“While you were on the Main Line there, love, hanging around the old Cricket Club, waiting to get the poor guy’s dough, I wasn’t exactly working as a shoe clerk. I had a hotel-casino operation before you ever went in one.”

“I know that,” Nancy said. “You’ve worked hard.”

“Bet your ass.”

“And you’re smart enough to hire good key people.”

Jackie waited for her to look at him but she didn’t. Tommy was saying, “Well, gee, thanks a bunch. I thought maybe I was a total fuckup.”

“Not yet, but you’re close,” Nancy said. “I’m not sure if it’s your drinking-I know you’re not paying attention-or you’re in over your head and you really don’t know what’s going on.”

Tommy said, “Je-sus Christ,” shaking his head at Jackie. “She dealt blackjack, worked the floor… Anything you want to know about a casino, Jackie, ask her.”

All Jackie wanted to do was get out. He had a button under the desk that buzzed in the Moose’s cubbyhole and would bring him running, but then what? He said, “Listen, you two want a argue, whyn’t you wait till you get home? Okay? I got work to do.”

Nancy said, “This concerns you, Jackie. Since you’re close to losing your license.”

He did tighten up, surprised, but didn’t say a word because she was too cool; this wasn’t an emotional thing with her, looking at Tommy now, opening the envelope, saying, “You’re on the edge too, whether you know it or not.” She took out a Polaroid print and handed it to him.

Tommy squinted, holding it up. “Who is it?”

“You comped him to everything but the ice-cream parlor,” Nancy said. “Are you telling me you don’t know him?”

Jackie didn’t think he wanted to see that picture. But Tommy said, yeah, he’d met the guy once, and tossed the print on the desk and now Jackie was looking at the Colombian, Benavides, standing at a blackjack table. It was Jackie’s turn to squint, try to look bewildered. “Yeah, that’s… I can’t think of his name. Frances shot that? What for?”

“I asked her to,” Nancy said.

“Yeah, we comp him,” Jackie said. “Has a very impressive line of credit. The hell’s his name? He comes in, stays a few days.”

“He was here a week,” Nancy said. “Deposited a million nine, in cash.”

Tommy held up hands, open, innocent. “What’s the problem? There’s no law a player has to tell us where he got his money.”

“Not yet,” Nancy said, “but it’s going to happen, soon, and you’d better be ready.”

“Sweetheart,” Tommy stirred in his chair, filling it with his size, getting comfortable, “there’s a little more to the casino business than the play at the tables. First and foremost, we have to be objective. By that I mean this business is about money, and all money looks alike. Am I correct?”

Jackie didn’t want to listen.

“A player brings in a lot of cash, hon, we have to look at it impartially, only as money, nothing else. In other words we have to keep our eye on the player’s line of credit. Guy bets heavy, offers us a shot at him, we have to concentrate on taking about twenty percent of his dough if we expect to make a profit.” Tommy frowned. “I explained all this once before, didn’t I?”

Wrong wrong wrong. Jackie held onto the arms of his chair. She was going to kill him.

“Mr. Osvaldo Benavides, from Bogotá,” Nancy said, “deposited a million nine, in cash, and left with our check for almost a million eight.”

Jackie watched Tommy twist in the chair again, the schmuck finally realizing what was happening to him. He took a moment and said, “That’s not twenty percent but, see, it averages out.”

“Once a month,” Nancy said, “you fly Mr. Benavides here in the company plane-”

“Just from Miami,” Tommy said.

Jackie closed his eyes.

“He draws markers for up to two million in cash, loses five to ten percent, never more than that in the last seven months,” Nancy said, “and goes home with a clean check for the balance. Mr. Benavides is laundering his money in our casino. Since you’re aware of it, both of you, I have to believe you approve.”

Tommy said, “Honey, Jesus Christ…”

Nancy waited. “Yes?”

“Hon, this’s a tricky, complicated business.”

