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Too late the revelation struck me. After watching my right hand tricks, Blackie concluded that I was a card mechanic. But it wasn't true. The gift didn't work that way.
Sweat trickled down the back of my neck as I sat down. My heart pumped in my throat, nearly choking me. I was on the far end from the door. There was no way I'd make it out of this room in one piece -- unless I won.
The onlookers backed up as I tuned into my hand, rubbing it, urging it to life. My fingers sizzled with luck. Maybe I'd get out of this, after all.
Blackie sat back down. "And there's one more thing, cheater. You play like me for once. Left-handed."
I forced a smile. He thought he had me, but I had one up on him. I didn't have to play with my hand -- all I had to do was touch just one of my cards. Just one.
Blackie's bodyguard came up to my side. Without warning, he grabbed my right wrist and stretched my arm straight. Now I couldn't get my hand back.
I nearly fainted. Through an alcohol cloud, the room seemed to be rotating. And as Blackie's henchman squeezed, my arm went numb. I couldn't feel my lucky hand at all.
"I don't . . . I can't . . ." I mumbled lamely.
Blackie managed to mix up the cards and deal the hand. I didn't want to pick up mine, so I hesitated.
Blackie glared. "Play or die."
With my left -- which is almost as dextrous as my right -- I picked up two pair, sevens and fives. I asked for one card, while Blackie took three. I drew an eight.
"What you got, cheater?" Blackie growled.
As I set down the two pair, Blackie fanned out a pair of deuces. I couldn't believe my eyes. A stinking pair of deuces!
I laughed. I couldn't help it. The bodyguard dropped my arm.
My laugh intensified with fear, relief and derision, while Blackie put his coat on. I approached red-faced hysteria . . . as Blackie left without a word.
It took me a couple of minutes to regain my composure. In the meantime, the rest of the guys pulled up some chairs and dealt me in. To them, it had just been an interruption to their poker game. Nothing more. But I was still in a daze. My right hand ached like a bastard. I looked at it in disbelief. This was the biggest win in my life and I'd done it all on my own. No magic charm pawing over my cards.
A doubt crept like a thief into my mind.
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