"Whooohoo! Jackpot!"
Walking past the rows of slot machines, Rick grinned at the old guy jumping up and down in front of a progressive poker machine, spewing hundreds of coins out.
"Rick, that's wonderful, let's play a couple before we go out!" Laurie indicated a row of machines that were advertising $25,000 payoffs. Laughing, Rick got a bucket of coins and the two of them sat down and took turns winning and losing.
After a half hour, Laurie jingled a bowl full of quarters and told her husband, "I think I'm even, do you want to go to the museum?"
"Sure, sweetheart." Rick saw her winnings and teased "Sure you don't want to wait for me to catch up with that pile of winnings?"
Just then a loud siren sounded, and amazed, the two Simons watched as bells and whistles went off, signaling a jackpot paying off. "Oh my gosh, look!" Laurie cried, as the billboard above the machine signaled a double payoff.
"Well for the love of, darlin' I won!" Rick yelled. Instantly a security person arrived and verified that he had won. "Congratulations, sir, you've just won $50,000!"
"Thank you, thank you very much." Rick beamed then hugged Laurie. "Sweetheart, you sure brought me luck!"
"Well, you wanted to catch up with my bucket of coins, looks like you did!" she laughed, then kissed him.
"Come with me, folks, and we'll fill out your paperwork!" the smiling floor person told them, leading them out of the now crowded casino floor.
Once the Simons were at the Casino desk, Rick filled out the IRS paperwork, then had an idea.
"I'd like my winnings in two cashiers checks, is that possible?" He asked the cage manager.
"Oh yes, we can make them in two $25,000 checks if you like, Mr. Simon, " The manager replied, introducing himself as Andy Stratton.
Rick turned to Laurie, "I want you to take one of the checks, Angel. This is one anniversary I can give you anything you want!"
"Oh, no, darling, you won it, it's yours, Rick. You already give me everything I want." She protested,
Then she smiled. "Rick, we could give it to Robin and Ian to get their own place."
"That's my smart girl!" Rick picked her up and whirled her around, then Laurie kissed him.
"That's right, always yours, love. My generous husband."
A cleared throat brought them back to reality, as they realized that Stratton was waiting on them.
"Uh, thanks, Mr. Stratton, two checks for $25,000, please. And could you have one put in the casino safe until we check out?" Rick turned red at the look of admiration from the manager.
"Certainly. Mr. Simon. I congratulate you on your good sense. Your family is very lucky to have you." the manager said, and Rick grinned as Laurie shook her head. "We're the lucky ones, Mr. Stratton, he always thinks of us first."
As the man left to get Rick's winnings, several casino employees congratulated him, then Laurie caught sight of Jim Brass, an annoyed look on his face, at the Cashier's counter.
"Rick., there's Jim, he doesn't look too happy."
As he waved at him, Rick suddenly remembered his friend's admonishment not to call attention to themselves if they won something.
"Oh, oh, Laurie, I have a feeling he's not come to say hi."
"Rick, Laurie." Jim came through the employee entrance to the cage, then stopped in front of them.
"Congratulations, I hear you won the progressive $25,000."
"Uh, thanks, Brass, but I actually won $50,000. How did you find out?" Rick asked, then squirmed inwardly as Jim answered, "I got a tip from one of the dealers. You attracted a lot of attention when you won."
"Jim, I didn't make a big thing, but I did get excited. Don't worry, I'm not flashing any bills around." Rick explained, feeling awkward.
"Well, at least you're not totally brainless. Look, I can't tell you too much, but you may have just become a target for a ring of thieves who grab gamblers who have won a lot of money. These crooks sometimes hold their victim hostage for the amount of money won." The policeman told them, thenshook his headas Laurie said "Don't worry, Rick just had his winnings put into two cashiers checks. He won't have any money to tempt a thief."
"Okay, so you're smarter then I thought. The thing is…" Jim turned serious. "Ten gamblers in ten weeks have been robbed and terrorized by two or three criminals within hours of winning a jackpot or large wager at the tables. Unfortunately, the last two have ended up dead, one of them the body that you two found in your room."
"Any ideas or leads as to who's responsible?" Rick asked, troubled, glancing at his wife.
"We have an lead that it's an inside job, but each of these victims has been from a different hotel, and there aren't any connections other then they all won large amounts of money." Brass answered.
