to your club sandwiches, just one won’t do.” I grin as I lean back in my chair. I appreciate my mother’s delicate sense of tact. She’s never put any kind of pressure on me about grandchildren, although I’m sure she’d be thrilled to have some. And I can tell she’s trying to keep her cool and not probe too much at the moment.
“So who is this friend you mentioned?” She asks. It seems I spoke too soon, but she’s obviously trying to keep her tone casual.
I can’t help but laugh out loud.
“You can’t blame me for asking!” She grins.
“Fair enough. I guess I just dropped a pretty big bomb on you. I had to expect some maternal re-direct.”
“Not a bomb. Just a very nice surprise to see my son…and hear him wondering if there might be more to life than a casino.” She turns back to the stove. “So this friend? Anyone special?”
“Well, I met her at my casino…” And with those words, I start to tell my mother about Lilly Madison.
***
Two days later, I’m back in Vegas, recharged and refocused. Stepping into Fortuna on my first day back at work, I take a deep breath as I look around me. Home. In a way.
I make my usual rounds, starting at the security hub, where I touch base with Terry.
“What did I miss?” I’m back on my A-game, not missing a beat. No time for formalities.
“Mostly everything’s under control,” Terry replies.
“Mostly?”
“We had to 86 a couple people here and there. Nothing major. But there’s something else we need to discuss.” He says, sounding dire.
“In private?” I glance around the security hub. We’re surrounded by security employees. Although their faces are glued to their various screens, they’re undoubtedly listening.
Terry nods.
“Let’s walk.” I head out the door with Terry in my wake. We take the route through the tiled hallways of the casino’s staff-only area in the back.
“It’s about the Chicago guys.” Terry’s voice is low, barely audible over the harsh clicking of our shoes on the tiles.
“Those goons we kicked out of town?”
“Yeah. Word is that they’ve been sniffing around.”
“Do we have eyes on them?”
“Nobody’s actually seen them. It’s just whispers. But from reliable sources.”
“Hmm. Well, we can’t do much if we don’t know where they are.” I say. “Put some feelers out. I want it percolating on the street. I want photos if they’re spotted.”
“Already done. And if they are?” Terry arches an eyebrow.
“Then we’ll have to follow through. I can’t tell these buffoons that they’re banned from town and then let it slide when they come back.”
“Good.” Terry nods, satisfied. “And Mickey?”
“Mickey and I are pals now.”
Terry looks at me quizzically.
“I made a little stopover in Chicago on the way back from Kentucky,” I tell him with a grin.
“Well.” Terry smiles, his white teeth gleaming against his dark skin. “I should’ve expected nothing less. You told him about Tony and Bobby?”
“No, I didn’t even mention those two idiots. I’ve got a guy in Atlantic City, he owns a casino over there, he hooked me up with Mickey. I just alluded to the fact that he’s been putting some money and some skin on the streets out here. Told him I wanted to start off on the right foot. If he’s doing business in Vegas our paths will cross. I don’t want misunderstandings.”
“How’d he take it?”
“He’s a reasonable guy. A businessman in his own way. He gets it. I doubt those Tony and Bobby characters mean shit to him. He’s surrounded by his security, of course, and his consigliere, his advisors. But no sign or mention of those bozos. If he heard the story, he didn’t give enough of a shit to mention it to me.”
“Sounds good. Still, a risky move on your part. You never know with these guys.” Terry shakes his head.
“Nah, like I said, I had my AC guy line up the meeting. And it’s not like I went in alone. Or without—” I pat my jacket where a holster would be.
“Well, I’m glad it went off without a hitch.” Terry stops. “I’ll head back to the hub and get the order out on Tony and Bobby.”
“Good. I’m not too worried about them. But, can’t be too careful.”
“With loose cannons like that, every precaution is advisable.” Terry nods firmly. He turns around and heads back towards security.
“Hey, Terry!” I call after him and he turns.
“See you at Jacques later?”
“You got it.” He smiles. “The usual?” Since Terry joined me for a glass of wine on the night