by Erin Johnson
Ms. Kang inclined her head. “Welcome, newcomer.” A curtain of long, straight hair slid forward over her shoulder. “We’ll deal you in on the next hand.”
“Thanks.”
They went back to their game and I went about trying to get Fifi’s attention. I raised my brows at the little dog, who completely ignored me, too intent on sniffing at the ashtray beside her and the smoking cigarette that sat in it.
The older guy reached for it and took a drag, which startled Fifi. I hoped to the sea goddess that I’d put my trust (and my friend’s life savings) in the right lap dog’s hands… er, paws.
I cleared my throat. The dog licked the table, then sneezed. I was rapidly losing confidence. I licked my lips as Bora Kang added cards to the old guy’s hand. Then I pursed my lips and let out a few notes of a nonchalant whistle. Come on, Fifi, look up!
Sunglasses, the guy to my left, shot me a quick frown, then angled his shoulder toward me, further shielding his hand. I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t even playing this round.
Still, the dog didn’t look up. Instead she circled around Bora Kang’s lap, then lowered herself down, resting her chin on the table, eyes closed.
For sand’s sake! What dog didn’t respond to a whistle? I looked around and realized the last guy had just folded. I was running out of time to get the dog’s cooperation before I was dealt in.
Exasperated, I huffed, and let out a few quiet woofs. Hey! Fifi! Can you come over here?
Sunglasses curled his lip at me but said nothing.
The little dog however, jerked her head up and looked around the table, blinking. When she spotted me, her curled tail started wagging. She let out a couple high-pitched barks.
Oh! It’s you! Hi!
The dog rose, leapt off her owner’s lap, and trotted over to me. She rose on her hind legs and planted her front paws on my leg, tail still wagging furiously. I shot a glance around the table, then reached down and scratched the top of her head.
“Yip! Yap!” Thanks again for the other night. How’s Rufio?
Oh, right, her boyfriend.
I opened my mouth to respond, but Bora Kang interrupted me. Her silky-smooth voice cut through the quiet. “Unusual.”
I looked up, eyes wide. Snakes! Had she caught me talking to her dog?
She narrowed her dark eyes. “Fifi doesn’t like most people.”
I shrugged, my lips pressed into a tight smile. “What can I say? Dogs love me.” I thought of Daisy. Well, maybe not all dogs.
The woman’s hard gaze lingered on me another couple of moments, then she went back to the game, flipping over her own hand of cards. Ponytail guy, on my right, huffed and threw his cards down on the table. Someone wasn’t having a great night.
I bent low and ruffled the dog’s fluffy ears, pretending to coo over her. “Ruff! Woof!” Your boyfriend’s got a great new home with an older lady who spoils him rotten.
Fifi licked my hand. I’m so happy! Thank you!
I nodded and let out a few quiet woofs. Yeah, don’t mention it. Remember that favor you promised me though? I need to call it in now.
The dog’s tail slowed, and she looked me in the face, then cocked her head.
“Hey!”
I startled and looked up. Sunglasses jerked his head toward Bora Kang, who looked at me expectantly, one slender brow raised. “Do you have the buy-in?”
I looked around at the table, cleared except for the stacks of chips and coins arranged in front of the players. Snakes! They were waiting on me. I cleared my throat. “Oh, right, yeah of course.” I shot Bora Kang a simpering smile. “Your little dog is just so cute.”
I bent low over her. “Aren’t you, girl? Aren’t you just so cute?” I snuck in a quick series of yaps. Let me know what cards are in your owner’s hand, okay? I flashed my eyes at Fifi. It’s important.
She wagged her tail and yipped. No problem!
I breathed a sigh of relief as the dog shoved off my leg and trotted back to her owner. The one-eyed guy with the wispy hair cackled, but ponytail scowled at me.
“Can we get on with it, already?”
I glared at him. “You in a hurry to lose more money?”
His face turned an alarming shade of blotchy red, but I ignored it and reached into my jacket and dropped the pouch of coins, Will’s coins, onto the table, then shoved it forward. “Five thousand merkles.” My voice sounded remarkably steady considering I was literally quaking in my boots.
