when they want to take your money.”
“Yeah. Joe’s the guy who took most of mine last night.”
“Never mind,” Bert said. “It’s going to be worth it in the end.”
“You mean I’m going to make more cheating than I can lose playing?”
“Careful what you say.” Bert looked around the room pointedly.
“I checked a million times. The room’s not bugged.”
Bert squinted, like he might see something Noah had missed.
“My god, you’re like an old-time mobster.”
“I like that comparison.” Bert grinned. “You shouldn’t knock those guys. They had style.”
“Whatever. They all killed each other in the end.”
“Make sure you don’t get blindsided by the girl’s body,” Bert said, serious again. “I don’t want you distracted from your mission.”
“My mission. You make it sound like I’m going to Mars.”
Noah blinked hard. “You have to be prepared to exploit this girl, if the situation calls for it.”
“I know.”
“You have to be prepared to see her as your enemy.”
Noah stared at the rim of his coffee. “I know.”
TWELVE
ELIZABETH
Elizabeth stood by the thick stone wall and gazed at the cloud of mist obliterating the bottom quarter of the falls. She could barely hear her thoughts over the thundering water gushing down in freefall for 170 feet, but she liked it that way. Her thoughts had been so dark recently; they could use some obscuring. She had no idea what might inspire someone to plummet over in a barrel, but she admired the courage of those who had tried.
Her peace was interrupted by a chirpy voice saying, “Morning.”
Elizabeth reluctantly turned to see Tiffany James carrying a giant take-out coffee that made her small frame look even more miniature. Tiffany clearly hadn’t showered yet, but even with messy hair and no make-up, the kid managed to look adorable.
“Morning back.” Elizabeth was going to be nice to this girl if it killed her.
“Are you looking forward to Vancouver?” Tiffany joined Elizabeth at the wall and peered over the edge.
Elizabeth wondered how much force it would take to toss Tiffany in. “No.”
“Have you ever been there?”
“Vancouver? Once or twice. I grew up there.”
“Oh.” Tiffany nodded knowingly, like she might have the first clue about Elizabeth’s life. “And your family’s still there?”
“They live in Richmond,” Elizabeth said. “The same suburb as the River Rock Casino.”
“That’s convenient. Are you staying with them for the Vancouver leg of the tournament?”
“No,” Elizabeth said sharply. The last time she’d played at the River Rock, she and Joe had slept in her old bedroom for almost a week. Before their visit was over, Elizabeth had been ready to scream at pretty much everyone. “Joe chartered a boat. We’re keeping it moored at the casino.”
“In winter?” Tiffany shivered dramatically in her short white ski jacket.
“It’s nearly spring. Vancouver’s mild. Not like Ontario, where the people and the temperature are cold and bitter.” Elizabeth was pretty sure Tiffany was from Ontario. She had Entitled Little Toronto Bitch written all over her.
Tiffany shrugged. “I hope you don’t get seasick.”
Elizabeth hadn’t thought about that. They’d be moored in the river, but the Fraser was tidal and the water could get rough.
“So why do you hate your family?”
“I never said I hated them.” Elizabeth wished she hadn’t opened her mouth. She wanted Tiffany to go away so she could go back to being miserable alone.
“You didn’t?” Tiffany looked surprised. “Oh. Sorry. I guess I just thought . . . do you get along with them well, then?”
“I get along with them fine.” Which was true, because Elizabeth very rarely saw them.
“Are they hard on you about your career choice?”
Elizabeth furrowed her brow. She was tempted to say something snide about not appreciating the invasive analysis, but luckily, Tiffany kept right on talking.
“My parents wanted
“Yeah. Joe’s the guy who took most of mine last night.”
“Never mind,” Bert said. “It’s going to be worth it in the end.”
“You mean I’m going to make more cheating than I can lose playing?”
“Careful what you say.” Bert looked around the room pointedly.
“I checked a million times. The room’s not bugged.”
Bert squinted, like he might see something Noah had missed.
“My god, you’re like an old-time mobster.”
“I like that comparison.” Bert grinned. “You shouldn’t knock those guys. They had style.”
“Whatever. They all killed each other in the end.”
“Make sure you don’t get blindsided by the girl’s body,” Bert said, serious again. “I don’t want you distracted from your mission.”
“My mission. You make it sound like I’m going to Mars.”
Noah blinked hard. “You have to be prepared to exploit this girl, if the situation calls for it.”
“I know.”
“You have to be prepared to see her as your enemy.”
Noah stared at the rim of his coffee. “I know.”
TWELVE
ELIZABETH
Elizabeth stood by the thick stone wall and gazed at the cloud of mist obliterating the bottom quarter of the falls. She could barely hear her thoughts over the thundering water gushing down in freefall for 170 feet, but she liked it that way. Her thoughts had been so dark recently; they could use some obscuring. She had no idea what might inspire someone to plummet over in a barrel, but she admired the courage of those who had tried.
Her peace was interrupted by a chirpy voice saying, “Morning.”
Elizabeth reluctantly turned to see Tiffany James carrying a giant take-out coffee that made her small frame look even more miniature. Tiffany clearly hadn’t showered yet, but even with messy hair and no make-up, the kid managed to look adorable.
“Morning back.” Elizabeth was going to be nice to this girl if it killed her.
“Are you looking forward to Vancouver?” Tiffany joined Elizabeth at the wall and peered over the edge.
Elizabeth wondered how much force it would take to toss Tiffany in. “No.”
“Have you ever been there?”
“Vancouver? Once or twice. I grew up there.”
“Oh.” Tiffany nodded knowingly, like she might have the first clue about Elizabeth’s life. “And your family’s still there?”
“They live in Richmond,” Elizabeth said. “The same suburb as the River Rock Casino.”
“That’s convenient. Are you staying with them for the Vancouver leg of the tournament?”
“No,” Elizabeth said sharply. The last time she’d played at the River Rock, she and Joe had slept in her old bedroom for almost a week. Before their visit was over, Elizabeth had been ready to scream at pretty much everyone. “Joe chartered a boat. We’re keeping it moored at the casino.”
“In winter?” Tiffany shivered dramatically in her short white ski jacket.
“It’s nearly spring. Vancouver’s mild. Not like Ontario, where the people and the temperature are cold and bitter.” Elizabeth was pretty sure Tiffany was from Ontario. She had Entitled Little Toronto Bitch written all over her.
Tiffany shrugged. “I hope you don’t get seasick.”
Elizabeth hadn’t thought about that. They’d be moored in the river, but the Fraser was tidal and the water could get rough.
“So why do you hate your family?”
“I never said I hated them.” Elizabeth wished she hadn’t opened her mouth. She wanted Tiffany to go away so she could go back to being miserable alone.
“You didn’t?” Tiffany looked surprised. “Oh. Sorry. I guess I just thought . . . do you get along with them well, then?”
“I get along with them fine.” Which was true, because Elizabeth very rarely saw them.
“Are they hard on you about your career choice?”
Elizabeth furrowed her brow. She was tempted to say something snide about not appreciating the invasive analysis, but luckily, Tiffany kept right on talking.
“My parents wanted
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