CASINO SHUFFLE (20 page)

“The point is,” said Antonio.
 
“It’s not the door, but how you walk through it that is important.”

Brandon
’s eyes slowly slid back to Antonio.
 
He chewed on the inside of his lip.
 
Pulled a pair of sunglasses from his pocket and slipped them on.
 
Grudgingly, a bright white tennis shoe stomped onto the cement floor of the loading dock.
 
“Just get me outta here,” he said.

Sonny was waiting for them on the landing with two golf carts.
 
Three suitcases were loaded on.
 
Brandon
scoffed at the Native Sun Casino jacket and baseball cap that Sonny held for him.

“To disguise your identity,” explained Antonio.
 
“It will expedite our passage.”

Brandon
punched his arms into the jacket and yanked on the baseball cap before slouching into the passenger seat of the lead golf cart.

Antonio turned to Sonny.
 
“We’re taking the freight elevators to the room service hallway, and then we’ll transfer to the back-of-house hotel elevators.”

Mark directed one security officer to go ahead of them and secure an elevator, leaving one to walk behind the golf carts.
 
“Make sure you keep up,” he said.
 
“We’ll be moving fast.”

The freight elevators fit both carts snugly side-by-side.
 
The security escort pressed the button and wire gates closed, then the inner doors.

Brandon
answered his cell phone. “What’s up?
 
Uh-huh, I saw you baby.
 
Did you throw that bra at me?
 
Was that you?”
 

Marty looked at Antonio and rolled his eyes.

The freight elevator lurched to a stop and the inner doors banged open while the wire gates retreated.
 
Once the security escort gave them the nod, they drove the golf carts out into a nondescript hallway.
 
They rode the short distance to the employee elevators, the escort jogging behind them.
 
Employees only gave them a passing glance.
 
Some of it was due to the speed of the carts, but the disguise helped as well.
 
At the elevators another security officer was waiting next to an elevator that had been keyed out for their use.
 
Antonio and Sonny transferred the luggage to the elevator while
Brandon
continued to talk on his cell.
 
Marty held his laptop case and yawned.
 
Mark spoke into his cuff mic and told the officers on the 23
^rd
floor that they were on their way up.

The elevator next to them dinged open and two young female coin cashiers stepped out.
 
One of them was talking on her cell phone, the other drinking a soda.
 
The cell phone girl grabbed her friend’s arm so she didn’t bump into the golf cart.
 
The girl drinking the soda just happened to look in the right spot at the right time and choked on her Diet Coke.

“Ohmygod,” she said.

The girl on her cell phone said, “Ohmygod.”

“
Brandon
.”

“Ohmygod.”
 
The girl lifted her phone to her mouth.
 
“You won’t believe who I’m looking at.”

Brandon
peeked out from under his baseball cap.
 
“Yo girls.”

“OhmyGOD!”
 
The girl hopped up and down and sloshed her soda on the floor.

Her friend said into her phone, “I gotta go I need the phone.”
 
She held up the phone to
Brandon
.
 
“Can we get a picture with you?”

Mark ushered
Brandon
into the elevator while Antonio stepped in front of the camera phone.

“Ladies,” said Antonio.
 
“You know better than that.”

“What?”
 
The young woman’s face grew red.

“We just wanna picture,” said the other one.
 
“For my Facebook!”

“Enjoy your lunch break,” said Antonio.

From inside the elevator
Brandon
called out, “Come to the club tomorrow!”

The girl clutched the phone to her breasts and called back, “OK!”

The other girl added, “WE LOVE YOU!”

Antonio walked backwards and stepped sideways into the elevator.
 
The security officer outside smiled at the girls and said, “How about a pic with me?” just as the doors closed and they began their ascent to the 23
^rd
floor.

Brandon
continued to talk on his cell.
 
“Yea.
 
Yea.
 
‘Course, baaabeee…tonight.
 
I’m in an elevator or something.
 
They brought me in the back.
 
Like Sinatra.
 
He’s like, an old famous guy.
 
Yea.
 
Okay.
 
I’ll call ya.”
 
He dropped his cell to his lap and said, “I’m going out tonight.”

Marty instantly said, “No.”

