'Did he appear to know what he was doing? Was he…playing carefully?'
Arrow considered. 'Of course, I can't answer as to his strategy, but he was certainly concentrating on the game.'
'What was his mood?'
'He looked like he was having fun. He was joking with the dealer.'
'Even though he was losing?'
Arrow nodded. 'Right.'
'You said that you think he may have lost several thousand dollars while you watched. How did you come up with that figure?'
'Well, assuming he was betting $500 a hand, he would win some and lose some on each deal, unless the dealer got a real good hand or busted. I know busted means the dealer exceeded 21. But after I'd watched Ned play for a few minutes his pile of chips was a lot smaller than when I first saw him. In fact, I was afraid he'd run out of chips, stop playing and see me. That's one reason I left.'
'Why didn't you speak to him?'
'I couldn't believe he would want anybody he knew see him behaving like that.'
I thought for a minute. 'I guess we've milked the casino thing about as much as we can. Of course, I retain the right to recall the witness, in case I have any more questions.'
Arrow smiled, as I had hoped she would. I said, 'Well, when can I meet Mr. Mackay.'
'Are you free for lunch?'
I didn't say what I was thinking. That I was free for lunch only because my father had twisted my arm. Instead, I said, 'Yes.'
'Good. That's the best opportunity because Ned is flying to San Francisco this afternoon. The local Rotary Club meets at noon at the Marriott. Ned and I represent Dionysus. You can go as my guest. I'll fix it so you sit next to Ned. The only thing is, we have to invent a cover story for you, a plausible reason for you to be there. You can be thinking of joining, but most of the members own their own businesses.'
'I own my own business.'
'Sure you do.'
Would she laugh? 'I sell old baseball cards.'
Arrow looked hard at me. 'You're serious.'
'Yes. Don't believe everything my father tells you about me.'
'Sorry. Guilty as charged. Can you make a living doing that?'
'You can if you know what you're doing.'
'How do you sell them? I assume you don't have a store.'
'Card shows. But mostly, on the Internet, through auction sites like eBay. And I have my own website.'
Arrow considered this for a moment. Then she said, 'Good. Meet me at the Marriott at noon.'
Arrow paid the tab. She declined help, even with the tip, saying she would put it on her expense account. We walked outside together. The cloud that I had seen earlier from above, blanketing the basin, was gone and the sun shone brightly. The temperature was in the seventies. I walked Arrow to her car, a late-model Acura, befitting a rising young executive.
When we got there she said, 'Richard has told me a lot about you-and some of it may even be true. When he said he wanted to bring you into this I was skeptical, based on what I knew or thought I knew about you. Now that I've met you I've started to revise this. You may be a good choice, after all.'
'I'll take that as a compliment. Besides, how can I screw up with you to keep me on the true and righteous path?'
'Is that what you think my role is?'
'Isn't it?'
Arrow frowned. 'I see you still have some issues to work out with your father. However, I hope you find out what's bugging Ned, because my stock options are riding on it. In fact, every employee's stock options are riding on it.'
'What do you think is his problem? Do you think it's gambling, or something more?'
'I don't know.' Arrow shook her head. 'But something is bugging him.'
She shook my hand, got into her car and drove away. I watched her go, looking forward to lunch a lot more than I had been an hour ago.
Chapter 3 BUSINESS PLAN
I drove the few miles to Redondo Beach and spent an hour strolling along the street above the beach, trying to work out a plan of action. The surfers in the water, seagulls on the sand and bicyclists/runners/skaters/walkers on the bike path below didn't inspire me and I wasn't very successful. Then I drove a few more miles to the Marriott, parked in the free lot across a side street from it and walked over.
The idea of putting name-brand hotels in Torrance was a relatively recent one. They hadn't been there when I was growing up. Even though I had never been inside the Marriott, it was familiar to me; I could see it from my hillside window. I could see all the major buildings of Torrance, including the one that had lights on the top in the shape of a Christmas tree during the holiday season.
A hotel staff member pointed the way to the room where the Rotary Club met. I was one of the first ones there. Arrow hadn't arrived yet so I waited outside the meeting room door and watched the members come in. Arrow had assured me that my dress was appropriate; most of the members wouldn't be wearing ties. She was right.
These were the men and women who supplied the goods and services that made every city and town in the country work. Division of labor begets high productivity begets the high standard of living enjoyed by us, residents of the richest country in the world. Most of the time we don't appreciate it. Suddenly grateful, I gave silent thanks for these people, even though I wouldn't have traded places with any of them.
I even recognized two of the members. One was my father's tax accountant and the other was a travel agent our family had used in the past. I didn't think either of them would recognize me so I didn't speak to them.
I saw Arrow walking up the central flight of stairs from the lobby and eschewing the elevator. Score one for her. She greeted me with our third handshake of the day and said, 'Richard asked how our meeting went. When I mentioned your card business to him, he laughed.'
I should have known Arrow would relay what I said to my father. I said, 'He thinks the only money I've ever made was when I was a bartender.' Paying off gambling debts. 'But I haven't done that for a while.'
Arrow frowned and led the way into the meeting room. After making arrangements for me to participate as a guest, she glanced around the room.
'I don't see Ned,' she said, 'and he wasn't in the office. His admin said he had a meeting off-site, but she could have been covering for him. I hope he shows.'
We staked out three chairs at one of the tables and then mingled. Arrow seemed to know most of the members and they seemed to know her. I could understand why the men especially would be attracted to her, with her looks and personality, but they also treated her with the respect of an equal.
I shook a lot of hands and heard a lot of names, which I promptly forgot. Fortunately, the members wore nametags. After a few minutes we sat down and were served our salads. The president made some remarks and other people spoke. Arrow introduced me to the group as the owner of a baseball card company. She made it sound much grander than it was.
One man kept hitting members with $20 fines for various infractions, real or invented. Arrow told me the money went to causes supported by Rotary. I was amused at a sign that listed a 4-way test Rotarians are supposed to make before thinking, saying or doing anything. They included, 'Is it the truth,' and 'Is it fair to all concerned?' I reflected that if people really went through all that before thinking, saying or doing anything nothing would ever get thought, said or done.
Uniformed waiters and waitresses served the main course and still no Ned. I was fighting with my chicken when Arrow pointed toward the door. A burly, red-faced man with thinning hair had just come in. I wouldn't have
