by Sage Nyx
He points a finger at me.
“Don’t be an idiot and run off to Orlando. The girl isn’t into you. If you change your mind about visiting your dad, call me. I’ll go with you and keep you company. You shouldn’t be alone on Christmas. Come over to the house and hang with us.”
I reach over and impulsively grab him in a tight, quick hug.
“I love you, brother,” I say. “Enjoy Christmas with your family. Everyone needs a day off to be with the people they love.” He seems reluctant to leave. I know he doesn’t want to leave me alone on Christmas Eve. “Merry Christmas, Leroy.”
“You too, Sugar. I hope Santa and his reindeer bring you everything you want.”
A crazy idea pops into my brain.
I wait until Leroy walks away before punching in Kit’s number on my phone.
“I need your help,” I tell him as soon as he answers.
“Merry Christmas to you, too,” he replies. “What do you need this late on Christmas Eve?”
“I need to borrow a few animals from your show. Eight to be exact. Delivered to the back entrance of the Imperial Hotel.”
His surprised laughter coming through my speakerphone bounces off the walls of the empty hallway.
“You got it, my friend,” he says. “What the fuck are you doing now?”
Jade
I’m walking down the Vegas strip alongside Natasha on our way to the Imperial Casino. One last stop for the night and then this will all be over. We’re on a roll, having successfully hit several casinos with no issues.
“I can’t believe we’re almost done,” I say. “This was much easier than I expected it to be. Everything is working out exactly as planned.”
“You did the hardest part by breaking the code,” she replies. “Everything else is easy. How shall we celebrate tonight when we’re finished?”
“Being able to sleep for eight hours sounds good,” I say. “I haven’t slept well in forever.”
“You can sleep when you’re old,” she says. “It’s Christmas Eve! We will go to Platinum later and drink all night. Eva promised me a chilled bottle of the best Russian vodka. Do you like vodka?”
“Not much,” I answer truthfully.
“Then you do not drink good vodka. I will teach you how to drink like a Russian.”
We smile at each and Natasha slips her arm through mine. If someone didn’t know better, they’d think we were best friends out together to celebrate on Christmas Eve.
We’re on an ultimate high.
We beat the system and tomorrow I’ll go back to being Judy Miller.
Tomorrow.
I’m trying hard not to think about what happens after tonight.
“You’re sad,” Natasha says, giving me a curious glance. “What’s wrong?”
“I hate not being with my family on Christmas. Mom was disappointed when I told her I couldn’t make it home. This is the first time in my life I haven’t spent the holidays with my family. In the morning, they’ll be eating pancakes with whipped cream while I’ll have a massive hangover from drinking Russian vodka.”
“I understand.” Natasha gives my arm a pat. “You miss your family and they will miss you.”
“I wonder if it would be possible to catch a flight home tomorrow?”
“It would be expensive,” she says. “If you could find an empty seat. You’re making sacrifices for your family. They will understand.”
“I know. Being able to use my share of the money to pay for my brother’s therapy is more important than flying home on Christmas Day. I hope it can help him.”
“Life is about making sacrifices for those you care about,” she says.
The prepaid cell phone in Natasha’s handbag suddenly rings. We glance at each other in panic.
Only Eva has the number. The disposable cell phone is only to be used in case of an emergency and then thrown away.
Natasha grabs my arm to pull me off the sidewalk. She hits the answer button and puts the phone to her ear.
“Yes?”
Twenty seconds later she hangs up.
“What’s wrong?” I ask. “What’s happening?”
“An alert is being circulated with our photo to all Vegas casinos. Eva said to abort and split up. Keep walking while we talk.”
I hurry to keep up with her rapid strides down the crowded sidewalk.
“She wants us to quit? Now? But we’re so close. Dammit!”
I’m not ready to give up.
“We must change clothes,” Natasha says. “Fast. In there.” She points to a small boutique hotel squeezed between two high-rise casinos.
We hurry inside the hotel and go straight to the restroom. Fortunately, there isn’t a line for the stalls. A rarity in Las Vegas. Natasha rushes into one stall while I take the other.
Grabbing the bottom hem of my red dress, I jerk it over my head and cram it into a plastic bag. The red wig is the next item to come off.
I pull out a short blonde wig from my handbag and tug it on. Without a mirror, I don’t know if it’s on straight or backwards. Quickly I stretch down the tight, white bodycon dress and step out of the stall.
Natasha is already at the sink waiting for me. She doesn’t say one word and only rolls her eyes when she sees my wig. Reaching over, she turns the wig around to position it correctly. She has stripped down to her skintight blue dress and is wearing a dull, mousy brown wig with a shaggy haircut.
