Крестный отец

           Christ,thetouristsinthistownhavemorefunthanyoudo."

           Johnnysaid,"Yeah.Youwantalifttothatblackjacktable?"

           Ninostrugglederectonthesofaandpleatedhisfeetfirmlyontherug."Icanmakeit,"hesaid.Helettheglasssliptothefloorandgotupandwalkedquitesteadilytowheretheblackjacktablehadbeensetup.Thedealerwasready.Thepitbossstoodbehindthedealerwatching.Thereliefdealersatonachairawayfromthetable.ThecocktailwaitresssatonanotherchairinalineofvisionsothatshecouldseeanyofNinoValenti’sgestures.

           Ninorappedonthegreenbaizewithhisknuckles."Chips,"hesaid.

           ThepitbosstookapadfromhispocketandfilledoutaslipandputitinfrontofNinowithasmallfountainpen."Hereyouare,Mr.Valenti,"hesaid."Theusualfivethousandtostart."Ninoscrawledhissignatureonthebottomoftheslipandthepitbossputitinhispocket.Henoddedtothedealer.

           Thedealerwithincrediblydeftfingerstookstacksofblackandgoldone-hundred-dollardapsfromthebuilt-inracksbeforehim.InnotmorethanfiresecondsNinohadfiveevenstacksofone-hundred-dollarchipsbeforehim,eachstackhadtenchips.

           Thereweresixsquaresalittlelargerthanplayingcardshapesetchedinwhiteonthegreenbaize,eachsquareplacedtocorrespondtowhereaplayerwouldsit.NowNinowasplacingbetsonthreeofthesesquares,singlechips,andsoplayingthreehandseachforahundreddollars.