossip to uster."


    But Debra had no interest in the secretive affairs of these two men. Whatever they discussed was none of her business, and she preferred it that way.


    Besides, being in the same room with the sly and cunning Andrew always made her feel deeply ufortable.


    "Looks like I don''t stand a chance," Jordan muttered to himself.


    He sat back down at the table,zily picking up his fork and knife. "You guys promised to throw me a wee party, right? Where''s my toast?" Ericaughed and pulled Debra into a seat. "Alright, let me toast you. You should be grateful."


    Debra smiled along with the rest of them. It had been so long since they''d all gathered like this, and it felt good to see everyone together. Upstairs in the study, Andrewid a folder on the desk. "This is thepany that lured Ralph into gambling."


    Marion picked up the folder and flipped through the documents.


    "Who''s behind it?"


    "The codename is K."


    "And?"


    Andrew said nothing. Marion lifted the folder higher.


    "Don''t tell me this is all you''ve got."


    "One of the shareholders is Drake."


    Andrew repeated it slowly, enunciating each word. "Drake Lowe."


    Marion''s frown deepened.


    "The case involving your parents, and the one involving Debra''s parents, isn''t just about Seamar City anymore. Besides Edgar and Shawn, whom you eliminated earlier, even Drake from Orkgate is involved. The mastermind behind all this is hiding in deeper shadows than we thought."


    Marion sat on the couch and downed the remaining half of his whiskey in one gulp.


    Andrew observed his expression and added, "Drake isn''t on the same level as Edgar, and you know that. If you want to infiltrate the casino, you''ll need a fresh face."


    Marion narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"


    Andrew exined, "I''ve already signed a contract with Ms. Frazier. She''ll be making her debut. And you know as well as I do that the Lowe family runs more than just casinos."


    Before Andrew could finish her sentence, Marion was on his feet, his gun aimed squarely at Andrew''s forehead. "I''m warning you. Don''t drag Debra into this."Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    "It''s not that I want her involved," Andrew said calmly. "She''s already in. You know better than anyone that Debra is the one willing to walk beside you through it all. You used to understand that. She knows you, and you know her. So why is it that now, suddenly, you don''t?"