'Do you understand what's going on?'
'Not exactly,' she replied, 'but I think we'd better take it easy on the booze so we can stay alert.'
Good advice. Too much beer made me sleepy and dulled my senses. After a couple of minutes Stan came ambling back, swinging his body in a way that suggested he was feeling no pain. He sat down and took a swig of his third Bloody Mary.
'Okay, here's the deal,' Stan said. 'James isn't averse to giving you the information you asked for even though he knows it will go straight to Richard. After all, he's not a secretive person. In fact, he's willing to give you daily updates on Tartan's holdings of Dionysus stock and any strategic moves we're making in regard to Dionysus. You'll be a hero, Arrow.'
'What's the catch?' I asked.
'The catch, as you call it, is that you have to gamble for the information. Roulette, craps or blackjack, your choice.'
'Blackjack,' I said, immediately. The odds would be most in our favor because I knew how to count the cards.
'All right, blackjack. You start off with $500 in chips. If you can triple your money you win. If you lose the five hundred you lose.'
'What's the penalty for losing?' Arrow asked.
'What if we win and James welshes?' I asked before Stan could answer Arrow.
Stan looked hurt. 'James doesn't welsh on his bets. Ask anybody here. They wouldn't keep coming back if he did.'
My adrenaline was flowing. 'I'm ready to try it,' I said.
'What's the penalty for losing?' Arrow repeated.
Why was she worried about losing when we were going to win?
'Ah, yes,' Stan said, sipping his drink. 'Sometimes we offer live entertainment here. You'll notice that the floor at the other end of the room is raised and can be used as a stage. We have spotlights and everything,' he said, pointing to the ceiling.
'Sorry, I can't sing like Joe Williams,' I said.
'No need. You both have gorgeous bodies and we have a sophisticated audience that would love to see you both in-and out of your clothes. We can provide the mood music of your choice.'
'You want us to strip!' Arrow exclaimed.
'That's a vulgar way of saying it, don't you think? I prefer to call it an artistic exhibition.' He leered at Arrow. 'But we will find out what you have on under that dress.'
'Not much,' she said, shortly.
I could confirm that.
'It will be educational. We'll learn the difference between panties and pants. Unless, of course, you aren't wearing panties,' he said to Arrow. And to me, 'Is it briefs or boxers with you?' Then feigning sadness, 'Whichever it is, I'm afraid they'll have to go.'
I swear Stan smacked his lips. 'Leave us for a minute,' I said, harshly.
He bowed and left the table, taking his drink with him. I turned to Arrow. She was actually smiling. Then I noticed that in the last few minutes she had finished all three of the drinks in front of her.
'Of course we're not going to do it,' I said.
'Of course not. But the look on your face is so funny.'
'Funny! That coc…' I caught myself.
'I don't think we're in Palos Verdes anymore, Karl. Of course we're not going to do it. But…'
'Arrow! Don't even think about it. What if my father found out?'
'I know. But I'd like to get my hands on that information so badly I can taste it. You're a good blackjack player, aren't you?'
'Yes.' I had to admit it since I felt as if I was under oath. 'But there's still a chance I might lose.'
'But if you won it would be so great.'
It would be. My father would have to admit that I was good for something, for once in his life-and mine. The information would be invaluable to him for planning his defense; even if he ended up selling to James he would be able to get top dollar.
I was a good blackjack player. If I played carefully I could do it. It might take me a while to triple my money, but…
Stan came back to the table and sat down. He looked from one of us to the other. He said, 'I sense some indecision, but you're definitely leaning toward action.'
He was enjoying this, immensely. I wanted to bust him in the nose. I also wanted to get the better of him and James. I looked at Arrow. She had a gleam in her eye that said, 'Go for it.' How much of that gleam was from booze? Don't think too much. I said, 'We'll do it.'
Stan's smile was a mile wide.
I needed to collect my wits. 'I get a table to myself. Dealer uses one deck. Betting limit is what I have on the table. Minimum is a dollar.'
'Done.' Stan smacked our table with the palm of his hand, bouncing the glasses into the air.
He hadn't even gone running to James before he answered, as I had expected. Now he walked over to one of the blackjack tables and talked to the players there. From their glances at Arrow and their smiles and ready acquiescence to giving up their places I gathered that he had told them about the bet.
Things were moving too fast. By the time Arrow and I got to the table there were a dozen of the beautiful people clustered around it, waiting. Waiting for us to lose. I sat down on one of the stools in front of the table; Arrow sat beside me, holding another drink. The dealer produced a number of chips, with values ranging from one to one hundred dollars. As I placed them in piles in front of me he shuffled a single deck and presented it for me to cut.
'Wait a minute,' I said. I wasn't ready. I looked around at the wolves surrounding us, waiting for the kill. I conjured up a picture of my father after he found out I had gambled again and lost. Lost my dignity and that of his executive assistant. Made him a laughingstock for James. Probably lost Dionysus to him.
'We're not going to do it,' I said, standing up. I took hold of Arrow's arm to pull her away from the table. She resisted.
Stan said in my ear, 'You're not going to welsh on our bet, are you?'
'I'm not welshing,' I said. 'We haven't started yet.'
'Do you know what happens to welshers?' Stan whispered. 'Remember what happened to Ned.'
I shoved him away and grabbed Arrow's arm forcefully enough to pull her off her chair. I had to catch her or she would have fallen to the floor. I guided her, half supporting her weight, toward the stairs as fast as she could walk.
I think I over-tipped the cab driver, but I couldn't remember how much money I had given him as soon as we got out of the cab. Actually, I wasn't in bad shape, but Arrow was. She couldn't hold her liquor any better than Stan.
I kept my arm around her as we staggered across the hotel lobby, because her legs were rubber. Once inside the elevator she threw both her arms around my neck and clung to me as if I were a life raft. The feel of her body welded to mine was not unpleasant, but I couldn't give in to it.
Once out of the elevator we slow-danced our way down the corridor in this position and somehow I extracted her room card from her purse and opened her door. Only then did she let go of me as she tottered for the bed, landing face down across it.
I watched her for a few seconds, wondering whether it was safe to leave her like this. She said something I didn't understand; I said, 'What?'
'Unzip me.'
I closed the door, went to her and performed the requested act. She struggled to get her arms out of her dress, still face down.
