Dirty Money: Harbourview Casino, #1

By Kristy Mallory

She was ordered to get close to him, to find out what he knew. She wasn't supposed to fall in love.

 

Sam Bennett is on the fast track to achieving her goal in political communications. Spearheading Coastal Casino's expansion into the lucrative Ontario market will turn her dream into reality. The only person standing in her way is a sexy investigative reporter.

 

Billy Cameron is on a crusade to expose how casinos launder dirty money - the very corruption that led to his father's suicide.

 

After Billy crashes Sam's press conference with accusations against her employer, she is ordered to get close to him to execute damage control. She never expected to be attracted to the man who could ruin her future. As the truth comes out, Sam may be forced to choose between saving her career, or gambling on her future…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Harbourview Publishing
• Release date: Apr 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9781777615109

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Samantha Bennett surveyed the room of reporters and cameras, hiding her excitement behind a professional smile. After three months as director of communications and media relations for Coastal Casino Corporation, this was her first major news conference, and so far? Flawless.

Eric West, vice president of operations, stood at the podium, announcing a renovation and expansion of their signature Vancouver property: Harbourview Casino and Resort. The project would be worth over $300 million and would bring more than one thousand additional jobs to the city, the biggest casino expansion in the region in almost ten years. After every casino in the province had closed for almost a year because of the coronavirus, this would be a huge boost to the postpandemic economy.

A movement caught Sam’s eye as a man slipped into the room, taking a seat at the back. Cute, with shaggy reddish hair and a neatly trimmed beard, he didn’t look familiar. She didn’t know all the business media in Vancouver. Maybe he was new? Radio, maybe? Not TV. He didn’t have the polished look TV required. A press pass hung around his neck, so he obviously belonged there. The best part of the announcement had ended, but making sure he received a copy of the official statement before he left would give her a chance to introduce herself.

Eric finished speaking and opened the floor to questions. Sam organized several members of Coastal’s leadership team to answer them, and the first few she expected: How was Harbourview going to find enough employees in a tight labour market? Were they going to look at bringing in foreign workers? How were they going to finance the project? Did this mean they were giving up on the Ontario expansion plans? Everyone had prepared in advance, and everything was going according to plan.

Sam moved to the side of the stage to talk to their production manager about sound levels, because the microphones the reporters used to ask questions were creating an echo.

How much of this expansion is being financed by laundered money? Are you concerned that the recent Freedom of Information loss in court by BCGC will expose Harbourview’s role in supporting organized crime in Vancouver?

Sam froze, and her attention snapped back to the reporters when she heard the question. She scanned the crowd—the late arrival had asked the question.

Money laundering? Organized crime? What the hell? What was he talking about? This could derail their announcement. Presenting a positive image for a company that many people considered a vice created daily challenges. They were in Vancouver, not Vegas, and a percentage of residents would rather see the casinos gone. A big expansion that would create jobs and a positive economic impact were her golden tickets to presenting Coastal as a valued corporate citizen. It would cement her position as a reputation builder, getting her name in front of the power brokers in the city. She needed to take control back.

She moved to take over the podium from Eric, until he started to speak.

I was not aware that the courts made their decision in the FOIA case. Once we have more information, we will make a statement. As for accusations of money laundering, Coastal has always complied with all necessary regulations as set by all levels of government. Sam paused, processing his answer. She didn’t know enough to sense if his answer helped them or hurt them, but Eric didn’t react to the accusation, so she couldn’t fault the way he handled it.

You don’t deny that Harbourview has been used by organized crime to launder money?

A buzz went through the room with this follow-up question, reporters smelling blood in the water. Sam swallowed hard, fighting against her instinctive response to confront him. She moved to stand beside Eric while she forced her lips to stretch in a fake smile.

Who was this guy? Press pass or not, Sam wouldn’t let him take over her room. She touched Eric’s elbow and subtly directed him away from the microphone before he responded to the question. This had to end. She ignored the questions being shouted in her direction.

I want to thank you all for coming to be part of our exciting announcement. Please direct any other questions or comments to our media relations office. She stepped back and ushered the Coastal team off the stage.

What was that about? Who was the reporter? Sam turned to face Eric, hands on her hips. What had just happened? Her whole perfectly planned press conference had gone sideways, all because of one reporter. She hated losing control.

"Billy Cameron from the Columbian. He’s been poking around money laundering in BC casinos for years, and he’s a thorn in all our sides. I haven’t heard anything about the ruling yet. I’ll meet you in your office." Eric turned abruptly and strode off, phone in hand.

Sam hurried down the hallway, wishing the back way out of this conference room connected to the administration side. Instead, she had to cross the lobby to get to her office. The last thing she needed was to be questioned about what had happened. She needed more information first. Halfway there, a voice called out to her.

