PART FIVE
THE BUTCHER OF VEGAS
THE BUTCHER OF VEGAS
I peak at my cards to see two red eights. Big watches me, waiting for me to act. I realize it's my turn and I begin stacking chips to make a raise. Pushing the stack into the middle, I cross my legs and recline in my chair.
"A minimum raise?" he asks. "This is not good strategy."
He tosses chips into the pot to match mine, a thin layer of annoyance on his face. This makes me laugh. He still doesn't have any idea.
"Don't read too much into it. There was a newspaper article about me and I can tell you it didn't mention poker."
"It's your money,"
The flop is 8 A K, three separate suits.
Big throws five thousand dollars into the pot. I stare at the money, trying to figure out the math in my head. With a sigh, I close my eyes to concentrate.
"What'd the paper say about you?"
Opening my eyes I say, "Raise." Grabbing 20k in chips, I splash the pot.
He lets out a whistle and leans forward, eyes moving from the cards to my chip stack. I think he might re-raise me. This makes me smile and wish for a cigarette.
"The article said I seduce men and kill them. The reporter gave me the moniker, The Butcher of Utica."
For the first time, I have his attention. The game disappears for a moment and he pushes away from the table, increasing the distance between us.
"The Butcher of Utica?" he repeats. Is it a question?
"That doesn't make much sense living in Vegas," I say. What will the papers call me now?
Before speaking, he pushes 15k chips into the middle, matching my raise. As he begins to speak the dealer places the next card.
The turn is 8 A K 4, all four suits on board.
"The Butcher of Vegas," Big says.
I don't know what to think of this name. Why don't I get to pick?
"You gonna seduce me, shorty?" he asks, pushing all his chips into the middle. The dealer confirms his all in bet while I ponder his question. Is that what I'm here to do? Seduce, kill, and rob him?
Rising from my chair, I push my chips into the pot and turn over my cards. His shoulders drop and flips over A K, two pair.
"I'm not sure about the seduction part, but there isn't a doubt I'm going to kill you."
The dealer places the river, 8 A K 4 8
"You lose, " I say, taking a step towards him.
"I wouldn't come near me, my bodyguard won't take kindly to that," Big says, not moving as I approach.
"Your bodyguard is dead," I say,
Peter enters the room and takes a spot against the wall. He holds a hand gun with a silencer on the end. Taking a deep breath, Big watches the dealer pushing the chips in my direction.
I take my time creating stacks of chips from my winnings, enjoying the nervous twitches of Big while he waits for me to act. Standing, I walk towards him.
"Why he call you the butcher?" Big asks, eyes darting from Peter to me.
With a smile, I sit on Big's lap from the side, my legs dangling, heels not reaching the floor. "How about I show you?"
"A minimum raise?" he asks. "This is not good strategy."
He tosses chips into the pot to match mine, a thin layer of annoyance on his face. This makes me laugh. He still doesn't have any idea.
"Don't read too much into it. There was a newspaper article about me and I can tell you it didn't mention poker."
"It's your money,"
The flop is 8 A K, three separate suits.
Big throws five thousand dollars into the pot. I stare at the money, trying to figure out the math in my head. With a sigh, I close my eyes to concentrate.
"What'd the paper say about you?"
Opening my eyes I say, "Raise." Grabbing 20k in chips, I splash the pot.
He lets out a whistle and leans forward, eyes moving from the cards to my chip stack. I think he might re-raise me. This makes me smile and wish for a cigarette.
"The article said I seduce men and kill them. The reporter gave me the moniker, The Butcher of Utica."
For the first time, I have his attention. The game disappears for a moment and he pushes away from the table, increasing the distance between us.
"The Butcher of Utica?" he repeats. Is it a question?
"That doesn't make much sense living in Vegas," I say. What will the papers call me now?
Before speaking, he pushes 15k chips into the middle, matching my raise. As he begins to speak the dealer places the next card.
The turn is 8 A K 4, all four suits on board.
"The Butcher of Vegas," Big says.
I don't know what to think of this name. Why don't I get to pick?
"You gonna seduce me, shorty?" he asks, pushing all his chips into the middle. The dealer confirms his all in bet while I ponder his question. Is that what I'm here to do? Seduce, kill, and rob him?
Rising from my chair, I push my chips into the pot and turn over my cards. His shoulders drop and flips over A K, two pair.
"I'm not sure about the seduction part, but there isn't a doubt I'm going to kill you."
The dealer places the river, 8 A K 4 8
"You lose, " I say, taking a step towards him.
"I wouldn't come near me, my bodyguard won't take kindly to that," Big says, not moving as I approach.
"Your bodyguard is dead," I say,
Peter enters the room and takes a spot against the wall. He holds a hand gun with a silencer on the end. Taking a deep breath, Big watches the dealer pushing the chips in my direction.
I take my time creating stacks of chips from my winnings, enjoying the nervous twitches of Big while he waits for me to act. Standing, I walk towards him.
"Why he call you the butcher?" Big asks, eyes darting from Peter to me.
With a smile, I sit on Big's lap from the side, my legs dangling, heels not reaching the floor. "How about I show you?"