“Give me your bag,” she says.
I hand over the plastic bag containing my red dress and the blonde wig. After tying a double knot to close it securely, she throws it into the large restroom trash can along with her bag.
“I hate to throw away the beautiful dresses,” she whispers to me with a regretful glance at the trash can. “Eva said we must get rid of everything.”
“You can buy plenty more with your share of the winnings.”
“Yes, I know,” Natasha replies. “I hate to be wasteful.”
“These big handbags should go too,” I suggest.
She nods and we take out our phones, along with the tiny purses we brought along as extras. I stuff my handbag deep into the trashcan, then she does the same.
As a final measure, I wet a handful of paper towels and cram them down on top of the bags. Hopefully, no one will be dumpster diving on Christmas Eve.
“Now what?” I ask.
“Go back to your hotel room and I’ll go to Platinum.”
“It’s over? It can’t be! The Imperial has three times the number of slot machines as the other casinos. We were counting on the Imperial to make this all worthwhile.”
Natasha shrugs, causing her full breasts to almost spill out of her low-cut dress before she tugs the neckline back up. “What else can we do?”
“Keep going,” I say. “Our appearance is different now. They won’t spot us.”
“Security is searching for two women,” she reminds me.
“I’ll go alone then.”
“No, you need someone to watch your back.”
“They’ll be searching for a tall woman,” I say. “You’re hard to miss, no matter what you’re wearing or your hair color. You should switch places with Eva. She’s petite. I’ll wait for her to arrive downstairs in the Imperial Casino before I begin playing.”
Indecision crosses Natasha’s face. She doesn’t want to quit either.
“Are you certain?” she asks.
“Yes! We’re wasting time. You go out first and I’ll follow behind you in two minutes.”
“What about the camera?” she asks, pointing at the bodice of my dress. “Is it positioned correctly?”
I pull out the top edge of my bodycon dress to show her the tiny camera pinned to the lacy edge of my bra.
“It’s fine. Go!”
She doesn’t argue with me. Slinging the gold chain of the dainty purse over her shoulder, she walks out of the restroom.
As soon as the door closes behind her, I quickly unpin the camera from my dress and palm it. Now t
hat the casinos are on to us, using an electronic device is too risky.
The plan has changed.
If we want to finish this, I must do it alone.
I don’t need the camera or the signal from my laptop. All I need is my photographic memory and the uncanny ability to remember long sequences of numbers in my brain.
I can do it.
After checking my reflection one last time in the mirror, I straighten my shoulders to project confidence and go out the door.
On my way through the hotel lobby, I walk past the coffee bar set up in one corner. Picking up a napkin, I dab at an imaginary spot on my dress then drop it into the trash can along with the camera in my palm.
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.
Sugar
I stroll quickly through the Imperial Casino to see if I can spot Jade or her friend. Based on the information provided by the security alert, I’m searching for a tall woman with long, black hair, who I assume would be Natasha. The petite woman with shoulder-length red hair must be Jade.
I’ve suspected all along that Jade was up to something. In my gut, I knew she wasn’t in Vegas for a vacation.
It never felt right.
In a way, it’s a weird relief to finally get to the bottom of this. Once I confront Jade about whatever she’s trying to pull, then maybe we can find a way to go forward.
If she was ever truly interested in me at all.
I search every woman’s face carefully to see if I recognize Jade in disguise
Nothing.
Several fans try to stop me for autographs or selfies. I hold up a hand in greeting, give them a quick smile, and walk faster. I’m not in the mood to deal with my fans tonight.
When I don’t find Jade, I head toward the main casino bar in the dead center of the room. From this vantage point, I can spot her if she walks in the front entrance.
“What are you having tonight, Sugar?” the bartender asks me when I sit down on one of the leather barstools.
“Scotch,” I answer. “Make it a double please, Jimmy.”
He slides the glass over and I down it in two swallows.
Leaning closer across the bar, he taps my arm and tilts his head toward the far end of the casino.
“The boss man is making a rare appearance tonight,” he says. “I wonder why he’s gracing us with his holy presence on Christmas Eve? Shouldn’t he be enjoying the Feast of Seven Fishes with his mother? Mr. Giovanni normally doesn’t come slumming down here with us peasants.”
I glance across the casino. Mr. Giovanni is striding across the room with a grim expression. A team of casino security personnel are trailing fast behind him trying to keep up.
Jimmy’s right.
