As the Pig Turns - By M.C. Beaton Page 0,53

crammed the passengers into all the seats at the front. Anything to eat or drink had to be purchased, and they even had to put one pound in the slot to use the toilet. Fortunately, the plane was only half-full and they were able to find other seats and stretch out.

The hotel was called the Old Prairie Ranch and was on the outskirts of Las Vegas near the airport. The architecture could be described as Plastic Log Cabin. Their room opened out on to a dusty outside corridor. It had a tired look. A cockroach lurked in the shower. Toni began to wish she had not come, but nothing seemed to dim Chelsea’s enthusiasm.

‘You know, I’ve always admired you, Tone,’ she said. ‘If I went a bit easier on the war paint and brushed my hair down, we could look like sisters.’

Toni was tired and suggested they should have a few hours’ sleep before setting off into town.

They ordered hamburgers and Cokes from room service, and then both fell into a heavy sleep.

Toni was awakened by Chelsea shaking her. ‘Show a leg, girl. Time to hit the town.’

Las Vegas was exciting as their taxi deposited them at the Rio Grande Hotel and Casino. There was a hectic buzz in the air. The whole city seemed a symphony of flashing neon lights.

Toni was wearing a simple black sheath with a row of pearls around her neck. Chelsea had also put on a black dress and had toned down her make-up. At first, as they entered, Toni felt almost overdressed. Elderly men and women were crouched at the slot machines, their eyes glazed, pulling the levers.

‘I want to play roulette,’ said Toni.

But Chelsea had noticed that the people at the machines were not all old. A young man with a cowboy hat pushed back on his head winked at her. ‘You go play roulette,’ said Chelsea. ‘I’ll try my luck here.’

‘What if we lose each other?’ protested Toni.

‘I’ve got a mobile which can work here. What about you?’

‘Yes, I’ve got one of those.’

‘Good, we can text each other.’

Feeling very young and self-conscious, Toni made her way to the roulette tables after buying a modest amount of chips. Not knowing whether she was allowed to use a camera or not, she still wanted a record of her visit. Agatha had given her a present of a ‘spy’ camera in the shape of a cigarette lighter. Toni had it inside a clutch handbag. She fished it out along with a packet of cigarettes. No one seemed to be smoking. Was there a smoking ban? Never mind, she told herself, if someone thinks I’m going to light up, I’m sure they’ll stop me. She rapidly clicked off a series of photographs of the people around the roulette tables. Then she saw a place at a table where she could push in.

She put fifty dollars on thirteen, and to her amazement, she won. She then played another fifty on seven and won again. ‘Third time lucky, honey,’ said an excited woman beside her. Toni played on, she lost some, but then won again, and again. Common sense took over and she decided to stop playing.

‘Luck hardly ever goes on happening,’ remarked Toni, gathering up her chips. When she cashed in her chips, she found she had won nearly two thousand dollars. She went off to find Chelsea, who was still feverishly playing the slot machines. ‘I’ve won quite a bit,’ said Toni. ‘Let’s get something to eat.’

‘Later,’ muttered Chelsea. ‘I’ll let you know.’

Toni found a café serving snacks and settled down to eat. She noticed a few people were smoking. The café had a balcony overlooking the main floor of the casino.

She shot some more pictures and then focussed on the slot machines where she had left Chelsea. She put away her camera and phoned her. The ringing stopped and went into voice mail. She texted her, saying she would meet her at the entrance. First, she searched along the rows and rows of slot machines without finding Chelsea.

Toni waited nervously at the entrance, standing next to a security guard for safety, saying she was waiting for her friend.

She became anxious. If Chelsea had met some man, surely she would have phoned or texted. Maybe her phone didn’t work in the States after all.

At last, the sympathetic security guard got someone to take her up to the surveillance room. There were banks and banks of cameras photographing every part of the casino. Toni tried to estimate