Page 53 of A Midlife Gamble

‘Yes. It’s always been called my Vegas jacket. I bought it years and years ago.’

‘To wear here?’

‘Yes.’ She nodded. ‘But I never made it out here.’

‘That happens.’

‘It does, doesn’t it? Anyway, Caro booked this trip, mostly because of the jacket, and my doctors said I should go, if I felt well enough. They almost ordered me. My son did order me.’ She smiled, remembering how Alex had been angry with her when she’d dithered and started to find excuses. ‘How could I not come?’ she finished quietly. ‘It was decided for me.’ And as she turned to stare out the window, a dull feeling arose. Looking at things clearly, the way she just described it, was exactly the way it had happened. Caro had booked the trip and everyone had ordered her to go. And if they hadn’t, she probably wouldn’t have, and then she wouldn’t have spent the last few hours in this extraordinary place that had given her so much. So very much. Gratitude swelled, washing her light again. ‘Yes, thank you. I mean it.’

‘Kay.’ Tony’s voice was strong and clear. An actor’s voice. ‘I want to tell you something and I want you to listen.’

‘Ok.’

‘There are two types of player in this world. You gotta trust me here, I’ve been around a lot of players, thousands of them, hundreds of thousands and there are only ever two types.’ He looked at her. ‘Ok?’

‘Ok.’

‘Most of them fall into the first type. Those that want the dealer to make all the decisions for them.’ Tony shook his head. ‘I’ve seen it so many times, I can’t tell you. You get a player that can’t decide whether to double down on a sure thing, or even to play a soft ace hand.’

‘You always play an ace hand,’ Kay whispered.

Tony turned to her, the accomplice in his eyes welcoming her in. ‘The second type of player are those that think for themselves. They make their own choices. Just like life.AndI know what kind of a player you are, Kay! Remember, I’ve seen you. Here you are, in Vegas despite everything life has thrown at you. You think for yourself. You make your own choices. You’ve got guts, Kay. Real guts.’

23

Gone.

The word echoed around the room, passed from Marianne to Helen and back again like an unwanted relay baton.

‘Gone,’ Lula repeated. She turned her palms to the ceiling, as if to show that, yes it was true, she wasn’t hiding them and neither Kay, nor Tony, was in the room. ‘Mr Tony has gone ahead with the other lady.’

Helen scratched her head. Her hair was full of dirt and dust, and the ranch consisted of one room so it must be true. In the far corner, stairs led up to a sleeping area (she supposed) and there was a small bathroom off to the back, which is where Caro was now. Tony and Kay,gone.It just didn’t make sense.

‘He has asked Gabe to take you all back. But Gabe is asleep I think.’ Lula shrugged. ‘I will have to wake him.’

‘Why?’ Helen frowned. She was having trouble keeping up.

‘We have to get back to the hotel somehow,’ Marianne said flatly.

‘No, not just this.’ Lula shook her head. ‘The boss is coming tomorrow and if the SUV isn’t here at the ranch, where he expects it to be, there will be big trouble. Gabe needs to bring it back.’

‘The boss?’ Helen turned to Marianne. ‘I thought Tony owned this place?’

‘Tony?’ Marianne snorted. ‘I will find it hard to believe he owns the shirt on his back!’

At this, Lula crossed her arms. ‘Amen,’ she nodded. ‘Amen.’

‘So, are we ready to head back?’ Caro came in.

Immediately Helen turned to her. ‘Kay’s gone.’

‘Where?’

‘Gone,gone.’

Eyes opening in surprise, Caro looked from face to face.

‘I’m guessing…’ Helen started, although actually she had no idea what she was guessing. ‘They’ve gone back to Vegas?’

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