Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Monica and I settled into our room...Once again..We had an Oceanside view..A reminder that we were nearly a mile under the Atlantic Ocean...surrounded by water..I tried not to think about it..Naturally, no weapons were allowed down here....The Police down here used tasers and stun guns...

There was hardly any reason to even use them...There was hardly any crime down here...A fight, a drunken episode....That was it...Still..We checked in with the Octopus Garden Police Department as soon as we got here...

 They had a very sophisticated set up...And a force of twenty five officers and about three detectives...Not bad...They were very hospitable to Mo-Mo and me..

We looked at their surveilience cameras from a few days before...They kept everything on the cloud...They were able to download all of their footage...

Neither of us expected much...we were pleasantly surprised... There on the footage was Football great Belt Strappings with two very lovely ladies, walking around without a care in the world...

Bo Hopkins, the country and western singer was riding around with his business manager, who we had interviewed in Philadelphia..Laughing, drinking,eating and buying things..

We saw Belt Strappings and Bo Hopkins with Ralph Gittens and an unidentified woman...She had on a tight black dress....She was shapely and very attractive...They were laughing and talking and entered one of the bars...

We saw John E. Carson arriving alone and spending a lot of money in the jewelry shops and buying wine...Later we saw him talking to the same woman that Strappings,Hopkins and Gittens had been seen with...

Buisnessman Sam Collins arrived with two busty young women and was seen talking to the same woman!!

 "Okay..Who is that woman in the black dress?" asked Monica..

"A local...Lola Getz...She's uh a business woman, you might say."said the Desk Sgt.

"Oh yeah...What kind of business is she in?" I asked..

"I don't know..A whole lot of things...but the word on the street as it is..Is that she runs a high stake card game...You can only get in if you're a millionaire."he said.

 ''An illegal game that you guys kind of just turn a blind eye to right?" said Monica.

The Desk Sgt turned beet red..

''Yeah...we do...You have to understand...You pick your battles...It's quiet...nobody gets hurt..nobody plays that can't afford to drop a load of cash and not be ruined by it...Plus she donates a lot of money to our civic charities and other projects down here.." he said..

"To pay for your silence?" I said..

"Yeah....look..You guys wouldn't even be down here if those five guys hadn't of gotten killed...And I can tell you right now..Lola Getz is not who you're lookin for." he said.

"And you know this why or how?" asked Monica..

"She's no criminal..She's no wise guy or nothing...Not a violent bone in her body...I'm serious..Go see her...She's at this address.."he said..

''We have three addresses for her...but thank you."said Monica.

"Mo-Mo...Look here....Here is all five of our murder victims...John E. Carson, Ralph Gittens,Sam Collins,Bo Hopkins and Belt Strappings all with Little Ms. Black Dress..." I said.

Monica observed where they were going...

"We need to get over there and check that place out..I doubt if she would still be having a card game there...but we still need to run it down."she said.

"So all of these guys came at seperate times and with different drivers....We need to check the Aqua Bus schedules and talk to all of their drivers....

"One driver I'm interested in talking to...Miflin....The driver that took them back...."said Monica..

"No problem there...We got him in custody..."he said.

"You do?" she asked..

"Yeah....Drunk and disorderly...We've had him for days..."he said.

"No wonder we couldn't find him...He was here locked up..."I laughed..

But when we arrived at the holding facility..We were told..

"You guys missed him...He made bail this morning and was released..."

"Who bailed him out?" I asked..

"He has a son, Jared Miflin...It's a wonder he's not in here..He's a good for nothin...Hardly works, sponges off of his dad...Drinks and parties a lot...That kid was a waste of sperm...Oh uh sorry mam." said one of the officers..

"It's okay..Considering his dad is now unemployed..He couldn't have gone far...I'm betting he's still around...We'll catch up to him later...Come on partner...Let's find us a card game."said Monica...

"Who is going to talk to two Philly Homicide Detectives?" I asked..

"Nobody....but we won't look like two Philly Homicide detectives...Lola Getz isn't the only person  with a Black party dress."said Monica..

"Oh My God!!! You brought it?? Yessss.." I said just imagining her in her black strapless mini skirt...

Monica Laughed...

"Goofball..Come on...Let's go back to our room and get dressed!"she said.



II-

 "You ready ?"asked Monica..

"I-I-I don't know if I can stand it." I said smiling and looking at my wife in a strapless black mini skirt that left nothing to the imagination..

