Chapter Twelve
Lee sat at the Blackjack table, absently running his fingers over the worn felt on the table. He was sitting in front of several thousand dollars worth of chips. Lee couldn't understand the attraction for gambling. He could never see the fun in losing all your money so fast. But he played his role to perfection. He laid stack after stack of black $100 dollar chips like they were pennies. Sitting here so far, he was about even. He stirred his watered down drink and looked at Amanda.
She was a perfectly professional dealer. She cheered along with the half- drunk businessmen and professional gamblers when she dealt them a winning hand or busted out her hand. She commiserated with them as they lost thousands upon thousands of dollars. Many of the players were also professional flirts, Lee thought. They hit upon Amanda brazenly, tipping her well for just smiling sweetly at them. At first, Lee had been furious, but after sitting there a few hands, Lee realized that the combination of alcohol and the heady sensation of winning made their flirting harmless. He returned his attention to the table as Amanda dealt a new hand.
"Place your bets." Amanda asked, running her hand along the felt where the bets were placed. After a moment, she spread her hand across the table in the opposite direction and announced:
"No more bets."
Amanda dealt the cards out of the shoe. There were four players on the table. First, there was the Japanese businessman who was down about $5000. Next, was a professional Blackjack player from Las Vegas. He was killing the table, up about $7500. Right next to Lee was a good 'ol boy, a Texas millionaire. He was dropping about $6000 a hand, never breaking a sweat. Lee watched as Amanda dealt each player their up card, the one for herself. As she called out the amounts of each hand, Lee realized he had Blackjack.
"Blackjack, sir. Congratulations." Amanda said warmly.
"Lucky boy, that's what you are." The Texan exclaimed.
Amanda continued with the rest of the table. The Japanese man busted on 13 with a face card. The pro stayed on 18. The Texan split his pair of 10's, receiving a nine on one, and an ace on the other. She turned to Lee and took a stack of black chips out of her rack and paid him off.
"Blackjack. Your $1000 bet pays $1500 sir. Congratulations again." Amanda said, smiling at Lee.
Amanda had a 5 showing on her hand. She expertly flipped the down card up with the top card and said:
"Dealer has 15." She replied as she hit her hand. An 8 appeared and Amanda excitedly called out.
"Dealer busts. Pay all hands."
Amanda reached into the rack and began paying the remaining bets on the table. As she paid off each bet, the men enthusiastically began thumping each other on the back and giving high five's. After Amanda paid the bets, she began gathering the cards. As she set the used cards in the box, she felt a tap on her shoulder. It was another dealer, ready to relieve Amanda. She clapped her hands to show they were empty, then began to leave the table. As all the men at the table began to protest, she promised she'd be back in twenty minutes. Amanda flashed a look to Lee. She saw Lee mouth "Be careful." As she walked back toward the break room, Billy gave her an almost imperceptible nod. She quickly bypassed the break room door, fishing the new key card out of her pocket. She made her way past the security room quietly, then made her way up the stairs to Brousseau's office. She crept up to the door to his private office, then slowly entered the card key into the keypad next to the door. With a soft beep and a click, she was inside. She pulled her mini flashlight out of her dealer's vest and trained it around the room. Amanda made her way over to Brousseau's desk and began opening drawers. Billy and Agent Ross instructed her to look for wire transfers, payments to Leslie Stetson, or any documentation with his contacts. Amanda searched through the casino ledgers, discovering nothing. A search of the two connecting drawers yielded nothing. Amanda moved to the other side of the desk. The first drawer contained office supplies. As Amanda opened the bottom drawer, she jumped in surprise. Inside the drawer was a miniature ceramic alligator. As she felt around inside the drawer, she brushed her hand over the alligator. Amanda was surprised to feel it move. She grasped the alligator's body and turned it. Slowly, the alligator turned in her palm as it opened a secret compartment. Amanda lifted the alligator and lid out and shined the flashlight into the opening. She lifted out a manila file folder and examined the contents. Sure enough, Amanda discovered it was receipts of checks made out to Leslie Stetson. Several million dollars worth, it appeared. She slowly flipped through the other pages. Many were contact dates and transcripts of conversations. Amanda saw that Brousseau had indeed been in contact with Sergei Vlotkin. A huge agreement had been documented in the folder between Brousseau and Vlotkin to launder over $25 million for Brousseau. Amanda tucked the file under her dealer vest and stood up to leave. As she replaced the alligator and lid, she saw a pair of expensive Italian loafers standing beside the desk. She looked up into the face of Andre Brousseau.
"Mrs. King, didn't anyone ever tell you gators have a nasty bite?" Brousseau asked as he jerked her to her feet.
