‘What?’
‘The wheel… I’ve put it all on black.’
I slouched, she towered over me as she pitched herself on her toes. ‘Still, going…’
‘Christ on a crutch. Keep watching.’
‘How much have you put on?’
‘All of it — everything I have.’
‘’Bout ten bob then.’ She laughed at her own joke.
‘Bit more than that.’
I turned around to see the wheel’s silver handle make a final wink in the glare of lights.
‘Number twenty-two,’ called out the croupier.
‘Holy shit, it’s black! I’ve won!’
Amy jumped up, put her arms around me. Before I knew what had happened, we were kissing, Amy leaned in hard, pressing her tongue on the roof of my mouth.
‘That was nice,’ she said when we finished.
‘I didn’t see it coming.’
‘We should do it more often.’
‘God, no, my nerves wouldn’t take it.’
‘I was talking about the kiss,’ said Amy.
‘So was I.’
A little crowd formed as the croupier wrote out a chit for the cash office.
Hod appeared.
‘I thought you’d never been to a casino before.’
‘Beginner’s luck,’ I said. Amy wrapped her arms round my waist and smiled.
Hod tipped his head, winked towards her. ‘I wish I had half your luck, Gus Dury,’ he said.
‘How do they pay out?’
‘Cash. How much is it?’
I showed him the chit. Hod’s eyes widened, he whistled through his front teeth. ‘Drinks are on you, buddy.’
I felt his words like a lash, I didn’t feel like celebrating after the call about Milo, said, ‘Look, guys, I’ve had a bit of news tonight. I hate to piss on your parade but a friend of mine’s died and
… I’ve to collect the remains.’
‘Oh my God,’ said Amy.
I managed a limp smile for her as she put her hands on my face. ‘Thanks. He was very old and I hadn’t known him long, but we connected, you know?’
Amy nodded, eyes widened by my misery.
‘Let’s get your money,’ said Hod. He walked us over to the cash office.
As I handed over the chit, the girl behind the perspex took one look at the amount and reached for the phone.
‘What’s going on?’ I asked Hod.
He shrugged. ‘New territory for me too, mate.’
The girl put the phone down. ‘You’ll have to take this upstairs, sir.’
‘Come again?’
‘We don’t keep that much cash on the floor. You’ll need to go up to the manager’s office where the safe is. Mr Zalinskas is expecting you.’
I swore I heard Amy gulp. I looked at Hod, he wore a face like a Rottweiler, opening and closing his fists. ‘Looks like you’re going to see some action whether you like it or not, Dury,’ he said.
‘Down boy,’ I cautioned him.
‘What?’ Hod’s brow dropped, I swore it smacked his lower lip. The look was now confusion.
‘If you think I’m going up there looking for a cuffing, forget it.’
‘But, Gus, this is your chance to get some answers.’ He put an arm on my shoulder, raised a fist to within an inch of my nose. ‘Just a bit of persuasion and you never know — could have this wrapped up in no time.’
‘Are you off your head?’ I slapped down his fist, grabbed him by the collar. ‘See those?’
‘Cameras.’
‘And what do you think they’re for?’
‘Robbing — stop folk taking him at the tables.’
‘And do you think he won’t have them up there? What use do you think we’ll be to Col inside?’
‘Fuck it. Let’s do him anyway, we’ll take the tapes.’
I saw I was getting nowhere fast. ‘Okay.’
‘Gus!’ said Amy.
‘No. No, it’s fine Amy,’ I said. ‘Hod wants a pagger, I’m all for it.’
Hod smiled. ‘Well, let’s go then.’
‘Right-oh,’ I said. ‘One thing, though.’ I eased Hod towards the security guard who was heading over to lead us up to Zalinskas’ office. He made the boxer Nikolai Valuev, the seven-foot-plus heavyweight, look like a pillow- biter. ‘Who’s going to take care of the Beast from the East?’
Hod stepped aside, nibbled on his lip. ‘D’you think I could take him?’
I laughed out loud. ‘Sure. Without a doubt.’
‘He’s a big bastard, aye. But they’re the easy ones to take out, never felt a good punch, every bastard’s too scared to land one on them.’
I did up my jacket, placed a kiss on Amy’s cheek, as I walked towards the security guard, I shook my head at Hod. ‘If he tests that theory, Amy, be sure to take a note of the ward number.’
39
Thought it best to avoid conversation on the way to Benny the Bullfrog’s office. Got the impression the pug had a limited vocabulary. Probably expressed himself best with, on good days, a baseball bat, on bad ones, a crowbar. My bones twitched. Knees and shins especially. Wondered, would I be walking back this way again?
Jean Cocteau said: ‘Life is a horizontal fall.’ Knew for sure mine was. But every fall had to be broken.
We passed through what seemed like a never ending tunnel of richly carpeted corridors. Chandeliers sparkled above foot-high skirtings edged in gilt. It took serious wedge to put a look like this together. Hod runs a calculator in his head to these things, me, the impact’s personal. I want to chuck out the owner, give the place to the scores of families living in B amp;Bs up and down the country. I replayed the scene in Doctor Zhivago when the Reds take over the big house. The owners get forced into the attic… until it’s decided a few more families could live there too. That’s redistribution of wealth for you. Say you want a revolution? Bring it right on.
My face slipped into a grimace without even trying. As the goon brought me to Zalinskas’ door I wiped it away. He knocked once, I readied myself to meet the man.
After a few seconds the door unlocked and slowly opened. I peered through the gap, nobody there.
I walked inside.
‘Hello…’
No answer.
A wall of monitors flickered at me. Some of them showed scenes from the casino floor, others spewed statistics — cash taken, payouts, the sums were eye-watering.
The decor here took a departure. A Siberian tiger skin covered a large section of the floor, glass eyes dead to the world but the coat still glossy. I stepped over the head of the poor beast, said, ‘Sorry, buddy.’ Felt like I’d stamped on a grave.
In the centre of the room a circular seating area was set into the floor. I’d only ever seen this in movies, it looked very Carlito’s Way. Got the idea Zalinskas wanted to make an impression. The vibe was: ‘This is my lair.’
