Chapter 13 Chapter Twelve

In addition to Tony Rizzoli and Victor Krenzs, there were four other men in the hotel room. "I want you to meet my friend Otto Dalton," said Rizzoli, "Victor Krenzs." The two of them shook hands. Rizzoli looked at the others with puzzled eyes. "I don't think I've seen these gentlemen," introduced Otto Dalton. "This is Perry Breslauer from Detroit...Marvin Seymour from Houston...Sal Plessy from New York." Victor Krenzs nodded at them, but did not dare to speak.Otto Dalton was a bony, gray-haired, amiable man in his sixties.Perry Breslauer was younger, gaunt and thin.Marvin Seymour was tall and mild-looking.Sal Plessy was a tall man with strong arms and the shape of an oak tree.His eyes were small and sharp, and there was a deep scar on his face.

Rizzoli had explained to Krenzs before the game started.These guys are rich and they can afford to lose.Seymour owned an insurance company, Bracelaure had car dealerships all over the country, and Sal Plessy was the head of a large conglomerate in New York. Otto Dalton said, "Okay, gentlemen, let's get started. The white chip is $5, the blue chip is $10, the red chip is $25, and the black chip is $50. Let's look at the color of the money first." .” Krenzs pulled out the five-hundred-dollar bill that Tony Rizzoli had lent him.No, he thought, not lending but giving.He looked at Rizzoli and smiled.What a friend Rizzoli was.

Everyone else took out large denomination notes. Krenzs suddenly felt a wave of worry in his heart.What if something went wrong and he lost the five hundred dollars?He shrugged, not thinking about it.His friend Tony Rizzoli will handle it.But suppose he wins.A sense of happiness suddenly filled Krentz's body. The gamble begins. ※※※ The dealer chooses the play.The stakes are small to begin with.There are five card games, seven card games, draw poker and hi-lo poker. In the beginning, everyone won or lost almost, but slowly the wind turned.Victor Krenzs and Tony Rizzoli didn't seem to be doing anything wrong.If they had mediocre cards, the others had bad cards; if the others had good cards, Krenzes and Rizzoli had better cards.

Victor Krenzs couldn't believe his luck.By the end of the night, he had won nearly two thousand dollars.It's like a miracle. "Lucky you guys," muttered Marvin Seymour. "I said," echoed Breslauer, "how about giving us another chance tomorrow?" "I'll let you know when the time comes," Rizzoli said. ※※※ After they were gone, Krenzs yelled, "I can't believe it. Two thousand dollars!" Rizzoli smiled. "It's a trifle. I told you, Otto is the slickest poker hand in the business. These guys are eager to try again with me. Are you interested?"

"Of course there is." Krenzs grinned, "I thought I was just joking." ※※※ The next night, Victor Krenzs won three thousand dollars. "That's wonderful," he said to Rizzoli. "They don't suspect anything, do they?" "Of course not. I swear to you tomorrow they'll ask us to raise the stakes. They think they'll win their money back. Are you coming?" "Tony, of course I'm coming." As they sat down to start, Sal Plessy said, "You know, we've lost pretty badly so far. How about we up the ante?" Tony Rizzoli looked at Krenzs and blinked again.

"I have no problem," Rizzoli said. "How are you?" They all nodded in agreement. Otto Dalton piled up the chips. "White ones are $50, blue ones are $100, red ones are $500, and black ones are $1,000." Victor Krenzs looked at Rizzoli uneasily.He didn't expect the stakes to be so high. Rizzoli nodded, reassuring him. The gamble begins. Business as usual.Victor Krenzs's hand seemed to cast a spell, and no matter what card he drew, it was bigger than anyone else's.Tony Rizzoli is winning too, but not as much. "Dog day's card!" grumbled Plessy, "let's change a set."

