What are the Odds?

"Hmmm."

"I saw a guy a few days ago at the Baccarat who left his keys on the table and fiddled with them constantly. He was fairly young."

I stepped into the conversation, "Guys, this is Brittany. She's a player as well. She's got good eyes on things."

Elliott asked, "What day? We can look at their surveillance tapes to get a description if we know the table, time and date."

"It was last Thursday. It was my first night there so I remember the date. It was an unusual thing that got my attention, though it might just have been a diversion from his card play. I'd say it was 11:00 or so. Things were going strong."

Elliott said they would look into it and left the call. Britt and I just looked at each other as our paths had crossed in yet another way.

"Wow," was all she said.

I gave her my number and she drove away. I fired up my truck and drove to my room. It's already been a long day.

Two days later, Britt called and said we should do lunch. I agreed and we set a time and place. Now, "do" as a verb for going to lunch is a foreign concept, one left to city people. I didn't live in that world. It's been a long time since I knew someone who fit that description. Regardless, Britt had wormed her way into my mind, something I was not used to at all.

I drove to our rendezvous, thinking about how long it had been since I had really known someone. There, we talked about our 'night' jobs, laying out the hands we had, the tells we saw, the bets we made and the money we won. We laughed at the looks on everyone else's faces as we won and lost, winning big, losing small. The food came and went, coffee was brought and we just enjoyed each other's company. It had been a most pleasant afternoon. I finally said I had to go, "I've got to get ready to go to my job. This was fun, something I'm not used to having."

"Call me when you're done. Let's get a drink or some more food together."

"I'd like that." As I walked away I said to myself that at this rate I was going to have to buy a real phone.

Elliott leaned against my truck outside the room and said, "We got a photo of the guy with the keys, young guy, definitely looked nervous. The card boss watched the video and said it didn't look like a diversion from his cards. He lost too frequently to be any good. We're waiting on news of a possible match in the state photo system." He told me the state's software was years behind, was slow and backed up by thousands of searches.

Later that week, Elliott was sitting opposite me in a diner. I was playing with the remains of a cinnamon role while he drank coffee like it had been a bad night and he needed the caffeine. I had finally decided to get a room for a month and plunked down money for a phone with more minutes. I ran my first phone to zero, then switched and let the only two people I knew what my new number was. Britt or I was calling almost every day and we started meeting regularly after we played. It felt very comfortable and I debated taking it further. It had been a while since I had had company of the female persuasion. I was getting the itch for it the more we interacted. She seemed content to let me take the lead.

She of course completely reversed that logic. That night as we wrapped up our call she said, "here's my address. I've got a nice bottle of bourbon and I hate to drink it alone." Less than ten minutes later I was knocking on her door. Her place was a definite step up from mine, beginning with having two chairs to sit in versus my one. I told her that and she let loose that lovely laugh of hers. "Guess we'll meet here in the future, right? She had two glasses and the bottle on the table between the two chairs. She poured the glasses full and pushed one toward me. We toasted and sipped. When she said 'nice bottle of bourbon' she meant it. It was as smooth as the best drinks I've paid a lot of money for.

"You have excellent taste in bourbon," I told her as I took another small sip. She smiled at that. "I'll share this any time you want to ask, though I may have to ask for a loan when it's my turn to buy a bottle if it's as expensive as I think it is." I got the bright smile again. We finished that glass and I poured a small amount more. "Another full glass would be too much and saying goodnight after one glass seems like too little." Ahh, the smile again.

As I left, she said, "maybe here we sit and talk. Maybe at your place we just relax on the bed."

"I'm going by the liquor store and buying a bottle of the best bourbon they have along with two glasses." I got that easy laugh again as I closed the door. As I sat in the truck, I realized she has reached me like no one had in years. I did exactly as I said I would. I bought that bottle and those glasses before I went home.

Elliott called me the next day. "Got a GPS on that phone?"

"Yes, indeed."

"Come to this address," and he read it to me. I punched it in and followed the directions, parking beside his SUV.

"Why am I here?"

"To see a murder scene. This is where Stevie and Brando were killed." There were blood marks on the floor, with a trail from what had been a pool.