To my left, sunglasses grumbled, “Let’s get on with it.”
Bora Kang scooped Fifi back into her lap, where the dog would have a perfect view of her hand, and then got about dealing. I felt confident until she dealt into little piles in front of her. Wait… what? I frowned. “Um… are we not playing blackjack?”
Sunglasses scoffed. “Didn’t you watch the last game?”
Ponytail grumbled. “She was too busy playing with the mutt.”
I rolled my eyes at both of them. “Wow. What camaraderie.”
Bora Kang spared me a brief glance as she continued forming little piles of cards. “We play different games on different nights of the week. Tonight is Pai Gow poker.”
Ice flooded my stomach. Oh shell, this was bad. I considered backing out, but there were cards on the table. The only way out was to play or forfeit the money. I was playing.
I sat up straighter in my chair and glanced around the table. Bora Kang handed out the piles of seven cards to each of us. I’d played this before and knew the basics, but it wasn’t my forte. And worse, the dealer didn’t flip their cards until the end. There was no way Fifi could help me cheat.
I imagined Will’s rage at hearing I’d lost all his merkles. He’d probably shift into a bear and eat me on the spot. And I wouldn’t actually blame him. At least it’d be a quick way to go.
Mouth dry, I split my cards into two hands of five and two—I had a pair of twos I put in the two-card hand facedown in front, a pair of nines in the five-card hand in back. They were decent cards: not great, not terrible.
Still, a misstep now and I wouldn’t have any more money to play with. Either I’d live to see another round, or I’d lose everything. I gulped and tried to breathe, though I felt like I might be sick.
29
FIFI
Bora Kang waited for us all to form our hands, then flipped her own cards. As she arranged them into her own two hands, Fifi yapped. She’s got a rounded red card with a lady on it, then a sharp pointy black thing. Well, I think black… I am color blind. And then a—
The other players shot the little dog hard looks, and Bora Kang shushed her pup. I pinched the bridge of my nose. Kinda defeated the purpose of telling me her cards when I could clearly see them for myself.
Fifi let out one more yip, which earned her a sharp, “No!” from Bora. The dog whined and flattened her ears. I’m in trouble.
Yeah, Fifi, you and me both.
I held my breath until Bora Kang set out her cards, then breathed a sigh of relief. I’d lost the five-card hand but beat her king and ten two-card hand with my pair. Bora Kang went around the circle, flipping our hands and doling out winnings, or taking them for the house.
When she got to me, my one loss and one win led to a push, and she left my pouch of coins alone, moving on to ponytail. He, to my secret glee, lost and let out a string of muttered obscenities.
I raised a brow. “Wow. A gracious loser, too.”
He growled at me, but I ignored him, keeping my gaze on Bora Kang, a smug grin on my face. Which fell as soon as I realized I had to do this all over again. I could pull out now and ensure Will had his money… but I’d have to leave without any information to help Peter solve the case.
Bora Kang finished, scooped up the remaining cards, then gazed placidly around the table. “Antes?”
In a split-second decision, I left the pouch of coins out on the table. I was in for another round. Maybe I could just win on my own merit? I bit my lip. Not likely. Coast, maybe, but execute my plan? Doubtful. I
’d hoped to win big with Fifi’s help and offer Bora Kang back some of the house money for information on Davies.
The next few rounds seemed to stretch on forever—probably because I was hardly breathing the whole time. I pushed for a few, then won a few in a row, then lost a few until I was back down to Will’s original five thousand merkles, then won a few more. But I wasn’t any closer to getting information.
I’d even tried flushing out information by asking buzzcut if he was a cop. He’d shot me a hard look, and Bora Kang assured me her gambling hall prided itself on discretion. And that was the end of all conversation.
I bounced my leg. At the moment, I had twenty thousand merkles in my possession—more than I’d seen in years. I could walk now, give Will his money and then some, and even keep some for myself. I thought of Peter and all he’d done for me—if I left now, I wouldn’t be any closer to solving this Davies thing or making sure Peter kept his job.
