Caroline and the Greeting Card Convention

Chapter 3

Caroline was preoccupied when she got back to the Cassidy booth at the convention. "That low down, good for nothing Del Cassidy! Making plans to two-time me, huh? I'll teach him to mess with Caroline Duffy! If I can work things out, I'll give him double trouble!"

"Hi, Caroline… did you find Del?"

"What…?"

"You went to find Del… did you find him?"

"Yes I did, Richard."

"I see you forgot to bring me back anything. Oh well, I can see the headlines now - "Starving Artist Found Dead on Caesars' Convention Floor"".

"Oh Richard, I'm sorry. Please let me make it up to you. Del and I are having dinner at Primavera, this great Italian restaurant in the hotel, why don't you join us?"

"Oh, I don't know…"

"C'mon, Richard, it'll be a lot better than room service. Please say yes."

"Oh, alright" Richard agreed reluctantly.

"After dinner, we're going out to the Tropicana. Seinfeld is playing at The Comedy Stop tonight. I'm sure Del could finagle an extra ticket for you, Richard."

"Hmm… Seinfeld is actually pretty intelligent for a comedian. But isn't he busy doing his TV show?"

"I hear he likes to keep sharp by performing live. Please come with us, Richard."

"I'd like to… but won't I be the odd man out? I mean, with me around, won't you and Del feel constrained? … Not that you do, any other time I'm around… Besides, I have a good book to finish."

"Nonsense, Richard. And you can finish that old book anytime. How often will you get a chance to see Seinfeld live?" Still sensing his reluctance, she added "And I can make it worth your while. I mean, being stuck with your coworkers after hours, naturally I'd pay for your time."

Wary, Richard tested Caroline. "Hmm… I don't know Caroline… I've been here since ten, that would be a long day… Normally, I'm paid double for overtime."

Caroline gulped "Uh… okay."

"Okay, what's going on?" Richard asked suspiciously.

"What do you mean?" Caroline tried to answer innocently.

"Why are you going to pay me double time to go out to dinner and see a show with you and Del?"

"Oh Richard… you're right… I caught Del flirting with a waitress, trying to two-time me. I want to get even by making him jealous."

"You think Del could be jealous… of me?" Richard asked incredulously.

"Well, I can be very convincing." On those words, Caroline pulled Richard's head towards hers and gave him a kiss, full on the lips, for several seconds.

Richard was so stunned, he didn't return the kiss. Even so, he was greatly affected. Richard (and 'little Richard') began to think of Caroline in an entirely new light. "Uh… okay" was all Richard could muster out. After regaining his composure, he added "As long it's for a good cause, you don't have to pay me… double the rate that is."

Upon obtaining Richard's agreement, Caroline smiled devilishly.

******

"Alright!" thought Caroline. "One piece of my plan is in place. Now, it's time to get another."

Caroline returned to the casino area of Caesars and found a bar along the side. She walked up to it and started talking to the bartender. "Hi. I'm looking for a cocktail waitress named Donna."

"Donna…? Yeah… I sent her with a bunch of drinks over to the Keno area." He pointed it out. "Over there."

Caroline walked over and found Donna. "Hi, Donna. Remember me? I'm Del's girlfriend."

Donna turned around and answered "Oh yeah... Caroline, right? You're lucky, 'cousin' Del is quite the charmer."

"Listen Donna, I know you're not Del's cousin."

"Darn! I knew I should've continued those acting classes after high school!"

"I also figured out he bribed you to pretend you're his cousin. Let's cut to the chase – how would you like to pretend differently for twice as much money?"

"I'm all ears."

"Okay, here's the plan…"

No one, not even Caroline, had ever imagined the depth of the deviousness of which she was capable!

(At this point, the sinister laugh of Dr. Evil can be heard in the background.)