The CrimeLords' War (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 7) Read online

“Give him the letter from Tubs,” Casey said to Vic.

  Vic patted her pockets. “I must have left it.”

  “Then we’ll go home and get it,” Casey warned. “I’ll lose my job if I don’t see you hand the letter to Samson and watch him read it.”

  Vic huffed in exasperation, pulled the letter from her sleeve and handed it to Samson. “There, your job is safe.”

  He rewarded her with a smile. “Thank you. Once Samson reads it, I’ll go check on the horses.”

  Samson opened the letter. Upon reading it, he opened the door for Casey to leave. Upon closing it, he smacked Vic on the head with the letter. “You wanted to shake these boys down yourself?”

  “Without Tubs, I’m not allowed to do anything,” she complained and threw herself into his leather chair, identical to those in Xavier’s library. In fact, the whole room was identical to Xavier’s, which cheered her up.

  Samson poured them both a glass of wine and then sat down in the second chair. “Tubs is right, you know. Young boys are like rabid dogs…very hard to control and will not hesitate to attack those they don’t fear.” He sighed. “In fact, if you don’t mind, I would prefer both of us staying here and I’ll send for Dreg, telling him to bring their catch for this week. Then we can find the items you want and send the rest back with the man.”

  “And I can review your books to see if my changes are working as I expected.”

  He smiled. “A much better use of your time,” he assured her.

  He walked to his phone and instructed the operator who he wanted. While he waited to be connected, he pulled out three ledgers and placed them at his desk, and waved Vic an invitation to sit in his chair and review his books.

  When he got Dreg on the phone, Vic passed him the list of items various clients had lost during a recent parade.

  “Bring your full take, and don’t leave anything behind, because I have a list and every one of them had better be there.”

  By the angry voice on the line, Dreg objected to that threat. Honestly, Vic couldn’t blame the man. Who was to say his boys were the only ones picking pockets during the parade?

  She raised that very issue once Samson hung up. He only laughed and sat on the edge of his desk. “You’ve never met Dreg. He has the meanest boys in all of London. No one poaches their territory.”

  Vic frowned. “I thought we agreed stealing was a crime.”

  “We agreed stealing high price valuables was a crime. If you took this list to Stone, he’d yell at you for wasting his time.”

  “That’s true,” she admitted. “But still, doesn’t it put the boys on a bad path?”

  He rose and placed his hands on her shoulders and gently rubbed them. “It does, but if you recall, I am a crime lord. There has to be some outlet for criminals.”

  “Sit over there. You are distracting me,” she complained.

  He poured her another glass of wine and took a seat on the other side of the desk.

  “The high class brothels appear to be doing very well.”

  “Beyond what I believed possible. Turns out if given healthy, beautiful young women upstairs, along with a gentlemen’s club below, a great number of gentlemen will forgo the cost and rumors of a mistress. In fact, quality mistresses are coming to my brothels looking for work, since their benefactors have left.”

  Vic frowned. “But what happens if a woman runs into her old benefactor at her new work place?”

  “She'd better smile and be her most charming. Otherwise, she’ll be gone. The girls are warned if they cause a scene, for any reason, they're fired.”

  “They aren’t actually girls…”

  “No. They are young women. I use the term ‘girls’ because that’s what the madams call them. However, the rule of no children, male or female, or forced servitude remains firm.”

  Vic smiled. “And look how well it has paid off. This is by far your most lucrative business…far better than your casinos.”

  “I might have problems there,” he admitted.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll ferret them out.”

  Samson leaned back and smiled then, and to all appearances, fell asleep.

  Vic was deep into the numbers when the phone rang, causing her to yelp.

  Samson bolted up in a second, answering the phone. “Let him wait. I’ll open the door when I want him.” He walked behind the desk and leaned over with his hands resting on each side of her. “I gather Xavier has yet to allow a phone to enter his office or home.”

  “Gregory has one, but otherwise no phones. I almost had a heart attack when your phone rang.”

  He leaned in and spoke close to her left ear. “You have nothing to fear.”

  His close proximity and the nearness of his body to hers suggested otherwise. She gently pushed back on her chair, forcing him to stand and back away. “Let’s not keep the Dreg fellow waiting.”

  “Actually, I’m going to need you to step through that door.”

  “Why?”

  He sighed and touched her cheek. “You are too valuable to risk to Dreg’s mercurial moods.”

  She sighed, grabbed up the ledgers and stormed into what proved to be Samson’s bedroom.

  She stared at shock at the giant bed carved with naked ladies and men making love in every position imaginable. Not only had Samson copied Xavier’s library, but he possessed an identical bed to their bed above the office.

  She set down the ledgers and inspected the headboard carefully. It even had the slots in which a wrist could be captured. Cannon had been conceived in a bed like this. She had learned the pleasure of lovemaking in Xavier’s bed.

  But this wasn’t Xavier’s bed.

  That reminder got her off the mattress. Truth be told she found Samson’s desire to have everything Xavier had a bit disturbing.

  She sat in a corner chair that resembled no chair at home or in the office and worked on the ledgers from there.

  A half-hour later, Samson opened the door and frowned when he focused on her sitting in the corner chair.

