of them Dixon, and a woman.
One of the men looked up as Casey and McCann approached; the others were intent upon the wheel. No word was spoken as McCann tossed down two fifty-dollar bills. The croupier automatically stuffed them in a slot in the table and slid some chips to one side.
The ball came to a stop and he raked in the bets. Pausing a moment as new bets were placed, he spun it again. McCann put a quarter of his chips on 17. The woman looked at him. She was a bleached blonde of 50 or so with a diamond choker and a half-pound of diamonds on her two hands.
Casey lit a cigarette and watched McCann lose his $100 in four spins. He got more chips, cut down the size of his bets but made more of them; playing the 0 and the block around 17. He won twice but within five minutes the second $100 was gone. Casey took his arm. âCome here,â he said and dragged him to one side.
McCann gave him a drunken grin. âHowâm I doinâ?â
âTerrific,â said Casey. âLook.â He lowered his voice and pulled McCann closer. âCan you let me have a couple of yards?â
âSure. You wanna play?â
âNo. Iââ
McCann looked up at him, the foxiness in his eyes again. âNo, you donât,â he said, wagging his finger. âI know you. You canâtââ
âBut listen.â Casey turned on the sadness. âI mean it. Iâm behind on the payments on my car. I got a notice today. And the last installment on my income tax is due. Iâm in a spot, kid.â
McCann weakened. âNow wait a minuteââ
âIf you canât make it two, make it a yard and a half.â
âAw, here.â McCann wiped three 50âs from the thin stack. âHere. Stop makinâ me cry.â
Casey watched him stagger back to the table and then he saw that the croupierâs assistant was watching him. The fellow was a jut-jawed husky and he knew what had happened and he didnât like it. He didnât know how much Casey had nicked McCann for, but he did know that whatever it was, the house wouldnât get it that night. He bunched his lips and glowered.
At the doorway he turned. The man was still glowering. Casey waved at him. He felt pretty good going downstairs, thinking how heâd saved something out for McCann, and then he thought about Wade and glanced at his strap watch.
It was well after two now and be turned toward the bar, mumbling to himself, determined to have one more drink and then go home to bed whether Wade came or not. He got the drink and drank it, neither hurrying nor taking his time; when Wade did not appear he went downstairs, bought his coat and hat back from the blonde, and went out with a good night for Nick and a chuckle for the youth with patent-leather hair who accompanied him to the outer door.
âYou ought to watch yourself.â Casey said. âYou hadnât ought to let people in here unless they show their card.â
The youth cursed as the door closed behind Casey. He buttoned his coat, standing on the top step and glancing up and down the street. When he couldnât see Wade, he went down the steps toward his car.
There was a man sitting on the bottom step of the house next door. He was smoking a cigarette:
âSee you a minute?â he said hoarsely.
Casey paused. The man stood up. âYouâre Casey, ainât yuh?â he said. And then, before Casey could answer, he saw the gun and stiffened, hearing a sound of movement behind him, half-turning toward it as a second man walked from between two parked cars.
âStand still!â the first man said. The other stepped up behind Casey and jabbed a gun in his back. The first man circled round so that he, too, was behind Casey and slightly to one side. ââDown the street, pal,â he said. âWeâll tell you when to stop.â
Casey hesitated but a moment. If heâd had any chance to give them an argument