"Tongue back in mouth..eyes back in sockets partner...Focus..We got to get into that card game...And I've got an idea...While you were getting dressed..I facetimed Lt. Cotton...He  built us up the perfect alias's and profiles..We are Mr. and Mrs. Smith."said Monica.

"Oh Wow...THAT sounds original."I laughed.

''We are new here and we've got a lot of cash and it's burning a hole in our wallets...Zig gaves the name of some local players...We put this out there and who knows...Maybe ..just maybe..We'll get into THE hot card game.."said Monica.

"You do think of everything wifey."I said smiling..

''While we are here..We might as well live a little bit..Besides..I have the department's credit card."she laughed.

IV-

The next few days..Monica and I walked around Octopus Gardens enjoying lavish meals and treating ourselves to the finer things of life..and at night ,enjoying the plush clubs and small casinos..

We tossed our names around to the known playas...Names Ziggy gave us of people in the know..Finally, we caught the attention of an attractive and shapely Black woman named Mavis..

 "Well hello you two....I've uh noticed you two most of the week..I'm  a regular here in the Undersea City and uh ,I've never seen you two before.."she said..."Hi...My name is Mavis..Mavis Cartright and I'm uh ruh..a party planner you might say."she said.

''A party planner? That's an odd occupation."said Monica..

"Not really...I uh put people together with people like them,people they want to be with...And I hear you two have a hole burning in your pockets.."she said smiling..

''Do you now? I'm George Smith and this is my wife...."I said.

"I know..Louise Smith...she's an Attorney and you are a Hedge Fund Manager..In fact..you both are...And you're from the Big Apple..I know all about you...I had you checked out...."she said.

"Checked Out?" asked Monica with fake disgust...

"I had to make sure you guys had the money and the credentials to play in our exclusive card game..The person I work for only plays with the cream of the crop..." she said.

"So you know my wife and I are serious Poker players...right?" I said.

"I know you are... Where are you staying? Oh Never mind..I know...I know your phone numbers too..Wait in your room....In an hour ,you'll get a text...It'll tell you where to meet  for our private card game...I expect you two know how to be discreet....right?"she said.

"But of course.."said Monica with a smile as we looked at the party goers...

We headed back to our hotel room..

Monica sat down...and took her heels off...

"Feels good to get my feet out of those heels."sighed Monica..

"I liked you in them..Mrs. Smith." I said..

"Oh I know you did smarty...You are just getting too excited right now...We have to focus on getting invited to this card game..."said Monica..

Just then..my phone vibrated...

"It's Kylie...It's from home.."I said..

Detective Kylie White was calling us from Philly...I hadn't seen her in a few weeks...It was good to hear from her..

"Heyy girl..what's going on?" I said.

"Ummmm look at you all handsome in that suit...Mo-Mo girl..you better handcuff your man..."she laughed..

"Hey Kylie girl..what's up?" said Monica...

"So I did that search of beverage and food chains and catering companies like you asked...And one stuck out... Palmer & Palmer Catering...They are doing a large spread...TONIGHT at this location in
Octopus Gardens...Sandwiches, Cold Cuts...Cake and Pie and wine and Domestic and international beers...This is more than likely where your crap game is.."she said.

"Thanks Kylie...I think we are about to get an invite..We just made contact with Lola Getz's number two...."said Monica..

"I didn't have any luck with Miflin..Couldn't find him." she said.

"That's because he was here all the time..locked up....but unfortunately...we missed him too. His dead beat son bailed him out.."I said.

"His son has a record as long as he is tall...His name is Jarad...He's got DUI's...drunk and disorderly,possession of controlled substances...Simple Assault and a stint in debtors prison last summer for failure to pay child support...He's got two kids by two different girls..He hasn't been in any trouble lately."said Kylie..

''Well damn girl..you're really on the ball lately..How is your love life?" asked Monica..

"Love life?  Ha..I'm still sleeping with Wally Becker..if that's what you mean...but we aren't really official yet and I can tell he's getting restless....and I haven't heard from Carlos...I was supposed to visit him on the Moon this week..but I declined...I'm tired..I would have thought he would have called wondering why I didn't come up...but I got nothing...Guess he doesn't care...My love life is in a holding pattern right now."she said.

"Awww honeyyyy..I'm so sorry...It's all gonna work out..."said Monica..

"Mo-Mo...we just got a text...THE TEXT!...We are in and Kylie, you were right...This is the place..We are in like Flynn.." I said.

"Don't let me hold you up...Go get em guys."said Kylie...