“You’re my manager.
 
Not my mother.”

“If I was your mother I’d be an alcoholic.
 
Which I’ve considered, believe me.”

“I want to gamble a little.
 
Ain’t this a casino?”

“No.”

“What the fuck is it?”

“
Yes
it’s a casino.
 
No
you cannot go out and meet up with that slut you had on the phone.
 
Shannon
is upstairs waiting for you.”
 
He looked at Antonio for confirmation.

Antonio nodded.

The elevator stopped on the 23
^rd
floor.
 
The party exited en masse with security leading the way.
 
Antonio timed his departure to coincide with that of the tour manager.

“If you don’t mind, Mr. Kramer,” said Antonio, slowing down to allow distance to build from the group.
 
“There is something we should discuss regarding this evening’s events.
 
Miss Moon was under the impression that
Brandon
would be spending this evening with her.
 
She arranged for a romantic dinner to be served en suite.”

Marty sneered down the hall at the swaggering pop star.
 
“Maybe he’ll see the setup and get the message that he should stay. Then again, he’s an idiot.
 
Maybe I should say something to him before he goes in there.”

“I was hoping you would reach that conclusion, sir.”

“I wouldn’t want him to shit all over her dinner.”

“A striking metaphor.”

“Even though he’ll just escape later and do whatever the hell he wants.”

“I have an idea for that as well.”

“I like having you around.
 
Shoot.”

“I can arrange a private room in which
Brandon
can play high stakes Black Jack.”

“What about his groupies?”

“I can instruct security to only allow admittance to certain individuals.
 
Everyone else will be escorted away.”

Marty thought a moment.
 
“Set it up.
 
Better to be safe than sorry, right?”

“I feel it’s better to err on the side of caution.”

“You say it better.
 
Okay.
 
Let me go talk to my nephew.”

“I’ll be right behind you sir.”

In the suite
Shannon
greeted her boyfriend by leaping into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist.
 
He immediately fell backwards onto the leather couch.

“Shit babygirl,” he huffed.
 
“You gaining weight?”

She laughed.
 
“I did drink about a gallon of champagne.
 
You can blame Antonio.”

Brandon
’s eyes narrowed.
 
“Who the hell is that?”

Shannon
pointed over her shoulder.
 
“Our butler.
 
Well, not
our
butler, his name is Max.
 
But this is the head butler, Antonio.
 
He’s awesome.”

“Thank you, Miss Moon,” said Antonio.

Brandon
ignored him and said, “Babygirl, I need some bodyguards.”

Shannon
looked momentarily disoriented.
 
“Huh?”

He pouted.
 
“All those crazy people out there.
 
You should have seen them…”

“Oh, I’ve seen
them
alright.
 
Too much of them.”

“What if one of them was a nutjob?
 
Tried to attack me?”

“With what?
 
A retainer?
 
They’re all fourteen, babe.”

He pushed her off his lap.
 
“I thought you would understand.”

Antonio gestured to Mark that they should leave.

Shannon draped her legs across
Brandon
’s lap and snuggled up to his side.
 
“Don’t be mad.
 
I have a surprise for you!”

He stared straight down at the floor and mumbled, “Is it an entourage?”

“Noooo.”
 
She waved towards the hallway that led to the dining room.
 
“We’re having a private dinner for once!
 
Just me and you.
 
No fans.
 
No crazy people.”

“Good thing.
 
Since there’s also no
bodyguards.
”

Marty stepped forward and said, “
Shannon
, give me a kiss so I can get outta here.”

“Sorry Uncle Marty!”
 
She hopped up and wrapped her arms around him.
 
“Missed you.”

“You too.”
 
He patted her on the back and turned to his nephew.
 
“Enjoy your dinner with the most gorgeous girl in
Hollywood
.
 
Be glad you’re not Brad Pitt.
 
You could be eating Cheerios for dinner in a house full of kids.”

Brandon
pulled
Shannon
back down to his lap.
 
“Let’s eat quick.
 
I want to go and gamble a little.”

“
Brandon
!
 
I came up here so we could spend some time together!”

“Well start spending it babygirl…I got to be seen.
 
You know?”