The Final Bet
March 2, 2025
The neon lights of Lucky Ace Casino flickered against the rain-slicked pavement as Detective Marcus Reed ducked under the crime scene tape. The place reeked of stale whiskey and desperation.
Lying on the floor near the high-stakes poker table was Victor Langley—casino owner, loan shark, and all-around bastard. A single gunshot wound to the forehead. Blood pooled beneath his tailored suit.
Officer Diaz approached, flipping through his notepad. “Security says he was shot at exactly 11:13 PM. Place was packed, but no one saw the shooter.”
Reed arched a brow. “In a casino full of cameras? That’s hard to believe.”
Diaz nodded. “Thing is… the security footage from 11:00 to 11:15 is missing.”
Reed frowned. “Someone wiped it.”
“Looks like it.”
Reed crouched beside the body, noting the poker chips scattered across the table. Langley’s last hand still lay face-up—a losing hand.
“Who was playing with him?” Reed asked.
Diaz checked his notes. “Three people: his business partner, Tony Rizzo. A gambler named Eric Dunn. And…” He hesitated.
Reed looked up. “And?”
Diaz sighed. “His wife. Emily Langley.”
Reed stood. “Bring them all in.”
Interrogation Room 1 – Tony Rizzo
Rizzo, a slick-haired businessman with a gold watch, leaned back in his chair, arms crossed.
“I didn’t kill him,” he said flatly. “Sure, we had problems, but murder? Come on.”
Reed smirked. “Security footage was erased. That takes inside knowledge. And you ran this place with Langley.”
Rizzo scoffed. “Yeah, I ran the place. But he was the one making enemies. You think I’m dumb enough to kill a guy in my own casino?”
Reed studied him. He had a point.
“Where were you at 11:13 PM?”
Rizzo shrugged. “On the phone in my office. Security can confirm it.”
Reed made a note. “We’ll see.”
Interrogation Room 2 – Eric Dunn
Dunn, a twitchy, debt-ridden gambler, drummed his fingers on the table.
“I owed Langley money,” he admitted. “A lot. But I didn’t kill him.”
Reed leaned in. “He threatened to break your legs, didn’t he?”
Dunn swallowed hard. “That doesn’t mean I shot him.”
Reed slid a file across the table. “Your fingerprints were found on a spent shell casing near the scene.”
Dunn’s face went pale. “That’s… that’s not possible.”
Reed watched him squirm. Guilt? Or something else?
Interrogation Room 3 – Emily Langley
Emily Langley sat still, her face unreadable. A black widow in a red dress.
“You were at the table with your husband,” Reed said. “And you walked away with a lot of money.”
Emily smiled faintly. “He bet everything on one hand.”
Reed tapped the table. “And lost.”
She tilted her head. “So?”
Reed leaned in. “So, he was about to divorce you. Cut you off. No more money, no more luxury.”
Emily didn’t blink. “That’s an interesting theory, detective.”
Reed slid a small evidence bag across the table. Inside was a single playing card.
“The Queen of Spades,” he said. “Found in your purse. Same card found tucked into your husband’s pocket after he was shot.”
Emily’s lips parted slightly. The first crack in her cool demeanor.
“You weren’t just at the table,” Reed said. “You were calling the shots.”
Silence.
Then, a slow exhale.
“You can’t prove I pulled the trigger,” she whispered.
Reed smirked. “Maybe not. But I can prove you planned it.”
As Officer Diaz stepped in with cuffs, Emily Langley smiled one last time.
“I never bet on a losing hand, Detective.”
Reed watched as she was led away.
He chuckled. “Guess you just did.”