A Treasury of American Mystery Stories by unknow

Author:unknow
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

NEVADA

PAYOFF ON DOUBLE ZERO

Warner Law

Although she was typing from her shorthand notes, the middle-aged secretary kept sneaking glances at Sam Miller across the outer office. He was waiting to see her boss, Mr. Collins, who was the owner and manager of the casino in the Starlight Hotel. This is a relatively old establishment, not far out of town on the Las Vegas Strip.

To women in general, and to middle-aged secretaries in particular, Sam was almost surrealistically handsome, too all-American to believe in one look. He was in his early 20s, well over six feet tall, broad in the shoulders and lithe below. His blond hair was cut short, his face was tanned, his nose perfectly straight, his teeth white, his smile a gift of pleasure. His eyes were true blue and his gaze was of such clear and steady honesty that it made even a secretary with a pure conscience and a fine Methodist background feel somewhat shifty and sinful when she met it. She knew that Mr. Collins would be eager to hire Sam—though he’d pretend he wasn’t and he’d give the boy a little hard time first. The Starlight needed dealers and rarely did they find one who was such a poster picture of integrity. More than that, Sam’s looks would draw most of the women gamblers in Vegas, the younger ones with an urge to bed him and the older ones with an impulse to mother him. Then the intercom buzzed and Mr. Collins said that he was ready to see Mr. Miller.

Sam went in and carefully shut the door behind him. Mr. Collins posed behind his massive desk, right hand extended, a smile of limited cordiality on his face. Sam had heard that Mr. Collins was Balkan by birth, with a name of many jagged syllables that had been carefully naturalized and neutralized. He was a man in his 60s, olive in coloring, wearing a light-gray silk suit exactly shaded to match his hair.

Sam shook his hand and smiled and said, “How do you do, sir?”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sam Miller. Sit down. Tell me the story of your life.” Mr. Collins had only a trace of a foreign accent.

Sam sat. “All of it?”

“Well, it can scarcely have been a very long life. How old are you?”

“Twenty-two, sir.”

“Might I see your driver’s license?”

“Sure.” Sam took it from his wallet and handed it over the desk and Mr. Collins gave it a quick glance and passed it back.

“Have you ever been arrested?”

“No, sir.”

“Be certain, now. The rules of the Nevada Gaming Commission require me to check.”

“No, sir. I’ve never been arrested for anything.”

“Why do you wish to be a dealer?”

“To make some money and save it, so I can go to college full time.”

“Where do you come from originally?”

“I was born in Los Angeles and I went to Hollywood High, and then I enlisted in the Marine Corps, rather than be drafted.”

“What did you do in the Marine Corps?”

“I got sent to Vietnam.”

“Did anything happen to you?”

“Yes.

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