CASINO SHUFFLE (4 page)

Mark Ford stared into the sack.
 
“We didn’t get you anything.”
 
He motioned his men to draw an umbrella.

One officer said, “Is this to beat off the girls from that
Brandon
kid?”

 
Another asked, “What’s that song he sings?”

“All over the radio…
Sexy bitch
.”

“Right!
 
Can you believe that?”

“But on the radio they changed it to
Sexy Witch.
 
My daughter has that version.”

“Mark, can we beat him with these?
 
Like they would in Vegas?”

The head of security tossed aside the empty bag.
 
“Shut-up guys.”
 
He held up his umbrella and asked Antonio, “Follow your lead?”

Antonio nodded.
 
Putting the BlackBerry to his ear he said, “Max.
 
I’m very sorry but I have to attend to an arriving guest.”

“Oh, right.
 
Shannon Moon and that other guy.”

Antonio paused at the doors that opened to the valet port.
 
“You didn’t read that in the papers, did you?”
 
Brandon
’s Saturday performance in Twilight was no secret, but the arrival of his actress girlfriend was not publicized by the casino to ensure her privacy.

Max said, “Damien told me.
 
He called me in the limo.
 
Wants to sign me up for the Player’s Club again.”

Antonio felt his lips compress.
 
Casino Hosts like Damien Valentine used celebrity arrivals as teasers to entice players into their high-roller club.
 
Everything was bait for their hooks, with no respect for discretion.

Antonio pushed through the doors and made his way to the valet port, followed by the security contingency.
 
The night was firmly in the backdrop of the bright lights and marble columns of the porte-cochere.
 
“I’m sorry about that.
 
I’ll handle Damien.
 
Call me before you arrive, Max.
 
I’m looking forward to seeing you again.”

“Me too.
 
But I’m already here.”

Antonio halted.
 
Mark Ford bumped into his shoulder.
 
A jumble of security officers bumped into them both.

“Where are you calling from, Max?”

“The limo.
 
Hey, I can see you.
 
Tell Mark I said hi.”

Antonio scanned the entrance to the porte-cochere.
 
Rolling down the circular drive lined with ornamental trees was a Cadillac Escalade with casino plates.
 
He marked that as Carl driving Shannon Moon.
 
Behind it was a limousine.
 
Black, reserved for player pick-up.
 
Max Allen, sixty minutes early, and the driver hadn’t phoned ahead, just as he’d feared.
 
Antonio sorted through his options.

“Sonny is available to bring you up, of course.”

“That’s okay.
 
I’ll wait for you.”

Shannon Moon’s Escalade was easing up to the curb.
 
Mark Ford tapped Antonio on the shoulder with his umbrella.

The head butler resigned himself to the situation.
 
“I’ll try to be quick, Max.”

“No problem.
 
I’ll play cards with the driver.”

“Thank you.
 
Take it easy on him.
 
Christmas Bonus is a few months away.”

Max whispered into the phone.
 
“I always let him win.”

Antonio motioned for the security team to line up.
 
“I’ll call you if I’m not down in twenty minutes.”
 
BlackBerry put away, Antonio turned sharply and addressed the security officers.
 
“Gentlemen, if you will.”
 
He took the umbrella from Mark Ford and said, “Present arms.”
 
He pushed the button on the handle.
 
With a snap the umbrella extended to its full length.

The security guards followed with the staccato clicking of umbrellas.

“Safeties off.”
 
Antonio unsnapped the band that held the umbrella closed.

The contingency followed suit, several of them smiling.

The Cadillac Escalade cruised slowly to a stop behind Antonio.
 
He turned, and with a flick of his wrist the umbrella opened fully above him.
 
When the ten officers behind him engaged their own, there was a sharp burst of wind.

Antonio grasped the handle of the rear passenger door.

Security huddled close, umbrellas bumping against one another.

Mark spoke into the button-mic clipped on his shirt cuff.
 
“Command.
 
She’s coming out.
 
Stand by.”

Antonio opened the door of the SUV.
 
“Welcome to the Native Sun Casino.”

A slender hand with pearl nail polish extended from the interior shadows.
 
Antonio gently took the hand in his.
 
A leg emerged.
 
Bare, smooth, bronze.
 
A pedicured foot in leather sandals touched down on the walkway.

The porte-cochere swarmed with paparazzi.

They crashed through the decorative shrubbery.
 
Leapt from various cars ostensibly waiting to be parked.
 