Otto Dalton obediently dealt another set. Krenzs looked at Tony Rizzoli and smiled slightly.He knew nothing could change their luck. At midnight they had sandwiches delivered and they took another 15 minute break. Tony Rizzoli pulls Krenzs aside. "I asked Otto to give them a treat," he whispered. "I do not understand." "Let them win a few sets. If it keeps losing, they'll be disappointed and stop playing." "Oh, I see. That's a smart way to do it." "When they think they're lucky, we up the ante and hit them hard." Victor Krenzs hesitated. "I've won so much money, Tony. Don't you think maybe we should keep it while we...?"

Tony Rizzoli looked him straight in the eyes and said, "Victor, what do you think of leaving here tonight with five thousand dollars in your pocket?" ※※※ When the betting resumed, Breslauer, Pricey, and Seymour started winning.Krentz's luck is still not bad, but the others are better. Otto Dalton was a genius, Krenzes thought.He'd been watching him deal the cards, but he couldn't see anything wrong with him. Gambling continues.Victor Krenzs has been losing, but he's not worried.He and Rizzoli and Dalton were going to hit them hard in a few minutes when they--what was that--let the guys "get a taste of it."

Sal Plessy looked greedy. "Well," he said, "looks like you guys are out of luck." Tony Rizzoli shook his head dejectedly. "Yeah, it's really bad luck, isn't it?" He nodded knowingly to Krenzs. "You can't be lucky all the time," said Marvin Seymour. Perry Breslauer spoke up. "Let's increase the stakes again and have a real contest. What do you think?" Tony Rizzoli pretended to think about it. "I don't know," he said thoughtfully, and he turned to Victor Krenzs. "What do you think, Victor?" How do you feel about leaving here tonight with five thousand dollars in your pocket?I'll be able to buy a house, and a new car, and take my family on vacation...Krenzes is almost shaking with excitement.He smiled and said, "Why not?"

"Okay then," Sal Plessy said, "we'll play table chips. There's no limit to the bets." They are playing five outs.The cards are dealt. "It's my turn to bet first," Breislauer said. "Let's start with $5,000." Everyone made their own bet. Victor Krenzs was dealt two queens, and he drew three more cards, one of which was another queen. Rizzoli looked at the cards in his hand. "I call and raise one thousand." Marvin Seymour looked at the cards. "I want to add another two thousand." Otto Dalton closed his cards. "I can't keep up."

