Casino Capers

by Dan Kelly

  Chapter 47

  A week goes by with nothing happening. The first day Tucker called to say that the Chameleon wasn’t at any of the cabins, but Rex hasn’t heard from him since. Popeye has been unusually quiet, staying out of everyone’s way.

  Bill has just stopped by Red’s office to talk with him about some new security equipment he is checking out. Lately, whenever their topic of conversation is security, it eventually evolves to focus on the Chameleon. This time is no different except that now it is difficult to think about the Chameleon without also thinking about Tucker Riley.

  “What do you think of Tucker, Bill?”

  “He’s definitely a different breed of animal. Rex has personally seen the man in action and is willing to put the fate of the Floating Fantasies in his hands. We both know how much Rex loves this ship, so his recommendation is good enough for me.”

  “No, no. I’m not asking you what you think about his qualifications. What do you think of the man personally? Do you have any gut feeling that there’s more to him than meets the eye?”

  “Well, there’s something military, clandestine about him. I have the feeling that he’s used to dangerous situations and that this Chameleon adventure we’re in the middle of is quite tame compared to others he’s been involved in. He’s direct and to the point and doesn’t like to engage in embellishments to make his point. I think he’s the kind of guy who’d rather let the facts speak for themselves. There’s a sense of mystery about him, but I’ve observed or sensed nothing that starts any red flags waving. What are you getting at?”

  “Jillian and I have seen signs, some nuances, that Popeye and Tucker know each other, but for some reason are keeping quiet about their relationship. I was wondering if you had picked up on anything.”

  “I haven’t, but Chuck told me something that is now a lot more interesting. When he was on that stakeout at the ski resort that Popeye insisted he be a part of, Chuck got the feeling that Popeye had done that type of thing before. Chuck said he was dressed and equipped appropriately and his demeanor reflected a lot of experience with that kind of operation. His immediate reaction was to think that this guy had been a hell of a lot more than a merchant marine.

  “When Chuck told me this, I didn’t think too much of it. We all have our little secrets and Rex wasn’t going to hire anybody to pilot the Floating Fantasies without a thorough background check. I just filed it away with all of the other garbage cluttering my mind.

  “You know, someday somebody’s going to invent a mental trash service that can defragment and delete all the needless trivia floating around in our brains. You know, like computers can do. They’re going to make a fortune.”

  “Earth to Bill! Earth to Bill! Come on home. We need you.”

  Laughing, they both relaxed a little and Red said, “I think we should take a break and go check out the casino and the offerings at the bar. I’ll buy.”

  “I like the way you think. Are all Mensa members boozers or just those that manage gambling casinos? Can I have a shot of King Louis the 13Th?”

  “Don’t push it, Kieffer.”

  Chapter 48

  While they were sitting at the bar watching the action in the casino, Tucker showed up with copies of the sketch he said he was going to get and it was amazingly detailed.

  After taking a good hard look at the drawing Red said, “Your guy and Sam Ferguson certainly connected. This is much more than I expected. Have you distributed them yet?”

  “We’re in the process of doing that now. I brought these over so that you could get copies into the hands of all your employees.”

  Bill said, “Red, maybe Sylvia could get her friend Tim Rollins at Channel 6 to air a copy on his show, requesting anybody who has seen a man that looks like this to notify the person Tucker would designate. The more we penetrate the local area with this sketch, the quicker we’ll be able to flush this loony bird out into the open.”

  Tucker said, “That’s a great idea. If this Sylvia can set it up, have her call me and I’ll give her the contact information. Here’s my card.”

  Taking the card and putting it in his shirt pocket Bill said, “It’s about time I had one.”

  Tucker split and Red said, “I told you, Bill. It’s all about teamwork. If we all keep swinging, sooner or later one of us is going to hit one out of the ballpark. I think you just did.”

  Smiling Bill said, “Now can I have that King Louis the 13th?”

  Returning the smile and shaking his head Red replied, “I guess I deserved that after my speeches about not giving up, but my answer to your question is in your dreams. Come on. Let’s get back to work. Talk with Sylvia about your idea of approaching Tim Rollins and I’ll arrange to get copies of this sketch to all of the casino managers and notify them about what we’re attempting to do.”

  When Red gets back to his office, he calls Joe Amato to give him a heads up. Joe’s response is, “Calling in a heavy hitter like this Tucker Riley guy means things could get ugly, Red. Guys like him don’t fool around. You and Rex better make sure your butts are covered legally if this Chameleon winds up injured or dead.”

  “Thanks for the warning, Joe, but I trust Rex’s judgment in bringing Tucker in to help us deal with the Chameleon. Rex told us Tucker is a rough, tough guy, but that he gets the job done without stepping over the line into a legal morass.”

