Page 87 of Double or Nothing
All electronic devices are now out of play.
If I’m caught by casino security, they’ll find nothing.
It’s all on me now.
37
JADE
Something doesn’t feel quite right to me at the Imperial.
Maybe it’s because I’m working alone now without Natasha by my side for support. She should’ve reached Eva’s suite in the Imperial by now and switched places with her. They don’t know yet that I’ve dumped the camera.
I won’t sit down at a slot machine and begin until I see Eva walk in. Until then, I’ll wander around and try to appear interested in the various card games being played. I step up behind a group of men at the roulette table. A few of them glance up at me with interest in their eyes and smile.
I find it fascinating how differently men treat me when I’m a blue-eyed blonde in a sexy dress compared to my normal appearance. The man seated directly in front of me picks up a big stack of playing chips and places them on a number.
“I’m lucky tonight,” he says to me over his shoulder. “You should stick around. I’ll buy you a drink.”
I give him a polite smile and don’t respond. The roulette wheel spins and slows to a stop. The table of men let out a collective groan when the house wins, and they all lose their bets.
Out of the corner of my eye, I continue to watch the floor and the unoccupied Peggy Penguin slot machines on the other side of the room. As soon as Eva shows up, I’ll grab one of them and then eventually move on to the other.
The Imperial contains at least thirty faulty slot machines made by the Australian manufacturer. Far more than any of the other casinos. If I take my time and methodically work my way around the room, I might be able to hit several of them in the next two hours.
Then this will finally all be over.
My nerves are unraveling and I’m impatient now to finish. Maybe I should’ve stopped when we were ahead, instead of risking one last run. We’ve already made plenty of money. More than I ever dreamed I’d earn in one night. Plus, now we know exactly how the scheme works. We can perfect it and try it again some place else.
Taking a deep breath, I force myself to calm down. Eva has lectured us over and over on the importance of not drawing attention by acting nervous. Now that the security alert has gone out across Vegas, there will be more eyes on the crowd. They’ll try to spot any unusual behavior on the casino floor.
My only hope is that security is hunting for a team of two women working together, not one woman. By separating from Natasha and switching dresses and wigs, I should be out from under their spotlight. I’ll still need to be extra careful. There are always several plainclothes security personnel patrolling. Tonight, their number seems to have tripled. I recognize many of their faces from the photos Leroy provided.
A hand brushes my back and I turn around slightly. Eva glides past me without saying a word or even glancing down at me.
She’s dressed for an elegant evening out in a copper-colored evening gown to complement her auburn hair tumbling loose around her shoulders. Normally, she wears it up in a fancy French chignon. Wearing her hair down makes her appear younger and more carefree. She settles down at the main bar, smiles at the bartender, and orders a drink.
Now that someone is watching my back, I can get back to work. I glance at the two slot machines and try to choose between them. One is near the front entrance if I need to make a quick exit. The other is by the main bar and closer to Eva, which would be better if she needs to run interference.
Hesitating for only a moment, I move away from the roulette table and head to the machine closest to her. There’s a lot of activity going on in the bar area, with throngs of tourists passing through on their way to one of the Imperial’s five-star restaurants. I might draw less attention if I hide in the middle of a crowd rather than sitting off in an empty corner by myself.
Reaching over, I give the Peggy Penguin machine two good luck pats, courtesy of Natasha.
“Come on, Miss Peggy,” I whisper. “Time to sing one last time tonight.”
38
SEVEN
Backstage at the Imperial Hotel and Casino…
“Does this outfit make me look fat?” Kit jokes. “Tell me the truth and don’t hold back.”
Kit tries unsuccessfully to squeeze his tall, muscular body into a red and green elf’s costume that’s at least three sizes too small.
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into something so stupid,” he complains, tugging the suit up higher and slipping his arms through the sleeves. “This is ridiculous, not to mention embarrassing.”
His chest muscles are bulging out the sides of the spandex costume. I laugh when he tugs on an elf cap with a jangling bell hanging off the end over his unruly mane of blonde hair.