"You're the one who's going to feel the bite. Of Federal prison." Amanda said.
Brousseau laughed harshly. "We'll see about that Mrs.King." Brousseau said. As he grabbed her arm, he called over his shoulder.
"Would you like to take care of her or should I?" Brousseau asked.
Amanda turned around to look past Brousseau. Leslie Stetson stood there looking elegant but deadly in a black evening dress. Leslie's eyes were like chips of ice as she walked toward Amanda slowly.
"Let me get my darling husband up here so he can watch his "wonderful" partner die, then you can have him." Leslie said with a sneer.
As Leslie strode off, Brousseau pushed Amanda over to a chair. As she sat down, Brousseau leaned in and whispered to her.
"It's really too bad about you Amanda. I had big plans for you here." Brousseau said as he leered at her.
Amanda's stomach turned at his actions. She looked around for something to use as a weapon or any possible way out. She hoped that Lee would figure out something had gone wrong and come looking for her. She wondered what Leslie had planned for Lee as Brousseau watched her intently.
Lee glanced around the casino anxiously. Amanda was late returning from her break, and Billy reported he hadn't seen her come from the upstairs offices. Lee collected his winnings from the table, tipped the young dealer generously, and pushed himself out of his chair. As he stood, a manicured hand touched his arm. He turned around to see Leslie beside him.
"Leslie, what the hell are you doing here?" Lee asked.
"Well, that's some greeting for your wife." Leslie said sweetly.
"Leslie, I don't have time for this. I'm working here undercover." Lee said impatiently.
"You mean you were." Leslie said, narrowing her eyes hatefully.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Lee said, grabbing her arm.
"Let go of me Lee, now!" Leslie snapped. "Unless you don't want to know what's going to happen to your precious Amanda." Leslie finished with a satisfied smirk.
"What have you done with Amanda?" Lee growled. When Leslie refused to answer, he pulled her to the side roughly and glared at her.
"If anything's happened to Amanda, Leslie, I swear....."
"Save your threats, Lee." Leslie said patiently, "Amanda's still alive, for now." She finished. She pointed to the break room doors and motioned for him to follow her. He took Leslie's arm and steered her through the break room doors. As they made their way upstairs, Leslie turned and called for one of Brousseau's bodyguards. He grabbed Lee by the arm and led him into Brousseau's office, Leslie smiling in triumph behind Lee. ______________________________________________________________________
Lee sat at the Blackjack table, absently running his fingers over the worn felt on the table. He was sitting in front of several thousand dollars worth of chips. Lee couldn't understand the attraction for gambling. He could never see the fun in losing all your money so fast. But he played his role to perfection. He laid stack after stack of black $100 dollar chips like they were pennies. Sitting here so far, he was about even. He stirred his watered down drink and looked at Amanda.
She was a perfectly professional dealer. She cheered along with the half- drunk businessmen and professional gamblers when she dealt them a winning hand or busted out her hand. She commiserated with them as they lost thousands upon thousands of dollars. Many of the players were also professional flirts, Lee thought. They hit upon Amanda brazenly, tipping her well for just smiling sweetly at them. At first, Lee had been furious, but after sitting there a few hands, Lee realized that the combination of alcohol and the heady sensation of winning made their flirting harmless. He returned his attention to the table as Amanda dealt a new hand.
"Place your bets." Amanda asked, running her hand along the felt where the bets were placed. After a moment, she spread her hand across the table in the opposite direction and announced:
"No more bets."
Amanda dealt the cards out of the shoe. There were four players on the table. First, there was the Japanese businessman who was down about $5000. Next, was a professional Blackjack player from Las Vegas. He was killing the table, up about $7500. Right next to Lee was a good 'ol boy, a Texas millionaire. He was dropping about $6000 a hand, never breaking a sweat. Lee watched as Amanda dealt each player their up card, the one for herself. As she called out the amounts of each hand, Lee realized he had Blackjack.
"Blackjack, sir. Congratulations." Amanda said warmly.
"Lucky boy, that's what you are." The Texan exclaimed.
Amanda continued with the rest of the table. The Japanese man busted on 13 with a face card. The pro stayed on 18. The Texan split his pair of 10's, receiving a nine on one, and an ace on the other. She turned to Lee and took a stack of black chips out of her rack and paid him off.
"Blackjack. Your $1000 bet pays $1500 sir. Congratulations again." Amanda said, smiling at Lee.
Amanda had a 5 showing on her hand. She expertly flipped the down card up with the top card and said:
"Dealer has 15." She replied as she hit her hand. An 8 appeared and Amanda excitedly called out.
"Dealer busts. Pay all hands."
