Clare could beat aces. It was the flush she was worried about. She studied the old man across from her. “What do you have? Aces?”
“Nah, I dont got aces,” the old man said, meaning, Maybe I do, maybe I dont.
Clare tried to find a clue on his face. Deep lines made his skin look more like leather than anything human. The eyes, of course, were blank.
“Raise.” Clare shoved some chips in forcefully. What she meant was Please fold.
“Re-raise you all in.” The man touched the rim of his cowboy hat. A real tell, or a fake one? And how was Clare supposed to single out a killer in a room full of professional bluffers? “Go home, kid,” the old man said, meaning, Youre out of your league in this card room.
But Clare wasnt going home. She wasnt going anywhere until shed proven she could do this job. “Do I threaten you?” she asked.
The old man snorted and Clare thought she saw his nostrils flare. “Sure,” he said. “Kids like you threaten my game every day. You make it so profitable I get lazy and forget how to take on real competition.”
Clare drummed her fingers on the black table felt. If she called the bet and lost, shed be out of the game. She could already hear Sergeant Cloutiers scorn as he pulled her off the case and sent her home to dreary beat work chasing graffiti artists and bicycle thieves in Toronto.
But she couldnt keep folding either. This man had been bullying her — or bullying Tiffany James, Clares fancy new cover character — all day. He couldnt have the best hand every time. And the nostril flare — that had to be involuntary, right?
“Call.” Clare pushed the rest of her chips past the bet line. She could feel her hands trembling. The chip stack nearly toppled on its way into the pot.
The old man squinted at her. “You got something wrong with your brain? Unless you got a flush, Princess — which you shouldnt, the way youve been betting this hand — that was an easy fold.”
“The bets have been made,” the dealer said. “Mr. Jones, please show your cards.”
The old man flipped his cards over, muttering, “Trip kings.”
“Straight.” Clare could hardly believe it. Shed just conquered T-Bone Jones in a battle of wits. She set to work organizing her new larger chip stack, and let out her breath with relief.
The old man peered at her. “That your daddys cash youre burning?”
“No.” Clare faked indignation as she examined the manicure shed been given the previous morning. It felt funny on her hands — she was so used to chipped nails with motor grease riding the crescents. “Every penny I spend is from my own trust fund.”
“Well, then.” T-Bones eyebrows lifted, and Clare wondered why he didnt lick his chops with greed. “Let me help separate you from it.”
Clares heart was still thumping, but she gave him the coolest grin she could muster. “You just tried to take my money; I took yours instead, remember?”
“Im not talking about some piss-ass tournament chip stack.” T-Bones lips curled into a sneer. “Im talking about putting your money where your mouth is. In a cash game tonight.”
Shit. Clare had just told this guy she was loaded, but before she could say yes to a cash game, she would have to get the funds approved from her handler. “I dont think Im ready for a side game. I want to get my legs in this tournament first.”
T-Bone narrowed his eyes. “You got a big trust fund for gambling, but you wont bring a few grand to a side game?”
Yeah. The guy made a good point. “Im not gambling.” Clare tried to inject a haughty tone into her voice. “Ive been reading tons of theory, and this poker tour is a solid investment. I think its smarter than playing the stock market, given the state of the global economy.”
“Its not an investment if you cant play the game.”
“I learn fast.” Clare met his eye, with maybe more Clare than Tiffany. “Tell you what: if I cash in this tournament Ill play in a side game in Vancouver.”
“Just play with us,” Joe Mangan said from down the table. Clare recognized him from tv, though his frosted tips and smooth skin were well hidden behind a white hockey mask. To complete the ensemble, Joe wore an L.A. Kings shirt with the number 99. “Whats a few grand from your trust fund?”
Clare flicked her wrist dismissively, flashing a sparkly pink watch that cost what she made in a month. Good thing the rcmp was footing the bill for her wardrobe. “If I want to give money away, I know more worthy charities than you guys.”
Joe raised his eyebrows and the mask shifted upward on his face. “Says the girl with the Piaget on her wrist. Youre not giving the money away if you have a good time playing. Youre buying entertainment.”
“A ‘good time is a shopping trip to Paris.” Clare wrinkled her nose and tried to look disdainful. “My time spent here is work.”
She didnt want to alienate herself, but Clare could not afford to seem overly ingratiating. Willard Oppal had been made and killed before his handlers had even seen it coming. Clare had to play it cool, like she could take or leave the players friendship.
“Thats the right attitude, kid,” said Mickey Mills, whom Clare also recognized from tv. Like Joe, Mickey had an average height and a stocky build. Unlike Joe, he was wearing dress pants and a pressed shirt. And Mickey was in his sixties — nearly double Joes age. “Dont let these no-lifes talk you out of your money. You can dress em up and stick em on tv, but that dont change their basic nature. Everyones a hustler here. You want to survive, you gotta learn to hustle back.”
“And let me guess,” Clare said, rolling her eyes, “youre just the man to teach me.”