"Do I want to know how you found this?"

"Probably not, but I'll tell you. We found the driver from the drug buy. We finally sweated it out of him yesterday. There's a new character in our murder play. The three of them were here when two men came in. Brando reacted badly to seeing them, so our driver fled. Looks like he had some of your luck."

"Definitely. Any idea who the new guy is?"

"Description is 40s white male, five feet ten to six feet tall, dark hair, no visible marks, average build."

"Your driver notices a lot very quickly. Why were they here?"

"Brando used it sometimes to break down a purchase to small quantities. That's what they were doing when they were interrupted."

"So this was a drug heist? You kill two people over that? This world is fucked up. I'm going back to cards." With that, I left, fired up the Chevy and drove to Portnoy's for a drink. I drank and people watched. It was early but the regulars were already there. You could separate the true alcoholics from the rest, though two guys seemed to be drowning their sorrows. My phone rang. It was Britt.

"Where are you? Swung by your place but you weren't there. Elliott said you had left him in a huff."

"Yes, I did leave in a huff. We had gone to the crime scene where those two were killed. It seems to be about a drug heist. The world is truly fucked up."

"Tell me where you are. I'll join you."

"No, go back to my place. I'm at a dive bar. You would stand out in this crowd, draw too much attention." I drove home, taking my time as I had been drinking. At home, I cracked open my bourbon purchase, set out two glasses and filled them, then sat on the bed and waited for Britt. Through the window I watched her drive up in her gold Lexus. Talk about standing out. I opened the door before she could knock, then followed her into the room after closing the door. She was smiling, looking at the glasses and bottle.

"Living large, are we?" she said with that easy laugh I really liked. She sat in the chair, looking up at me as she did so. I sat on the bed, raised my glass to her and said "cheers" before taking a sip. This stuff was so good, it was just flowing down to my stomach smoothly. It was a lot better than what I had been drinking before at Portnoy's.

"So what's going on? I mean it was a terrible thing but you sounded really bent out of shape. You're certainly not in poker shape."

"It just got to me. That woman was killed seemingly over a drug deal. Who would do that? Why? I keep thinking more was involved. The police have the driver but he fled as soon as Brando reacted to the two men coming into view. He doesn't know what transpired."

"Let's go to dinner after we finish this glass. This stuff is liquid gold. I just want to hold it and admire it in the light."

We took her Lexus though she told me she wanted a ride in the pickup. She chose Charlie's, one of the places first recommended to me. It was rocking. We waited for a while, then got a table. The menu was full of comfort food. We ordered and then Britt took the lead, telling me about her life growing up. Her parents had been shocked by her choice of a profession, even though she was making far more than they. Their displeasure was the reason for the Lexus. She went home from time to time. They were her mailbox and it was a reason to go there. She told me about being hit on everywhere she went. She described several short-term affairs that ended when she moved on.

As I listened, I realized she was describing our future as well. When her time was up, then our affair-to-be would also be up.

"Where are you? You wandered off mentally. Don't worry, you didn't miss much, just the highly detailed, sordid sexual antics I've had over the years." She laughed that easy laugh again. I was getting hooked on it.

"I think of myself as lucky. I was a minor star in high school sports because I happened to be at the right place at the right time often enough to be noticed, regardless of the sport. Now I feel lucky to be sitting here with you. That's where I went."

Britt smiled. She had a beautiful smile. She started to say something but was interrupted by our server bearing our dinner. So we made light conversation as we ate. Dessert was skipped but coffee was served. After fiddling with her cup, adding some cream and a touch of sugar, she looked up. "Well, Mister Lucky, are you again in the right place at the right time?"

There are so many ways to say yes. I loved how she said it. We finished our coffee and went to her Lexus. I held the door open as she got in, then went around to the opposite side and got in myself. There was that smile again, wow. It just blew me away. "A gentleman with manners. That's rare these days," she said.

"You deserve that and ever so much more."

