The Final Bet
August 5, 2024
The poker table was tense, the room thick with smoke and whispered stakes. Raul “The Jackal” Ortiz stared across the table at the man who had been his nemesis for years: Detective Jack Murphy.
“I didn’t think you’d have the guts to show up,” Raul said, his voice laced with contempt.
Jack glanced at his cards, his face unreadable. “It’s my job to finish what I start.”
Raul grinned, revealing teeth stained from years of cigarettes. “Let’s make this interesting. If I win, you walk away, never to chase me again.”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “And if I win?”
Raul’s grin widened. “Then I’ll tell you where to find the body.”
Silence hung in the air. The other players watched, knowing they were witnessing something far more dangerous than a high-stakes game.
Jack tossed a chip into the pot. “I’ll call.”
Raul flipped his cards over—a full house. He leaned back, smug.
Jack laid his cards down one by one—straight flush.
Raul’s smile faded, the weight of his loss sinking in. “You cheated.”
Jack leaned forward, his eyes cold. “No, Raul, I just played you the way you’ve played everyone else.”
Raul exhaled slowly, his defeat evident. “She’s buried in the woods behind my cabin.”
Jack nodded. “Game over.”