Aces and Knaves

you find out I was here?"
    "I tried to call you, as I said. I left several messages, but you didn't return my calls. When I was going to Richard's house to give him briefings I got to know Luz. She told me that when you went out for more than a few hours you told her so that she wouldn't cook for you. So I called her and asked if she knew where you were. She told me you had flown to San Francisco."
    "You get 'A' for detective work."
    Arrow ignored my sarcasm and said, "There's only one reason you would go to San Francisco and that is to work on Ned's murder. I had to tell Richard. What he said I won't repeat, but I finally convinced him that even if he didn't want to help you as a father, he had to do it as CEO of Dionysus. A phone call here wouldn't be sufficient because what can you accomplish on the phone? So I caught the next plane."
    "How did you solve the puzzle of the day with your feeble MBA brain?"
    "One of James' lackeys tried to give me the puzzle. I told him to shove it and to put James on the intercom. I told James what I thought of his stupid-ass puzzle and that I needed to talk to you."
    "And he let you in."
    "Of course."
    She was definitely CEO material. "Well, now that you're here you can turn right around and fly back to LA. I don't need you."
    Arrow looked at me steadily and said, "Karl, you've got to tell me what you're doing."
    "I'm just having a little fun."
    "If that grim expression means you're having fun, I'd hate to see you when you're not. I don't play games, remember? You're using the serious chips. You made another bet with James, didn't you?"
    She knew too much. "So what if I did? That's my business."
    "It's Dionysus business so it's my business. And your father's business."
    "My father doesn't care if I rot in hell."
    "He does! He does care for you. He just thinks you're too...reckless. And that recklessness is jeopardizing Dionysus, not to mention your own skin."
    How could I get her off my back? "Okay, I made another bet." I looked around to see if anyone was within earshot. "If I win I'll find out whether James had any part in Ned's murder."
    "How are you going to do that?"
    I explained my reasoning in a low voice, making Arrow strain to hear me over the crowd noise. When I said it out loud it didn't sound so grand. If I couldn't even convince myself that it would work, how could I convince Arrow?
    At least Arrow didn't interrupt me. When I was through, she said, "You're trying to extract a confession from a murderer, based on his personal integrity. How much integrity does a murderer have?"
    I couldn't answer that question. Why did she have to show up to complicate my life?
    "I sat within a few feet of this spot," she continued, "and listened to you tell that guy George why his system wouldn't work. You sounded very wise. But you don't follow your own advice, do you?"
    I felt like strangling her to shut her up. But she wasn't through.
    "It would break Richard's heart if you went to work for James, when you won’t work for him—your own father. So I'll tell you what I'm going to do, for Richard's sake. I'll be your assistant and your moral support. Even if that means just carrying your chips. But why can't you just cancel the bet now like we did before?"
    "It's too late." Meaning that my own integrity was at stake.
    Arrow looked ready to argue the point but apparently decided not to. She said, "Okay, tell me what your strategy is. That way I'll know if you're veering off course."
    Even though she had turned traitor and squealed on me to my father I felt more comfortable with Arrow here. She could help me maintain my discipline. I told her my basic strategy and we agreed that I would play no more than an hour at a stretch and then rest for at least fifteen minutes. And no alcoholic beverages.
    At 11 o'clock I had significantly increased my stake. I think Arrow's presence helped me stick to my plan.
    Arrow suddenly said, "Okay, that's it. You're through for the night."
    I remembered we had agreed on an 11 o'clock stop time, but I didn't want to quit. I figured that I could keep on winning. But Arrow grabbed my rack of chips and walked away. My urge to strangle her returned. I took several deep breaths and forced a smile at the dealer. I said, "I guess I'm through." He saluted me and I left the table.
    When I caught Arrow she said, "I think it's better to quit while you're ahead. It will give you a positive attitude going into tomorrow's game."
    She had a point there, although I