The Queen of Spades

     It had been a little over an hour since Nadine had turned off her earpiece and ended her conversation with Chloe. She did feel bad about doing that but she just wanted her Chloe safe and out of harm's way. Not to mention that her soulmate had this infuriating yet endearing knack for talking your ear off for hours on end and always seemed to get her way. She’d even seen Chloe talk a man into giving them a new car free of charge on one of their adventures, so it was best to just end the conversation and not give her another option. She could feel in her bones that Chloe was feeling hurt, but she’d apologize to her later.

     Looking out past the bar she noticed one of the security men whispering something unpleasant if the new frown was anything to go by, in Mr. Jergen’s ear and then watched them both walk off in the direction Chloe had gone.

     “It’s a good thing she already left before they discovered that necklace missing “ she sighed in relief. Though something in her was nagging at her. Looking at her watch, she suppressed a sigh of a different nature. She still had another hour left on the clock before she could end her shift and leave. “ At least some of these people tip well,” she thought as she glanced at the tip jar on the counter, making eye contact with President Jackson. Closing her eyes she focused on her new yet developing connection with Chloe and though there was pain and hurt, the loudest thing she could feel was an overwhelming sense of cockiness and pride in the mix she felt but everything was hazy. Nadine smiled to herself “yeah that’s definitely my Chloe, always cocky about something ” she hadn’t really mastered their connection yet but she was a fast learner so she wasn’t worried about it that haziness, everything would become clear in time.“probably just celebrating our score. Or maybe it’s something else. I wonder what she’s up to all alone in our room?”

     Chloe groaned as she sluggishly opened her eyes for the second time since she first got hit in the head. Last time she was over the henchman’s shoulder, and now she was tied to a chair with a bag over her head. “ how long has it been?” She wondered. “, and why does my ear feel like it’s wet?” Everything felt a little muddled right now, and her head was killing her. 

     The night hadn’t gone at all as she’d planned. She tried to focus but try as she might she couldn’t see anything past what was on her head. She could however hear something,“ how did you all lose it?! I gave you one job!” She recognized that voice, it was Jergen.

     “ We think we caught the culprit. She was standing by your office door when we found her, although your office door was still locked when we tried to enter it. After we used the key though we saw the necklace was missing.” 

     Chloe smiled to herself, she knew taking those extra few seconds to relock the door on her way out was a good idea.

     “ you’re telling me that you attacked one of my guests without being sure that it was her! Did you blithering idiots even check the video surveillance?!” 

     “We did sir, but it didn’t show anything useful, it was angled away from your office door.”

     “ ugh! You all have made such a mess of this. Let’s see if we can sort this all out, shall we? Is she awake?”

     “No sir, not yet.”

     Chloe closed her eyes, right on time, before the bag was ripped off of her head.

     “Oh it’s her, I was wondering what was taking her so long, you all attacked her. She told me she was going to go find a restroom.”

     Chloe felt a hand turn her head to the left and to the right to see all the damage that was done.

     “She’s bleeding pretty badly.” He finally said.” What did she say when you found her outside my office door?”

     For a moment there was an uncomfortable silence between them” well… umm that’s what she said sir, she had her shoes in her hands and she said she had to pee sir” 

     “ you insufferable driveling fool! Did she even have it on her person?!” Again there was a pregnant pause before a quiet “no” was heard. “ How… Are you... Do you have any idea what you have done?!” He seethed. “Everyone out there is at the pinnacle of aristocracy, and you’re telling me that on top of hurting one of my guests, one who is royalty by blood, literally born a lady, someone that I was conversing with and whom I personally invited no less, that you lost the necklace that I just acquired?!” 

     Chloe was sure he was practically foaming at the mouth right now. It seemed as though using the alias he had spent years cultivating since before she even knew what the term grifter meant, was the proper choice. She had everyone in the royal family believing she was part of the family and was invited to many of their personal family events. The ever-elusive Lady Elizabeth was even in a few of their wills and was constantly moved when she came out of hiding. 

     With regret in his voice, the security guard replied “ it appears so sir” 

     “Of all the... Fine!. What’s done is done. I’ll fix it. Untie her and let’s see what’s what” he ordered.

     Just like that Chloe was released. Again she felt a hand on her face” can you hear me?” He paused awaiting a response.” Lady Elizabeth are you okay?”

     Chloe chose that moment to ‘stir awake’ and groaned. Using a slur, that she didn’t really have to fake, she said “wh.. what happened?”

     Fake apology and actually worry written on his face he replied” I’m sorry my Lady” Jergen crouched down in front of her” but it seems as though we’ve had a bit of a burglary her tonight, and it seems as though you got fought in the crossfire and my security team got a bit overzealous. However, maybe you can help us. Tell me, what were you doing downstairs?” He asked all too sweetly.

     Chloe knew he was trying to manipulate her in some way with the way he was talking to her, which way, well she was still fuzzy on. One thing she didn’t have to think about though was how to play her cards. “ I assked some’ne where the restroom was.” She paused covering her mouth. She really didn’t feel well. “ mmm don’t feel good” 

     He snapped his fingers in her face clearly irritated and losing his patience. “Focus! Now finish your sentence “ he ordered.

     “He said down n’ to the left, but it was locked… my head hurts” 

     Still, he was persistent “ tell me, did you see anything? Anyone?” 

     Chloe made a show of squinting around for her target then made her eyes go wide. She pointed and stuttered playing on the man’s chauvinistic side and leaned into Bushea’s embrace pretending to cower into him.” H...h...him h..he was c...coming out of something and put somewhere in his pocket and then he attacked me! Please don’t let him near me. I didn’t bring any of my men to protect me here.” 

     Jergen’s head whipped around and shot an accusatory glare at the wide-eyed guard who had hit her earlier. She definitely had Mr. Bushes hook line and sinker now. “you!”

     “Sir I didn’t”

     “Then you should have no problem emptying your pockets “ but the lacky was too stunned to comply, so Jergen pointed to the two men guarding the door that Chloe hadn’t seen before now. “ you two! Search him!”

     Chloe watched with hidden amusement, as the man’s eyes bulged further,  as the missing necklace was pulled out of his back pocket.

     “ You!.. it was you all along! And you hurt one of my guests just to get away with it. A Lady would never steal” he accused, as he pocketed the old couple’s treasure for himself. 

     Chloe’s body chose that moment to expel its contents all over the floor. She hadn’t planned that, but used it as an excuse to ‘stumble’ further into Jergen’s arms and reacquire the necklace “ mm sorry... I don’t feel good” 

     He steadied her, faux valiantly, at his side and lead them out the door, calling out “ take care of it” as they left the room.

     Once they were in the hallway he apologized. “ I am so sorry Lady Elizabeth, but it seems like you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, I promise to take full responsibility. Here…” he continued, pulling out his wallet and handing her a large stack of hundreds. “This should pay for the hospital bill, and I’ll have a man of my staff drive you there. Just do me a favor and leave my name out of this. If word were to get out, that my guests were getting attacked, I’d be a ruined man” 

     “ so this is what he wanted from me” this was her chance “ okay. I I can see it it wasn’t you, but after having that man attack me, I” she squeezed his arm” I just don’t want to be alone with a man, e especially not l like this m maybe the the girl at the bar, she seemed nice, please” 

     He gave her his best impression of sympathy” yes yes of course my dear, and again I am so sorry. Let’s just slip into the kitchen so that we don’t alarm any of the other guests, and I’ll have someone fetch the barkeep. I’ll explain the whole situation to her okay and she’ll get you looked after” he concluded, pushing her in the direction he wanted.