She drove us back to my place and parked the car, locking it after we were out. I opened the door to my place. We both knew what would happen next. Inside, she turned, flashed that wonderful smile again and said, "make love to me," then kissed me, her tongue exploring my mouth. This was heaven. Our tongues dueled back and forth, then I stepped back and began unbuttoning her blouse. Once that was removed, I sat her on the bed, knelt and removed her shoes, then removed her slacks and thong. I stood and removed her bra, leaving her naked. She was beautiful: a lean body, some muscle definition, high breasts and beautiful legs. I stripped off my clothes, raised her to standing just long enough to pull back the covers before placing her again on the bed. I joined her, held her hand for a moment, then kissed her some more. My hand brushed lightly over her body, exploring it. She had wonderful curves that I would love to put in my memory. I kissed and I touched as I traveled slowly down her body. I began hearing a series of sighs and other sounds from her, ending in "oh, right there" as I was between her legs. I kissed and licked, kissed and sucked, fucked her with my tongue, then slowly licked her clit. Now her hands were on the back of my head, moving it from one erogenous zone to another. She orgasmed twice before she cried out and said, "no more, no more!"

I lay beside her. She rolled on her side and licked my face before she kissed me. "Where did you learn that? That was wonderful. Most men are there to please themselves, not the woman, at least in my experience."

I told her, "before I hit the road, I dated a woman older than me who was probably twenty plus years older. I was young, very young in fact, but she saw something in me. I was all piss and vinegar, but she slowed me down, taught me about a woman's body, how to read a woman's arousal, how to start out slowly, teasing, building up to orgasm. I owe her a lot for that. Barbara, wherever you are, thank you." I was already erect and she used her hand to explore it, to see how it felt, then she mounted me and rode me hard. I didn't last long. It had been too long since I had fucked a woman. She knelt over me, her boobs crushed against my chest, then kissed me.

"Happy now, Mister Lucky?"

I rolled her off me as she giggled and I tickled her until she said, "enough!"

I felt like a new man, having experienced such a wide range of emotions with Britt. Before I had gotten by not feeling more than the absolute least I could. That seemed like a lifetime ago. It also brought all kinds of new risks into my life, as in I didn't want to risk losing this. She got up from bed, went to the bathroom and laughed when she saw the new toothbrush I had also bought the night I bought the bottle and glasses. When she was done, I did the same, then we lay beside each other. I was smiling at the ceiling, then leaned and kissed her goodnight. We held hands for a few minutes, then she rolled over facing away from me. I was thinking happy thoughts as I fell asleep. I woke to feel her close beside me, nestled in. Her reddish brown hair was a pile between us.

I lay there, holding her until she woke. I kissed her shoulder and said good morning. She turned and kissed me, then laughed and said, "I usually don't kiss until I've brushed my teeth but I'll make an exception." We kissed some more then she said, "I need a shower," and walked into the bathroom. Seeing her in the light of day only confirmed what I had seen the previous night. This was one beautiful woman.

She came back out, her hair damp, and still naked. "I hate wearing the same clothes two days in a row. I'm borrowing one of your shirts to wear." She picked one and buttoned some of the buttons, then put on her shoes. Before I could open the door, she picked up last night's discarded clothes. I walked her to her car and hugged her.

"Thanks for a very special evening."

She reached up and kissed me, then took my hand and placed it on her naked breast, then guided it back out of her shirt. I opened the door for her and she slid in, flashing her pussy at me as she did so. "I'll call you soon. Where are you working tonight?"

"The Silver Dollar out off the freeway"

"OK, I'll work elsewhere. Can't arouse too much attention."

With that, she drove away. Wow, what a night. She had rocked my world, without question.

It was a few days later before I heard from her. Her explanation was that she had buckled down and made money. "Woman's gotta make money, you know." We arranged an early dinner at Francesco's and it was really good. Of course, the company helped. After that, we went to her place and christened her bed. We just fit together. I took the night off and we played around, then I stayed the night. The next morning, I gave her a ride in my pickup.

"You cheat, this thing is loaded!"

I was explaining to her the list of things modified when I rebuilt it including a new engine, automatic transmission, power steering, power disc brakes, air shocks, electric wipers, bucket seats, etc, etc, etc. Bob & Sons had done a thorough and well done job.