Sal Plessy said, "Me too." In the end, all the bets belonged to Marvin Seymour. On the next lap, Victor Krenzes dealt 8, 9, 10 and J four hearts, one short of a straight flush. "I'll put down a thousand," Dalton said. "I call and raise a thousand yuan." Sal Plessy said, "I'll bet another thousand." It's Krentz's turn.He's convinced a straight flush is bigger than any card they've ever drawn.He's only one shot away. "I want it too." He added another card and put it face down, not daring to look at it. Breislauer showed his cards. "A pair of 4, a pair of 10." Pricey put down his cards. "Three 7s." They all turned to look at Victor Krenzs.He took a deep breath and picked up the hidden card, which was a spade. "It's over." He put down his cards. ※※※ The stakes are getting bigger and bigger. Victor Krenzs' stack was almost gone.He looked up and looked at Rizzoli worriedly. Rizzoli smiled in relief, a smile that seemed to say: nothing to worry about. Rizzoli started another lap. The cards are dealt. "Let's bet a thousand dollars first." Perry Breslauer said, "I'll add a thousand." Marvin Seymour said, "I'm going to double." Sal Plessy said, "You know the cards? I think you're bluffing. I'll add another five thousand." Victor Krenzs hadn't looked at the cards in his hand yet.When will this damn temptation stop? "Victor?" Krenzes took the cards and fanned them one by one.One ace, two aces, three aces, plus a king and a 10.His blood started to rush. "Are you participating?" He secretly smiled.The temptation has ceased.He knew he would also be dealt an ace, a three of a kind and a pair of two of a kind.He tossed the 10 aside and said in as indifferent a voice as possible: "I'm participating. Give me another card, please." "I want two more," said Otto Dalton, looking at the cards in his hand. "I'll add one thousand." Tony Rizzoli shook his head. "I can't afford it." He closed the cards. "I'm in," Plessy said. "Five thousand dollars." Marvin Seymour put down his cards. "I gave up." Only Victor Krenzs and Sal Plessy remained. "Do you want more?" said Plessy. "It's going to cost five thousand dollars." Victor Krenzs looked at his stack of chips.There's only five thousand dollars left, but once I win the total amount of the round... he thought.He looked at the cards in his hand again.No one can overwhelm it.He put the pile of chips in the middle of the table and drew another card.It is a 5.But he still has three aces.He puts down his cards. "Three Aces." Plessy showed his cards. "Four 2s." Krenzs sat transfixed, watching Plessy collect his bet.For some reason, he felt sorry for his friend Tony.It would be great if we could hold out until we started winning again! It was Plessy's turn. "Seven Cards," he announced. "Let's bet a thousand dollars first." Everyone else placed an upfront bet. Victor Krenzs looked at Tony Rizzoli in despair. "I don't……" "Never mind," said Rizzoli, turning to the others. "Hey guys, Victor didn't bring much cash tonight, but I assure you he's keeping his word. Let's put him on credit until the end of the day. " Plessy said, "Come on, what is this—a fucking credit union? We don't even know Victor Klentzs. How do we know he's going to pay the bill?" "I'll bail for him," Tony Rizzoli assured him, "here Otto will bail for me." Otto Dalton said: "If Tony says Mr. Krenzs is believable, he is believable." Sal Plessy shrugged. "Okay, I think that's the way to go." "I don't think it matters," Perry Breslauer said. Otto Dalton turned to Victor Krenzs. "How much do you want?" "Give him ten thousand," Tony Rizzoli said. Krentz looked at him in surprise.Ten thousand dollars was more than he had earned in two years.But Rizzoli sure knew what he was doing. Victor Krenzs swallowed. "Okay... okay." A pile of chips was placed in front of Krenzs. The card that night was Victor Krenzs' nemesis.As the stakes increased, his new pile dwindled.Tony Rizzoli is also losing. At two o'clock in the morning, they rested for a while.Krenzes pulls Tony Rizzoli into the corner. "What's the matter?" whispered Krenzes, terrified. "My God, do you know how much money I have?" "Don't worry, Victor. I'm losing, too. I've sent Otto the signal. When it's his turn, the wind will turn. We're going to knock 'em hard." They sat down again. "Another twenty-five thousand dollars in chips for my friend," Rizzoli said. Marvin Seymour frowned. "Are you sure he still wants to play?" Rizzoli turned to Victor Krenzs. "it's up to you." Krentz hesitated.I've signaled Otto that the wind will