ONE

 

Ania

 

The highway sign gave her a choice, and Ania always believed in choices.

Left two lanes for L.A. and then maybe even north to San Francisco.

Right two lanes heading straight into Las Vegas.

While she knew she was going on to California, she still liked the idea of having an option.

She had a while to think about that.

Casting a quick glance over to the black leather computer bag on the passenger seat, she patted it softly then did a happy little tap with her fingers on the steering wheel. It was a small purchase she had made at a Best Buy back in Denver. A nice satchel, all business, shoulder strap, buckles and zippers, the whole bit.

Looking up into the rearview mirror, she curled a loose strand of luxurious hair behind her ear and studied herself. She was happy with this color, thanks to Lyla’s Boutique in trendy Vail. Different than her old color, but still a blonde. Her new dark green contacts weren’t bad either. She tried a few quick looks. Smiling big now, then trying a tight thin smile but working the dimples a little.

She pushed the ultra-modern glasses up a little higher with a perfectly manicured finger. The sleek, charcoal-colored frames held nothing but clear glass, but it sure helped the look. She frowned, then arched one eyebrow up as if questioning something, then gave the butter-melting smile again. A natural born actress.

Finding the right disc in the console, she slid it in and turned it up. The trip through Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, and Utah had been purposely chosen over driving south first to Dallas and then cutting over and down to L.A. Just in case she was followed coming out of Chicago. Just in case. Not that she had really expected that, but hey.

Going this Interstate 80 West route, she would be able to see somebody coming a mile away, literally. Much lighter traffic this way, fewer people and even fewer cops. In general, less everything. Unfortunately, that meant less to do and see on the way too, but Bob Seger had kept her company. Despite her young age, she had always liked the older rock guys. There were no better road songs than Seger’s.

Plus, the trip hadn’t been a complete bore. Two nights ago, while going through Lincoln, Nebraska of all places, she stopped for a drink on a whim. Met a guy who looked just like Brad Pitt and as it ended up probably better than him in bed. He was a graduate student at the University of Nebraska.

The bar was on the edge of campus, not unlike a few at DePaul she used to hit back in Chicago. Wet tables, loud music, lots of shots, and a lot of fun. No bad stuff, no crimes committed, just living life without a care in the world. She’d left him sleeping it off with a stupid smile still on his face. For the life of her, she couldn’t remember his name. Better that way.

Her eyes went back to her business bag, and she thought about how long the two hundred thousand in there might last. She wouldn’t be crazy with it, but there would be expenses. It was hard-earned cash, not to be pissed away, at least as she figured it. Hell, that was the way her daddy taught her to earn a living and damned if she wasn’t good at it.

No doubt, this haul would keep her off the grift for a while. The ice hidden in her trunk, on the other hand, that would need some additional labor to turn into cash. Big cash though, it would be worth the effort. That was the real deal here. Those rocks were her Super Bowl, the lottery ticket that finally hit. This would be no back-alley deal.

She would just have to see how this rolled. Most importantly, she wouldn’t push anything or try to force something. There was plenty of time. Slow and easy is how she would play this. Let things happen in front of you, not behind you. One of her dad’s favorite sayings.

Ania smiled. It certainly wasn’t anything that she couldn’t handle. There were men who could help her get this done, and if there was one thing she was best at, it was getting men to do what she wanted them to.

She knew a guy in San Francisco. Sort of. Los Angeles, she didn’t know anyone, but you couldn’t go five feet without meeting the right kind of man in that city. So, either way…but probably L.A. Maybe.

Ania changed lanes without signaling and then accelerated into the interchange that took her to Las Vegas. She did it without thinking, but as soon as she took the wide turn on the freeway and straightened the wheel, it felt good. It felt right.

Sin City. Never been here.

Seger was singing about turning the page and she turned it up even louder.

She could have some quick fun and maybe even get some serious business done too. There was certainly big money here but maybe not the right kind for the ice. Never know.

Ania cruised slowly down South Las Vegas Boulevard and tried not to gawk. The big places she had always heard of floated and glittered by. Caesars, the MGM Grand, the Mandarin, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, Bellagio, and on and on. A light show like she’d never seen.

She wasn’t going to mess around here and stay somewhere just off the strip. Fuck that. She was going all in, as they say here. Just for a couple of days, but hey. Turning around in a parking lot, she came back for another pass and picked the hotel just like the decision to stop here in Vegas. Bang.

She pulled in, and as she approached, going past huge water fountains and seeing the sheer size of this illuminated monster, she knew it was going to be good. She prepped as she slowly drove up.

The Magnum. Celebrating its first anniversary, the sign said. “Holy shit,” she muttered as she pulled to a stop. She didn’t have her glasses on anymore—didn’t fit the occasion. She gave her hair a little shake so it wasn’t so perfect and undid one more button on the blouse. She put on her best “what’s the big fucking deal?” face as a valet attendant helped her out of the car. She had two small roller bags in the trunk and her satchel, which was already over her shoulder.

“Hold on, I need my purse from one of the bags.” She smiled at him after opening the trunk herself.

“Of course, ma’am. Welcome to the Magnum. Is this your first time in Vegas?”

He was her age, probably twenty-four or so, but just goofy as hell. That’s okay, though. Not everyone can look like Brad Pitt, and goofus here might just be helpful in some way, you never know.

“No, Will. No, it’s not,” she said. She liked name-tags for just this reason. He didn’t even catch onto how she knew that right away. He was too busy trying to think of something cool and clever to say next. She threw her hair over a shoulder, put her purse inside the bigger bag, and then dangled the keys to him on one finger. “Be careful with the car, okay?”

“Oh yes, yes I will.”

Ania stood and waited, smiling her trademark smile at him. She wore jeans that looked painted on, nice heels, and had one hand on her hip.

He blinked twice and smiled back at her.

“Will?” She smiled that smile and cocked her head a little to one side.

“Oh…Uhm, I will, wait, I mean okay. I’m, I’m really sorry.” He waved to bellman at the curb and turned back to her. “Michael will help you with your bags, while I do you-rrr car.” Red-faced, he waved even harder for Michael.

The lobby took her breath away, but her expression remained flat, one of those “been here done this” looks. Approaching the front desk, she swore to herself, two days, two nights and that’s it. No more.

The guy at the desk was efficient and quick. She was lucky. Not only did she get one of the last rooms available, she got upgraded to a suite.

Eyes are everywhere in a casino, and she happened to look up and right into a camera while waiting for him to get her room card. She casually, but at the same time, quickly looked down in her purse, as if she was looking for something. Overreaction? No doubt about it, she thought to herself. She just didn’t need to be staring straight up at them. Any cameras, especially security cameras, were just never a good thing. Never.

“Your suite will be on the tenth floor.”

“Actually, one of your regular rooms will be fine. I’m only here for two nights.” She smiled and got her purse out. God knows what a suite would cost here. 

“We had a cancellation from one of the top players who just got eliminated. Please, enjoy it, Miss Kozak. The upgrade is on me.” The desk clerk smiled at her.

“Top players?”

“The World Championship of Poker. It’s being held right here at the Magnum. You’re just in time for the final round.”

He took out a map of the property and pointed to restaurants, shops, several pools, massage stations, the casino, and nightclub. There was everything a person could possibly think of or want, and all of it was available twenty-four hours a day.

“Thanks so much,” she smiled with a heavy sigh, “but all I want right now is a steamy hot bath, a big fluffy robe, and room service.”

“We can certainly take care of that right away.” He grinned, raised a hand, and waved for someone to help her with her two small bags.

A girl could get used to this, she thought as the elevator whispered her up to a little slice of heaven.