| |
THE POKER ROOM WAS so smoky Tony’s eyes felt about to water. It’d be useful if it weren’t for the hand he was holding and the glasses he was wearing. Watery eyes could tell a mark whatever Tony wanted them to.
“I think you’re trying to bluff me Axel,” he said to the large man sitting opposite him.
The big man said nothing. The other two players folded once the pot reached four figures. The game was now something for the big boys.
“You’re not going to challenge that?”
Axel shook his large red head. “You’re the one with the mouth, and you’ve told me three times already I’m bluffing. I don’t think you’re convinced.”
Tony felt the warmth of his cards. The only one he wanted to convince was Axel, and Tony played the big man well. Looking at the pile of chips in front of Axel, Tony decided he’d played enough.
“I’m convinced,” he said tossing another hundred into the pot. “Prove me wrong.”
“Full house.” Axel smiled and showed cards. “Knights over threes.”
“Beats my two pair,” Tony said as he put two aces on the table. “I got two aces, cups and coins. And I got two aces, wands and swords.”
“You bastard,” Axel snapped. “I don’t know how you did that but I’ll find out one day.”
“You accusing me of cheating?” Tony looked deep into Axel’s eyes.
Axel shook his head and smiled.
Tony pushed half the pot toward Axel. “It’s a friendly game, and it wouldn’t be friendly to take this much.”
“I was stupid, I should pay,” Axel declared.
“Take it,” Tony said. “You need it more than I do. How is Tracey?”
“Doctors don’t think she’s got much longer.”
“Doctors can be wrong,” Buddy Wills, one of the other players, said.
Tony looked at the wiry figure with the glasses. “You’re right,” he said and looked at Axel. “Doctors have been known to be wrong all the time.”
Axel nodded. “I think we’re going to need to find different kinds of doctors.”
Tony pushed the rest of the pot toward him. “Then take this,” he whispered.
Axel shook his head. “I already said—”
“Yes, you deserve to pay,” Tony said, “but Tracey doesn’t.”
“You need to go to the casino,” Buddy said. “Put that talent of yours to good use.”
“Not in my casino,” Jonathan said. At twenty-four he was the youngest, and the quietest, at the table.
“The Casino Cosimo is safe,” Tony said.
“Who made it your casino?” Axel asked. “Last time I checked it belonged to Carlos Cosimo.”
“That’s why I don’t want Tony there,” Jonathan said. “I seen too much recently.”
“Like what?” Axel asked.
“Too much is all.”
“What’s the latest from down south?” Tony asked to change the subject.
Buddy shook his head. “The reds have been pushed back. There could be more fighting close to here, across the gulf.”
“Think they might win?” Tony asked.
“Hope not,” Buddy said. “Hope none of them do for a long time. I’ll be out of a job once that happens.”
Axel shook his head at Buddy. “I can’t believe you want the war to continue for the sake of your job.”
“It’s not just that,” Buddy said. “You reckon it’ll stop once those two stop fighting each other? You don’t reckon the winner won’t look across the gulf at our little state and decide they want the gold and iron and shit here? The only reason we’re not at war is we sell guns and shit to both sides. As soon as one attacks us, they lose.”
“We also make the behemoths and ironclads,” Tony said. “Doesn’t that mean we’re better equipped to fight them off?”
“Don’t mean nothing of the sort,” Buddy said and looked at Axel. “How many of them ironclads you worked on this last year went to our navy?”
“Let me see...” Axel looked to the roof and started counting with his fingers. “One, two... six... eleven... ahm... approximately... zero. Give or take none of them.”
“Well, let them come,” Jonathan said. “We’ll invite them to The Strip, take their money and send their pitiful arses home on the ferry.”