turn. "I attended." "Ok." Chips worth 250 million U.S. dollars were placed in front of Krenzs.He looked at the chips and suddenly felt very lucky. Otto Dalton sits. "All right, gentlemen. Let's play Five Card, starting at a thousand dollars." Everyone places their bets in the middle of the table. Dalton dealt five cards to each.Krentz didn't look at his cards.I'll wait, he thought, good luck this time. "Let's bet." Marvin Seymour, sitting to Dalton's right, looked carefully at the cards in his hand and said, "I'm not going to play." Then he closed the cards. Sal Plessy's next turn. "I'll bet, add one thousand yuan." He put the chips in the middle of the table. Tony Rizzoli looked at his cards and shrugged. "I don't want it either." He put down the cards in his hand. Perry Breslauer looked at his cards and grinned. "I'm going to raise, and another five thousand." Victor Klentzs would have to spend six thousand dollars if he wanted to bet any more.He took the cards slowly and fanned them.He couldn't believe his eyes.He caught a straight flush -- 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 of hearts.A wonderful hand!So Tony was right.Thank God!Krenzes did his best to hide his excitement. "I'll call, and add another five thousand." This is a good hand that can make him rich! Dalton closed his cards. "I won't raise, check." "Here I go," said Sal Plessy, "I think you're scaring people, my friend. I'll add another five thousand." Victor Krenzs felt a surge of excitement all over his body.He was dealt a once-in-a-lifetime hand of cards!This is the biggest bet of the night. Perry Breslauer was watching his cards carefully. "Okay, guys, I think I'll go too, and five thousand more." It was Victor Krenzs' turn again.He took a deep breath. "I'll add another five thousand." He was almost trembling with excitement, and almost wanted to reach out to collect the bet. Perry Breslauer laid out his cards, triumphant. "Three kings." I won!Victor Krenzs thought. "My card isn't too bad," he said with a smile, "a straight flush." ​​He put down his cards and eagerly reached for his stake. "Slow!" Sal Plessy put down his cards slowly. "I have a straight flush on heads, and ten to eight of spades, which is higher than yours." Victor Krenzs turned pale.He suddenly felt dizzy and his heart began to beat violently. "My God," Tony Rizzoli said, "two bloody straight flushes?!" He turned to Krenzs. "I'm sorry, Victor, I... I don't know what to say." Otto Dalton said: "Gentlemen, I think I'll stop here tonight." He checked a note and turned to Victor Krenzs. "You owe sixty-five thousand dollars." Victor Krenzs looked at Tony Rizzoli on the opposite side, dumbfounded.Rizzoli shrugged hopelessly.Krentz took out his handkerchief and wiped his forehead. "How are you going to pay?" Dalton asked. "Cash or check?" "I don't want a check," said Plessy, looking at Victor Krenzs. "I want cash." "I...I..." He was tongue-tied, only feeling that he was trembling, "I...I don't have that much..." Sal Plessy's face fell. "What did you say?" he growled. Tony Rizzoli said hastily, "Wait a minute! Victor said he didn't bring it. I told you he kept his word." "That doesn't solve anything, Rizzoli. It's his money I want to see." "You'll see," Rizzoli promised. "You'll get your money in a few days." Sal Plessy jumped up. "Fuck, I'm not a charity. I want money tomorrow." "Don't worry, he'll bring it." Victor Krenzs is trapped in a nightmare from which he cannot escape.He sat there dumbfounded, not even knowing that the others had gone.Only Tony and Krenzs were left. Krentz was in a trance. "I...I can't come up with that much money," he moaned. "Impossible!" Rizzoli put a hand on Klentz's shoulder. "I don't know what to say to you, Victor. I can't figure out what went wrong. I think I lost as much money as you tonight." Victor Krenzs' eyes widened. "But... but you can afford it, Tony. I... I can't afford it. I'm going to explain to them I can't afford it." Tony Rizzoli said, "Victor, if I were you, I'd think twice. Sal Plessy is the head of the East Coast Seamen's Union, and they're a lot of good people." "I can't help it. If I have no money, I have no money. What can he do to me?" "Let me tell you what he can do to you," Rizzoli said sincerely. "He can make his men knock your kneecaps off and you'll never be able to walk. He can make them put a knife in your eye." Acid, blinding you. And then, after all you've been through, he'll decide whether to let you live or kill you." Victor Krentz's eyes fixed