"We'll see you when we get home."I said..."Thanks Kylie." I said as I hung up.

V-

We met Mavis and she led us to a hotel room with no beds or sofas or anything...It was a floating crap game...several card games was going on...

Beer and wine was plentiful, as well as all the cold cuts and sandwiches and chips you could eat...

"Nice spread....What's the hottest game?" I asked..

"It's over here hotshot."said a gambler...

Monica and I walked over to the table and I sat down...

All of the men eyed her salaciously...

"The name is Mikey...Mikey Licavolli....That your wife or your girl?" he asked.

"That's my wife..."I said.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Smith....George Smith...My wife is Louise Smith."I said.

"You play Poker?" he asked..

"I'm here aint I? Deal me in." I said...I smiled..

Monica was scanning their minds...She told me telepathically that they all thought I was a cornball and that they were going to take me for every dime I had...

Both of us ,Monica and I could play poker...but this was like taking candy from a baby..she could not only see their hands...but she was scanning their thoughts and communicating with me telepathically...

Within the next two hours..I had beaten them all and had close to 75K in my possession...

"Well boys...I'm calling it a night..."I said.. "Cash me out honey.." I said to one of the girls serving drinks...bu the man name Mike Licavolli grabbed my arm...

"Double or nothin one more hand ace."he said..

From the sound of his voice, I could sense danger...His entire mannerism screamed ...Gangster....All of the other guys had folded...It was just me and him...

"I want your wife to sit next to me...Just so I can make sure,she's not signaling you.."he said.

"Signaling you? Mannn, you crazy...We out."I said.

"I INSIST YOU INDULGE ME!" he said and grabbed my arm rather roughly...

"Okay...Okay..Me and you...Texas Hold em..how bout that?" I asked.

"Sure...Fresh deck baby..."he said and some brand new cards were brought over...He pulled Monica into a seat next to him..

Now I was furious...Monica cautioned me telepathically to be cool ,not to break my cover...

"Hey man you don't have to man handle my wife like that." I said.

He didn't flinch or offer an apology...he opened the deck and cut it...

"Let's deal." he said..

He slyly palmed Monica's butt....He smiled sheepishly....

"Ummmmmmmm..Nice!" he moaned and laughed..

Monica went to get up...He tried to grab her...She twisted his arm and slammed it on the table hard...Everybody gasped..

"Touch my ass again and I don't care who you are..I'll break that arm." she said..and she went and got a drink...

Most of the party inhabitants were stunned...Nobody talked to Mikey Licavolli like that.

Mike Licavolli laughed..

"I like your wife..she's got some stones on her that one." he said..

"Play man." I said.

Monica didn't have to see his cards...She could scan his mind from a distance...Her back turned to him and having a drink and  a sandwich...She was telling me enough that within an hour..This poor sap was broke...He was out...150G's...

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!!!I'M TAPPED OUT!!!!" he said and slammed his fist down on the table..

"Hey man...I've been playing Poker since I was six...My daddy and my older brothers taught me the game....I'm pretty good at it.."I lied...(I'm an only child...but my Daddy did teach me the game..I was a little older than six...Monica's dad, Detective Ray Talbert taught both of his girls,Monica and Monique how to play Poker..)

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!!!I'M TAPPED OUT!!!!  I'VE NEVER LOST LIKE THIS....Hey, hit me up...I'm good for it!!!"he wailed..

Two burly guys walked over to him..

"You're done Mike...Time to go back to your room.."one said..

"NO...NO...I AINT GOIN NOWHERE....I GOTTA WIN SOME OF MY DOUGH BACK.....IT'S JUST A LITTLE SET BACK...I CAN GET SOMETHIN GOIN...COME ONNNN!" he screamed..

Just then, she appeared...the woman we had been looking for...

Lola Getz!!!

"Mike..Get your ass up and get the hell out...I shouldn't have even let you in this game...That's not your money...That's mob money you just blew...You're not a playa...Get the hell out ."she said.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..COME ON LOLA..COME ON....I'VE NEVER LOST LIKE THIS........I GOTTA WIN SOME OF MY DOUGH BACK.....IT'S JUST A LITTLE SET BACK...I CAN GET SOMETHIN GOIN...COME ONNNN!" he screamed..

"Get him outta here."she said..

The two burly men hustled him out...

She smiled and looked at Monica and me..

"You two....I need to talk to." she said smiling..

Monica and I high fived each other.


(TO BE CONTINUED)