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THE GAME HAD PROGRESSED nicely. The mark was up a few thousand and Tony was down a few thousand. The symbol on his hand was subdued by the potion Tony wore and the mark didn’t even notice. It’s amazing what a few large wins can do. As the size of the pots grew, the other players began to leave. The mark now wanted Tony, and wanted him bad. It was nearly time for the take-down, but not yet.
Another player came to the table. She sat beside Tony. “That’s strong aftershave you’re wearing,” she said. “Leathery.”
“I wear it to attract women,” Tony said, turning to the woman. She looked in her twenties with brown hair and brown eyes. “That’s a striking hat,” he told her.
“My top hat?” the woman said. “I wear it for luck.”
“Are you two going to play or find a room and fuck?” the mark asked.
“Oh this is the only kind of game I’m here to play,” the woman in the hat said.
“Alright then,” the mark said. “Whose deal?”
“I think you should,” Tony said and glanced at the girl.
She nodded.
“Five hundred for your cards sweetheart,” the mark told her.
She tossed five hundred Crown Tokens into the centre of the table. The mark did the same. She looked at Tony. “Too rich for you, sweetheart?” she asked.
Tony tossed the notes into the centre without taking his eyes off the girl with the hat.
“Right.” The mark dealt five cards to each.
Tony picked up his cards.
The woman reached for her cards. “Ouch!”
“What happened?” Tony asked.
“Nothing,” she said. “Just some static.”
Tony looked at the mark’s right hand. The symbol was now almost visible without the glasses. Tony didn’t need the glasses, he could feel the symbol, the same way the mark could.
The woman looked at her cards.
Tony looked at his. Ace of coins, knight of coins, ten of cups, ten of wands, five of swords.
“Well?” the mark said. “Who’s in?”
Tony looked at the mark. He looked nervous, like he did when he had a good hand, but it wasn’t that. Tony glanced at the woman. She was looking at the mark, stroking her hair. Tony discarded the tens and the five. Tony’s hand was itching. It told him this was it.
The woman put her cards on the table. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m feeling...” She took her money and left.
“What was that about?” Tony asked the mark, pre-empting any comment.
“You tell me,” he answered.
“I think she liked you,” Tony said.
The mark’s face flushed slightly. “Shut up and play,” he said.
Tony put another five hundred into the centre. The mark added another five hundred and gave Tony his three cards. Ace of cups, knight of cups and knight of swords. Tony gave a barely perceptible wince and looked at the money in the centre of the table before looking at the mark. The look on the mark’s face told Tony everything he needed to know. He was convinced Tony had nothing. Now all Tony had to do was to bluff.
The mark threw a thousand into the centre. “You up for this one?” he asked.
Tony took out his pouch which had the rest of the money he took from the cheat on The Strip and Carlos’s thousand. The mark looked wary. It had the desired effect. Surprise them with enough cash and it blinds them. Tony got taken a couple of times like that when he was younger and lost a couple of thousand. He learned from it and used it. That lesson was worth many times the two thousand Tony lost. He threw a thousand into the centre and raised another five hundred.
The mark glanced at the pot, then looked at the pile of notes in front of Tony. The symbol on the mark’s hand did nothing. With Tony’s hand, it should be doing something, but the potion lied to it.
Now Tony had to play the player, not the game.
“I wasn’t going to use this,” Tony started, “but...”
“You’re bluffing.” The mark tossed two thousand into the centre.
“It’s going to cost you to find out,” Tony said with just the right amount of waver in his voice, and tossed two thousand into the centre, then another thousand, like he’d changed his mind.
“Let’s stop playing around,” the mark said. “I reckon you’ve got another five thousand there. I got eight. If I don’t see you now, then you’ll see me. How about I put my eight against your five and we’ll call it ends.”
“You want to take all my money?” Tony asked.
“Is that what you think?” the mark asked. “So you were bluffing?”
“No,” Tony said and placed the rest of his money in the centre.
The mark did the same, then laid his cards down. “Two pairs, eights and kings. What’ve you got?”
Tony sighed and looked at the ceiling. “Three knights,” he said laying them on the table. As the mark was beginning to reach for the pot, Tony placed the two aces beside his other cards. “And these two,” he said.
The mark looked at the cards, then his hand and then to Tony. He took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. “It seems you’ve been able to do something very unlikely,” the mark said as he raised his hand and clicked his fingers.
One of the Casino Security men came to the table, it was Andy. “Can I help you sir?” he asked.
“Yes,” the mark said. “I believe my friend here has been withholding cards from this game so he can make better hands than he is dealt.”
Andy looked at Tony. “This is a very serious allegation, sir. What have you to say about it?”
“All of the cards are on the table, count them for yourself,” Tony told him.
“You do know what Mr Cosimo does to those who’re caught cheating,” Andy said. “Are you sure you don’t want to just hand the money to the gentleman and leave quietly.”
“Does he really drown cheats?” Tony asked.
“Doesn’t matter,” Andy said. “Mr Cosimo will do whatever he needs though to keep the story alive. Even if it means a cheap hustler or two goes missing.” Andy looked at the mark. “It’s a wise policy, don’t you agree?”
The mark nodded.
“Are you going to count the cards?” Tony asked.
“I will,” Andy said in a very threatening tone and waved to another doorman. He looked at the cards in front of the mark and asked, “Are these all the cards you had to deal?”
“They are,” the mark answered.
Andy picked up the deck and carefully counted the cards. “Thirty-nine, plus your hand and your friend’s hand makes forty-nine, plus three and two, fifty-four.” He looked at Tony.
“That’s right,” Tony said. “We left two knaves in the pack to trump with.”
“Well then, all the cards are here.” Andy looked at the mark’s hand. “Is your hand alright?” he asked.
“My hand?” He looked at the back of the hand with the symbol and twisted it palm up.” It’s fine,” he said. “Just a little bit of an allergy.” He scratched his wrist.
“Can I send for somebody to check it out for you? A shaman, or a doctor if you prefer?”
“No, thank you. It’ll be fine.”
“It’s no problem. If this gentleman is a hustler like you claim he may have put some kind of potion on the cards.”
“I beg your pardon!” Tony said in his best outrage. It was just enough to stop him laughing.
“No,” the mark said. “I think that if all the cards are here, then I’m mistaken.”
“All the same,” Andy said. “I think I should send for—”
“I have lotion in my room.” He stood and left the poker room.
Tony shook his head at Andy. “You bastard,” he muttered. “I nearly burst out laughing.”
Andy smiled. “Did you see his face?”
Tony nodded. “With expressions like that he doesn’t belong here.”
“And neither do you,” Andy said. “Take the money and get out of here quick, before he starts looking for you.”
Tony scooped the notes into his pouch and placed it into the concealed pocket in his trousers. On the way out he walked past the brown-haired girl with the top hat. She was at another poker table, laying down some cards. “I’ve only got three of a kind,” she said as she laid three tens on the table. As one of the other players was reaching for the pot she snapped her other two cards on the table. “That and two queens.” The look on the man’s face made Tony smile as he left the room. He went to speak with Nolan before leaving the casino.