on him, and his face turned pale. "You... are you kidding me?" "I hope I'm kidding. It's my fault, Victor. I shouldn't have let you bet with a guy like Sal Plessy. He's a hangman." "Oh my! What am I supposed to do?" "Is there any way you can raise the money?" Krenzs laughed hysterically. "Tony... I barely earn enough to support my family." "In that case, I can only advise you to get out of here, Victor. Perhaps abroad, where Plessy can't find you." "I can't do that," Victor Krenzs howled, "I have a wife and four kids." He looked at Tony Rizzoli and said accusingly, "You said it was a trap , we won't lose. You told me..." "I know. I'm really sorry, too. It's always worked out like this before. I think Plessy must be cheating." A glimmer of hope appeared on Krenz's face. "Well, if he's cheating, I don't have to pay him." "The thing is, Victor," Rizzoli said patiently, "if you say he cheated, he'll kill you, and if you don't pay him, he'll kill you, too." "Oh, my God," moaned Klentz, "I must die." "Thinking about it scares me, too. Are you sure you can't get any money?" "That's going to take hundreds of lives, a thousand. Everything I have is mortgaged. Where am I going to...?" Suddenly, Tony Rizzoli had an inspiration. "Wait a minute, Victor! Didn't you say those antiques in the museum are worth a lot of money?" "Yes, but what has it to do with it?" "Listen to me. You said that imitations can be fakes." "Of course not. An expert can tell..." "Hey, don't tell me. What happens if an antique goes away and is replaced by an imitation? I mean, when I was in the museum, there were a lot of tourists. They could tell the real from the fake. Are you coming?" "No, but...I...I see what you mean. No, I can't do that!" Rizzoli said reassuringly, "I understand, Victor. I was just thinking that there might be one less bric-a-brac in the museum. There are so many of them anyway." Victor Krenzs shook his head. "I have been the director of this museum for 20 years, and this kind of thing has never occurred to me." "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have suggested that. The only reason I thought of it was because it could save your life." Rizzoli stood up and stretched. "Well, it's getting late. I think your wife must be there Wondering where you've been." Victor Krenzs' eyes were fixed on him. "Can this save my life? How can it be saved?" "It's very simple. Suppose you got an antique..." "antique?" "...antique...then, give it to me so I can get it out of the country and sell it for you, and pay back the money you owe Plessy. I think I can convince him to wait that long. Then, You've saved yourself. I don't have to tell you that I took a big risk for you, because if I got caught I'd be in a lot of trouble. I offered to do it because I felt indebted to you. It's all my fault that you got into this terrible situation." "You're a good friend," said Victor Krenzs, "and I can't blame you. I don't have to gamble. You're trying to do me a favour." "I know. I'm just hoping for a good outcome. Well, let's get some sleep. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Good night, Victor." "Good night, Tony." ※※※ Early the next morning, a call came to the museum. "Is it Krenzs?" "Yes, who are you?" "I'm Sal Plessy." "Good morning, Mr. Pricey." "I'm calling for a small matter of $65,000. When will I get the money?" Victor Krenzs began to sweat. "I... I don't have the money right now, Mr. Pricey." There was an ominous silence on the other end of the phone. "What the hell are you playing with me?" "Trust me, I'm not playing tricks. I..." "So, I want my money. Got it?" "Understood, sir." "When does your museum close?" "6...6 o'clock." "I'll go there. Take the money with you, or I won't be sympathetic. After that, I'll be really sorry for you." The phone hung up. Victor Krenzs sat there terrified.He wanted to hide, but where could he hide?A sense of desperation washed over him, a series of "what ifs" in his mind: If I hadn't been to the casino that night, if I had never met Tony Rizzoli, if I had kept my promise to my wife never to gamble again. What a promise!He shook his head, trying to wake himself up.I have to act -- act now. At this moment, Tony Rizzoli walked into his office. "Good morning, Victor." ※※※ The time is 6:30.The staff have all gone home from get off work, and the museum closed half an hour ago.Victor Krenzs and Tony Rizzoli watch the museum's front door. Krentz was getting more and more nervous. "What if he doesn't agree? What if he wants money