Ms. Bennett?

Sam stiffened, the voice sliding over her like a physical touch. Deep and raspy, it hinted at forbidden things. She turned and met the eyes of him. Billy Cameron. She was not ready to get into this. Without knowing the first thing about money laundering, she couldn’t risk saying the wrong thing and embarrassing Coastal.

She turned away and moved down the hall, hoping he’d take the hint. Instead, an arm reached out to block her as she reached the door labelled Employees Only. Momentum propelled her into his arm, and she grabbed at him to steady herself. His hand felt warm against her skin. A small shock ran through her, but she dismissed it as static as she released him.

Ms. Bennett, please. I have a couple questions.

Sam inhaled slowly, regaining control before facing him. After dealing with the press for over ten years, she would not let him see her rattled. He was just another reporter. Mr. Cameron. Are they questions about the expansion?

He stared right at her. His eyes were amber, the colour of fine whisky, a nice complement to his auburn hair. Flecks of grey dusted his temples and parts of his beard, making her guess he was around forty. His look unnerved her. He saw too much—she had zero knowledge about the entire money-laundering issue, and he sensed it. There was something else too. An awareness she didn’t want to acknowledge. It struck a dormant chord deep inside her.

His lips turned up into a smile, and his whole face changed. Where before he had appeared serious and almost intimidating, his dimples made him seem charming and approachable. It also took him from cute to devastating. She bet that smile got him all kinds of quotes that other reporters couldn’t get. That made him dangerous. She arched an eyebrow, waiting.

No questions about the expansion, but I wanted⁠—

I’m afraid I’m only answering questions about the expansion today, Mr. Cameron. You’ll need to make an appointment for next week to discuss anything else. Sam pushed open the door to escape.

You can’t run from me, Ms. Bennett. Here’s my card. Call me. We need to talk. Billy pressed his card into her hand, his fingers brushing against hers, making them tingle. She pulled her hand back, resisting the urge to wipe her hands against her dress.

Sam watched him turn and walk away, trying to wrap her head around how her perfectly planned day had gone so far off the rails. The Columbian? In the era of digital everything, how was a print reporter at the local newspaper blowing up her press conference and causing her grief? This should have been her grand debut, and instead she’d needed to react to accusations of criminal activities. If she failed here, moving into political communications would never happen.

Sam hadn’t dealt with Billy Cameron during her former PR job at Bondi Beachwear. She needed to do some research and find out how much trouble they were in. She let the hallway door close behind her and walked to her office.

A quick Google search on the court case didn’t tell her much—the media hadn’t released news of the decision yet, although there was enough information for her to see that this loss risked damaging the reputation of every casino in British Columbia. Rumours about money laundering had been floating for years, and any association with organized crime hurt their business. If this court case led to proof that the casinos had knowingly laundered money, they risked losing their license to operate, and people faced jail time. This had the potential to ruin lives.

A search on Billy Cameron turned up a lot more. A highly respected investigative reporter, a Pulitzer finalist more than once. His stories included a serial killer investigation gone wrong, and more recently stories on the opioid epidemic and political corruption. He was also going to be a huge headache for Sam and Coastal.

Sam looked up from her computer as Eric dropped into the chair across from her desk. His blond hair stood on end, and his suit jacket was off. His tie hung loose, and his signature polished appearance was missing. He never looked like this.

We have a problem.

I’d figured that out. With Eric, everything was a problem, and she’d wind up cleaning it up. This time he wasn’t wrong; it really was a problem.

Cameron was right. The regulator lost the case. Eric ran a hand over his face. Earlier that day he’d been happy and excited about the expansion. Now he looked exhausted.

Sam bit back an impatient sigh. She needed Eric to focus. He always assumed you already knew what he was thinking.

I searched the case—nothing about the decision has made the news yet. It will soon, though. The case was against BCGC, not us. So why is he coming here after Harbourview? The British Columbia Gaming Corporation was the regulatory body that set all the rules for operating a casino in British Columbia, which meant that anything they did would affect all nine of the Coastal properties across BC.

"This was a Freedom of Information request regarding money laundering. The Columbian newspaper and several TV stations filed a suit over a year ago for access to all records, surveillance footage, and any sanctions levied by the federal government. The lower court ruled that it would be a privacy violation, but today the appeals court ruled in favour of the press. This is bad, Sam. Very bad." Eric ran a hand through his messy hair.

Sam fought to control her racing thoughts. If it had been the initial case, file turnover would be delayed by an appeal. An appeal meant it would happen fast. She had to be ready to protect Coastal. Why does this affect us? Were we ever fined? Sometimes being new to gaming left Sam frustrated at how much she still needed to learn. It was an industry unlike any other she had ever worked in, and the public relations were far more complicated than they ever had been when she worked in retail and fashion.