"Wanna drive it?

"Hell yes!"

I found a shopping center with lots of space, then traded seats with her. "It's not your Lexus," I told her. "Just take it easy until you get used to it."

She buckled in, put it in Drive and floored it. There was a small cloud of smoke from the spinning tires showing where we had started. She took the loop around the center, then tapped the brakes to test them, then brought us to a quick stop. "Wanna trade?" she said with a smile.

"I haven't shown you the best part," I said, then pulled aside the rubber floor covering and showed her the safe bolted to the frame.

"Now I really want it."

"It's the Bank of Chevrolet, with 24/7 mobile banking."

She was laughing, then hit the brakes again as her foot slipped off the brake during her laughter. "I guess I should have put it in park," she said. She drove us to some place or another and we had a late breakfast.

"I could get used to driving that thing."

"Don't call it a thing. It's sensitive."

Britt laughed. I was really getting attached to that laugh. "Okay, I get it. I'm sorry I called it a thing."

We were both working tonight. We had agreed to meet at my place afterwards. "I'll swing by my place and get clean clothes. Otherwise you're going to run out of shirts with tails."

Life moved on, one day at a time. Our time together came more and more often, until finally it was every night.

"Cam, I really care." She was brave enough to put herself out there. "I think I only have a few more days here. I want to talk about what comes next."

We had been hinting around about this but hadn't taken the leap to really talk it out.

"OK. I don't want you to go unless we go together." There, I said it aloud.

There was a shocked look on her face. I don't think she was expecting it. Britt just sat there for a while, then said, "I want that, too. I just didn't think you would say that."

"Then how do we make it happen?"

"I've been planning to head into Nevada. Does that work for you?"

"I'll make it work."

I kissed her and told her I was going to my place. There I found a note from Elliott saying 'call me.'

I called him. "What's up?"

"I lost your new number, where did you go?"

"I've been spending time with Britt."

"Good for you. There's good news and bad news. The good news is the driver ID'd one of the guys through looking at photos of bad guys. The bad news is he's dead, too. Auto accident, if it's to be believed."

"Dead ends, everywhere."

"We're running down known associates. This is mystifying. Three people are dead. For what?

"Makes no sense to me."

Two days later he called me again,"our snitch knew him. He wasn't a dealer, he was a hired tough guy. We think the guy he was with was some kind of hit guy or just another muscle man. Taking the drugs was to throw us off. It worked pretty well."

"Why muscle? Why a hit man? What about these two kids brought about this? I doubt it was Brando, he's just a low-level dealer. So we're back to Stevie. What else was going on in her life? Why such a reaction? Too many questions."

"I think you're on to something."

"Was she seeing someone who thought she was cheating? This seems like rage, such a violent reaction. Hiring a hit man to take out a teenager is just overkill times ten. I'd go back to the friends again. Who was she seeing? Were there times she disappeared? The best friend must know something."

With that I called Britt. "This case is heating up. I'd like to stay a few more days if that's all right. We can be together, I don't need to work and I think I've worn out my welcome here. I've made a lot of money here, more than almost anywhere in the last year or so. The Bank of Chevrolet is full to overflowing. I don't want the angry mob with their torches and pitchforks after me."

Britt laughed, "That's some vivid imagery there! I'm OK with staying if you need. Is it all right if I stay with you? My lease is up soon. Like you, I don't need to work and don't think it would be a good idea anyway. What's going on that causes you to be interested again?"

I told her what Elliot had said and the questions it raised.

Elliott called me. "Would you leave your life of crime and come to work for us? It's lousy hours and low pay but you could solve all the open cases we've ever had in less than a year." He laughed. "The girlfriend said Stevie was going home a lot more often than normal. She was curious. When she called the mom and asked her when Stevie came home, she said she hadn't in six months. She covered by saying she was so sorry her mom hadn't had enough time with her daughter."

"So who was she seeing? Why did she need to keep it a secret? Was she seeing some older guy? Check her phone: go through her texts, check the emails and check her call history. She's a teenager. She couldn't have been very careful."