Page 115 of Diamonds

“How do you mean?”

I place my hand on the knob of the Green Door, turn it slightly.“We need to gamble.Back in the Diamonds section.”He offers me his arm.“A game, my Queen?”

34

ALISSA

So that’s the plan.We’ll play Blackjack, hope to God that we end up on a hot streak, enough to get Rouge’s attention on us.Then Maddox will slip away into her office unnoticed and figure out what lies in Rouge’s safe.

Only about a million things could go wrong with this strategy, but it’s the best we have.

We stop at the Spades section, where DeeDee is manning the bar.

“One gin and tonic, please, DeeDee,” Maddox orders, “but hold the gin this time.”

DeeDee raises an eyebrow.

“I’m on a cleanse,” Maddox explains.“Trying to stay dry between Valentine’s Day and St.Patrick’s.”

DeeDee grabs a glass, places three ice cubes in it, and pours some tonic water in it, garnishing it with a lime.She turns to me.

I bite my lip.“I’m also doing the cleanse, I suppose.But a dirty martini without alcohol would just be olive juice in a glass.”I fake a laugh.

DeeDee narrows her eyes.

I swallow.“So I’ll just have the same as Maddox.”

DeeDee turns away from us and prepares my drink.

I lean into Maddox’s ear.“Keeping our wits about us, I imagine.”

“Exactly,” he whispers back.“But if we still have drinks in our hands, it will look like we’re drinking.Like we have nothing to stay sober for.”

I nod.“I thought so.”

DeeDee hands me my drink.

“Thank you so much, DeeDee,” Maddox says.“Those will both go on my tab.”

DeeDee rolls her eyes.Two glasses of tonic water garnished with limes probably costs five bucks at the most.

We take our drinks over to the Diamonds section.

It’s a lot less busy tonight.It’s no longer Valentine’s Day, after all.We easily find an available Blackjack table, manned by the same gentleman who was our dealer last night.

He nods to us both.“Ms.Maravilla, Mr.Hathaway.A pleasure to see you both again this evening.”

I smile at him.“Thank you.Remind me of your name.”

She reaches out a hand.“Shellby.Terrence Shellby, ma’am.”

Right.Shellby.

“Are you both playing tonight?”Shellby asks.

Maddox nods.

Shellby grins.“Excellent.”