Individuals turned and dropped empty suitcases, thus dropping their guise as loitering guests.
 
All brandished cameras, snapped pictures, and shouted obscenely.

“Miss Moon!
 
Miss Moon!”

“
Shannon
!”

“Hey!
 
Hey!
 
Over here!”

Then, to Antonio’s satisfaction: “I can’t see past the umbrellas!”

Still in the relative safety of the Escalade, she smiled out at him.
 
Her hairstyle was new compared to what was in the current magazines.
 
Blond locks bouncing around her shoulders in broad, sun-lightened curls.
 
A perfect heart-shaped face flush with the shine and health of youth.
 
Lipstick that expertly gave the impression of recently wetted lips.
 
Over-sized sunglasses reflected Antonio’s face in the shadow of the umbrella brigade.

Shannon Moon said, “I heard it was supposed to rain paparazzi tonight.”

Antonio spun his umbrella.
 
“We’ve had a sudden downpour, Miss Moon.
 
I suggest we take shelter immediately.”

Still holding his hand, the twenty-eight-year old actress stepped down from the SUV and stood as the security team gathered tightly around.
 
The paparazzi were becoming more brazen.
 
One of them stuck a camera between a security officer’s legs and began to take pictures.
 
The officer grunted, squeezed his knees together and hopped.
 
The paparazzo yelped.
 
The camera clattered to the ground.

Mark Ford kicked it onto the valet tarmac.
 
“Oops.”

The paparazzi shouting reverberated in the domed port.
 
“Where’s
Brandon
!”

“Yo
Shannon
!”

“
Brandon
coming!
 
Shannon
!”

“Hey!”

“Over here!”

Over the babble Antonio heard a car door open and expected to see the driver of the Escalade coming out.
 
Antonio looked across the backseat, just glimpsing a spiky head of hair diving towards them.
 

“Miss Moon,” said Antonio, ushering her away from her open door.
 
“If you would be so kind…”

The Asian paparazzo that had been hiding in the armoire was now spread across the leather backseat of the Escalade.
 
On his stomach.
 
Camera out and aimed.
 
Snapping off pictures one after another.
 
The flash sparked the interior.

Antonio slammed the door on him.

Now the driver did poke his head up from the driver’s side.
 
“Did someone just get back in?”

Antonio said quickly: “You have a hostage, Carl.
 
Engage the locks.”

Carl leaned over and pressed a button on his control panel.
 
The electronic bolts snapped into position.
 
“Now what?”

“Take him for a drive.”

Carl tipped his cap and ducked back into the Escalade.

“I’ll have him bring your luggage up later, Miss Moon.”

Shannon Moon squeezed Antonio’s arm.
 
“I love you guys!”

From behind the darkened windows of the Escalade the paparazzo shouted “LET out!
 
LET out!” as the driver pulled away from the curb.

Antonio turned back to the huddle of umbrellas.

Mark was at his shoulder.
 
“We’ll never get through the lobby.
 
Side door?”

Antonio shook his head.
 
“They’ve blocked it.
 
Valet dispatch?”

“Yeah.
 
Marlene’s on tonight.
 
She’ll run interference for us.
 
She likes you.”

“Well I
love
him.”
 
Shannon Moon pressed a button on her jeweled cell phone and put it to her ear.
 
“Hey baby!
 
Guess what I found?
 
Your paparazzi pals.”

At the sound of their name they began yelling again:
 
“Shannon – that
Brandon
on the phone!”

“
Shannon
– what’s he saying!”

“Hold out the phone!”

“Can we talk to him!”

Mark Ford was directing his men to form a wall of umbrellas to the valet door.
 
“I want you lined up like Southern Belles at a dance.
 
But uglier looking.
 
You.”
 
He stretched out a fist toward a photographer who had shimmied around the side.
 
“Don’t make me use this.”

The photographer eyeballed the small spray can.
 
“You can’t mace me!”

Mark Ford sprayed the man in the eyes.

The photographer screamed and dropped his camera.

Shannon Moon kicked it backwards toward the valet tarmac.
 
“Oops.”

“Good kick.”
 
Mark Ford lifted the spray can and shot a spritz into his mouth.
 
He held it out to Antonio.
 
“Spearmint?”

“Let’s get moving.”
 
Antonio brought his BlackBerry up.
 
“Marlene?
 
Antonio.
  
We’re bringing Shannon Moon through your door in ten seconds.
 
I don’t want anyone in there but you.”