CASINO SHUFFLE (5 page)

Mark barked into his cuff mic.
 
“I want the 9B hallway behind valet cleared of personnel in ten seconds.
 
I don’t care.
 
Pull the fire alarm or something.”

Shannon
spoke into her cell.
 
“They have a limo meeting you at the airport.
 
I can’t wait to see you baby!
 
Are you coming straight here?”

They rushed down the line of guards and through a door marked Valet Office.
 
Once inside the din of the paparazzi dulled.
 
Mark shouted orders to his security team and shut the door.

“Hello dear.”
 
Antonio smiled at Marlene, a stooped older woman with glasses wearing a turquoise uniform.

Marlene was speaking into a headset.
 
She winked at Antonio and waved at the young actress, her cheeks blushing slightly.

Antonio rushed Shannon and Mark through another door, blew a kiss to Marlene, and said, “No one comes through.
 
Ten minutes.”

She winked back at him and swiveled to her computer terminal.

In the back hallway Mark and Antonio furled their umbrellas.

“I like the umbrella trick,” said Mark.
 
“How’d you know there would be so many photographers out there?”

Antonio straightened his tie.
 
“I didn’t, but the trick works for one or twenty.”

Shannon
snapped her cell closed.
 
“They’re always around; you just can’t see them until it’s too late.
 
The guy you locked into the back of the car?
 
He’s the worst one.”

“Is his name Ang Wang?”
 
Antonio asked.

Shannon
seemed surprised.
 
“You know him?
 
If you’re a celebrity, he’s like the boogey man.
 
Hiding under your bed, in your closet.
 
Ang Wang, the Kamikaze
Cam
.”

“Catchy name,” said Mark.

“He sells to all the gossip rags.
 
States, overseas.
 
Sleazy websites, which pays more than anybody now.
 
Most of his stuff is celebrity skin.
 
He just got Jennifer Lopez sunbathing topless last week.”
 
She took off her sunglasses.
 
“Just now he was trying to get an upskirt shot.
 
Good thing I’m wearing panties.”

Mark Ford choked and coughed, hitting his chest with a closed fist.

Both Antonio and Shannon Moon turned to him.

“Sorry, must be allergies.”

Antonio arched an eyebrow at Mark and frowned.
 
“Shall we escort Miss Moon to the Sachem Suite?”

“Love to.”
 
He listened to something in his earpiece.
 
“My guy’s down there now.”

Antonio gestured down the hall.
 
“There’s a private elevator at the end.
 
We’ll be right behind you.”

“Thanks,” she said, and headed down the hall, curls bouncing.

Antonio withdrew a folded paper from his jacket and handed it to Mark.
 
“The man who jumped into the Escalade was the same paparazzo who was hiding in the armoire.
 
I found this on the floor of the suite.
 
It’s a cash receipt made out to Ang Wang.”

Mark unfolded the receipt.
 
“He’s got a room.”

“Temporarily.”

“Want me to eject him?”

“Please, before he can harass our guest even more.”

“What color is that bowtie, Bud Light?”

“
Champagne
.”

“Fancy.
 
Hey, I think
Shannon
likes me.
 
She reminds me of my first wife.”

“Young and beautiful?”

“In love with another man.”
 
He shook his head.
 
“Women.”

They caught up with Shannon Moon at the private elevator.
 
Antonio pressed the button.

“Hey,” she said.
 
“Got any more of the umbrellas?”

Antonio held out his own.
 
“Of course.
 
Would you like one?”

“No, you’ll need it.
 
Plus a few dozen more if you’ve got them.”

Antonio and Mark exchanged a look.

As the elevator doors opened
Shannon
stepped inside and turned.
 
“When
Brandon
gets here that port is going to look like a riot broke out.”

“We’ll be ready,” said Mark.
 
“Now we know where all the photographers will be hiding.”

“I’m not talking about them,” said
Shannon
, smiling at the two men as they entered the elevator.
 
“I’m talking about the BranFans.”

Mark turned to Antonio.
 
“What’s a BranFan?”

Shannon Moon put a finger to her lips.
 
“Shhh.
 
Don’t spoil the surprise.”

Chapter Three

“Nice place you got here, boys.”
 
Shannon
did a twirl in the center of the parquet floor of the Sachem Suite.
 
Her voice echoed off the cathedral ceiling.
 
“Lots of places for the paparazzi to hide.”
 
