Chapter Ten

A/N: I hope you like this chapter. I've planned a ways ahead in the story line so I hope to be publishing a little bit faster. Thank you so much for reading, and reviewing.

I was doing well. I only had to win this last hand and the $5,000 was mine. These rich white boys had no idea what hit them. Then I looked at my hand and the river and I got nervous. An ace and a two weren't going to do much for me, but Logan wouldn't fold.

"40 out of 48 cards and I win Weevil."

"Yeah just flip it." My stomach was in a knot, but I wouldn't let him see it. Then he put the card down and the smirk on his face fell. The other guys erupted in laughter.

"I can't believe he beat you with a pair of two's!" Duncan squealed.

"I'll take that money now." I said seriously.

Logan opened the money box, but it was gone. I searched all of them, and looked quickly around the pool house, but I couldn't find the money.

"One way or another you all will give me a grand." I said threateningly, and left. I walked to the main house to see Emily. I knocked on the back door.

"Hello Eli." Lynn said kindly.

"Hello Mrs. Echolls." She was still in her bikini, and I had to admit I was impressed.

"Emily is in her room. Here bring this up. She hasn't eaten yet."

"Thank you Mrs. Echolls."

"Eli call me Lynn." I nodded. I walked up to Emily's room. She could tell something was wrong.

"Eli what's wrong? Did you lose?" she asked concerned.

"No cupcake I didn't lose. I never lose. Someone took the money."

"Like stole it?"

"Yeah."

"Assholes. What are you going to do?" I detected apprehension in her voice.

"I will get a grand from each one way or another."

"Please don't resort to kneecapping my brother."

"What about everyone else."

"I don't give a shit." She smiled. I sat down next to her on the bed.

"You know a good girlfriend would help me take my mind off this."

"But a better girlfriend helps you plot revenge." She smiled sinisterly.

I gently grabbed her chin and started kissing her gently, and she started getting more aggressive, even biting my lip. I smiled without backing away. Before Emily I couldn't imagine just being happy kissing. Truth is I wanted to have sex with her, but I was also patient enough to wait, besides I had a good imagination.

I knew all hell was going to break loose. Logan was mad that Eli stole from him, but Eli is mad that his five grand is missing. Truth is that if someone had taken five grand from me I would be resorting to violence. It's taking everything I have to keep the peace, which pisses me off.

"What's wrong Emily?" Lynn asked me.

"Eli and Logan are mad at each other, and they're frustrated with me for not taking sides." I rubbed my temples in frustration.

"Men are like that. They have to be dominant, and well Logan is more like your father than he's willing to admit." I smiled at her. We had an interesting relationship. She was the only mother I knew, but there was still the problem that I was the child of my father's infidelity. She's reminded constantly that he's a liar and a cheater every time she looks at me, but she promises that she loves me just as much a Logan. I have a sneaking suspicion that she's the reason I got sent away to school.

"The problem is that I can see both sides. Someone stole from Eli while he was here, and it was one of Logan's friends. Eli doesn't know who so he's mad at all of them. I know Logan didn't do it, but I understand where Eli is coming from."

"If someone had stolen from you I think you'd skin them and make a handbag."

"And what a fine handbag it would be." I said smiling.

"All I'm saying is the three of you are all exactly alike. Expect some rocky roads."

"Please Veronica, protect me from the big bad sweater vest wearing rich boys." I said sarcastically. I could fence everything I had taken for collateral and pay back Felix and still buy the present for Emily. I didn't need V this time.

"Weevil I can get your money back. Just give Duncan his computer back."

"If I get my money their stuff might mysteriously reappear."

"Fine." She scoffed and walked out.

"Have I ever told you how stubborn your boyfriend is?" Veronica asked me.

"You should see him on bad days." I laughed. I sat down at the lunch table.

"You should be given some kind of metal for putting up with him."

"What's he going on about now?"

"I tried to ask him about the poker game. Duncan asked me to get his computer back."

"And Eli won't give it back?"

"Shocker right?" I laughed. "So can I ask you about that night?"

"Sure. I don't know much though."

"Weren't you there?"

"No I had to study, and Logan banned me from the games for counting cards. Eli came up to my room after."

"What did he say?"

"Only that they had ripped him off and he was pissed. I told him I didn't blame him, but he had to take it easy on Logan."

"Who do you think took it?"

"Really I have no idea. I know it wasn't Eli, and Logan is such a bad liar I would have found it by now. I don't really trust Logan's friends though."

"Do you know where Duncan's computer is?"

"Nope." Truth is I did. I knew what Eli took, from whom he took it, and where it was, but I'm no rat. I knew that she would figure out who took the money, and I knew that Duncan's computer would be so protected that Eli couldn't get into it if he wanted to.

"Damn. I really need to get that computer."

"I'm sure that you'll figure it out. Logan's friends aren't THAT smart." She laughed.

"Even if they were I am a lot scarier."

I was at the Echolls house again sitting at the poker table waiting for V. She announced that she knew who took the money and I wanted to be there. Emily was sitting backwards in a chair next to me but back from the table a little. She wasn't allowed to gamble Logan said.

"I'm too good at it." She said while taking a swig of Jim Beam.

"You cheat!" Duncan said accusatorily.

"I do not!" Emily said with mock hurt in her voice.

"You count the cards." Connor said seriously.

"I can't help it if I'm smarter than you." I couldn't tell if she was kidding but Connor stopped joking after that. I smirked.

"No helping your boyfriend count." Logan said to her with his index finger pointed at her.

"Keep pointing that finger big brother you'll lose it." She said jokingly.

"Is this your angry drunk night?" She stuck her tongue out at him. I grabbed the bottle from her and took a swig.

"Don't get too drunk," she whispered in my ear, "we gotta take these assholes for their money."

"We?" I asked her grinning.

"I'm gambling vicariously through you." Just then Veronica showed up.

"Ho ho ho." Logan said. She gave him a dirty look. She gave him a dirty look. "Want some egg nog?" Logan asked her.

"I think I'm in the mood for something stronger." Veronica grabbed Duncan's bottle of Jack Daniels and chugged, forever.

"Damn girl." I said in surprise. V wasn't that good when we were drinking last time.

"Ice tea? How musical theater of you." She said to Duncan who looked embarrassed. "Duncan can't remember the alphabet when he's drunk let alone figure out 20% of a pizza bill. No he didn't get drunk to steal your money he got drunk to win your money."

Veronica walked behind Logan, "Looks like an evil doer, smells like an evil doer, but surprisingly innocent. Weevil cleared him. He said he didn't get to go through the room as much as he liked, but when I was here it looked like it was raided by the FBI. If he knew where the money was he wouldn't have had to tear the room apart."

She walked behind Connor Larkin. "He doesn't have a drug problem. He keeps going to the bathroom because of the sun tea."

Then she looked at me and Sean. "That leaved the boy from the wrong side of the tracks, and the guy that lives in the most expensive house in the 09. Sean's the butler's kid. He took the money out with the recycling."

"You can't prove it!" Sean interrupted.

"You have a shoplifting problem. You're really bad at it."

I looked at him. "I think we need to take a walk." I grabbed his upper arm and pulled him to his feet.

"No need for violence I have the money I can give it to you." He looked at Emily. "Make your boyfriend see reason."

She shrugged. "You're lucky you stole from him and not me." She moved to my seat. "I'll play for you until you get back." Everyone but Veronica groaned.