Page 52 of Double or Nothing

Natasha beams at me. “You’re a clever girl. We’re happy you’re here. I hope you’ll stay in Vegas a long time. There will always be a place with us for someone with your special skills.” When I don’t answer, she raises her eyebrows at me. “You don’t believe me?” she asks. “You think I’m insincere?”

I glance back down at my laptop and say nothing.

“You don’t trust me,” she says in a disappointed voice.

I let out a long sigh and turn toward her. “No, I don’t completely trust you. I would be crazy to. Nothing personal. Maybe if we had all met under different circumstances, it would be different.”

“Trust doesn’t come easily in my country, either. It’s better to be that way. Trust no one, only yourself. When the other person proves themselves to you, only then can you give your trust away.”

“Do you trust Eva?” I ask. “The two of you seem close.”

“With my life,” she says firmly. “More than anyone in this world. I owe her everything. She saved me.”

“What’s the deal with her?”

“What do you mean?” she asks, her eyes narrowing at my question.

“Eva already has money and a successful business,” I say. “Why would she want to be involved in this? Why take the risk? I don’t get it.”

Natasha’s face grows guarded, and she glances away from me. Talking about Eva makes her uncomfortable.

“Eva has her reasons for the things she does,” she replies carefully. “I don’t question why. My reasons are simple. With me, it’s all about money and the security money brings. I never want to go hungry again.”

“Your relationship with Eva seems to be more than business,” I say. “Are you sure you’re not together as a couple? You can tell me, you know. No judgement here.”

Natasha bursts out laughing. “This is the second time you’ve asked me this. No! Eva is a widow. And I prefer men...when they’re good to me. If they’re bad, then not so much.”

“Eva’s husband is dead?” I ask, shocked. Eva can’t be more than in her mid-thirties at the most. Too young to lose a husband. “What happened?”

“There was a house fire,” she replies casually after a moment’s hesitation. “Her husband was passed out drunk in his bed. He didn’t wake up or smell the smoke until it was too late. They didn’t find his body until the next day, charred beyond recognition among the ashes.”

I’m stunned. What a tragic thing to happen to a young woman.

“Where was Eva when the fire broke out?”

“Not there,” Natasha replies curtly. “She was out of town visiting friends. Don’t waste tears for her husband. He was a bad man. Eva is better off without him. She is free now.”

I blink and take another long sip of coffee. There is much more to Eva than I first thought.

“How did the fire start?” I ask. “Did they ever find out?”

“Johnny was a chain smoker and a heavy drinker. He fell asleep with a lit cigarette on the bed. Luckily for Eva, he had a large life insurance policy through his employer. She bought Platinum with the money and made a new life for herself. A safe life. Now there are no more bad men. Only friends who care about her, the same as she cares about us. We will protect her now.”

“Wow,” I say, unsure of how else to react. “That’s a crazy story.”

“Yes, sometimes tragedy works out for the best.”

Natasha is blunt, if nothing else. Something else she said sticks in my mind.

“At least he had life insurance,” I say. “That’s good, because most people don’t. Who was her husband’s employer?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Just curious,” I reply, shrugging.

“Johnny worked for a hotel in town.”

“Which hotel?”