  “Okay, Red. I just want you to be aware of the potential consequences if things should go wrong. There are times when something is ethically and even morally right, but legally wrong. Falling into that kind of quagmire can definitely ruin your day. It’ll suck you under quicker than my kid can suck down an ice cream soda and believe me that’s quick.”

  Chuckling Red says, “I hear you. I’m e-mailing a copy of the sketch to you now. Tell your people to stay alert. The Chameleon has already robbed you to get to me. Who knows what he might do next.”

  “Will do. Later.”

  Red called Jillian next to keep her up to the minute on Tucker’s progress. “Hi, Red. Any new developments on the Chameleon front?”

  “Hi, Jillian. That’s why I’m calling. As Tucker expected, the Chameleon wasn’t at any of the cabins downriver. Tucker’s man met with Sam Ferguson and has come up with a terrific sketch of what the Chameleon really looks like. Sam told the sketch artist that is was almost as good as a photograph.

  “His people are in the process of distributing them to everyone we brought up in our meeting with him. He dropped copies off here for me to pass out to our employees and I’ve faxed a copy over to Joe so he can get copies into the hands of all his people. I’ve also going to fax a copy to all of the other casino managers. Give me your fax number and I’ll send one over to you now.”

  She did and he did. “This is a lot better than other sketches I’ve seen, Red. Tucker’s man has exceptional talent.”

  “That he does. It’s going to take a couple of days to get these fully distributed, but I think this sketch is going to do the trick. Bill is talking with Sylvia about asking her friend Tim Rollins at Channel Six to air a copy of the sketch along with contact information that Tucker will provide. If Tim is willing to do this, the pressure on the Chameleon will mount very quickly. How are you holding up?”

  “I’m okay, Red. My work keeps me busy here and Chuck has assigned someone to watch my place when I go home. This past week I’ve managed to put a real dent in the backlog that had accumulated. In fact, we’ll be putting on our first show this coming Saturday night and you’re invited as my guest if you’d like to come. There are three shows actually, at 7, 9 and 11 p.m. The show is an hour and a half long with a half hour break between shows.”

  “I sure would like to see the show, Jillian, and thanks for the invite. I don’t know which show I’ll be able to catch yet because Sylvia’s also introducing some new acts on the Floating Fantasies, a singing sister’s trio going by the name of the Boutonnieres who, according to her, are better than the McGuire sisters, the Andrew sisters and the Len
non sisters combined and a new husband and wife comedy team, Sam and Pam Lemon, going by the name of A Twist of Lemon who are as good as or better than Burns and Allen, according to Sam and Pam. I don’t know what time Sylvia’s putting them on. Will it be alright if I just show up at one of the performances?”

  Laughing Jillian said, “No problem. I’ll be here until the last show’s over.”

  “Great! I’ll see you Saturday. Take care.”

  “You too, Red.”

  As soon as Red hangs up, his phone rings. It’s Bill telling him that Sylvia called Tim Rollins and it is a go starting tonight. “She’s already gotten the contact info from Tucker and has faxed it and a copy of the sketch over to Tim five minutes ago.”

  “That’s my girl. Thanks, Bill. All we can do now is wait, so keep your powder dry and be ready for any surprise the Chameleon might have for us. Tucker may be the best there is at what he does, but the Chameleon is no slouch when it comes to doing his thing either. Bye.”

  Hanging up, Red begins to wonder about what the Chameleon’s next surprise might be. “I sure hope Tucker’s as good as Rex says he is. If this blows up in our faces, we may not get any more chances to stop this guy before he begins to spill blood all over the place.”

  Chapter 49

  Another week goes by without any sign of the Chameleon. The only respite Red has had from the anxiety building up over the lack of results from the sketch distribution came from the show at the Go For It and the new acts at the Floating Fantasies he took in this past Saturday.

  Then, like a pressure cooker letting off steam, a phone call from Rex releases the anxiety and replaces it with a somewhat shocking yet anticlimactic relief. “Red, Tucker has just captured the Chameleon.”

  “Where? How?”

  “If you’re not sitting down, you better. He’s one of our black jack dealers.”

  “What? That can’t be! All of our people were checked and double checked and everyone passed with flying colors.”

  “Well, evidently his skill with disguises and phony ID enabled him to stay below the radar.”

  “How did they zero in and collar him?”

  “After a week and a half with no response from the Chameleon to the distribution of the sketch, Tucker and his guys began to think that they might have overlooked something. They went over their list of all the places they left copies of the sketch and compared it with the city’s tax payer records and came up with nothing that they had overlooked. They had contacted every eatery, supermarket, retail outlet, landlord, etc. within a 10 mile radius.