  She looked up. “Trouble?”

  He rolled his eyes. “Sometimes I think Xavier must have truly hated me when he gave me this job.”

  “No, it was the exact opposite. He thought you showed high intelligence, excellent character, and great strength.”

  “Is that your opinion, as well?” He approached slowly, almost like a stalking panther.

  “You know it is,” she said, wondering why he felt the need for compliments. “Samson, you aren’t having second thoughts about being a crime lord, are you?”

  “Only when I have to deal with real criminals, like Dreg. It’s like swimming in the sewer. Unlike Xavier, I don’t have your inspiring presence every day.”

  Vic set down the ledgers and went to him, gripping his hands with hers. “I will try to find someone to keep you cheered. Would you prefer a young man or woman?”

  His dark eyes became most intent. “A young man…not too young. Around twenty-five, with straight blond hair. Not nearly as smart or intuitive as he seems.”

  “Well, I will certainly keep my eyes out for this fellow. Did you find the items?”

  Samson sighed heavily and led her into the library. He pointed to a box. "There were some descriptions of items that could have been several of the pieces, so let your clients choose the one that belongs to them and do whatever you want with the rest.”

  Vic stared up at him confusion. Why did he seem so sad? Unable to fathom the reason, she focused on what she could solve. “As to your casinos. You have serious problems with the roulette tables. The roulette should have a house edge of 2.7 %. If you cannot discover a person at fault, check the mechanics of the roulette wheel.”

  Just like that Samson’s sadness disappeared. “Thank you, Vic. I will attend to the matter immediately. I’ve been watching the dealers, I’ve even replaced them several times, but the tables still lose. I will check the mechanics at once.”

  “If you cannot find what’s wrong, buy various colored balls
and switch them out so someone bringing their own won’t have the right ones.”

  ***

  As Vic drove home with her box of stolen items, she pondered the roulette table, wondering how a person might accurately interfere with chance. If the stop was abrupt, the dealer would know immediately. No, this had to be a slow creep to certainty.

  She stopped at the office and gave Ben the purloined items, with a warning. “Do not take the whole box to a client. They might conclude the pickpockets work for us. Instead, attempt to show them the correct item first.”

  “How do I do that?”

  She pulled out three opal necklaces. “Note the differences of the three pieces. This opal is nearly milk white. This one has a crack in the stone. And this one has a very ornate latch.”

  Ben smiled. “I will ask them to describe once again the stone, its color and condition and describe the latch. Then I will retrieve the one that best fits their description.” He placed one in his vest pocket, and one in each side pockets of his jacket.

  “Well, off you go!” she cheered.

  Satisfied Ben had the matter under control, she placed the sign on the door, and asked Casey to wait while she stopped by to check on Tubs. “All right if we put the horse in the barn so we can come in as well?”

  “Of course. But I will want to leave in an hour.”

  “Where are we going?” Casey challenged.

  “David’s office.”

  “The horse will be ready.”

  She almost asked him if he intended to take her if he didn’t like the destination, but decided she really didn’t want to know the answer.

  The only way she’d ever get out of her prison was to get Tubs well. She stormed back to his room and burst in. Tubs was lifting the boys with his legs and his torso with his arms. Second day from death and he was lifting more than most men ever could.

  “How’d it go?” Tubs asked.

  “The boys were busy, so Ben has several choices for each client.”

  Tubs’ brow furrowed.

  “I know, clients will find that disturbing, so Ben is going to ask for them to describe the jewelry better before revealing the one most likely theirs.”

  Tubs smiled and winked at her.

  “Samson has an interesting conundrum.”

  Tubs looked at his boy. “That means a puzzle.”

  “Ham isn’t speaking yet is he?” Vic asked. Other than ‘Ha’ ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ all stated emphatically, Cannon didn’t speak until he was a year old. Little Ham was only eight-months old.

  “No, but when he’s ready, he’ll know lots of words,” Tub said. “So what’s Samson’s case?”

  Vic explained his unprofitable roulette wheels.

  “Most roulette tables are rigged so the dealer can control the wins in the house’s favor.” Tub sighed. “Someone’s figured out a way to take advantage of Samson’s desire to run a fair game.”

  “He’s replaced his dealers.”

  “Don’t mean the next one is honest. Most dealers have been cheatin’ all their life, and taking money on the side to favor a player. Normally, owners don’t care as long as they make a sizable profit.”

  Vic sighed. She hoped that wasn’t the problem. She had convinced Samson to give the dealers decent salaries so taking bribes wasn’t required just to survive.

  She smiled at Cannon, squealing with happiness each time Tubs’ right leg swung up into the air. Her son was becoming a happy human child again. Arroo laid at her feet, evidently feeling left out. She reached down and put him in her lap.

  The bloodhound rolled over so she could rub his stomach.

  “I’m going to see David and see if he can figure out a way to temporarily alter where a roulette wheel stops.”

  Once Tubs finished his exercises, Vic set down Arroo, kissed both boys and smiled at Tubs. “I’ll let you know the outcome of my interrogations.”

  She hurried to the kitchen and asked if there might be something to eat.

  The cook smiled at her. “How much time do you have?”