A plan suddenly occurred to me. It was a quirk of Pai Gow that players could take turns being the house. Which meant, if I played as the house, the others would all play against me. I could win big, and leverage the money to get answers. But I’d have to risk everything I’d won… including all of Will’s money. I gulped, and when Bora Kang offered me the chance to be the house (which all the others had declined), I nodded. “I’ll be house.”
She blinked at me, the only movement that revealed her surprise, but the other four men jerked their heads up and stared. I squared my shoulders and pretended their reactions hadn’t shaken my faith in this being a good idea. Ponytail started laughing, and I had the urge to kick his shin under the table. “Good luck.”
I sneered at him. “Thanks.” I thought of my words to Will. No risk, no reward… I shoved my mountain of gold coins forward. My beautiful, shiny coins. I let out a little whimper.
Bora Kang still dealt the cards out, but the energy shifted. Everyone, including her, was playing against me now. I had to beat them all to amass the kind of fortune I’d need to bribe Bora Kang for information… especially if she had a reputation for discretion.
I gulped as I gathered my pile of cards. The others looked theirs over and I used the distraction to let out a few whines.
Hey! Fifi!
The little dog looked up, ears perked.
I woofed and pressed a fist to my mouth, pretending it was a cough when sunglasses looked over at me. I need you to bring me some cards from the discard pile.
Bora Kang had dealt all the cards out and set the extras aside. I needed those to fill in my hand in case the ones I had weren’t great. It was a riskier cheat, but hey, I was desperate.
Fifi wagged her tail and yapped. But I got in trouble last time I helped you.
Ponytail huffed. “Shut that dog up, already.”
Bora Kang glared at him but shushed her dog. Fifi raised her brows at me, as if to say, see?
I licked my lips as the others continued to form their hands and woofed quietly. Look, I’ll arrange a date with you and your dog boyfriend if you help me again. Just one more time. Wouldn’t that be nice to see him again?
Fifi whined. I’ll get yelled at.
I raised my brows and sniffled. But… worth it!
Fifi considered another moment, then wagged her tail and yipped. Okay, yeah. I’m kind of a bad bitch, you know?
Coming from a ten-pound ball of white fluff, I found that debatable, but nodded along. Fifi glanced around, took a small pile of cards between her tiny teeth. I glanced around, panicked. Could she be more obvious about it?
I reached down, yanked my boot off and threw it across the room. It slammed against the wall and everyone jumped and looked away. Fifi leapt off Bora Kang’s lap and trotted over, tail wagging.
The body guards drew their wands and turned toward the noise, then everyone looked to me.
I gulped. “Thought I saw a big, I mean big, cockroach. My bad.”
The others shot me doubtful looks but went back to working their cards. Fifi rose up on her hind legs and deposited the cards in my lap. I scooped them up and slid them up my jacket sleeve, just before a body guard walked over, my boot in hand, and dropped it beside me.
“Thanks!” I slid the boot on, then glanced around the table, holding my breath. No one seemed to have noticed Fifi’s maneuver so, with heart pounding, I patted the little dog’s head and let out a quick bark.
Thanks, girl! I’ll be in touch about the Rufio thing.
She wagged her tail. No problem.
The other players shoved their cards forward, stacked into two piles of five and two. As they arranged these, I psyched myself up to work some sleight of hand in case I needed to pull from the cards in my sleeve (or more likely get caught).
Fifi yapped and yapped again, startling me out of my state of dread.
Hey! Hey! Look, I found more cards. Want these, too?
I glanced down and to my left and found her pulling a card out of sunglasses’ pants. My eyes widened and a grin spread across my lips. Oh snakes. I wasn’t the only one cheating. In fact, that explained his winning streak and shifty demeanor. He was too intent on the cards in his hands to notice the little dog.
I let out a hushed woof. Thanks, Fifi. Hey, can you hang over here for a second. I’ll tell you when I want you to grab those, ok?