Nancy waited again, Jackie watching her. Broad was a fucking shark. Gets her teeth in you and never lets go-and thought, Wait a minute. She’s in the boat too, isn’t she?

Jackie said, “What he means, Nancy, we got ourselves a little problem with Mr. Benavides. I say we ’cause you’re on the board, you got a key license and you could lose it like anybody else can lose a license for associating with the wrong people, undesirables, the wise guys, if you understand what I mean, people known to be in organized crime.” He was beginning to roll and felt good. Tommy had his mouth open, the schmuck, like he couldn’t believe it, telling her all this. But look, she was paying attention, because she was a smart woman, calm, reasonable, even as she watched her tits getting pulled into the wringer.

She said, “Tell me about it.”

“That’s exactly what I’m doing,” Jackie said. He stood up and felt an added advantage, able to move, use his body. “The problem with Mr. Benavides, he’s got friends here who do business with him.”

“Who buy his dope,” Nancy said.

“Prob’ly. I never asked,” Jackie said, “it’s none of my business. The problem is, they also do business with us, indirectly. By that I mean by controlling some of our suppliers. I don’t have to mention any names, I think you know what I’m talking about. Basic materials and services you need to run a hotel. Not to mention they’re into a couple of unions.”

“Go on,” Nancy said.

“Anyway, these people who do business with Mr. Benavides would like us to extend him every courtesy.”

“And launder his money,” Nancy said.

Jackie held up his hand. “That’s a word. We don’t treat him right we got trouble with some of our key suppliers. That’s a fact.”

Nancy kept staring at him.

“Was Iris a comp for Mr. Benavides?”

Coming at him from another direction now.

“All I know,” Jackie said, “she was on her own time. Broad like that-really, what can I tell you?” His gaze moved past Tommy-no help-to the depressing wet sky in the window, lingered as he again considered buzzing the Moose, dropped the idea and came back to Nancy, Jesus, still right there, staring at him. “Honest to God, I don’t know any more what happened to Iris’n you do.”

What was she going to prove staring like that? It was the truth.

After a moment Nancy said, “No more Mr. Benavides. We’re through with him.”

Jackie cocked his head at her. “Well, that’s easy to say. You don’t know these guys.”

“Work it out,” Nancy said, “or look for a job.”

Tommy raised up. “You’re talking to the key man in our operation-twenty-five years’ experience.”

“He’s on his own,” Nancy said. “If I ever see Benavides in the hotel again I’ll report him to Gaming Enforcement, with a list of his deposits. And if I find out either of you knew Iris was in that apartment I’ll tell the police about it.”

Tommy said, “I’m your husband, for Christ sake!”

Jackie kept still. He knew she meant it. Telling Tommy she wasn’t going to lose her license over a technicality, because they happened to be married. Her hand going into that envelope again. Tommy got up to use his size, look down at her. He said, “We’ll handle this, okay? You mind? Don’t get so hot and bothered, for Christ sake.” Big dumb schmuck-she wasn’t the least bit hot and bothered. Look at her. Cool broad sitting on an iceberg-no emotions whatsoever Jackie could see. She dropped another Polaroid shot on the desk. Tommy’s boozy face squinted in a frown.

“Who’s this?”

Jackie made note of the pause, the playful look in Nancy’s eyes.

“Iris’s boyfriend.”

Jackie looked at the photo-bearded guy in a raincoat-continued to look at it, waiting for the sharklady to strike again. He heard Tommy ask, “What’s he got to do with us?” and Nancy say, “He’s here.” Tommy said he could see that. So what? Jackie thinking, She had his picture taken, she knows him. And heard Nancy say, “I’m sure he’ll be coming to see you.” Tommy said, for what? He didn’t have anything to say to the guy. “I hope not,” Nancy said. “But he’ll get to see you, one way or another.” How? Jackie thought. “And if I were you I’d be ready,” Nancy said. She knows the guy, Jackie thought. “That means cold sober,” Nancy said. Listen to her…