James Ingelson sat behind the big desk in the office at the casino on Big Island.
It was raining hard and the ferry
driver wouldn’t leave the docks in Excelsior to bring new gamblers over to the
park.
Those who were
already at the casino could not leave, so that was good for business
James thought, but not as good as new faces with full pockets and fresh
hopes.
His employers main
man, Ivan “The Wolf” Wolvenson, had just left the island in a small craft to go
shake things loose and force the ferry driver’s hand.
The Wolf had a
reputation; he probably wouldn’t have to say a word to the man, just one look
from him and the wheels would get turning.
The poor sap of a
boat driver was nice enough, James thought, but he would probably get replaced
in short order, and then…disappear…the Wolf didn’t tolerate a man who wouldn’t
obey an order.
James stared out the
window into the dark and thought about the future.
The war for St.
Anthony was just about over, his boss had won, and he was still alive…along
with his brother Luke.
They had risked a
great deal for Karl Thorrson over the past few months. They had done their
share of dirty work, and James was hoping they would be rewarded now that it
was over. He was hoping for more than cash, he wanted a position of authority
running one of the operations, maybe I am sitting on top of it right now,
James thought. The Casino, the Amusement Park, there was talk of a hotel.
James considered taking
one of the boss’s cigars from the box on his desk, then he decided against it.
The one-eyed giant he worked for was keenly observant, and James didn’t want to
answer any questions about a missing stogie, no matter how much he wanted to
light one of those fine cigars.
He poured himself a
whiskey instead, put his feet up on the desk and sipped slowly from the
tumbler.
He and his brother
had gotten where they were by tenacity and loyalty, and by showing that they
could keep their heads about them in a fight.
He was thinking that
he had made a place for himself on easy street. Not that there wasn’t more
work to do, but the war was over, and when they gathered all the pieces there
would be plenty to distribute. His, and his brother’s share would be good.
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