Amanda reached into the rack and began paying the remaining bets on the table. As she paid off each bet, the men enthusiastically began thumping each other on the back and giving high five's. After Amanda paid the bets, she began gathering the cards. As she set the used cards in the box, she felt a tap on her shoulder. It was another dealer, ready to relieve Amanda. She clapped her hands to show they were empty, then began to leave the table. As all the men at the table began to protest, she promised she'd be back in twenty minutes. Amanda flashed a look to Lee. She saw Lee mouth "Be careful." As she walked back toward the break room, Billy gave her an almost imperceptible nod. She quickly bypassed the break room door, fishing the new key card out of her pocket. She made her way past the security room quietly, then made her way up the stairs to Brousseau's office. She crept up to the door to his private office, then slowly entered the card key into the keypad next to the door. With a soft beep and a click, she was inside. She pulled her mini flashlight out of her dealer's vest and trained it around the room. Amanda made her way over to Brousseau's desk and began opening drawers. Billy and Agent Ross instructed her to look for wire transfers, payments to Leslie Stetson, or any documentation with his contacts. Amanda searched through the casino ledgers, discovering nothing. A search of the two connecting drawers yielded nothing. Amanda moved to the other side of the desk. The first drawer contained office supplies. As Amanda opened the bottom drawer, she jumped in surprise. Inside the drawer was a miniature ceramic alligator. As she felt around inside the drawer, she brushed her hand over the alligator. Amanda was surprised to feel it move. She grasped the alligator's body and turned it. Slowly, the alligator turned in her palm as it opened a secret compartment. Amanda lifted the alligator and lid out and shined the flashlight into the opening. She lifted out a manila file folder and examined the contents. Sure enough, Amanda discovered it was receipts of checks made out to Leslie Stetson. Several million dollars worth, it appeared. She slowly flipped through the other pages. Many were contact dates and transcripts of conversations. Amanda saw that Brousseau had indeed been in contact with Sergei Vlotkin. A huge agreement had been documented in the folder between Brousseau and Vlotkin to launder over $25 million for Brousseau. Amanda tucked the file under her dealer vest and stood up to leave. As she replaced the alligator and lid, she saw a pair of expensive Italian loafers standing beside the desk. She looked up into the face of Andre Brousseau.
"Mrs. King, didn't anyone ever tell you gators have a nasty bite?" Brousseau asked as he jerked her to her feet.
"You're the one who's going to feel the bite. Of Federal prison." Amanda said.
Brousseau laughed harshly. "We'll see about that Mrs.King." Brousseau said. As he grabbed her arm, he called over his shoulder.
"Would you like to take care of her or should I?" Brousseau asked.
Amanda turned around to look past Brousseau. Leslie Stetson stood there looking elegant but deadly in a black evening dress. Leslie's eyes were like chips of ice as she walked toward Amanda slowly.
"Let me get my darling husband up here so he can watch his "wonderful" partner die, then you can have him." Leslie said with a sneer.
As Leslie strode off, Brousseau pushed Amanda over to a chair. As she sat down, Brousseau leaned in and whispered to her.
"It's really too bad about you Amanda. I had big plans for you here." Brousseau said as he leered at her.
Amanda's stomach turned at his actions. She looked around for something to use as a weapon or any possible way out. She hoped that Lee would figure out something had gone wrong and come looking for her. She wondered what Leslie had planned for Lee as Brousseau watched her intently.
Lee glanced around the casino anxiously. Amanda was late returning from her break, and Billy reported he hadn't seen her come from the upstairs offices. Lee collected his winnings from the table, tipped the young dealer generously, and pushed himself out of his chair. As he stood, a manicured hand touched his arm. He turned around to see Leslie beside him.
"Leslie, what the hell are you doing here?" Lee asked.
"Well, that's some greeting for your wife." Leslie said sweetly.
"Leslie, I don't have time for this. I'm working here undercover." Lee said impatiently.
"You mean you were." Leslie said, narrowing her eyes hatefully.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Lee said, grabbing her arm.
"Let go of me Lee, now!" Leslie snapped. "Unless you don't want to know what's going to happen to your precious Amanda." Leslie finished with a satisfied smirk.
"What have you done with Amanda?" Lee growled. When Leslie refused to answer, he pulled her to the side roughly and glared at her.
"If anything's happened to Amanda, Leslie, I swear....."
"Save your threats, Lee." Leslie said patiently, "Amanda's still alive, for now." She finished. She pointed to the break room doors and motioned for him to follow her. He took Leslie's arm and steered her through the break room doors. As they made their way upstairs, Leslie turned and called for one of Brousseau's bodyguards. He grabbed Lee by the arm and led him into Brousseau's office, Leslie smiling in triumph behind Lee. ______________________________________________________________________