"What you need is a plant, someone who appears to have won a lot of money, then when he's grabbed, you can tail them and nail the crooks." Rick suggested, then realized Brass had had the same idea.
"You're right, but we need someone not known around here. If I thought for one moment that neither of you would be hurt, I'd ask you to be that plant." Jim confessed.
"And I'd agree, except I don't want Laurie involved. Sweetheart," Rick turned to her, then saw the stubborn look on her face. "Laurie, I know you want to help, but I don't want you to be hurt. If I was to be taken, they could grab you as a hostage, too. Please, Angel." He took her hands in his, then saw her expression soften.
"Yes, Rick. You're right, I don't ever want to be used against you, my love." She gazed at him, then said "I'd rather you help Jim and be protected then be a victim, darling. I could go to Robin and Ian tonight, that way I'd be out of the way and you can focus on the case."
"That's my brave girl." Rick pulled her into his arms, then held her tightly as she sniffed, "Not so brave, I don't want to leave you, but I know what you guys have to do."
Quietly Jim cleared his throat. "Thank you,Laurie. Rick,I didn't want to ask you to do this, but you're my best shot at catching these creeps. Why don't you two go have some lunch while I get permission for this, call me when you get back."
"I will, Jim. We'll get Laurie's things when we get back." He promised., then fell silent when the floor manager returned with his cashier's checks. After receiving the money, Rick had Stratton lock one of the checks in the safe, then folded the remaining check up and put it in his wallet.
Shaking hands with Stratton, Laurie, Rick and Jim left the casino area, then parted at the hotel entrance.
Hailing a cab, Rick waited until they were on their way before putting his arms around his wife.
"I love you, sweetheart. Thank you for listening to me."
"Darling, I always listen to you, I don't want you to be bait, but ….." Laurie cleared her throat and brushed away a tear.
"But nothing, Laurie, I'll be just fine. Jim will back me up. It'll be all right." Rick kissed her, then felt her melt against him.
"Yes, Rick." She sighed.
Later that afternoon Rick let out a breath of his own, seeing Laurie packed and ready to leave. Having the bellman pick up her bag and take it downstairs, he waited for the door to close then felt her wind her arms around his neck.
"Rick, promise me you'll be careful, what time is Jim coming?" she asked, dropping a kiss on his cheek.
"In about half an hour, I have to have a wire fitted." He explained, then pulled her face to his and kissed her.
"I'll take you to the lobby. Ian's going to meet you there. I'll be at the kids no later then tomorrow morning." Rick promised.
"You'd better, or I'll be back here to tear this place apart." Laurie teased, then let Rick lead her to the elevator.
As the Simons' came through the casino, there were several photographers waiting, as if for a celebrity.
Surprising Rick and Laurie, a couple of them took pictures as a third told Rick "We'd like to take some publicity pictures, Mr. Simon. Could you stand over there?"
As Rick complied, a glass of champaign materialized, and he took a sip. Wrinkling his nose at his wife, he watched as she accepted a glass and giggled as the bubbles hit her nose.
"Champaign in the afternoon, this must be Vegas!" Rick chuckled, then struck a couple of poses.
Suddenly he felt a surge of excitement, why should he give up this anniversary weekend with his wife, he'd tell Jim to forget it. Turning to tell Laurie his new idea, he found a strange blonde on his arm, and he was mometarily speechless.
"Hey handsome, come show me how you won all that money." She purred, and he was dizzy for a moment.
Abruptly Laurie was on the other side of him, glaring at the other woman. "Sorry, hon, my husband 's busy, go find your own."
"Come on, lady, there's enough of him to go around. I'll bring him right back, promise." Rick grinned at the thought of being fought over, then he realized Laurie had a panicked expression on her face.
"Sweetheart?" he asked.
"I, I don't feel good Rick, I'm going to go to the restroom. I'll meet you in the lobby." She put a hand to her mouth, then practically ran down a nearby hall.
Worried, Rick started after her, only to feel a hard grip on his arm. "This way, Mr. Simon. Just one more picture."
At once he realized he was having trouble focusing, and he wiped his eyes. He found himself being led into an elevator, and he broke out in a cold sweat.
"Uh, I don't think so, I need to find my wife." He told the man holding his arm, then tried to walk out of the elevator.
Wham. A fist connected with his stomach, and he nearly lost his lunch as he bent double, then everything went dark.