Odds and Evens

[st_clare]

The tiny white ball on the roulette wheel bounced as it spun, and the small crowd around the table held their collective breath as it gradually slowed down. Stacks of chips had been placed on green felt, waiting to either be lost to the house or scooped back into the possession of their bettors. In Las Vegas, the casino business was booming.

Julianna had been telling Devin the truth. She didn't usually gamble, and she didn't really approve of the people who frequented such establishments. But she was so frustrated after the incident with Holiday that she'd purposely bought a few hundred dollars worth of chips to spend an evening at the tables. A gimlet sat near her left hand. She was not drunk, just slightly tipsy.

"Black 24. Black 24. The house wins."

The Watcher sampled her drink, watched the croupier collect the bets that had been placed as a mutter rose above the table. She should quit while she hadn't lost much, cut her losses. Not just with money, but with people as well. If the girl was determined to destroy herself, she couldn't stop her. She had quite enough guilt on her conscience, and Gregory's memory aside she didn't owe Holiday anything.

"Place your bets, please, the next spin is coming up."

Julianna placed some chips on Red 18, looked around for a server to get a refill. There were no bloody clocks in this place, and she'd left her watch on her bedside table. Never mind the time. She could leave once she'd lost the last of her chips.

Comments

[daniel_stacy]

A chair emptied at the table and a blonde man took over occupancy. He rubbed his red eyes and then steepled his palms in front of his face. Daniel had been out of bed less than an hour and he looked as sluggish as he felt; his brain had been churning out serious introspection all day and he didn't get to sleep until the sun tinged the horizon orange.

He slowly rubbed his hands together and ordered a domestic beer from a waitress carrying a tray of drinks. He placed a couple of chips on a black number at random and cleared his throat. The wheel spun.

"Come on, come on," he muttered. "Papa needs to pay the electric bill." Not even death could save you from the power company.

[daniel_stacy]

There’s definitely a dive involved.

He tamped that down fast. No need to get descriptive.

“I don’t know.” Daniel scratched at the back of his head and let his arm flop into his lap. “Somebody who’s not afraid to put herself out there,” he said, making up an answer as he talked. “I don’t mean extreme sports. That’s an adrenaline junky. There’s too many fail-safes. I mean act first, ask questions later.”

Preferably in black pantyhose with a hole in the knee.

“By the way, you’re not supposed to espouse the virtues of caution in Vegas,” he said with a good-natured smile. On his other side, a woman took a seat and began counting out her chips. The motion caught his eye and Daniel darted a quick look, just to keep track of his surroundings. An elaborate cross dangled from a chain around her neck. He did a double-take. “It’s uh…”

The hairs on his arms stood on end.

“It’s patronizing.”

[st_clare]

"Yes. She's very personable."

Should she try to reach Holiday, confirm her suspicions? There was no one to tell since Gregory was dead, and she couldn't sound an alarm here in public because it would be like shouting 'Fire' in a crowded room. Julianna wondered if Daniel could hear her heartbeat, the way her pulse had spiked. Not necessarily from fear, but from the potential for action. If she was right, how long had he been above-ground?

"I'm afraid she's a bit cross with me," the Watcher said evenly. "I didn't tell her something, and perhaps I should have. But I gave my word that I would remain silent, and so that's what I did. She promised to hold a grudge."