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didn’t want to get anywhere near that story tonight. I could feel the energy, the fun, and the misery swirling in the air. I knew there had to be someone in this crowd I could follow tonight.
    They caught my eye because of how stunning they were as a couple. The man was tall, with dark hair, a devilishly handsome smile, and from across the room, what I thought were the most arresting blue eyes I had seen on a man. His perfectly tailored suit—I assumed it was custom made with a fit like that—was black and crisp. The woman sitting on the stool next to him looked to be almost his height, slender with pearl-white skin. Her hair was honey blond with a hint of ginger undertones.
    At first, I only saw the smile on the good-looking guy’s face as he leaned down to whisper in the woman’s ear. She was twirling a tiny paper umbrella absently with her right hand, looking bored and irritated while the dealer shuffled another deck of cards. After a second glance, I noticed his lips were pursed and he was edging closer to the woman in her floor-length beaded gown.
    I walked over to have a better vantage point for their tense conversation. I was within inches of the beautiful woman, who looked like she had stepped out of a vintage Hollywood film. I heard every whisper.
    “Helen, there’s no point threatening me, and especially not here.” He glanced up and smiled around the room to reassure himself and anyone who was watching that all was copacetic with this conversation.
    He placed his hand on her left wrist, and I could see they had matching wedding bands. Helen did not look interested in an explanation or interested in his level of concern for appearances. With a roll of her eyes, she took one last drag of her cigarette, folded her cards, and walked past the blue-eyed gentleman into the glaring lights of the casino lobby.
    Tourists and locals filled the infamous halls like honeybees in a thriving hive. The colorful outfits, miles of hairstyles, and overpowering clouds of smoke stunned me. Las Vegas was the entertainment mecca for Hollywood celebrities and the nouveau riche of the states, and this hotel had already seen its share of drama and history by 1968. I hadn’t done much research before my trip, but I knew the Starlight’s grand opening had only been a few years ago.
    I tried to travel with an open mind, and I didn’t like bringing ideas or stories with me. I always stayed away from famous people and big historical events that my fans might already have preconceived expectations about. I had to set some personal boundaries for myself and for the best way for me to approach my writing. I did know enough that the Starlight’s reputation was chock-full of rumored mob ties, illegal business deals, and even some missing bodies. Somewhere in the midst of that history was a great story to tell.
    It also hadn’t gone unnoticed that my publisher was pushing for something a little edgier than Masquerade . I couldn’t think of a better place to finda hot story than Las Vegas.
    The husband continued to follow Helen down a hall wrapped in velvet wallpaper to the elevator bay. She smiled at each person as she walked by and nodded to the guests. Large shadowboxes held marquee signs advertising the acts and shows at the Starlight. The Temptations. Magic Mikael and his lovely assistant Anastasia. The last one in the lineup especially caught my eye. I barely had time to read it, but the VonRue Diamond Collection boasted the largest collection of diamonds in the world and was on display at the Starlight for another day or so.
    “Good evening, Ms. Chadsworth, Mr. Chadsworth,” the trio of helpful bellmen echoed as they recognized the pair.
    The men donned pillbox hats and double-breasted maroon coats. Their luggage carts were filled to the top as they assisted Las Vegas’s newest guests and helped navigate them through the hotel and casino.
    The Chadsworths seemed quite practiced at this charade, nodding and smiling to each hotel