  “Then early last night, Tucker and one of his men were eating dinner at Dolly’s Diner and overheard one of Dolly’s regulars asking her about a trailer home they saw in the woods at the back of her property. Apparently she owns a good chunk of the land behind the diner. She didn’t know anything about it.

  “Tucker went over to her and asked if she and her employees have been checking all customers coming into the diner for a resemblance to the sketch she had received recently. She said yes, but no one looking like the sketch had come in. He asked her if she got many strangers coming in to eat and she said no, that most of her customers were regulars and no strangers had come in since she got the sketch.

  “Tucker got permission from Dolly to stake out the trailer to see who might be living in it. Tucker and his man kept a watch on it all last night and most of this morning. About 11:30, an old man came out of the trailer with a bike. He walked the bike out to the street and then road it to the Floating Fantasies parking lot and chained it up to one of the light posts. They followed the old guy up the gang way and into the casino where he went into the men’s room. Five minutes later the Chameleon walks out, reports to the pit boss and is assigned to a table.

  “Tucker approached the pit boss and told him what was going on and instructed him to alert security in case the Chameleon bolted and was able to get away from Tucker and his man. They walked up behind the Chameleon, each one taking an arm, and Tucker told him who they were and that they had a warrant for his arrest.

  “They said the Chameleon just crumbled and went with them without a fuss. They took him to the Bettendorf Police Station where Chuck and the district attorney are now discussing what to do with him. He’s broken a lot of laws, but he’s also a prime candidate for the loony bin.”

  “I’ll follow up with Chuck and let you know what they decide to do. Man, I’m sure glad this is over.”

  “Red, do you remember all those off the wall things that old ball player use to say. He took a lot of ribbing over them, but when you took a second look a lot of them weren’t so off the wall. The one I’m thinking about now is ‘It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.’ This Chameleon situation won’t be over until he’s put behind some kind of bars for a very long time.”

  “Boy, Rex, you sure know how to rain on a guy’s parade.”

  “I’m sorry, Red, but Mr. Carducci is an extraordinary man. I won’t relax until he’s put away where he can’t drive anybody else as nuts as he is.”

  “Well, maybe your caution is warranted. I’ll hold off on the celebration for now. I’ll call you when I know how the DA is going to proceed.”

  When Red calls Chuck, he’s put on hold while his admin goes to round him up. A few minutes later Chuck picks up and the first thing he says is, “This guy’s gone into some kind of catatonic state. He just stares at the floor and won’t speak. I’ve tried cajoling, intimidation by yelling and threatening, reasoning, nothing is working. He just sits there like a statue.”

  “Remember, Chuck, this guy is no dummy. Maybe he’s putting on this act so he’ll wind up in some mental hospital instead of a prison. Keep in mind that this guy is the only one who thinks he isn’t crazy. There’s a good chance he’s thinking that he won’t be kept in there as long as he would be kept in a prison. Don’t be taken in by him.”

  “You may be right, Red. The DA is requesting a psychiatric examination by a court appointed psychiatrist to help him decide how to proceed with his prosecution.”

  “Okay. Let me know what the DA decides. “I’m sure he’s going to have a lot of questions for all of us when he begins to put his case together. I’m going to call Jillian, Nate, Clyde Crowley, Joe Amato and the rest of the casino managers to let them know that you have the Chameleon in custody. I don’t think Bill or Popeye know what’s happened either, so I’ll clue them in too. If you need me for anything, give a holler.”

  It takes Red the better part of the next hour to notify everybody about the Chameleon’s capture and then he called Sylvia to let her know what happened. He asked her for Tim Rollins’ number so he could call and thank him personally for his help with the struggle he had been having with the Chameleon.

  After he had finished with his phone calls, he started heading for the casino to get back to the job he was being paid to do, but he got no further than his office door. When he opened it, Rex and Tucker walked in.

  Rex said, “Tucker and I are heading back to Dallas and Tucker wanted to stop in to say good bye.”

  “Well, Tucker, your plan worked. The pressure forced the Chameleon out into the open where he had to take the risk of placing that trailer in the woods behind the diner and hope it wouldn’t be spotted. A thank you doesn’t come anywhere near to fully expressing my gratitude for your efforts.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Red. Rex took care of any shortfall in that regard with a nice big check.”

  “Well, thank you anyway.”

  As Rex and Tucker turned to leave, Popeye walked in and apologized as soon as he saw Red wasn’t alone. Red said, “It’s okay, Popeye. Rex and Tucker are heading back to Dallas and Tucker wanted to stop in and say good bye.”