Eric shook his head. No, we were never fined. We received a couple of minor reprimands for incomplete paperwork, but we always followed the letter of the law.

Sam’s stomach flipped. Words had meaning, and he had chosen his carefully. The letter . . . but not the spirit?

Eric shifted in his chair and avoided looking at her. Depending on the spin the media decide to put on it, you could interpret it that way, he said. That’s why we’re in trouble. We don’t know why the media is going after this story. Are they trying to make casinos look bad? BCGC? The provincial government? We all come out of this looking bad. We’ve been reopened for less than six months, and business is just getting back to normal. This is the worst possible time.

Oh God. Sam’s stomach tied in knots. The entire reason she’d come to work at Coastal was to use it to launch her into a visible role as a communications fixer. Taking on what could turn into a criminal investigation had not been part of her plan. If she handled it right, she’d be a star and able to work for anyone. If it all blew up . . . her career could be over.

She took a deep breath. It was time to focus on what she could control. What’s the worst case? I need to know what the worst is to protect us.

Eric’s fidgeting was distracting her. The worst? The press comes after the casinos directly. Even though every casino in Vancouver followed the same rules, only two really catered to the high-limit crowd, where big amounts of dirty money might have made their way into the casino pipeline. The poster child of them all? Right here at Harbourview Casino. Eric looked at Sam. We hired you because of your reputation as a fixer, and the best public relations person around. Here’s your chance to prove it.

He was putting this all on her? Sam’s heart raced, her mind whirling. One thing was clear: this was a crisis that could make or break her reputation, and that meant she had to win. Failure was not an option.

We won’t have a lot of time. It may be Friday today, but I would guess that some of these media outlets have done a fair bit of the research and are simply waiting for official confirmation before releasing the stories. The fact they won the case will be all over the news tonight. Depending on how they plan on structuring their stories, and what background they have, they might publish as early as Monday. I’m going to guess the print stories might take a little longer, based on the types of articles Billy Cameron writes.

She had so much work to do. She had to learn everything in order to defend them, and she had no time.

I don’t know what that will do to Ontario. Adding to the problems this would cause in Vancouver, Coastal was in the final stages of a major expansion into Ontario. Damaging media reports could make the Ontario regulator think twice about approving their license applications. The death of the deal would cost them billions of dollars in lost opportunities.

Do you have any update on the timeline for their decision? It’s overdue, Sam said. If the licenses were awarded before the stories came out, everything would be fine. If not? Predicting what a regulator would do was impossible, but Ontario’s regulator had made it clear that they wanted a company that put ethics above profits. She had to do everything possible to delay the release of any article damaging to Coastal.

Eric shrugged. The Ontario deal was supposed to be done two weeks ago. The decision could come down next week, or next month, or next year at the rate we’re going.

Sam mentally counted to ten, biting back her retort. That’s not helpful. Give me your best guess. Working with Eric was like working with a toddler sometimes.

Eric shook his head. If I were a betting man, some time in the next ten business days.

Sam sat back in her chair, looking at Eric. I need to reach out to my contacts and find out when these stories will run. I’ll try to delay them until after the Ontario decision is announced. If that doesn’t work, I need to protect Coastal by deflecting blame to the regulator or the government, and defend our position. No matter what, I need to save the Ontario deal.

That’s why we hired you, Sam. Your ability to spin anything and have your organization come out looking like a star. Eric stood up and left her office.

Sam closed her eyes and rolled her shoulders, stretching. Taking this job was supposed to present new challenges. Eric’s words boosted her confidence, but money laundering for organized crime had not been on her radar. So much for researching Coastal before accepting the job. Being prepared for anything was something she prided herself on, but now?

This created a real problem. She knew nothing about money laundering and how it might work in a casino. If Harbourview had done nothing wrong, she couldn’t spin it without more information. If Harbourview had broken the law, she couldn’t spin this at all. The gap in her knowledge had to be fixed, right now. She knew just who to ask.

CHAPTER 2

Billy Cameron heard the door close as he walked away, but he didn’t look back. He felt no guilt over hijacking Samantha’s announcement about the expansion at Harbourview with his questions about the money-laundering case. Anybody willing to work in an industry as dirty as the casinos deserved everything they got. He was sure he made her uncomfortable, and that would only make his job easier too. Colour had risen in her cheeks when he’d touched her. His own heart had raced at the same simple touch, a new experience for him.

Coastal Casinos, and specifically Harbourview Casino and Resort, facilitated money laundering in Vancouver, contributing to the rise in drug use, prostitution, and other criminal activities. He intended to expose how deep the corruption ran. If he did this right, his years of pursuit would lead to changes in gambling in BC. Two years of fighting for the information, and he was so close he could taste it. Once BCGC turned over their files, he was certain he would find enough evidence to put a nail in the coffin of the entire industry. He couldn’t think of a better way to honour his father’s memory.