Mr. Giovanni rarely comes down from his penthouse office. When he does, it’s only to slide inside a stretched limousine to be whisked off to a private airstrip.
From there, he usually flies to his yacht in the Bahamas or to New York City for Christmas.
I can’t remember ever seeing him on the casino floor.
“Spread out and cover every slot machine,” he yells to his security team when the group moves within earshot. “They’re not hitting my goddamn casino. Not on Christmas Eve. Nobody fucks with the Imperial.”
Damn!
The uniformed security personnel scatter across the casino and head straight for the rows of slot machines I passed through.
Please don’t let Jade be in the casino.
I had no more than whispered the silent plea in my mind when I see her walk in the front entrance. Her appearance is different, but her face is the same, except for being heavily made up.
She’s genuinely gorgeous. No doubt about it. Jade could easily go up against any other beautiful woman in this room.
The glamorous woman walking down the main aisle of the casino is not the same Jade I know though. I miss the college girl wearing jeans, a sweatshirt, and nerdy glasses.
She’s the girl I want.
I’m surprised she’s alone. I was expecting her to be accompanied by Natasha, and to also be wearing a red wig like in the photo being circulated.
Instead, she has short blonde hair now. Another wig obviously, and she’s missing her eyeglasses. Her skintight white dress is clinging tightly to her curvy body.
She casually scans the casino as if she’s deciding what to play then strolls down a row of slot machines. Unless someone was watching closely, they wouldn’t notice that she’s stepping carefully in her new shoes to keep from tripping.
Don’t stop at the slots!
I hold my breath as I’m watching her, willing her with my mind to not sit down and play. It would be so easy to run over and grab her. With Mr. Giovanni in the room, it’s not worth the risk. If he saw me talking to a woman playing the slots, he might suspect something was up.
He’s a shrewd man who misses nothing.
Jade moves past the slot machines and wanders over to a poker table. She’s killing time and waiting for something.
A signal, maybe?
I steal another glance at Mr. Giovanni. He’s headed my way now, coming straight for the bar. He might’ve spotted me sitting here, nursing my drink. The last thing I need is to get into a conversation with him right now.
There’s too much at stake.
I throw down a few bills for the bartender and move away. My phone dings and I check the screen. The text is from Kit. He’s waiting for me backstage at the theater.
Until now, I’d hoped that I wouldn’t need to resort to the insane stunt I’m planning. Being caught in the middle between Jade and Mr. Giovanni is leaving me with no choice.
If I have any chance in hell of pulling this off, I’d better move fast.
Tonight’s event will go down as my biggest, most outrageous illusion yet.
Jade
Something doesn’t feel right to me at the Imperial Casino.
Maybe it’s because I’m working alone now without Natasha by my side for support. By this time, she should’ve arrived in my hotel room and switched places with Eva. They don’t know yet that I’ve dumped the camera.
I won’t sit down at the slot machine to play 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 a clear interest in their eyes and smile.
I’m finding 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. “Maybe 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 move on to the other.
The Imperial Casino 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 pull down another fifteen grand or more in the next two hours.
Then this will finally all be over.
I’m impatient now to finish. My nerves are unraveling.
I should’ve known everything was going too smoothly.
Maybe we 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 Vegas. Enough to help my family and to pay off a huge chunk of my student loans.
Taking a deep bre
ath, I force myself to calm myself down. Kim has lectured us on the importance of not drawing attention to ourselves by acting nervous.
It’s a comfort to know she’s in the casino security’s control room and will erase the videotapes of me here.
Unfortunately, she’s not the only one up there.
There’s at least one other person watching the live camera feeds. Now that the security alert has gone out across all casinos in Vegas, there might be more. They’ll be trying to spot any unusual behavior on the casino floor.
Kim told us it’s rare to catch gamblers counting cards or pulling other scams by watching the live video feeds. The video feed is used for playback if they need to study the tapes later. By the time security realizes they need to go back over the tapes, Kim will have disposed of them.
I hope.
If Kim gets caught, we’re all screwed.
The only saving grace 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 need to be extra careful. There are always several plainclothes security personnel patrolling the casino floor. Tonight, their number seems to have tripled.
A hand brushes my back and I turn around slightly. Eva glides past me without saying a word.
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.
That’s the signal.
I move away from the roulette table and walk past the slot machine I’d spent three days playing when I first arrived in Vegas.
At the time, I thought my plan was a good one. There wasn’t anything inherently wrong with my idea, except it could only work reliably once.
If I hadn’t met Eva and Natasha, I would’ve cashed out days ago and left town. My earnings would’ve been nothing compared to the money we’re pulling in tonight.