tonight?" "I'll deal with him," Tony Rizzoli said, "Let me talk to him." "What if he doesn't come? What if he...you know...sends someone to kill me? Do you think he'll do that?" "As long as he could get the money, he wouldn't have done it," Rizzoli said confidently. At seven o'clock Sal Plessy finally arrived. Krentz hurried forward to open the door. "Good evening," he said. Pricey looked at Rizzoli. "What the hell are you doing here?" He turned to Victor Krenzs again. "It's between the two of us." "Don't worry," Rizzoli said, "I'm here to help." "I don't need your help." Pryce turned to Krenzs. "Where's my money?" "I...I didn't. But..." Pricey grabbed his throat. "Listen, you bastard! Give me back the money tonight or I'll send you to feed the fish. Got it?" Tony Rizzoli said, "Hey, calm down. You'll get your money." Plessy turned to him. "Don't mind your own business. It's none of your business." "I'm going to make it my business. I'm a friend of Victor's. Victor doesn't have cash right now. But he has a way of getting money for you." "Is he rich or not?" "He did and he didn't," Rizzoli said. "What the fuck kind of answer is that?" Tony Rizzoli pointed his arm around the room. "That's where the money is." Sal Plessy glanced around the room. "Where?" "In these showcases, the curios inside are antiques." Krenzs said involuntarily. "They're worth a fortune. I mean millions." "Huh?" Plessy turned to look at the display cases. "What use are they to me locked in a museum? I want cash." "You'll get cash," Rizzo said calmly, "twice what my friend owes you. You just have to be patient. Victor's not a deadbeat. He just needs a little time. I'll Tell you what he's planning. Victor's going to take one of the curios here... an antique... and try to sell it. As soon as he gets the money, he'll give it to you." Sal Plessy shook his head. "I don't like it. I don't know anything about these curios." "You don't have to understand. Victor is one of the best connoisseurs in the world." Tony Rizzoli walked to a display case, pointed to a marble head and said, "How much do you think this is worth, Victor?" Victor Krenzs swallowed. "It's the goddess Haiji, from the 14th century BC. Any collector would be happy to pay two or three million dollars for it." Rizzoli turned to Sal Plessi. "Here, now you understand what I mean?" Pricey frowned. "I don't know. How long do I have to wait?" "You'll get double the money in a month." Plessy thought for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, but if I have to wait a month, I'll ask for more - another 200,000." Tony Rizzoli looked across at Victor Krenzs. Krenz nodded quickly. "Okay," Rizzoli said, "deal." Sal Plessy approached the diminutive museum curator. "I'll give you 30 days. If I don't get the money by then, I'll chop you up and feed it to the dogs. Do you understand?" Krentz swallowed. "Understood, sir." "Remember... 30 days!" He gave Tony Rizzoli another long, savage stare. "I do not like you." They watched Sal Plessy turn and walk out the door.Krenzs slumped in a chair, wiping the sweat from his brow with his hands. "Oh my God!" he said, "I thought he was going to kill me. Do you think we can give him the money in thirty days?" "It will," promises Tony Rizzoli. "You just take an antique out of the cabinet and replace it with an imitation." "How do you get it out of the country? If you get caught, you'll go to jail." "I know," said Tony Rizzoli bravely, "but I had to take this opportunity. I owe you so much, Victor." An hour later, Tony Rizzoli, Sal Plessy, Otto Dalton, Perry Breslauer, and Marvin Seymour were all drinking in the suite of Dalton's hotel. "It's going well," Rizzoli boasted, "and the guy's scared the shit out of him." Sal Plessy grinned. "I freaked him out, huh?" "You freaked me out," Rizzoli said. "You should be a fucking actor." "How did it work?" asked Marvin Seymour. Rizzoli replied: "The agreement was that he would give me an antique. I managed to smuggle it out of the country and sell it. Then, I'll give each of you a share." "It's been great," Perry Breslauer said. "I like it." It was like owning a gold mine, Rizzoli thought, and once Krenzs got his hands on it, he was hooked.There was no way he could escape.I'm going to make him empty out the whole damn museum. Marvin Seymour asked, "How do you get that thing out of the country?" "I'll figure it out," Tony Rizzoli said, "I'll figure it out." He has to figure out a way, as soon as possible.Alfredo Mancuso and Gino Livery are still waiting.