His attraction to their spokesperson needed to take a back seat. He hadn’t expected Coastal’s new PR person to be gorgeous, with bright-green eyes and a slender, athletic build. He pushed thoughts of her out of his mind as he headed back to the newsroom.

Casey, I’m back. Billy rushed into the newsroom, calling for his assistant.

Casey Chu stuck her head out of her cubicle. Today her short black hair had blue highlights. Where were you? You texted me an hour ago from the courthouse. There is no way it took you that long to walk back. I’m dying here.

Billy pulled out the extra chair beside Casey’s desk and sat down. Sorry. I stopped at Harbourview on my way back. He grabbed a drink from the fridge she kept under her desk.

You were at the casino? Why?

They had a press conference today announcing their expansion project. The ruling came down before it ended, so I dropped in and asked a couple of questions. Billy grinned, thinking about the frustration on Samantha Bennett’s face when her event blew up. Even taken by surprise, her professionalism had come through. She’d impressed him. Cutting Eric off had been a smart move. Previous interviews had proved that Eric’s professional facade crumbled under questions he didn’t want to answer, and Eric losing his temper made watchable TV, as well as an entertaining article for him. The more attention this story got, the more he could force change.

I bet that went over real well. Can’t resist stirring the pot, can you?

Every chance I get, Case. You know that. Besides, I got to meet their new communications person. She’s in way over her head. She tried to hide it, but she knew nothing about this case, and she’s only been with them a few months. With luck, she’ll bungle the interview and give us something else we can use. The files from BCGC was only part of the picture. He believed managers instructed casino employees to ignore money laundering. Maybe Sam would connect him to a real source unintentionally.

What does today’s win mean in real terms? Another six months before they turn over any real files? How much longer until we publish this story? Casey drummed her fingers against her desk.

Billy shook his head. No, that’s the best part. BCGC’s stonewalling pissed the judge off. They need to start turning over files immediately, and all files must be in our possession by next Friday. The judge had been mad. She’d made it clear that not only did she think BCGC was stonewalling, but she wouldn’t hesitate to fine them for any more delays. Billy was sure his testimony had helped her make her decision. After years of fighting with everyone involved, to be on the winning side filled him with satisfaction.

Immediately? Fantastic news! So we can start running stories by Tuesday? Casey bounced in her chair.

Billy laughed. Dial it back to ten, Casey. We’ve put together a lot of the material, and the files from BCGC should just be confirmation. There may be new material, or new angles to the stories we aren’t aware of.

Billy stood up and paced the aisle beside Casey’s desk. I also want to coordinate with WorldNews so that we can run a series of stories, with the print story coming out in the morning, then a follow-up on the nightly news. The same media group owned both WorldNews and the Columbian. Partnering with them would take his story national. Money laundering in Vancouver was a major problem, and he was equally sure that money was being laundered in every major city in Canada. If his story went national, it might force changes to federal laws, not just provincial ones. The potential impact on people’s lives was huge.

I want to start on a Monday and run all week. Coordinating it will take time, but this is going to be one of the biggest stories of my career. This one could finally mean some real changes in the way casinos can operate in British Columbia. That was his whole goal. Gambling addiction had killed his dad, and exposing the damages caused by casinos was his personal mission.

Casey opened a new file on her computer and began making notes. We’ve been working on this for months, Billy. Which article do you want to start with?

We need to be strategic about this, make sure we open with the story with the biggest shock value, then build all week until the final story is so impactful that public opinion will force government to take action, Billy said. There were so many ways they could attack this story that he needed to make sure their plan was perfect. He couldn’t drop the ball and blow this opportunity. There might never be another one.

Billy paced while he and Casey built a plan. We should detail how money is laundered, and why the casinos make it so easy. I want to talk about loan-sharking too. That plays a role here. This is a complicated business. With only twelve hundred words a day for five days, we can’t fit a lot of content.

Is there any possibility of making it a weekend feature article? Or getting a news magazine to print an expanded exposé? Casey suggested.

Maybe . . . I can pitch the idea to Murray. Their editor, Murray Peterson, had been supportive of their fight to tell this story so far. As long as Billy could find a way for this to benefit the paper, Murray would be on board.

"Right, so here’s what I have so far. Monday we cover the casinos and how much money they launder, plus how they do it. Tuesday is where the regulator is in all of this, and whether there’s a conflict of interest. Wednesday we tackle the former government. Were they asleep at the wheel, or just addicted to the money? Thursday we look at what the current government is doing, and Friday is a call to action to make Vancouver a safer