I was heading south. Vegas, to be exact. Five hundred hard-earned dollars were burning a hole in my pocket. That cheap-ass O’Reilly had finally coughed up what he owed for the two weeks I’d spent busing crates around in his… Continue Reading
Damian lowers the kickstand of his red Schwinn in front of the Italian Club on the corner of Sixth and Cavitt. “You look like one of the Delfeany boys. Your old man’s in the club.” Mr. Lenski pats Damian on… Continue Reading
Black. Godammit. 29 black. Not that the number mattered, thought Jack. He continued sitting on the stool just long enough for his subconscious to nudge his conscious into realizing that with no money left, he should move away from the… Continue Reading
“You look like you are down on your luck.” The voice came from a baggy-faced man. Kind of guy you’d call noir and brooding. “Might say that, mon ami,” I answered. We watched the croupier rake my last five dollars… Continue Reading
Adam stared across the table and tried to remind himself that when he looked at Eric, he was seeing the future of humanity. Or at least that’s what the paperwork said. The dossier listed Eric’s qualifications including strength, resilience, and… Continue Reading
Mike wished Dad and Robert would stop jabbering. He laid down his cards. “Straight flush.” Robert tossed his hand in with the discards. “You got me, Chief.” “Come down to Tampa and I’ll show you a professional game,” Dad said. “Senior… Continue Reading
A hush came over the saloon as Jebediah Hancock rose from his seat. He scowled at me across the card table. “You callin’ me a cheater, Sheriff?” “Looks like.” People scrambled away from nearby tables. “Take it back.” I smiled. “Nope.” He went… Continue Reading
Ask anybody in Las Vegas about the luckiest man in the world, and you’re apt to get different answers. But tell them you want to know about the luckiest man in the world, the one with the four-leaf clover, and… Continue Reading
The sun wasn’t down yet but the sky was dim, ochre with storm clouds. Lightning stabbed at the horizon. There was no smell of rain — the rainy season wasn’t for months anyway — but the clouds might herald a… Continue Reading
Thom threw the stars, and billions of years ticked away, seeming to take forever. The universe spun around with its telltale click click click. “Check them out.” Sam pointed at the dancers, but Thom’s focus was on the spinning stars.… Continue Reading