"Harrison, Harry- The Stainless Steel Rat for President" - читать интересную книгу автора (Harrison Harry)

The Stainless Steel Rat for President 87

"So do 1. Jacks high. About time I won something. I was afraid you were going to skin us, you and your winning streak. "
Me and my losing streak. The cards began to go against me and very soon all of the money in my wallet was gone.
"That's it for me, boys," I said, folding my last hand. "I'm skinned. Unless I dig into my traveling money." "Up to you, Jaime," Adolfo said casually. "Just a friendly

game. But you should have a chance to win something back." "You're right, what the dickens. Just a friendly game." I went over to my case, where I had placed it on the table in plain sight, and opened it. As I reached into it Santos called out to me, his voice suddenly quite rough.
"Just hold it there, Jaime, Don't take anything out of that

case sudden-like if you don't mind. "
I looked up and saw that he had a large pistol in his hand, which he was leveling at me. And little Adolfo was doing the

same thing with another gun. Just to make the scene complete, Renata had produced an equally impressive pistol from someplace, which was also pointed in my direction. I smiled, innocently I hoped, and moved my hands slowly into sight. "Say, what's going on here?" I asked.
Santos's only answer was to cock his pistol with a snik-click, the tinv sound loud in the silence of the ronrn

"What happened to our friendly poker game?" I said.
"What happened to our friendly traveler who just wanted to play poker?" Adolfo asked. ╗. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about the fact that we have an X-ray screen tucked up under that table top. You have exactly ten seconds to tell us why you have three guns in there. Mr. Police Spy." I laughed at this suggestion, then stopped laughing when Adolfo cocked his gun too. "Only a police spy would talk politics to a stranger," he said grimly. "Seven seconds." "Stop with the counting!" I said. "All right. I'll teH you the truth. I'm a card sharper. I was just about to clean you out." "What?" Adolfo shook his head as though to clear it. This

was undoubtedly the last answer he had been expecting.
"You don't believe me? I've been watching you all evening while you marked the edges of the high cards with your thumbnail. So you could separate them out of the pack, then deal from the bottom. I let you lift my bundle so I could go into

my reserves, bet high, lose, double or nothingЧthen clean you out with one last hand. The guns are to make sure I get out of here with the winnings."
"You're lying to save your neck," Adolfo said, but he didn't sound as assured now. "No one could do that to me." "No? I will be happy to demonstrate. You just shuffled the deck that's on the table didn't you?" He nodded. "All right then. I'm going over to the table and pick it up, I won't make

any fast moves so try to keep those fingers cool on the triggers."
I did just that. Moving slowly, sitting down, pulling my chair forward, reaching out and picking up the deck right under their noses. They stared intently while I dealt out three hands. I sat back and clasped my hands behind my

The Stainless Steel Rat for President 89

neck, the picture of relaxation, and nodded my chin down at

my cards.
"There they are, Adolfo, my old card mechanic. You pick

up my cards and see what land of a hand mother luck has dealt me."
His gun was lowered, forgotten, as he reached out and turned my hand over.
Four aces and a joker stared back at him.
"Five aces usually win," I said calmly, smiling, as both

men stared down at the cards. Renata leaned over so she could see too.
I shot her first, then Santos. With the needle gun I had thoughtfully tucked into the back of my collar. Adolfo jumped with surprise as his companions slumped and banged towards the floor. He started to raise his gun again but mine was already leveled right between his eyes.
"Don't try it," I growled, just as grimly as I could. "Lay it down and you won't get hurt. Don't worry about your part-

ners, they're just asleep. "
He was trembling as he put the gun down. I grabbed it up along with Santos's, then threw them both onto the couch. Renata's gun was on the carpet by her limp hand and I kicked that one away as well. Only then did I relax, put my own gun

away, and take a long swig from my glass.
"Do you always X-ray your marks' luggage?" I asked.