She wagged her tail and lowered her haunches. Yep.
I grinned broadly, suddenly full of hope again that this plan of mine might work.
The old guy beside Bora Kang noticed and cackled. “Why, she’s smiling and hasn’t even seen her cards. Now that’s confidence.” He broke into wheezing laughter.
Once everyone else had pushed their hands forward, five sets of eyes turned my way, expectant. I reached forward and flipped my cards. They were… not great. That was okay. I had another trick up my sleeve… or sunglasses guy’s pant leg, to be more exact.
30
CHEAT
I released my cards and looked across the table at Bora Kang. “I want to trade you for information.”
She frowned slightly.
Ponytail threw up his hands. “What is this? Make your hands already! Let’s play!”
I ignored his tantrum.
Bora Kang glanced at my pathetic hand. “You’re going to lose. If you have no money, what have you to trade me?”
I licked my lips and kept my gaze straight ahead. “Someone at this table is cheating you out of your money.”
Her expression darkened, but buzzcut scoffed. “You, probably.”
I mean, I did have several cards up my sleeve, but I hadn’t used them.
“Why should I believe you?”
“I have proof.”
Her brow twitched up ever so slightly. The old man leaned back in his chair. To my left, sunglasses stiffened. “Enough interruptions! I’m out of here.” He half rose from his chair, but Bora Kang held up a slender hand, two of her fingers missing. “Stay a moment.”
Sunglasses froze, glanced at the beefy guys stationed around the room, then slunk back down into his chair. My stomach twisted. Something about those missing fingers made me suspect this woman was more dangerous than her calm demeanor and fluffy lap dog would suggest.
She turned her eyes, hidden in shadow, to me. “What do you want to know?”
“Dylan—” My voice came out raspy, so I cleared my throat and started again. “Dylan Davies—what do you know about him?”
Bora Kang watched me, expressionless, for several long moments. Her chest rose and fell as she considered. “If you’re lying, you won’t leave here with this information, so I suppose a little sharing doesn’t matter.” She lifted her chin. “He gambled here—a lot. And lost money—a lot.”
Buzzcut, the guy I suspected of being a cop, shifted in his chair and shot Bora Kang a dark look. I knew it. I was onto something.
A muscle in her jaw jumped. “He owed me quite the sum.”
She was angry. I pressed her for more information. “And?”
“And a few months ago, he sh
owed his face here, a bag of merkles in hand. He thought it’d be enough.” She scoffed. “It was only half of what he owed. I threatened to break his legs, and he said he’d get me the rest by last weekend.”
By last weekend? He must’ve known the policeman’s ball was coming up. Why would he think he’d have the rest of her money after the police ball?
“How much did he owe you?”
She didn’t even blink. “Fifty thousand merkles.”
I choked and clapped a hand to my chest as I struggled for breath. Fifty thousand merkles? Man, this Davies guy must’ve been terrible at cards to lose that much. “Where was he going to get that much money?”
She shrugged. “Not my concern.”
I sucked in a breath and squared my shoulders. “Did you kill him?”
She sniffed. “What would be the point? I wanted my money, not his life.” She cocked her head. “And dead men don’t pay.”
Eep. I didn’t like the way she looked at me when she said dead. But it made sense. She didn’t have a motive for wanting to kill him if what she really wanted was her money.
Unfortunately, that didn’t get me any closer to figuring out who’d killed him. I bit my lip. What if Peter was wrong? What if it’d just been an accident after all?
Bora Kang leaned forward and laced her slender fingers together on the table. “Now you. Who’s cheating me?”
I pointed at sunglasses guy to my left. “He’s got cards up his pant leg.” I let out a woof. Now, Fifi!
I didn’t love being a snitch, but hey—a girl had to do what a girl had to do.
Sunglasses pushed back from the table, toppling his chair, and leapt to his feet. “This is preposterous!” He stumbled back a few steps toward the gold curtain.
The fluffy white dog trotted over, unnoticed by him, and gingerly pulled several cards out of his pants leg by her teeth.