She selected a pink jellybean and popped it into her mouth.

Mark chuckled.
 
“One of ‘em already found a hiding place.
 
In the armoire.”

Shannon
turned her head so sharply her curls rebounded.
 
“Is that true?”

Antonio said, “It was the resourceful Ang Wang, Miss Moon.
 
He must have slipped into the suite before our security measures were in place.
 
Mark has assured me it won’t happen again.
 
Isn’t that right?”

“I’m going to post a security guard outside both doors of the suite,” said Mark.
 
“And I’m kicking Ang Wang out of the casino as soon as I get done here.
 
Antonio gave me his room number.”

Shannon
dropped her purse on the leather sectional.
 
“When you kick him out, kick
hard.
 
If
Brandon
sees him he’ll go ballistic and end up in jail.”

Antonio said, “That would be unfortunate since tickets for his show have sold out.
 
You looked surprised.”

She shrugged.
 
“I didn’t think Bingo ladies and old people would even know who
Brandon
was.”

“Our casino marketing has been courting a younger demographic for the past several months.”

Mark rolled his eyes.
 
“Our commercials look like music videos.”
 
He turned to Shannon Moon.
 
“No offense.”

“Bran will attract the young girls.”
 
She shook her head dismissively.

“BranFans,” said Mark.
 
“Whatever that is.”

“I call them sluts,” said
Shannon
.

“That’s easier to remember.”

“Mark and I will regroup and discuss some tactical security measures.”
 
Antonio discreetly checked his watch as he brushed imaginary lint from his jacket sleeve.
 
“Before I show you the suite, do you have any special requests for this evening?”

Her smile was much more dazzling in person than on magazines or movie screens.
 
“I’d like to have a late dinner ready when Bran gets here.
 
I doubt if he’s eaten anything today.”
 
She waved her hands around.
 
“Something intimate, but fancy.
 
You know, romantic?
 
It’s very short notice.
 
I should have called but I just now thought of it.”

Antonio nodded.
 
“Not to worry.
 
We have a unique staff whose resources are nearly limitless.”

She chewed the tip of a fingernail in thought.
 
“I’d like to have just one guy with us through the weekend.
 
Someone I can trust.
 
No offense to your staff but some people get weird around us.
 
A manager at the Four Seasons lost his job a couple months ago for trying to sell our bed sheets on EBay.”

“I heard about the incident.
 
I’d worked with that particular manager in the past and found him fairly devious in most regards.
 
I personally hand-picked my team and vouch for them unconditionally.
 
I’ll introduce you to one of them in particular who I believe you’ll be pleased with.
 
If he meets your approval I’ll assign him to you and Brandon for the weekend.”

She dug out a pack of cigarettes from her purse.
 
“Do all of them know how to lock paparazzi into the back of SUVs?”

Mark shook his head, grinning.
 
“The Native Sun has the best butler team in the states.
 
But there’s only
one
Antonio.”

Antonio finished lighting the lady’s cigarette, lighter disappearing into his inner jacket.
 
“I would say that our team rivals some of those in
Europe
as well, but I am slightly biased since I trained them.”
 
He offered his arm.
 
“Now then, would you like to see what our premium suite has to offer?”

Mark Ford excused himself, wishing Shannon Moon a good stay and promising to update Antonio on the outcome of ousting Ang Wang.
 
On his way out he took a final look at the back of the young actress and waggled his eyebrows at Antonio.

After he left
Shannon
asked, “Do I have time for a Jacuzzi before Bran gets here?”

Antonio withdrew his BlackBerry and dialed the butler pantry.
 
“I would like a container of Rosemary Mint bath salts and a chilled Roederrer Cristal ’99.
 
Have them by the upstairs Jacuzzi in five minutes and turn on the jets.”

“Rosemary mint?
 
Cristal?
 
You’ve either done your research, or you’re a great guesser.”

“Though I reside within a casino, I try not to gamble.
 
Especially when it comes to the preferences of my guests.”

Shannon
kicked off her sandals and accepted the offered arm.
 
“Antonio, you’re on your way to becoming my new best friend.”

Antonio extended his free arm towards the hall.
 
“Shall we start with the master bedroom?
 
There’s a small touchpad device that commands everything electronic in the suite, including the fireplace.
 
Once you master it, you’ll find that you’re carrying it in your pocket everywhere you go.”