did to Buck last night, I think this game might help square things.”
Hannah wanted to roll her eyes but refrained.
But Gerda took issue with that remark herself. “I’m glad Buck’s cards got blown away. If we don’t get that casino, I may be out of a job.”
“Don’t be foolish, woman. You already have a job at the casino.”
“But how long do you think that tiki hut charm is going to keep drawing boats?”
“As long as there are cheap people who want to take the cheapest cruises in the world.”
“I’d get paid more if we had a better casino.”
Hanratty snorted. “You’d get paid more if someone besides Bill Anstin was running the operation. Now deal, dammit.”
Gerda snorted but opened the pack, pulled out the jokers and instruction cards and began to shuffle with all the aplomb of a professional. “Ante up,” she said.
Hannah looked at Horace. “We didn’t agree how much the antes would be.”
Horace picked up a red chip, casino quality clay. “Ten. We’ve each got fifty of these things. Short game.”
“That’s what I wanted.” Somehow she suspected she’d just been told they weren’t going to play only three hands. But she loved poker, any kind, and found it both relaxing and challenging. A slightly longer game would only keep her away from Buck Shanahan that much longer, and she couldn’t find anything in that to be upset about.
She riffled her chips, waiting as Gerda dealt the first three cards, two face-down, one face-up.
She was looking at a seven of clubs face up. Somehow, since Buck had started everyone calling her Sticks because of his sevens, she thought that was a sign of good luck.
She wasn’t superstitious. Of course not. No way.
When she peeked at her hole cards, the two that were face down, her heart began to hammer. Two more sevens. She had trips. An excellent hand, and right off the top with four more cards to come.
Horace shoved in a stack of chips. “Two hundred.”
Hannah, able to see only the four of diamonds he had face up tried to imagine what hand he could be betting so much on. A flush draw? A straight draw? She pursed her lips, then called him.
Another card, this time a Queen of Hearts, more betting, and again, until all the cards were on the table and the last two hole cards were dealt. Hannah looked at the two diamonds on the table, one of them part of Hanratty’s hand, and one of them part of the board cards, then considered that in her hand she already held two diamonds. The likelihood that he had a flush was…small, she decided, and called his final bet. They were both all in.
She lost. Hanratty held a flush after all. He spread out his five winning cards and smiled beatifically. Then he looked at her trip sevens and said, “Oh, bad beat, Sticks.”
“Yeah, right. Well, I guess I have to pay you, because I don’t have any more chips.”
“Oh, I can take care of that. I did say two best out of three.”
“You did.” She agreed reluctantly, sure this old schemer had something up his sleeve. He rose and went to the stack of bottled water. Putting his hand atop it, he said, “Each of these twelve packs buys you…” he paused, thinking about it.
She could almost see the wheels spinning, as if he were deciding how much he thought he could take her for. She was just about ready to get up from the table and pay the four hundred and fifty dollar bill, when he said, “Tell you what. Three of these buys you another five hundred.”
Despite every instinct to the contrary, she settled back in her chair. “How much do they cost?”
“Six bucks apiece.”
“You’re on.”
So he carried the three cases of water to the already overloaded cart, then returned to the table. Hannah reminded herself she really wasn’t risking anything. After all, she’d either pay for the groceries or get them for free. And she could well afford the groceries, little though she wanted them.
Hanratty counted out another fifty red chips and shoved them her way. He smiled. “Ante up, Sticks.”
Two hands later, having added twelve more cases of water to the pile by the door, Hannah decided enough was enough. “Okay, Horace,” she said, walking to the door. “I’ll get it back next time.”
“Nah,” Hanratty said. “Get it from Buck instead, when you sit in his game tomorrow night.”
She turned. “How did you—”
He smiled. “No secrets, remember?”
She shook her head and walked out into the tropical heat. Then froze in her tracks as a woman planted herself directly in front of her. The woman scowled at her.
“Why are you trying to take my man?”
CHAPTER SIX
HANNAH STARED at the woman who confronted her, taking in details swiftly. She appeared to be about Hannah’s age or slightly older, though it was hard to tell since the woman’s skin showed signs of long-term sun exposure. She was athletically built, wearing a blue work shirt, khaki shorts and hiking boots with thick socks rolled over the top. In her hand was a tool that looked like the perfect murder weapon…a strange hammer-like thing with a huge, curved ice-pick in place of the claw.
Hannah instinctively stepped back. “Who are you?”
“Edna Harkin. Volcanologist. And where do you get off going after my man?”
“I’m not going after anyone.”
“Yeah, right. I’ve been hearing stories.”
“Stories?” All of a sudden, Hannah was fed up with this island. “If you’ve been hearing stories they must be coming from the voices in your head!”
Edna waved her hammer. “I’ve been hearing them from everyone in town!”
“Well everyone in town could hardly know what they’re talking about since I only got here last night!”
“And stayed at Buck’s place.”
“And stayed in the hangar in my own plane, sleeping with a freaking alligator!”
Edna nodded. “Right, but Buster didn’t hurt you.”
“Does everyone know everything about everyone on this island?” Hannah asked in exasperation.
“Only about you,” Edna said, matter-of-factly.
“So what are your plans for that hammer?” Hannah asked.
It was as if Edna Harkin suddenly realized the thing was in her hand. She gaped
