Out of Context

The Gray and Guilty Sea
Scott William Carter

Then he bent over and dropped his voice to a whisper–not that it mattered, because there was no one else in the diner.

“Tell you what I’m going to do,” he said. “I got a game I play Wednesday nights down at Sapphire Head. A lot of fat wallets. They know me pretty well, know all my moves, so I never score much. But you? You could come in there and clean house. I’ll help you, and we’ll split the take fifty-fifty.”

“No, thanks.”

“You sure? I really think you should be there, Gage.”

Gage looked up. There was something in Jimmy’s tone that suggested this was about more than poker. “Are you saying I might learn something?”

“There’s always plenty to learn, friends. They might not have that much to teach you about poker, but they might have plenty to teach you about Barnacle Bluffs.”

“I see.”

“All I’ll say is this girl, she wasn’t anybody in my circles, know what I’m saying? I’m not even saying I know what circle she was in, but whatever you learn from these folks, it can’t hurt. Interested now?”

“Maybe.”

“Okay, go to the front counter at nine o’clock on Wednesday and say you’re there for Mr. Moore’s chess club. They’ll direct you to a room. It’s different each week.