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oney and ownership of other valuables。 I'd like to make my children as secure as possible before they join that general destiny。〃
〃But you volunteered to fight for your country； you were a war hero；〃 Kay said。 〃What happened to make you change？〃
Michael said； 〃'This is really getting us no place。 But maybe I'm just one of those real old…fashioned conservatives they grow up in your hometown。 I take care of myself； individual。 Governments really don't do much for their people； that's what it es down to； but that's not it really。 All I can say； I have to help my father； I have to be on his side。 And you have to make your decision about being on my side。〃 He smiled at her。 〃I guess getting。 married was a bad idea。〃
Kay patted the bed。 〃I don't know about marrying； but I've gone without a man for two years and I'm not letting you off so easy now。 e on in here。〃
When they were in bed together； the light out； she whispered to him； 〃Do you believe me about not having a man since you left？〃
〃I believe you；〃 Michael said。
〃Did you？〃 she whispered in a softer voice。
〃Yes；〃 Michael said。 He felt her stiffen a little。 〃But not in the last six months。〃 It was true。 Kay was the first woman he had made love to since the death of Apollonia。
Chapter 26
The garish suite overlooked the fake fairyland grounds in the rear of the hotel； transplanted palm trees lit up by climbers of orange lights； two huge swimming pools shimmering dark blue by the light of the desert stars。 On the horizon were the sand and stone mountains that ringed Las Vegas nestling in its neon valley。 Johnny Fontane let the heavy； richly embroidered gray drape fall and turned back to the room。
A special detail of four men； a pit boss； a dealer； extra relief man； and a cocktail waitress in her scanty nightclub costume were getting things ready for private action。 Nino Valenti was lying on the sofa in the living room part of the suite； a water glass of whiskey in his hand。 He watched the people from the casino setting up the blackjack table with the proper six padded chairs around its horseshoe outer rim。 〃That's great； that's great；〃 he said in a slurred vote that was not quite drunken。 〃Johnny； e on and gamble with me against these bastards。 I got the luck。 We'll beat their crullers in。〃
Johnny sat on a footstool opposite the couch。 〃You know I don't gamble；〃 he said： 〃How you feeling； Nino？〃
Nino Valenti grinned at him。 〃Great。 I got broads ing up at midnight； then some supper； then back to the blackjack table。 You know I got the house beat for almost fifty grand and they've been grinding me for a week？〃
〃Yeah；〃 Johnny Fontane said。 〃Who do you want to leave it to when you croak？〃
Nino drained his glass empty。 〃Johnny； where the hell did you get your rep as a swinger？ You're a deadhead； Johnny。 Christ； the tourists in this town have more fun than you do。〃
Johnny said； 〃Yeah。 You want a lift to that blackjack table？〃
Nino struggled erect on the sofa and pleated his feet firmly on the rug。 〃I can make it；〃 he said。 He let the glass slip to the floor and got up and walked quite steadily to where the blackjack table had been set up。 The dealer was ready。 The pit boss stood behind the dealer watching。 The relief dealer sat on a chair away from the table。 The cocktail waitress sat on another chair in a line of vision so that she could see any of Nino Valenti's gestures。
Nino rapped on the green baize with his knuckles。 〃Chips；〃 he said。
The pit boss took a pad from his pocket and filled out a slip and put it in front of Nino with a small fountain pen。 〃Here you are； Mr。 Valenti；〃 he said。 〃The usual five thousand to start。〃 Nino scrawled his signature on the bottom of the slip and the pit boss put it in his pocket。 He nodded to the dealer。
The dealer with incredibly deft fingers took stacks of black and gold one…hundred…dollar daps from the built…in racks before him。 In not more than fire seconds Nino had five even stacks of one…hundred…dollar chips before him； each stack had ten chips。
There were six squares a little larger than playing card shapes etched in white on the green baize； each square placed to correspond to where a player would sit。 Now Nino was placing bets on three of these squares； single chips； and so playing three hands each for a hundred dollars。 He refused to take a hit on ail three hands because the dealer had a six up； a bust card； and the dealer did bust。 Nino raked in his chips and turned to Johnny Fontane。 〃That's how to start the night； huh； Johnny？〃
Johnny smiled。 It was unusual for a gambler like Nino to have to sign a chit while gambling。 A word was usually good enough for the high rollers。 Maybe they were afraid Nino wouldn't remember his take…out because of his drinking。 They didn't know that Nino remembered everything。
Nino kept winning and after the third round lifted a finger at the cocktail waitress。 She went to the bar at the end of the room and brought him his usual rye in a water glass。 Nino took the drink； switched it to his other hand so he could put an arm around the waitress。 〃Sit with me； honey； play a few hands； bring me luck。〃
The cocktail waitress was a very beautiful girl； but Johnny could see she was all cold hustle； no real personality； though she worked at it。 She was giving Nino a big smile but her tongue was hanging out for one of those black and gold chips。 What the hell； Johnny thought； why shouldn't she get some of it？ He just regretted that Nino wasn't getting something better for his money。
Nino let the waitress play his hands for a few rounds and then gave her one of the chips and a pat on the behind to send her away from the table。 Johnny motioned to her to bring him a drink。 She did so but she did it as if she were playing the most dramatic moment in the most dramatic movie ever made。 She turned all her charm on the great Johnny Fontane。 She made her eyes sparkle with invitation； her walk was the sexiest walk ever walked； her mouth was； very slightly parted as if she were ready to bite the nearest object of her obvious passion。 She resembled nothing so much as a female animal in heat； but it was a deliberate act。 Johnny Fontane thought； oh； Christ； one of them。 It was the most popular approach of women who wanted to take him to bed。 It only worked when he was very drunk and he wasn't drunk now。 He gave the girl one of his famous grins and said； 〃Thank you； honey。〃 The girl looked at him and parted her lips in a thank…you smile； her eyes went all smoky； her body tensed with the torso leaning slightly back from the long tapering legs in their mesh stockings。 An enormous tension seemed to be building up in her body； her breasts seemed to grow fuller and swell burstingly against her thin scantily cut blouse。 Then her whole body gave a slight quiver that almost let off a sexual twang。 The whole impression was one of a woman having an orgasm simply because Johnny Fontane had smiled at her and said； 〃Thank you； honey。〃 It was very well done。 It was done better than Johnny had ever seen it done before。 But by now he knew it was fake。 And the odds were always good that the broads who did it were a lousy lay。
He watched her go back to her chair and nursed his drink slowly。 He didn't want to see that little trick again。 He wasn't in the mood for it tonight。
It was an hour before Nino Valenti began to go。 He started leaning first； wavered back； and then plunged off the chair straight to the floor。 But the pit boss and the relief dealer had been alerted by the first weave and caught him before he hit the ground。 They lifted him and carried him through the parted drapes that led to the bedroom of the suite。
Johnny kept watching as the cocktail waitress helped the other two men undress Nino and shove him under the bed covers。 The pit boss was counting Nino's chips and making a note on his pad of chits； then guarding the table with its dealer's chips。 Johnny said to him； 〃How long has that been going on？〃
The pit boss shrugged。 〃He went early tonight。 The first time we got the house doc and he fixed Mr。 Valenti up with something and gave him some sort of l