One last chase

I watch the man standing by the door. He is tall and slightly muscular, close shaven with small beard lines highlighting his jaw. He stares blankly at me for a minute. His mind, a million miles away. I move closer to the entrance, he twitches, obviously waking up from his daydream. I thought for a minute he recognised me, after all I am somewhat of a celebrity in the gambling world.

"Hello mate", he greets me as I approach the double doors.

"Good evening Sir, is the casino still open?"

I give a stellar performance, clearly he doesn't recognise me. I stand at the entrance and chat to him for a couple of minutes. I ask him the normal mundane questions;

"Is it busy? Are the customers winning?"

He would have been shown my picture thousands of times. He would have seen my picture plastered on 'Prolific-Cheat' manuals. Somewhere in his brain, an image of my face is flashing, but not bright enough to cause alarm. He is comfortable in my company.

"How long have you been a doorman?"

"Just over a year"

I feel a twinge of guilt when it hits me that he will have to deal with the aftermath of my visit. It is these casualties that enforced my decision to retire. Someone always has to pay. Tonight it will be this inexperienced doorman and the sweet faced receptionists who are going to let me in.

"May I book a table for the restaurant?" I ask , after the receptionists finish registering me as their new member, a Mr Wilbert Smith.

"You can dine anytime Sir, no need to book...….You look so familiar Sir, but I can't place you. Are you from around here?"

I can tell the slightly older one is racking her brains, they see hundreds of faces everyday so her confusion is not surprising.

"I get that a lot" I say and take that as my que to quickly go inside, pushing past a middle aged tobacco smelling gambler. The type I swore I would never become.

"I ain't seen you here before" he grunts

"I'm just here on business, I usually go to Vegas"

"Save your money mate, It's all fixed"

"Not a good day then?"

"It never is"

Steven laments how he lost his business, family and house because of his gambling habit. I am tempted to change the man's fortune but I know he'll be back tomorrow gambling it all away so I get back to the task at hand. I must find the Russian. I walk besides Steven, hiding my face so that I don't get picked up by the cameras. I must say, my ego is a little bruised that no one has recognised me so far, after all, it took me many years to build up my reputation.

My heart skips a bit when I see the rookie who once recognised me and caused me a half a million pounds loss. He is now a manager, he gives me a sideways glance but it doesn't click . I hide behind Steven. I have to find the Russian.

"A drink for you Sir?"

A soft voice whispers in my ear. The petite hospitality attendant nods towards the blackjack table and there, the Russian is sitting.

I beckon Steve towards the blackjack table, using him as a shield. The Russian taps a stool next to him and I sit. I press the little black notebook into his rib and he stares at the keys before handing the notebook to his henchman. I have just handed over the password to a stolen bitcoin wallet worth twenty million pounds. The Russian smiles. In the same breath my offshore account pings. I am two million pounds richer.

"Excuse me Mr Robyn Conway. Can we talk?" A deep voice booms from behind me and my heart sinks. Did the Russian betray me? Is that the reason he would only meet in this Casino.