  “Only about ten minutes.”

  With that limitation, she was soon served a slab of roast beef on bread and her favorite pudding.

  Tubs was getting better. She had two interesting cases and her pack had returned to good natured pups. She’d be most pleased with life if Xavier would only come home.

  Chapter 6

  When David finished his last patient for the day, he sat and eagerly listened to Samson’s problem.

  “Can I get access to one of his roulette wheels?”

  “He’s planning to replace one. And perhaps we could go to his casino before it opens for the night and study the wheels there.”

  David’s eyes lit up like Christmas had come early.

  ***

  Casey was less than happy with her plan, but he reluctantly drove her to Samson’s.

  Samson, dressed in his ‘Crime Lord’ persona of dark, yet expensive clothes and jewelry, greeted them when she and David arrived. The two beautiful, barely-dressed ‘ladies’ coming out of his bedroom gave Vic and David a casual once-over then ignored them. Compared to Samson’s good looks, size and power, Vic and David didn’t catch their interest.

  Samson rudely told the ladies to leave and then smiled at Vic. “I should have known this would draw you back. No mystery or crime goes unnoticed by you.”

  He looked at David. “Vic was here earlier demanding the return of worthless jewelry that the boys grabbed during the parade.” He then smiled at her. “How did that work out?”

  “I won’t know until tomorrow. Tonight we want to solve your problem.”

  “No complaints here. How may I accommodate you?”

  David spoke up. “May I see the roulette table you replaced?”

  Samson had two muscle-bound fellows bring in the table. They had barely set it down before David was underneath it. “Vic, give it a twirl.”

  Vic stared at the wheel, uncertain what she was supposed to grab to do that.

  Samson stepped behind her, pressing against her back. “Allow me.” He reached around her and gave the wheel a soft but steady twirl.

  Finding his proximity disturbing, she stepped aside and then joined David under the table. “See anything?”

  “Not a thing.”

  He got up. “We need to perform some statistical analysis. I understand that the winning number changes?”

  Samson nodded.

  “Is it always the same person winning?” Vic asked.

  He frowned at her. “If it were, he wouldn’t have arms to play roulette anymore. But no one person at the table stands out as the luckiest recipient. To be honest, everyone at the table seems to have a run of good luck.”

  David grimaced. “That is possible for a short time…”

  “But not for a month,” Samson insisted. “My roulette wheels are consistently losing money.”

  “Then someone has figured out a way to cheat and not be caught.” He knelt back down and studied the bottom again. “May we go to your casino and see the new table before it opens tonight?” David asked.

  Samson focused on Vic. “I’m game. However, your drivers will probably object.”

  Vic cursed beneath her breath. Samson was no doubt correct.

  He approached her and pressed his hand to the small of her back as he softly spoke in her ear. “We could sneak out the back, taking my carriage, then return without them being the wiser.”

  She smiled at Samson. “Excellent plan. Come on, David.”

  ***

  Escaping her jail put Vic in high spirits, which Samson noticed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you happier.”

  David laughed. “Vic loves to thwart unreasonable rules.” He then shared several college rebellions, which had them laughing heartedly by the time they arrived at the Casino, going in through the back alley, since it wasn’t open yet.

  As they walked through the dark hall, Samson’s hand pressed against the small of her back.

  Vic conse
quently pushed David in return. “Pick up your speed, David. Samson wants to stop losing money.”

  When they arrived at the main room, Samson flipped the electric lamps on.

  The moment David climbed beneath the table, he declared, “Interesting.”

  That had both Vic and Samson joining him.

  “What?” Vic asked.

  “How old was the other table?”

  “Less than a month,” Samson growled.

  Vic smiled as she realized what had David’s attention. “Should anything be touching the bottom of this table during normal use?”

  “No. If you are thinking they are manipulating it with their hand, that’s not happening. The croupier checks to ensure everyone has both hands on the table.”

  Vic snorted. “I know from experience, that fake hands exist. Nearly died learning that.”

  Samson’s hand rested on her back again. “Glad that didn’t happen. However, slowing the wheel isn’t easy. David, I’ll get it going then you try to stop it at any number you want.”

  “Well, right off I see a problem. I’ve no idea where the numbers are. They aren’t labeled down here.

  “That’s okay, because you wouldn’t be allowed to hang under the table,” Samson replied and pulled up a chair. “Sit and try it.”

  David, still laughing at his gaff, sat down. “Okay, I have a much better read on the numbers now.” He moved his chair closer. “Let us assume my right hand is a fake nicely gripping the edge of the table.”

  Samson nodded and then spun the wheel to the right and set the ball into motion going the opposite direction.

  “I’m going to try and stop it on eight,” David declared. His attempt to slow the wheel caused it to jerk.

  “That would be seen and the croupier would declare interference and ask all players near the wheel to step back. Then the roll would be redone.”

  David sighed. “Whatever they are doing is remarkably clever.” He then looked at Samson. “How do normal casinos cheat?” he asked.

  “Most drill holes in the wheel and have small pins push the ball from the high track so the probabilities are that it will fall where no one has bet. It takes a skilled croupier to do it, but that’s what the houses pay for.”